Tag: Bill Cowher

Latest update on Steelers-Cowboys HOF game

The governor of Ohio offered his thoughts on August’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week.

The annual Pro Football Hall of Fame game is currently scheduled to kick off the 2020 NFL preseason. Unfortunately, and especially because it’s just less than two months away, it appears the game is unlikely to be played.

Per Joe Rutter of Trib Live, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the Aug. 6 game scheduled between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys should not be played with fans in attendance. DeWine also believes the Aug. 8 Hall of Fame induction ceremony should not be conducted with fans.

Akron’s Tom Benson Stadium holds 23,000 people, and tickets, which went on sale in March, sold out an hour after going on sale. More than 10,000 tickets for the induction ceremony have been sold.

“Having a crowd that size, I think is highly unlikely,” DeWine said. “Certainly, it could not occur today. It would be very dangerous to do it today.”

HOF board of directors will meet Thursday to see if they can come up with a backup plan.

This news certainly doesn’t sound hopeful for Steelers and Cowboys meeting in the preseason. Fans don’t seem to care much for the game, and injuries are always a concern. Still, the opportunity to see former safeties Troy Polamalu and Donnie Shell and former head coach Bill Cowher inducted — live or televised — is special.

We’ll just have to wait and see what the HOF officials come up with.

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Contingency plans for Steelers-Cowboys HOF game

Alternatives for the Pittsburgh Steelers versus Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame game, as well as the enshrinement ceremony, are being considered.

Little did the cast of “Good Morning Football” know how the sports landscape would be turned upside down when, on March 9, they announced the teams representing the AFC and NFC in the 2020 Hall of Fame game.

Single event tickets for the Pittsburgh Steelers-Dallas Cowboys HOF game went on sale on March 13 and sold out in 22 minutes — just two days after the NBA season was shut down.

If the NFL gets the green-light to resume operations, the HOF wants to be ready. Should that not happen, they also need to have alternatives in place.

As with every move that the NFL makes regarding its season, the HOF will follow suit.

David Baker, executive director of the Hall of Fame, told USA TODAY Sports that there are contingency plans under consideration for the annual preseason kickoff game (Aug. 6) and the HOF enshrinement ceremony (Aug. 8).

“We’re not going to do anything that’s not safe,” Baker told USA Today Sports. “But I do hope that we can lead in showing that this can be done in a way that will inspire us.”

One of the possibilities is to postpone the game and ceremony to later in August if the NFL shortens the preseason.

If the Steelers-Cowboys exhibition game is canceled, the enshrinement could be coupled with the Centennial Celebration slated for Sept. 18, when 10 selections from the seniors pool, including former Steelers safety Donnie Shell, are to be inducted to mark the NFL’s 100-year anniversary. The league was founded on Sept. 17, 1920.

Conducting a virtual enshrinement, much like the NFL did with the draft, is not currently on the table. Baker wants to preserve experiences of tradition like the Gold Jacket Dinner, where new inductees are introduced and make their way to the stage to receiver their jacket surrounded by tables where current Hall of Famers sit.

If the game is canceled, two other options are being discussed for 2021: Conducting the enshrinement Easter Weekend or inducting two classes.

While there are many sold-out ticket packages, as of May 4, more than 14,000 tickets remained available for the HOF enshrinement ceremony, which will include the induction of former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher and legendary safety Troy Polamalu.

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How Steelers fans rate HC Mike Tomlin in new Athletic survey

Pittsburgh Steelers fans made their feelings known about head coach Mike Tomlin in a survey from The Athletic Pittsburgh.

In a fan survey complied by Sean Gentile of The Athletic, participants were asked a bevy of questions from all-time favorite Steeler to their confidence in running back James Conner as an every-down back.

The question that elicited the most comments were those regarding head coach Mike Tomlin.

When asked how fans would rate the job Tomlin did in 2019, the majority of fans (844/1,078) gave him an eight or above.

397 fans rated him at an eight on his career in Pittsburgh overall, and 67 percent of them are optimistic about his future with the Steelers.

Sure, fans miss Bill “The Chin” Cowher and the emotion he displayed on the sidelines. Tomlin takes a much less animated approach to the game. However, in a 13-year comparison of records, Tomlin has a slight advantage.

