After winning four Super Bowls in the 1970s, the Pittsburgh Steelers took a step back in the years that followed. The team did not see much success, but that didn’t last for long. The Steelers of the 1990s were back to their fearsome ways, fielding another spectacular defense riddled with Hall of Fame players. They even made it back to the Super Bowl in 1995, although they lost this time. Part of the reason they couldn’t reach the top of the mountain again was because their offense struggled often. One former Steelers’ linebacker confirmed that players knew their defense was the real draw.
Greg Lloyd was a linebacker for the Steelers from 1987 to 1997, being named first-team All-Pro three times and also making five Pro Bowls. Lloyd was one of the leaders on a Steelers’ defense that included Rod Woodson and Kevin Greene. In an appearance on Conversations with a Legend with LaVar Arrington, Lloyd spoke about how he would talk trash to the Steelers’ offense, always letting them know what he thought.
“The mentality was defensive guys were getting on offensive guys and telling offensive guys, ‘Y’all get y’all shit together.'” Lloyd said. “Or, like me, I would tell Dermontti and them. Dermontti and them would go out on the field, and they would get a fumble or something like that, and they’d be coming off the field. Dermontti is one of the nicest persons in the world, Dermontti Dawson.
“You can’t out-nice Dermontti. He’d be walking off the field going, ‘Oh, brother Greg, we goin’ get that back.’ I turned around and looked at him and said, ‘I’m glad y’all fumbled because didn’t nobody come to watch y’all ass anyway. They come to watch us.'”
Lloyd was known as one of the most intimidating players of his era, so it isn’t surprising to hear that he would even talk trash to his own offense. That supreme confidence in their defense is what made Lloyd so great. He may not have the most sacks in Steelers’ history, but his presence carried more weight than any play. He carried on the history of menacing Steelers’ linebackers from Jack Lambert perfectly.
Dawson was also a Hall of Fame center for the Steelers from 1988 to 2000, picking up the torch from Mike Webster, so it goes to show Lloyd wasn’t just talking to the bad players on the Steelers’ offense. Really, those Steelers’ offenses had talent, but just could never find a competent enough quarterback. It would be great to know what kind of things Lloyd was saying to players like Neil O’Donnell or Mike Tomczak.
Although Lloyd is known as a candid speaker and a trash-talker, he doesn’t appear to have any ill will towards O’Donnell for his poor performance in Super Bowl 30.
Kidding aside, this is a perfect encapsulation of what the Steelers have been for the majority of their successful years. Whenever the Steelers made the Super Bowl, whether they won or lost, whether they had a good or bad offense, the focus has always been on their defense. T.J. Watt could have probably said some things to the Steelers’ offense like Lloyd over the past several years. Going forward, the Steelers’ defense will likely be at the forefront again, but hopefully they can put together an offense better than the one Lloyd had to watch. If they can do that, they might be able to compete for a Super Bowl once again.
