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Jerome Bettis Earns Notre Dame Degree Almost Three Decades After Leaving

The Super Bowl champion adds another accomplishment to his storied life.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis is now a college graduate.

Twenty-eight years after leaving Notre Dame to enter the NFL Draft, “The Bus” returned to the prestigious university to finish out his degree from the Mendoza School of Business.

Via Twitter, the Super Bowl champion sent the message that it’s not too late to complete a goal, especially if you’ve started it.

"A promise made, a promise kept. 28 years after leaving @NotreDame, I've completed my degree from the Mendoza School of Business,” the 2022 graduate wrote. “I hope my journey serves as reminder that education is the true equalizer in life and it is never too late to start."

The “promise” Bettis is referring to is one to his mother, to whom he vowed to graduate college.

"I promised my mother that I would get my degree. In my immediate family, I'll be the first person to graduate from college," he said, according to CBS Sports. "But most importantly, I have two children. For them to see dad finish a commitment that he set out some 27 years ago, for me to complete that, I think it says a lot to them."

Notre Dame’s leadership agrees that getting his degree sends a positive message to others at the school.

"I say to all our coaches that there are three things we should be concerned about versus integrity: Do things the right way, second is help these kids get a degree and do well in their lives, and the third is winning on the field," Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkins said, according to CBS Sports. "And Jerome getting a degree after all his success just underscores how important that is."

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