Jerome Bettis believes Bill Cowher isn't in a hurry to return to coaching -- unless he can join the Philadelphia Eagles or another established team.
Bettis said as much this week on "The Rich Eisen Podcast," when asked if Cowher, who coached him in Pittsburgh from 1996 to 2005, would be on an NFL sideline again.
"I don't see him coaching for a while," Bettis said.
But the retired running back provided what he believes would be the framework for Cowher's return, citing the Eagles as an enticing option.
"It would have to be farfetched -- and this would never happen -- it would have to (be) something like Andy Reid gets fired or something crazy," Bettis said. "Something to that degree. ... That's the type of scenario that Coach Cowher would have to really give some thought, because now you're not coming in coaching a last-place team. You've got a quality football team that needs direction and understanding."
Cowher already has stated his intention to remain a CBS Sports analyst, after NFL Network's Albert Breer reported the Miami Dolphinshad reached out to the coach's agent earlier this season. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross denied it.
Bettis said he didn't believe Cowher would be interested in the Dolphins or any other team facing a significant rebuilding process.
"I don't think a Miami job will entice him because there are so many issues, No. 1 being the quarterback position," Bettis said. "The one thing I do know is he's not going anywhere that doesn't have a solid quarterback already in place."
