Steelers To Retire "Mean" Joe Greene's #75

It was Sunday, Dec. 10, 1972, and the Pittsburgh Steelers needed a champion. Still a franchise that never had won even a division title in any of its previous 39 seasons in the National Football League, these Steelers had arrived in Houston the day before with a 9-3 record that led the AFC Central Division by one game over the 8-4 Cleveland Browns, and by two games over the 7-5 Cincinnati Bengals. The day’s opponent was to be the 1-11 Oilers.

It sounds like a pretty simple task when stated that way, but even way back then the NFL didn’t allow teams to play games on paper. Matters had to be settled on the field, and once the ball was teed up in the Astrodome that day, 9-3 and 1-11 quickly were rendered moot.

Defensive end L.C. Greenwood and guard Sam Davis were out. Left tackle Jon Kolb and guard Gerry Mullins had the flu, and while Kolb played, Mullins only made it into the third quarter. Guard Bruce Van d**e pulled a calf muscle in the first quarter and was done for the day. Center Jim Clack injured an ankle and was done for the day. Craig Hanneman, Greenwood’s backup at defensive end, aggravated a knee injury and was done for the day. Defensive end Dwight White injured a knee. Defensive tackle Steve Furness injured an ankle. Flanker Ron Shanklin was injured in the first quarter and was done for the day. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw dislocated a finger in the second quarter and was done for the day. And tight end Larry Brown, who would grow into an offensive tackle by the end of the decade, was that day playing flanker because of the injury situation.

Source: http://www.steelers.com/news/articl...-retired/6951d7d8-70bd-4d83-848f-e2b166b44419

 

It's about time. It's been "unofficially"'retired for years...nice to see them make it official!

 

just reading the above header makes it sound like it was a ferocious game. bodies hitting the floor left and right.

 

I thought it was retired.

 

The Steelers only have one number retired. 75 will be the second. The Equipment Manager has quite a few that they won't issue...12,32,52,58,59 but they aren't officially retired. I think they may have issued 59 once or twice in the 80s but have since stopped issuing it.