Green was born in Natchez, Mississippi. He attended North Natchez High School.
College career[]
Green attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he played defensive end for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers from 1977 to 1980. He was a three-time consensus first-team All-American (1978, 1979, 1980) and a second-team All-America selection as a freshman in 1977. He was a consensus four-time All-East selection as well. In the 4 years Green was playing the Pittsburgh Panthers complied a 39–8–1 record, winning three bowl games en route (two Gator Bowls and one Fiesta Bowl). His No. 99 jersey was retired at halftime of his final home game in the 1980 season. After the season he played in both the Hula Bowl and Japan Bowl All-star games.
Green left the university with 460 tackles and 53 career sacks in his college career.[2] According to USC and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach John McKay, "Hugh Green is the most productive player at his position I have ever seen in college".[3] The table is a year-by-year showing of Green's defensive statistics.
Defensive Statistics
Season
Games
Tackles
Assists
Total
For Loss
Sacks
Yds Lost
Int
FF
FR
PD
Hur
BK
1977
12
58
34
92
15
12
-76
1
5
3
4
21
2
1978
12
66
43
109
12
13
-82
2
6
3
6
21
0
1979
12
76
59
135
14
11
-104
1
6
3
5
17
0
1980
12
77
46
123
11
17
-112
0
7
4
6
17
0
Total
48
277
183
460
52
53
-374
4
24
13
22
76
2
Key for abbreviations: For Loss = tackle behind the line of scrimmage on a run play — Sacks = tackle behind the line of scrimmage on a pass play — Yds Lost = yards lost on sack — Int = Interception — FF = forced fumble — FR = fumble recovered — PD = pass deflected — Hur = pass play "hurried" into a bad play — BK = blocked placekick or punt
Green was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and was named the fifth greatest college football player of All-Time by collegefootballnews.com.[2] He was named to the all-time All-American team compiled by The Sporting News in 1983.[7] In 2007, Green was ranked #14 on ESPN's Top 25 Players In College Football History list. He was also named to Sports Illustrated's College Football All-Century team in 1999.[8]
Professional career[]
Green was selected as the seventh overall pick of the first round by the Buccaneers in the 1981 NFL Draft. He was a 1982 All-Pro and 1983 All-Pro and was elected to the Pro Bowl twice in his career, in 1982 and 1983. Later in his career he suffered several injuries, including a car accident in the middle of the 1984 season for a fracture near the eye.[9] He was traded to the Miami Dolphins in the middle of the 1985 season. In the 1985 season he was on to a career high in sacks and ended the season getting 7.5 while playing all 16 games despite the mid-season trade. In Miami, Green played six more solid seasons before retiring. He was a member of Don Shula's teams which were often playoff contenders and Green was a starter on those teams, racking up 7.5 sacks in 1989, to tie a career high, for example.
References[]
↑Bucpower.com, Hugh Green. Retrieved April 14, 2006.
↑Strother, Shelby. "Green's presence felt - especially by Bears". St. Petersburg Times. 2 Nov 1981
↑However, Green's Panthers met Rogers' Gamecocks in the Gator Bowl at the end of that season, with the Panthers winning 37–9 as Green and the Panther defense kept Rogers from scoring and forced him to fumble twice. Lineman finalist for Heisman Retrieved April 14, 2006
