It’s been 17 years since Jerome Bettis retired on the podium after serving to the Steelers win Super Bowl XL. Since then, the participant recognized affectionately as “The Bus” has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in addition to the Steelers Hall of Honor. Bettis additionally hosts a present in Pittsburgh, the place he has continued to work together with his basis.
The tenth total decide within the 1993 NFL Draft, Bettis entered the league as a fullback earlier than rapidly making the transition to working again. He had a particularly uncommon mixture of measurement (5-foot-11 and about 250 kilos), agility and velocity that allowed him to hurry for 13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns throughout his 13-year profession. Bettis’ physicality and energetic character made him an immediate fan favourite in Pittsburgh, the place he helped the franchise win 5 division titles in addition to the franchise’s fifth Lombardi Trophy.
As he celebrates his 51st birthday, listed below are 5 quick details about Bettis’ NFL profession.
Rookie of the Year
Bettis overcame a gradual begin to seize Offensive Rookie of the Year honors through the 1993 season. Bettis received the award regardless of making only one begin within the season’s first 5 weeks. He received the ball rolling with a 102-yard efficiency towards the Saints in Week 5. Bettis would document six extra 100-yard speeding performances that season that included a career-high 212 yards in New Orleans in Week 15. Bettis additionally tallied the longest run of his profession in that recreation, a 72-yard landing. Ironically, Bettis’ first-career landing was a 29-yard run towards the Steelers in Week 2.
Bettis completed the season with 1,429 yards, the second-highest whole within the NFL behind Emmitt Smith, who received league and Super Bowl MVP honors that season.
Almost an Oiler
The Rams agreed to commerce Bettis following his third season in Los Angeles. When searching for his subsequent crew, Bettis narrowed his selections all the way down to both the Oilers or the Steelers. The Steelers’ current Super Bowl look was one among two elements that satisfied Bettis to come back to Pittsburgh.
“My agent, he had one other working again that was popping out within the draft. His identify was Eddie George,” Bettis mentioned throughout a February 2021 look on the “All Things Covered” podcast. “So whichever crew I picked, Eddie was going to go to the opposite crew. So I wanted to verify I picked proper, as a result of I knew that Eddie was going to go to the opposite crew.
“My agent selfishly wished me to go to Pittsburgh as a result of Houston was selecting larger. It made sense for everyone, proper? Everybody was pleased after I selected Pittsburgh. Eddie ended up going to Houston and had an incredible profession. He was Rookie of the Year when he got here out. It all labored.”
During his first season in Pittsburgh, Bettis earned his second All-Pro choice after speeding for 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns. Among his huge performances that season was his 129-yard, two-touchdown efficiency in Pittsburgh’s 42-6 win over the Rams. Bettis rumbled for a 50-yard rating in that recreation, his longest run as a member of the Steelers.
Best season?
Bettis might have been on his solution to an MVP season in 2001 after speeding for almost 1,100 yards within the season’s first 11 video games. But an damage prematurely ended his season in addition to his hopes to develop into the primary Steelers participant since Terry Bradshaw to win league MVP. As it stands, Bettis’ greatest statistical season occurred in 1997, his second season with the Steelers.
In 15 video games, Bettis rushed for 1,665 yards and 7 touchdowns whereas serving to the Steelers seize a fourth straight AFC Central division title. He tallied 10 100-yard speeding performances for a second straight season; his 20 100-yard video games over a two-year span is probably the most in franchise historical past. Bettis would have damaged Barry Foster’s single season franchise document had he performed in Pittsburgh’s common season finale. Instead of going for the document, Bettis made the unselfish choice to relaxation with the Steelers having already clinched a playoff bye.
1,000-yard warrior
Bettis handed the 1,000-yard speeding barrier in every of his first six seasons in Pittsburgh. Emmitt Smith and Curtis Martin have been the one different working backs within the NFL had that many 1,000-yard seasons over that span. The solely Steelers participant to start his profession in Pittsburgh with six straight 1,000-yard seasons, Bettis matched Franco Harris’ document for probably the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons by a Steelers working again. Of the Steelers’ 27 1,000-yard speeding campaigns, 14 of these have been authored by both Harris or Bettis.
From backup to Pro Bowler
At 32 years previous, Bettis began the 2004 season as a backup to Duce Staley, a free agent pickup out of Philadelphia. An damage to Staley in Week 7 propelled Bettis again into the beginning lineup, the place he rushed for 149 yards per week later in Pittsburgh’s 27-3 romp of the Eagles. It was the primary of six 100-yard video games for Bettis, who recorded a career-high 13 speeding touchdowns that season whereas incomes the final of his six Pro Bowl alternatives. Bettis helped then-rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger win every of his 13 regular-season begins. Roethlisberger returned the favor the next season by serving to Bettis retire as a Super Bowl champion.
