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Bill Cowher sheds light on the Rod Woodson “painful decision” in 1997

How old are you JP? Did you ever watch Rod play?

I lived in Baltimore from 88-02 and moved back in 16. Rod is my favorite Steeler ever, and he was a really good LCB in 98. Tied for the 4th most INTs in the league with 6. The high was 9 that season. He had 88 tackles and was #2 for tackles at CB that year. (Our Dewayne Washington had 93).

He started to play safety because Billick was the coach in 99 and they utilized his defensive IQ all over the secondary and moved him around in nickel and dime sets. by 00 he was the full time FS and was part of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.
Generally speaking high tackles for a cb is not good. Generally it means a lot of passes were caught around him.
 
You would be wrong. 23 TD passes was a ton of passes allowed back in 1997. Woodson was benched and booed for his poor play that year and was cut immediately after the season .

Woodson was a great player and he was awful in SF. Both are true. He was awful as a CB in Baltimore before becoming the best safety in the league after that.
What is your source for what he gave up TD wise? I do remember talk of his iffy play around that time. But he wasn't cut. Or benched. He simply played out that short contract. Your stance is a little extreme which is ok if you have anything credible to back it up.
 
Here is a link to what I find more accurate. He probably has his worse season as a 49er but not to the point that his play was horrible. Probably like Haden was a few seasons ago. Not what he once was but still solid overall.


Then when he moved to S later that rejuvenated his career.
 
You would be wrong. 23 TD passes was a ton of passes allowed back in 1997. Woodson was benched and booed for his poor play that year and was cut immediately after the season .

Woodson was a great player and he was awful in SF. Both are true. He was awful as a CB in Baltimore before becoming the best safety in the league after that.
If I or FSF is wrong. Prove it. As stated, they were ranked 3rd in defense #1 in points allowed. They were also 2nd in Rush defense, and 2nd in Rush yards allowed and 1st Rush TDs allowed. They gave up five (5) TDs in 16 games. They gave up 23 TDs, because no one could run the ball on them. In fact, they had two more INTs as a team than pass TDs allowed. Think about that, but don’t hurt yourself. They had 25 INTs and gave up 23 TDs (of which 13 came in 3 games, two of which they lost). They only allowed 11 pass TDs in the 13 other games. If you are old enough, perform a comparison analysis, otherwise, give us the link to your data. Especially, as to who was responsible for each pass TD scored for that regular season.

Again, how can you be benched when you were only under contract for one year? He played in 14 regular season games, missing week 4 and 16. Coincidentally, 4 of those 23 TDs came in Week 16, when SF rested their starters. Rod played both playoff games, so again when was he benched? When did he have poor play to cause him to be so called benched? Week 4? 16? Why would you be benched in the final regular season game and then start in the playoffs if you were playing poorly?

If you are going to die on this hill you’ve created, you are going to be alone while doing it.
 
If you are going to die
die with your boots on

(sorry song flashback)
 
Again Woodson sucked as a 49er.i watched all their games as he was my favorite player back in the day. He was cut his play was so bad and giving up 23 TD passes in that era was horrible. Not gonna lose any sleep over it, he sucked and no amount of revisionist history will change that. He was benched during the game. Funny how we had great defenses even with weak links, see Foote etc. Woodson was that defenses weak link.
 
Again Woodson sucked as a 49er.i watched all their games as he was my favorite player back in the day. He was cut his play was so bad and giving up 23 TD passes in that era was horrible. Not gonna lose any sleep over it, he sucked and no amount of revisionist history will change that. He was benched during the game. Funny how we had great defenses even with weak links, see Foote etc. Woodson was that defenses weak link.
Thing is you aren't providing proof of your claims. That is just your perception not backed up by any facts. Not even backed up by any opinions. Not sure why you keep saying he was cut.

This is a discussion message board nobody is losing sleep over the topic. But you aren't winning your debate. In the process you seem to be unable to grasp some obvious which further lends to your take being ridiculous.
 
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You mean the 8 TD passes he gave up on a team that gave up a whopping 23 TD passes ? He was benched and cut immediately after the season and never played CB again. He sucked as a 49er fan boy. You are too stupid to know **** .
You’re so stupid you could spend 2 hours watching 60 minutes…

Your truly just making up stats & everyone knows it.

