Bettis, Steelers Could Part

Jerome Bettis’ future with the Pittsburgh Steelers is in doubt after a second straight injury-interrupted season.

In a surprising development, Coach Bill Cowher said Tuesday the Steelers are weighing their options, not just with benched quarterback Kordell Stewart, but with Bettis.

The Steelers have been expected to trade or release Stewart since he lost his starting job to Tommy Maddox three months ago.

But there had been no previous indication they were considering a similar move with Bettis, the 10th-leading rusher in NFL history.

“We are going to have to talk about the direction and the options we have in regards to those players,” Cowher said.

“We have to sit down and look at the direction we are going, as it relates to our roster and cap. That is something that will be taking place in the upcoming weeks.”

Bettis will have arthroscopic surgery Jan. 27 to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. He injured the knee early in the second half Oct. 21 against Indianapolis and missed four games because of the injury. He did not have a 100-yard game after getting hurt.

Bettis’ 666 yards were the second-lowest total of his career, and he had five yards in four carries in two playoff games, including Saturday’s 34-31 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans.

“I was nowhere near 100%,” Bettis said.

“It was just a matter of how much pain I could endure. I’m on one leg.”

Bettis signed a $30-million, six-year contract in 2001 that included a $6.5-million signing bonus. If the Steelers cut Bettis, they must count the remaining $4.4 million of his prorated signing bonus under the cap.

Also Tuesday, Cowher apologized for charging referee Ron Blum at the end of Saturday’s loss.

Cowher was upset with a running into the kicker penalty on Dewayne Washington that allowed the Titans’ Joe Nedney to kick a game-winning 26-yard field goal.

He also was unhappy the Steelers were denied a timeout just before the kick.

Unlike team owner Dan Rooney, who said Monday he understood why the penalty was called, Cowher still dislikes the call.

But he said the way he went about protesting it was wrong.

Cowher explained he went running after Blum because he thought the officials might wave off the field goal and give Pittsburgh the timeout.

“I saw him [Blum] talking to the umpire, Chad Brown, and I thought there was a timeout, but obviously the game was over at that point,” Cowher said. “I should never have done what I did.”

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Carolina defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was given permission to interview for the head coaching job with the Jacksonville Jaguars.... The Cleveland Browns hired Clancy Pendergast as linebackers coach.