Shame on Cowher

While the rest of the NFL world reflects on the legacy that William Cowher has left from his 15-year tenure as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, this writer shall reflect on what could have been.

We all know he's 1-4 at home in AFC championships. And 1-0 on the road in AFC Championships. And that means he's been to six different AFC Championships in just fifteen years. And that during his tenure the Steelers are the winningest team in football. And that he tied Paul Brown for making the playoffs in each of his first six seasons as a head coach. And that he made it to the Super Bowl two times, the latter of which as an unprecedented sixth seed, winning three playoff games on the road, culminating in victory in Super Bowl XL.

We all know that it was the Cowher way that led to such consistency. Which is why we have no reason to believe such couldn't have continued! Had it, Bill could've propelled himself from a  great coach to a  legendary coach! All with one team. All in his home town. Such propositions are quite the longshot these days with win-now mentalities.

We all know Bill says he wants to spend more time with his family in his new luxury home. We all know Bill says it's not about the money. He just needs a break. But this writer questions how after playing high school ball, college ball, stints with the Eagles and Browns in the NFL, assistant coaching in Cleveland and Kansas City, and head coaching the Steelers for fifteen years, he all of the sudden has a passion to watch his little girls. What happened to K-12? Don't fret. I'll not downplay the family thing. After all, what's more important than family, right? Well that question will go right out the window to the nearest drainpipe as soon as he straps on a different team's colors. When he goes to maroon and gold in Washington or a host of other colors, for which he can nearly pick and choose, when he cashes what'll surely be a record-setting check in a year or two, we'll then see it wasn't about the family. Rather, the money.

And what a shame that'll be. In this writer's opinion, Cowher should have stayed in Pittsburgh as long as Pittsburgh darn well wanted him. He should've been loyal. Why? Because when the chips were down in '98, '99, '00 and '03, the Rooneys showed their loyalty. And stood by him. Why else? Which team gave him his big break? Why yes, that was Pittsburgh also. Cowher was good for Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh was good for Cowher, too.

I've heard it argued that after winning the Super Bowl, he'd accomplished it all. What more did he have to gain? I wonder if someone should ask Bill Belichick the same question.

Does the name Joe Paterno mean anything here? Cowher had a chance to be a Chuck Noll. Or a Tom Landry. Or a Don Shula. But he passed on it.

Roper