In 2008 — Tomlin’s second season — he became the youngest HC to ever win a Super Bowl at age 38. Cowher didn’t win a Super Bowl until his 14th season. The Steelers were AFC Champions in both Tomlin and Cowher’s fourth season (2010 and 1995).

After 13 seasons, Tomlin’s record is 133-74-1; Cowher’s was 130-77-1.

Last year, the Steelers announced that they signed Tomlin to a one-year extension, keeping him under contract through 2021. At that point, Tomlin will have been with the Steelers for 15 seasons, the same amount of years that Cowher was before he retired.

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How the Steelers nearly lost out on WR Santonio Holmes

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded up in 2006 to select WR Santonio Holmes, but they were a phone call away from drafting Chad Jackson.

Chad Jackson.

Remember him?

I don’t either.

But the Steelers had Jackson, a wide receiver, on their draft board in 2006. Until they didn’t.

In an interview with the Boston Globe, Jackson’s former agent, David Canter, said Jackson answered his phone in a meeting with Steelers head coach Bill Cowher. That ended that. Cowher took him off the Steelers draft board.

I’d be scared to death to answer my phone in a meeting with Cowher. His chin must’ve really been quivering after that.

Coming off their 2005 Super Bowl Victory, the Steelers held the last pick in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. That is likely where Jackson once was on the Steelers board.

But the Steelers didn’t like No. 32, so they made a trade with the New York Giants to move up to No. 25. And with that pick, the Steelers selected Ohio State WR Santonio Holmes.

Just imagine for a minute how the history of the Steelers could’ve been re-written without Holmes. No spectacular toe-tap Super Bowl touchdown, no 2008 Super Bowl win, no One for the Thumb.

Had Jackson not answered his phone, the Steelers may have drafted him. Instead, he went to the New England Patriots at No. 36 where he proceeded to play on special teams. Jackson’s injury-riddled career lasted three seasons and 18 games.

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Can the Steelers go back to 1976, please?

The Pittsburgh Steelers had great success using two running backs in 1976. The team should give it a present-day whirl.

Picture it: Pittsburgh, 1976.

The Steelers had two starting running backs on the roster. You may remember them — Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier.

Bleier was drafted by two teams in 1968 — the Steelers in January and the U.S. Army in December. Once he returned to the team in 1970, he had a tough time earning a roster spot.

When Harris came on the scene in 1972, Bleier was a veteran, but still only had 238 carries to Harris’ 846 by the time 1976 rolled around. History was made that season when head coach Chuck Noll decided to utilize the two of them in the run game.

Bleier had a career season that year with 1,036 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 220 attempts. Harris had 1,128 yards and a career-high 14 touchdowns on 289 attempts. The two also logged 294 and 151 receiving yards, respectively.

The Steelers finished the season at 10-4 and became the second team in NFL history to have multiple 1,000-yard rushers. There have only been four league-wide ever since.

 

Fast-forward to recent history.

The Steelers have not had multiple 1,000-yard rushers, let alone multiple running backs. They’ve strictly been a feature back team. Head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t the only one to overwork his primary running back; Bill Cowher was guilty of it, too.

Although we saw flashes of it in 2018, James Conner was never meant to be a featured back — he was drafted to complement Le’Veon Bell. And since Bell parted ways with Pittsburgh, the Steelers have not found his replacement.

As The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly beautifully illustrated in his recent article, Conner’s yards-per-carry decrease, and injuries and fumblitis increase after 17 touches. Tomlin should take a moment to read it and limit Conner’s playing time this season for optimal results.

In the 2019 offseason, there was chatter about getting two RBs on the field. We’ll never know if the team was just blowing smoke as RB injuries never allowed it to play out.

I genuinely believe it’s time for the Steelers to evolve — not just consider 1976 but to employ its tactics. The NFL has changed dramatically since then, and more and more teams have been using multiple running backs, not only in running-back-by-committee but also in two running back sets.

It would keep defenses on their toes and allow the offensive game plan to open up even more. Not to mention, it would take some pressure off an aging Ben Roethlisberger.

This can be achieved by drafting an RB in the second or third rounds and rotate him with Conner and in tandem with Conner. Sprinkle in Benny Snell, Jr. and a dash of Jaylen Samuels and the Steelers have a recipe for the Super Bowl.

A girl can dream, can’t she?

