Greg Lloyd facts for kids
| No. 95 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | May 26, 1965 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Peach County (Fort Valley, Georgia) | ||||||||||
| College: | Fort Valley State | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1987 / Round: 6 / Pick: 150 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Gregory Lenard Lloyd Sr. (born May 26, 1965) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He is best known for his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Greg Lloyd was chosen for five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams during his career.
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College Football Journey
Greg Lloyd went to Fort Valley State University for college. While there, he was a star player on the football team. He was named to the All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) team three times. He also won the team's Defensive MVP award three times.
In his final year, he was named the SIAC Player of the Year. He was also a first-team Sheridan All-American. This showed he was one of the best college players in the country.
Becoming a Professional Player
Greg Lloyd did not get an invitation to the main NFL Scouting Combine. However, he did play in the Heritage Bowl, an All-Star game for college players. Scouts from the Pittsburgh Steelers watched a video of him. They were very impressed by how he played.
One Steelers scout, Tom Donahoe, even drove to Fort Valley State to watch Lloyd practice. He was even more impressed by Lloyd's skills and strong playing style.
Joining the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers picked Greg Lloyd in the sixth round of the 1987 NFL draft. He was the 150th player chosen overall. At that time, Chuck Noll was the Steelers' coach. Lloyd was the 28th linebacker drafted that year.
His first two seasons were tough due to knee injuries. He missed all of the 1987 and most of the 1988 season. But in the 1989 season, he became a starter. He quickly showed how talented he was as an outside linebacker.
After David Little retired, Lloyd became a key leader for the Steelers' defense. He and cornerback Rod Woodson became a powerful duo. They were two of the most exciting defensive players in the NFL.
Later Career and Achievements
Greg Lloyd faced another knee injury in the 1996, which made him miss the entire season. He returned in the 1997 but also missed some games due to an infection. Despite these challenges, he was still named to five Pro Bowls and three NFL All-Pro teams.
In 1998, Lloyd left the Steelers. He played one season for the Carolina Panthers before he retired. Even when he was injured, Lloyd helped the Steelers. He taught younger linebackers like Chad Brown and Jason Gildon how to play the Steelers' way.
In 2020, the Steelers honored Greg Lloyd by adding him to their Hall of Honor. This shows how important he was to the team's history.
About Greg Lloyd's Life
Greg Lloyd was born in Miami, Florida, in 1965. When he was two years old, his mother moved him and five of his siblings to Fort Valley, Georgia. They went to live with his Aunt Bertha Mae. He grew up in a small two-bedroom apartment with nine other children.
Growing up, his family faced poverty. He only had two outfits to wear each week. He started playing football at age six. In high school, he played both fullback and linebacker.
Today, Greg Lloyd has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He even teaches Tae Kwon Do. His son, Greg Lloyd Jr., also played football as a linebacker for the University of Connecticut. He wore the same number 95 as his dad.
