Bill Cowher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bill Cowher

Cowher with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2006
No. 53, 57
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1957-05-08) May 8, 1957 (age 68) Crafton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Carlynton (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
College:	NC State
Undrafted:	1979
Career history
As player:
Philadelphia Eagles (1979) Cleveland Browns (1980–1982) Philadelphia Eagles (1983–1984)
As coach:
Cleveland Browns (1985–1986) Special teams coach Cleveland Browns (1987–1988) Defensive backs coach Kansas City Chiefs (1989–1991) Defensive coordinator Pittsburgh Steelers (1992–2006) Head coach
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XL) AP NFL Coach of the Year (1992) 2× Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year (1992, 2004) Best Coach/Manager ESPY Award (2006) Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 45 Games started: 4 Fumble recoveries: 1
Head coaching record
Regular season:	149–90–1 (.623)
Postseason:	12–9 (.571)
Career:	161–99–1 (.619)
Coaching stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Bill Cowher (born May 8, 1957) is a famous American sports analyst, former football player, and coach. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six years. After his playing career, he became a head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 seasons.

Cowher started his coaching journey as an assistant for the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs. He was the Chiefs' defensive coordinator from 1989 to 1991. In 1992, he became the head coach of the Steelers. He led them until he retired after the 2006 season. After retiring, he joined The NFL Today as a TV analyst.

Under Cowher's leadership, the Steelers won eight division titles and two AFC Championship Games. They also won Super Bowl XL. This Super Bowl win was the Steelers' first championship in over 20 years. It was also the first one not won by Chuck Noll, the coach before him. The Steelers reached the playoffs 10 times with Cowher. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

Early Life and College

Cowher was born and grew up in Crafton, Pennsylvania, a town near Pittsburgh. His parents were Laird and Dorothy Cowher. His father briefly went to college with Dan Rooney, who later owned the Steelers.

At Carlynton High School, Cowher was excellent at football, basketball, and track. Even though he played well, he didn't get many football scholarships. This was because people thought he was "too small" for a linebacker.

In 1975, Cowher chose to go to North Carolina State University. It was one of the few schools that offered him a scholarship. At NC State, he was a starting linebacker for three years. He still holds the school record for the most tackles in one season with 195. In his final year, he was chosen as a team captain and named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP). Cowher graduated in 1979 with a degree in education.

Cowher's college performance was driven by making games "personal." He would read old rejection letters from schools he played against. This way of playing, with anger and personal connections, later shaped his tough coaching style.

Playing Career

Cowher was not chosen in the 1979 NFL draft.

He started his NFL playing career as a linebacker with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1979. The next year, he signed with the Cleveland Browns. Cowher played three seasons for the Browns from 1980 to 1982. He was part of the "Kardiac Kids" team. Then, he was traded back to the Eagles, where he played two more years from 1983 to 1984.

During his time in Philadelphia, he tackled a young Jeff Fisher. Fisher later became a head coach for other NFL teams. Fisher broke his leg because of the tackle. Fisher has said that this injury helped him get into coaching.

Cowher mostly played on special teams during his career. Because of this, he later focused a lot on special teams when he was a coach. Cowher believes that being a "bubble player" (someone who might get cut from the team) helped him as a coach. He felt these players work the hardest and often make better head coaches.

Coaching Days

Starting as a Coach

Cowher began his coaching career in 1985 at age 28. He worked under Marty Schottenheimer with the Cleveland Browns. Cowher had played for Schottenheimer when Schottenheimer was the Browns' defensive coordinator. Cowher said he took the coaching job even though it meant less money. He saw more of a future in coaching than playing.

He was the Browns' special teams coach in 1985–86. Then he coached the secondary (defensive backs) from 1987–88. During this time, he became friends with Bill Belichick, who was a defensive coordinator for the New York Giants. Belichick helped Cowher learn to coach defensive backs.

In 1989, Cowher followed Schottenheimer to the Kansas City Chiefs. There, he became the defensive coordinator. He became close with the Chiefs' famous linebacker Derrick Thomas. Cowher interviewed for the Browns' head coach job in 1991 but lost out to Belichick. People thought Cowher was too young at the time.

Coaching the Steelers

Cowher coaching the Steelers in 1996

On January 21, 1992, Bill Cowher became the 15th head coach in Steelers history. He took over from Chuck Noll. He was only the second head coach for the team since the NFL merger in 1970. Cowher was one of several Steelers coaches hired in their 30s.

Under Cowher, the Steelers quickly got better. The year before, they had a 7–9 record. In Cowher's first season, they went 11–5 and earned a home-field advantage in the playoffs. His first season as a head coach ended when they lost to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional round.

The next season, the Steelers finished with a 9–7 record. They scored 308 points and allowed 281 points against them. Even though they lost in the AFC Wildcard round, it was the first time in 10 years that the Steelers made the playoffs two years in a row.

Cowher challenges a play during a game

In the 1995 season, Cowher led the team to 11 wins and five losses. They went to the playoffs again and got a first-round bye. The Steelers beat the Buffalo Bills and then the Indianapolis Colts. Their win against the Colts made the Steelers AFC Champions for the first time since 1979. At 38 years old, Cowher became the youngest coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl. However, the Steelers lost Super Bowl XXX to the Dallas Cowboys. Cowher is one of only two coaches in NFL history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first six seasons.

