On Friday evening the Pittsburgh Steelers added five new members to their Hall of Honor. The Class of 2020 includes defensive end Dwight White, safety Mike Wagner, linebacker James Farrior, linebacker Greg Lloyd and safety Troy Polamalu.
“This is the first time our class has included only players,” said team president Art Rooney II. “Over the years we have become known as a franchise that has always put strong defense on the field. Some of our most significant players in history have been defensive players. I guess that is how it should be as Steelers football has evolved.”
Defensive End Dwight White
The first player named to the Class of 2020 Hall of Honor was Dwight White, a fourth-round draft pick out of Texas A&M Commerce in 1971 who played with the Steelers through the 1980 season.
Over the course of his career in Pittsburgh White made 104 starts and appeared in 126 games, contributing 46 sacks and four interceptions. He is best remembered for spending a week in the hospital with pneumonia in the run-up to Super Bowl IX in New Orleans, emerging on Sunday to play in the game, in which he had three solo tackles and scored the first points of the game, tackling Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton in the end zone for a safety.
Safety Mike Wagner
The second player named on Friday was safety Mike Wagner, who, like White, came to the Steelers in the 1971 draft (11th round) and also remained with the team through the 1980 season. Wagner produced 36 career interceptions and added 12 fumble recoveries, not to mention five postseason interceptions, including one in Super Bowl IX and another in Super Bowl X.
Inside Linebacker James Farrior
James Farrior came to the Steelers in free agency in 2002 after spending five seasons with the New York Jets. Farrior played the last 10 seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, recording 30 sacks and more than a thousand tackles, plus eight interceptions and 12 forced fumbles.
Most notably, he won two Super Bowls during his time in Pittsburgh. He was also a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was named first-team All-Pro once and was voted the Steelers MVP in 2004.
Outside Linebacker Greg Lloyd
Greg Lloyd was a sixth-round draft pick of the Steelers out of Fort Valley State in Georgia. His NFL career almost never happened, as he missed his first two seasons with knee injuries, including a torn ACL. But head coach Chuck Noll didn’t give up on Lloyd, having seen his potential during training camp practices.
Lloyd went on to produce 53.5 sacks for the Steelers and was named to the Pro Bowl five times. He was also named team MVP on two different occasions.
Safety Troy Polamalu
Last but not least, the Class of 2020 Hall of Honor includes safety Troy Polamalu, who was Pittsburgh’s first-round draft pick in 2003 and played through the 2014 season.
A two-time Super Bowl champion, Polamalu was a four-time first-team All-Pro selection, two-time second team All-Pro selection, NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2010), eight-time Pro Bowler and a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and Steelers All-Time Team.
He’s also a first ballot Hall of Famer and is scheduled to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year.
About the Steelers Hall of Honor
The team introduced the Hall of Honor in 2017 to recognize former players, coaches, and front office personnel who have played an integral role in the success of the franchise. To be considered, a player must be retired at least three years and have played a minimum of three seasons for the Steelers. Former coaches and front office personnel are also eligible.
Watch the announcement, plus brand-new interviews with both James Farrior and Greg Lloyd, here:
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Steelers Add 5 Players to Hall of Honor