Category: 2021 Trending Athletes, Athlete Appearances, Football, Hall of Famers, Top Football Speakers
Highlights: Jerome Bettis, known as "The Bus", is a Hall of Fame running back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1996 - 2005 and was a member of their Super Bowl XL winning team.
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Fee Range: $30,001 - $50,000
Considered one of the greatest running backs in the history of the NFL, Jerome Bettis, affectionately known as “The Bus”, enjoyed an illustrious career that spanned from 1993-2005 for the LA/St. Louis Rams (1993-1995) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1996-2005). He was a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro pick and retired after the Steelers won Super Bowl XIV over the Seattle Seahawks by announcing his decision on the podium after accepting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
In total for his career, Bettis amassed 13,664 rushing yards and, at the time of his retirement, was the league’s fifth all-time leading rusher. As of 2020, Bettis was ranked eighth, trailing Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore, Barry Sanders, Adrian Peterson, Curtis Martin and LaDainian Tomlinson. He was named to the Steelers’ All-Time Team in 2007 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
The Steelers have retired only two numbers during their existence but have several other numbers that have been unofficially retired and will not be given to another player, including Bettis. He joins other such greats as Terry Bradshaw, Mel Blount, Franco Harris, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu.
Born on February 16, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan, Bettis played college football at Notre Dame under head coach Lou Holtz, where in three seasons he recorded 1,912 yards rushing on 337 carries. He was drafted by the Rams in the 1st round of the 1993 draft and enjoyed a successful rookie season with a 1,429 yard campaign, including seven games in which he rushed for at least 100 yards. For his efforts, Bettis was named a first-team All-Pro and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. In 1996, he was traded to Pittsburgh where he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in his first six seasons and was named team MVP in 1996 and 1997.
Off the field, Bettis created The Bus Stops Here Foundation to assist disadvantaged children through mentoring, educational programs and by providing financial help. Bettis was recognized by the NFL for his off-the-field work in 2001 when he was honored as the Walter Payton Man of the Year. After retiring, Bettis launched a successful broadcast career, working as a football analyst for ESPN, NBC Sports and NFL Network and hosting “The Jerome Bettis Show” in Pittsburgh on WPXI-TV. He also made a cameo appearance in a season three episode of the popular tv show “The Office”.
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