Pittsburgh Steelers Legend Returns to Notre Dame After 30 Years to Complete His Degree

After 30 successful years, the Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis resumes college to complete his degree in business. He left his degree unfinished in 1992 when he was just a college junior to get drafted early in the NFL. Although he achieved tremendous success in his 18 years as a football player, one thing that was left behind, was the promise to his mother that he will graduate.

“The Bus” returned to Notre Dame to fulfill that promise and to set an example for his kids, to never shy away from commitments, and also that it’s never too late.

The Bus returns to school

“I promised my mother that I would get my degree,” Jerome said. “In my immediate family, I’ll be the first person to graduate from college. But most importantly, I have two children. For them to see dad finish a commitment that he set out some 27 years ago, for me to complete that, I think it says a lot to them.”

The 49-year-old who in his final season with the fighting Irish rushed for 10 touchdowns in 1992 has returned to the University of Notre Dame after achieving the world. The former running back was a 10th overall pick for the Rams, following which he went on to become the eighth all-time leading rusher in the NFL.

He retired in 2006 and walked into the sunset after winning the Super Bowl XL. The six-time Pro Bowler has cemented his spot in the All-Time Team of the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, “The Bus” which used to mow down defenses now strolls around the campus and attends classes like a regular college student.

The college life struggles of the Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis

“It is so strange,” he told NBC News correspondent Anne Thompson on TODAY Friday. “Because I’m so behind the times. I mean, I’m a dinosaur in the sense of school. I don’t know where anything is. I’m struggling with the technology.” 

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The 49-year-old feels strange between the new age; while his classmates take notes on the iPad, the NFL veteran feels comfortable with a pen and a notepad.

However, he still has that ‘popular guy’ reputation among other students. “Everyone kind of knows who ‘The Bus’ is, especially at Notre Dame,” one of the students said.

The former NFL beast after setting the field on fire for 18 straight years, now has a promise to fulfill for his mother Gladys, who is a breast cancer survivor. Returning to college after so many years, Bettis believes that he has become a much better student and that his degree would come in handy in every walk of life.

Watching Jerome complete his studies with that level of dedication, it can be said that one can take a person out of education but never education out of a person.

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