Not just in Steel City, but around the NFL, former linebacker Jack Lambert is one of the most recognizable athletes in history. Football fans everywhere will never forget the picture of Lambert, his teeth missing, smirking from the bench.
The toughest player in the history of the league is Lambert, according to some. He started and contributed to four Super Bowl victories for Pittsburgh as a middle linebacker. He was proud of his capacity to frighten opponents. He was combative, physically strong, and focused on victory. That implied that he could, if needed, use his intimidation tactics against his teammates.
But the intimidation didn’t begin in Pittsburgh; it started far earlier. Jim Wexell went into length about this in his book On The Clock. Wexell related a tale about Lambert from his days at Kent State. Several legendary athletes have come from Kent State, notably James Harrison, a famed steel-nosed linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Lambert was instrumental in helping KSU win its first and only MAC Championship and earn a 1972 Tangerine Bowl (now known as the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl) invitation. While Lambert was the team’s best player, other notable football figures included Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel and famed coach Nick Saban. Wexell claimed they had performed admirably that season and only needed a single victory to secure their first
Their quarterback, Greg Kokal, was about to be punished for violating a team rule, and that was the only thing impeding them. Kokal was given the option to take a physical penalty rather than a suspension by the coach; he was required to “ran, roll, and crawl” the 100-yard field 100 times. Kokal declined the invitation and declared he would accept the penalty. Lambert took offense at that because he thought you carried yourself with dignity and never failed your team.
Lambert has been called the toughest player in the league’s history. He was a starting middle linebacker who helped Pittsburgh win four Super Bowls. He took pride in his ability to intimidate opponents. He was physical, aggressive, and determined to win. That meant that his intimidation could be turned on his teammates if necessary.
That intimidation didn’t start in Pittsburgh however, it began way before that. This was detailed by Jim Wexell in his book On The Clock. Wexell shared a story about Lambert during his time at Kent State University. Kent State has produced several iconic players, including another former tough-nosed Steelers linebacker, James Harrison.
