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10 Greatest Auburn football NFL careers in school history

By Josh Yourish

Dec 16, 1990; Los Angeles, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Raiders running back Bo Jackson (34) in action against the Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY NETWORK
Dec 16, 1990; Los Angeles, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Raiders running back Bo Jackson (34) in action against the Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY NETWORK /
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Jan 6, 1996; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene reacts during the 1995 AFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Buffalo Bills at Three Rivers Stadium. The Steelers won 41-20. FILE PHOTO; Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Jan 6, 1996; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene reacts during the 1995 AFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Buffalo Bills at Three Rivers Stadium. The Steelers won 41-20. FILE PHOTO; Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports /

3. player. 55. . . . Kevin Greene (OLB)

Auburn: 1983-84

NFL: 1985-99

Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers

Accomplishments: Hall of Fame, 5x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro, 1990s All-Decade team

Kevin Greene first joined the ROTC at Auburn, not the football team. He attempted to walk on as a punter in 1980 but did not make the team. He tried out again in 1983, made the team, and by 1984 was a star outside linebacker. Greene was drafted in the fifth round of the 1983 draft by the Rams.

He began his career as a special teamer, but in Year 2 he recorded seven sacks. In 1989 he recorded 16.5 sacks and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time. He never surpassed that career high, but he did lead the league with 14.0 sacks in 1994 as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Though he played just three years in Pittsburgh, he went into the Hall of Fame as a Steeler.

CANTON, OH – AUGUST 5: Commissioner Roger Goodell, (C) participates in a ground breaking ceremony with Hall of Fame officials prior to signing the NFL’s new 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame August 5, 2011 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CANTON, OH – AUGUST 5: Commissioner Roger Goodell, (C) participates in a ground breaking ceremony with Hall of Fame officials prior to signing the NFL’s new 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame August 5, 2011 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

. . Frank Gatski (C/LB). 2. player. 53.

Auburn: 1945

NFL: 1946-57

Teams: Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions

Accomplishments: Hall of Fame, 1x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro, 4x NFL Champ, 4x AAFC Champ

Gatski’s collegiate career at Marshall was interrupted by a year of service in World War II. When he returned, he enrolled at Auburn because Marshall had not started its football program back up. Gatski then went on to the NFL after one year at Auburn and played both center and linebacker for the Browns.

He was unbelievably durable, never missing a game in his entire pro career. He was also the ultimate winner, playing in 11 championship games over his 12-year career, and winning eight of them.

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