This past Friday evening, Charles Henry Noll, who lifted the
Pittsburgh Steelers from the depths of the National Football League and coached
them to a record four Super Bowl champions inside of 6 years in the 1970’s by
adhering to simple, long-held principles, died in his home in Sewickley at age
of 82 years old.
In recent years, Noll suffered from severe back pain that
limited his mobility and forced him to walk with two canes. He served as
Steelers head coach for 23 seasons from 1969-91, winning Super Bowls after the
1974, '75, '78 and '79 seasons and guiding what is considered one of the greatest
sports dynasties ever. His 209-156-1 record and record four Super Bowl titles
earned him induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year
of eligibility.
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| Chuck Noll in 1952, University of Dayton |
Chuck Noll was born on January 5, 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Noll attended Benedictine High School, a Roman Catholic preparatory high school
where he played football. He played running back and defensive tackle during
his tenure at Benedictine High School, winning All-State honors. Through his
achievements as a high school football player he won a football scholarship and
attended the University of Dayton, a private Catholic institution in Ohio. As a
result of his football ability, Noll was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in
1953, where he played until his retirement six years later in 1959 at the age
of 27.
He was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles/San Diego
Chargers and the Baltimore Colts for nine years. He was the defensive
coordinator of the Baltimore Colts under head coach Don Shula during their 13-1
season in 1968, in which the team set an NFL record of fewest points allowed.
The Colts’ success that year brought Noll greater attention throughout the
league. When Penn State coach Joe Paterno turned down an offer for the head
coaching position, the Steelers hired Noll for what would be his first and only
head-coaching job in 1969. Noll took the 4-3 defense he ran in Baltimore and
implemented a similar defensive system in Pittsburgh, which became the famous
“Steel Curtain” defense.
Steeler Nation will greatly miss our Legendary Head Coach.....R.I.P
