Photo courtesy
of Mike Fabus

GREG LLOYD:
HEIGHT:  6-2
COLLEGE:   Fort Valley State
BIRTHDATE:  May 26th, 1965
BIRTHPLACE:  Miami, Florida
HOW AQUIRED: 
Drafted 6th in 1987

Greg Lloyd in Dublin '97

MY MAN - MR. LLOYD!

MR LLOYD'S CAREER STATS

1998: 
63 tackles, 47 solo and 16 assists, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble.

1997: Greg's season was once again disrupted by an injury sustained against Philadelphia November 23. He sat out the final six games of the season when the ankle injury developed into a staph infection. Had registered 33 solo tackles and 3.5 sacks before his injury.

1996: Suffered torn patella tendon in left knee five minutes into third quarter of opener at Jacksonville (Sep 1)... Had registered 2 solo tackles and 50th career sack before sustaining injury.

1995: Voted defensive co-captain with Levon Kirkland by his teammates... Started every game for first time since 1992... Named to his fifth Pro Bowl... Consensus all-Pro by AP, C&PFW, Football Digest, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News... Twice earned AFC Defensive player of week honours. Led team with career high 117 tackles... second time leading team in tackles and second time surpassing 100 tackle mark... Team leader with 18 stops behind line of scrimmage and 6 forced fumbles... Tied career interception high (3)... Led team in tackles for 5 games... Had double-digit tackles for 3 games... Led team with 12 tackles (10 solo) vs Jacksonville... Made career-long 52-yard interception return at Chicago (Nov 5) to set up TD and earned AFC Defensive Player of Week 11 after recording 4 tackles, 2 QB pressures, 2 sacks, 1 interception, a pass defense and a forced fumble... Led team with season high 13 tackles vs Houston (Dec 3)... Earned 2nd AFC Defensive Player of Week 15 vs New England (Dec 16) after tying season high with 13 stops (7 solo) and causing Ben Coates fumble that was returned by Chris Oldham for TD... Finished postseason with 20 tackles, one behind team leader Levon Kirkland... Led team with 2 sacks and 6 QB pressures... 2nd on team with 8 tackles in Super Bowl XXX vs Dallas (Jan 28).

1994: Named to 4th Pro Bowl in 6th season as starter... Voted MVP by teammates for second time in career... Consensus all-Pro by AP, C&PFW, Football Digest, Sports Illustrated, USA Today... Named defensive player of year by United Press International and Kansas City 101 Club... Played 15 games with 15 starts... Ranked 3rd on team with 91 tackles (73 solo), career-highs with 10 sacks and 7 forced fumbles... Also had 10 pass defenses and 1 fumble recovery... Tied team record with sack in 6 consecutive games, Games 5-10... Was third on team with 21 QB pressures... Opened season with 10 tackles vs Dallas (Sept 4)... Led team with 8 stops vs Houston (Oct 3), also had 1 forced fumble and 1 sack... Ended 4 of Bengals final 13 plays including a sack and forced fumble to preserve 14-10 win vs Cincinnati (Oct 16)... October heroics earned Lloyd AFC defensive player of month... Made 27 tackles, sack in every October game and 3 forced fumbles... Led team with 9 tackles vs Miami (Nov 20)... Did not dress for San Diego game (Dec 24)... Made 11 tackles while starting both playoff games.

1993: Named Pro Bowl starter after leading team in tackles for first time with 111, including 6 sacks, and in forced fumbles with 5... Started 15 games, missing Week 17 at Seattle (Dec 26) with hamstring injury which ended streak of 47 straight starts... Made 16 tackles in first 2 games before earning defense game balI vs. Cincinnati (Sept 19) with sack, team-high 8 tackles... Made 14 tackles and fumble recovery at Atlanta (Sept 27)... Named AFC defensive player of week and got defense game ball vs San Diego (Oct 10) with sack, team-leading 11 tackles and 2 forced fumbles, 1 of which was returned by Levon Kirkland for game's only TD... Shared lead with 8 tackles vs New Orleans (Oct 17) before getting sack and forced fumble at Cleveland (Oct 24)... Tackle leader at Cincinnati (Nov 7) with 8, at Houston (Nov 28) with 12 while starting at MLB in dime defense... Named AFC defensive player of week for second time at Miami (Dec 13) with 2 sacks, 7 tackles... Strained L hamstring vs Houston (Dec 19) and was inactive at Seattle (Dec 26)... Returned to start vs Cleveland (Jan 1) and forced 2 fumbles which set up 2 FGs in addition to 1 sack to move to 7th in team history... In playoffs at Kansas City (Jan 8) made 1 sack among 3 tackles.

1992: Led team in sacks (6.5) fumbles forced (5) and fumbles recovered (3) to earn second trip to Pro Bowl as "need" player... Had interception at San Diego (Sep 20), 13 tackles at Green Bay (Sep 27), including 1/2 sack, 1 forced fumble... Had forced fumble and sack among 9 tackles vs. Cincinnati (Oct 19) followed by 2 sacks at Kansas City (Oct 25) for fourth multiple-sack game of career... Made 8 solo stops and forced 2 fumbles at Buffalo (Nov 8), followed by forced fumble, blocked pass and 5 tackles vs Detroit (Nov 15)... Had 2 sacks at Chicago (Dec 13) for second 2-sack game of year.

1991: As need player became 8th LB under Chuck Noll to play in Pro Bowl, joining Andy Russell, Henry Davis, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Robin Cole, Mike Merriweather and David Little... Was 3rd on team with 76 tackles, 2nd with 8 sacks, led team with 6 forced fumbles, shared lead with 2 fumbles recovered and added 1 intercepton... Also handled long-snapping duties on punts for 4 games... Had 2 sacks, fumble recovery in opener vs San Diego (Sep 1)... Made interception vs New England (Sep 15), followed by a sack in each of next 2 games at Philadelphia (Sep 22) and Indianapolis (Oct 6)... Earned game ball in overtime win at Cincinnati (Nov 10) with 2 sacks, 8 tackles, forced and recovered fumble which set up winning TD in overtime… Forced 3 fumbles in next 5 weeks and added sack vs Cincinnati (Dec 15)... Capped season with 9 tackles vs Cleveland (Dec 22)... Led or shared team lead in sacks all season until 4 sack outing by Jerrol Williams in final game.

1990: in 14 starts made 4.5 sacks, 62 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble... Had sack in opener at Cleveland (Sep 9), another along with forced fumble vs San Diego (Oct 7) and got interception vs Cincinnati (Dec 2)... Sat out game 15 vs. Cleveland (Dec 23) with ankle sprain but made 7 tackles in finale at Houston (Dec 30).

1989: Team sack leader with 7, second-leading tackler with 92 after starting all 16 games for first time... Added career-high 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries... Made 4 sacks in last 4 games, including 2 vs Houston (Dec 3)... Had 11 solo tackles at Denver (Nov 5), interceptions vs Chicago (Nov 12) and at Miami (Nov 26)... Won game ball at New York Jets (Dec 10) with 8 tackles, 1 interception, 1 sack.

1988: Spent first 7 weeks on injured reserve after suffering knee injury in pre-season game vs Philadelphia (Aug 14) and undergoing arthroscopic surgery Aug 15... Activated Oct 22 and played in first NFL game vs Denver (Oct 23)... Played in last 9 games with 4 starts, finishing with 33 tackles, 1/2 sack, 2 forced fumbles while playing ROLB... Made first NFL start vs Philadelphia (Nov 13) and got 1/2 sack the next week at Cleveland (Nov 20)... Forced 2 fumbles vs Miami (Dec 12). 1987: Spent rookie year on injured reserve with knee injury suffered on second day of training camp (July 27)... Underwent reconstructive surgery Aug 7, went on injured reserve Aug 28... Was 150th player drafted overall 30th among LBs.

THE 1998 SEASON

I wrote the following in June 1998:

The Steelers would save $2 million against the salary cap if they let Greg Lloyd go. I can't believe this will happen. They would lose an exceptional player, an outstanding leader and they couldn't possibly want Greg playing for another team. Tom Donahoe said, "In our opinion, Greg can still play. Lloyd's status has never been a question with us.'' It will be great to see #95 back on the field again to fire up the defense. Unfortunately, the news from Pittsburgh isn't good. Greg doesn't appear to be able to run effectively yet. Time is not on his side but if anyone can, Greg can.

In July 1998, the Steelers let Greg go and he eventually signed for the Carolina Panthers. The Steelers used his money to lay the foundations for their future by getting their rookies into camp - that's life in today's NFL.

In 1999, Greg appeared to have disappeared. He returned briefly for the final home game celebrations. Maybe one day he will be back back somewhere as an NFL coach. I would like to see his passion brought back to Pittsburgh in some coaching role someday. Anyone know where he is?