Mike Wagner proud to take turn in spotlight as Steelers' Hall of Honor member

Mike Wagner has four Super Bowl rings to show for his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s. This weekend, the former safety received another piece of hardware that is just as meaningful.

Wagner was one of nine former players, comprising the Class of 2020 and 2021, to be recognized in the franchise’s Hall of Honor.

Wagner, 72, was one of five honorees in attendance for the Steelers’ game against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field.

“As you know, there are some Steelers that I played with, my teammates, who are not only the greatest Steelers of all time, but maybe the greatest NFL players of all time,” Wagner said. “Debatable, arguable, but to join those guys, it’s really a treat. It’s really a thrill, and I’m proud to have earned it.”

Wagner, an 11th-round pick out of Western Illinois in 1971, talked of his long journey to the NFL and his perseverance to play 10 seasons, first as a strong safety and later at free safety. Wagner was selected for the Hall of Honor in 2020, but the ceremony was delayed a year because of the pandemic.

Wagner, though, didn’t mind the wait.

“I didn’t make my college team for three years,” he said. “I played small college football. I have four Super Bowl rings, and now I’m considered one of the better players ever to play here. I get emotional about it.”

James Farrior and Greg Lloyd also represented the 2020 class that included Troy Polamalu and the late Dwight White. The 2021 class attendees were Jon Kolb and Carnell Lake. Tunch Ilkin, who died in September, was represented by his wife. Louis Lipps did not attend because of his recent DUI arrest.

Like Wagner, Kolb earned four Super Bowl rings. He was a member of Chuck Noll’s first draft class in 1969 as a third-round pick out of Oklahoma State. He played in 177 games over 13 years with the Steelers.

“I could’ve played my 14th year if they would’ve changed the schedule so we could play every other week to give me a chance to heal up from the last game,” Kolb, 74, said with a laugh. “I don’t know anybody who wouldn’t play until he was 90 if he could. The honor and being able to do something where you can go as hard as you can and challenge yourself every day, we had a coach named Chuck Noll that brought that out in us.”

Farrior, 46, played on two Super Bowl championship teams in his 10 years with the Steelers before retiring after the 2011 season.

“It’s very special for me,” he said. “It’s something that I didn’t expect. It’s something where you play the game and just play it as hard as you can and do the best that you can, and hopefully things turn out for the best.”

Lloyd was named to five Pro Bowls in his 10 seasons with the Steelers and played on the 1995 team that reached Super Bowl XXX but lost to the Dallas Cowboys. Outspoken throughout his career, Lloyd joked that when team president Art Rooney II called about the Hall of Honor, the first words out his mouth were, “It’s about time.”

Lake also was a member of that team that couldn’t bring home the “One for the Thumb” Super Bowl ring after the 1995 season. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times in 10 seasons in Pittsburgh and credited his success to those who set the standard in the 1970s.

“The Mike Wagners and all the great athletes who came before us, they had the tempo set, and it kind of fell off a little bit,” he said. “We started getting some athletes and great players like Greg and Rod Woodson on defense, Hardy Nickerson, Levon Kirkland, Chad Brown, Kevin Greene.

“So the bodies started piling up talent on the defensive side, and then it became Blitzburgh. Then, we finally broke through and went to a Super Bowl. I think the ’95 season was probably my proudest moment.”