Kevin Greene: A Football Life

[Applause] can you see it's emotional at the national anthem seen that flag wave and have our opportunity to actually play a game it's really really cool you know and that there's been people to pay the price so I could do that some games now have a tear up well up now the price that is paid you know for freedom in that I have to you know pop back into my football mentality and get ready to play then four quarters of football this is special you're blessed to live in America [Music] [Applause] you gonna be a football player when you go on today is the best day of July believe you meet you someday like crazy [Music] like I like it [Applause] community the dureena Gemma crane is he wired Brimley is a flu about that Hall of Famer Kevin green did everything from the top rope he would find a purpose go after it with all he had throw caution to the wind Kevin's just wired all the time he's an intense guy I mean really intense he vibrates Green was a fan favorite in the ring and on the gridiron a throwback who embraced the hard-nosed nature of football claiming NFL is predicated on one thing either you're chicken a man's ass or these earrings there's nothing in between [Applause] today I don't care how big your arm will tell y'all what your name is where you fall I'm gonna kick your ass [Applause] my will will overcome your will you could put that in the back I hated playing against ting I hated playing I would have loved to play with him he just was relentless and he would tell you I'm getting closer far I'm getting closer I heard him say that so many times and you know the back of my mind I was thinking he's getting closer and you don't want to thank that just his passion just his love for the game you know he looked like Ric Flair you know some people might call it passion some people might call it crazy this is me having fun when somebody has fun doing something it's gonna show green played 15 years with four teams went to five pro volts into six championship games he chased quarterbacks so relentlessly he ended up with the most sacks by any linebacker in NFL history including Lawrence Taylor [Applause] [Music] look what Kevin crane did I love watching them play who didn't how do not like Kevin Green is just a role you've been around the middle well Hawkeye man what a beautiful person huh 30 seconds of pose time what you say the bravado was real but it was a small side of Kevin Green a man who learned about discipline and mental toughness while growing up in a military family a lot of the Army Values came through from my father you know just naturally regimentation discipline you know integrity my dad was gonna get hard I tried to make sure he was obedient when he got out of line you know I could bring him back Kevin's dad is an army colonel and Vietnam veteran he was also a coach for Kevin and his older brother Keith when the family was stationed in Germany my dad would bring Keith and I up and fry the entire team he would pit us together in the top of the Oklahoma drill we lay on our backs on his whistle we'd get up and just you know run into each other and we went out this thing for I mean 10 12 15 reps and it was you know I was crying I mean my brother was just trucking me you know but then I started fighting back and I've learned that toughness beats toughness you fight fire with fire you know kind of thing it was really the start of really my career there it's Chuck all tied at the chin step [Music] the discipline he learned you know through the military he carried over into football throw kg that's a [ __ ] desert with Kevin is always used to be yes sir no sir he loved playing with emotion he loved playing with passion but he also did it with great respect and I think that's one of the things that I always loved about him his life's journey is a story of true grit from wrestling heel to army captain from muscle head to Super Bowl coach from college walk-on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame everything Green earned came from his desire and willingness to push himself farther than he had any right to go an extraordinary football life that nearly flamed out in college I strap it up so here we go getting that's a little rhythm going how much you weigh in chubby I got you a guy don't hurt okay I'm coming up the ropes yeah you are definitely a solid rock head all right here we go Kevin greens son hopes to become a walk-on at the University of Southern Mississippi the alma mater of Hall of Famer Brett Favre we had a really good chat he came up for spring practice he and his son we spent some time on the sideline that's it the Sun is like heaven no receiver Oh walk it up the senior green knows what it takes to make it having walked this road himself ain't no easy way out ain't no shortcut song write his own rocky like story began in high school in 1977 we're like the fictional Balboa he didn't make much of a first impression kind of kind of a dork gonna be but up you know I was a dork to and so we hit it off right away like to rock and roll we like sticks REO Speedwagon you know so we try to keep our hair long but within reason was down here his dad was military we were motivated we didn't like sit in the barracks we tried at it and it wasn't cool we would lift weights and he was really into his forearm so he would do like sets of 504 forearms and stuff but he had to go [Music] by his senior season Green had worked his way into a two-sport star for Granite City South we got to a point where we could dunk a basketball and he told me goes man I have a score touchdown I'm dunking it over the goal posts and he went both ways offense and defense and so uh Kevin gets him a touchdown against our rival dunks it over to go post did it you know did stuff like that in the pros you know