Jerome Bettis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jerome Bettis

Bettis in 2016
No. 36
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1972-02-16) February 16, 1972 (age 53) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	252 lb (114 kg)
Career information
High school:	Mackenzie (Detroit, Michigan)
College:	Notre Dame (1990–1992)
NFL Draft:	1993 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10
Career history
Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams (1993) Pittsburgh Steelers (1996)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XL) NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1993) NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1996) Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2001) 2× First-team All-Pro (1993, 1996) Second-team All-Pro (1997) 6× Pro Bowl (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004) PFWA All-Rookie Team (1993) Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 13,662 Rushing average: 3.9 Rushing touchdowns: 91 Receptions: 200 Receiving yards: 1,449 Receiving touchdowns: 3
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Jerome Abram Bettis Sr. (born February 16, 1972) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He mostly played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. People called him "the Bus" because he was big and ran with a lot of power.

He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Los Angeles Rams picked him 10th overall in the 1993 NFL draft. Bettis played for the Rams for three seasons. Then, he was traded to the Steelers. He spent the rest of his career there.

Jerome Bettis was chosen for the Pro Bowl six times. He was also a first-team All-Pro twice. Many people think he is one of the best power runners ever. He is eighth in all-time NFL rushing yards. He stopped playing in 2006. This was after he helped the Steelers win a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XL. This big game was in his hometown of Detroit. It was the Steelers' first Super Bowl win in over 20 years. Bettis was put into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Early Life and Football Start

Jerome Bettis was born on February 16, 1972, in Detroit, Michigan. He was the youngest of three children. Bettis did not start playing football until high school. Before that, his main hobby was bowling. When he was 14, he found out he had asthma.

He went to Mackenzie High School in Detroit. There, he was a great running back and linebacker. In his last year, the Detroit Free Press called him the best player in the state. He also won the Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year award.

College Football Career

Bettis went to the University of Notre Dame to play college football. He played for the Fighting Irish. During his college career, he ran for 1,912 yards. He also caught passes for 429 yards.

In his second year, he set a Notre Dame record. He scored 20 touchdowns in one season. This included 16 rushing touchdowns and 4 receiving touchdowns. In his last game as a junior, Notre Dame won 28–3 against Texas A&M. This was in the 1993 Cotton Bowl. He ran for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass.

After this, Bettis decided to leave college early for the 1993 NFL draft. He returned to Notre Dame in 1996. He was having a disagreement with the St. Louis Rams and thought about quitting football. He took classes in history, philosophy, marketing, and business. But he soon went back to the NFL.

Bettis later went back to Notre Dame to finish his degree. On May 15, 2022, he graduated with a business degree.

College Stats: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Professional Football Career

Time with the Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams

The Los Angeles Rams picked Bettis in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft. He was the tenth player chosen overall. On July 22, 1993, he signed a three-year contract. As a rookie, he did very well in coach Chuck Knox's offense, which focused on running the ball.

He quickly got the nickname "The Battering Ram." He ran for 1,429 yards, which was second-best in the NFL that year. He also had the most rushing first downs in the NFL. Bettis was named a First-team All-Pro. He was also named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He ran for over 1,000 yards and was chosen for the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons with the Rams.

The Rams moved to St. Louis for the 1995 season. The new coach, Rich Brooks, wanted a more pass-focused offense. Because of this, Bettis only ran for 637 yards. Coach Brooks asked Bettis if he wanted to play fullback or be traded. Bettis chose to be traded.

Trade to Pittsburgh

Bettis holding his Steelers jersey

The Rams let Bettis choose which team he wanted to go to. He picked the Steelers over the Houston Oilers. He liked the Steelers' long history. The Steelers needed a running back at the time.

On April 20, 1996, Bettis was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers also got a third-round draft pick. In return, the Rams got a second-round pick in 1996 and a fourth-round pick in 1997. This trade turned out to be very good for the Steelers.

Years with the Pittsburgh Steelers

In his first year in Pittsburgh, Bettis ran for 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns. This was a career high for him at the time. He was named to his second 1st team All-Pro team. He also won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

Bettis with the Steelers in 2002

Bettis ran for over 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons with the Steelers (1996-2001). In 1997, he ran for a career-best 1,665 yards. He holds the Steelers' record for rushing yards in a single season when including playoff games.

In 2001, Bettis was leading the league in rushing yards. But he got a serious hip injury that made him miss the rest of the season. Injuries also kept him out of many games in 2002. He became a backup player in 2003 and 2004. However, when the starting running back got injured in 2004, Bettis stepped in. He ran for over 100 yards in six of the next eight games. This strong performance earned him his sixth Pro-Bowl selection.

In 2005, Bettis was mostly a short-yardage running back. He had two memorable games that year. In one game, he ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns in heavy snow. In another, he scored three touchdowns to help the Steelers make the playoffs. He finished his career as the NFL's 5th all-time leading rusher.

Bettis was also part of a famous coin toss incident in 1998. During an overtime game against the Detroit Lions, he seemed to call "tails" as the coin was in the air. But the referee said he called "heads" first. The Lions got the ball and won the game. After this, the NFL changed the rule. Now, players must call "heads" or "tails" before the coin is tossed.

