Steelers' Legendary Joe Greene Was A Perfect Gentleman Until It Was Time To Hit The Practice Field

Pittsburgh Steelers franchise icon, Joe Greene didn't get the nickname "Mean Joe" for no reason. There are plenty of stories about how brutal the imposing Pro Football Hall of Famer could be on opponents. For example, he once threw a helmet into a crowd of Cleveland Browns fans after knocking out a player on the field. Greene was also known as a respectful man off the field. Former Steelers offensive lineman Jim Files got to experience both sides of the legendary figure in franchise lore during his brief stint with the franchise in the late 1970s. 

Files recently did an exclusive interview with Steelers Takeaways about his time in Pittsburgh, which only lasted two seasons as neck and knee injuries forced him out of football. He never played a game for the team, but has plenty of stories about franchise legends like Jack Lambert, Mike Webster, Terry Bradshaw, and, of course, Greene. After being drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft, Files spent his whole first season on injured reserve he told Steelers Takeaways, and in those days, once you were put on it, you were there for the year. So, Files had plenty of time on the practice field. 

He said his locker was right beside Greene's, so he got to see a lot of him. Off the field, Greene was cordial and respectful, but once practice started, that version of the man was gone. 

"Every morning, he’d greet me, 'Good morning, Mr. Files! How are you today,'" Files said about Greene. "Then he’d beat the h**l out of you on the practice field!" 

Files said there was a positive to being beaten up by the two-time AP Defensive Player of the Year. It was that Greene would explain to him what he was doing to beat him after so he could learn how to defend it. Files said that it really helped him to be able to hold his own against other guys on the practice field too.

Steelers' Files' Memories Of Some Of The Franchise Greats

Learning from Greene certainly helped Files, but it was Ernie Holmes with whom he had more battles he told Steelers Takeaways. As the center and the inside defensive tackle, he said there were multiple fights between the two of them. 

Files said his battles with Holmes and Greene really taught him that he could play at the NFL level. Unfortunately for him, injuries had other things to say about him having a long career in the league. He told Steelers Takeaways that a knee injury he'd suffered in college was the real culprit of him not having a longer career. In his second training camp, the Steelers tried him out on the defensive line, but he blew out his knee in camp. He said the team wanted to keep him, but didn't want him after he needed another knee surgery. 

He was traded to the New York Giants, where he lasted for two weeks. He said he got tryouts with the Houston Oilers, Philadelphia Eagles, and New Orleans Saints, but the knee prevented him from passing physicals. He left professional football for a career in the oil business, which lasted for 45 years. He said he retired from that about five years ago. 

The Pro Football Hall of Fame center, Webster, took him under his wing when Files arrived in Pittsburgh in 1976. Files knew that with Webster ahead of him, he was likely never going to start. He said he played some guard as well because of that. He even lived with Webster for six months while he saved for a down payment on his own house. He added that he spent the offseason with Webster hunting and fishing in Wisconsin. What impressed him the most about Webster was that, even in the summer, he religiously never missed a workout. 

He may not have had the chance to play for the Steelers, but Files has a wealth of experience being around some of the Steelers' all-time greats. It also taught him he could play at their level.