You’re so full of **** that your breath stinks.
 
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You’re so stupid you could spend 2 hours watching 60 minutes…

Dude was never benched and as a team they gave up only 18 TDs.

You’re so full of **** that your breath stinks.
Well ****.😅
 
How old are you JP? Did you ever watch Rod play?

I lived in Baltimore from 88-02 and moved back in 16. Rod is my favorite Steeler ever, and he was a really good LCB in 98. Tied for the 4th most INTs in the league with 6. The high was 9 that season. He had 88 tackles and was #2 for tackles at CB that year. (Our Dewayne Washington had 93).

He started to play safety because Billick was the coach in 99 and they utilized his defensive IQ all over the secondary and moved him around in nickel and dime sets. by 00 he was the full time FS and was part of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.


GREAT points Cope AND very accurate to my recolection. After the knee injury he did take time to fully recover, (he wasn't fully recovered in that SB).

I wanted him back and he was that good in baltiwhore.




Salute the nation
 
You’re so stupid you could spend 2 hours watching 60 minutes…

Your truly just making up stats & everyone knows it.

You’re so full of **** that your breath stinks.


His breath stinks, full or not. He's argueing a blind man's take.



Salute the nation
 
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Again Woodson sucked as a 49er.i watched all their games as he was my favorite player back in the day. He was cut his play was so bad and giving up 23 TD passes in that era was horrible. Not gonna lose any sleep over it, he sucked and no amount of revisionist history will change that. He was benched during the game. Funny how we had great defenses even with weak links, see Foote etc. Woodson was that defenses weak link.
Listen, I’m not trying to be combative JP. You are now claiming revisionism of history, yet you have no proof to your assertions and those assertions actually are revising history as recorded.

You claim Woodson sucked as a 49er, yet he was a starter in 14 of 15 meaningful games. He was tied for 3rd in INTs (with 3) amongst 9 players with picks. He was 5th in tackles including havimg more than two teammates who made the pro bowl (which means nothing IMO, but it’s recognition amongst your peers). The only difference between the two were their defensive unit rank. Again SF was 3rd. PIT was 11th and actually surrendered more pass TDs. Another thing, in 97, 18 of 30 teams offenses had 20 or more passing TDs. So that era wasn’t horrible, it was more like the standard.

So you watched every 49er game in ‘97. Thats fine, if you were a season ticket holder good for you. I am a charter member of DirecTV and Sunday Ticket. So since ‘94 I‘ve watched a ton of games every weekend and Monday. It doesn’t prove I thought Rod played well. IMO he was about on par with his replacement in PIT, Woolford. But neither does your opinion that Woodson sucked.

You also claim Rod was benched. He played in 14 of 15 games he was slotted to start. Week 4 he was out due to injury and week 16 he was inactive as SF rested starters. He started the two playoff games. After the GB loss to Farve, his contract expired at the end of the league year. When was he benched? Give us the link that proves Mooch benched him.

As for calling Larry Foote the weak link, well either you think you know about football and your acumen doesn’t match, or you aren’t as old as you portray yourself watching all of SF games in 97. Foote was anything but a weak link in his 6 years starting which included 3 SB appearances with two wins. He was the perfect opposite to Potsie in the defense and then took over for him once Timmons was ready.

I really would like the proof you say is history of Rod being benched, or playing as poor you say he did. Also where is the data of how many TDs he gave up in 97? What you claim isn’t even an opinion because you have no evidence to substantiate it.
 
If you are going to die
die with your boots on

(sorry song flashback)


One of the biggest complaints at BOOT HILL CEMETARY in Tobstone AZ was stolen boots.

Between you and Ike, JP's boots have been stolen many post(s) ago.





Salute the nation
 
Generally speaking high tackles for a cb is not good. Generally it means a lot of passes were caught around him.
Normally yes, but he was the best click and close tackling CB in the league. Running plays on his side, he was a missile coming up and stopping the ball carrier. Rod has always had high tackle numbers for his career. The dude was not Edmunds, because he's making plays on the ball at a HOF level and score the most defensive TDs in NFL history when he retired, and end his career #3 all time for defensive interceptions.

