After taking over Chuck Noll's 7-9 Steelers after 1991, it took Bill Cowher three years to get to the AFC Championship game and lose to the overachieving Chargers, one more year to lose the Super Bowl to the Cowboys (only SB loss in Steelers history), and then another ten years to win the Super Bowl (which they were a missed FG away from not even getting to the AFC Championship game), to then follow up with an 8-8 season. This year the 10th ranked team in scoring (Packers) scored 388 points. Cowher's Steeler teams in 15 seasons achieved that level of scoring only 3 times (20%). In three years Tony Sparano's Dolphins guided by the fool Dan Henning have averaged 326 points (obviously a lot worse this year, but just like with a player you should look at the work as a whole). Bill Cowher's Steelers scored fewer points than the average of Sparano's Dolphins 7 out of 15 seasons. Bill Cowher is the coach who stuck with Kordell Stewart for SIX YEARS! Negative TD/INT ratio, 56.5% completion percentage, 72.3 passer rating as a Steeler. The one time Cowher tried to replace Stewart it was with 8th round draft pick journeyman Kent Graham and that lasted 4 games. Before Stewart, Cowher settled with Neil O'Donnell who was efficient and didn't turn the ball over often (except in the SB) but he was not a playmaker who would go out and win a ton of games for you. Tommy Maddox had one good year in 2002 then sunk to 6-10 the next year. Then finally after 13 years Cowher spent a 1st round pick on a QB, Ben Rapistburger. The best decision on the offensive side of the ball by the Cowher Steelers was to replace Bam Morris with Jerome Bettis from the Rams. Cowher inherited a solid defense and kept it solid with good draft picks and coodinators. When the Steelers offense did not do well, it was a lackluster offense that could not generate big plays and move the ball. Sound familiar? Cowher always had a tough time against the Patriots in the playoffs. The year they won the Super Bowl was the year they didn't have to face the Patriots in the playoffs. We don't need a coach who can't beat the Patriots. Despite his several playoff appearances and one Super Bowl win, I am underwhelmed with Cowher's record of not creating a consistently successful offense and finding a franchise quarterback. Also no head coach has ever won Super Bowls with two different teams. Not to say it can't happen and this shouldn't be a reason to not hire someone, but many times teams expect the success of a big name coach to carry over to another franchise and it just doesn't work... Jimmy Johnson anyone?
The plan usually seems to be to keep Sparano. But hey, we won't have to worry about him losing AFC Championship games and Super Bowls.
Nice post but from what I have heard and seen today Cowher is a very much a longshot and not really realistic.
Well, at worst we would risk another .500 season if we kept Sparano, with Cowher we hamstring ourselves with the CBA offseason, as Cowher would have to install everything in 30 days.
Sure thing. I love being 7-9 every season Sparano should be shot for allowing Dan Henning to do what he did out there this season. He never stepped in and took over anything. He called Henning a success. Maybe we should have them both back for old times sake.
The Seahawks were robbed in that Super Bowl. Cowher should not even have a ring. I like the guy but it is what it is. I would honestly prefer to have Gruden.
What makes you think Cowher was responsible for Kordell and Neil O'Donnell? You do realize that Cowher wasn't the GM in Pittsburgh? He never had full control of the team, especially in the early 90s.
KP your one of the most passionate guys I know when it comes to the phins, but trust me brother continuing the revolving door at head coach is not in our best interest, Sparano purposefully dumbed down the offense with Henning to try and bring Henne along. He eluded to it when he caved in and put Henne in when we were all screaming for him. Is Henne a good guy......sure....but he is not a starting NFL QB. Decent backup...sure. We have had 5 HC's since the great Don. That is an average of 1 every 3 years. We can not keep doing this and expect to be good any time soon. Please my friend take a look at Cowher's stats: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/CowhBi0.htm You will see he had an identical first 2 years. Went to the Superbowl in year 3 (lost) and then didn't do anything for 10 years. After winning the superbowl his team regressed over the next 2 years to 8-8 and then he retired. Bill Cowher's offense's were on par with the dolphins performance this year 7 of the 15 years he coached the Steelers. He had loosing seasons 5 of the 15 or 1/3 of the time. Cowher is known as a good coach because the Steeler organization stuck with him regardless of the situation. We owe Sparano a few more years to put it together..
I'm with u man! I've been saying this a lot. I undestand the desire to move on from Sporano (especially after last game...the guys quit which scares me) but I REALLY wouldn't mind sticking with him. Many of the "dynasty" coaches got where they are at because the ownership stuck through many medicore seasons with them. It takes TIME to build a team. We have half of it in place, just a few more seasons, and we could be firing on all cylinders. Target Offense this year, hopefuly in a year our young rookie is up to speed, and we're in the playoffs again! My wish anyway
I want a offensive minded coach not the same 1980s mentality to kick fields and have your defence win you the game.This is a passing league and I am tired of this boring *** 13-10 games.You can't teach an old dog new tricks we keep sparano and he is going to bring in some old guy with the same game plan. **** it,I know he struggled in his last few years with tampa but my choice would be gruden if available and keep nolan on as def cord.
