Mike Wagner

Mike Wagner
Mike Wagner
Position(s)
Safety
Waukegan, Illinois
Jersey #(s)
23
Born June 22, 1949 (1949-06-22) (age 62)
Career information
Year(s) 19711980
NFL Draft 1971 / Round: 11 / Pick: 268
College Western Illinois
Professional teams
Career stats
Interceptions 36
Fumble recoveries 12
Forced fumbles 5
Stats at NFL.com
Stats at pro-football-reference.com
Career highlights and awards

Michael Robert Wagner (born June 22, 1949 in Waukegan, Illinois) is a former American football player with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He won four Super Bowls as a safety on the famed Steel Curtain defense.

Playing career

Wagner played college football at Western Illinois University, earning NAIA All-American status in 1969. He was added to the Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 1976.[1]

He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL Draft. Wagner, who tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions in 1973, appeared in the 1975 and 1976 Pro Bowls and recorded 36 career interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. He won four Super Bowls, recording interceptions in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X, in a 10-year career before retiring in 1980.[2]

After retirement

Wagner is currently a defensive backs coach at Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.[3] He was interviewed for the NFL Films documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions on the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers.

For a short time, Mike Wagner also served as an assistant coach on the Pine-Richland High School (Gibsonia, PA) coaching staff, mainly working with the defensive backs and special teams.

Mike Wagner was the guest speaker at the 3rd annual Steel City Mafia Banquet in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on August 15, 2009.

References