Driven to Be the Best: The Fierce Leader of the Men of Steel :

The Making of a Steeler Fan

I grew up in the ’70s and ’80s in Pennsylvania. During that time, the Pittsburgh Steelers had grown from perennial losers to the dynasty of the ’70s. They were a dominant force in the NFL from 1975 through 1979, winning four super bowls in six years. It was an incredible time to be a young football fan growing up in Pennsylvania.

Growing up in Pennsylvania during this time, you saw examples of grit around you regularly. The dominant industries were steel, coal, and railroad. They were tough industries full of tough men. The MO was fighting first, talk later. Drinking beer, hunting deer, and football were staples. The Pittsburgh Steelers fit the culture.

Lore has it that western Pennsylvania doctors stamp the backsides of newborns with the three hypocycloids (the steel symbol on the side of the Pittsburgh helmet). This action permanently imprints you a Pittsburgh Steeler fan for life. I was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, so this was certainly the case in that region of the state. If you were not a Steeler fan and living on the western side of the state, you had screws loose. As far as we were concerned, there was only one choice for a football team and it was the Pittsburgh Steelers. We heard about another team on the eastern side of the state, but to us, there was only our beloved Steelers.

I can still remember most of the starting lineup, offense, and defense. There were some incredible players on that team, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Lynn Swan, John Stallworth, Mike Webster, John Kolb, Randy Grossman, Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes, Dwight White, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Mike Wagner, Donnie Shell, Andy Russell, …

The Man, The Myth, The Legend

But the player that stood out to me and was my favorite was Jack Lambert. At the time, Jack Lambert was one of the fiercest linebackers playing the game. (see the video links below) In most people’s minds, he was the leader of the Men of Steel. In the words of former Browns coach Sam Rutigliano, “Jack Lambert IS the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

Lambert was a tall, skinny guy weighing in at about 220 lbs. (this was likely generous in that during his rookie season, he weighed a mere 203 lbs.). But the thing that set Jack Lambert apart was his passion, drive, and intensity. No one could match the internal fire that burned in Jack Lambert. His goal was to dominate every game he played. The expectation was to win. The standard was excellence, and Jack Lambert expected this from himself and those around him. Teammates that missed assignments or did not play to the standard would get an earful from Lambert. He was the leader and one of the grittiest and toughest players in the league.

The fans loved Lambert. Pittsburgh always appreciated the tough guys that represented the blue-collar history of their town. Jack Lambert was one of the toughest, and he played the perfect tough guy position, middle linebacker. His approach to the game of football became my approach. In his words, “I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can’t take it, you shouldn’t play” I wanted to be just like Jack Lambert. Most young defensive football players in Pennsylvania wanted to be like Jack Lambert.

To get a sense of the man and his passion for the game, click on the links below:

Jack Lambert was unquestionably the best of his era. He played 11 years in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl 9 times. 4 times he was a Super Bowl champion. Three times he held the title of Defensive Player of the Year. And in 1990 he entered into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a winner and the best at what he did. By sheer determination and relentless grit, he rose to the top of his profession when many questioned his ability to play as a linebacker in the NFL.

Learning From the Best

In a lot of ways, Jack Lambert’s mentality in football resonated with me. He demonstrated a grit which led to his success on the football field. A lot of what he did on the field playing football could be brought into life. Success in any endeavor requires that same grit. Though most of us will not play professional football, we are striving to be successful in life. We have ambitions and goals. Some of the same lessons from Lambert’s career can apply to our approach and success in life.

Don’t Listen to the Naysayers!

Many felt Jack Lambert would not make it as a linebacker in the NFL. Art Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, read an old scouting report on Lambert. The report read, “Intense, great nose for the ball, but needs to add weight…” Lambert stood 6’ 4 ½” and according to the program weighed 220 lbs. Many would say this was generous. Lambert recalled his rookie year in 1974. “They put me on the scale, and when it stopped at 203, they almost died,” 203 is pretty much the bare minimum for a 6-foot-4 1/2-inch frame. Of course, this would be perfect for a volleyball or tennis player but a middle linebacker in the NFL? “I explained to them that I had been running a lot and was in the best shape of my life,” Lambert said. “I also told them to reserve judgment until we put on the pads.”

