| Santonio Holmes #10 | |
| Position | Wide Receiver |
| Height | 5'11" |
| Weight | 189 lbs |
| Birthdate | March 3, 1984 |
| NFL Seasons | 3 |
| College | Ohio State |
Winning catch
Santonio Holmes was an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He previously played college football with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Videos
|- |align="center"|The Spectacular catch that made him Super Bowl MVP 2009 |}
High school years
Holmes attended Glades Central High School in Belle Glade and was a letterman in football, basketball, and track. In football, he helped lead his team to two state titles and a 12-1 record as a senior. In basketball, he helped lead his team to a state runner-up finish as a senior. In track, his team won the state title during his junior year, and he was the member of a 4x400 meter relay team that won two state titles. Santonio graduated from Glades Central Community High School in 2002 with a 3.4 GPA.
College career
Holmes starred at receiver for Ohio State from 2003 to 2005, catching 243 passes for 2,295 yards and 25 touchdowns, while gaining 3,123 all-purpose yards. His 240 career receptions and 3,496 yards ranked were the fifth totals highest in school history at the time he left the Buckeyes in 2005. His 25 touchdown catches ranked him third. He majored in general studies.
Professional career
2006 season
Holmes left college a year early and was taken in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. The 25th pick overall, he was the first and only receiver taken in the first round by the Steelers. Holmes, who wore number 4 at Ohio State (a number that isn't issued to wide receivers in the NFL), was issued number 10, previously worn in Pittsburgh by former kicker Roy Gerela and quarterback Kordell Stewart.
Early on in the Steelers' disappointing 2006 season, Holmes was criticized for his poor performance on special teams as a returner, a role in which he fumbled frequently. However, Holmes had better success as a receiver, displaying his athleticism and skill in several of the Steelers' games. He earned Week 6 Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week honors for his performance October 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling 58 yards receiving and 13 yards rushing.
Late in the season, Holmes replaced Cedrick Wilson in the starting lineup and finished the 2006 regular season with 49 receptions for 824 yards and 2 touchdowns. His best play of the season was also the last, when, in overtime of the Steelers' final game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals, Holmes caught a pass from Ben Roethlisberger on a slant route and ran for a 67-yard touchdown to secure a win for the Steelers. He also returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown on December 17 against the Carolina Panthers.
2007 season
Holmes was named the Steelers' starting split end coming into training camp. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2007 as he led the Steelers in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and emerged as one of the better known deep threats in the NFL. In Week 1 of the season against the Cleveland Browns, Holmes caught a 40 yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger as they went on to defeat the Browns 34–7. Week 4 in a loss against the Arizona Cardinals, he enjoyed one of the best games in his young pro career as he finished the game with 6 receptions, 128 yards, and 2 touchdown catches. In week 9, he enjoyed another two touchdown game against the Baltimore Ravens, in a game which both touchdowns came in the first half. He finished the game with 4 catches, 110 yards, and two touchdowns. In week 16, Santonio Holmes amassed the most yards receiving in a game in his career, as he finished the game with 133 yards receiving against the St. Louis Rams. He finished the year with 942 yards receiving and 8 touchdown catches. He led the league in yards per catch.
In his first career playoff game, a 31–29 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, he finished the game with 3 catches, 49 yards, and a touchdown.