Steelers countdown to kickoff — No. 75: a history of the number and who wore it best
Current Steelers No. 75 wearer: N/A
There isn't a current wearer of No. 75 on the Steelers roster — and for good reason. The jersey was officially retired in 2014 out of respect for arguably the greatest defender in Pittsburgh history.
Last five Steelers to wear No. 75:
Best No. 75 in Steelers history: DT Joe Greene
There's no debating this jersey number — 'Mean' Joe Greene was the greatest Steeler to ever don No. 75. Greene, who played with the Steelers from 1969 to 1981, is widely regarded as the cornerstone of the Steel Curtain defense — considered one of the greatest defensive units in NFL history, which led Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl titles. While sacks didn't become an official statistic until 1982, Greene's unofficial 77.5 sacks would have ranked as the fourth-most by a Steeler all-time, behind James Harrison, Cam Heyward, and T.J. Watt. He is the only Steeler to have won the Defensive Player of the Year twice, and he has been named All-Pro eight times. Greene is not only one of the greatest Steelers of all time — his impact changed the Steel City brand of sports forever.
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