Former Steelers First-Round Pick, Running Back Greg Hawthorne Dead At 69

Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and first-round pick Greg Hawthorne has died. He was 69.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette shared the news that originated from the family’s Facebook page.

Drafted 28th overall in 1979, Hawthorne was part of the Steelers’ 1979 Super Bowl run to cap the franchise’s dynasty. As a rookie, he carried the ball 28 times for 123 yards and one touchdown while adding another eight receptions. He did not register on the stat sheet in the team’s Super Bowl XIV win over the Los Angeles Rams.

In 1980, he set a single-season high with 226 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Two of them came in a 27-26 loss to the Cleveland Browns, the first and only multi-touchdown game of his NFL career. He transitioned to wide receiver later in his Steelers career, catching 19 passes for 300 yards in 1983.

Hawthorne spent the 1984-1986 seasons with the New England Patriots, and he appeared in Super Bowl XX, a 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. He carried the ball one time for a loss of 4 yards. In 1985, he caught a key fourth quarter touchdown pass off a 4th-and-1 flea flicker to jump-start a comeback win over the Miami Dolphins.

His final year came in 1987 with the Indianapolis Colts.

Across nine NFL seasons, he appeared in 105 games with 25 starts. Hawthorne carried the ball 137 times for 527 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He added 92 receptions for 1,112 yards and four more scores while dabbling as a kick returner throughout his career.

In 2020, we highlighted one of Hawthorne’s signature plays with the Steelers. A 52-yard reception from quarterback Cliff Stoudt.

Born in September 1956 in Fort Worth, Texas, Hawthorne stayed local and played college football at Baylor. In 1977, he rushed for 670 yards and added another 303 during his senior season with the Bears. In high school, he was a standout athlete in football, basketball, and track. He was also known for raising hogs in his hometown.

He was set to turn 70 in early September.