Chuck Noll was the coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout the 1970s. He built a dynasty in that city, which still remembers him fondly today. His legacy really is the “steel curtain.” Under his leadership one of the Pennsylvania professional teams became on of the best in the league. He took his amazing team to the Super Bowl many times and became the only coach to win four Super Bowl championships. Noll really built the team from the ground up.
The Steelers were founded in 1933 and had never made it to a league championship. Noll stepped in in 1969 having never been a head coach. He used his experience as a guard and linebacker for the Cleveland Browns to inform his coaching. He also used quite a bit of trial and error. The first season he was with the team they only won one game. He went on to win many Super Bowls by drafting carefully and building the Steel Curtain defense as well as beefing up a powerful offense. He coached the Steelers for 23 years and within that time frame they won the Super Bowl in 1974, ’75, ’78, and ’79 and they won nine American Football Conference Central Division championships.
His success with the team won his a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Also a part of Noll’s legacy was the great attitude and the love of the game that he passed on to his players. He saw himself first as a teacher and wanted to make sure that all his players knew the game inside and out. He loved the fine details of football and loved to discuss and plan plays and strategies. After he retired and enjoyed his glory, he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and heart and back problems. His son confirmed Coach Noll’s death. He was a great leader who was loved by all and certainly recruited a great fan base for the Pittsburgh Steelers that still lasts today. He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered by all those that knew him.
from Douglas MacFaddin’s Sports Page http://ift.tt/1i61OUr
