Steve Furness

For other people named Stephen Furness, see Stephen Furness (disambiguation).

Steve Furness
Career information
No. 64 Pittsburgh Steelers
Steve Furness at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp
Nickname(s)	Buckethead,^[1] Furny
Date of birth	(1950-12-05)December 5, 1950
Place of birth	Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Date of death	February 9, 2000(2000-02-09) (aged 49)
Place of death	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Position(s)	DT/DE
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	255 lb (116 kg)
College	Rhode Island
High school	Bishop Hendricken (Warwick, Rhode Island)
NFL draft	1972 / Round: 5 / Pick: 113
Drafted by	Pittsburgh Steelers
Career history
As coach
1982–1990	Michigan State (defensive line coach)
1991	Indianapolis Colts (defensive line coach)
1992–1993	Pittsburgh Steelers (defensive line coach)
As player
1972–1980	Pittsburgh Steelers
1981	Detroit Lions
Career highlights and awards
4-time Super Bowl winner (as player) — IX (1974), X (1975), XIII (1978), XIV (1979) 4-time AFC Champion (as player) — 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979 2-time Big 10 champion (as coach) — 1987 (Mich. St.), 1990 (Mich. St.)
Honors	Univ. of Rhode Island Athletic Hall of Fame inductee (1987)^[2]
Career stats
Games played	106
Quarterback sacks	32
Opponent's fumbles recovered	8
Playing stats at NFL.com

Stephen Robert "Steve" Furness (December 5, 1950 – February 9, 2000) was an American defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions of the National Football League, and a member of the Steelers' famed Steel Curtain defense. He earned four Super Bowl rings as a professional player and ranks 12th on the Steelers' all-time sack list. He was of English and Armenian descent.

Furness grew up in Warwick, Rhode Island, where he attended Bishop Hendricken High School before accepting a football scholarship to the University of Rhode Island. In addition to being a star football player for URI, he excelled at the hammer throw and turned down an invitation to the 1972 Olympic Trials to attend the Steelers' training camp.^[3] Furness was selected in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL Draft and initially served as a backup to Joe Greene and Ernie Holmes before replacing Holmes as defensive tackle in 1977. He started in Super Bowl XIII and was primarily known for his skills as a pass rusher, leading the team in quarterback sacks during several seasons with the Steelers. He collected 32 sacks over the course of his Steelers career.^[4] He was also an avid weight lifter and placed fourth in the 1978 'Strongest Man in Football' competition, which aired on CBS.

Furness was released by Pittsburgh after playing all 16 games in the 1980 season and he ended his playing career in 1981 with the Detroit Lions. After retiring from the NFL he became the defensive line coach for Michigan State from 1982–1990, where he worked under his former Steelers defensive coordinator George Perles and helped lead the team to two Big 10 Conference titles, a victory in the 1988 Rose Bowl and appearances in five additional bowl games. During this period he earned a Masters Degree in Athletic Administration from Michigan State University and was inducted to the University of Rhode Island Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987.^[5] He rejoined the NFL in 1991 as an assistant coach for the Indianapolis Colts before returning to the Steelers for his final two years as a defensive line coach (1992–1993). In 1999 he was named as one of the "50 Greatest Rhode Island Sports Figures" of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated magazine, earning the 14th spot on the list.^[3]

Furness died unexpectedly of a heart attack on February 9, 2000. He is survived by two sons and his ex-wife, Debby.

References

↑ Big Night, Shaun Assael, ESPN, The Magazine, January 21, 2003, accessed 2009-02-11
↑ Stephen Furness profile, GoRhody.com (accessed online 2009-02-11)
1 2 "SI.com - SI 50th - Rhode Island - The 50 Greatest Rhode Island Sports Figures - Wednesday July 09, 2003 04:11 PM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
↑ Souls who enriched our lives, our region Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 1, 2002 (accessed online 2009-02-11)
↑ "Rhode Island". Gorhody.cstv.com. Retrieved 2012-09-30.

