Kevin Greene

By Chad Hollingsworth
Love of NFL Correspondent

Start listing some of the NFL’s all-time pass rushers and who gets named first?

Reggie White. Bruce Smith. Lawrence Taylor. All great players who deserve a ton of credit.

However, number THREE on the all-time sacks list (behind Smith and White) is Kevin Greene.

How many people would have guessed that?

Greene started his career at Auburn University, where he won the Zeke Smith Award in 1984 as college football’s Defensive Player of the Year. Not bad for a guy who was a walk-on. His 11 sacks in his senior year got the attention of the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions, who drafted him in 1985.

However, the Los Angeles Rams also selected Greene, paving his way to the NFL.

Greene wasn’t much of a factor in his rookie year, but his second season showed a sign of things to come. He recorded seven sacks despite not starting a game for the Rams.

After only appearing in nine games in 1987 (and still recording 6.5 sacks), Greene recorded double-digit sacks in his next three seasons, including 16.5 in 1988 and 1989. He also went to his first Pro Bowl in the ‘89 season. Which begs the question: how does one rack up 16.5 sacks in a season and not go to the Pro Bowl?

Greene followed 1989 up with a 13-sack season in 1990. His three-year stretch of 46 sacks is still the most for any player in that amount of time. However, the Rams decided to give him a try at defensive end in 1991, which didn’t work out as well as anticipated. He only had three sacks in 16 games that year. Needless to say, he went back to linebacker the next season, where he tallied 10 more sacks.

That season (1992) was Greene’s last season in Los Angeles before heading to Pittsburgh. What better place for a blitzing, pass-rushing linebacker?

Not surprisingly, Greene found success in Pittsburgh as well, even playing in his first Super Bowl in 1995. His totals in the Steel City: 48 games, 35.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and one interception. He also earned his second Pro Bowl nod in 1995.

In 1996, Greene went to Carolina and immediately helped them become one of the best teams in the NFC. His 14.5 sacks contributed to the Panthers getting to the NFC Championship Game in just their second year of existence. Unfortunately, Greene and the Panthers argued over his involvement in World Championship Wrestling, so he left Carolina and signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 1997.

Greene totaled 10.5 sacks in just 14 games for the 49ers before re-signing with the Panthers in 1998. He closed out his career with the team by recording 15 sacks in 15 games in 1998 (along with two interceptions), then 12 more sacks in 1999. After an illustrious and successful career, he finally retired after that season.

Technically, Greene’s third behind Smith and White in all-time sacks, but he’s the career leader among linebackers. He never had the fortune of winning a Super Bowl, but he played in six conference championships during his NFL career. It’s pretty fair to say he helped any team he played for.

When it’s all said and done, Greene racked up 160 sacks, had five interceptions, forced 23 fumbles and recovered 26 of them. He also scored three touchdowns and caused three safeties. He was elected to five Pro Bowls and selected as a first-team All-Pro on two occasions.

Football fans will remember Greene for his intensity, long hair and making opposing quarterbacks lose sleep the night before a game. That’s why this Old School Love goes out to Kevin Greene, one of the last great pass-rushing linebackers to play in the NFL.