what I mean yeah it was that one right over there hey I'd like to guys listen to my stories for 40 years people would tell me they don't want to hear no more Kevin green stories here y'all I received a couple partial scholarships I think d2 or d3 schools but the reason why I went to Auburn is because my mom and dad are from chakalaka Alabama big Auburn fans so when Keith two years older graduating 78 he would an offer and then in 1980 there was no question where I was gonna go I love my older brother Kevin and Keith became soldiers like their father they joined the ROTC at Auburn and jumped out of planes in Airborne School but football was never far from Kevin's mind too small to make the Tigers defense as a freshman he first tried to walk on as a punter I did yeah well I wanted to because I got good technique I could punt the ball but Doug Barfield the head coach he said no we don't need a lot of punters we need more people to help give looks to our number one defense in this kind of thing so I was just kind of on the meet squad kind of dealing well that's when I ended up walking off he came home and said dad I've never quit anything in my life he loved football very much and he's not a quitter I started working out probably about 220 pounds then my junior year and playing intramural football now I was jacking up some bad fraternity cats you know and but every one of them was like man why don't you walk won't you walk a hard you know and then and it kind of started it again it started that well if I don't walk on now you know I'll never know it was a cold morning in January we were having our offseason pull and all of a sudden I look and I see this guy that's winning every race and winning every competition and it looks like a Greek god I call one of the coaches I said who the hell is that I said that's Kevin green I said where'd he come from you know he had to physical to some ability and he came with a vengeance but the thing that set him apart is what he had inside of [Music] [Applause] one of the less heralded honor he played the game with every molecule in his body Green was part of an Auburn squad along with Bo Jackson that captured the SEC title in 1983 midway through his senior season he finally cracked the starting lineup and I'm freaking out because just you know you don't have to so ago I'm like a student playing their mirror ball right now I'm starting for Auburn's and so I start to last four games and I ended up leading the SEC inside and I ended up getting the Defensive Player of the Year award and then I get drafted which is oh my gosh first player picked in the fifth round it happened so fast and it's just surreal it's good the ones that make it look like that the ones that get knocked down they come back and try harder and harder he made himself into what he was [Music] coming up well this is what we call the Auburn room this is Keith and that's Kevin over to the left there's a famous Auburn quilt and that's Kevin there in his Auburn uniform and that's Keith with his helicopter he was a Blackhawk helicopter pilot so it was really neat you want to visit him he'd get me in the helicopter simulator and showed me how to fly the helicopter and stuff like that spending some time with me he was a great older brother you know just great older brother keith was an extension of his dad Keith never got in trouble and he was always telling me and Kevin you two idiots you got a stuck to it this and that and you guys really do this and you know so it was something I'll tell the guy to look out to keith was awarded the Bronze Star in the first Gulf War Kevin himself rose to the rank of captain in the Army Reserves he drove tanks during the off-season cuz I didn't know really if football was gonna take off or not you know I you know I'm still tracking the military career and just kind of you know drawing to that to the hey man these tanks are cool they're good pieces hunks of metal hey ho and they're firing a big freakin gun so I had something worked that I was going to go right into the Army Reserve if I in fact made the team green made the final cut but just like it all burned he learned there were no shortcuts to the starting lineup and then I started making them play here I'm making a sack there and this kind of thing and then halfway through my third year in 1987 the equipment manager came to me he said get your playbook go see coach Robinson you get told to get your playbook and go see the head coach we're gonna get cut I was peeing in my pants I mean this is oh my god what am I gonna say to my brother what am I gonna say to my dad so I go in to coach Robinson's office and I'm like I'm almost crying he goes sit down pay attention open your book pull out your pants we'll take notes okay yes sir all right Kevin is what we're gonna do we got to find a way to get you on the field more and this is what we're working on for next year we're gonna put you at this position we're gonna call this defense the Eagle defense look all you gotta do is you gotta get this guy it's got the foot to make the tackle Green had flashed enough to become the primary weapon in the Rams new Eagle five defense [Applause] I dream like that the crosshairs on target I felt like I was in my tank from 1988 to 1990 he had 46 sex an average of 15 a year I expected cuz I knew how I worked with him for eight years I saw how he systematically learned to beat the traditional facet Kevin Green was a big stage big-time personality and talent the try-hard kid had become an 80s action hero a blonde Rambo laying waste to NFL quarterbacks including future Hall of Famers in 1988 the last game of the season they had to win the game I'm jogging around the field and there's Joe Montana warming up with Jerry Rice and I go I'm gonna get you Joe I'm gonna get you Joe I'm