Greg Lloyd, Sr.
Position: Linebacker
Jersey #: 95
Place of Birth: Miami, Florida
Date of Birth: May 26, 1965
Career Information
Years: 1987-1998
NFL Draft: 1987/Round 6/110 Overall Pick
College: Fort Valley State University
Professional Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (1988-1997)
Carolina Panthers (1998)
Career stats
Sacks: 54.5
Interceptions: 11
Games: 147
Career Highlights and Awards
5x Pro Bowl (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)
3x All Pro (1993, 1994, 1995)
1994 UPI AFC Defensive Player of the Year
Gregory Lenard Lloyd (born May 26, 1965) is a former
American football linebacker in the
NFL for the
Pittsburgh Steelers. He was named to five
Pro Bowls and 3
NFL All-Pro teams during this time.
College career
Lloyd attended
Fort Valley State University, where he was a three time All-
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection, a three time team Defensive MVP, and as a senior, he was the SIAC Player of the Year, and a first team Sheridan All-American selection.
National Football League career
Lloyd was injured his first year (
1987), and most of the
1988 season, but became a starter during the
1989 season at outside
linebacker where he excelled. He became the emotional and fiery leader of the Steelers defense after the retirement of inside linebacker
David Little. Lloyd teamed with cornerback
Rod Woodson to give the Steelers two of the most dynamic and dominating defensive players in the game. Both Lloyd and Woodson were drafted in 1987 by then Steelers coach
Chuck Noll.
Later career
Lloyd remained the starter through the
1997 season, missing almost the entire
1996 season with a knee injury and several games in 1997 due to a staph infection. He was named to five
Pro Bowls and 3 NFL All-Pro teams during this time. Lloyd left the Steelers in
1998 and played for the
Carolina Panthers before retiring. A true leader and student of the game, Lloyd continued to impact the Steelers defense while injured from the sideline by teaching young linebackers
Chad Brown and
Jason Gildon the finer points of Steelers linebacking tradition.
Notoriety beyond football
Lloyd has a black belt in
Tae Kwon Do, which he currently teaches. Lloyd is 6'2" and weighs 234 pounds. He played in
Super Bowl XXX.
Popularity with fans
Lloyd was voted by Steeler fans to the prestigious Pittsburgh Steeler 75th Anniversary Team—a team that included only five linebackers and put him next to the company of dynasty players like
Jack Ham,
Jack Lambert, and
Andy Russell. (
Joey Porter was the other linebacker.) Indeed, the Steeler fans and front office considered Lloyd a throwback player. Lloyd's jersey number 95 was one of the top-selling jerseys among Steeler fans. Steelers President
Dan Rooney once said of Greg Lloyd, "He was one of the Best, not just one of the Steelers' best but one of the best in the league. Greg could play in any era. He has the makeup, whether it's in 1998 or 1938. He's just a football player."
Lloyd remains so respected by fans in
Steeler Nation that
Joey Porter felt the need to acknowledge Lloyd's enduring presence when the team drafted him in
1999 and issued him number 95 in training camp, the first time since Lloyd left that the team assigned the number. However, although his playing style and team leadership were comparable to Lloyd's, Porter switched to his more familiar #55 by the time the regular season started, stating that he wanted to establish his own identity with the team as opposed to being a clone of Lloyd.
Lloyd was notorious for wearing a ratty, old t-shirt at practice and under his game jersey which read, "I Wasn't Hired For My Disposition."
Lloyd was indeed the most feared player in the league for his time.
Jim Harbaugh claims he wasn't afraid of anything until he played against Greg Lloyd, the man he respected and feared on the gridiron more than anyone.
