Today, North Texas football legend “Mean” Joe Greene turns 80!

Greene was a defensive tackle for North Texas from 1966-1968 under coach Odus Mitchell.

The strong defensive front helped lead the Eagles to back-to-back conference titles.

Greene made history as the first North Texas All-American.

Joe Greene was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1969 NFL draft. He was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year and selected for the Pro Bowl.

Even after being drafted to the Steelers, Greene returned to North Texas to promote his alma mater.

With the help of Greene and powerful defensive line known as the “Steel Curtain,” the Steelers went from a lackluster team to a powerhouse of the 1970s. Greene would carry the Steelers to four Super Bowl championships, two of which were against the Dallas Cowboys.

Despite his “Mean” persona on the field, Joe Greene’s reputation as a nice was permanently established with the 1979 Coca-Cola commercial in which he tosses a coke to a young boy. It is still considered one of the greatest Super Bowl commercials of all time.

Happy birthday Mean Greene!