get you I'm gonna get you Joe as I'm jogging by I just saw rocky the night before you know it was just a little banter that Apollo Creed was kind of doing with rocky and he's looking at me like what an idiot who is that guy Kevin Green has already laid the foundation of this game green told Montana I'm coming after you Montana said you'll know where to find me I'll be there well I think I juice my self too job by Kevin green stuffed by kevin green a passion for the third time he wasn't blown I think Joe wishes he said well look maybe I'll be someplace else instead of sitting there waiting for you oh I remember I was at that game yeah I didn't see there I didn't sit down for the halftime a career [Music] in 1989 Green helped ignite the Rams run all the way to the NFC Championship but Joe Montana got his revenge [Applause] after that the Rams fell on hard times in 1991 they changed their defensive coaching staff and scheme green only had three sacks as he struggled with the move from free for linebacker to for three and he made his living standing up on the edge and coming it in his face you make him put his hand on the ground from the big left happy you're just not gonna get the same guy I was being played out of position and and and I was trying to be humble about it I mean I did what they wanted me to do but when it came time for me to be a free agent I knew it was time for me to move on after eight years in LA free agency offered green a way out he took it across the country to the Pittsburgh Steelers blitzberg was born he was a guy we targeted because we were one of the few teams playing a three-four defense and he created a lot of havoc in the back down [Music] when Kevin green moved to Pittsburgh in 1993 he did so as a newlywed with a woman as intense and passionate about football as he was when Kevin and I would greet and pray before the game I would hit his shoulder pads and say rack'em sack I'm crackin frakkin him you know that first game I was just trying to get him fired up you know and I'm like just came out you know and there it was it was born that we just used to be our ritual it wasn't the only one you know it was great because I love our country and it was a great way for me to be a part of what kevin was doing throughout his career no Kevin Gran's wife Sanga national anthem before the game today and the Panthers have never lost with Tara singing the national anthem I believe she was eight and one when when she sang the national anthem so she had a very high winning percentage she always brought me good luck brought the pain good luck I love football I played every down he played from the stands you know I wanted that sack I won't you know hit him harder you know do it again the hardcore greens felt right at home in blitzberg they love their football but they love their defensive football the jackhammers and the Mean Joe green was back in the day and they wanna see that again you won't see that kind of viciousness and I just fed off the energy of that stupid nation is almost you know football in [Applause] so now we had great glory to one side and we had this long blonde hair guy on the other side we called him salt-and-pepper it was kind of like yeah it's time to play football with green in the fold the Steelers racked up a hundred and thirty nine sacks over a three-year period best in the NFL [Music] Green himself led the league in 1994 his tenth season a long time ramp has found a Hall at Fitchburg he loves it the feeling is mutual this is a hard-working guy playing in a hard-working City and boy he became a fan favorite pretty quit with his flowing Locker I didn't like the hair he was my father with the short hair so I didn't need the long hair she was like Delilah trying to cut Samson's hair like a man I'm gonna cut your hair at night and you're not even gonna know it this is a fun kind of thing you know just took off when he was on the Rams Kevin green still had that Army Reserves buzzcut thing going he made the pledge that until I plan a Super Bowl team I will not cut my hair I hope it's soon after three previous championship losses Green finally made a Super Bowl in 1995 [Applause] it was supposed to be the pinnacle of his career and the crowning achievement for one of the best defensive teams Pittsburgh had ever known [Music] battle-ax gate of the shotgun here comes an outside blitz the pass is picked off instead Super Bowl 30 marked greens last game in black and gold but that time I just finished playing my 11th year so the business side said how much does he have left in this tank but my heart said man I got a lot more to give you we're entering into a new era where you know you had to make decisions on 30 year old players as opposed to younger players and so it was difficult because you really do become close and you appreciate it what he gave sometimes you have to make those tough decisions and that kind of broke my heart because I love Steven nation you know - talk that really hurt me no cup no cup I've been telling him he don't listen to me though green found a new home in Carolina where he was reunited with former Steelers defensive coordinator Dom Capers when Kevin came to Carolina I knew as a head coach that I would not have to say much because Kevin really himself had those guys ready to go come on let's go come on [Applause] Wesley go give the pot come on ok all right I like it his impact on the team in 96 was obvious at the age of 34 Green once again led the NFL in sacks with 14 and a half he helped the Panthers to a 13-3 record in only their second year of existence in a home playoff against the defending Super Bowl champions Jerry Richardson the owner had called Terra prior to the Dallas Cowboy game and said hey would you please come and sing the national anthem she had sang earlier