Steelers to retire Joe Greene's #75

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/6532272-74/steelers-greene-jersey#axzz38xeNPE8x

The first number they've retired in 50 years.  The next and last number they should ever retire from those years is #59, Jack Ham, the greatest defensive player and mind ever to take the field.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Absolutely deserving. Star of the greatest commercial ever:

[DemPGH]

Great call. He might be my favorite Steeler of that era. They were literally great then, and if you watch America's Game you see what a leader he was.

Oh, and Mel Blount was pretty good too! 

[Dr. Cynic]

It's well deserved, but I'm stunned that they did it all the same. The Steelers have unofficially retired several numbers; 12, 36, 32, 58, 59, 86, 88.... But they were always kind of stubbornly idiosyncratic by choosing not to officially retire any other number but Ernie Stautner's.

It feels very odd to me... Sort of like when they came up with Steely McBeam, or when Cowher left... The Steelers are stubbornly obsessed with maintaining a sense of continuity, that any sort of change feels like it's this major world turning event.

[Paul Kemp]

The Steelers have unofficially retired several numbers; 12, 36, 32, 58, 59, 86, 88.... .

in honor of the great Emmanuel Sanders?

Anyway, I generally oppose retiring jerseys. At the rate NFL teams are retiring jerseys, they're gonna have to move to three digits soon. I also like the idea of numbers being around for future players to pick up and continue the legacy (ala 88 in Dallas). Instead of taking the number out of commission, just hang the player's jersey in the stadium and enter them into the team ring of honor/hall of fame - leaving the number available for issue.

I do think exceptions can be made though and Joe Greene is an obvious one. Perhaps a good compromise would be for teams to only retire numbers of players admitted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I think that's what New England said their policy is now.

On another note, it's about time that the NFL lifts the position specific numbering system. Eligible receivers have to report anyway. Let the WRs wear single digits! It looks so mean in college...

[Badger]

The Steelers have unofficially retired several numbers; 12, 36, 32, 58, 59, 86, 88.... .

in honor of the great Emmanuel Sanders?

Lynn Swann, you Neanderthal.

And props to the Steelers for a classy, albeit overdue, move.

[Paul Kemp]

The Steelers have unofficially retired several numbers; 12, 36, 32, 58, 59, 86, 88.... .

in honor of the great Emmanuel Sanders?

Lynn Swann, you Neanderthal.

haha obviously. It's a bit odd to have an  "unofficially retired number" given to a marginal receiver.

[Dr. Cynic]

The Steelers have unofficially retired several numbers; 12, 36, 32, 58, 59, 86, 88.... .

in honor of the great Emmanuel Sanders?

Lynn Swann, you Neanderthal.

haha obviously. It's a bit odd to have an  "unofficially retired number" given to a marginal receiver.

Well, they semi-retired a lot of numbers that they've used again and some they haven't. I was probably thinking of 82 in there as well. After Stallworth, really only Thigpen and Randle El have really worn the number.

We probably won't be seeing 7 for awhile after Ben goes either.

[Gass3268]

Packers have been slightly more selective when retiring numbers:

3 - Tony Canadeo (HB - 1941-1944/1946-1952)
14 - Don Hutson (WR/DB - 1935-1945)
15 - Bart Starr (QB - 1956-1971)
66 - Ray Nitschke (LB - 1958-1972)
92 - Reggie White (DE - 1993-1998)

Brett Favre will get his #4 retired sometime here soon (they want to do it sometime before he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame)

Also I imagine that Rodgers' #12 will have a good chance of being retired if he keeps his current pace for a few more years or if he wins another Super Bowl.