Former Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jerome Bettis has one of the most iconic nicknames in NFL history. “The Bus” rolled through defenses and punished defenders who got in his way with unrelenting drive.
But how exactly did Bettis get that nickname? It’s really a story in two parts. He originally got the nickname during his playing days at Notre Dame courtesy of the student newspaper. Bettis even said Tuesday on the Pivot that his special teams coach at Notre Dame would call him “Bussy.” But it went dormant when he went to the Los Angeles Rams.
But a chance meeting during Bettis’ first preseason with the Steelers brought his college moniker back to the forefront.