TAMPA, Fla. – Matt Leinart is not the only first-round draft pick quarterback who will be sitting on the bench tonight. Pittsburgh’s backup quarterback has his own story of going from star to the bench.
Byron Leftwich will sit behind Ben Roethlisberger. After starring for Jacksonville for four seasons, Leftwich fell out of favor there and is now the Steelers’ insurance policy if Big Ben gets injured.
“Anybody on this team that is part of the 47 can be Super Bowl MVP,” Leftwich said. “Just think about it. Anybody can be that, so you never know. You are always one play away. It is no different than what is was for the rest of the games, but you do understand that it’s the Super Bowl, and I think that helps you prepare a little more. I will be ready if my number is called.”
Leftwich will be a free agent after this season, and could be on the Jets’ radar if Brett Favre retires. The 29-year-old said he’s not worried about anything beyond this game, though.
“I’m not even thinking that far,” Leftwich said. “It would be to think about anything other than the Super Bowl. You worked your whole life to get here and now that you are here you don’t want to think about anything else.”
As he spoke this week, Leftwich seemed genuine in his appreciation for being in this game. He kept pointing to his hat with the Super Bowl logo on it when he talked about tonight’s game.
“If I was the starter of this team, I wouldn’t be any happier than I am right now,” he said. “What people don’t realize is that you don’t have to be the main guy to enjoy this and to really appreciate being in the Super Bowl. It is the same happiness and same joyful feeling no matter who you are on this football team because it takes 53 people to make it this far.”
The Jaguars took Leftwich out of Marshall with the seventh pick in the 2003 draft. He had some good years there but underwent ankle surgery in 2006 and was replaced by David Garrard. That winter, coach Jack Del Rio said Leftwich would be the starter in 2007 but then reversed course in training camp and the team cut Leftwich.
After one year in Atlanta, Leftwich joined the Steelers.
“I never lost confidence in myself,” he said. “I just think for the first time in a long time, I’m healthy and I’m able to show people who doubted me because I was injured that I can still play this game.”
