Holmes was part of a different NFL
Former Steeler Curtain All Pro Ernie Holmes passed away Thursday at the age of 59 in a car accident. It is a tragic loss for the Holmes and Steeler family and we send our condolences.
The fact that Holmes met his demise in a car accident must strike some fans as sadly fitting. Holmes was a great player, but he is perhaps best known for an incident that makes any T.O. drama look tame.
At a time when Holmes was broke and mentally unstable, he was on his way to the Steelers front offices to get some money. Most likely, he would have joined their traveling basketball team (imagine that). He couldn't get to the office in time, and on the way out of town became increasingly paranoid about the traffic around him.
Holmes wound up opening fire at trucks passing by, but said he intentionally didn't hit any people. A large-scale police chase ensued, with Holmes eventually crashing his truck, getting out on foot in the woods, and shooting at a police helicopter, hitting one policeman in the ankle. He wound up surrendering peacefully.
While that story is remarkable, the reaction reaction to it was more so.
Steelers coach Chuck Noll and owner Art Rooney met Holmes at jail, then Rooney proceeded to visit Holmes nearly every day while he remained in a psychiatric hospital for two months. He received five years probation. The Steelers stuck by Holmes through his nervous breakdown, and convinced him to remain on the team.
Imagine if this story happened now. In 1971, there was not an overwhelming public outcry to release Holmes. There was no Turd Watch, no wall-to-wall Sportscenter coverage for weeks or holier-than-thou columns about how NFL players these days just aren't the same. There was just a troubled man, and a franchise that stood by him. Holmes wound up repaying the Steelers loyalty, staying for another five years, making two All Pro teams.
Thanks to the excellent 'About Three Bricks Shy of a Load' for providing the source material here
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