The Pittsburgh Steelers have mostly gotten the better of the Buffalo Bills over the course of the series history between the two teams. The Steelers lead the series 15-10 in the regular season and 2-1 in the playoffs. But it was the playoff loss in 1992 when Bill Cowher realized that he wasn’t exempt from criticism, even when it came in the form of his own family.
Steelers Quarterback Neil O'Donnell started the Steelers' first playoff game after a month out due to injury | Credit: Steelers.com
Under the surprising hire of the young Cowher, the Steelers finished as the AFC Central Champions and earned the #1 seed in the AFC as “Cowher Power” was in full force. It was a record-setting season for running back Barry Foster (a Steelers-best 1,690 yards rushing), and the second-fewest points allowed in the NFL. And as the team qualified for a first-round bye, they had an extra week of rest to get healthy in preparation for the first home playoff game in a decade against the defending AFC Champion Bills.
As the 1992 season entered its final stretch, starting quarterback Neil O’Donnell was injured in a Week 14 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Bubby Brister finished off that game in Quarterback relief, but they lost two in a row with Brister under center before finally getting back on track with a strong performance in a Week 17 victory versus the Cleveland Browns.
In a controversial decision, Cowher decided to go with his 1992 Pro Bowl quarterback O’Donnell to start the playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. It was hotly debated throughout the city of Pittsburgh on the radio talk shows whether or not it was a good move to put O’Donnell in a playoff game after he’d been sidelined for a month.
Bill Cowher and Neil O'Donnell after winning the 1995 AFC Championship 3 years after their first playoff loss in 1992 | Credit: Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Cowher did not see any reason to keep O’Donnell out for what was the most important game of the year. He was unquestionably motivated by the Steelers' scoring troubles under Brister, but the offense did not come to life behind a rusty O’Donnell. The game was over almost before it began, ending with a 24-3 defeat. The closest the Steelers came to the endzone was a surefire pick-6 that was dropped in the 3rd quarter, with the Bills scoring a touchdown on the next play.
Steelers' Head Coach Gets Questioned By His Father
With the season over, Cowher went to a family dinner at his parents' house in Crafton, Pennsylvania for a family gathering. Right as Cowher began to feel relaxed and comfortable over good food, family, and drinks, the inevitable happened. The conversation naturally moved to sports when his father began talking about the Steelers playoff game, which led to an unexpected and surprisingly uncomfortable dialogue about the team.
Bill Cowher, per Heart and Steel:
“And how ’bout those stupid Steelers,” Cowher's father asked. He took a swig of beer.“They have O’Donnell out for a month, and they still put him in a playoff game! Why’d they do that?”
I looked at him. He was so used to these conversations over the years that he didn’t realize what he was saying now.
“Wait a second, dad. You say ‘the Steelers.’ That’s actually me. I made that decision, not ‘the Steelers.”
“Oh, you probably had a good reason for the decision you made," his father finished.
Cowher was sensitive and ticked off about it because he admittedly knew his father was right and he probably shouldn’t have started O’Donnell in that situation. Although in fairness, the offense was not exactly a juggernaut either way and Buffalo was simply a better team to top to bottom. It was one of many lessons he had to get used to learning, as well as his family getting used to the fact he was coaching the team and would until 2006.
The Cowher family was always of paramount importance to the Steelers' former Head Coach | Credit: NFL Films
The 1992 team, in spite of that loss, overcame a lot of early adversity and returned the franchise to prominence, and became an annual contender. That is something that his family certainly appreciated.
Thoughts or memories from the Steelers' past? Leave a comment below.
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