3 longest-tenured coaches in Pittsburgh Steelers history

When you think of the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the first things that probably comes to your mind is the legacy head coaches they have had. This franchise is unlike any other team in the league in that they have only had three head coaches since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

It wasn't always like that. The Steelers became a professional football team all the way back in 1933, and they had 12 different head coaches from the start of their franchise to (Jap Doubs) until 1968 (Bill Austin).

Since the merger, however, the Rooney family has developed a reputation for championship football, and continuity is key. Part of that means keeping their great head coaches around longer than any team in the league. Here are the three longest-tenured head coaches in Pittsburgh Steelers history.

3. Bill Cowher: 15 years (1992-2006)

Compared to the rest of the league during his era, Bill Cowher was one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the league. However, he comes in just third on the list in terms of longevity among Steelers head coaches.

Cowher took over the franchise in 1992. In the year prior, Pittsburgh finished just 7-9, but he immediately helped boost them to an 11-5 record. Cowher would go on to have 9 seasons of 10-plus wins. This included the famous 15-1 season in Ben Roethlisberger's first year in 2004.

Though he never had the benefit of a high-powered passing attack during his time in Pittsburgh, Cowher still had some impressive defenses that included All-Pro players. The most notable of them all was legendary defensive back, Rod Woodson.

Cowher finally earned his Super Bowl ring following the 2005 season. He would play just one more year before retiring after an 8-8 season in 2006. Cowher's impressive 15-year tenure with the Steelers landed him in the Hall of Fame in the class of 2020.