Carolina Panthers former OLB Kevin Greene HOF Semi-finalist

Former Carolina Panthers star OLB Kevin Greene was one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL from 1986 to 1999, and he played for several teams including the panthers. Greene started his career with the St. Louis Rams, moved east to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, spent a season with the Panthers and then with the San Francisco 49ers, and he finally closed out his career in Carolina with two final seasons for the Panthers.

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Greene is a Hall of Fame semi-finalist this year along with Jonathan Ogden, Jerome Bettis, Michael Strahan, Warren Sapp, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, Cris Carter, Larry Allen, Will Shields, Bill Parcells, Aeneas Williams, Dave Robinson, Curley Culp, Art Modell, and Edward DeBartolo Jr. (the last two are owners).

Carter, Strahan, Ogden, Shields, Parcells, Williams, Sapp, Green, Modell, Haley, Brown, and Bettis are all certainly worthy of Hall of Fame votes, and I hope Greene gets in. If he does, then he will be the second player to play for the Carolina Panthers to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. The other? Arguably the greatest pass rusher in history, Reggie White. That would mean the Panthers have had plenty of luck with bringing in elite veteran pass rushers, and Greene is the best of them.

In three seasons with the Panthers, Greene racked up 41.5 sacks and led the league in that category once. He was a First-Team All-Pro selection in 1996 and also made the Pro Bowl twice in his career with the Panthers. Those are some ridiculous numbers, and he also had a hand in 12 turnovers and had one defensive touchdown. Greene has 160 career sacks, five interceptions, 49 combined fumbles forced and recovered, a pair of touchdowns, and a trio of safeties.

Greene was also an intelligent player who oozed professionalism as a great leader on defense for the teams he played for. Panthers fans will always remember Greene for three incredible years, and the five-time Pro Bowler (two-time First-Team All-Pro) is third in NFL history with 160 sacks. I think his dominance as a pass rusher warrants a Hall of Fame selection, but I have a feeling that Greene will just miss out on the cut.

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