From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stephen Robert Furness (born December 5, 1950, Providence, Rhode Island; died February 9, 2000, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions of the National Football League, and a member of the Steelers' famed Steel Curtain defense. He earned four Super Bowl rings as a professional player and ranks 12th on the Steelers' all-time sack list. He was of English and Armenian descent.
Furness grew up in Warwick, Rhode Island where he attended Bishop Hendricken High School before accepting a football scholarship to the University of Rhode Island. In addition to being a star football player for URI, he excelled at the hammer throw and turned down an invitation to the 1972 Olympic Trials to attend the Steelers' training camp[1]. Furness was selected in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL Draft and initially served as a backup to Joe Greene and Ernie Holmes before replacing Holmes at defensive tackle in 1977. He started in Super Bowl XIII and was primarily known for his skills as a pass rusher, leading the team in quarterback sacks during several seasons with the Steelers. He was also an avid weight lifter and competed in the 1980 'Strongest Man in Football' competition, the first of its kind[2].
Furness was released by Pittsburgh after playing all 16 games in the 1980 season and he ended his playing career in 1981 with the Detroit Lions. After retiring from the NFL he became the defensive line coach for Michigan State University from 1982-1990, working under former Steelers defensive coordinator George Perles. During this period he earned a Masters Degree in Athletic Administration from Michigan State University and was inducted to the University of Rhode Island Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987[3]. He rejoined the NFL in 1991 as an assistant coach for the Indianapolis Colts before returning to the Steelers for his final two years as a defensive line coach (1992-1993). In 1999 he was named as one of the "50 Greatest Rhode Island Sports Figures" of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated magazine, earning the 14th spot on the list[4].
Furness died unexpectedly of a heart attack on February 9, 2000. He is survived by his sons Zaban Furness and Zack Furness, a professor of Cultural Studies at Columbia College Chicago[5].
[edit] External links
- "50 Greatest Rhode Island Sports Figures," Sports Illustrated, December 7, 1999, accessed 3/31/08
- University of Rhode Island Official Athletic Site
- Statistics at databasefootball.com
- Death notice, infoplease.com
- Shaun Assael, "Big Night," ESPN, The Magazine, January 21, 2003, accessed 3/31/08
- Souls who enriched our lives, our region, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Dec. 1, 2002, accessed 12/07/2006
- Zack Furness, "My Dad Kicked Ass For a Living," Bad Subjects, Issue #57, October, 2001, accessed 3/31/08