When the pads were put on, it became evident that he was not going to be stopped. The matter of whether or not he was going to be successful was settled in Jack Lambert’s mind. He knew who he was, and it didn’t matter what others said. Jack Lambert was going to succeed. He worked for this his entire life. He was ready, prepared, and confident.

What is your mindset? Do the naysayers easily sidetrack you? Think about what contributes to your mindset? What are the root causes of the lack of confidence that holds you back? What voices are you listening to? Are they supportive of the direction you need to go to succeed? Do you need to rid your life from some of the voices you listen to? It may be time to replace them with those that help and challenge you. Start making changes to replace the “I can’t” statements in your mind with the “I can” statements. The bottom line, “don’t listen to the naysayers!”

Intensely Focus on the Goal!

Jack Lambert’s lifelong ambition was to play professional football. In his words, he can’t remember having aspired to do anything else. The hall of fame coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chuck Noll said this about Jack Lambert. “When you start talking about attitude and focus, Jack is the epitome. He was the most focused individual I’ve ever had.”

Early in his career, he would routinely visit the Steelers training facility during his off hours to study film. It was not normal for a player to study film like this at the time. Jack Lambert was determined. He was going to master his profession. He studied, trained, and practiced for football. Football was his life. He put off marriage until after his playing days just so he could focus and be the best.

His work and sacrifice paid off. In the words of teammate and Hall of Fame outside linebacker Jack Ham, “[Jack Lambert] was the most complete middle linebacker ever to play.” “Of all the middle linebackers – Ray Nitschke, Willie Lanier, Dick Butkus – what set Jack apart was his ability to play the pass.” Also, another teammate and outside linebacker Andy Russell said, “Lambert may have had the image of a wild man. But he killed you with his precision.” This level of play didn’t just happen. Jack Lambert worked hard to level up his game and improve so he could maximize his performance and results.

Are you focused on your goals? Have you defined what you want to accomplish? Have you built a plan to get there? What work are you doing every day to sharpen your skills to achieve these goals? There is no better time than now to start putting in the extra work needed to excel. It is time to zero in on your goals and make it happen. It is time to get focused!

Bring the Passion!

Jack Lambert was an intense and passionate football player. I attended a football camp in Connecticut when I was about 12 years old. Many professional football players were there. Below is a picture of me to the right of Jack Ham (outside linebacker for the Steelers). Also in the picture is John Capaletti (running back for the Rams). Both were Penn State grads and John was the Heisman trophy winner in 1973.

I wasn’t able to get a picture with Jack Lambert but he was there and made an impression on me. The one thing I remember him saying was this. “If you can’t be passionate about playing football you should not play the game. The game is meant to be played with passion and intensity.”

Jack was passionate about the game. This is obvious if you’ve watched the videos in this post! You can hear his passion in this excerpt from his Hall of Fame speech in 1990. “If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler.” Joe Greene, another Hall of Fame player and teammate said this about Lambert and his passion for the game. “Jack didn’t need to psyche himself to play… He LIVED to play.” Jack Lambert was always ready and excited and brought a level of energy to his profession.

Are you passionate about what you do? If not, do you need to make a change? I believe all men are called to lead. Leadership does not happen without passion. We need to be passionate about the life we are living. If we are not we need to understand the root cause of this lack of passion and address it. It is time to take action. Passionate individuals draw people in and motivate and influence. Passion also fuels grit and makes you keep going when you face obstacles and roadblocks. What are you passionate about? Figure it out and do that thing well. Fuel that fire and be a leader to those around you.

Start Your Journey to be the Best

When I think about the things Jack Lambert did to be the best at his profession I realize that every man has the same opportunity to be the best in his chosen path. Each of us can eliminate the impact of the naysayers in our lives and surround ourselves with a team that will challenge and help us. We can define our goals and get focused on building a routine to sharpen the skills needed to be the best. We can make the changes needed so that we can be passionate about the things we are called to do in life. This passion will fuel the fire inside and drive the grit needed for the daily grind. You have what it takes to be the best. What are you going to do? Why wait? Start your journey to be the best today!

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