From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On Friday the Steelers told quarterback Tommy Maddox that they had released him, and that came as no surprise to the veteran former starter.

Maddox had dropped to No. 3 on the depth chart behind Charlie Batch at mid-season. He was scheduled to make $1 million in salary and a bonus next season.

Maddox said two weeks ago that he expected to be released and that "if it's time to move on, it's time to move on. I'm excited about the future."

Maddox, 34, signed with the Steelers in the summer of 2001 after he was named MVP of the now-defunct XFL. He had not played football for three full years before he played in the Arena League in 2000.

He replaced Kordell Stewart as the starting quarterback for the fourth game of the 2002 season and remained their starter until an elbow injury in the second game of the 2004 season opened the door for Ben Roethlisberger to replace him.

In 2005, after Ben suffered a knee injury, Maddox was asked if he could start against Jacksonville despite the limited amount of practice he had.

"I wasn't going to turn down a chance to go out there and play. Never will."

The rest is history, ugly at that -- the fumbled snap, the three interceptions, including one in overtime that was returned for a touchdown. Fans booed him during the game.

"It was tough," Maddox said. "I was excited about the opportunity, maybe too excited. I didn't play well, and that's obviously tough to handle."

He did not handle the booing well, either, "probably because I had never gone through that in the city. I had a great relationship with the City of Pittsburgh and the fans, and it kind of took me off guard a little bit because that relationship always had been good.

"It was hard to deal with. I didn't handle it good, especially right after the game -- your defensive mechanism jumps up, and you kind of want to fight everybody and defend yourself."

And the trash reportedly thrown on his lawn in the following days?

"There were a few things I had to pick up and put in the trash can," Maddox said. "It was blown way out of proportion. I was never scared or worried."

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I know I said really mean things about Tommy Maddox last season. And now I feel somewhat bad about it. I remember thinking it was really funny about the whole trash on the lawn thing, but now it just seems almost pathetic. To go from having your likeness on a box of cornflakes, as Pittsburgh's hero, to later become their trash receptacle? Although maybe at this point, his mom could play better than him...

Here's some cute Tommy stuff, if you're into that sort of thing

Tommy Maddox Bobble Head Doll	Tommy Maddox Autographed 8 x 10 Color Photograph