Overview
- The Pittsburgh Steelers told TMZ that reports of Joe Greene’s death were “not accurate,” confirming the 79-year-old Hall of Famer is alive.
- Veteran reporter John McClain said Greene’s family told him the Steelers legend is alive and “doing great.”
- The false claim originated with a widely viewed post on X from the account “Johnny Cadillac” before spreading across Facebook and other platforms.
- TMZ published the initial debunk after contacting the team, with subsequent confirmations from outlets including People, Sporting News, and Newsweek.
- Greene’s stature as the last surviving member of the 1970s “Steel Curtain” defense fueled rapid tributes, while unverified reports suggested AI-generated posts may have amplified the hoax.