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Bill Cowher says Mike Shanahan belongs in Pro Football Hall of Fame

“The two toughest coaches I had the hardest time to prepare against [were] Bill Belichick and Mike Shanahan,” Bill Cowher said.

When former Steelers coach Bill Cowher was named a Pro Football Hall of Famer in January, many fans and pundits pointed out that former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has a resume just as good — if not a better — than Cowher’s.

Shanahan won 170 games and went 2-0 in Super Bowls. Cowher won 149 games and went 1-1 in Super Bowls. If Cowher belongs in Canton, surely Shanahan does as well, right?

Cowher seems to agree with that logic.

“Mike Shanahan belongs in the Hall of Fame,’’ Cowher told KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis on Feb 1. “I’ve said if there’s two people I had a hard time — the two toughest coaches I had the hardest time to prepare against, Bill Belichick and Mike Shanahan.”

Cowher said it was impossible to predict what Shanahan was going to call.

“He made you stay on your toes when you were trying to game plan against him,” Cowher said of Shanahan.

Last year, Ed Reed made the case for former safety Steve Atwater to make the Hall of Fame and Atwater got in this year. Perhaps Cowher, now as a Hall of Famer, will be able to help Shanahan get in as well.

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Bill Cowher acknowledges the Browns approached him to coach in 2009

Cowher confirmed in an interview with the Canton Repository what has long been suspected

Imagine how different Cleveland Browns history could have been had the team hired Bill Cowher as the head coach instead of Eric Mangini. Based on what Cowher said recently, the Browns tried to make it happen.

Cowher dished on his Cleveland coaching history and potential for more of it in an interview with the Canton Repository, as reported by Steve Doerschuk.

Cowher confirmed that then-Browns owner Randy Lerner met with him to discuss the job opening after Lerner fired head coach Romeo Crennel following the 2008 season.

“You almost needed to go through the process of listening to someone and talking about what they wanted and talking about their football team. I just kept thinking, boy, if people have to talk me into something, that’s not the reason to come back.”

Cowher concluded to the Repository,

“So I really never came that close.”

The longtime Steelers coach also confirmed he has had discussions with other NFL teams since he left Pittsburgh in 2006 but has never had a formal offer or serious interest in returning to coaching. Cowher was recently named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class for induction this summer in Canton.

He is a native of the Pittsburgh area but played for the Browns and got his coaching career started in Cleveland under Marty Schottenheimer in the 1980s, the franchise’s peak in the Super Bowl era. The Steelers are the only team he’s ever been a head coach for, despite the overtures from the Browns and others. Cowher has worked as an analyst for CBS since his departure from the coaching ranks.

The 2020 Class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Troy Polamalu, Edgerrin James and Steve Atwater are among the modern-era Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

The 2020 Class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame was completed Saturday. The Centennial enshrinees were named last month. The modern-era players learned of their honor the day before Super Bowl LIV.

Steve Atwater

Allsport

Steve Atwater is a two-time Super Bowl champ and eight-time Pro Bowler. He was the Broncos’ first-round pick in 1989, selected 20th overall out of Arkansas. The honor comes 20 years after his retirement. He finished his career as a New York Jet for one season.

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Best bets for which Pro Football Hall of Fame centennial finalists will be enshrined

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s special Centennial Class of 2020 will be announced Jan. 15 but the 38 finalists for induction have been revealed. As per the HOF’s official web site release: A special Blue-Ribbon Panel comprised of many members of …

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s special Centennial Class of 2020 will be announced Jan. 15 but the 38 finalists for induction have been revealed. As per the HOF’s official web site release:

A special Blue-Ribbon Panel comprised of many members of the overall Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, Hall of Famers, coaches, football executives and several leading historians has scrutinized the merits of nearly 300 candidates nominated for consideration as part of the Hall’s special Centennial Class of 2020. The finalists will be deliberated by the Blue-Ribbon Panel in January from which 10 Seniors, three (3) Contributors and two (2) Coaches will be elected to the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020. The remainder of the one-time 20-person Class of 2020 will include five Modern-Era Players who will be elected from 15 finalists by the full Selection Committee on “Selection Saturday,” the eve of Super Bowl LIV in Miami.

So, with that in mind, here are our next best guesses — former coaches turned analysts, Bill Cowher and Jimmy Johnson, have already been announced as in — for the sweet Centennial Class enshrinees.

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