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09-12-2003, 02:37 PM
Cowher taking it 'one year at a time'
By Jerry DiPaola
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, September 12, 2003
In this era of NFL free agency, impatience among fans and management, and coaches with the ability to earn upwards of $5 million per year, the Steelers' Bill Cowher has been with one team longer than any coach in the league.
When he takes the Steelers into Kansas City on Sunday to meet the Chiefs, he will be two games into his 12th season. Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Bill Parcells and the Chiefs' Dick Vermeil have coached longer, but each man has done it with more than one team.
How long does Cowher plan to continue to coach the Steelers?
"At this point, I'm taking it one year at a time," he said.
Cowher is signed through the 2005 season, with a salary of about $3.5 million, and he shows no signs of slowing down or losing his enthusiasm for the job. His .612 winning percentage (117-74-1) is third among active coaches.
"I enjoy coaching," he said. "I enjoy working with the players and with the coaches."
Some men change wives more often than the Rooney family changes coaches. The Steelers have employed only two head coaches -- Chuck Noll and Cowher -- for the past 35 seasons.
"I have been very fortunate and blessed to be with such a quality organization," Cowher said. "The Rooneys understand what this business is about and, sometimes, there are going to be some tough times and they've been so supportive through them all."
Cowher said he hasn't changed since taking the job, other than gaining experience.
"I think you grow as a coach," he said. "You understand this game and you try to get a feel for your people, but the one thing you never want to do is change as a person.
"I try to be very honest with the players and be demanding with the players and try to keep things in perspective. I think that is how you stay successful in this business.
"You try to be consistent and the only way you can be consistent is if you have a very good perspective of things and not get too down with the tough times and too high with the good times."
Kansas City Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil has watched Cowher grow, first as a player and later as a coach. Vermeil was coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1979 when Cowher joined the team as an undrafted rookie linebacker. He also broadcast Chiefs games when Cowher was the defensive coordinator in Kansas City.
"With Bill Cowher, what you see is what you get," said Vermeil, who cut Cowher at the end of training camp in 1979. "It did not matter if he was 24, 34 or 44 years old. That is his personality. He loves his players and he loves the game, and he brings a depth of enthusiasm and intensity to the game that is infectious to his players."
Chiefs long snapper Kendall Gammon, one of four active players left from Cowher's first Steelers team in 1992, said Cowher has built the Steelers much in the same way that Vermeil is building the Chiefs.
"He slowly picked off the players that didn't fit his mold as far as team players and tough players," Gammon said.
Gammon said he was impressed with how Cowher dealt with the team's stars and their egos.
"Some guys like Rod Woodson and Greg Lloyd, he was able to make them better than they had been previously just in the way he handled them," Gammon said.
Jerry DiPaola can be reached at trsp20@aol.com or 412-481-5432.
By Jerry DiPaola
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, September 12, 2003
In this era of NFL free agency, impatience among fans and management, and coaches with the ability to earn upwards of $5 million per year, the Steelers' Bill Cowher has been with one team longer than any coach in the league.
When he takes the Steelers into Kansas City on Sunday to meet the Chiefs, he will be two games into his 12th season. Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Bill Parcells and the Chiefs' Dick Vermeil have coached longer, but each man has done it with more than one team.
How long does Cowher plan to continue to coach the Steelers?
"At this point, I'm taking it one year at a time," he said.
Cowher is signed through the 2005 season, with a salary of about $3.5 million, and he shows no signs of slowing down or losing his enthusiasm for the job. His .612 winning percentage (117-74-1) is third among active coaches.
"I enjoy coaching," he said. "I enjoy working with the players and with the coaches."
Some men change wives more often than the Rooney family changes coaches. The Steelers have employed only two head coaches -- Chuck Noll and Cowher -- for the past 35 seasons.
"I have been very fortunate and blessed to be with such a quality organization," Cowher said. "The Rooneys understand what this business is about and, sometimes, there are going to be some tough times and they've been so supportive through them all."
Cowher said he hasn't changed since taking the job, other than gaining experience.
"I think you grow as a coach," he said. "You understand this game and you try to get a feel for your people, but the one thing you never want to do is change as a person.
"I try to be very honest with the players and be demanding with the players and try to keep things in perspective. I think that is how you stay successful in this business.
"You try to be consistent and the only way you can be consistent is if you have a very good perspective of things and not get too down with the tough times and too high with the good times."
Kansas City Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil has watched Cowher grow, first as a player and later as a coach. Vermeil was coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1979 when Cowher joined the team as an undrafted rookie linebacker. He also broadcast Chiefs games when Cowher was the defensive coordinator in Kansas City.
"With Bill Cowher, what you see is what you get," said Vermeil, who cut Cowher at the end of training camp in 1979. "It did not matter if he was 24, 34 or 44 years old. That is his personality. He loves his players and he loves the game, and he brings a depth of enthusiasm and intensity to the game that is infectious to his players."
Chiefs long snapper Kendall Gammon, one of four active players left from Cowher's first Steelers team in 1992, said Cowher has built the Steelers much in the same way that Vermeil is building the Chiefs.
"He slowly picked off the players that didn't fit his mold as far as team players and tough players," Gammon said.
Gammon said he was impressed with how Cowher dealt with the team's stars and their egos.
"Some guys like Rod Woodson and Greg Lloyd, he was able to make them better than they had been previously just in the way he handled them," Gammon said.
Jerry DiPaola can be reached at trsp20@aol.com or 412-481-5432.