Ex-Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer’s Hall of Fame omission still irks Bill Cowher
Only eight coaches in NFL history have had 200 career wins and five of them are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Two others are active coaches: The Chiefs’ Andy Reid and Bill Belichick and both are seen as locks for enshrinement one day in Canton, Ohio.
That leaves one other coach: the late Marty Schottenheimer.
Despite a career record of 200-126-1 over 21 seasons, Schottenheimer’s name is not part of the Hall of Fame.
When he was inducted in the Hall of Fame, former Steelers coach Bill Cowher spoke of how he was influenced by Schottenheimer, who passed away in 2021. When Cowher retired as a player, he was hired as a coach on Schottenheimer’s staff in Cleveland.
During a CBS Sports media event on Tuesday, Cowher was asked about Schottenheimer, who coached the Chiefs from 1989-98.
“Again, the metrics we put on that, I mean I don’t know what they are. Is it playoff wins? Is it championships? I just think the contribution that he made and the tree that he’s had (are significant),” said Cowher, who is an analyst on CBS Sports’ “The NFL Today.”
Schottenheimer, who also coached the Browns, Chargers and Washington, never had a team reach the Super Bowl.
But Cowher was impressed with how well Schottenheimer’s teams played despite never having an elite quarterback in his prime.
“His best quarterback he had probably early on was Bernie Kosar and I know he had Joe Montana very late in his career (in Kansas City),” Cowher said. “With Bernie Kosar, he got to two championship games early in his career (in Cleveland). Outside of that he made the most with what he had. He was a teacher. He made great contributions to the National Football League with the coaches that he had around him.
“I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it’s not for Marty Schottenheimer. If I’m in the Hall of Fame, I’ll tell you what, Marty Schottenheimer is in the Hall of Fame with me.”
This story was originally published February 7, 2024 at 7:47 AM.
