Joe Greene facts for kids
Greene with the Steelers in 1975
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| No. 75 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | September 24, 1946 Temple, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 275 lb (125 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Dunbar (Temple, Texas) |
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| College: | North Texas State (1966–1968) | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4 | ||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Charles Edward Greene (born September 24, 1946) is a famous American football player. He is better known as "Mean" Joe Greene. He played as a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). His career lasted from 1969 to 1981.
Joe Greene won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award twice. He was also chosen for the All-Pro team five times and the Pro Bowl ten times. Many people think Greene is one of the best defensive linemen ever in the NFL. He was known for being a great leader and a very tough player. This is how he got his famous nickname.
Greene grew up in Temple, Texas. He played college football at North Texas State University. There, he earned top honors as an All-American. The Steelers picked him fourth overall in the 1969 NFL draft. He quickly made a big impact, winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Joe Greene helped coach Chuck Noll turn the Steelers into a winning team. He was the main player in the "Steel Curtain" defense. This defense helped Pittsburgh win four Super Bowl championships in just six years. Greene is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. The Steelers even retired his number 75 jersey. He is also famous for his part in a Coca-Cola commercial called "Hey Kid, Catch!"
Contents
Early Life & College Football
Charles Edward Greene was born on September 24, 1946, in Temple, Texas. He played high school football at Dunbar High School. Even though Greene was talented, his high school team didn't have a great record. Colleges didn't recruit him much, partly because of segregation rules at the time.
He received a scholarship to play at North Texas State University. This school is now called the University of North Texas. He played on the main team from 1966 to 1968. During his three seasons, his team had a good record of 23 wins, 15 losses, and 1 tie. In 39 games, North Texas State's defense was very strong. They allowed opponents to gain less than two yards per carry. Greene was chosen for the All-Missouri Valley Conference team three times.
In his junior year, Greene married Agnes Craft. She was also a student at North Texas State. They didn't have much money, so they got married at Agnes's sister's house. Chuck Beatty, a teammate, was his best man.
As a senior in 1968, Greene was chosen as a top defensive tackle for the All-America team. His college coach, Rod Rust, said Greene could make big plays. He also said Greene had the speed to chase down opponents. A scout once described him as "tough and mean" and said he "comes to hit people."
How Joe Greene Got His Nickname
The name "Mean Greene" comes from North Texas's sports teams, the Mean Green. But there are different stories about how Joe got the nickname. When he first joined North Texas, the team was called the Eagles. In 1966, his first year, the team changed its name to "Mean Green."
One story says the nickname came from a cheer during a 1966 game. Sidney Sue Graham, whose husband worked for North Texas sports, cheered, "That's the way, Mean Greene!" after a tackle. Another story says North Texas basketball players Willie Davis and Ira Daniels started singing, "Mean Green, you look so good to me." The crowd then joined in.
Willie Davis said, "A lot of people later on started associating it with Joe because his last name was Greene, but it actually started with that simple chant."
Even though the nickname stuck with him, Joe Greene didn't really like it. He felt it didn't show his true personality. He said, "I just want people to remember me as being a good player and not really mean." He wanted to be remembered for his 13 years of playing and helping win four championships.
As for the "Joe" part of his name, it came from his aunt. In a 2014 interview, Greene said his aunt nicknamed him Joe. She thought he looked like boxing legend Joe Louis. Joe Louis was a heavyweight boxing champion when Greene was born. Greene said, "She started calling me Joe, and it kind of stuck."
Joe Greene's NFL Career
The Pittsburgh Steelers were not a very good team before Chuck Noll became their coach in 1969. Coach Noll and the Rooney family, who owned the team, wanted to build a strong defense. So, they chose Joe Greene with the fourth pick in the 1969 NFL draft. Fans and media were not happy with this choice. They wanted a more exciting player. Greene himself was disappointed to be picked by a team that often lost. He said he "did not, did not want to be a Steeler."
But Coach Noll saw great potential in Greene. Greene quickly became one of the best defensive players in the league. Even though the Steelers only won one game in 1969, Greene was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He was also invited to his first Pro Bowl.
Former teammate Andy Russell called Greene "unquestionably the NFL's best player in the seventies." He said no player had a bigger impact on their team. Greene and Coach Noll are given credit for turning the Steelers into a winning team. The Steelers slowly improved their record over the next few years. Greene continued to be invited to the Pro Bowl.
In 1972, Pittsburgh won 11 games and their first division title. They also won their first playoff game, known as the "Immaculate Reception" game. Greene had 11 quarterback sacks that season. He was named the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula praised Greene, calling him a "super super star." By this time, Noll had built a very strong defense.
With the addition of defensive tackle Ernie Holmes in 1972, the Steelers formed the famous "Steel Curtain" defensive line. This line included Greene, Holmes, L. C. Greenwood, and Dwight White. Greene was invited to the Pro Bowl for 1973, along with White and Greenwood.
Winning Super Bowls
Greene won his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award after the 1974 season. He was the first player to win this award more than once. That year, he started using a new way to line up against offensive linemen. This helped him break through their blocking. He first used this tactic against the Buffalo Bills in a playoff game. It worked very well, and the Bills' star running back, O. J. Simpson, gained only 48 yards.
The next week, the Steelers played the Oakland Raiders. Greene was matched against All-Pro center Jim Otto. Greene was very intense during this game. The Steelers won 24–13, holding Oakland to only 29 rushing yards.
On January 12, 1975, the Steelers won their first Super Bowl championship. They beat the Minnesota Vikings 16–6 in Super Bowl IX. In that game, Greene had an interception, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble. This is seen as one of the best defensive performances in Super Bowl history. Pittsburgh's defense allowed the Vikings only 119 total yards.
