Bill Cowher Remembers Mentor Marty Schottenheimer

As a longtime NFL coach and mentor to a whole lot of gamers and fellow coaches, Marty Schottenheimer meant quite a bit to lots of people. His teaching tree is likely one of the most in depth in NFL historical past, with a 4 of his former proteges happening to win Tremendous Bowls.

With Schottenheimer’s death this week, many have mirrored on the impression Schottenheimer had on their lives.

That group consists of former Steelers head coach Invoice Cowher, who performed and coached for Schottenheimer and sure owed an excellent portion of his profession to his former coach.

Cowher was a linebacker for the Cleveland Browns from 1980-82, whereas Schottenheimer was defensive coordinator in Cleveland. In 1985, on the finish of Cowher’s taking part in profession, Schottenheimer had been promoted to go coach and he gave Cowher his first teaching job.

Cowher was the Browns’ particular groups coach for 2 years in 1985 and 1986. In 1987, he moved to defensive backs coach for 2 extra seasons.

When Schottenheimer left Cleveland to take the top teaching job with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in 1989, he took Cowher with him to be the Chiefs defensive coordinator. From there, Cowher grew to become a head teaching candidate that caught the attention of Steelers proprietor Dan Rooney, who employed him in 1992.

“It’s arduous to place into phrases what Marty Schottenheimer meant to me,” Cowher mentioned on Tuesday. “I performed for him, I coached for him. He mentored me from the second I met him. He was an incredible coach, trainer, chief, and most significantly, my good friend. My condolences to Pat, Kristen and Brian. I’ll all the time be indebted for the steering and assist he supplied. The NFL misplaced a legend, however heaven has been blessed with a pacesetter. Marty, you all the time mentioned, “There’s a gleam, males!” That gleam is, and all the time was, YOU. Relaxation In Peace, Coach. I LOVE YOU. Might your spirit stay on perpetually.”