Steelers' Jerome Bettis Finally Confirms The Crazy Story Involving Teammate Levon Kirkland

Pittsburgh Steelers' former running back Jerome Bettis, known as "The Bus," earned his nickname because of his powerful, bruising running style, and the way he punished defenders on every carry. At 5-foot-11 and 252 pounds, the running back gave Steeler Nation plenty of unforgettable moments throughout his career. Perhaps none loomed larger than his Super Bowl XL victory in his hometown of Detroit, where he walked off the field a champion and rode into retirement. Before that storybook ending, a young Bettis found himself in a hilarious and revealing situation with then-defensive captain Levon Kirkland.

Recently, Kirkland appeared on Cam Heyward’s podcast and shared a story about how he and Bettis quickly came to an agreement after a particularly physical practice early in Bettis’ first season in Pittsburgh. According to Kirkland, the two were going at it during training camp, and neither was holding back. Kirkland, listed at 6-foot-1 and around 270 pounds, was delivering the kind of hits that matched Bettis’ own punishing running style. When the two lined up against each other in practice, it was clear just how physical those reps were.

As Kirkland described it to Heyward, the intensity quickly led to a mutual understanding. The two decided to make a truce to avoid taking unnecessary punishment on the practice field. It was a telling moment that highlighted just how physically demanding those matchups were. Bettis later confirmed in comments to CBS Sports that he and Kirkland did indeed reach a gentleman’s agreement to halt their contact in practice. 

"We sure did, because two bulls in a China shop doesn't work," Bettis said while chatting about his agreement with Kirkland. "So we said, 'Hey, man, we're not going to do that, because we're not going to survive if we're doing this every day.' We came to an agreement, and we made sure that every opportunity we had to avoid each other, we did." 

Essentially, both players recognized the toll those collisions could take and agreed, out of mutual respect and for their long-term health, to dial things back when lining up against each other in practice.

That understanding also says a lot about the culture that defined those Steelers teams. Practice wasn’t just competitive -- it was intense enough that two of the most physically imposing players on the roster had to actively protect each other from unnecessary wear and tear. In an era where the Steelers built their identity on toughness and defense, even the offense and defense had to find balance behind closed doors.

Steelers' Bettis And Kirkland Were Both Extremely Smart

For Bettis, those early battles helped set the tone for what would become a Hall of Fame career in Pittsburgh. For Kirkland, it reinforced his role as one of the emotional and physical anchors of the defense. Neither player was willing to take a step back in competition, but both were smart enough to recognize the bigger picture when it came to longevity and team success.

Stories like this are part of what makes that Steelers era so memorable. It was not just about big hits on Sundays, but about the daily grind that shaped championship-caliber teams. The mutual respect between Bettis and Kirkland reflects a locker room built on toughness, accountability, and an understanding that greatness sometimes requires restraint.

Even years later, hearing these behind-the-scenes moments adds depth to what fans saw on the field. It reminds Steeler Nation that the legends of that time were forged not only in games, but in the battles they chose not to finish in practice.

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