Super Bowl champion Greg Hawthorne dead at 69

Greg Hawthorne, a Super Bowl champion moving backmost pinch nan Pittsburgh Steelers has died, his family announced connected societal media. He was 69.

The Steelers selected Hawthorne pinch nan No. 28 wide prime retired of Fort Worth Polytechnic successful nan 1979 NFL Draft. He was a rookie erstwhile nan Steelers defeated nan Los Angeles Rams successful Super Bowl XIV.

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Greg Hawthorne No. 27 of nan Pittsburgh Steelers returns a kickoff during an NFL crippled astatine Three Rivers Stadium successful Pittsburgh, Pa. Hawthorne played for nan Steelers from 1979-83. (Focus connected Sport/Getty Images)

"On behalf of nan Hawthorne family, it is pinch heavy sadness that our relative Gregory Dale Hawthorne passed distant past night," a Facebook station read. "Please support his mother and his children, his relative and sisters arsenic good arsenic nan full family successful your prayers."

A origin of decease was not made known.

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Running backmost Greg Hawthorne No. 27 of nan Pittsburgh Steelers runs pinch nan shot arsenic he is tackled by linebacker Gary Campbell No. 59 of nan Chicago Bears astatine Three Rivers Stadium successful Pittsburgh, Pa. The Steelers defeated nan Bears 38-3. (George Gojkovich/Reuters)

Hawthorne played 5 years pinch nan Steelers, splitting clip betwixt moving backmost and a wide receiver. He appeared successful 59 games, had 522 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns. He besides had 55 catches for 710 yards and 3 touchdown catches.

He played 3 seasons pinch nan New England Patriots and 1 much pinch nan Indianapolis Colts. He made a game-changing play successful nan 1985 AFC Championship for nan Patriots, recovering a fumble connected nan opening kickoff of nan 2nd half. New England won nan crippled and precocious to Super Bowl XX.

Pittsburgh Steelers caput coach Chuck Noll talks to Terry Bradshaw, Cliff Stoudt and Greg Hawthorne connected nan sidelines against nan San Diego Chargers during nan 1982 AFC Divisional Playoff crippled astatine Three Rivers Stadium successful Pittsburgh, Pa. (Malcolm Emmons/USA Today Sports)

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He vanished his profession playing successful 105 games pinch 11 full touchdowns and 1,639 yards from scrimmage.