Kevin Greene

At 62 years old, Kevin Greene has this physical status:

Kevin Darwin Greene (born July 31, 1962) is a retired American football linebacker who competed in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 years.

Greene retired after the 1999 NFL season and currently ranks third among all-time sack leaders, leading the NFL twice.

He was voted to the National Football League All-Decade Team in 1990s and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Early years

Greene was born in Schenectady, New York, on July 31, 1962. His father was a colonel in the army, making Greene an army brat. He started playing football on military bases. The Greene family lived in Mannheim, Germany, for three years before settling in Granite City, Illinois, 1976.

Greene played football, basketball, and was a high jumper for the Granite City High School track team. He graduated in 1980 and was inducted into the Granite City Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

Personal life and death

Gavin Greene and his wife Tara had a son and a daughter, Gabrielle.

Greene's success was aided by a multi-component diet.

Greene died of a heart attack at his home in Destin, Florida, on the morning of December 21, 2020.

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College career

Greene, a high school graduate, enrolled in Auburn University and started at the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) basic training for the United States National Guard at Fort McClellan, Alabama. In 1980, he attempted to walk-on to the Auburn Tigers in college football as a punter. He came out of nowhere again in 1983 and joined the team, but was unable to make the team. He received the Zeke Smith Award in 1984 as Defensive Player of the Year. He had 69 tackles as an outside linebacker and 11 sacks during his senior year, including 1984 as the Defensive Player of the Year Award winner.

Greene obtained a degree in criminal justice at Auburn. While at Auburn, he completed ROTC and was designated as a second lieutenant in the Alabama Army National Guard. He graduated from the RC-1-86 Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox after playing his first year in the NFL during the offseason. He rose to the rank of captain and completed airborne training at Fort Benning, transforming him into a paratrooper during his military career.

NFL career

In the 1985 United States Football League Territorial Draft, the Birmingham Stallions selected Greene. In the fifth round (113th overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft, he was later selected by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. Greene played on the left defensive end of the Rams' nickel defense from 1985 to 1987, and ranked second on the team in sacks in both 1986 and 1987. In 1985, his first sacking came in a playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, and it was in the defensive end role that led to the dismissal. Greene, the Rams' starting linebacker in 1988, was the top-outlinebacker, who was aided by defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur's Eagle 5-Linebacker defense, which he used extensively from 1988 to 1990.

Greene led the Rams to 16+12 sacks in 1988, the second most sacks in the NFL behind Reggie White. In a pivotal late-season game that the Rams had to win in order to advance to the playoffs, they earned 4+1 sacks against San Francisco 49ers' Joe Montana, which the Rams had to win in order to make the playoffs.

Greene made both the First and Second All-Pro Team in 1989 and was named to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his second straight season (4th in the NFL). Greene had been with the Rams for three years prior to the 1990 season. In 1990, he was fired 46 times (tied for sixth in the NFL) for the third time, the most offensive player in the NFL in that time period.

In 1991, the Rams upgraded defenses and defensive coordinators. After playing in a 3–4 defense since 1983, Jeff Fisher became the Rams' new defensive coordinator and converted them to a 4–3 defense, which Greene was unfamiliar with. Despite the fact that he had 44 sacks in the previous three seasons, Greene went from left outside linebacker in a 3-4 win to right defensive end in a 4–3. Despite being a pure outside linebacker in a 3–4 scheme, he nonetheless attempted to change. Greene was moved to left linebacker for a month and a half, and then, due to injuries, he was then moved to the left defensive end for the remainder of the season. In all, he started five games right defensive end, five games at left linebacker, and six games at left defensive end, and even though he had a career high in tackles for loss (8), he ended the year with only 3 sacks, his lowest number since his rookie season. After the 1991 season, the entire Rams' coaching staff was hired.

Chuck Knox, the Rams' head coach, was hired in 1992 by the Rams. Under defensive coordinator George Dyer, the Rams remained a 4-3 defensive team, while Greene continued to play left out of linebacker. His employment as a manager led his team in both tackles and sacks has returned. Greene loved his new role on third downs, but I would like to rush the passer more often, from more downs and distances, but I can't because I am now asked to play." Greene's annual All-Pro team finished the 1992 season with ten sacks and Sports Illustrated's Paul Greene praised Greene's coverage skills, "The OLB spot opposite Cox was my Player of the Year last year against the Rams' Kevin Greene." Greene was chosen from a list of Greene's. He had more coverage than ever before, and he did a good job. He was a regular pass rusher. "Kevin's a more complete player than he is given credit for," his linebacker coach Dick Selcer said, "people appear to notice the home run but not seem to see the singles.

