Mike Wagner, a safety on the Pittsburgh Steelers' famed Steel Curtain defense and four-time Super Bowl winner, has died, the team announced Wednesday. He was 76.
Wagner was a two-time Pro Bowler with 36 career interceptions, including an NFL-high eight in 1973. He also had interceptions in Pittsburgh's Super Bowl IX and X triumphs.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mike Wagner, a tremendous player and an integral part of some of the most successful teams in Pittsburgh Steelers history," Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement.
"Mike played a key role on our championship teams of the 1970s. As a member of four Super Bowl-winning teams, his toughness and consistency were paramount to our secondary. His contributions on the field were significant, but it was also his steady presence and team-first mentality that truly defined him.
"On behalf of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Mike's family. He will always be remembered as a champion, a great teammate, and a proud member of the Steelers family."
An Illinois native selected in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the Steelers, Wagner was a starter in all 12 games as a rookie. That 1971 season saw Pittsburgh finish at 6-8. Thereafter, the Steelers ran off nine straight winning seasons, the first eight accompanied by playoff berths, with four resulting in Super Bowl wins, as Pittsburgh became the NFL's dynasty of the 1970s.
On a squad overflowing with Hall of Famers such as Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, "Mean" Joe Greene, Jack Lambert and many others, Wagner was a constant.
In a 10-year career from 1971-1980, Wagner played in 119 games with 116 starts, the aforementioned 36 INTs (sixth in club history) and 12 fumble recoveries.
In Pittsburgh's first Super Bowl win, a 16-6 defensive blistering of the Minnesota Vikings to culminate the 1974 season, Wagner had a pair of tackles and an interception of Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton.
A season after, Wagner had the same stat line in Pittsburgh's Super Bowl X narrow 21-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, recording two tackles and another interception of a Hall of Famer, this time Roger Staubach.
The Steelers bested the Cowboys again in Super Bowl XIII, 35-31, with Wagner tallying three more tackles.
Though Wagner got a fourth ring for a Super Bowl XIV win against the Los Angeles Rams, he didn't play in the game, as hamstring and hip injuries limited him to eight games that season.
On a Steel Curtain defense dotted with legendary talent, Wagner is often overlooked, but he was a crucial cog in one of NFL history's greatest dynasties.
