Steelers former head coach and hall of famer Chuck Noll passed away last night at the age of 82.
Chuck Noll was a legend. A mythical god in a blue collar town that loved their gritty tough no-holds-barred team. Noll coached in the era before penalties softened the intense game and his Steelers were the toughest of them all. Noll was the brains behind the 70s defense known as the Steel Curtain.
Noll started his professional football career as a player when he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953 out of the University of Dayton where he would study, play and learn under the tutelage of the legendary coach Paul Brown. He retired from football in 1959 at the age of 27 to become a coach.
When Noll was hired as the 14th head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969 at the age of 34 he was the youngest head coach in the league. He had previously coached with the Baltimore Colts under Don Shula and the San Diego Chargers under Sid Gillman.
Noll's first three season started off poorly as the team finished with a 12-30 record. Noll then went on to lead the Steelers to eight straight playoff appearances and four Super Bowl championships in six years. He racked up an impressive 209 wins in a coaching career that spanned 23 seasons.
Noll would finally be recognized as NFL Coach of the Year in 1989. He would retire from the Steelers after the 1991 season and would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Eleven of his former players would also make it into the Hall of Fame.
No other coach has ever won as many Super Bowls or seen as much success as Noll. He was not only a great coach but a great man who was beloved and respected throughout the league.
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