Mike Wagner

Last updated

Mike Wagner
No. 23
Position: Safety
Personal information
Born: (1949-06-22) June 22, 1949 (age 74)
Waukegan, Illinois, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school: Carmel (Mundelein, Illinois)
College: Western Illinois
NFL draft: 1971  / Round: 11 / Pick: 268
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:36
Fumble recoveries:12
Forced fumbles:5
Player stats at PFR

Michael Robert Wagner (born June 22, 1949) is an American former professional football player who was a safety for 10 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Illinois Leathernecks. He won four Super Bowls with the Steelers as a member of their famed Steel Curtain defense.

Contents

Playing career

Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Wagner graduated in 1967 from Carmel High School in Mundelein. He played college football at Western Illinois University in Macomb, earning NAIA All-American status in 1969. He was added to the Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 1976. [1]

Wagner was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL Draft, the 268th overall selection. First looked at as a wide receiver on offense, he was soon switched to defense as a safety. [2] Wagner tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions in 1973, appeared in the 1975 and 1976 Pro Bowls and recorded 36 career interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. He won four Super Bowls, recording interceptions in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. After ten seasons with the Steelers, he retired in January 1981. [3]

After retirement

Wagner is currently a defensive backs coach at Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. [4] He was interviewed for the NFL Films documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions on the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers.

For a short time, Mike Wagner also served as an assistant coach on the Pine-Richland High School (Gibsonia, PA) coaching staff, mainly working with the defensive backs and special teams.

Mike Wagner was the guest speaker at the 3rd annual Steel City Mafia Banquet in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on August 15, 2009.

After pro football, Wagner applied his bachelor's degree in accounting and worked in the financial industry. He earned an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh [2] and, as of 2012, is a bank vice president in Pittsburgh. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl IX</span> 1975 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl IX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1974 season. The game was played on January 12, 1975, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Steelers defeated the Vikings by the score of 16–6 to win their first Super Bowl championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl X</span> 1976 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl X was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1975 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 21–17 to win their second consecutive Super Bowl. They were the third team to win back-to-back Super Bowls. It was also the first Super Bowl in which both participating teams had previously won a Super Bowl, as the Steelers were the defending champions and the Cowboys had won Super Bowl VI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XIII</span> 1979 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1978 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 35–31. The game was played on January 21, 1979, at the Miami Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, the fifth and last time that the Super Bowl was played in that stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXX</span> 1996 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1995 season. The Cowboys defeated the Steelers by the score of 27–17, winning their fifth Super Bowl in team history. The game was played on January 28, 1996, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, the first time the Super Bowl was played in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Woodson</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Roderick Kevin Woodson is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Widely considered one of the greatest defensive backs of all time, Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for touchdown (12). He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Noll</span> American football player and coach (1932–2014)

Charles Henry Noll was an American professional football player and head coach. Regarded as one of the greatest head coaches of all time, his sole head coaching position was for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 to 1991. When Noll retired after 23 years, only three other head coaches in NFL history had longer tenures with one team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Harrison</span> American football player and commentator (born 1972)

Rodney Scott Harrison is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons with the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots. He was selected in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL draft by the Chargers, where he spent his first nine seasons, and was a member of the Patriots in his following six. Since leaving the NFL in 2009, he has served as a commentator for NBC's Football Night in America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Lambert (American football)</span> American football player (born 1952)

John Harold Lambert is an American former football linebacker who played his entire 11-year career for Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990 as "the greatest linebacker of his era," Lambert was the starting middle linebacker on four Super Bowl-winning teams with the Steelers. He played college football for the Kent State Golden Flashes.

Jack Raphael Ham Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1971 to 1982. He is considered one of the greatest outside linebackers in the history of the NFL. Ham was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. In mid-2019 the newsletter of the PSU Alumni Association rated Ham first among the 100 greatest athletes, considering all sports and all previous football players, in University history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Brown (American football)</span> American football player, coach and administrator (1940–2019)

William Ferdie Brown was an American professional football player, coach and administrator. He played as a cornerback for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (NFL). Following his playing career, Brown remained with the Raiders as an assistant coach. He served as the head football coach at California State University, Long Beach in 1991, the final season before the school's football program was terminated. Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1984. At the time of his death he was on the Raiders' administrative staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick LeBeau</span> American football player and coach (born 1937)

Charles Richard LeBeau is a former American football cornerback and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He was active at field level in the NFL for 59 consecutive seasons, 14 playing with the Detroit Lions and 45 as a coach. LeBeau spent the majority of his coaching career as a defensive assistant, most notably as the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Described as an "innovator" and "defensive football genius", he is considered to be one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Harris</span> American football player (born 1948)

Clifford Allen Harris is an American former professional football player who was a safety for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. A Pro Football Hall of Famer, he appeared in five Super Bowls and was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls. Harris retired from football at 31 to focus on his work within the oil business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwight Hicks</span> American gridiron football player (born 1956)

Dwight Hicks is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the San Francisco 49ers. He won two Super Bowls with the 49ers while earning four Pro Bowl selections.

Mike V. Logan is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russ Grimm</span> American football player and coach (born 1959)

Russell Scott Grimm is an American former professional football player who was a guard for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He has also served as an assistant coach for the Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, and Tennessee Titans. As a professional, Grimm had multiple selections to both the All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Grimm played 11 seasons for the Redskins and was a first-team selection to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnie Shell</span> American football player (born 1952)

Donnie Shell is an American former professional football player who was a safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s.

Darren Perry is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1988 to 1991. After graduating, he was selected in the eighth round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in the NFL for eight seasons, seven with the Steelers, but also with the San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, and New Orleans Saints. Perry retired from playing in 2000.

Dwayne Donzell Woodruff is a judge and former professional American football player who played twelve seasons as a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he accumulated 37 interceptions after being selected in the sixth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he won a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV over the Los Angeles Rams. Outside of football, Woodruff has a J.D. degree and is a common pleas judge in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania.

American football in Western Pennsylvania, featuring the city of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, has had a long and storied history, dating back to the early days of the sport. All levels of football, including high school football and college football, are followed passionately, and the area's National Football League (NFL) team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, is consistently one of the sport's most popular teams. Many of the NFL's top stars have come from the region as well, especially those that play quarterback, earning Western Pennsylvania the nickname "Cradle of Quarterbacks".

The 1975 AFC Championship Game was the sixth title game of the American Football Conference (AFC). Played on January 4, 1976, the game was hosted by the AFC Central champion and defending AFC and Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers who, in a rematch of the 1974 title game, played the AFC West champion Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Along with the 1975 NFC Championship Game played on the same day, this game constituted the penultimate round of the 1975–76 NFL playoffs which had followed the 1975 regular season of the National Football League (NFL).

References

  1. "Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame". Western Illinois Athletic Department. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Barrickman, Bob (December 16, 2004). "Looking at Mike Wagner". Beaver County (PA) Times. p. D4.
  3. "Steelers' Wagner retires; Is Bradshaw next to go?". Daily Collegian. 1981-01-09. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2009-03-16.
  4. "潍坊谷现装修公司". Pine-Richland Rams Football. Retrieved 2009-03-16.[ dead link ]
  5. O'Brien, Jim (September 13, 2012). "Former Steeler safety Mike Wagner tackling clients' financial needs". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved January 8, 2014.