A player who helped define an unforgettable era in Pittsburgh Steelers history has passed away. Greg Hawthorne’s impact on the Steelers extended far beyond the stat sheet, with a Super Bowl triumph under his name in his rookie season. Earlier this week, Hawthorne’s sister, Michelle Payton, confirmed his demise.

“On behalf of the Hawthorne family, it is with deep sadness that our brother Gregory Dale Hawthorne passed away last night,” Payton captioned her Facebook post. Please keep his mother and his children, his brothers and sisters, as well as the whole family in your prayers. Service arrangements will be shared as soon as they become available. Our family appreciates your love, support, and understanding during this time. 🙏🏽🕊️”

According to her post, Greg Hawthorne died on July 8 at age 69. Michelle or any other family members haven’t revealed the reason behind Greg’s demise yet. Instead, Hawthorne’s family requested privacy and prayers for his mother, children, and siblings while stating that funeral arrangements would be shared once finalised.

Born on September 5, 1956, in Fort Worth, Texas, Hawthorne lived an extremely private life. Except for his sister, Michelle, there isn’t a lot of personal information available about Greg and his family.

According to reports, Greg Hawthorne spent his formative years in Fort Worth and raised hogs before pursuing football, basketball, and track at Fort Worth Polytechnic High School.

But when he joined Baylor University, Hawthorne committed to playing college football. And after playing one of his best seasons in 1977, rushing for 670 yards, the running back made it to the NFL for greater glory.

A glance through Greg Hawthorne’s NFL career

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Greg Hawthorne as the 28th overall in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft, a move that shocked many, as he was struggling with a hip injury during his senior collegiate season.

“Hawthorne had only played in three games during his senior season at Baylor due to a hip injury and was not projected to go in the first round,” reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after his selection.

Greg’s NFL career also got off to a rough start when he pulled his hamstring during rookie training camp. Still, Hawthorne appeared in 15 regular-season games during his rookie year, and also earned a championship ring as Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XIV.

After spending five seasons in Pittsburgh, Hawthorne found it difficult to break into a starting lineup crowded with franchise icons like Franco Harris. His most active stretch came in 1980, starting six games in place of an injured Harris and scoring four touchdowns. After that stretch, Hawthorne moved to the New England Patriots in 1984.

Similar to his stint with the Steelers, Greg Hawthorne received a shot to win another Super Bowl in the 1985 season. During the AFC Championship game that season against the Miami Dolphins, Hawthorne made a crucial fumble recovery to set up a touchdown, helping propel the Patriots to Super Bowl XX. However, in the final game, the Chicago Bears came out strong and defeated New England 41-10.

During his NFL career, Hawthorne became known for his versatility, rotating actively between running back, wide receiver, and tight end. Following his stint with the Steelers and Patriots, Hawthorne played his final season with the Indianapolis Colts in 1987 before retiring.