in the year for a home game of course we'd beaten it snot out of somebody so he remembered he said I want you to sing cuz you know we want to win and I said whoa I'll be more than happy to sing but I don't know if I can handle that it's got a hinge on whether we win or not [Music] [Applause] and it was awesome you know it was just a great day Kevin had a great game we just oh gosh we just creamed Alice it was awesome [Music] the defending Super Bowl champs came to our backyard we betta [Applause] we shocked a nation that year lost in the championship game against the Green Bay Packers but it was a great ride [Music] up next [Applause] Oh [Music] this towel is dirty don't know what I said tell for 15 years Kevin green found a way to stay young at heart even dabbling for a time in the world of professional wrestling it was very surprising to find out my dad was a pro wrestler a pro wrestler I wasn't surprised because I think my dad was a lot of things I'm like oh yeah pro wrestler he had that you know we get to Carolina and Ric Flair is actually actually resides there in Charlotte I helped him locate a home and we became friends I mean immediately written asked me if I want to do a pay-per-view and I said sure seems like it'd be fun to come off the top rope do it so fast you know gets to always wanted to do more himself I'm not super late coming suplex you and so we have practice okay really at those rates yeah [Music] but he was good was that one of the first ones dear when [ __ ] is a whacking you with with the briefcase of money that in that match we were tag-team partners the all pro football players against the for two of the four horsemen Ric Flair and Arn Anderson the premise was you guys buy me off with a briefcase full of money and I will turn on him and become a horseman but I think well this would be kind of funny [Applause] he was never a bear was he hmm no sorry Kevin you was on the other team baby [Applause] came here to give Kevin could've done for everyone our business look football came first he does look like the Hulkster doesn't it getting ready for his big match with Ric Flair on the field green showed no signs of slowing down he recorded the most double-digit sacks seasons in NFL history aged 34 and beyond doing things twenty-year-olds could only dream of [Music] did you see him just died [Music] [Applause] it's no surprise to me even at that late of the age because I understood the work that he put in to be great Michael hey you had a work ethic I've never seen the likes of post practice where everybody else is you're passing guys coming out of the building and no Kevin's in the weight room and he's going through a certain lifting routine every single day as a wife there are times you want to go it's just one day it's one workout it's one fatty meal you know but not to Kevin that makes a difference because if I let one go then I might let two and three in forth and that's the way he went about everything it became a catch-22 of sorts for green every year he produced and every year teams feared it was the last time he would it's part of the reason he bounced from Pittsburgh to Carolina to San Francisco and back to Carolina where he had 27 sacks in his final two seasons [Music] [Applause] second sack of the afternoon sixteen his career [Applause] [Music] I knew I was winding down it occurred to me that you know what wasn't quite getting into the pile and getting a piece of someone's I asked just for the sake of it and I still had a pass rush and the reckon I could probably come back one more year but I didn't want to come back as a designated pass rusher I mean that just wasn't me who weren't glad is a player [Music] thank you ready to play I wish 46 believe me I wish I could suit it up okay I love the today working with Harrison these days a little bit in retirement Green never strayed far from football and in 2009 he returned to the sidelines as the outside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers probably being away from for 10 years makes me appreciate that [Applause] I tell you what I'm having the time of my life right now I know that this is awesome I felt strongly that he would be an outstanding coach because he was very smart and he would pick up tips that most people wouldn't we got a good read on the center the center has one solid movement with his head on the gun position and so Aaron and clay could both get a good jump on every snap he was very detailed very technique oriented and there's no question that he brought a lot to us he was a kid again passing on his knowledge and passion to other kids including a mirror image of himself well I see you know cagey to have great head of hair back when he played but I don't think he took care of it as well as I do he was a walk-on at USC so that's the first thing that kind of government why does it walk on walk on you know they got a little chip on their shoulder and it came in a smart kid I was able to show clay specific techniques one time one time and he could replicate [Applause] under green's tutelage clay matthews became a pro bowler and in 2010 the packers rode a top 5 defense all the way to the Super Bowl if Green was finally going to win a trophy he would come against his beloved Steelers hustle in 15 years I went to one of these and lost it do not take this moment for granted this seize the day today carpe diem [Music] it was about understanding you know what's in front of us and with his preparation especially at our position where you want to make some key plays and not gain is time [Music] spill it spill it spilling [Applause] the Packers are world champions football was bittersweet to beat the Steelers but it was a wonderful special moment in time I was able to get a Super Bowl ring it was it was just awesome [Music] it's crazy