FACT CHECK: Did Pittsburgh Steelers Legend “Mean” Joe Greene Tragically Die?

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have addressed news claiming former player “Mean” Joe Greene passed away this Friday. 

There was legitimate concern among NFL fans in the wake of a post going viral on X claiming the legendary defensive tackle had died. 

This followed news of the passing of martial artist and Hollywood star Chuck Norris. Norris’ family confirmed his death, which did not happen in Greene’s case. 

That’s because the news is fake…

Green is very much alive. The Steelers refuted claims of his death after TMZ Sports reached out. 

“Don’t believe everything you see on the internet … Steelers legend “Mean” Joe Greene is very much alive despite a viral death hoax, the team tells TMZ Sports,” the publication reported.

“The rumors started to swirl on social media on Friday, with an erroneous report claiming the 79-year-old four-time Super Bowl champ died.”

User Drops Fake Apology After Sharing Fake News About “Mean” Joe Greene 

The user who shared the fake news has since apologized, citing poor research.

“I apologize, I didn’t know and was tricked also,” he wrote, “I will do a better job at reviewing my resources.”

However, He hasn’t deleted the post. 

Greene, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, spent his entire 13-year career with the Steelers and helped them win four Super Bowls. 

A two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 10-time Pro Bowler, he retired with 77.5 sacks, 16 fumble recoveries and an interception. He’s the last surviving member of the “Steel Curtain” defense and is remembered as one of the greatest players of his era.

The team retired his No. 75 jersey in 2014.

It appears the user in question shared the fake post to generate clicks. He could have easily deleted it otherwise.