Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Oliver Gibson, who spent four seasons with the Steelers from 1995-1998, died at the age of 53, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Gibson, a fourth-round pick of the Steelers in the 1995 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, played in 60 games with the Steelers as a backup, recording 42 tackles and 5.5 career sacks with the Black and Gold.
Following his time with the Steelers, Gibson signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and spent five seasons there from 1999-2003.
While with the Bengals, Gibson became a starter and a key piece defensively for the Bengals, playing in 73 games with 57 career starts. In that span, Gibson recorded 201 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, one interception and two fumble recoveries.
Though he had his most playing time and success with the Bengals after the move there for the 1999 season, Gibson still held fond memories of Pittsburgh, stating to Steelers.com in 2011 that Pittsburgh was a magical place unlike anything he’d experienced in his NFL career. Even after his post-playing days, Gibson still identified as a Steeler and stated the Steelers were the only NFL team he watched.
“There were so many moments I came in and made a sack here and there. There were great games, but it was about the memories, not just the plays. It was about the people in the locker room – Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Levon Kirkland, Chad Brown – these are incredible names,” Gibson told Steelers.com in 2011. “I played for Cincinnati and Tampa after leaving, but it was never the same kind of magic. The way the city of Pittsburgh rallied around the team. That created a special atmosphere.
“It’s hard to say one effort. You get a sack in Pittsburgh they talk about you at the Giant Eagle the next week.”
During his four years in Pittsburgh, his best season came in 1996 when he had 15 tackles and 2.5 sacks, recording sacks in back-to-back weeks against the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Oilers in Weeks 7 and 8. Two weeks later against St. Louis he recorded half a sack.
He also recorded three tackles in the playoffs that year, including two in the divisional round loss to the New England Patriots.
In the 1998 season, his final with the Steelers, Gibson recorded 2.0 sacks, both coming against the Baltimore Ravens in a 16-6 Steelers win. Gibson sacked quarterback Eric Zeier in the third quarter on a 3rd and 7 for a 6-yard loss, according to Pro Football Reference, and later took down Zeier on a 1st and 10 late in the fourth quarter to help close out the game.
After that season he signed with the Bengals and spent five more years there, closing out his career before going on to do some broadcast work before becoming the head coach of his high school in Romeoville, Illinois in 2014.
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