Bill Cowher has informed his assistant coaches he is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 15 seasons.
Cowher wanted to take a week to make his decision, and the Steelers were willing to give him until next Monday or Tuesday to make a decision. But after talking over the situation with the family and the Steelers, Cowher decided to move up his announcement until Friday.
The Steelers scheduled a 1 p.m. eastern press conference to discuss Cowher's situation. Although the team did not announce a decision, the word of his resignation was delivered to his assistant coaches.
Cowher built a home in North Carolina and wanted to spend more time with his family there. Though the Steelers wanted him back, Cowher was looking for the chance to get away from the game for an indefinite period. Even though he could get his name in some of the job currently open, Cowher will not coach in 2007.
First, the Steelers control his contractual rights through the 2007 season. Any team wanting him to coach would have to offer the Steelers a bounty of draft choices to get the rights to talk to him.
Second, Cowher doesn't want to coach in 2007. Apparently, his decision doesn't have much to do with money. He is indeed going to take this season off and relax although it's not out of the question for him to do some television work. Cowher is expected to be working this weekend for a network, an arrangement he made several weeks ago.
Cowher finished 161-99-1 in his 15 seasons with the Steelers. Thanks to Cowher and Chuck Noll, the Steelers have had one of the most stable coaching situations in the NFL.
Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach Russ Grimm are among the leading candidates for the Steelers job.
By making his decision known Friday, Cowher gives the Steelers the ability to talk to some of the assistant coaches currently in the playoffs. The NFL gives teams looking for head coaches until Sunday night to set up and conduct interviews with coaches currently in the playoffs. That could put the Steelers in position to talk to Cam Cameron of the Chargers and Ron Rivera of the Bears among other assistants.
The Steelers will meet Friday morning to discuss replacements.
I think tomorrow will be a sad day in the 'burgh. Cowher is a very good coach. What gets me is idiot Stiller fan; and trust me, there are many... like all of 'em. There is a reasonable % of this fanbase that are happy Bill is stepping down. Not the majority, but most certainly a faction, perhaps 15-20%.
Fucking idiots.
The present their yinzer argument that Bill has underachieved during his 15 yr. tenure. I won't refute that. He shoulda made the SB in '94 when they lost to the Chargers in the AFC c'ship game. Perhaps they shoulda beat the Patriots in '04. Whatever. Show me 5 other coaches w/the win % that Cowher's had over the last 15 yrs. Show me 5 other coahes who have made it to the SB or AFC c'ship game as much as Cowher has.
What a BS argument. Just take a look at the Brownies woes. The forever mediocre Vikings, Chiefs, Giants, etc, etc, etfuckingcetera. Idiot Stiller fan has no idea what their shooing out the door.
It's rare to see loyalty like that between a coach and a team. There were probably some years where Cowher could've been let go but the Rooneys stuck with him. That was cool last year seeing him win a Super Bowl. For his sake, if he does leave...he isn't just doing that head somewhere else. He wants to spend more time with his family and I'm willing to bet he's sincere about that. We might see him again somewhere down the road. That next coach will have tough shoes to fill...Noll then Cowher...it would almost be a crime for the Steelers to not have another great coach take his place. I don't know what they've done to honor Noll but they better give similar treatment to Cowher.
Ken wrote:The present their yinzer argument that Bill has underachieved during his 15 yr. tenure.
I'll refute that for you. Just look at the startling lack of accomplishment by players who have left the Steelers via free agency. You know, like Neil O'Donnell. For cryin out loud, Cowher took a team quarterbacked by Kordell Stewart to not one, but TWO conference championships. His ability to adjust schemes to the loss of players might just be second to none, and the performance of his team in the second half of this season showed yet again that he's able to get players to play for him even when there isn't a realistic chance for a playoff berth.
I wouldn't put it past the Rooneys to find someone as qualified as Cowher. But make no mistake about it, the Steelers are losing a Hall of Famer today.
"Once upon a time, dinosaurs didn't have families. They lived in the woods and ate their children. It was a golden age."
—Earl Sinclair
"I do have respect for authority even though I throw jelly dicks at them.
Ken wrote:The present their yinzer argument that Bill has underachieved during his 15 yr. tenure.
I'll refute that for you. Just look at the startling lack of accomplishment by players who have left the Steelers via free agency. You know, like Neil O'Donnell. For cryin out loud, Cowher took a team quarterbacked by Kordell Stewart to not one, but TWO conference championships. His ability to adjust schemes to the loss of players might just be second to none, and the performance of his team in the second half of this season showed yet again that he's able to get players to play for him even when there isn't a realistic chance for a playoff berth.
