NFL World Remembering And Honoring Late Pro Football Hall Of Fame Linebacker Kevin Greene: ‘Heaven Just Got Better On Defense’, ‘He Was A Great Man’, ‘A Big Personality With An Even Bigger Heart’
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced on December 21 that one of its members, linebacker Kevin Greene, “died (on December 21) at his home in Florida. He was 58…The football world…is mourning the death of Kevin Greene, whose skills, work ethic and exuberance for the game made him a fan favorite at every stop along his 15-year career in the National Football League.”
Pro Football Hall of Fame president and CEO, David Baker, issued a statement:
“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Kevin Greene. I regarded him as a personal friend and a true Hall of Famer in every sense. He possessed the most incredible can-do attitude of anyone I ever met. He was a great player, but more than that, he was a great man. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kevin’s wife, Tara, and their entire family. We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations. The Hall of Fame flag will be flown at half-staff in Kevin’s memory.”
David Baker, Pro Football Hall of Fame president and CEO
Greene, on-the-field, may be best remembered for what he did best as a NFL linebacker: get sacks. Greene had a career 160 sacks, “which ranked him third all-time following his retirement after the 1999 season” and had double-digit sacks in ten seasons per the Pro Football HOF.
“I loved getting a sack,” Greene had said per the Pro Football HOF. “My teammates depended on me to do that. I contributed. I didn’t want to let my teammates down … (It) was just me making a contribution and not letting my brothers down.”
Greene was a walk-on at Auburn according to the Pro Football HOF. May you be encouraged by another quote from Greene:
“I think it was just that I kept that hunger, the chip on the shoulder of a walk-on,” Greene had said per the Carolina Panthers. “I had to scratch and claw for everything I had in life, and to me, it was just about maintaining the commitment to work, to effort, to get where I wanted to go.”
What a tragedy to lose a loved one at such a young age. So many people poured in their prayers and condolences for Greene’s family, along with sharing their fond memories of Greene as a NFL teammate, Hall of Fame brother, and linebacker. The Pro Football HOF complied tweets that honored Greene. Here’s a few of them, including from Brett Farve, Bill Cowher, and Kurt Warner:
What to Read Next...
At The Buzzer, or ATB is the place for those who love sports, life, family, community, and so much more. We are far from the run-of-the-mill 24/7 sports news websites. We not only bring you what’s happening in the world of sports in terms of trades and breaking news, but we also bring you the news that goes on behind the scenes, like big life moments, and so much more. So take a minute and read one of our articles, we promise you won't regret it.