1. Kevin Darwin Greene was an American professional football player who was a linebacker and defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League from 1985 through 1999.
Kevin Greene had 160 sacks in his career, which ranks third among NFL career sack leaders, and was voted to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team.
Kevin Greene was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
Kevin Greene was a three-time All-Pro during his NFL playing career and was twice the league leader in sacks.
Kevin Greene was later an outside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers from 2009 through 2013 and the New York Jets from 2017 through 2018.
Kevin Greene's father was a colonel in the army, making Greene an army brat.
The Kevin Greene family moved to different bases and spent three years in Mannheim, Germany before they settled in Granite City, Illinois, in 1976.
Kevin Greene played football, basketball, and was a high jumper for the track team at Granite City High School.
Kevin Greene graduated in 1980 and was inducted into the Granite City Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
Kevin Greene attempted to walk-on to the Auburn Tigers in college football as a punter in 1980.
Kevin Greene tried out again in 1983, and made the team.
Kevin Greene had 69 career tackles as an outside linebacker and 11 sacks his senior year where he led the Southeastern Conference and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1984.
Kevin Greene completed ROTC while at Auburn and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Alabama Army National Guard.
Kevin Greene was later selected by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL draft.
From 1985 through 1987, Kevin Greene played left defensive end in the Rams nickel defense and was second on the team in sacks in both 1986 and 1987.
In 1988, Kevin Greene became the starting left outside linebacker in the Rams base defense that was enhanced by defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur's Eagle 5-Linebacker defense which he used extensively from 1988 to 1990.
Kevin Greene's production returned as he led his team in both tackles and sacks.
Kevin Greene accepted his new role saying, "On third downs I am still rushing the passer, but I would like to rush the passer more often, from more downs and distances, but I can't because of the role I am now asked to play".
Kevin Greene had more coverage responsibility than ever before, and he did just fine.
Additionally, Kevin Greene was voted the NFLPA AFC Linebacker of the Year for the first time in his career.
Kevin Greene later stated that he had the "time of his life" playing for the Steelers and decided to receive his Hall of Fame ring from the team despite only playing three of his 15 years in Pittsburgh.
Kevin Greene was voted the NFC Player of the Year by the Washington DC Touchdown Club.
Kevin Greene was called on to play the "elephant" role with the 49ers, the player to rush the passer and come in the games on likely passing downs.
Kevin Greene was named to the Pro Bowl after the 1998 season, bringing his Pro Bowl total to five.
Kevin Greene was tied for third in the NFL for sacks, after Michael Sinclair, Reggie White, and tied with Michael Strahan who totaled 15 sacks.
Kevin Greene finished as the NFL's all-time leader in sacks by a linebacker, ahead of players such as Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas, Rickey Jackson, and Andre Tippett; Greene is one of only four players to lead the NFL in sacks in multiple seasons.
Kevin Greene is tied for second in career safeties with three and third all-time in fumble recoveries with 26.
Kevin Greene ended his career with 160 sacks, 62.5 tackles of running backs behind the line of scrimmage, 23 forced fumbles, 26 recovered fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns, and three safeties.
Kevin Greene opted for retirement while still playing at a high level rather than becoming a "designated pass rusher".
Kevin Greene was among the NFL's top 10 in sacks eight times, leading the NFL twice.
Kevin Greene played in six conference championships in his 15 seasons.
Kevin Greene is considered to be one of the greatest pass rushers of all time.
Kevin Greene made several appearances with the professional wrestling promotion World Championship Wrestling during the late-1990s.
Kevin Greene was one of several celebrities brought in by WCW president Eric Bischoff to help generate mainstream publicity for the company.
In June 1996, Kevin Greene wrestled his first match for WCW at its Great American Bash pay-per-view.
Kevin Greene teamed with his fellow NFL alumnus Steve McMichael - who had joined WCW as a color commentator the prior year - to face Four Horsemen members Ric Flair and Arn Anderson, who in the storyline had incurred McMichael's ire after Flair repeatedly flirted with his wife Debra, leading McMichael to bring in Kevin Greene to help defend her honor.
McMichael and Kevin Greene were accompanied to ringside by their wives along with wrestler Randy Savage, who was presented as their coach.
The match ended when Debra and Tara Kevin Greene were chased backstage by Flair's valets Miss Elizabeth and Woman, only for Debra to return carrying a briefcase containing a large amount of money and a Four Horsemen t-shirt.
The match ended when Kevin Greene pinned Syxx after giving him a running powerslam.
Kevin Greene returned to World Championship Wrestling for a third and final time in 1998.
The altercation led to Kevin Greene facing The Giant in the main event of Nitro.
Kevin Greene won the resultant match by disqualification after Hennig and Rude interfered, after which they attacked Kevin Greene until his former Los Angeles Rams teammate Bill Goldberg came to his assistance.
Kevin Greene faced The Giant in a rematch at the following month's Bash at the Beach pay-per-view, with The Giant pinning him following a chokeslam.
Kevin Greene wrestled a total of five matches between June 16,1996, and July 12,1998, four of them on pay-per-view.
WCW president Eric Bischoff praised Kevin Greene's performances, stating that Kevin Greene "poured himself into the training for our show, trying to be as good as he could possibly be".
On January 26,2009, Kevin Greene was hired as an outside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers by Dom Capers.
Kevin Greene played for Capers for two years as a Steeler, and then followed Capers to Carolina when Capers was named the first head coach of the Panthers.
On February 6,2011, the Packers won Super Bowl XLV, the first time Kevin Greene had ever been part of an NFL championship team.
Kevin Greene left the Packers in 2013 to coach high school football where his son played at Niceville High School.
Kevin Greene hoped to return to coaching after his children went to college.
Kevin Greene replaced Mark Collins, who was one of five assistants not brought back by head coach Todd Bowles for the 2017 season.
Kevin Greene died of a heart attack at age 58 at his home in Destin, Florida, on the morning of December 21,2020.