External links

Pittsburgh Steelers 1972 NFL draft selections

Franco Harris Gordon Gravelle John McMakin Lorenzo Brinkley Ed Bradley Steve Furness Dennis Meyer Joe Colquitt Robert Kelly Stahle Vincent Don Kelley Bob Brown Joe Gilliam Ron Curl Ernie Messmer Tom Durrance John Hulecki Charles Harrington Nate Hawkins Ron Linehan

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl IX Champions

5 Terry Hanratty 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam 20 Rocky Bleier 22 Richard Conn 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 25 Ron Shanklin 26 Preston Pearson 27 Glen Edwards 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris (MVP) 33 John Fuqua 34 Andy Russell 35 Steve Davis 38 Ed Bradley 39 Bobby Walden 43 Frank Lewis 45 Jim Allen 46 Reggie Harrison 47 Mel Blount 50 Jim Clack 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 54 Marv Kellum 55 Jon Kolb 56 Ray Mansfield 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Jim Wolf 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness 68 L. C. Greenwood 71 Gordon Gravelle 72 Gerry Mullins 73 Rick Druschel 74 Dave Reavis 75 Joe Greene 77 Charlie Davis 78 Dwight White 82 John Stallworth 84 Randy Grossman 86 Reggie Garrett 87 Larry Brown 88 Lynn Swann 89 John McMakin

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Bud Carson Dick Hoak George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl X Champions

5 Terry Hanratty 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam 20 Rocky Bleier 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 27 Glen Edwards 29 Brent Sexton 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 33 John Fuqua 34 Andy Russell 36 Dave Brown 38 Ed Bradley 39 Bobby Walden 43 Frank Lewis 44 Mike Collier 45 Jim Allen 46 Reggie Harrison 47 Mel Blount 50 Jim Clack 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 54 Marv Kellum 55 Jon Kolb 56 Ray Mansfield 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness 68 L. C. Greenwood 71 Gordon Gravelle 72 Gerry Mullins 74 Dave Reavis 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 78 Dwight White 82 John Stallworth 84 Randy Grossman 86 Reggie Garrett 87 Larry Brown 88 Lynn Swann (MVP)

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Bud Carson Dick Hoak George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIII Champions

5 Craig Colquitt 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw (MVP) 15 Mike Kruczek 18 Cliff Stoudt 20 Rocky Bleier 21 Tony Dungy 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 25 Ray Oldham 29 Ron Johnson 30 Larry Anderson 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 35 Jack Deloplaine 38 Sidney Thornton 39 Rick Moser 40 Randy Reutershan 47 Mel Blount 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 53 Dennis Winston 55 Jon Kolb 56 Robin Cole 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Willie Fry 64 Steve Furness 65 Tom Beasley 66 Ted Petersen 67 Gary Dunn 68 L. C. Greenwood 69 Fred Anderson 72 Gerry Mullins 74 Ray Pinney 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 77 Steve Courson 78 Dwight White 79 Larry Brown 82 John Stallworth 83 Theo Bell 84 Randy Grossman 86 Jim Smith 87 Jim Mandich 88 Lynn Swann 89 Bennie Cunningham

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Dick Hoak Tom Moore George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Dick Walker Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIV Champions

5 Craig Colquitt 9 Matt Bahr 12 Terry Bradshaw (MVP) 15 Mike Kruczek 20 Rocky Bleier 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 27 Greg Hawthorne 29 Ron Johnson 30 Larry Anderson 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 33 Anthony Anderson 35 Jack Deloplaine 38 Sidney Thornton 39 Rick Moser 47 Mel Blount 49 Dwayne Woodruff 50 Tom Graves 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 53 Dennis Winston 54 Zack Valentine 55 Jon Kolb 56 Robin Cole 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Willie Fry 63 Thom Dornbrook 64 Steve Furness 65 Tom Beasley 66 Ted Petersen 67 Gary Dunn 68 L. C. Greenwood 72 Gerry Mullins 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 77 Steve Courson 78 Dwight White 79 Larry Brown 82 John Stallworth 83 Theo Bell 84 Randy Grossman 85 Calvin Sweeney 86 Jim Smith 88 Lynn Swann 89 Bennie Cunningham

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Rollie Dotsch Dick Hoak Tom Moore George Perles Louis Riecke Paul Uram Dick Walker Woody Widenhofer

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