July 19th 2023.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes experienced many wins in his career, from being a first-round draft pick to helping his team secure a Super Bowl championship, and subsequently being named Super Bowl MVP. Since retiring from the game on Oct. 10, 2017, winning has taken on an entirely new meaning for Holmes.
His connection to sickle cell disease through his oldest son, who lives with the condition, ignited his focus on raising awareness and spreading the message of advocacy. Nearly 1 in 13 Black babies carry the sickle cell trait. BLACK ENTERPRISE caught up with Holmes to discuss key moments from his career, his life post-NFL, and using his platform to educate the Black community on ways to become more involved in supporting those living with sickle cell disease.
When asked what it means to have a longstanding partnership with St. Jude and raise awareness around sickle cell disease, Holmes said, "It's a blessing and an opportunity to use a voice given to me through the NFL for becoming a Super Bowl MVP and having such an impact that was near and dear to my heart. I knew how hard it was for kids living with the condition to be able to survive in our world today."
Holmes further discussed the key barrier to people's understanding of sickle cell disease, saying, "There needs to be more knowledge and understanding of how it affects the people living with the condition." He noted that living with sickle cell can be difficult for many people and that there is currently no cure. He highlighted the importance of donating blood so that patients can receive blood transfusions, particularly from more African Americans.
When asked about what was the most difficult decision he had to make to pursue his destiny of becoming a Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP, Holmes responded, "Understanding the process and what it takes to change because, for many people in our world, we are stuck in our ways. We like the things we like, but understanding that when you allow yourself to grow through those changes, it's God's way of showing you how prosperous you can be."
He went on to discuss what he means to the Steelers' culture and the overall fabric of the organization, saying, "I'm just thankful for having a dream and wanting to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers when I was a kid. They gave me an opportunity to be drafted there, and I'm very blessed to have teammates with a winning culture that wanted to win Super Bowls."
Holmes also discussed the importance of winning in life, both on and off the field. He stated, "To win on and off the field in life is to support the people around you that surround you in the field of focus you're involved with. Be more consistent in helping those people to help you. That's just a part of the journey we learn to live when we are involved in a culture like Pittsburgh."
When asked about what he missed the most since his retirement, Holmes said, "I would probably say the sign language because as I continue to live out these days of missing the game, it was the silence we created among ourselves and the language we had that we communicated to each other in the way that we understood what needed to be done."
Finally, when asked what he wants to come to people's minds when they hear his name for generations to come, Holmes said, "Respect. Just being who I am, wanting to be a person in the world that could support so many other people, and having a goal, love, and passion for people. Gaining and earning respect is something I've always tried to be able to deliver when I'm around people."
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