In the first year of a free agency, Greene sought out teams that used a 3–4 system. Fritz Shurmur, the former defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, was drafted as the defensive coordinator, but the Green Bay Packers were a 4–3 team. He then visited the Pittsburgh Steelers, a 3–4 team. Dom Capers, the defensive coordinator, was the defensive coordinator. Greene has signed a three-year, $5.35 million free-agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. With 121 sacks, he had a good season, ranking him seventh in the league, and returning to his left outside linebacker role. Greene was a unanimous All-Pro pick in 1994 as he led the NFL in firings (14) and made his second appearance in the Pro Bowl. Greene was named NFLPA AFC Linebacker of the Year (tied with Junior Seau) for the first time in his career. He made his third Pro Bowl appearance in 1995, where he finished with nine sacks and appeared in Super Bowl XXX, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The defense allowed only 3.48 yards per rush during Greene's three years with the Steelers, the highest in the NFL. "Kevin Greene, a veteran of the NFL, is a great quarterback against the run and one of the finest pass rushers in NFL history," Dick LeBeau said. The greene is almost unblockable."

Greene later said he had the "time of his life" while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers and decided to receive his Hall of Fame ring from the club, despite only playing three years in Pittsburgh. Greene's departure from Pittsburgh was due to the salary cap and the Steelers' desire to concentrate on younger players; despite being aware of the company's decision, the team continued to hold them with skepticism.

Greene signed with the Carolina Panthers in 1995, a two-year, $2 million contract) following their 1995 debut in the NFC Championship Game, where the team lost to the eventual Super Bowl XXI champion Green Bay Packers. He was named the NFC Linebacker of the Year in 1996 and was voted the NEA Defensive Player of the Year Award. In addition, the NFL Alumni Honored Greene the NFL Linebacker of the Year Award. The Washington, D.C. Touchdown Club also named him as the Year's NFC Player of the Year. Greene also set a new NFL record with five consecutive multi-sack games and finished second in sacks for the second time in three years, with 1412. For the second time in three years, he was a consensus All-Pro in 1996. Greene was chosen to his fourth Pro Bowl appearance. Dwight Stone, a Panther teammate, and Sam Mills, the most "professional" on the 1996 Panther team, was named by him.

After one season with the Panthers and a controversy with the organization, he was fired by the team and signed a six-year, $13 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers that included a $750,000 signing bonus on August 26, 1997. Greene had 10.5 sacks with the 49ers. Greene was called on to play the role with the 49ers, the player must rush the passer, and he may be allowed to play in the games on likely passing downs. While doing so, he participated in the running game, while the 49ers allowed 3.5 yards a rush and Greene had 10.5 of the 49ers 54 sacks.

Greene re-signed with the Panthers on February 28, 1998 following the 1997 holdout and a year with the 49ers. During a game in December 1998, Kevin Steele, Carolina's linebacker coach, was suspended for one game; the team's head coach was suspended for one game. Greene was named the National Football League Players Association's NFC Linebacker of the Year by the National Football League Players Association earlier this year (NFLPA). Greene was also named to the Pro Bowl after the 1998 season, raising his Pro Bowl total to five. After Michael Sinclair (1612 sacks), Reggie White (16 sacks), and tied with Michael Strahan, who had 15 sacks, Greene was tied for third in the NFL for sacks. Greene's 15.0 sacks in 1998 were tied for the Panthers' franchise record, which was tied with Greg Hardy's for the 2013 season.

Greene retired after 12 sacks (good for seventh in the NFL) as a four-time Pro Bowler and the NFL's third all-time sack leader with 160, behind only Bruce Smith and Reggie White. Greene also finished as the NFL's all-time leader in sacks by a linebacker, ahead of players like Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas, Rickey Jackson, Rickey Jackson, and Andre Tippett; Greene is one of only four players to lead the NFL in sacks in multiple seasons ('94 with the Steelers and '96 with the Panthers). With three and third all-time in fumble recoveries with 26 (which he returned for 136 yards and two touchdowns), he is also tied for second in career safeties with three and third all-time. Greene had five interceptions, many of them for 53 yards and a touchdown, over the course of his career; he was one of three players to reach 10 or more sacks in at least ten seasons; he had over ten sacks in at least 15 seasons. Greene's career ended with 160 sacks, 62.5 tackles of running backs backs behind the line of scrimmage, 23 forced fumbles, 26 recovered fumbles, three defensive touchdowns, and three safeties. Greene opted for retirement while still playing at a high level rather than becoming a "designated pass rusher."

