Jerome Bettis talks NFL career, today's game, and advice for Steelers running backs
- Bettis' struggle with Asthma and partnership with Aire Serv
- Why today's running backs are so different
- The state of the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers
- Advice for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren
By Tommy Jaggi
Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down for an interview with Pittsburgh Steelers legend and Hall of Fame running back, Jerome Bettis. The iconic NFL figure answered numerous questions regarding his playing career, today's new-look NFL, and the state of the Steelers in 2023.
Bettis also opened up about a cause that is near and dear to his heart. The 13-year NFL veteran talked about his Asthma diagnosis at the age of 14.
"Well, a lot of people don't know that, at 14 years old, I went out for football, passed out on the football field was taken immediately to the hospital, and I was diagnosed with having Asthma," Bettis explained during the interview. "At that point, I thought my football career was over for sure, but my mom and dad and the doctors assured me that I could continue to play football if I wanted to as long as I managed my Asthma."
Bettis went on to explain why 'it made all the sense in the world' to partner with Aire Serv and why maintaining great air quality is so important -- especially to those who live with Asthma.
After talking about ways to reduce indoor air pollution, we shifted our discussion toward football. Bettis talked about the remarkable 70-point performance from the Miami Dolphins and what has him excited in 2023. 'The Bus' also fielded a question on why running backs don't seem to be holding up as long in today's NFL.
Bettis doesn't believe that it's a matter of running backs wearing down faster; rather, today's running backs have different body types than the RBs that were around when he was playing football. He said this starts with what teams are looking for at the collegiate level.
"There's only about five or six schools that still want a 220-pound running back... So as a result, they're not available in the NFL..., " Bettis explained. "So now you've got to go with multiple running backs because you can't find one running back to do everything; you've got to find multiple running backs that can do specific things that you need done."
Bettis later touched on his NFL playing career. When asked who was the best offensive lineman he's ever played with, he gave a shoutout to former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer, Dermontti Dawson.
"I will say Dermontti Dawson because he kind of revolutionized the center position," Bettis explained. "He was one of the first centers to pull. He would pull out in front of me on a run play. I will never forget when I got [to Pittsburgh], I was like 'Wow! This is a center pulling?' And so to do something like that, he really changed the game."
After reminiscing about the past, Bettis talked about the current state of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He praised the skill players and said that he thinks quarterback Kenny Pickett 'has the potential to be special.' He noted that it's just year two for Pickett and that this is a process -- saying the team is 'still developing.'
I finished my interview with Jerome Bettis by asking what advice he would have for running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren when it's been tough sledding behind the Steelers' offensive line. He gave a textbook response.
"I would just tell them that they have to continue to be physical and run downhill behind your pads," Bettis insisted. "Right now, it doesn't seem like it's a lot there, but you've got to hit it up in there because those two and three-yard gains become six and seven-yard, ten-yard runs late in the third and the fourth quarter.
"Just stay with your read. Don't get upset; don't try to bounce it. Just be physical and let it happen."
You can catch the entire interview with Jerome Bettis and other great Pittsburgh Steelers content on our Still Curtain YouTube Channel, and be sure to visit Aire Serv for cleaner air today.