L. C. Greenwood facts for kids
Greenwood in 2007,
aboard the USS Albany (SSN-753) |
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| No. 68 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | September 8, 1946 Canton, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| Died: | September 29, 2013 (aged 67) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 245 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Rogers (Canton, Mississippi) | ||||||||||
| College: | Arkansas AM&N | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1969 / Round: 10 / Pick: 238 | ||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||
L. C. Henderson Greenwood (born September 8, 1946 – died September 29, 2013) was a famous American football player. He played as a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). He was known for being a key part of the Steelers' "Steel Curtain" defense.
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College Football Career
L. C. Greenwood grew up in Canton, Mississippi. He went to college at Arkansas AM&N, which is now called the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. While in college, he was a top defensive lineman. In 1968, he was even named an All-American by Ebony magazine. This meant he was one of the best college players in the country.
Playing in the NFL
The Pittsburgh Steelers picked Greenwood in the tenth round of the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. The Steelers were not a very good team at that time. But things changed when Chuck Noll became their new coach.
In 1971, Greenwood became a starting player for the Steelers. He played as the left defensive end. He was one of the four main players in the Steelers' famous "Steel Curtain" defense. This defense was known for being very tough and hard to score against. Greenwood played for the Steelers until he retired in 1981.
He was a very tall player, standing at 6 feet 6 inches. He weighed 245 pounds. Greenwood was chosen for the Pro Bowl six times. The Pro Bowl is an all-star game for the best players in the NFL. He was also named to the All-Pro team in 1974 and 1975. This means he was considered one of the best players in the entire league.
Greenwood was also very good at sacking the opposing team's quarterback. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback before they can throw the ball. He led the Steelers in sacks six times. He had a total of 78 sacks in his career. In 1974, he had his best year with 11 sacks. He also recovered 14 fumbles during his career. A fumble is when a player drops the ball.
Super Bowl Success
L. C. Greenwood played in all four of the Steelers' Super Bowl wins in the 1970s. These were Super Bowl IX, Super Bowl X, Super Bowl XIII, and Super Bowl XIV. In Super Bowl IX, he knocked down two passes from the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback, Fran Tarkenton. In Super Bowl X, he sacked the Dallas Cowboys' quarterback, Roger Staubach, four times. He was a big reason why the Steelers won so many championships.
His Unique Style
Greenwood was famous for wearing gold-colored shoes on the field. He did this so that TV announcers could easily tell him apart from his teammate, Joe Greene. Joe Greene was another very famous player on the "Steel Curtain" defense. Greenwood was sometimes called "Hollywood Bags" because he wanted to become an actor after he stopped playing football.
Greenwood was considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005 and 2006. While he was not chosen, he said he would be honored if he was. He felt that the Steelers players already in the Hall of Fame represented the whole team's success.
In 1991, Greenwood was named to the Super Bowl Silver Anniversary Team. In 2007, he was named to the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team. This means he is considered one of the best players in Steelers history.
Later Life and Passing
L. C. Greenwood passed away on September 29, 2013, due to kidney failure. He was 67 years old. He was buried in his hometown of Canton, Mississippi.
