Butler native Woody Widenhofer, a defensive assistant for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ four Super Bowl-winning teams of the 1970s, died Sunday.
Widenhofer was 77 and living in Colorado Springs when he suffered a pair of strokes over the weekend, according to the Nashville Tennessean.
Widenhofer spent 11 seasons on the Steelers’ staff under Chuck Noll, from 1973-78 as linebackers’ coach and from 1979-83 as defensive coordinator. The Steelers won Super Bowls after the 1974, ’75, ’78 and ’79 seasons.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Woody Widenhofer,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement released by the team. “Woody played an important role coaching our famed Steel Curtain defense when he helped us win four Super Bowls in the 1970s. He coached some of the best linebackers in NFL history during his time in Pittsburgh and was later elevated to defensive coordinator, where he guided the defense in our Super Bowl XIV victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
A local native of Butler, Woody will be missed by those who knew him and played under him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Widenhofer family.”
“I share the sadness of Commodore Nation with the news that Woody Widenhofer has passed. Coach Widenhofer was regarded as one of the best defensive minds ever. I send my prayers and sympathies to Coach Widenhofer’s family, his VU student-athletes and all who knew him.” ⚓️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/sOKvJheu1h
— Derek Mason (@CoachDerekMason) March 23, 2020
Hall of Famers Jack Lambert and Jack Ham were among those coached by Widenhofer, who graduated from a Michigan high school.
Widenhofer later became the head coach of the USFL’s Oklahoma Outlaws, the University of Missouri (his alma mater) and Vanderbilt. He’d been out of coaching since a stint as New Mexico State’s defensive coordinator ended in 2007.
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