American · Tomahawk, Wisconsin · Born 18 March 1952 · Died 2002-09-24Pittsburgh Steelers center and four-time Super Bowl champion, posthumously the first NFL player diagnosed with CTE.
Michael Lewis Webster was born on 18 March 1952 in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, growing up on a 640-acre potato farm, and played college football at the University of Wisconsin before the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the fifth round, 125th overall, of the 1974 NFL Draft. Webster, nicknamed "Iron Mike" for his extraordinary durability, anchored the Steelers' offensive line throughout their 1970s dynasty, helping the team win four Super Bowl championships and earning nine Pro Bowl selections and six first-team All-Pro honours across a 17-season career split between Pittsburgh and the Kansas City Chiefs. Webster was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997, but his post-career life was marked by severe financial hardship, homelessness, and cognitive decline that ultimately left him estranged from much of his family before his death from a heart attack on 24 September 2002, at age 50. A subsequent autopsy by pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu made Webster the first NFL player ever diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a discovery that became a foundational moment in the sport's ongoing reckoning with football-related brain injury and was later dramatised in the 2015 film "Concussion."
Steelers center, first NFL player diagnosed with CTE
How They Played
Exceptionally durable and technically sound center known for his intelligence, leadership, and ability to play through pain
Lasting Impact
Revolutionized the center position with his durability and technique; tragic pioneer in understanding football's long-term health effects
Career Honours
- Pro Football Hall of Fame 1997
- 4x Super Bowl champion
- 9x Pro Bowl
- 5x First-team All-Pro
| Team | Period | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1974–1988 | 220 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1989–1990 | 18 |
American Athletes