He was one of pro football’s most beloved and respected stars, admired not only by NFL fans and his own teammates, but by his opponents as well. Super Bowl champion; six time Pro Bowler; NFL Comeback Player of the Year; NFL Man of the Year; fifth all-time leading rusher in the NFL; future Hall of Famer; now NBC Sports commentator.
You may think you know Jerome Bettis, but you don’t.
In The Bus, Jerome Bettis tells his full, unvarnished story for the first time—from his sometimes troubled childhood in inner-city Detroit to his difficult transition at Notre Dame, to a pro coach who almost caused him to quit the game, to a trade for the ages that resulted in ten glorious seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As a chunky child wearing glasses, Jerome’s only sports-related aspiration was to become a professional bowler. But growing up in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Detroit, he eventually found his escape on the high school football field, thanks to the devotion of hard-working parents, a concerned coach, and his prodigious talent. He arrived at Notre Dame as one of the nation’s best prep players, but despite his incredible performances, he never stopped worrying that he would somehow blow his chance to make good. Drafted and later discarded by the Los Angeles Rams, it was in the football-obsessed city of Pittsburgh that Jerome found his home and became a legend.
The Bus captures the sweetness and honesty of Bettis, but also details the jaw-dropping, violent nature of the game he loved, the mind-boggling injuries he endured, and the cut-throat NFL business tactics he overcame and later mastered. Through it all, Jerome was also a loving son, an adoring father, and the ultimate teammate and mentor.
The Bus not only takes you under the helmet, but inside the huddle, the locker room, the practice field, the negotiating table, the owner’s office, and the Super Bowl sideline. You’ll learn how Bettis became The Bus, how he helped engineer the greatest trade in Steelers history, how he almost cost Pittsburgh a conference championship, and how sweet it was to win—finally—one for the thumb.
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“Exciting—entertaining—extra special like the Bus himself!”
— Dan Rooney, former owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers
“This is one Bus ride you won’t want to get off.”
— Rick Reilly, New York Times bestselling authorBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Jerome Bettis is now a commentator on NBC’s Football Night in America. He is the founder of The Bus Stops Here Foundation, which works to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged children, and works with the American Lung Foundation to increase asthma awareness. He lives in Atlanta.
Gene Wojciechowski is a New York Times bestselling author who joined ESPN in 1998 and has won a Sports Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award during his last nine seasons as a features reporter on College GameDay. Wojciechowski also serves on ESPN’s coverage of the Masters, the PGA Championship and assorted SportsCenter projects.
Cary Hite has performed in several theaters across the country as a cast member in the longest-running African American play in history, The Diary of Black Men. He also appeared in Edward II, Fences, Macbeth, Good Boys, Side Effects May Vary, and the indie feature The City Is Mine. He has voiced several projects for AudibleKids, including Souls Look Back in Wonder, From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, and Papa, Do You Love Me?