Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman and long-time Steelers broadcaster Craig Wolfley has died. He was 66. WDVE confirmed the news Monday morning, announcing his death while broadcasters who knew him immediately sent out condolences and reactions.
Per Wes Uhler on WDVE, Wolfley was recently diagnosed with cancer.
Drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 1980 NFL Draft out of Syracuse, ‘Wolf’ as he became known, spent a decade in Pittsburgh. At guard, he made 102 starts with the team across 129 appearances. He spent multiple seasons as a full-time starter, making 16 starts with Pittsburgh in 1981, 14 in 1983, 13 in 1985, 12 in 1987, and 16 in 1988. He shifted out to left tackle for that 1988 season before being replaced by John Jackson in 1989.
A free agent after the season, Wolfley signed with Minnesota and spent his final two years with the Vikings, appearing in 24 games with two starts.
After his playing days were done, Wolfley became a long-time broadcaster for the team. Hired in 2002, He worked as a sideline reporter and booth analyst, replacing the late Tunch Ilkin following his death in 2021. The two were teammates and close friends and broadcast partners, making up a long-time trio along with play-by-play announcer Bill Hillgrove.
“It’s beyond friendship,” Hillgrove once said of Wolfley and Ilkin via the Pro Football Researches Association. “I don’t think anyone in the history of the league has been in that close of a proximity for such a sustained period of time as they have. We’re talking 41 years. It’s a brotherhood, and it’s probably something deeper than that. I can’t explain it.”
Though a matter to be decided later this offseason, Pittsburgh will need to replace Wolfley’s role in the booth alongside new announcer Rob King, who took the job in 2024 following Hillgrove’s retirement from calling Steelers’ games.
Away from football, Wolfley was strong in his faith and active within church groups and the community around Pittsburgh. He often spoke during Pittsburgh’s annual ManUp events hosted by Mike Tomlin that regularly included other Steelers.
Known for his jovial personality and hilarious quips, it’s a loss for a Pittsburgh broadcasting community that’s experienced several in recent years. Ilkin died from ALS while Stan Savran died in June of 2023.
Our Scott Brown covered one of Wolfley’s keynote speeches, telling the tale of facing DT Joe Greene in practice. You can read that below.
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