If there's a Pittsburgh Steelers player that knows about the power of a publicized farewell, it's Jerome Bettis.
The former bruising running back called it quits after winning Super Bowl XL in his hometown, famously announcing the retirement by saying, "I think The Bus' last stop is here in Detroit ."
Bettis worked in a reduced role during his final go-round in black and gold, one in which he unknowingly ran out of the tunnel by himself during pre-game introductions on the game's brightest stage. The heart and soul of that Lombardi Trophy-winning Steelers team believes Aaron Rodgers could provide a similar jolt this upcoming season after announcing it will be his last.
"I'm expecting a lot," Bettis said Monday on New York Post Sports' "Schein Time." "You've gotta think, the standard's been set. That was set before this coach, before the last coach, before the last coach. And so that's not gonna change. The expectation is high. Now you factor in Aaron Rodgers . He also gave you a nugget. He also said, 'Yes, this is my last year.' Well, that's motivation.
"It's motivation for him, but it's also motivation for his teammates. They wanna make sure that they get the best out of him, and the best opportunity — because there are no (other chances). Hey, this is it. This is our last opportunity with Aaron Rodgers and the great player that he has been, and that he is. So there's gonna be some energy there that not a lot of people are thinking about or expecting."
Adam Schein, the show's host, pointed out another positive about the Steelers' quarterback revealing his plans.
"I gave Aaron credit for saying, 'Yeah, this is it,'" Schein said. "Creates an urgency, he deserves a farewell tour. … Players hate when they have to answer questions about a teammate. Like, you don't wanna do that. Rodgers knows that, so now the players of the Pittsburgh Steelers don't have to do that."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Jerome Bettis Sees Storybook Ending for Aaron Rodgers, Steelers
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