I wouldn't put it past the Rooneys to find someone as qualified as Cowher. But make no mistake about it, the Steelers are losing a Hall of Famer today.
I won't refute that either, B. One could argue that he has overachieved, as you outlined. Don't get me wrong, I think the Stillers are losing one hell of a coach and I'm not completely of the contention that he underachieved. But you DO agree that he should have made more than two SB's, right? I mean double digit favorites vs. the Chargers? 15-1 with the Patriots visiting the 'burgh? The Donkeys visiting the 'burgh?
BSmack wrote:I wouldn't put it past the Rooneys to find someone as qualified as Cowher. But make no mistake about it, the Steelers are losing a Hall of Famer today.
Ken wrote:I won't refute that either, B. One could argue that he has overachieved, as you outlined. Don't get me wrong, I think the Stillers are losing one hell of a coach and I'm not completely of the contention that he underachieved. But you DO agree that he should have made more than two SB's, right? I mean double digit favorites vs. the Chargers? 15-1 with the Patriots visiting the 'burgh? The Donkeys visiting the 'burgh?
I'll give you the game against the Chargers. That was absolutely gut wrenching to watch the Steelers piss away a chance to get blown off the field by the 49ers. The Broncos game didn't bother me as much because I didn't think the Steelers were as good as the Broncos that year, regular season records notwithstanding. And I damn sure didn't think the Steelers were going to take Tom Brady to school with a rookie QB under center.
Of course I wish the Steelers had gone to and won 6 Super Bowls. But realistically speaking, the 98 and 01 teams grossly overachieved and the 04 team got unlucky running into the dynasty of the salary cap era. That leaves the 94 team as being the one that Cowher missed on IMO. And even if they made it to the Super Bowl, I doubt they win that game against a team as loaded as the 94 San Francisco team was.
BTW: There are elements of Cowher's coaching style that I didn't necessarily like. But for today, I'll remember the many, many more good things about him.
"Once upon a time, dinosaurs didn't have families. They lived in the woods and ate their children. It was a golden age."
—Earl Sinclair
"I do have respect for authority even though I throw jelly dicks at them.
Those behind that site are for all practical purposes the DUMBEST sports fans alive.
Paul,
There are some (as Ken called them) yinzers out there who have, even through the Super Bowl season insisted that Cowher should be fired. Those of us with IQs over room temp regard them as the special needs kids of the Steeler Nation.
"Once upon a time, dinosaurs didn't have families. They lived in the woods and ate their children. It was a golden age."
—Earl Sinclair
"I do have respect for authority even though I throw jelly dicks at them.
Cowher fielded some incredible defenses. While most of that has to be attributed to his excellent assistants, there is something to be said about how he kept them together, and served as the emotional leader. Cowher has a tough spirit that players clearly respond to. He will definitely be missed by the organization.
Cripes...15 years can really fly by.
I am hoping for Kirk Ferentz to replace him, if they go with an outsider...however, LeBeau or Grimm would be fine inside candidates in my book.
King Crimson wrote:anytime you have a smoke tunnel and it's not Judas Priest in the mid 80's....watch out.
BSmack wrote:
I wouldn't put it past the Rooneys to find someone as qualified as Cowher.
yeppers....
everyone knows there's a plethora of quality coaches like Cowher running around out there...
The combination of solid ownership and good football guys in the front office goes a long way. I remember back in 92 when the yinzers wanted Joe Greene to take over for Chuck Noll. I know my initial reaction to Cowher was along the lines of "Who the hell is THIS guy?" And he turned out OK.
"Once upon a time, dinosaurs didn't have families. They lived in the woods and ate their children. It was a golden age."
—Earl Sinclair
"I do have respect for authority even though I throw jelly dicks at them.
BSmack wrote: The combination of solid ownership and good football guys in the front office goes a long way. I remember back in 92 when the yinzers wanted Joe Greene to take over for Chuck Noll. I know my initial reaction to Cowher was along the lines of "Who the hell is THIS guy?" And he turned out OK.
Yeah but what are the chances of bottling that lightning twice....
Yes'. Windchime's and corset's. I am M'''''TOOL. You can tell by my obvious' mis'us'e of the apos'trophe key. Everytime I s'ee an S', I mas'h this' key.
ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2 wrote:Yes'. Windchime's and corset's. I am M'''''TOOL. You can tell by my obvious' mis'us'e of the apos'trophe key. Everytime I s'ee an S', I mas'h this' key.
