Why Steelers' L.C. Greenwood deserves to join Steel Curtain legends in Hall of Fame

The Pittsburgh Steelers are well-represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but there's a player from the franchise's most successful period who deserves to join his fellow members of the "Steel Curtain" defense in Canton: defensive end L.C. Greenwood. 

Many have argued for Greenwood's enshrinement over the years, but it's worth bringing up again because he was named one of the senior player Hall of Fame nominees Tuesday. 

Greenwood, who died in 2013, headlines a group of six former Steelers nominated that includes kicker Norm Johnson, defensive lineman Eugene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb, linebacker Andy Russell, safety Mike Wagner and running back Byron “Whizzer” White. 

Greenwood is one of 27 defensive lineman on a list that will be reduced from 183 to 50 before those who earn induction are announced in late fall.

Greenwood's name may not carry the prestige of players such as former Steelers defensive tackle "Mean Joe" Greene or linebacker Jack Ham, but his resume warrants him being immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame nonetheless. 

There are two main reasons why Greenwood is the overshadowed and often-forgotten member of Pittsburgh's legendary defense of the 1970s.

First, Greenwood played on a defense full of superstars and All-Pros. In addition to Greene and Ham, all-time greats Mel Blount, a safety, and Jack Lambert, a middle linebacker, also terrorized offenses. 

On the other side of the ball, quarterback Terry Bradshaw, running backs Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier and wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth stole most of the attention. Bleier is the only one among the aforementioned groups who is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Being on a dynasty team can elevate players' stature while also causing others to simultaneously be overshadowed. Simply earning four Super Bowl rings, as Greenwood did, shouldn't earn him or any other player with similar credentials an automatic HOF induction. 

But Greenwood has a Hall of Fame case purely on individual prowess alone. 

Greenwood played from 1969 to 1981, one year before the NFL started to count sacks as an official statistic. According to Pro Football Reference, if sacks were recorded during Greenwood's career, he would have registered 78 — the fourth most in franchise history behind only current Steelers T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward and former Steelers great James Harrison, who retired in 2018. 

Greenwood, who famously wore gold cleats during his NFL career, is also credited by Pro Football Reference with two double-digit sack seasons — 11 in 1971 and 11  more in 1974. He also had nine sacks in 1978. 

Greenwood made six Pro Bowls but did not earn a Defensive Player of the Year Award or any other individual hardware. A DPOY would have bolstered his HOF case.

However, when you factor in that Greenwood's pass-rushing ability and his stature on one of the greatest defenses of all time, if not the greatest, the Hall of Fame seems like a worthy exclamation point on his fabulous career. 

It's unfortunate Greenwood did not receive this honor while he was alive.