18. Drafted fourth overall in 1969, "Mean" Joe Greene was a leader in making Pittsburgh a defensive powerhouse. What was the nickname of the defence he anchored?
From Quiz 100 Years of NFL: The Defensive Tackles
Answer:
Steel Curtain
"Mean" Joe Greene was a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1969 to 1981. Selected by new head coach Chuck Noll, Greene immediately made an impact in his rookie season and led his team to a... wait for it... 1-13 season. However, Greene was named Defensive Rookie of the Year and selected for his first of ten Pro Bowls. By 1972, Greene led the defence and the Steelers went 11-3, losing in the playoffs to the perfect Miami Dolphins.
By 1973, the "Steel Curtain" defence was in place consisting of Greene, L. C. Greenwood, Dwight White, and Ernie Holmes. The following seasons, they met the Minnesota Vikings' "Purple People Eaters" defence in the Super Bowl. It indeed proved to be a defensive battle with the Steelers winning the first of four Super Bowls in six seasons 16-6. Greene figured into all of those Super Bowl Wins (IX, X, XIII, and XIV). He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1987 and in 2014, the Steelers retired his #75 jersey, only the second number in franchise history to be officially retired.