L.C. Greenwood, football legend and Canton native, passed away due to natural causes in a Pittsburgh hospital Sunday, Sept 29. He was 67.
Greenwood was born and raised in Canton and was the oldest of nine children. He didn't start playing sports until his final two years attending Rogers High School. Greenwood wanted to play football and basketball, but obligations at home forced him to choose between the two. He chose football and, eventually, received a full athletic scholarship at Arkansas AM&N, now known as Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
During his freshman season, the team's starting defensive end was injured, and Greenwood took his place. From then on, Greenwood was a starter at Arkansas AM&N for the next four years. The Southwestern Athletic Conference named Greenwood an Ebony All-American defensive lineman in 1968, his senior year.
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Greenwood in the 10th round of the 1969 NFL draft with the 238th overall pick. Greenwood became one of the stars of the famed "Steel Curtain" defense, one of the best defensive lines ever assembled. It featured Greenwood, Mean Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes, Dwight White, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mel Blount and Donnie Shell.
Greenwood played for Pittsburgh from 1969 to 1981, his entire pro career, and earned four Super Bowl rings during the Steelers' 70s dynasty. He became a starter for the Steelers in 1971, earned six Pro Bowl selections, and made the First-Team All-Pro twice. One of the most memorable things about Greenwood was his tendency to wear gold shoes while the rest of his teammates wore black shoes.
In Super Bowl X, Greenwood sacked Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach of the Dallas Cowboys four times. This would have been a Super Bowl record if sacks were an official statistic at the time, but sacks wouldn't become official until the NFL began keeping track in 1982. The current record is three, which both Reggie White and Darnell Dockett hold.
Greenwood retired with 73.5 sacks, which puts him at No. 2 in the Steelers franchise history, just behind Jason Gildon with 77.
After Greenwood retired, the NFL named him to the All-Decade Team for the 1970s and the Super Bowl Silver Anniversary Team in 1991. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame inducted Greenwood in 1996, and the Steelers named him to the All-Time team in 2007.
More stories by this author
Support our reporting -- Follow the MFP.
