John Harold Lambert (born July 8, 1952) is an American former professionalfootball player who was alinebacker for his entire 11-year career forPittsburgh Steelers of theNational Football League (NFL). Recognized by thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1990 as "the greatest linebacker of his era," Lambert was the starting middle linebacker on fourSuper Bowl-winning teams with the Steelers.[2] He playedcollege football for theKent State Golden Flashes. In 2019, he was named to theNFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Lambert was born on July 8, 1952,[3] inMantua, Ohio.[4] He is also reported as being born inRavenna, Ohio.[3][5] He would work on his grandfather's farm during the summers.[6] He attendedCrestwood High School in Mantua. He played quarterback and cornerback on the football team, making All-League at cornerback, and winning a state championship. He also played baseball (catcher) and basketball (averaging 17.9 points and 13 rebounds a game as a senior). The school has since named its football field Jack Lambert Stadium.[3][2][7][8][6]
Lambert lost hisfour upperfront teeth during high school basketball practice when a teammate’s head collided with Lambert's mouth.[6] Although he had aremovable partial denture he wore in public, he did not wear it during games,[9] and later pictures of Lambert's toothless snarl became an iconic image of the famous Pittsburgh Steeler defense of the 1970s.[10][11][12]
He played football atKent State University (1970–73), winning two first-team All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) linebacker honors.Don James was his head coach. Lambert was originally a quarterback, then moved to defensive end, and in 1972 James moved him to middle linebacker.[3] He led Kent State to its first MAC championship that year, and was named the MAC's Defensive Player of the Year. Even though Kent State lost to theUniversity of Tampa in theTangerine Bowl (now Citrus Bowl) in December 1972, Lambert was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP).[3][13] He captained the 1973 team.[3]
In 1973, he was selected to play in the All-Ohio Shrine Game and in 1974, the North-South Game and theAmerican Bowl.[3] As a freshman, Lambert came in weighing 187 pounds, got up to 217 during his senior year, but after the season was over, came down to 203 pounds.[6]Alabama football coachNick Saban and formerMissouri football coachGary Pinkel were his teammates.[14] During his college career, he was originally going to study to become a veterinarian.[citation needed]
In 1981, Lambert was inducted into the Kent State Hall of Fame.[3] In 1988, he was inducted into the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame.[5] Kent State awards the Jack Lambert Cup annually to the most improved player on defense.[15]
Lambert was selected by theSteelers in the second round of the1974 NFL draft,[3] though many pro football coaches and scouts thought he was too small to play linebacker in the NFL.[10] (Lambert played quarterback atCrestwood HS before switching to defensive end at Kent State.) While most of his pro career he was reported to be 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 220 pounds (100 kg) in the program,[11] he measured 6 feet3+1⁄2 inches (1.918 m) and 204 pounds (93 kg) as a rookie.[citation needed] As a high school senior, he was 6 ft 3½ in and 170 pounds (77 kg),[6] and was 203 pounds (92 kg) at the end of college.[6]
Lambert was the prototypical middle linebacker for what became theTampa Two defense. Popularized by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers underTony Dungy, this defense was originated byBud Carson, the Steelersdefensive coordinator from 1972-1977.[16] In Carson's "Double-Rotating Zone"/Cover-2 defense, the safeties played back in a two-deep zone and the cornerbacks played in two shallow zones, or in bump-and-run coverage. Along with that, the middle linebacker dropped back into a middle zone to cover the space between the safeties. Middle linebackers had not been positioned in such a way previously (Dick Butkus andRay Nitschke were the epitomes of the run-support middle linebacker playing close to the line). But Lambert's size, speed, and talents facilitated the new role.[17][18][19] Early on, Carson had Lambert covering tight ends and the first back out of the backfield (unique at the time for a middle linebacker), and calling defensive play changes to match what the offense would call.[6]
The Steelers took a chance on Lambert when he replaced injured middle linebackerHenry Davis.[6] Lambert went on to earn theNFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award[2] as a central figure on a great Steeler defense that went on to win their firstSuper Bowl by defeating the Minnesota Vikings 16–6 inSuper Bowl IX.[20][21] That Steelers team included five rookies who would be future Hall of Fame players (including Lambert).[22] He would lead the Steelers in tackles every season but his last, and would be voted team MVP twice.[17]
In 1975, future Hall of Fame defensive tackleJoe Greene suffered from groin and nerve injuries and missed all or part of five regular season games; even considering retirement.[23][24][25] Lambert was first-team All-Conference and second-team All-Pro that year.[26] Greene was unable to play in the AFC divisional playoff game against theBaltimore Colts or in theAFC Championship Game against theOakland Raiders.[27] Yet, the Steelers defeated both the Colts and the Raiders. In the championship game, Lambert compensated for Greene's absence by moving all over the field, recovering a record three fumbles in the Steelers' victory.[28][23][27]
The Steelers then went on to winSuper Bowl X in a hard-fought game against theDallas Cowboys. Lambert's intensity was a key factor in the Steelers coming back to win against the Cowboys. The Steelers were behind in the third quarter (10–7) and not playing with their usual confidence, when Lambert inspired the team by standing up for kickerRoy Gerela, who was being taunted by Cowboys safetyCliff Harris after missing a field goal; slamming Harris to the ground. The Steelers outscored the Cowboys 14–7 after that point and won the game.[21][10] Lambert had 14 tackles in the game.[29]
