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Bill Cowher, currently an NFL analyst for CBS, will soon join the latest class of football greats to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, having received the news on live television during CBS' pregame show THE NFL TODAY in an emotion-filled moment with HOF president and CEO David Baker. The ceremony was initially set to take place in August 2020, but was derailed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic -- resetting the event for 2021. As the inductions approach, however, there was still the question of who would get the honor of being Cowher's presenter in Canton, Ohio.

He's now answered that question, and in resounding fashion. Because, for Cowher, it didn't require any thought whatsoever.

"When you think about your presenter for the Hall of Fame, I think about [my] mentor, not just [my] presenter," he said on Wednesday. "You think about two of my biggest mentors. Marty Schottenheimer -- played for him, coached for him, transformed what I did and what I thought about. And then Dan Rooney. I came [to Pittsburgh] at 34 years old. The stories, the lessons, the history, just the principles that he stood for. I certainly left there a better coach but also left there a better person. And when you think about your presenter -- when I got nominated into the Hall of Fame -- I was coming back that Saturday night and I was sitting there and I was going, 'Now who will be my presenter?', and I go, 'This is a no-brainer.' 

"I'm going in [the Hall of Fame] as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 years. That's why I'm going in. ... I learned how to be a professional because of the Rooney family. And I say it all, from Patricia to Dan to John and Pat, his brothers. ... To me it was a no-brainer. My presenter is going to be Art Rooney." 

Once the decision was made, Cowher called Rooney to deliver the news with a heartfelt message.

"I called up Art that night," Cowher added. "And I said, 'Art, you're the only one. Because you knew me before and you knew me after. You knew what family was all about, because it's all about the dynamics of family. ... We were one big family. Yes, you held me accountable. Yes, you had to make tough decisions. But nobody knew me better, or knows me better, than Art Rooney.'

"And, Art, it's an honor to have you present me." 

Cowher joined the Steelers as head coach in 1992, at a time when the organization was desperately trying to end a Super Bowl drought that extended back to 1979 -- when they went back-to-back in hoisting the trophy. Things immediately changed when Cowher took the reins, who was strapped with the massive task of replacing legendary coach Chuck Noll in the process. Needless to say, that wasn't easy, but the Steelers went to the playoffs in each of the first six seasons under Cowher, including an appearance in the Super Bowl in his fourth year with the club. 

Things got lean thereafter, but the Rooney family stuck with Cowher, and despite calls to see him fired. In the end, he was able to lead the Steelers to their fifth franchise title when they defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL, going on to retire following the 2006 season and passing the torch to Mike Tomlin. And as Cowher readies for immortalization, the family that gave him his first shot at head coach and believed in him during the times when others didn't, will place the gold jacket on his shoulders.

As he said, it's a no-brainer.