North Texas To Unveil Joe Greene Statue
8/29/2018 12:02:00 PM | Football
DENTON - The University of North Texas will unveil a bronze statue of Hall of Fame football player Joe Greene outside the main entrance of Apogee Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 29.
The statue, located next to Apogee's Gate 2, will be revealed in a ceremony at 4 p.m. prior to the Mean Green football game against Louisiana Tech. The event is free and open to the public.
"For over 50 years, Joe Greene has made a tremendous impact on our University and the athletic program," Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. "As a football player, as an alumnus and as a regent, he has made significant contributions to this campus and brought great honor to the Mean Green family. He is one of the greatest defensive linemen in the history of football and he's one of us. We are very excited to recognize Joe's achievements and contributions with this statue."
The 8-foot statue will stand on a 4-foot pedestal, making the entire display 12-feet tall. The statue was sculpted by Brian Hanlon, whose previous works include statues of Jackie Robinson, Jim Brown, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal.
"I am overwhelmed by the thought of a Joe Greene statue at the University of North Texas," Greene said. "It is beyond my wildest expectations that the university thought enough of me as a player and a person to bestow such an honor to me and my family. It will be special for my kids, grandkids and all the generations that follow to see their father and grandfather displayed in such a manner."
Greene is widely considered the most recognizable alumnus of North Texas and one of the greatest players in the history of football. In three seasons playing defensive tackle for North Texas, Greene led a team that compiled a 23-5-1 record. His defensive unit holds the school record for fewest total yards allowed in a season (1,821) and fewest rushing yards allowed in a season (513). In Green's three seasons, North Texas opponents averaged just 2.0 yards per rushing attempt.
Greene was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection from 1966-68 and is the only North Texas player to ever earn consensus All-America honors. He was drafted fourth overall in the 1969 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, making him the highest drafted player in Mean Green history.
He played for the Steelers from 1969 to 1981, earning NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 1969. He won four Super Bowl titles and was a Pro Bowl selection 10 times, was named first team All-Pro five times and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1972 and 1974. He was named NFL Man of the Year in 1979 and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1987. He is also a member of the North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame and is the only former Mean Green player to be named to the College Football Hall of Fame.
Greene is the only North Texas player to have his jersey retired by both North Texas and an NFL team, and is only the second Steelers player to ever have his jersey retired. Joe was also named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and the North Texas All-Century football team.
"It is an honor to have a statue of Joe Greene, one of our university's most iconic and dedicated alumni stand at the entrance to our stadium," UNT President Neal Smatresk said. "Joe's punishing power on the football field as part of the Mean Green earned him the moniker Mean Joe Greene, and his talent throughout his career earned him spots in multiple halls of fame, won Super Bowls and secured 10 trips to the Pro Bowl. Joe was an amazing football player, no doubt, but he also has been an incredible part of the UNT community for more than five decades, and continues to bleed Mean Green."
The statue unveiling will be a part of North Texas' "Champions Weekend," which will include the groundbreaking ceremony for the new indoor practice facility. The football team will also wear special throwback uniforms for the game that evening.
Fans and supporters will have an opportunity to support the statue project and have their name listed on plate scheduled to be added to the base of the statue later this fall. For those interest in learning more about the statue and how to support the project, please contact the Mean Green Scholarship Fund offices at 940-369-7284 or mgsf@unt.edu.
