One of the most prominent pass rushers in the NFL, Kevin Greene, has passed away on Monday. He was 58.
Greene, who started as a college walk-on, died at his home in Florida. The cause of death was not yet determined at this moment.
The 6-foot-3 linebacker was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Kevin Greene recorded 160 sacks in his 15 seasons in the NFL; the third-highest registered sacks of all time.
"The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Kevin Greene. I regarded him as a personal friend and a true Hall of Famer in every sense. He possessed the most incredible can-do attitude of anyone I ever met. He was a great player, but more than that, he was a great man," Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker said in a statement.
From 1985 to 1989, Kevin Greene played for the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers.
During his stint with the Rams, Panthers, and Steelers, he achieved the accolades of the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro. The Pro Bowl also awarded him five times during that time.
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In his glory years, Kevin Greene was known as a formidable defensive end. In ten of his last 12 seasons of his football days, the New York-born player registered double-digit sacks.
His stay with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers put him in the post-career limelight. That was the time when Greene retired at the age of 37. His legendary sack record is the third highest, with Reggie White and Bruce Smith in front of him.
During Kevin Greene's retirement, he returned to the league, not as a player but this time as a coach. He coached the Green Bay Packers from 2009 to 2013. He also coached the New York Jets in the last three years, from 2017 to 2018, where he was renowned for his 3-4 defense.
Greene's sack talent was not put to waste as he saw the product. The Green Bay Packers has found a great pass rusher in Clay Mathews, who improved under Greene's leadership.
In 2013, Greene left the Green Bay Packers to allot more time to his family. Four years later, he returned to coaching with the new team New York Jets.
With Greene's passing, Steelers owner Art Rooney relived Greene's legacy with the team.
"We lost an amazing player and person this morning with the passing of Kevin Greene. His sudden death is a shock to us all as he was a close friend and teammate to so many people in the Steelers family," Rooney said.
He added that when Greene invaded the Steelers in 1993, he was already seen as one of the biggest persons along with Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greg.
Continuing his statement, he relished the 'Blitzburg' days where they were popular in their gallant defense en route to the Super Bowl XXX. Greene's energy on the field ignited the team's desire to win every game in the league.
Kevin Greene was a fifth-round pick from Auburn. Los Angeles selected him during the 1985 NFL Draft.
Greene also entered professional wrestling via the WCW in the summer of 1996. He had played alongside famous wrestlers Rowdy Roddy Piper and Ric Flair.
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