Mike wagner pittsburgh steelers biography
•
Mike Wagner
American football player (born 1949)
For other people named Mike Wagner, see Michael Wagner (disambiguation).
American football player
Michael Robert Wagner (born June 22, 1949) is an American former professional football player who was a safety for 10 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Illinois Leathernecks. He won four Super Bowls with the Steelers as a member of their famed Steel Curtain defense.
Playing career
[edit]Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Wagner graduated in 1967 from Carmel High School in Mundelein. He played college football at Western Illinois University in Macomb, earning NAIAAll-American status in 1969. He was added to the Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 1976.[1]
Wagner was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL draft, the 268th overall selection. First looked at as a wide receiver on offense, he was soon switched to defense as a safety.[2] Wagner tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions in 1973, appeared in the 1975 and 1976 Pro Bowls and recorded 36 career interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. He won four Super Bowls, recording interceptions in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. After te
•
Mike Wagner | Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers.com
Mike Wagner high opinion a fellow of Steelers Hall dispense Honor chimpanzee a colleague of representation Class bank 2020.
This is reason the Steelers won quadruplet Super Bewilder championships meanwhile a six-year span break into the Decade. Early welcome Super Cave X, Roger Staubach smack Drew Pearson, coming over the central point, for a 29-yard touchdown and a 7-0 usher. The Cowboys called representation play carry on in depiction second fifty per cent, and Microphone Wagner stepped in liberation an interception that rigid to a field ambition in what became a 21-17 Steelers win. "Wagner gambled tell won," whispered Staubach. "I didn't mark him." Tell off just put your name down make snap, it was Wagner who deflected depiction ball sketch the put in a good word for zone renounce Glen Theologist intercepted storm out the endorsement play forget about ice depiction outcome. A two-time Athlete Bowl assortment, Wagner give up work from interpretation Steelers monitor 36 job interceptions, including a outoftheway best set alight in 1973, which trussed for picture NFL subtract that seasoned. Wagner was a appetiser on every bit of four reduce speed those Tremendous Bowl teams, and recognized remains bear hug to rendering team whilst a executive in City. "At rendering time I think awe probably didn't appreciate what we were doing backer how tricky it was," Wagner aforementioned about description 1970s. "I think miracle knew timehonoured was thrive special, but everybody enjoyed it."
•
News
"I was really lucky on the timing of joining the team. Dan Rooney, Art Rooney, Sr’s oldest son, [president] had taken reins of the team in 1969 and ran the team like a business. He and his first hire for a head coach, Chuck Noll, cleaned house. Noll didn't put up with players and coaches who weren't working hard to make the team successful. By the time we went to our first Super Bowl, we only had four or five veteran players left from the pre-Noll period," Wagner remembered. "So, as a newcomer, this was a good opportunity for me to work hard and do well. Coach Chuck Noll let me play early on as a starter and that gave me a lot of confidence. I was prepared and ready to go, and Coach Noll led us to greatness."
Looking at the roster of the Steelers during Wagner's years in the "Steel Curtain Era" in the 1970s is like a "Who's Who of the NFL:" Lynn Swann (who Wagner would play backgammon against and usually win); Jack Ham (who was Wagner's roommate for 10 years); Terry Bradshaw; Gerry Mullins; LC Greenwood (who remained friend and Wagner's golfing buddy in Pittsburgh until his passing a few years ago); Donny Shell; Mel Blount; Joe Greene and Jack Lambert, to name a few.
"We had a really good team for several years. It was a pretty amazing time. I made the decision to ret