As the Holidays approach in this awful year of 2020, we continue to lose people. 2020 is something out of an apocalyptic book or movie from the Sci-Fi channel. With the Covid Virus in its second wave, it seems like no one is safe. In 2020 it does not matter if you’re rich or poor, the Grim Reaper is working Overtime. Kevin Greene has passed away at the age of 58 which in my opinion is way too early for the great linebacker on the gridiron for 15 seasons in the NFL. Greene’s death is unknown at this time and it may not even be from Covid virus. It seems unfair as Greene leaves a wife and two children behind in a year that has been not kind to former athletes. It is as if the heavens are forming a new sports league and are drafting players like Greene, who made it to Canton Ohio and are enshrined in the Pro football hall of fame.

Kevin Greene was a wrecking machine and wanted to chase down your quarterback and tackle him before he released the ball behind the line of scrimmage. The NFL calls this tackle a sack, and for defensive players this was like hitting a home run in baseball. Greene had 160 of these tackles called sacks. Which is good for third in all-time NFL History. Greene can put himself in the same conversation as greats like Reggie White and Bruce Smith, who he trailed on the all-time sacks list in the NFL. Reggie White, former Eagle & Packer, had 198 of those. While former Bill and Redskin Bruce Smith, is the king of the sacks list with 200. Kevin Greene had the most sacks at his position which was linebacker in sacks. Greene led the league twice in sacks during his career. Greene is the only player in NFL history to have recorded double digit sacks with 4 different teams. Greene also had seven seasons with double digit sacks in his 30’s. Only Bruce Smith and he have down that. Greene was like a fine wine and aged well in the NFL.

Greene was drafted by the LA Rams in 1985. It took until his 4th season to finally start a game in a Rams uniform. In 1988, the Greene machine was born with 16.5 sacks during that season with the Rams. Maybe the Green machine big wheel was named after Kevin Greene, as I did ride one of those in the 80’s. Greene was not a one year wonder as he put up big numbers the following season for the LA Rams. Greene would play in LA from 1985-1992 and took his services to Pittsburgh. Greene teamed up with Greg Lloyd, and the Steel Curtain was called Blitzburgh. Blitzburgh and their yellow and black terror towels waving from the stands, helped lead the Steelers to Super Bowl XXX. Greene’s only Superbowl appearance as a player would result in a loss to the hated Cowboys. Greene played in Pittsburgh from 1993-1995, and then went to Carolina in 1996. Greene played one year in Carolina and returned later in 1998-99. Greene was a 49er sandwiched in between his Panther days. Greene’s last year, he went out still on top of his game with 12 sacks not holding on to a walker looking for money or a record of some sort with no gas left in the tank.

Greene had that viking or California surfer look going, with the long hair coming under the helmet when he played. You could compare Greene’s look to a Clay Matthews Jr., who he coached in Green Bay after he retired as a player. Greene was a line backer coach for the Packers and was on the team when they won a Superbowl. Greene helped Clay Matthews develop as one of the league’s best line backers those years coaching. Greene’s coaching career did not go as far as his playing career. In 2016, the two all-pro with five pro-bowls under his belt was elected into the Football Hall of Fame. Let’s not forget Kevin Greene’s Pro Wrestling career. While Greene was an active player, he rose through the ranks of the wrestling world. Greene teamed up with Roddy Piper and they became a dominant unit in the ring.

Greene had that high motor as a player, but always had the heart of a Lion. Plus, Greene was a smart player who studied film to find a weakness in bigger guys that defended the quarterback. Greene also had motivation, from his days living on the U.S Military base in West Germany, burning at him when football became a part of him. Playing with other kids on the base as his game thrived and the passion started there. Greene was a walk-on at Auburn University. Greene was first cut from Auburn trying out as a punter. Thank God he was cut because then we would maybe never have found his true calling as a wild and crazy defensive player eyeballing your quarterback. Disrupting the opposing team’s offensive game plan. Greene was loud, aggressive, and smart, using every part his game to work even harder as he got better with age. I remember watching Richard Dent every Sunday chasing after the quarterback down for the Bears in the 1980’s. Wilbur Marshall for the Bears during those days would not be a guy you want to meet in an alley. In the 1990’s, I loved Bruce Smith of the Bills. Kevin Greene was on teams I did not root for. Greene would have been a guy I wanted on my teams. Greene was a guy your team had to deal with every Sunday, in hopes of containing him enough to win the game. Greene was a guy as a player and a person, who you admired his game and respected him as a person. At 58, it is a shame because that is way too early for anyone to pass away. Greene a legend and will be talked about forever because he definitely made his mark in the game.