Balt was #16 in yardage and scoring that season. He had to come up to help the front 7 as they were still rebuilding from the move from CLE. From then on, that D was elite.
 
Here is a link to what I find more accurate. He probably has his worse season as a 49er but not to the point that his play was horrible. Probably like Haden was a few seasons ago. Not what he once was but still solid overall.


Then when he moved to S later that rejuvenated his career.
Whoever wrote this garbage probably eats the yellow snow because they think the sun is melting.

Woodson was a phenomenal FS to finish off his career. He was one of the greatest players in the history of football in his 10 years as a Steeler and I still haven't seen anyone better than he was on our defense (I can't include the 70s players because wasn't old enough to watch and really appreciate).

Troy is definitely the 2nd most impactful... which means that bar is ******* high.
 
Whoever wrote this garbage probably eats the yellow snow because they think the sun is melting.

Woodson was a phenomenal FS to finish off his career. He was one of the greatest players in the history of football in his 10 years as a Steeler and I still haven't seen anyone better than he was on our defense (I can't include the 70s players because wasn't old enough to watch and really appreciate).

Troy is definitely the 2nd most impactful... which means that bar is ******* high.
Gotta say FSF, I saw the 70’s Steelers play and Mel was on another level from everyone.
 
Gotta say FSF, I saw the 70’s Steelers play and Mel was on another level from everyone.
I can't argue with what I can't speak to watching enough of in comparison, but I can't help but refer back to what Mel Blount even said about how he ruined it for CBs after him. From what I have seen, he really did man handle WRs. Then was still elite afterwards.

But in a league that he never had that benefit of being as physical, Rod Woodson had athleticism that was unmatched, the only reason we got him #10 was because he legitimately wanted to compete in the 88 Olympics which meant he would have had to stay an amateur -- and they both called each other better. So who was better not qualified to really say.

Just in terms of impact and what I personally have seen old games of, only Joe Greene made a bigger impact.
 
Woodson shut down half the field. idk about after he left. I really dont watch other teams. But his time here , he was the best i ever seen. And even since.
 
The story I've always heard was the Steelers wanted him to play safety he didn't want to, the Steelers made him an offer to which he turned down, then ended up signing with SF for the same or even a little less that what the Steelers offered. It was obvious his speed wasn't there after the ACL, especially in that NE playoff game in the fog, Glenn just ran by him like he was standing still. Had plenty of speed to play safety and wasn't afraid to hit, that's why he was so good at that position, would've loved to see him never leave and play safety here.
 
I can't argue with what I can't speak to watching enough of in comparison, but I can't help but refer back to what Mel Blount even said about how he ruined it for CBs after him. From what I have seen, he really did man handle WRs. Then was still elite afterwards.

But in a league that he never had that benefit of being as physical, Rod Woodson had athleticism that was unmatched, the only reason we got him #10 was because he legitimately wanted to compete in the 88 Olympics which meant he would have had to stay an amateur -- and they both called each other better. So who was better not qualified to really say.

Just in terms of impact and what I personally have seen old games of, only Joe Greene made a bigger impact.
I’m sure there are others on the board who saw him, and yes he man handled receivers, backs and TEs. The thing about Mel was that, a receiver would catch a couple passes and gain some confidence. Then Mel would bust them in the freaking mouth or destroy them if they went through the middle lanes. Yes, Mel was pissed when they added the 5 yard rule because of him, but Chuck Noll was two steps ahead of everyone when the rule was proposed, and that’s when he changed the offense to allow Bradshaw to open up the downfield passing with Swann and Stallworth (who practiced against Mel every day).

Rod definitely the most athletic DB I’ve ever seen. Deion Sanders had speed and was a freelancer, but hated to get hit. It’s interesting, Rod has commented recently that he didn’t really play his best until Coach Dungy and Rod Rust asked him to learn the game. Not the position, the game. Once he started studying tape, by his third year he said the proverbial lightbulb flicked on and playing the game was so easier for him.

Joe Greene is from which the personification of Steelers football was born from. Period.
 
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