Ex-Steelers QB Neil O'Donnell Exposed By His Own Teammate For Allegedly Rigging Super Bowl XXX
PITTSBURGH — Decades after Super Bowl XXX, a game etched into Steelers lore, another layer of controversy is resurfacing around Neil O'Donnell’s performance — not based on statistics, but on a startling accusation from one of his own former teammates.
O’Donnell, who led the Pittsburgh Steelers to the 1995 season’s championship game against the Dallas Cowboys, threw just one touchdown pass while being intercepted three times in the Super Bowl loss. Those interceptions, including two costly picks by Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown, helped swing momentum heavily in Dallas’ favor. At the time, his season performance had been solid — 17 touchdowns to seven interceptions — making the sudden collapse all the more puzzling.
Imagine the take-o-sphere if Neil O’Donnell did today what he pulled in Super Bowl XXX. It would make Belichick-HOF takes look like book club. pic.twitter.com/tEFjOFlY6V
— Damon Amendolara (@DamonAmendo) February 1, 2026
Now, former Steelers guard Emerson Martin — who spent time with the team’s practice squad in the mid-1990s — alleges that those miscues weren’t just bad luck or pressure-induced mistakes. Speaking on the podcast Million Dollar Minute, Martin reignited speculation by claiming he believes O’Donnell “threw that Super Bowl.”
“Yes, so listen, nothing against Neil O’Donnell, but I do believe he threw that Super Bowl,” Martin said on the show. “Neil threw two perfect passes in that game… but they went right to Brown.”
Martin’s comments echo a long-standing narrative among a subset of Steelers fans who have questioned whether O’Donnell’s puzzling performance was simply an “off day” or something more deliberate. The former practice squad player argued that without those interceptions, Pittsburgh likely would have won the game, pointing out strong defensive play that held Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith under 50 yards.
But Martin’s credibility is a point of debate. He only appeared in two games for the Steelers and spent most of his career on practice squads and in alternative leagues. Still, his remarks have reignited discussion among fans who vividly remember the sting of that loss.
The unanswered question for many, even now: was O’Donnell simply overwhelmed on football’s biggest stage — committed uncharacteristic errors under pressure — or is there cause to revisit uncomfortable speculation? While Martin’s claims have no verifiable evidence backing them, the debate underscores just how lasting and emotionally charged Super Bowl XXX remains for Pittsburgh’s fanbase.
In a game defined by interceptions and a missed chance at glory, O’Donnell’s legacy — fair or not — continues to invite scrutiny every time Super Bowl history is revisited.
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