DENVER — They have a good relationship. So good, in fact, that when Mike Shanahan was looking for work 15 years ago, he could have gotten a job with Bill Cowher.

But there is some recent not-so-pleasant history between the coaches of Sunday's AFC title game between Denver and Pittsburgh.

Shanahan said no bad blood remains from an episode last year, when Cowher called out the Broncos for dirty play in the wake of the vicious block Denver offensive lineman George Foster threw on Cincinnati's Tony Williams.

The play, on "Monday Night Football," broke Williams' leg and ended his season. The Bengals were obviously angry. But in the aftermath of the game, few expected the coach of the Steelers to chime in.

"A lot of it comes down to, in my mind, respect for the game and respect for the players," Cowher said. "Do unto others as you want others to do unto you. It's a physical game that we play. It's a very competitive game that we play, but within that, there are certain lines that you don't go over."

Shanahan shot back the next day, bringing Denver reporters to the film room to show them that many teams use the same kind of cut-blocking techniques the Broncos were routinely criticized for.

Prominent in his spliced package of about 20 plays that Shanahan showed were those of Pittsburgh's offense.

"I was a little offended with Bill Cowher's statement because they do it," Shanahan said while showing the tape.

Much of Denver's success in running the ball over the years has been attributed to the cut-blocking technique, in which linemen go below the defender's waist to make the block. The blocks are considered legal if the offensive lineman's helmet is in front of the defender when the block comes. But often, linemen come from the side and defenders can't see them coming, which leaves them prone to having their legs whipped out from under them with no warning.

Williams was the fifth player to be lost for the year after being cut-blocked by a Broncos lineman since 2001. None have been injured against the Broncos this season.

More than a year later, the episode has pretty much been forgotten.

Shanahan said Cowher called him to acknowledge what he'd said to the Pittsburgh media the day after Williams' injury.

"Bill called me up right away and said, `Hey, I didn't mean anything personally.' I knew he didn't," Shanahan said. "But it was a quote. I was trying to protect my player."

Cowher, meanwhile, said his relationship with Shanahan is still good.

When Shanahan was let go as Denver's offensive coordinator after the 1991 season — after a fallout with Dan Reeves — Cowher was putting together a staff for his first year in Pittsburgh. Shanahan interviewed there, but wound up taking the offensive coordinator's position with the 49ers.

"I knew Mike, obviously, beforehand, and then after talking with him, it was kind of a no-brainer," Cowher said. "I think it was a choice up to Mike and I certainly respected any decision that he made."