Turns out, linebacker James Harrison was in the wrong place at the right time when he returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII.

After he climbed out of a white Smart Car and unloaded some bags in front of the Steelers dormitory at Saint Vincent College, Harrison reflected on the spectacular play that helped produce the 27-23 victory against Arizona for the Steelers' sixth Super Bowl victory.

He was supposed to blitz Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, Harrison revealed, and not drop into pass coverage the way he did when Arizona snapped the ball from the Steelers 1 with only 18 seconds before halftime.

Warner did not see the 6-foot Harrison dropping into coverage and threw a quick slant toward receiver Anquan Boldin on the inside. Harrison stepped in front, intercepted it at the goal line and turned it into the longest play in Super Bowl history, scoring as time ran out in the half.

"I was supposed to blitz," said Harrison, who lines up on the right outside of the Steelers defense.

Why did he not blitz then?

"The way I saw it, all night we were like a step late. We had an all-out blitz, and I saw that if I stepped, I could hold my tackle and it wouldn't give him enough time to get down on [linebacker Lawrence] Timmons. And I'll just drop out, they'll have to do a quick slant-in route and I just happened to be right there. I guess my height helped me that time."

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has said that Harrison has the freedom to do just that.

"You know," said Harrison, the NFL's defensive player of the year, "technique, opportunity and all that other stuff meet and a little bit of luck. Sometimes, you feel like that might be the play that might do it. I guess coach LeBeau didn't mind it too much."

Harrison signed a contract extension this spring that will pay him $51,175,000 over the next six years.

Tomlin revealed that tight end Heath Miller, who signed a six-year, $35.3 million contract this week, had surgery in June to repair a sports hernia and will be limited in practice at training camp for a while.

Tomlin, though, said the team is merely being cautious with Miller and he expects him to be fine for the regular season. Miller had surgery to repair a sports hernia after his senior season at Virginia and before the Steelers drafted him in the first round in 2005.

Tomlin said several veterans will be limited in practices with various injuries: safety Troy Polamalu and cornerback Deshea Townsend with hamstring problems, center Justin Hartwig with a right big toe injury and guard/center Darnell Stapleton with swelling in his knee. Running back Stefan Logan, signed from the Canadian League, will open camp on the physically unable to perform list with a midfoot sprain.

Earlier in the day, Hartwig denied reports that he had broken a toe this summer.

"My foot's fine, my foot's absolutely fine," Hartwig said. "There's a lot of speculation I read on the Internet that I don't understand, but I'm 100 percent healthy, ready to go tomorrow."

Tomlin did not specify how Hartwig injured his big toe but said it occurred about a month ago.

Charlie Batch enters his 12th NFL season without his former camp roommate -- LB Larry Foote -- but eager to get back on the playing field after missing the 2008 season.

Batch broke his right collarbone in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles when he had to run with the ball on a busted play. He had surgery the next day and had a plate inserted in his clavicle to prevent the bone from shortening.

"Man, I'm excited about it," said Batch, 34, a Homestead native who played at Steel Valley High School. "Going through practice and the OTA stuff, you're kind of cautious, but at the same time, as training camp gets close, you're like, you're 13 days away from getting hit. Once I get thru that part of it I'll be fine."

Kicker Jeff Reed, 30, said there have been no negotiations between him and his agent as he enters the final season of his contract with the Steelers.

Reed, though, said he's encouraged by all the other signings that have taken place, which would include contract extensions for Miller, Harrison, Max Starks and Hines Ward, along with new contracts for offensive linemen Chris Kemoeatu and Trai Essex in March.

Steelers president Art Rooney II said it was "one of the priorities of the offseason" to get a new deal for Miller.

But, even though the Steelers have four or five key players heading into the final year of their contract, Rooney indicated they might not be able to sign any to an extension before the season because the club has little room to maneuver under the salary cap.

Defensive end Ziggy Hood, the team's No. 1 draft choice, reported to camp at 305 pounds and said he is ready to play wherever the coaches feel is necessary.

Rooney said Hood "worked about as hard as any first-round draft choice I can remember" to get ready for training camp.

Hood said he will have no problems fitting in with the team and city. "Pittsburgh looks like a busy city where people are working a lot. I'm no stranger to working out myself."

Among those who came to camp lighter were Essex, who said he lost 16 pounds, and Harrison, who said he now weighs 250 pounds after losing "five or 10." ... Former Steelers center Dermontti Dawson is spending a week in training camp as a scouting intern for the team. Dawson, a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1990s and a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist last year, retired after the 2000 season.

If you go ...

• What: Steelers training camp, first open day of practice.

• Where: Saint Vincent College, Latrobe.

• When: Parking lots open at noon. Campus opens at 1:30 p.m. and practice is at 2:55 p.m. All times are subject to change.

• Admission: Free.