Cowher to announce his resignation tomorrow, sources say
Thursday, January 04, 2007
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Steelers have called a news conference for 1 p.m. tomorrow to announce that Bill Cowher, who led the team to 10 playoff appearances, eight division titles and a Super Bowl victory, will resign after 15 seasons as head coach, sources have told the Post-Gazette.
Cowher, 49, will fly to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning to attend the news conference and announce the decision that has been expected for several weeks, if not longer: That he will resign, at age 49, to spend more time with his family.
Cowher had planned to return to town and make the announcement Monday, but he called team chairman Dan Rooney this afternoon to tell him he didn't want to wait any longer.
The Steelers will immediately begin the search to find his successor. Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, one of the leading candidates to replace Cowher, interviewed today with the Atlanta Falcons and owner Arthur Blank. Offensive line coach Russ Grimm, who is also the team's assistant head coach, is scheduled to interview with the Falcons next week.
Cowher has one year remaining on a contract that paid him between $4.5 million and $4.7 million this season. He said last week he still loves to coach and is not "burned out" from being the longest-tenured head coach in the National Football League. However, he wants to take at least a one-year break from coaching and is not thinking about joining any other team in 2007, whether in the NFL or college football, sources said.
Those same sources have also said Cowher's decision to retire has nothing to do with money and that he is committed to spending the next year with his wife, Kaye, and youngest daughter, Lindsay, in Raleigh, N.C.
But those who know Cowher wonder how long he will stay in "retirement" because he is an intense competitor who loves to coach. When his contract with the Steelers expires after 2007, he will be free to sign with another team, without compensation to the Steelers, and will likely attract offers that make him the highest-paid coach in the NFL.
Seattle's Mike Holmgren is believed to be the league's highest-paid coach, making $7 million this season and $8 million in 2007. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07004/751251-100.stm
Thursday, January 04, 2007
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Steelers have called a news conference for 1 p.m. tomorrow to announce that Bill Cowher, who led the team to 10 playoff appearances, eight division titles and a Super Bowl victory, will resign after 15 seasons as head coach, sources have told the Post-Gazette.
Cowher, 49, will fly to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning to attend the news conference and announce the decision that has been expected for several weeks, if not longer: That he will resign, at age 49, to spend more time with his family.
Cowher had planned to return to town and make the announcement Monday, but he called team chairman Dan Rooney this afternoon to tell him he didn't want to wait any longer.
The Steelers will immediately begin the search to find his successor. Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, one of the leading candidates to replace Cowher, interviewed today with the Atlanta Falcons and owner Arthur Blank. Offensive line coach Russ Grimm, who is also the team's assistant head coach, is scheduled to interview with the Falcons next week.
Cowher has one year remaining on a contract that paid him between $4.5 million and $4.7 million this season. He said last week he still loves to coach and is not "burned out" from being the longest-tenured head coach in the National Football League. However, he wants to take at least a one-year break from coaching and is not thinking about joining any other team in 2007, whether in the NFL or college football, sources said.
Those same sources have also said Cowher's decision to retire has nothing to do with money and that he is committed to spending the next year with his wife, Kaye, and youngest daughter, Lindsay, in Raleigh, N.C.
But those who know Cowher wonder how long he will stay in "retirement" because he is an intense competitor who loves to coach. When his contract with the Steelers expires after 2007, he will be free to sign with another team, without compensation to the Steelers, and will likely attract offers that make him the highest-paid coach in the NFL.
Seattle's Mike Holmgren is believed to be the league's highest-paid coach, making $7 million this season and $8 million in 2007. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07004/751251-100.stm
Cowher is one of the top 5 coaches in the league and will come back when a team gets desperate and makes him an offer he cant refuse. If Carolina doesnt make playoffs next year, I would expect that he take the job there. Regardless, good luck in whatever Bill does.....he was a class act at Pittsburgh and took a lot of bad offenses further than they should have gone.
Id love to see him do TV work next season and then become the Vikings coach in 2008.
Brad Childress has one more year to do something after all the money the Vikings spent on the offensive line this year the Viking owner is not happy with a losing record and missing playoffs.
Mr. Wilf the owner of the Vikings is not afraid to spend money either so that would not be a problem
Brad Childress has one more year to do something after all the money the Vikings spent on the offensive line this year the Viking owner is not happy with a losing record and missing playoffs.
Mr. Wilf the owner of the Vikings is not afraid to spend money either so that would not be a problem
