PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers called a news conference Tuesday morning to announce the retirement of Myron Cope.

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Steelers' President Art Rooney II made the official announcement was made shortly after 11 a.m. as he handed the 76-year-old color commentator a football, thanking him for his years of service.

Along with being the voice of the Steelers since the early 1970s, Cope is also credited with creating The Terrible Towel.

Cope created the towel back in 1975 as a way to get fans excited during a playoff game with the Baltimore Colts.

Video

Cope Talks About Retirement With Fedko

John Fedko was at the news conference and talked with Cope about his retirement.
Click Here to view that interview!

Over the past few years Cope has been dealing with health problems.

His voice is still hoarse from throat surgery he had last July. He is also dealing with leg problems, and suffers from the muscle disorder fibromyalgia.

Many people may remember Cope missing a game last season after suffering a concussion from a fall.

Cope said since his throat surgery he hasn't been the same, "It seems to me that ever since then I was losing the progress that I made and thus, last season was very tough. So, I'm out."

Cope also said he suffered from walking pneumonia the past few months. His doctor gave him a call Tuesday morning and told him chest x-rays show the pneumonia has cleared up.

Cope has had a tremendous impact not only on the fans, but players as well.

Channel 11 spoke with Steelers running back Jerome Bettis after Cope missed a game last year and "The Bus" had nothing but praise for Cope.

"Myron Cope, to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, you know, he's an icon. He's just as big as Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw. You know, he's a piece of history and he's an incredible guy. I've gotten an opportunity to know him over the years and he's just a great guy," Bettis said.

Bettis also has Cope to thank for nicknaming him "The Bus."

As a master of the catch-phrase, fans will likely miss Myron's "Cope-isms," such as "Yoi," "Double Yoi," "Hmmm--Ahh" and "Oh-Kee Doe-Kee."