In 1998, Cowher had his first losing season with the Steelers. This ended a six-year streak of playoff teams. The team finished with a 7-9 record. The next season, 1999, was the second losing season in a row for the Steelers.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Cowher was known for picking linemen in the first round of the draft. This sometimes made Steelers fans upset. Some of these picks were very good, like Alan Faneca and Casey Hampton. Others didn't work out as well.

The 2003 season was tough for Cowher and the Steelers. They only won six games and missed the playoffs. Because of their poor record, the team was able to pick Ben Roethlisberger with the 11th pick in the 2004 NFL draft. Cowher didn't originally want to pick Roethlisberger. He was happy with his starting quarterback. But the Steelers owner, Dan Rooney, decided to pick Roethlisberger instead.

Cowher and the team bounced back in 2004 with an amazing 15–1 record. They earned another first-round bye in the playoffs. The Steelers made it to the AFC Championship game again, but they lost to the New England Patriots.

Cowher with the Steelers at the White House after their Super Bowl XL victory

In 2005, the Steelers made it to the playoffs with an 11–5 record. They were the sixth seed in the AFC. The Steelers then went on an amazing playoff run. They beat the top-seeded Indianapolis Colts. Cowher won his second AFC Championship on January 22, 2006, when the Steelers defeated the Denver Broncos. On February 5, 2006, Cowher's Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL by beating the Seattle Seahawks 21–10. This gave Cowher his first Super Bowl ring. The Steelers also became the first sixth-seeded team to win a Super Bowl in NFL history.

Cowher in 2006

On January 5, 2007, Cowher resigned after 15 years as the Steelers head coach. Cowher's total record as a head coach, including playoffs, was 161 wins, 99 losses, and 1 tie. He was replaced by Mike Tomlin. In Cowher's 15 seasons, the Steelers won eight division titles. They made it to the playoffs 10 times and played in 21 playoff games. They reached six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to win at least seven division titles.

On January 11, 2020, Cowher was told live on a TV show that he was being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

His Coaching Style

Like his mentor Marty Schottenheimer, Cowher believed in a strong defense. He also focused a lot on special teams. On offense, he liked a strong running game. But unlike Schottenheimer, Cowher was known for taking more risks. He would sometimes try for a first down on fourth down instead of punting.

Cowher was known for being very fiery and emotional, especially when he was angry. People even called him "the Chin" because of how his jaw would look. He was also a strong supporter of coaches in general.

After Coaching Football

Dan Marino and Cowher during a CBS Pre-game Show in 2010

On February 15, 2007, Bill Cowher signed on to The NFL Today on CBS. He became a studio analyst, joining other famous football players like Dan Marino. Cowher also helps host the NFL's CBS Halftime Report. He plans to continue working with CBS in 2025, which will make it 19 years as a host.

In 2007, Cowher appeared in a TV reality show called Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race. It featured celebrities in a stock car racing competition.

Cowher visiting U.S. service members in Iraq in 2009

In 2008, rumors started that Cowher might return to coaching. But he said he wasn't going anywhere. The rumors began because he put his house up for sale, but he was just building a new one nearby. In 2009, he confirmed he didn't plan to coach again soon.

In July 2010, Cowher was a main speaker at a leadership conference. He talked about working hard and being a good leader. He said it's not just about what you achieve, but about the people you help along the way.

Cowher had a small part in the movie The Dark Knight Rises (2012). The movie was filmed at Heinz Field, the Steelers' home stadium. He played the head coach of a fictional football team called the Gotham Rogues.

In May 2023, Cowher reunited with his former quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, on Roethlisberger's podcast. In August 2023, NC State announced that Cowher would be honored in their Ring of Honor.

Coaching Tree

The Steelers' Super Bowl XL ring, showing their five Super Bowl trophies up to that point

Many assistant coaches who worked under Bill Cowher later became head coaches in the NFL or college football. Some of them include:

• Dom Capers: Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans
• Chan Gailey: Dallas Cowboys, Georgia Tech, Buffalo Bills
• Marvin Lewis: Cincinnati Bengals
• Bruce Arians: Indianapolis Colts (interim), Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Also, some players who played for Cowher later became NFL head coaches, like Mike Vrabel.

Personal Life

Cowher's home in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Cowher's late wife, Kaye, also went to North Carolina State University. She played professional basketball for the New York Stars with her twin sister, Faye. Kaye Cowher passed away from cancer in 2010 at age 54.

Bill and Kaye had three daughters: Meagan, Lauren, and Lindsay. Meagan and Lauren played basketball at Princeton University. Lindsay played basketball at Wofford College and then Elon University. In 2007, the Cowher family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. Meagan married former NHL player Kevin Westgarth in 2011. Lindsay married former NBA player Ryan Kelly in 2014.

Cowher married Veronica Stigeler in 2014. In 2018, Cowher put his Raleigh house up for sale because he was moving to New York full-time. In 2021, Cowher wrote a book about his life called Heart and Steel.

Endorsements

Cowher was on the cover of EA Sports' 2006 video game NFL Head Coach. He has also appeared in TV commercials for Time Warner Cable. In the video game Madden NFL 19, he voiced himself in a mini-game. In the game, he returns to coaching as the head coach of the Houston Texans.

Head Coaching Record

See also

• List of National Football League head coaches with 50 wins
• List of North Carolina State University people
• List of Super Bowl head coaches