The Jaw Has Spoken

Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis made his debut as an analyst Sunday night during NBC's telecast of the Cincinnati Bengals-Washington Redskins preseason game, and already the black-and-gold legend has found himself in a bit of hot water.

During the broadcast, Bettis disclosed a conversation he said he'd had with Steelers coach Bill Cowher, and he addressed the rumors surrounding the coach's supposed retirement.

"I really think this is the last year for Coach Cowher in Pittsburgh," Bettis said. "I talked to him after the season was over and I really think he was really a different coach, a different guy."

Cowher, for his part, was upset by Bettis' comments. So upset, in fact, I'd wager that jaw of his stuck out like a sore thumb the minute he heard The Bus make the above comments.

So, what was Cowher to do? Throw his former star under the...uhh...bus.

"I was very disappointed in what Jerome said," Cowher said late Monday afternoon. "Jerome and I talked back in March and there was no confidential information shared. There has been a lot of speculation about my future, and that's what it is -- speculation. I have not made a decision about my future beyond this year."

So, Cowher says he hasn't decided yet if he's going to retire. That's fine; just tell the media you haven't decided yet. It won't stop them from asking you about your plans after the coming season, but at least Cowher will have gone on-record as saying he wasn't sure.

Cowher has more important things to worry about than what Bettis said on the set for NBC. He needs to concern himself with trying to repeat a Super Bowl championship season--without Bettis or versatile wide receiver Antwaan Randle-El. He needs to worry about how Ben Roethlisberger is gonna respond to being back on the football field after his horrific motorcycle crash a couple months back.

The regular season is less than a month away; I'd like to think a coach of Cowher's caliber wouldn't care what a member of the football media has to say about his coaching future. I'd like to think he could block that out, focus solely on coaching his team and preparing for a hard season in a much-improved AFC North.

Then again, maybe it was the fact that Bettis said those things that bothered Cowher. I wonder...if Chris Mortensen or Steve Young had made those comments, would he care nearly as much?

As for Bettis, he reportedly said before making those comments that he hoped Cowher would be okay with what he was about to say. Bettis, as a member of the media now, shouldn't be worrying about whether someone would be okay with the things he was saying. As an analyst, it's his job to interject opinions as he sees fit. If it was his opinion Cowher would retire after the season, then he has a job to express as such.

And one thing I've learned in my years as a sports journalist: unless the words "off the record" are uttered, nothing someone says is off-limits to a reporter or an analyst. So whatever conversation Bettis and Cowher had several months back is fair game.

Like I said, if Cowher doesn't think he's going to retire, just say so. There's no need to call out an analyst--one of your best players, no less--simply because he made a statement based on what facts he felt he knew.
Bill Cowher needs to let Jerome Bettis do his job--and focus on doing his own.