Steelers Great Bill Cowher Revealed He Is Still Receiving Interest From Several NFL Teams About Coaching

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been fortunate enough to be the model of consistency over the last 50 years. That starts at the top with ownership, as the Rooney family have become icons in the city of Pittsburgh. A few steps below them, the head coaching position has remained stable for the Steelers. It’s what has helped turn them into arguably the most successful franchise in the NFL.

In the 50-year timeframe, there have been just three head coaches in Pittsburgh. Since 2007, Mike Tomlin has been that man. Tomlin took over for Bill Cowher, who became one of the most beloved figures in Pittsburgh sports history. Since, Cowher has served as an NFL analyst for CBS, where he's provided his expertise each Sunday. In an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, he discussed just what has made the Steelers so great.

"I think it starts at the top. When Dan Rooney hired me, it was a family type of atmosphere. It was all about culture. It was about a selflessness. You leave your ego at the door [with the Steelers]. That was the obligation we had, and Mike has taken it and run with it," Cowher said.

Fans were unsure when the Steelers hired Tomlin back in 2007 to replace Cowher. At the time, he didn't have any head coaching experience yet. Tomlin was able to lead the Minnesota Vikings to having one of the better defensive units in football. Still, the doubts were there. Let's just say that hire was a slam dunk, as he remains one of the better coaches in the NFL to this day. Of course, the 2022 season may have been one of his more impressive ones.

Despite starting the season horribly, he was able to right the ship and lead them to a 9-8 record in 2022, just barely missing the playoffs. In the midst of the comeback, he was able to sustain his streak of not finishing a season below .500. Cowher was one of the better motivators of his time in the NFL, something that the great coaches possess. Nowadays, there are very few coaches that are similar to his old-school style. He told McAfee just how he kept his guys motivated every Sunday and how he wanted them to show up into stadiums.

"The thing I love about coaching is strategizing, bringing people together, trying to mold a team. That thrill is something that brings coaches together. Coaches are teachers. We're trying to bring a bunch of people together. I wanted to walk on that field with a swagger, cockiness, maybe short of being a little arrogant. I always tried to make the game personal," Cowher said on The Pat McAfee Show.

As McAfee followed up, Cowher still has it. In fact, teams still are interested in him in a coaching role. He told the former NFL punter that he still has teams approach him about potential openings on their staff. While he didn't disclose what kind of roles, it shows the kind of influence that he had in the NFL. Before his tenure in Pittsburgh, Cowher played a handful of seasons in the league. 

Considering that he went undrafted in the 1979 NFL Draft, he was able to pan out a solid career. In between that, he spent some time in coaching roles with the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns. The Steelers fan base will forever be grateful for guys like Cowher and Tomlin who have been able to keep the winning tradition going. 

Who Is Steelers Best Coach Of All-Time?

How do you rank the Steelers' trio of all-time great head coaches? How much longer will Tomlin be in Pittsburgh for? What are your favorite memories of Cowher on the sidelines with the Steelers? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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