First, can you let us know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?
Well, I’m retired now. I had my own construction business – Pruitt & Associates – that my son has taken over now. I retired from that in 2015.
If you ask me what I am doing now, I’ll tell you fishing, hunting and playing golf. If you ask my friends they’d tell you golfing, fishing and sleeping in the woods!
Was the post-NFL transition difficult for you?
I had an electrical business when I played that I sold to a defense contractor and had applied to start my construction business already. So I was already in business when I retired – so that took up my time and made it easier.
What are some of the things you remember most about that Steelers-Browns rivalry?
The thing is, I had a lot of personal friends that played for the Steelers – LC, Joe, Dwight, Holmes, Russell…we got to know each other over the years of playing against each other.
My rookie year though, I wasn’t aware of the rivalry. When people told me it was like Oklahoma-Nebraska – I would have understood then. But Leroy Kelly was starting anyway so that was his problem then!
That year Leroy Kelly sprained his ankle though before the Steelers game. So I got a chance to play. The highlight of the game was that great escape of Phipps – I think 10 Steelers had a chance to sack him but he got away and threw the ball to me and I took it to the 19. Time was running out – this was near the end of the game. This was our last shot to win.
The next play was a sweep left and I ran it in for a touchdown. People rushed on the field after the game like we just won a championship! It dawned on me then that I had scored the winning touchdown.
Well, back then we shared the field with the Cleveland Indians and entered and left the field through the dugout. I was getting pats on the backs from fans – a few is great but from 10,000 – that’s a beat down!
So what did you do?
I was panicking. I ran to the dugout and got security. We stood on top of the dugout with security surrounding me. As that happened I started thinking – I figured I’d be on TV – reporters would want to interview me. So I started rehearsing what I was going to say.
Then we got down and went through the dugout. The only problem was – it was the wrong dugout. We ended up in the Steelers locker room! They all just looked at me – they were not happy and I just got out of there fast!
After that every knew my name. Even the mailman talked to me!
Who were the guys you remember dealing with most as a player?
Ham and Russell – the two outside linebackers. It wasn’t called the Steel Curtain for no reason! They made one yard look like 10 yards!
I remember too – we couldn’t beat Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh. We came close one game – we were going to win – we kicked off and they fumbled the ball, but the refs ruled the player down. The Steelers ended up winning on a fake reverse where they threw the ball to the tight end.
Well, we played them two weeks later in Cleveland. I got there early to get taped up and the refs were in the locker room. I never thought about it but they get injured too – so they were there getting taped up and ready for the game. I recognized the ref who made the bad call two weeks before and went up to him. I said “Aren’t you that guy….” and he interrupted and said he was sorry, he already apologized and said it was a mistake. I said “Hold on…I did some research on you. I learned you were the second best ref in the league!”He said “Really?” A few minutes later he came over and said “Thanks Greg – I really appreciate that. Just out of curiosity – who is the first?” I told him “The rest of the league!” We both had a good laugh at that.
Any other fun memories of those guys?
I went to Texas for a golf tournament years ago and Joe Greene was there. He was…not a good golf player, let’s just say that! We were at a driving range and he was just terrible trying to hit the balls.
There were other guys watching him. You could tell they all wanted to help him but were too scared he’d get mad. I sure wasn’t going to try!
What do you think of the state of the Browns-Steelers rivalry now?
I think its getting back to the way it was – both teams are now good and improved. The games will mean more than they have. We weren’t in contention before so the games didn’t mean much except for pride.
As a college coach, the only way you could keep your job winning just three games is if you beat Texas, Oklahoma or Nebraska. In the pros, you had to beat Pittsburgh twice!
Were the rivalry games as heated for the players as they were the fans?
I think the fans really hated each other but that was more a fan than player thing. We didn’t hate each other like that. Some guys got into the hatred and rivalry more – more I think to get the fans into it – guys like Eddie Johnson, Hanford Dixon and linebacker Robert Jackson.
It’s funny. Dwight White dated a high school classmate of mine. He told me once he was going to get me but the game was televised and he didn’t want her to get mad at him!
What do you make of the “Pruitt Rule” disallowing tearaway jerseys?
In college you’re taught to square a guy up before you tackle him. But no one was going to get me to stand still long enough to do that and tackle me.
In the pros they just get you any way they can. That led to more jerseys being torn. People thought that without those jerseys I wouldn’t be as effective. But it was my running style that made them tackle me that way – not the jersey.
Any other good stories to share?
One more comes to mind. It was my first year as a starter. Some of us got the flu the week of the game – I got better before the game but my nose kept running. I kept having to blow my nose.
Well, going into the game, our gameplan was to go to the line in a dummy formation and then adjust once their defense reacted to our formation. That way our quarterback could audible into whatever worked best. But their defense caught on and didn’t do what we thought they’d do. Our quarterback ended up having to audible three times to get the right play set. Now, once I’m in formation I’m not allowed to move – to shift at all. So I’m sitting there with my nose running as he keeps audibling.
Well, he finally called a 22 trap – which is a run right over the nosetackle – right over Joe. I got hit, then right away Joe jumped up. “God damn Greg – can’t you blow your damn nose?” he yelled. I told him “No! It’s going to be like this the whole game Joe!” I think that was the only time someone rushed for 100 yards against them that season!
Any last thoughts before I let you go?
I think the rivalry is coming back. Cleveland is on it’s way to becoming a contender. I’m proud that when I played it was in the best division in football. We were a good team and in any other time, I think we could have been in a Super Bowl.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
