Safety Mike Wagner, an integral part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ famed “Steel Curtain” defense of the 1970s, died. He was 76.
Wagner made two Pro Bowls and won four Super Bowl championships in a 10-year NFL career, all with the Steelers.
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“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 owner 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,” Rooney’s statement continued. “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.”
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According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wagner had been battling pancreatic cancer since being diagnosed in 2020.
Wagner ranks sixth on the Steelers’ all-time list with 36 interceptions, including an NFL-leading eight in 1973.
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He also recovered 12 fumbles, recorded five sacks, and started all but three of the 119 games he appeared in prior to his retirement after the 1980 season.
Wagner was originally selected in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL Draft out of Western Illinois University. A native of Waukegan, Illinois, Wagner was inducted into his alma mater’s Hall of Fame in 1976.
In a 2021 interview, Wagner revealed he was cut from his high school’s football team as a freshman — and didn’t make the team until he was a junior.
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“I was 110 pounds soaking wet, and I’d never played organized football,” Wagner said. “I didn’t know how to play, but I still went out for football my freshman year. My dad was upset when they cut me because he had just bought me spikes. I kept trying out every year, and I finally made it my junior year.”
According to the Post-Gazette, Wagner earned an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business after he retired as a player, and held a second career in investment banking for three decades.
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