Well this is pretty dang cool. On Sept. 29, North Texas hosts Louisiana Tech at home. For this game only, North Texas will be un-retiring former Mean Green defensive tackle and the legendary Pittsburgh Steeler “Mean” Joe Greene’s No. 75 jersey. The team will also be wearing the throwback green jersey’s that Greene wore during his North Texas playing days in the late 1960s, and a statue of Greene will unveiled just outside Apogee Stadium.
North Texas recreated the 1979 Coca-Cola ‘Mean Joe Greene’ commercial, and added an awesome twist
This is awesome.
North Texas also recreated the iconic Greene Coca-Cola commercial from 1979, but added a cool twist. Instead of the young Steelers fan, Greene gives his green North Texas jersey to UNT junior defensive end LaDarius Hamilton, who will be wearing No. 75 on Saturday.
Hamilton was chosen to wear Greene’s No. 75 “because his traits as a leader, player and advocate best represented what Greene was to the program,” per a team spokesman via ESPN.
Here’s more from the school on Greene’s return to North Texas this weekend:
Greene is the only North Texas player to have his jersey retired by both North Texas and an NFL team, and is only the second Steelers player to ever have his jersey retired.
”It is an honor to have a statue of Joe Greene, one of our university’s most iconic and dedicated alumni stand at the entrance to our stadium,” UNT President Neal Smatresk said. “Joe’s punishing power on the football field as part of the Mean Green earned him the moniker Mean Joe Greene, and his talent throughout his career earned him spots in multiple halls of fame, won Super Bowls and secured 10 trips to the Pro Bowl. Joe was an amazing football player, no doubt, but he also has been an incredible part of the UNT community for more than five decades, and continues to bleed Mean Green.”
The statue unveiling will be a part of North Texas’ “Champions Weekend,” which will include the groundbreaking ceremony for the new indoor practice facility.
Greene has to be happy with North Texas’ start so far this season — the Mean Green is 4-0, with a 44-17 upset victory over Arkansas.
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