NFL legend Joe Geene speaks at Texas Sports HOF luncheon

WACO, Texas (KWTX) – NFL hall of famer, Joe Greene, returned to Central Texas on Wednesday to spick at the Texas Sports hall of fame’s Lone Star Luncheon.

The luncheon was moderated by the legendary sports reporter and Waco native, John McClain. McClain revealed that Joe Greene wasn’t born with that name; his birth name was Charles. Greene got the nickname “Joe” because it was the name of the best boxer at the time. “I grew up being comfortable with Joe for football. Charles was only good once I had to write checks,” Greene said.

Later, he became known as “Mean Joe Greene” in Pittsburgh after being drafted first overall by the Steelers from North Texas. Before playing for the Mean Green, he played at Temple Dunbar, a Temple ISD high school that existed before integration.

Greene recalled that in high school, his team wasn’t allowed to use the locker rooms at halftime. “That was just how it was,” he remarked.

Current Temple and Waco ISD student-athletes attended the luncheon with their coaches.

Greene offered advice that remains relevant today: every player just needs to do their job. “And the better you play your job, the better the guys around you will do theirs,” he advised.

He attributed this mindset as the key to his Super Bowl team’s success, a sentiment that current high school coaches greatly appreciated.

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