Mike Wagner

Michael Robert Wagner (born June 22, 1949) is a former professional football player, a safety for 10 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He won four Super Bowls as a member of the famed Steel Curtain defense.

For other people named Mike Wagner, see Michael Wagner (disambiguation).
Mike Wagner
No. 23
Position:Safety
Personal information
Born: (1949-06-22) June 22, 1949
Waukegan, Illinois
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school:Carmel (Mundelein, IL)
College:Western Illinois
NFL Draft:1971 / Round: 11 / Pick: 268
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:36
Fumble recoveries:12
Forced fumbles:5
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Playing career

Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Wagner graduated in 1967 from Carmel High School in Mundelein. He played college football at Western Illinois University in Macomb, earning NAIA All-American status in 1969. He was added to the Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 1976.[1]

Wagner was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL Draft, the 268th overall selection. First looked at as a wide receiver on offense, he was soon switched to defense as a safety.[2] Wagner tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions in 1973, appeared in the 1975 and 1976 Pro Bowls and recorded 36 career interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. He won four Super Bowls, recording interceptions in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. After ten seasons with the Steelers, he retired in January 1981.[3]

After retirement

Wagner is currently a defensive backs coach at Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.[4] He was interviewed for the NFL Films documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions on the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers.

For a short time, Mike Wagner also served as an assistant coach on the Pine-Richland High School (Gibsonia, PA) coaching staff, mainly working with the defensive backs and special teams.

Mike Wagner was the guest speaker at the 3rd annual Steel City Mafia Banquet in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on August 15, 2009.

After pro football, Wagner applied his bachelor's degree in accounting and worked in the financial industry. He earned an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh[2] and, as of 2012, is a bank vice president in Pittsburgh.[5]

References
  1. "Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame". Western Illinois Athletic Department. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  2. Barrickman, Bob (December 16, 2004). "Looking at Mike Wagner". Beaver County (PA) Times. p. D4.
  3. "Steelers' Wagner retires; Is Bradshaw next to go?". Daily Collegian. 1981-01-09. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2009-03-16.
  4. . Pine-Richland Rams Football http://www.pinerichlandfootball.com/index.cfm?id=5&bio=coach&rid=179&indplr=yes. Retrieved 2009-03-16. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. O'Brien, Jim (September 13, 2012). "Former Steeler safety Mike Wagner tackling clients' financial needs". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
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