The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Bill Cowher in 1992 to succeed Chuck Noll as the head coach. The Steelers were two years removed from winning a Wild Card game against Jerry Glanville and the Houston Oilers and had not won the AFC Central in six seasons. Cowher put a uniquely aggressive stamp on the team in his first season and immediately delivered a division title.
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Former Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher in a heated argument with outside linebacker Greg Lloyd.
The player that most clearly defined the new-look Steelers under Cowher was a sixth-round draft pick from Fort Valley State, Greg Lloyd. He was selected in the 1987 NFL Draft, one of the best draft classes in Steelers history. Lloyd played with a ferocious edge and flourished under Cowher. He was chosen as a First Team All-Pro from 1993-1995 and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 1994 and second in 1995.
Statistics don't tell the whole story when it comes to Lloyd. He was the scariest man in football, and his mere presence on the field struck fear into opponents. The five-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker was paired with Kevin Greene from 1993 to 1995 and formed the gold standard that all outside linebacker tandems have been measured by since. The Steelers duo were unblockable. They tortured opponents, and by 1994, the Cleveland Browns and specifically their head coach, Bill Belichick, were tired of it.
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Steelers' Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd were the best pair of outside linebackers in the 3-4 defense.
The Browns and Belichick played the Steelers three times during the 1994 season. In Week 2, the Steelers defeated the Browns 17-10. Pittsburgh fell behind 10 to nothing and then reeled off 17 consecutive points to win the game after forcing five turnovers. In the second meeting in Week 15, the Steelers jumped out to a 14-point lead and forced three more turnovers by Vinny Testaverde and the Browns offense.
Pittsburgh finished the season with 12 wins and the division title. With 11 wins, the Browns defeated the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card game. It set up a third meeting with the Steelers. Belichick and the Browns arrived in Three Rivers Stadium, confident they could turn the tables on the Steelers.
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Bill Belichick in 1995, as head coach for the Cleveland Browns.
Belichick declared before the game that he could pound the Steelers' defense by running the ball between the tackles with Leroy Hoard. The bruising Cleveland running back had only managed to gain 40 yards total in the two previous meetings, and the strategy was dubious at best. Lloyd and the Steelers' defense completely dominated Belichick's Browns. Pittsburgh led by 21 points at the half and ultimately won the game 29-9 after Carnell Lake sacked Testaverde in the final moments to add insult to injury.
After the final gun sounded, players and coaches exchanged handshakes on the field. Lloyd chose to seek out Belichick to congratulate the Browns head coach. The infamous curmudgeon was not in the mood to reciprocate. After the third loss to the Steelers by Belichick's Browns, he chose to snub Lloyd's attempt at a conciliatory handshake.
Steelers' Greg Lloyd Absolutely Wanted To Hurt You And Send Strong Messages
Belichick has demonstrated the seamier side of his character more than a few times during his long coaching career. Snubbing Lloyd, who didn't want to win, but physically punish the opposing team into quitting, was a bold move. Lloyd did not address the incident publicly, even after it appeared on a George Michaels' Sports Machine segment.
Pittsburgh would lose to the then-San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship game the following week. In 1995, Lloyd and the Steelers made it to Super Bowl XXX. Along the way, they swept Belichick and the Browns during the regular season. Belichick dropped his final five meetings against the Steelers and was fired by Cleveland after the 1995 season.
The brutal beatings that Pittsburgh dished out to Belichick stuck in his craw and could explain why he relished beating Cowher and the Steelers when he became the Patriots head coach. Belichick dominated Cowher and Mike Tomlin during his run in New England. Even at the end of his career, he found a way to beat the Steelers, including a stunning upset in 2023.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Did Belichick snub Lloyd and use the sting of those defeats as his motivation to torture the Steelers in his second act in the NFL? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
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