French
DeutschCraig Wolfley
 Wolfley in 2016 | |||||||||
| No. 73 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Guard Tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | May 19, 1958 Buffalo, New York, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | March 10, 2025 (aged 66) | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Orchard Park (Orchard Park, New York) | ||||||||
| College: | Syracuse | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1980 / round: 5 / pick: 138 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Competition record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Strongman | ||
Representing  United States | ||
| World's Strongest Man | ||
| 5th | 1981 World's Strongest Man | |
Craig Alan Wolfley (May 19, 1958 – March 10, 2025) was an American professional football player and color analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers.[1] He played in the National Football League (NFL) as an offensive lineman, spending most of his career with the Steelers before finishing with the Minnesota Vikings. Along with fellow Steeler Max Starks, he hosted a show on 970 ESPN.[2][failed verification]
College career
[edit]Wolfley attended Syracuse University from 1976 to 1979. He was a four-year letter winner as an offensive lineman.[3] In 1999, Wolfley was named to the Syracuse University Football All Century team.[4]
Professional career
[edit]A fifth round NFL draft pick, he played offensive guard and offensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1980 to 1989. He ended his career with the Minnesota Vikings from 1990 to 1991. Wolfley started 104 games, the majority at left guard.[5]
Broadcasting career
[edit]Following his retirement, Wolfley began a broadcasting career with the Steelers. Wolfley served as a sideline reporter until 2021. In addition, he hosted a daily radio show, mostly with his Steelers teammate and longtime friend Tunch Ilkin.
Following Ilkin's death in 2021, Wolfley replaced him as the team's color commentator on radio broadcasts.[6] Former Steeler Max Starks replaced Ilkin on Wolfley's daily show.
Other sports
[edit]In addition to football, Wolfley competed in weight lifting, boxing, sumo wrestling and martial arts. In 1981, he placed fifth in the World's Strongest Man competition.[7] In 2002, Wolfley lost a four-round boxing match to Butterbean.[8] He also held a black belt in jiu jitsu.[9]
Personal life and death
[edit]Wolfley attended South Hills Bible Chapel under the pastoral leadership of John Hay Munro with two other notable Steelers, Mike Webster and Tunch Ilkin.
Wolfley had three daughters with his wife, Faith, Megan, Hannah, and Esther, and three sons, Kyle, 'CJ', and Max.[clarification needed] Two of those children[which?] are from a previous marriage. He and Faith were the former owners of the Wolfpack Boxing Club in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, where they taught boxing, martial arts and other athletics.
He was the brother of Ron Wolfley, former running back of the Arizona Cardinals and later their color analyst.[citation needed]
Wolfley died from cancer on March 10, 2025, at the age of 66.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "steelers.com". Retrieved March 19, 2011.
- ^ "pittsburghlive.com". Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
- ^ "suathletics.com". Retrieved March 19, 2011.
- ^ "suathletics.com". Retrieved March 19, 2011.
- ^ "pro-football-reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
- ^ Rutter, Joe (March 10, 2025). "Craig Wolfley, former offensive lineman, Steelers radio personality, dies at 66". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ "theworldsstrongestman.com". Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
- ^ "boxrec.com". Retrieved March 19, 2011.
- ^ Aronson, Harv (June 5, 2015). "Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Position Profiles: Guards from 'Moon' to DeCastro". City of Champions Sports. FanSided. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ "Craig Wolfley, former Steelers lineman turned broadcaster, dies at 66". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
External links
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