The Pittsburgh Steelers' organization is known for its great run of coaches throughout its history. Most NFL teams have had multiple coaches since the turn of the decade; meanwhile, Pittsburgh has only had three people hold the position since the 1969 season. Chuck Noll started the incredible run in 1969 and eventually retired in 1991. This is when Bill Cowher was hired, and he ended up resigning after the 2006 season. Mike Tomlin took over in 2007, and he still holds the title of head coach till this day. These coaches are very well respected throughout the league, which means they are seen as "mentors" to many.
Los Angeles Times
Steelers' former head coach Bill Cowher during a home game in Pittsburgh.
Cowher resigned before his 50th birthday, and hasn't coached in the NFL since. For a while, his name was often brought during the offseason from teams who had coaching vacancies, but he has seemed to be content with his life in retirement and his new career in television.
He won't hold any official titles going into the 2025 season, but he is lending a hand to the Dallas Cowboys and first-year Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer. This was mentioned in a recent article from ESPN and Todd Archer, as Cowher has known the Schottenheimer family for quite some time.
"Schottenheimer said he now leans on some of his father's friends, like Bill Cowher, an assistant coach under Marty before becoming the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach." Archer wrote.
Marty Schottenheimer was a long time head coach in the NFL as held the title for several franchises, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, the then-Washington Redskins, and the then-San Diego Chargers. Marty and Cowher were close, as the two were together throughout the start of Cowher's coaching career.
David Duprey / AP
Pittsburgh Steelers' former head coach Bill Cowher reacts to a call during an NFL game.
Cowher is a part of the Marty coaching-tree. His first coaching job in the NFL came as the special teams coordinator in Cleveland, which was a job he got a season after Marty was hired as the Browns head coach. He then became the defensive backs coach on that same staff. In 1988 Marty left Cleveland after he and the organization did not see eye-to-eye on some things, and he took the head coaching job in Kansas City.
Cowher followed him and was his defensive coordinator for three seasons, which eventually got him a shot to be a head coach in Pittsburgh. Cowher and the Schottenheimer family are incredibly close, which is why he is seen as a mentor for Brian. He is entering his first season as the head coach in Dallas, and there is probably a decent amount of similarities between Dallas and Pittsburgh.
Both cities and organizations have gigantic expectations, which is something that probably was not easy to deal with when Cowher was first hired. He can held Brian in this area, while also giving him general pointers about what it is like to be a head coach in the NFL.
Corey Wernecke / Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens during Organized Team Activities in 2025.
Steelers Legend Can Help With New Wide Receiver Addition For The Cowboys
Pittsburgh upset a lot of fans earlier in the 2025 offseason when the franchise decided to trade George Pickens to the Cowboys in exchange for additional draft compensation. It was the right move to make, but Pickens was loved by a large portion of the fan base despite his constant issues on and off the field. He is now in Dallas, and it will be interesting to see how everything works out. His personality is not an easy one to deal with, which could lead to Brian making some calls to Cowher asking for some pointers.
Brian has all the tools to be successful in Dallas during the 2025 season, as long as the majority of his team can remain healthy. The organization has plenty of defensive stars, and the passing attack should be one of the most potents ones in the league during the season.
What do you think about Cowher helping the new Cowboys' hire? Let us know in the comments below!
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