Jerome Bettis

Jerome Bettis lived through it all in his 13-year career in the NFL, and one of the memories tattooed in his memory has to do with Mexico. The "Bus," as Bettis was known for his physical and dominant style of running with the ball, began his career in Los Angeles with the Rams, and three years later went to Pittsburgh, where for 10 years he became a reference in the history of the Steelers, whom he helped win a Super Bowl.

In that period, in addition to finishing as the sixth leading rusher in NFL history with 13,662 yards, Bettis set aside the asthma problem he has had since adolescence, experienced playing in Los Angeles, a city where the NFL longs to return, and also participated in several exhibition games outside the United States.

And it was in one of those games, in the 2000 preseason, when he personally witnessed the passion for American football of the NFL in Mexico and especially towards the Steelers. "I have been very fortunate, especially to have the opportunity to go to Mexico. The times I went, the support I found from the fans was tremendous,” said Bettis during a press conference in anticipation of his induction into the Hall of Fame on August 8th.

"(Mexicans) adore and love the Steelers. It's impressive to see how much they know about this sport. It's great to share the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame with the fans and with those from Mexico because I have been able to see with my own eyes how Mexicans love the Steelers just as much as they do in Pittsburgh," he added.

The passion that Bettis saw in that preseason game against Indianapolis, in which Pittsburgh lost 24-23 at the Estadio Azteca, and in other promotional visits he has made to several cities in the country, convinced the former Steeler that the NFL must return to Mexico. "I would love to see not only one more game but a regular-season game in Mexico.

The NFL needs to pay attention to the passion of the fans in Mexico and understand that, although it may not be the most popular sport in Mexico, American football was received in a great way and that should be considered," said "The Bus".

Before visiting Mexico, Bettis started his career in Los Angeles with the Rams, with whom he ran for over a thousand yards in his first two seasons. For the third season, the franchise moved to the city of St. Louis.

For the former number 36 Steeler, the NFL must return to Los Angeles 25 years after the Rams and Raiders left, although he pointed out that the situation of the team that decides to move to Hollywood must be right to assimilate such a drastic change.

"It's just about having the right coach and understanding several of the situations that happen in Los Angeles," he said in relation to the temptations that surround a city with a very active social dynamic. "There are always things to worry about, but overall, players would love to play in Los Angeles. I loved playing there," he emphasized.

Although Los Angeles has been characterized for many years as one of the cities with the highest pollution rates in the United States, Bettis was able to show off his quality despite the asthma he has suffered from since adolescence.

Bettis pointed out that by overcoming this condition and enjoying a career that ended in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, he wanted to set an example for all those who have asthma. "That has been the goal, to give hope because what usually happens when someone finds out they have asthma is that they believe their life stops and that their ability to keep doing things changes or they can no longer do them," he explained.

In Bettis' experience, the first step is to acknowledge that you have a problem in order to learn how to manage it. "You have to understand that you can do it and be whoever you want to be, the only thing is that you have to know how to manage asthma and people have understood it, they know that they can be excellent, not only in football but in everything they do. If they do it correctly, they will be fine," said "The Bus".