Greene played in 228 games in his 15-year career, but only four other linebackers (Clay Matthews Jr., Bill Romanowski, Ray Lewis, & James Harrison) had longer careers (since 1970) and only four other linebackers (Clay Matthews Jr., Bill Romanowski, Ray Lewis, & James Harrison) had longer careers. He was one of the NFL's top ten sacks eight times, including twice as the NFL's top ten in sacks, leading the NFL twice. He ruled his team in sacks for 11 out of his 15 years. In his 15 years, he appeared in six conference championships. Greene is regarded as one of the best pass rushers of all time. "I was an outsider in a 3–4 career," He said about his work, so I guess I had coverage responsibilities. So my rush was much more limited. However, I think my numbers are pretty good, even though some that rushed the passer every passing down."

Greene was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, and his bust was sculpted by Scott Myers, after being a finalist for five years.

Professional wrestling career

Greene appeared in numerous matches with the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the late 1990s. He was one of many celebrities brought in by WCW President Eric Bischoff to help with company's mainstream media.

Greene made his WCW debut at Clash of the Champions XXIII in January 1996, accompanying Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage to ringside for their match against Ric Flair and The Giant. Following the match, Greene assisted Hogan in escaping Brian Pillman and The Zodiac's attempted ambush.

Greene won his first match for WCW in June 1996 at its Great American Bash pay-per-view. Greene joined the Two Horsemen's Ric Flair and Arn Anderson, a former NFL commentator who had joined WCW as a color commentator in the previous year, to face McMichael's ire after Flair had repeatedly flirted with his wife Debra, prompting McMichael to bring in Greene to help defend her honor. McMichael and Greene's wives were taken to ringside by their mothers, as well as wrestler Randy Savage, who was branded as their coach. Debra and Tara Greene were chased backstage by Flair's valets Miss Elizabeth and Women, but Debra returned with a briefcase containing a substantial sum of money (immeditely a bribe from Flair) and a Four Horseman t-shirt, but the match was over. After Debra showed McMichael the contents of the briefcase, he took the briefcase and pounded Greene, allowing Flair to pin Greene. McMichael wore the t-shirt at the start of his Four Horsemen membership.

Greene returned to World Championship Wrestling in May, 2014, teaming with Ric Flair and Roddy Piper to face the odious New World Order (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Syxx) in the main event of the Slamboree pay-per-view competition. After giving Syxx a running powerslam, Greene pinned him down. Greene faced Steve McMichael in a match that resulted from McMichael's betrayal of him at the previous year's Great American Bash. Jeff Jartt attempted to strike Greene with a briefcase, but Greene managed to pin him after being lucky to hit McMichael.

Greene returned to World Championship Wrestling for the third and final time in 1998. Greene made a surprise appearance on WCW Monday's June 22, 1998; he was confronted by Curt Hennig and Rick Rude, who distracted him while the Giant struck him from behind. In the main event of Nitro, the altercation culminated in Greene's meeting with The Giant. Greene defeated Hennig and Rude after Hennig and Rude interfered, causing them to assault Greene until his former Los Angeles Rams teammate Bill Goldberg came to his rescue. In a rematch at The Beach pay-per-view in the following month, Greene faced The Giant, with The Giant pinning him following a chokeslam.

The 49ers' contract for 1997 contained a clause forbidding him from wrestling, as did the Panthers the following year. As a result, his professional wrestling career came to an end in 1998. Greene wrestled a total of five matches between June 16, 1996 and July 12, 1998, four of whom were on pay-per-view. "He[d] the ring with some of the biggest names in sports-entertainment during his brief career." R. D. Reynolds, a professional wrestling analyst, described him as "a very good wrestler given his level of experience." Greene's performance were lauded by WCW president Eric Bischoff, who said that Greene "poured himself into the preparation for our show, aiming to be as good as he could possibly be." Multiple wrestlers paid their respects to Greene, including Ric Flair, Mick Foley, and Sean "Syxx" Waltman after Greene's death in 2020. Greene encouraged former colleague Bill Goldberg to pursue a career in professional wrestling rather than wrestling himself.

Coaching career

During training camp, the Greene and former Steeler Jason Gildon undertook an internship with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an assistant linebackers coach. Dom Capers hired Greene as an outside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers on January 26, 2009. The Packers were converting to a 3–4 base defense from their traditional 4–3 base defense. Greene was a capt. Afterwards, the Panthers followed Capers to Carolina after Capers was named the first head coach of the Panthers. The Packers won Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011, the first time Greene had ever been a member of an NFL championship team. In 2013, he joined the Packers to teach high school football, where his son played at Niceville High School. On January 17, 2014, it was announced that he would be stepping away from coaching "in order to spend more time with (his) wife, Tara, and (his) children, Gavin and Gabrielle." Since his children went to college, he hoped to return to teaching.

Greene, the New York Jets' outside linebackers coach, was hired in January 2017. Greene dismissed Mark Collins, who was one of five assistants not hired by head coach Todd Bowles for the 2017 season. Greene was not included in the new coaching staff when Adam Gase was hired in 2019.

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