Steelers' Greg Lloyd Flipped Off The Broncos Bench After Being Ejected For Hitting A Referee "That Began The Crazy Man"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' crushing defense of the 1990s was given the nickname "Blitzburgh." One of the players who made that name a reality was Greg Lloyd. Lloyd, a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Steelers was well known for his brutal quarterback blitzes and his knack for forcing fumbles. While Steelers fans mostly loved Lloyd's ferocity, there were those who thought he took it all too far. This gave him a bit of a reputation and might even be contributing to keeping him out of the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. Now Lloyd is sharing some of those stories about his time playing in the Steel City. 

Lloyd played his collegiate football at Fort Valley State University, a small, historically black university (HBCU). He was lucky to have been spotted by Steelers scouts, thanks to the work of Bill Nunn who helped players from HBCUs move up into the NFL. Despite having some limited playing time in college due to a knee injury, the Steelers liked what they saw in Lloyd. 

He was selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft in 1987 and immediately began to fight for his spot on the team. Unfortunately, two back-to-back knee injuries kept Lloyd off the field until more than halfway through his sophomore season. But when he did finally take the field, he was exceptional. He was a First Team All-Pro for three straight seasons. In 1994 and 1995, he was co-leader of the NFL record for the most forced fumbles. 

He was respected and admired by his teammates as he became a leader on the team and a hero to the city of Pittsburgh. It is not hard to understand why, linebackers hold a special place in the hearts of Steelers fans. The names are the stuff offensive player's nightmares are made of - Jack Lambert, James Harrison, T.J. Watt, James Farrior, the list goes on and on. 

Lloyd embodied those intangibles that the city of Pittsburgh will always hold dear. He comes from humble beginnings and was an underdog, nothing came easily for him, and he worked hard to get and keep what he earned. Lloyd, like the other linebackers Pittsburgh loves, put his nose to the grindstone and created an on-field monster. 

Steelers' Greg Lloyd Tells About Punching An Opponent 

Recently, Lloyd appeared on actor Eddie Mata's podcast, The Eddie Mata Show, and talked about the legacy he built in Pittsburgh. While the majority of fans loved his fierce nature, there were those who thought he was a bit much. He would often show up to practice in a shirt that said, "I wasn't hired for my disposition." The reality was that's pretty much exactly what he was hired for. He recalled getting a really tough lesson during his first NFL game. 

Lloyd blew out his right knee during his first training camp, never even playing in a game that season. He told Mata how he worked hard to rehab his knee. He was concerned about keeping his job, after all, at that time he was an unproven nobody. 

He was able to return in 1988 and practice with the team. Shockingly, he blew out his knee again and was sidelined. This time he was able to return for the Week 8 game. The Steelers were playing the Denver Broncos at home at Three Rivers Stadium. Lloyd admitted he was raring to go. 

The Broncos were without their famed quarterback John Elway who was injured. His backup quarterback was none other than Gary Kubiak, who went on to be the head coach and an executive of the Broncos franchise.   

"They're trying to score a touchdown on the right side. I get Kubiak and I hit him. He gets up and takes the football and flips it in my face. You can't do that to me, especially not a quarterback. It ain't like my own quarterback. I know I don't like this guy so I'm ready to go put my foot on him, but I can't, so I punch him. The referee's standing right there, not a big deal just flag, so they just get a little bit closer."

Lloyd was not going to put up with what he saw as blatant disrespect on the part of Kubiak. But he had gotten his punch in, the ref did nothing and now it is time to move on to the next play. Remember those were different times when it came to the protection of the quarterback. But the one position that was safe on the field even back then was the referee and that is where Lloyd found himself in hot water.  

"They come around and try to score again. My knees and my butt are on this side of the goal line. They are on the other side of the goal line. But the referee throws his hands up in the air (signaling a touchdown) and I jump up, 'You got to be kidding me!' And I brushed him (meaning the referee). I didn't do it intentionally. My first NFL game and I get ejected."

He said he was so green that he didn't even know what that meant. Lloyd took his helmet off and walked over to the bench to sit down. He told Mata he was still learning the rules and he hadn't meant to even touch the ref, it was unintentional. He said a teammate came up and told him he couldn't sit there and watch the game, he would have to leave. 

"Instead of just walking down the sideline and then going through the tunnel, I went across the middle of the field and turn around and went like (gives obscene arm gesture) and the crowd went crazy. That began the crazy man playing crazy football."

Regardless of what you call Lloyd's bras d'honneur (arm of honor), Italian salute, forearm jerk or something else, that simple gesture helped birth a player who would become the pride of Pittsburgh, but a bane of existence for his opponents. He became one of the most despised players in the league. Lloyd received more flags than many other players for his aggressive actions, but it isn't like his behavior was that much different than other defensive players. This hate is really a sign of respect, no one wanted to see Lloyd and the rest of the Steelers defense out on their schedule.       

Do you remember when Lloyd was in the NFL? What did you think about his actions? Click to comment below. 

#SteelerNation