Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Bill Cowher announced today he was resigning as Steelers head coach.

Bill Cowher's resignation has people across America talking. Here's what some of the notable are saying about Mr. Cowher.

Iowa Gov. Thomas J. Vilsack, a Pittsburgh native: "The coach's retirement ends a great era in Steeler football. He personified the hard-working ethic of Pittsburgh. His trademark will always remain his intensity. He will be missed, but not forgotten.

"His name belongs beside Chuck Noll's as a legend in Pittsburgh sports. The Rooney family will no doubt continue their tradition of finding the right coach for the team and the city.

"Iowa Hawkeye fans are hoping it is not Kirk Ferentz," the University of Iowa coach who grew up in Upper St. Clair and who has been mentioned as a coach the Steelers might be interested in.

Vince Papale, a Philadelphia Eagles special teams player in the 1970s whose by-the-bootstraps story was loosely recounted in the 2006 movie "Invincible." Mr. Papale and Mr. Cowher first crossed paths in 1979. Mr. Papale was, by then, a real life "Rocky," and Mr. Cowher was a rookie trying to make an NFL roster. What does Mr. Papale remember about young Bill Cowher?

"His intensity. His fire. His jaw. His willingness to get it done. His hustle."

Mr. Papale, now of Cherry Hill, N.J., said the Steelers were always his second-favorite team, behind the Eagles. He regards Mr. Cowher as a down-to-earth guy who happens to be famous.

"I'll personally miss him, just watching him prowl the sidelines," Mr. Papale said. "I saw Bill last year at the ESPYs, and he remembered my mug, which was nice."

William "Red" Dawson, who was an assistant coach at Marshall University in West Virginia when 37 of its football players and eight fellow coaches were killed in a 1970 plane crash. Mr. Dawson coached one more season at Marshall before quitting and going into the construction business. He is back in the public eye because of the movie "We Are Marshall," an embellished account of the tragedy. Of Mr. Cowher, he said:

"He's gone just about as far in coaching as you can go, and I think he wants more time with his family. He may have experienced a little burnout, which can happen when we reach a goal that we set out to accomplish. That wasn't what happened with me, but it could be with him."

Walter J. Marm, a Washington, Pa., native and Medal of Honor recipient in the Vietnam War. Mr. Marm, who now lives in Fremont, N.C., has followed the Steelers for 50 years. He says the Cowher era was one of distinction:

"He did a yeoman's job with the Steelers. His story is big down here. I can understand his wanting to have some time for himself and his family. Being that he and his wife are graduates of North Carolina State and they have a beautiful home down here, I can see why he's stepping away from coaching."

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl: "As a younger person who is a big Steeler fan, really, Bill Cowher was the only coach that I knew. So it's interesting. I just got done watching the press conference. He is the Pittsburgh Steelers in a lot of ways, just like the Rooneys are. It's tough to see him go, but it's a strong organization and I'm sure they'll do just fine."

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.