Jerome Bettis shares excitement about NFL Draft in Pittsburgh

The NFL Draft is the place where fans will see the next generation of the league taking shape.

For the players, hearing their names called is the culmination of years of work.

Channel 11’s Shelby Cassesse talked to Steelers “Hall of Famer” Jerome Bettis about the emotion of that moment.

Bettis is synonymous with Pittsburgh, but one of the greatest Steelers of all time didn’t get his start with the Black and Gold.

“My agent, he put me on the phone with the Los Angeles Rams, and I was just, I was so, so happy in that moment, because, you know, that dream had been realized,” Bettis said.

It’s the emotion described by so many who hear their names called during the NFL draft.

For Bettis, who was elected 10th overall in 1993, reality set in very quickly.

“I was saying to myself, all right, you got to live up to this. So there was a little angst, that maybe about an hour, hour and a half after they called my name, about what I was about to undertake, and was I ready for that?” Bettis said.

Perhaps the more consequential draft for Bettis was three years later in 1996.

On April 20, the Steelers traded a second and fourth round pick for Bettis and a third round pick, beginning 10 incredible seasons in Pittsburgh.

Now a Pittsburgher for life, Bettis can’t wait for the city and Steelers fans to take center stage later this month.

“I believe it will be the best draft to date, because of the fans and their love affair with not only the Steelers, but with the game of football,” Bettis said. “We’re going to show the country what a yinz’ is, what a Steeler fan is, what a real steel fan is, and what a Terrible Towel looks like. So I am. I’m really excited to see what happens with the draft, because I can promise you the color will be black and gold.”

Bettis said he’s excited to hear the boos rain down when teams like the Ravens and Browns make their picks.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW