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Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Mike Wagner, a four-time Super Bowl champion with the franchise during its “Steel Curtain” dynasty, has died at age 76.
The Steelers announced Wagner’s death Wednesday night in a statement.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mike Wagner, a great 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.
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Safety Mike Wagner of the Pittsburgh Steelers watches from the sidelines during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium circa 1979 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
No cause of death has been given.
Wagner was a two-time Pro Bowler during his 10-year career with the Steelers, where he had 36 interceptions and five forced fumbles from 1971-80.
The Steelers took him 268th overall in the 1971 NFL Draft, which was the 11th round at the time.
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“Mike played a key role on our championship team in the 1970s. As a member of four Super Bowl-winning teams, his toughness and consistency were paramount to our secondary. His contributions on the field were significant, but it was also his steady presence and team-first mentality that truly defined him,” Rooney’s statement continued.
“On behalf of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization, we send our deepest condolences to Mike’s family. He will always be remembered as a champion, a great teammate and a proud member of the Steelers family.”
Wagner’s football journey is a unique journey leading up to the NFL Draft.
Safety Mike Wagner of the Pittsburgh Steelers returns to the sideline with the football after intercepting a pass against the Oakland Raiders during the 1975 season AFC Championship playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium on January 4, 1976 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
He attended Western Illinois University, but he didn’t play for the football team until he asked the head coach for a tryout after he got no interest in competing at any other school.
Western Illinois practice commit and Wagner made the team. But he still waited tables as a means of earning money while playing for the team.
The Steelers would eventually take a shot at him, but the late-round pick wasn’t an afterthought in his rookie season.
Wagner started at safety after an injury on the depth chart, and he wouldn’t relinquish his starting position from there.
He started 116 of his 119 career games and in 1973 led the league with eight interceptions.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Wagner watches from the sideline during a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on November 30, 2014 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
Among those career interceptions was the game-sealing one against the Minnesota Vikings that picked off big man Fran Tarkenton to give the Steelers the Super Bowl IX win — the franchise’s first.
In 2020, the Steelers inducted Wagner into its Hall of Honor and continued to be around the organization until his death.
