The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence. It was more successful than earlier rivals to the NFL with the same name, the 1926, 1936 and 1940 leagues, and the later All-America Football Conference.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North Division. Founded in 1933, the Steelers are the seventh-oldest franchise in the NFL, and the oldest franchise in the AFC.
Daryle Pasquale Lamonica was an American professional football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. Lamonica was drafted by the NFL Green Bay Packers in round 12 with the 168th overall pick. He spent his first four seasons mostly as a backup for the Buffalo Bills, who selected him in the 24th round of the 1963 AFL Draft. Lamonica played his next eight seasons as the primary starter of the Raiders, including after they joined the NFL through the AFL–NFL merger.
William Laird Cowher is an American sports analyst, former football player and coach. Following a six-year playing career as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL), he served as a head coach in the NFL for 15 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He began his coaching career as an assistant under Marty Schottenheimer for the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs, serving as the latter's defensive coordinator from 1989 to 1991. In 1992, Cowher was named head coach of the Steelers, whom he led until his retirement following the 2006 season. After retiring, he joined The NFL Today as a studio analyst.
Charles Edward Greene, better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is an American former football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 to 1981. A recipient of two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, five first-team All-Pro selections, and ten Pro Bowl appearances, Greene is widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive linemen to play in the NFL. He was noted for his leadership, fierce competitiveness, and intimidating style of play for which he earned his nickname.
William Ferdie Brown was an American professional football player, coach and administrator. He played as a cornerback for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (NFL). Following his playing career, Brown remained with the Raiders as an assistant coach. He served as the head football coach at California State University, Long Beach in 1991, the final season before the school's football program was terminated. Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1984. At the time of his death he was on the Raiders' administrative staff.
Joseph Thomas Nedney is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996. Nedney played for the San Francisco 49ers from 2005 to 2010 after having played for the Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, and Tennessee Titans.
Kwame Harris is a Jamaican-born former American football player who was an offensive tackle for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, when he won the Morris Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the Pac-10 Conference in 2002. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft.
Ken Herock is a former American college and professional football player who played tight end. He played collegiately at West Virginia and professionally in the American Football League (AFL), where he played for the AFL Champion Oakland Raiders in the second AFL-NFL World Championship Game, held after the 1967 season. He attended Munhall High School in Pittsburgh. His six-year pro career was spent with the Oakland Raiders, who he helped win the AFL title, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Boston Patriots. After his playing career ended, Herock was a player personnel executive in the NFL with the Raiders, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Atlanta Falcons. He is known for trading Brett Favre from the Falcons to the Green Bay Packers at the urging of head coach Jerry Glanville.
Mark Eric May is an American former professional football player who was a guard for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1980s and 1990s. May played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers and earned unanimous All-American honors. He was selected in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and Arizona Cardinals.
Gregory Jennings Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Green Bay Packers. He played college football for the Western Michigan Broncos and was selected by Green Bay in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. Jennings was named to two Pro Bowls during his seven seasons with the Packers and was part of the team that won a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XLV. In his final three seasons, he was a member of the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins. He was inducted into Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2022.
Sports in Pittsburgh have been played dating back to the American Civil War. Baseball, hockey, and the first professional American football game had been played in the city by 1892. Pittsburgh was first known as the "City of Champions" when the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Panthers football team, and Pittsburgh Steelers won multiple championships in the 1970s. Today, the city has three major professional sports franchises, the Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins; while the University of Pittsburgh Panthers compete in a Division I Power Five conference, the highest level of collegiate athletics in the United States, in both football and basketball. Local universities Duquesne and Robert Morris also field Division I teams in men's and women's basketball and Division I FCS teams in football. Robert Morris also fields Division I men's and women's ice hockey teams.
Jack A. Deloplaine was an American professional football player who was a running back for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, and Chicago Bears from 1976 to 1979, having earlier played college football for the Salem Tigers.
Gabriel Rivera, nicknamed "Señor Sack", was an American professional football player who was a nose tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Rivera played college football for Texas Tech Red Raiders, earning consensus All-American honors in 1982. Rivera was a first-round pick in the 1983 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Vallejo High School is a high school located in Vallejo, California. It is part of the Vallejo City Unified School District and has been in the heart of Vallejo for more than 100 years. It currently serves the west side of the city.
Jonathan Dupree Baldwin is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh. Baldwin also played for the San Francisco 49ers.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other non-heterosexual or non-cisgender (LGBTQ+) community is prevalent within sports across the world.
Sam Clancy Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League. He was signed with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers; however, he never played a game for either team. He was injured as a member of the 76ers, and was waived by the Blazers. He is 6 ft 7 in tall and he weighs 118 kg and used to play at the position of forward-center.
Carl Paul Nassib is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earning unanimous All-American honors as a senior in 2015. Nassib was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders. In 2021 Nassib became the first active NFL player to publicly come out as gay and to play in a game.
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