Awesome moment on CBS a few moments ago. As the crew were previewing tonight’s Ravens/Titans game, Bill Cowher was surprised with football’s most awesome honor. He was named to the 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame, announced by HOF Director David Baker.
Here’s the clip.
The CBS crew had T-shirts ready to go as soon as Cowher returned to the desk.
Cowher was part of the league’s centennial list, an expansion of candidates to celebrate football’s 100th season. He was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach from 1992-2006, sporting a 149-90-1. Those 149 wins are the second most in Steelers’ history, only trailing Chuck Noll.
He went to two Super Bowls, winning one in 2005, defeating the Seattle Seahawks’ 21-10 in Jerome Bettis’ final NFL game. That brought the 5th Lombardi to Pittsburgh, the famous “one for the thumb,” and the first to the Steel City since the 70s dynasty.
Cowher, known for his protruding chin when upset, took the Steelers to the playoffs his first year, going 11-5, and making his first Super Bowl appearance three years later. He was part of the organization who drafted Ben Roethlisberger, who will join Cowher one day in the Hall of Fame, and went 15-1 with him in 2004. After losing the AFC Championship game, they won it all as the 6th seed the following season, the first team to do so.
He stepped away from the game following the 2006 season and though his name has always come up in coaching circles, he’s yet to return. He currently has an analyst job with CBS, as you saw in the above clip.
The rest of the centennial class will be announced Wednesday on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. Donnie Shell is another notable Steeler named a finalist for the Hall.
UPDATE: Here’s Jerome Bettis’ reaction to the news. We’ll update this list from former players as they come pouring in.
