Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety and four-time Super Bowl Champion Mike Wagner has died at the age of 76. A ballhawk and member of the Steelers’ Hall of Honor, Webster was a key part of the vaunted Steel Curtain defense.
Steelers team president Art Rooney II announced Wagner’s passing.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mike Wagner, a tremendous player and an integral part of some of the most successful teams in Pittsburgh Steelers history,” Rooney said in a team statement. “Mike played a key role on our championship teams of the 1970s. As a member of four Super Bowl-winning teams, his toughness and consistence were paramount to our secondary. His contributions on the field were significant, but it was also his steady presence and team-first mentality that truly defined him. On behalf of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Mike’s family. He will always be remembered as a champion, a great teammate and a proud member of the Steelers family.”
Wagner played all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Steelers. A tenth-round pick out of Western Illinois in the 1971 NFL Draft, Wagner was a bastion of consistency for the Steelers defense on the back-end.
Along with Jack Ham, he is the tied for the most playoff interceptions in team history with five. In Super Bowl X and Super Bowl IX, Wagner notched a pick, developing his reputation as a ballhawk.
A two-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time All-Pro, Wagner had 36 interceptions in 119 games played in his entire career. The Steelers inducted Wagner into their Hall of Honor in 2020.
After his retirement, Wagner resided in the Pittsburgh area as a well-regarded businessman.