Matt39 Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 As per ESPN news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaborJet Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Cowher expected to retire Friday at news conference By John Clayton ESPN.com 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. John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 I think the Steelers will try to hire Ken Whisenhunt as the HC and make Russ Grimm the OC. If they can keep LeBeau that would leave them with the same systems on both sides of the ball. The only thing is Ken Whisenhunt is stepping into some pretty big shoes. And how weird is it that Grimm and Whisenhunt are both being considered. The O\C and Asst Head Coach\OLine Coach? Just seems odd. Ideally Grimm would be better suited to be the head coach in Chicago. Based on looks anyhow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetCane Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 The only thing is Ken Whisenhunt is stepping into some pretty big shoes. BC had some pretty big shoes to fill when he started out, too. "Cowher was introduced as the Steelers head coach on January 21, 1992 , 26days after the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll. At the age of 34.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 BC had some pretty big shoes to fill when he started out, too. "Cowher was introduced as the Steelers head coach on January 21, 1992 , 26days after the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll. At the age of 34.. Well replacing Noll was like replacing Shula in Miami. Hall Of Fame Coaches in a what have you done for me lately league. I think Chuck was something like 53 and 50 in his last 7 years (after the last SB victory). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetCane Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Well replacing Noll was like replacing Shula in Miami. Hall Of Fame Coaches in a what have you done for me lately league. I think Chuck was something like 53 and 50 in his last 7 years (after the last SB victory). True dat, but they were still large shoes. Here's a good article from today's paper Pittsburgh Post-Gazette \ Ed Bouchette It's time. That's what Chuck Noll told me when I asked why he was retiring as Steelers coach in December 1991. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's time." Now it's Bill Cowher's time. I have the same feeling now as I had near the end of the 1991 season when I believed Noll was ready to hang it up. I think Cowher will "retire" soon after this season ends. First, here's some history on Noll's retirement, the only end to a head coach's career with the Steelers in the past 37 years. Noll nearly quit after the 1988 season because Dan Rooney forced him to make changes on his coaching staff after the Steelers went 5-11. He relented, accepted the changes and coached the team to within a whisker of reaching the AFC championship game in 1989. That would be the only season over Noll's final seven that the Steelers made the playoffs because they did not make it in '90 or '91. This time, Noll realized there would be more changes, particularly in management, and the coach felt it was time for him to step down. "It would have been great to have had 10 victories and been in the playoffs and have gone all the way, and then said, 'Goodbye,' but it didn't work out that way," Noll said at his final news conference. Cowher must feel the same way, too, although he's had much more success recently than Noll had at the end of his career. Perhaps if he had it to do over, Cowher would have retired next to Jerome Bettis in Detroit. The circumstances with Cowher are unlike those that drove Noll into retirement. Management isn't demanding change, the coach is. He wants it in the kind of form where he can live in Raleigh, N.C., and work in Pittsburgh. And, likely, he wants more money than the Steelers offered before negotiations ended in August. That may be why his agent has been placing calls to the Rooneys lately. Cowher or his agent can talk all they want about the coach's living arrangements not detracting from his job. Maybe that's so, but it's also unusual and unnatural, and it's difficult to believe he would continue to work in this town on a full-time basis while his wife and daughter live in Raleigh, N.C. He has made the trip there at least three times during this season and likely will spend much of his offseason there as well. As close as he has been with his daughters, it's hard to believe that he will kiss off his youngest's final three years at home while she attends high school. Football is a year-round business. It requires a head coach not only to be with his team from August through at least the end of December, but at most other times as well -- in late January, when the weeklong Senior Bowl practices take place; in February when the combine workouts are held and decisions are made on free agents; during March, when free agency begins and preparation for the draft takes place; during April, which is consumed by the draft and the start of voluntary workout sessions, and during May and early June, when the more structured voluntary practices occur. Steelers coaches traditionally get time off from early or mid-June to late July. Other than that, they're around their club or working players out or attending meetings or watching video of other NFL teams and players. The Steelers may want Cowher to remain their head coach, but they don't want him as a commuter from Raleigh. Those who work with Cowher say he's different this year, that he does not speak with people in the front office as often as he has in the past. Rooney has spoken with him behind a closed office door a time or two recently, and the guess by others is that those two discussed his future. Probably the most telling thing lately is that Cowher is discussing his future publicly -- although not with the media in Pittsburgh. He did it with the NFL Network's Cris Collinsworth 10 days ago and he did it again this week with the media in Charlotte. Whenever anyone has asked him about it here, Cowher would not elaborate other than to say he was taking things "year to year" and showed aggravation at the questions. But he was more expansive Wednesday when he told the media in Charlotte that he has a decision to make at the end of the year. When the Pittsburgh media asked to talk to him about that, to ask their own questions of him the next day, a Steelers spokesman refused the request. Collinsworth paraphrased Cowher as telling him his decision is "not about the money. He just wants to be like an ordinary guy, go somewhere and have a beer and have nobody ask about football." There may be no way for him to do that, even if he retires to Raleigh, because he and that famous jaw are so well known now. But if that's how he truly feels, he won't coach much longer, at least not before taking a few years off. It says here, it's time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 his decision is "not about the money. He just wants to be like an ordinary guy, go somewhere and have a beer and have nobody ask about football." If that is his goal why doesn't he become the new D.C. for the Chiefs? Not sure if they allow beer in the coaches meetings or not. But the lack of football talk shouldn't be a problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124 Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 And everyone outside of "Steeler Country" says... WHO CARES!