huh [Music] Jackie ray Slater thank you Joe Montana Jordanna I got him a couple times please name yeah Bruce nobody's gonna break his record of 200 Kevin green ranks third on the NFL's all-time sack list behind only Bruce Smith and Reggie White two defensive ends [Applause] now imported more sacks than any of the in the history of the NFL Green was so good at hunting quarterbacks some assumed he paid little attention to anything else a perception that might have led to a 12 year wait for the Hall of Fame I've always heard it I've heard it every single time he was up for induction that he was only a pass rusher and I'm like this guy was one of the strongest players in the NFL when he played he set the edge for us year in year out he could take two Tynan and just blow the whole scheme up to where they wouldn't run the play anymore and the thing about Kevin is he didn't get as many opportunities as some of these guys have who put up these sack numbers sure he got him on third downs but on first and second down Kevin a lot of times was the coverage part of our defense in Pittsburgh and then obviously played in the same defense in Carolina right thank you he's not one-dimensional person or player he's way more than that and over time my dad's love and passion for the sport got on my heart and that's what actually got me into football after five years with the Packers including five straight trips to the playoffs Green abruptly retired following the 2013 season Javon started get up in age in high school and Gabby did too and I realized that tom was slipping behind and then one day I just came home from Lambeau late at night Gavin goes dad can you show me what you showed clay today and I'm like no you got to go to bed son we'll talk about tomorrow and then I walked out I'm thinking oh my gosh you know I just turn my back on my son I couldn't justify pouring myself into Clay Matthews anymore when I got my own son going show me Dad show show me I told Tara that next day we're leaving Green Bay after the season [Music] think about that stop that truck good I'm gonna collapse your sternum oh I'm gonna collapse your sternum I'm going for he's moving on the University of Southern Mississippi but I'm still coaching because it's the difference from here that I can use my spin but it's here then now I've got to do my reach around let's see that it's just it's just a game of inches there just don't be just like his dad [Music] short set Oh didn't quite have the measurables to be a scholarship guy well I really didn't either you know he played didn't either you don't need a scholarship to play you can walk on and kick ass that's the bottom line coaches are gonna see that it's what we gotta do to put in time pay the piper right Hey he's gonna pay you back one day [Music] [Applause] yes sir Kennedy no going again okay congratulations brother Tom my gosh you will the best of all time buddy we gotta get it bust there what's gonna happen forever I appreciate congratulations to you guys okay stop you're way too so my buddy I would have given almost anything for him to have that gold jacket I knew he deserved it and I wanted it for him so bad congratulations to Jessica it was a bittersweet moment for the Greens Kevin lost his brother Keith to cancer four years earlier he was 51 years old I know he was already emotional about it because he called ki-sun Jonathan before he called me because he felt like he was letting Keith know first Keith who called me before every game are you feeling what you're looking for this week are you going against you know this kind of thing just making sure his little brothers on track [Music] just great house Oh Oh [Music] [Music] [Applause] what it's all about baby kids grow up knee-high to a grasshopper dreaming about playing a game like today freezin frozen tundra of Lambeau Field where else would you want to be I think my dream was really just to put on Auburn uniform maybe run down on the kickoff team as an arbor Tiger who did not just not as somebody now I'm a hall-of-famer it's just so far beyond anything I could have ever dreamed [Music] this is pretty cool huh Bobby I'm standing on the stage with the best ever love you man love it so after 15 years of Fun in the Sun I walk away happy and healthy for the most part and if you think about it maybe that's the best a football player can do is to go out on his own terms and along the way have fun chicken people's asses with your brothers entertain some folks develop some lifelong relationships and have enough good health to play some football with your son and daughter in the front yard Gavin and Gabby I love you so much [Applause] and the fact that he's getting recognized as one of the best is long overdue 160 stacks for the line back position is unheard of I hope to have a you know a career that's half as good as his [Music] the athletic ability in the NFL this amazing you got to have something that will separate you and I know what separated him was his heart his heart you know guy had a blast [Applause] was hard work was being self-made there's also about making sure you do something to have fun doing it and doing things that no one else thinks you can do and he took that chip with them and ran with it [Music] sack master Kevin green all fan brother whoa whoa [Music]

Channel: NFL Fanzone

Views: 76,208

Rating: 4.8672566 out of 5

Keywords: NFLFanzone, NFL, Kevin Greene, Brett Favre, Dom Capers, Pat Dye, Bill Cowher, Clay Matthews, Ric Flair, Rod Woodson, Jackie Slater, Tara Greene, Colonel Therman Greene, Gabi Greene, Gavin Greene, Nature Boy, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Greg Lloyd, WCW, Auburn Tigers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers

Id: HoPenj-5dx0

Length: 43min 12sec (2592 seconds)

Published: Sun Jun 28 2020