No one knows about Jerome Bettis’ future except him and his family, but if the Indianapolis Colts had scored a game-winning touchdown late in the game, Bettis would be back. Jerome Bettis is a player and will live on as one of the best franchise players in the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. This cannot be said lightly as the Steelers organization is one of the most storied franchises in the NFL.
However, Jerome Bettis would not return out of personal pride, he is not a selfish player. He’s not the type of player to come back for redemption like other players, he doesn’t need to legitimize his career. His choice to return would be due to the improvement of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Any potential hall of famer who stays in the background, gets paid less, and is completely happy with the decision is the best team player.
The Steelers without Jerome Bettis are like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without bread. What’s going to hold it together? His leadership, his mentorship of young Willie Parker, his relationship with Ben Roethlisberger, his dependability on short shots and his work ethic will be a vital loss for the Steelers.
The Steelers will lose Jerome Bettis one of these years. I feel like if the Steelers win the Super Bowl, he’s not coming back. But there is no question that Jerome Bettis has left a lasting legacy on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The football gods were right not to let Jerome Bettis’ fumble be the deciding factor in this game.
