L.C. Greenwood, a prominent member of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense that helped win four Super Bowl titles in the 1970s, is a finalist to be included in the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
Greenwood was born in Canton and was a standout student-athlete at Rogers High School before continuing his career at Arkansas A&M, now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He was selected in the 10th round of the 1969 NFL/AFL draft by Pittsburgh and went on to become one of the best defensive ends in the history of the Steel City.
Greenwood’s stats across 13 seasons included 110 tackles and 14 fumble recoveries. He retired a year before sacks became an official stat, but research by Pro Football Reference credits him with 78 quarterback takedowns. He was named to six Pro Bowls, two All-Pro teams, and served as a key piece to bringing Lombardi Trophies back to Pittsburgh for the 1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979 seasons.
Greenwood passed away in 2013 at the age of 67. He was buried in his hometown of Canton.
L.C. Greenwood is a finalist for the @ProFootballHOF Class of 2026 in the Seniors category.
📝: https://t.co/JKm3dBu5SE pic.twitter.com/uWa6MOrClr
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 3, 2025
Joining Greenwood as senior candidates for the 2026 class are Ken Anderson and Roger Craig. New England Patriots pillar and eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick was selected to advance in the coaching category, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft was selected to advance in the contributor category.
The members of the 50-person Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee can vote for three of the finalists, with candidates needing 80% of the votes to make it into the Hall. A maximum of three candidates can reach that threshold, but if no candidate reaches it, the top voter will be elected.
The committee will also vote on 15 modern era finalists that have yet to be determined, with three to five of those candidates guaranteed a spot in the Hall. Former Ole Miss and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is once again up for consideration after falling short in the final round last year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
