Steelers countdown to kickoff — No. 75: history behind the jersey


The Steelers countdown to kickoff is here — and we’re at 75 days until Pittsburgh faces off against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. In the spirit of the countdown, we’re taking a look at the history of No. 75 and the players who wore it best.

Current Steelers No. 75 wearer: N/A

There isn’t a current wearer of No. 75 on the Steelers roster — and for good reason. The jersey was officially retired in 2014 out of respect for arguably the greatest defender in Pittsburgh history.

Last five Steelers to wear No. 75:

  • Joe Greene, 1969–1981
  • Ken Kortas, 1965–1968
  • Joe Krupa, 1956–1964
  • Nick Bolkovac, 1953–1954
  • Dick Fugler, 1952

Best No. 75 in Steelers history: DT Joe Greene

There’s no debating this jersey number — ‘Mean’ Joe Greene was the greatest Steeler to ever don No. 75. Greene, who played with the Steelers from 1969 to 1981, is widely regarded as the cornerstone of the Steel Curtain defense — considered one of the greatest defensive units in NFL history, which led Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl titles. While sacks didn’t become an official statistic until 1982, Greene’s unofficial 77.5 sacks would have ranked as the fourth-most by a Steeler all-time, behind James Harrison, Cam Heyward, and T.J. Watt. He is the only Steeler to have won the Defensive Player of the Year twice, and he has been named All-Pro eight times. Greene is not only one of the greatest Steelers of all time — his impact changed the Steel City brand of sports forever.

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.





#Steelers #countdown #kickoff #history #jersey

Related Posts

Jadon Sancho transfer news: Juventus to hold talks with Man Utd over winger | Football News

Juventus are expected to hold further talks with Manchester United on Wednesday over a deal for Jadon Sancho, according to Sky Italy. The clubs are believed to have scheduled a…

Pirates remove Cruz after he fails to run out double play

Jun 25, 2025, 12:12 AM ET MILWAUKEE — Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz said he lost track of the outs when he didn’t run out a double-play grounder, a move…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *