The NFL is a realm of violence and physicality. Playing professional football is one of the greatest honors in the world, but it comes at a cost, as most player’s bodies suffer serious long-term consequences. That’s still true today, but even more so back in the 1970s when the Pittsburgh Steelers began their dynasty. Every team played dirtier back then, even the Steelers, so players’ bodies took a serious beating. However, as one former Steelers’ offensive lineman explains, it wasn’t the games that did the most damage to players in Pittsburgh.
Jon Kolb was an offensive lineman for the Steelers from 1969 to 1981, being named First-team All-Pro in 1979 and winning four Super Bowls.