Greene missed four games in 1975 due to a nerve injury. This ended his streak of 91 straight games played. In December 1975, Greene and the other Steel Curtain members were on the cover of Time magazine. After the 1975 season, the Steelers won another Super Bowl, beating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X.
Greene missed the start of the 1976 season with a back injury. The Steelers started the season with a 1–4 record. But when Greene returned, the defense led the team to nine straight wins and the playoffs. The 1976 Steelers defense is considered one of the best ever. They allowed opponents less than 10 points per game. During their nine-game winning streak, they had five shutouts. The Steelers lost to the Raiders in the AFC championship game that year.
By 1977, Greene was the captain of the Steelers defense. Some people thought his injuries meant he was not as good anymore. But he proved them wrong. In 1978, he led all Pittsburgh linemen in tackles. He also had four sacks and five fumble recoveries. The Steelers defense allowed the fewest points in the league that season. They went on to beat the Cowboys 35–31 in Super Bowl XIII. Greene had one of Pittsburgh's five sacks in that game.
The Steelers finished the 1979 season with a 12–4 record. Greene was named a first-team All-Pro again. He was also named the NFL's Man of the Year for his good deeds off the field. In the AFC championship game, the Steelers held NFL MVP Earl Campbell to only 15 rushing yards. Pittsburgh then beat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV. This was their fourth Super Bowl title, a record at the time.
With his fourth Super Bowl ring, Greene famously said, "one for the thumb." This meant he wanted to win a fifth championship. However, the Steelers did not reach the playoffs in his last two seasons. Greene retired as a player after the 1981 season. He played in 181 games and had 77.5 sacks (sacks were not official stats until 1982).
Joe Greene's Playing Style
Joe Greene's nickname, "Mean Joe," became very popular because of how he played. He was known for being fierce and scary on the field. He made opponents afraid with his intense playing style.
In his early years, Greene sometimes lost his temper. But he also became a strong leader. He and middle linebacker Jack Lambert were the emotional leaders of the Steelers' defense. Joe Gordon, from the Steelers' office, remembered how Greene could quiet a complaining teammate just by looking at him. Greene was named the captain of the defense in 1977. He also helped motivate the offense. Lynn Swann, a wide receiver, said Greene was a mentor. Swann said Greene would let you know if you weren't giving your best effort.
Acting Career & Coca-Cola Commercial
Famous Coca-Cola Ad
Joe Greene appeared in a very famous commercial for Coca-Cola. It first aired on October 1, 1979. It was also shown during Super Bowl XIV on January 20, 1980. The ad won an award for being one of the best commercials of 1979. Many people still think it's one of the best TV commercials ever. This commercial helped change how people saw Greene. He went from being seen as a tough player to a kind "nice guy."
Other Acting Roles
Besides the Coca-Cola commercial, Greene also acted in other roles. One of his first roles was in The Black Six. This movie also starred other NFL players. Greene played himself in the movie ...All The Marbles. He was also in a TV movie about his teammate Rocky Bleier, called Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story. And he appeared in Smokey and the Bandit II.
Coaching & Later Life
After retiring as a player, Greene worked as a TV commentator for one year. Then, in 1987, he became an assistant coach for the Steelers under Chuck Noll. He spent 16 years as an assistant coach. He coached for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1987–1991), Miami Dolphins (1991–1995), and Arizona Cardinals (1996–2003).
In 2004, he stopped coaching. He became a special assistant for player personnel for the Steelers. In this role, he earned his fifth Super Bowl ring when the Steelers won Super Bowl XL. When asked about finally getting "one for the thumb," he said it was "one for the right hand" and for "this group, for this team." He earned a sixth ring from Super Bowl XLIII. Greene is one of only four people outside the Rooney family to have rings from all six Steelers championship seasons. He retired from his front office job with the Steelers in 2013.
In 2014, Greene was featured in an episode of the NFL Network show A Football Life. This show told the story of his life and career. As of 2016, he lives in Flower Mound, Texas. His wife of 47 years, Agnes, passed away in 2015. They had three children. He has since remarried to Charlotte Greene. His seven grandchildren call him "Papa Joe." In 2017, Greene wrote his autobiography, Mean Joe Greene: Built by Football.
In 2018, Greene started the Agnes Lucille Craft Greene Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship honors his late wife. It helps students from Texas whose parents have fought cancer.
Joe Greene's Amazing Legacy
Joe Greene is known as one of the most dominant players in NFL history. Many people consider him one of the greatest defensive linemen ever. He was very durable, playing in 181 out of 190 possible games. He even played 91 straight games when he first started. The "Steel Curtain" defense, led by Greene, is always ranked among the best defenses of all time. After L. C. Greenwood passed away in 2013, Greene became the last living member of the original Steel Curtain.
Honors After His Career
- In 1984, Greene was put into the College Football Hall of Fame. He is the only former player from the University of North Texas to receive this honor.
- His number 75 jersey is retired by the North Texas football team. He was also put into the UNT Hall of Fame in 1981.
- He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
- The Hall of Fame chose Greene for the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team. This team honors the best players of that decade.
- In 1994, he was chosen for the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. This team recognized the greatest players from the NFL's first 75 years.
- In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Greene as the 14th greatest player of all time. In 2010, the NFL Network ranked him 13th on their list of "NFL's Greatest Players."
- Greene is seen as one of the greatest players in Steelers history. His number 75 jersey was officially retired on November 2, 2014. He is only the second Steeler to have his jersey formally retired.
- In 2018, the University of North Texas, Greene's old college, put up a statue of him outside their stadium. Greene is known as the most famous person to graduate from UNT.
- In 2015, the Mean Joe Greene Community Football Field was named in his honor in his hometown of Temple, Texas.
- In 2019, Greene was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. This team celebrated the greatest players from the NFL's first 100 years.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Greene para niños
