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Kevin Greene, the former NFL linebacker who played in the league for 15 years, joined Steve Russell on Sportscene earlier this summer to talk about his upcoming induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Greene waited for years to be chosen for induction, despite ranking third all-time in the NFL in sacks (160) and being a five-time Pro Bowler. He said he had been questioning the process because players were being chosen for the hall before him that did not his career length or statistical production.
When he was finally chosen for the HOF back in February in San Francisco, he said it was “surreal” when he got the knock on the door from Hall of Fame President David Baker.
Greene played college football at Auburn where he was a walk-on. During his fifth-year senior year in 1984, he led the SEC with 11 sacks. Those 11 sacks were a school record for more than 20 years until defensive lineman Nick Fairley broke it with 11.5 sacks in 2010.
He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1985 draft by the Los Angeles Rams and spent eight seasons with them. In 1988 and 1989, he had back-to-back seasons with 16.5 sacks.
He joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1993 and spent three seasons with them, before leaving in 1996 to join the Carolina Panthers. He then joined the San Francisco 49ers in 1997 for one season, and then spent two more seasons with the Panthers again before finally retiring in 1999.
Overall, he was selected for the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s and had 10 seasons with double-digit sacks, including the final four seasons of his career.
Looking back on his career, Greene said it was a “blessing” to be able to hunt big-time quarterbacks like Dan Marino, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman.
Greene also coached outside linebackers for the Green Bay Packers from 2009 until 2014. The Packers won Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
Greene also discussed the Rams’ move back to Los Angeles with Russell. He said he is happy for those in Los Angeles who missed their team when it moved to St. Louis, but sad for those in St. Louis who followed the Rams.
Greene will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame on Saturday at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The 2016 class also includes quarterback Brett Favre, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, offensive tackle Orlando Pace, head coach Tony Dungy, the late Ken Stabler, the late Dick Stanfel and owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr.