Bettis speaking with Chris Berman at Super Bowl XL media day

In the 2004 season, Bettis and New York Jets running back Curtis Martin were close in all-time rushing yards. They kept passing each other on the list. In one game, both players ran for over 13,000 career yards. This was the first time two players reached such a high milestone in the same game. Martin eventually finished ahead of Bettis on the all-time list.

After the Steelers lost a playoff game in January 2005, Bettis thought about retiring. But he decided to play one more season. He really wanted to play in the Super Bowl in 2006 because it was in his hometown of Detroit. His wish came true! The Steelers played in and won Super Bowl XL (40) against the Seattle Seahawks on February 5, 2006. The final score was 21–10.

Bettis ended his 13 NFL seasons with 13,662 rushing yards and 91 touchdowns. He also caught 200 passes for 1,449 yards and 3 touchdowns. He even threw 3 touchdown passes in his career. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, and 2004. Bettis won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 1996. In 2002, he received the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his work on and off the field.

Bettis got the nickname "the Bus" when he was at Notre Dame. A reporter said he looked like a bus carrying players for a ride. This led to a student chant, "Nobody stops the bus!" His Steelers coach, Bill Cowher, also called him "the Closer." This was because Cowher would send Bettis in to run out the clock when the Steelers were winning late in a game.

Final Season Highlights

Bettis in a 2005 game

After the Steelers lost a playoff game in 2005, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger asked Bettis to play one more season. Roethlisberger promised Bettis he would get him to the Super Bowl. This promise convinced Jerome Bettis to play his final season. Before this, Bettis had been in the playoffs five times but never in the Super Bowl.

In the last game of the 2005 NFL season, Bettis ran for 41 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers won, and Bettis's touchdowns helped them get into the playoffs. When coach Bill Cowher took Bettis out of the game, the fans gave him a huge cheer. This was Bettis's last home game in Pittsburgh.

Bettis ran for 52 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers' playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals. After this game, Ben Roethlisberger told the team about his promise to Bettis.

On January 15, 2006, Bettis was part of a very memorable playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers were winning 21–18 late in the game. Bettis fumbled the ball near the goal line, but the Steelers' quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, made a key tackle. The Colts' kicker then missed a field goal, and the Steelers won 21–18.

The next week, the Steelers played the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game. Bettis gave a powerful speech to his teammates. He asked them to "Just get me to Detroit," his hometown, where Super Bowl XL was going to be played. Bettis's wish came true! The Steelers won 34–17 and went to the Super Bowl. Bettis ran for 39 yards and a touchdown in that game. After the game, he found his parents and told them, "We're going home."

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Postseason Stats

Life After Football

Bettis with Steelers teammates and coach Bill Cowher at the White House following Super Bowl XL

After winning the Super Bowl, Bettis announced his retirement. He said, "I played this game for a championship. I'm a champion, and I think the Bus' last stop is here in Detroit." He made this announcement while holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The Steelers have not officially retired Bettis' number 36. However, no player has worn it since he retired. This means it is unofficially retired, like the numbers of other Steelers legends.

On January 31, 2006, the mayor of Detroit gave Bettis the key to the city. They also declared that week "Jerome Bettis Week." This was to honor him as an example of what a kid from Detroit can achieve. The Governor of Michigan also declared February 1, 2006, to be Jerome Bettis Day.

On May 21, 2006, Bettis received an honorary degree from Lawrence Technological University. Before the Steelers' first home game of the 2006 season, a large school bus drove onto the field. Bettis stepped out to a huge cheer from the crowd.

Post-Football Career Activities

Bettis speaking at a sports convention.

After retiring, Jerome Bettis became a studio commentator for NBC's Football Night in America show. He worked there until 2008.

In April 2006, Bettis and his parents worked with Don Barden on a plan for a casino in Pittsburgh. This plan would help the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins get money for a new ice arena.

Bettis opened a restaurant called "Jerome Bettis' Grille 36" in Pittsburgh on June 5, 2007. He also made a guest appearance as himself in an episode of the TV show The Office.

In 2010, Bettis joined School of the Legends (SOTL), an online community for athletes. He also filmed training courses for SOTL about playing running back.

Bettis hosts The Jerome Bettis Show on WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh. He has also been an NFL analyst for the NFL Network and ESPN programs like SportsCenter.

The Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation helps children. It sponsors the Jerome Bettis Asthma and Sports Camp every year for kids with asthma. Bettis has also given over 1000 pairs of cleats to children in Detroit schools.

On January 31, 2015, Bettis was voted into The Pro Football Hall of Fame. He returned to NBC to help present the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl XLIX on February 1, 2015.

In 2019, Bettis starred in a Geico commercial. He played a running back in a flag football game. Bettis also appeared as himself in an episode of the CBS comedy series The Neighborhood.

Bettis returned to the University of Notre Dame in 2021–2022 to finish his bachelor's degree. He graduated in May 2022 with a business degree.

Personal Life

Jerome Bettis is married to Trameka Bettis. They have two children: a daughter named Jada and a son named Jerome Jr. Jerome Jr. is currently on the Notre Dame football team as a wide receiver.

Bettis has supported different political candidates over the years. He has given money to both Democratic and Republican candidates. He also joined Barack Obama on a campaign visit in 2008.