Bill Cowher

Lore & Background

Cowher became the 15th head coach in Steelers history on January 21, 1992, succeeding Chuck Noll. He was only the team's second head coach since the NFL merger in 1970. In his first season, the Steelers improved from 7–9 to 11–5 and earned home-field advantage in the AFC after missing the playoffs six of the previous seven years. That season ended with a 24–3 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional round.

In 1995, Cowher led the Steelers to an 11–5 record and a first-round bye. They beat the Bills 40–24 and the Colts 20–16 to become AFC Champions for the first time since 1979. At age 38, Cowher became the youngest coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl, though the Steelers lost 27–17 to the Dallas Cowboys. He is only the second coach in NFL history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first six seasons, joining Paul Brown.

Cowher's teams appeared in the postseason 10 times, including six consecutive appearances from 1992 to 1997. Cowher's Super Bowl XL victory marked the first championship for the franchise in over two decades. After retiring, he joined The NFL Today as a studio analyst.

Reader's Guide

Cowher's coaching career began in 1985 under Marty Schottenheimer with the Cleveland Browns. He served as special teams coach (1985–86) and secondary coach (1987–88). He followed Schottenheimer to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989 and became defensive coordinator. In 1992, he was named head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cowher's Steelers won eight division titles, two AFC Championship Games, and Super Bowl XL. The team appeared in the postseason 10 times, including six consecutive appearances from 1992 to 1997. Cowher is the second NFL head coach to reach the playoffs during each of his first six seasons, after Paul Brown. His Super Bowl victory was the first championship for the franchise in over two decades and the first not won by Chuck Noll. After retiring following the 2006 season, he joined The NFL Today as a studio analyst.