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There are few players in Pittsburgh Steelers lore who have endeared themselves to the fan base as much as Jerome Bettis did during his time with the black-and-gold. Bettis, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has been a visible face throughout his retirement, and during the week leading up to the Super Bowl was on several shows talking about everything from the upcoming game between the Chiefs and 49ers, as well as some of his Steelers memories.
While joining the Rich Eisen show, he was asked about his old coach, Bill Cowher, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the 2020 Centennial Class. Bettis didn’t just tell the same old stories of Cowher yelling and spitting, but went to tell how if it weren’t for Cowher, he wouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame.
Check out the video:
"He's the reason I'm in the @ProFootballHOF." -@JeromeBettis36 had the highest praise for his former @Steelers head coach @CowherCBS: pic.twitter.com/alb1TboiXZ
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) January 28, 2020
What might surprise many, and it certainly surprised me, was hearing Bettis talk about how there were some members of the coaching staff who wanted Bettis gone in the waning years of his career.
It was Cowher who spoke up and not only said Bettis was staying, but the team was going to continue giving him the ball. And we all know how that played out.
What most people might assume, but maybe didn’t know, was how Bettis got the nickname, the bus. Everyone always made the assumption Bettis was given that nickname when he came to Pittsburgh and donned the black-and-gold, resembling a bus.
Come to find out, as Bettis told Dan Patrick, on the Dan Patrick Show, just how he got that nickname while he was at Notre Dame.
Check out the video:
HOF running back @JeromeBettis36 tells us how he became "The Bus" pic.twitter.com/BRnQ29YILI
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) January 28, 2020
Some great stories by Bettis about his time in Pittsburgh, but the hope is the organization and fan base have a couple new names added to an already growing list of people who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. Both Troy Polamalu and Alan Faneca are vying for induction and will find out their fate later this week.
In the meantime, stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black-and-gold as they embark on another long offseason.