Lambert prided himself on his ability to hit hard and intimidate the opposition.[30][6] His nicknames included "Jack Splat" and "Dracula in Cleats".[11] He was the Steelers starting middle linebacker for eight seasons when the team primarily used the4–3 defense, and then at right inside linebacker for three seasons after the Steelers switched to the3–4 defense.Loren Toews became the regular starter at the other inside linebacker position late in Lambert's career.[31][32]
Even in the 3–4, Lambert retained the "Mike" role as the team's signal-caller on defense. According to Steelers media guides,[citation needed] Lambert averaged 146 tackles per season through his 10th year.[33] He recorded only 19 in his 11th and final season because of an injury.[citation needed] Before that final year, Lambert missed only six games in the previous ten years.[11]
Lambert amassed 28 career interceptions, 1,479 career tackles (1,045 solo),[citation needed] and (unofficially) 23.5sacks.[31] In a nine-year span, Jack Lambert was named to nine straight Pro Bowls and was NFL Defensive Player of the Year once.[2] He was named All-Pro eight times, and was a defensive team captain in eight seasons.[11][34]
In 1976, after quarterbackTerry Bradshaw, receiverLynn Swann and several other starters went down with injuries,[citation needed] the Steelers struggled to a 1–4 record early in the season. (Other sources state that Bradshaw was injured in game 5 against theCleveland Browns when hit byJoe "Turkey" Jones, and missed games after that fifth game, with only three starts the rest of the season.[24][35][36][37])
At a "players only" meeting, Lambert made it clear that "the only way we are going to the playoffs to defend our title is to win them all from here out."[This quote needs a citation] In a remarkable nine-game span, the Steelers defense allowed only two touchdowns and a total of 28 points, including five shutouts. The Steelers won all of these games and finished at 10–4.[38][39] The defense gave up only a league leading 138 points for the entire season, and allowed the fewest yards.[40] This was the least points allowed per game in AFC history at that time (9.9), and third least in NFL history, behind the1969 Minnesota Vikings (9.5) and the1975 Los Angeles Rams (9.6).[41][42][43] Eight of the eleven defensive starters on the Steelers made thePro Bowl that year.[44] In a first, all three of the Steelers starting linebackers (Lambert,Jack Ham andAndy Russell), were named Pro Bowl starters.[21] Lambert was namedNFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1976.[45]
In 1976, however, the Steelers lost in the AFC championship game to Oakland,[46] and in 1977, they lost in the divisional playoff round to theDenver Broncos.[47] In 1978 and 1979, they returned to the Super Bowl, winning again over Dallas inSuper Bowl XIII and defeating theLos Angeles Rams inSuper Bowl XIV.[48] Lambert had a key interception in securing the victory over the Rams.[29] During his career, he played in six AFC championship games and was on four Super Bowl winners.[11]
The Steelers did not make the playoffs in 1980 or 1981, lost in the playoffs in 1982 and 1983, and lost in the AFC championship game in 1984.[48] During the 1984 season, a severe and recurring case ofturf toe sidelined Lambert, after which he retired.[10][49]
Lambert was a member of theNFL on Westwood One as an analyst from 1986 until 1994. He has also been a guest commentator on the NFL Network from 1995 until 2002 and has served as a contributor for the Sports Broadcasting Network since 2003.[50]
Lambert wore the jersey number 00 while playing at Crestwood High School, which retired the number and named its football field Jack Lambert Stadium on October 10, 1980.[51][52][3] His number 99 was retired by Kent State in May 1977.[5]
Lambert married his wife, Lisa Harbison, a former volleyball player forClemson University, in 1988. Together, they have four children.[53]
Lambert is very private. Once, when asked by a sports reporter if he thought his parents' divorce as a small child affected him, Lambert replied, "'I'm sure it did ... but I don't think it's the business of readers of The Pittsburgh Press.'"[6] He can rarely be seen in memorabilia signings in Pittsburgh, and the only two Steelers games he has attended following his retirement through 2023 have been when he was introduced after being inducted to thePro Football Hall of Fame[54] and the final Steelers game atThree Rivers Stadium.[55] He currently lives inWorthington, Pennsylvania with his family.[53]
Lambert was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.[2] In 2019, Lambert was named to theNFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.[56] In 2021,The Athletic named him the 37th greatest player of all time.[10] In 1999,The Sporting News listed Lambert as the 30th greatest player of all time.[57] Lambert was named to both theNFL 1970s All-Decade Team andNFL 1980s All-Decade Team.[58]
He was an inaugural member of the Steelers Hall of Honor in 2017.[11] In 2007, Lambert was voted to thePittsburgh Steelers 75th Anniversary team.[17]
In 2004, theFox Sports Net seriesThe Sports List named Lambert as the toughest football player of all time.[34]NFL Network's countdown show,NFL Top 10, named Lambert the number 8 "Most Feared Tackler" and the number 5 "Pittsburgh Steeler" of all time.[citation needed]
From 1991 to 2018, theJack Lambert Trophy was an annual award given by the Touchdown Club of Columbus to the top American collegiate linebacker.[59][60]
Lambert's number, 58, is one of many jersey numbers "unofficially retired" by the team. The Steelers have only retired three jersey numbers: 70, 75 and 32, worn byErnie Stautner,Joe Greene andFranco Harris respectively.[61] Lambert’s jersey number has perhaps gotten the most attention out of all jersey numbers not officially retired. When Lambert retired, he reportedly told the equipment manager that he was not to issue number 58 again. Lambert later fought with the equipment manager outside of the facility because of a misunderstanding about his number.[citation needed]
Lambert remains popular amongSteeler fans and was named in one poll as the most feared Steeler ever.[29] Legendary Steeler outside linebackerJack Ham considers Lambert the greatest linebacker ever.[62]
Adding to Lambert's mystique has been his reclusiveness in retirement; aside from his Hall of Fame induction and the Steelers last game atThree Rivers Stadium, Lambert has rarely made any public appearances related to football, preferring to live a private life.[55]
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