Since it is the first month of the 2023 NFL season, we thought it appropriate to go to the Pro's. So, let's visit with one of Detroits' most celebrated favorite sons and an NFL Hall of Famer. Jerome Bettis is a Detroit native whom I have know since he was in high school at Mackenzie High in Detroit. I first met Jerome when I was helping my team mate, Reggie McKenzie with his All Pro Football camp in the summers. The camp was, and still is, a lifesaver for young aspiring athletes and scholars in Detroit. Well, back in the day, Jerome was a young camper and he was destined for greatness as football player and as a person. You could see it back then, and Reggie's camp just was a stepping stone for him. The rest, as they say is history. He went on to star in college football at Notre Dame. From there he was a top draft pick for the LA Rams, and while he became one of the NFL's best on the west coast, it wasn't until his last stop in the league in PIttsburgh that he become a legend. For the Steelers he became "The Bus" and in the last game of his NFL career, he won the Super Bowl in his hometown of Detroit at Ford Field. It's truly a fairy tale, but along the way it had twists and turns. We talk about a fabulous life, and some of those twists and turns, which included going back to Notre Dame and completing his education and getting his degree from Notre Dame in my Conversation with....Jerome Bettis
Growing up in Detroit and its challenges
Jerome's decision to turn down Michigan and Michigan State and go to Notre Dame out of high school
Those college days at ND and his record against Michigan
Getting drafted by the Rams in the NFL
Learning about the game in the NFL
The move to St Louis and the disappointment in management that had him seriously considering retirement
Getting a new start and new career in Pittsburgh
He was talked out of retiring the year the Super Bowl was in Detroit by his team mates
The magical run to the Super Bowl, and his fumble that nearly derailed it
The impact of team mates like Ben Roethlisberger and Hynes Ward on his career and final year
Going back to Notre Dame after football to complete his degree for his Mom
How he continues to help others with his own foundation that grew from his experience as a youngster in Detroit