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Mac Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 I do NOT want to see this guy in teel and orange. Imagine what he'd do with an owner that spends? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 I do NOT want to see this guy in teel and orange. Imagine what he'd do with an owner that spends? He would not be able to coach there next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greeniemeanie Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Cowher has been a class act from start to finish. He is definately my favorite non-Jets coach. I say good for him. He deserves it. I hate to see the guy leave the game as a coach, but apparently it's time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gainzo Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Cowher has been a class act from start to finish. He is definately my favorite non-Jets coach. I say good for him. He deserves it. I hate to see the guy leave the game as a coach, but apparently it's time. I agree. Class act. But I must say he was great regular season coach but not the best in the playoffs when all the chips were on the table. He won many Division Titles, went 2-4 in AFC Championship games and, 1-1 in the Super Bowl. The weirdest thing is that his worst regular season team won the Super Bowl. He'll be back in 2008 or 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetophile Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Do they have a designated spitter at least? They didn't call it Spittsburgh for nothing. Without Cowher, the whole state of Pennsylvania will be in short supply. No more Spit Bowls, spit fits, spit irrigation farming (econo friendly), etc. I'm spitballing. Hehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 He was a plus to the game - enjoy your retirement Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 I agree. Class act. But I must say he was great regular season coach but not the best in the playoffs when all the chips were on the table. He won many Division Titles, went 2-4 in AFC Championship games and, 1-1 in the Super Bowl. The weirdest thing is that his worst regular season team won the Super Bowl. He'll be back in 2008 or 2009. Cowher was a great coach. Good game planner, incredible motivator. BUT -- he was not a good game day coach. Was not his strong point. Can't say any of his decisions were the cause of the playoff exits. I wonder if he didn't take some of those earlier teams further than their talent would have normally dictated. It is just funny that he didn't win a Super Bowl until he got a big time QB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Steelers were always competitive with Cowher- that is a credit to the organization and the coaching. And really that as a fan is all you can ask for your team year in and out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsrule128 Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 nothing is official until friday at 1 guys everything now is speculation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewilly Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 If that is his goal why doesn't he become the new D.C. for the Chiefs? Not sure if they allow beer in the coaches meetings or not. But the lack of football talk shouldn't be a problem! potw nom... funny stuff max Cowher was a model of consistency. I hope he returns to coaching after a well deserved year off. he is good for the game...... good for the nfl. has stillerpaul sent in his resume' yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boozer76 Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 It is just funny that he didn't win a Super Bowl until he got a big time QB. Funny thing is roethlis got alot of hype because of his age, but the truth is he was far from being a "big time" QB. In fact, statistically Roethlisberger was probably the WORST QB that Cowher took to playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Funny thing is roethlis got alot of hype because of his age, but the truth is he was far from being a "big time" QB. In fact, statistically Roethlisberger was probably the WORST QB that Cowher took to playoffs. I don't agree with that. In his 1st 2 years his rating was near 100. He wasn't asked to do a ton because of the running attack. But he didn't turn the ball over much as evidenced by his 2 to 1 TD to INT ratio. And when they needed a big play, he was there. Until this year of course. His passing yards went up and everything else went in the crapper. Is Ben great? Time will tell. He is off to a decent start though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetCane Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Steelers were always competitive with Cowher- that is a credit to the organization and the coaching. And really that as a fan is all you can ask for your team year in and out. What is really impressive is that the Stillers have had only three head coaches since the War of 1812. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StillerPaul Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Steelers were always competitive with Cowher- that is a credit to the organization and the coaching. And really that as a fan is all you can ask for your team year in and out. That is why i'll always have the utmost respect for the guy even though i didn't agree with him much of the time. He wins reg. season games and the team was always in the hunt. What i'll miss most is his excellent record against our most hated rival, the browns. I dunno anything about hiring coaches, but i'm hoping we hire someone with a fresh outlook and new system on D. Maybe Rivera would fit. Anyways, thank you Bill Cowher for one hell of a ride the last 15 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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