Thanks. We really are not that far off from being a contending team. The obvious QB and another receiver would do wonders for this offense. 2 or 3 more players and we are real close. It is doable in 2 to 3 years with the right moves. Sparano just has not had enough time
As signs start pointing towards Sparano being retained we all start convincing ourselves that he's a good coach and that the obvious signs we've been seeing all season long that culminated in season ending humiliation were illusions or not his fault. Soon enough we'll be good and ready to get our hopes crushed again in a year or two. If we can only get a team full of Pro bowl players, some genius offensive coaches, a great QB, and no significant injuries I'm sure we can make quite a run with Sparano at the helm. This will surely be the year he figures out how to put together a cohesive offensive line.
There’s one major, overarching reason to stay away from Bill Cowher: he wants full executive control without a lick of experience. Haven’t we tired of the strongman head coach who gets final say and screws it up? Didn’t we get over that after Nick Saban ran away? Cowher always had the built-in advantage of an excellent Steelers front office. They bought the groceries, he cooked the meal. I see no reason to pay Bill Cowher his reported desired salary of $8 million a year so he can come in, give less effort than he did in Pittsburgh (guys who’ve won Super Bowl rings typically mail it in at new jobs, reference Jimmy Johnson), guess and grope his way through the draft and free agency, and basically rehash a formula that’s failed for us multiple times. Oh, and Jon Gruden wants the exact same thing. Gruden and Bruce Allen ran the Bucs into the ground by failing to find a quarterback and generally treading water in a competitive division: sound familiar? Do not want. Either hire Harbaugh or stick with Sparano. Don’t fall for ESPN’s crap.
The case for Bill Cohwer... 15 years as coach... 3 losing seasons 9 seasons 10 or more wins (two 10 win seasons, four 11 win seasons, 12 win season, 13 win season, 15 win season) Overall win-loss regular season record of 149-90-1 (62.3% winning) Overall playoff record of 12-9 (57.1% winning) 10 playoff appearances 6 AFC Championship games 2 Super Bowl appearances 1 Super Bowl title Core of team left after retiring led to Super Bowl Championship 2 years later. Miami Dolphins past 15 years... 5 losing seasons 5 seasons 10 or more wins (two 10 win seasons, three 11 win seasons) Overall win-loss regular season record of 122-118 (50.8% winning) Overall playoff record of 3-6 (33% winning) 6 playoff appearances ZERO AFC Championship games ZERO Super Bowl appearances ZERO Super Bowl titles No matter how I do the math Cohwer is better than anything we have had since coach Shula. Cowher implemented a system that stood the test of time. Hard to do in today's NFL.
Win-Loss Record 149-90-1 Winning % .623 Games 240 Say what you will the guy is a winner, we cant say we've had that since ole Jimmy Johnson. Right now i can settle for constant playoff appearances, bowl in 5 yrs realistically.
The system you refer to is actually a culture that the Rooney's instilled in their organization long ago. Please save the revisionist history of how Cowher built the Steelers organization into the powerhouse they are today.
Yeah, okay...the Steelers could just plug in any coach for 15 years and they would have had the success Cohwer had because they are the Steelers. FYI...the Steelers did NOT have a 10 win season the previous 8 years before Cohwer got there. But they did have 4 losing seasons, losing 10 games one year and 11 games another. There overall record during that time was 60-67 (47.2% winning)...revisionist, get real!
So 1 championship in 14years vs 4 in 23 years and 1 in 3. How many AFC championships did he cough the nut at home? Here's what I want a team that is the team of the decade not a note in the decade.
Please...WAKE UP! Do you realize Miami has NOT even been to the Super Bowl in 26 years and has NOT won a Super Bowl in 37 years? The Dolphins have been to "ONE" AFC Championship game in the past 25 years and LOST! I see you just ignored the previous 8 years before Cohwer got there when the Steelers didn't do so well and weren't able to live up to the Rooney quote. Who's the revisionist now? That was a totally different era when the Steelers won their 1st four Super Bowls. They put together a couple of drafts that were the best in history! Teams didn't have to deal with FA like they do now. Any coach that is able to win like Cohwer was able to for 15 years for the Steelers is AWESOME! There are 32 teams in the NFL. Only the Patriots and Colts have had a better run than the Steelers and that is b/c they both have 2 of the top 5 QBs of All-Time on their roster in Brady and Manning.
