He won four Super Bowls with the Steelers as a member of their famed Steel Curtain defense.

[3][4] Nicknamed "Mad Dog", because of his intensity,[5] White became a two-time Pro Bowl defensive end.

White spent much of the week leading up to Super Bowl IX in a hospital, suffering from pneumonia; he lost 20 pounds and was not expected to play in the game.

However, he did play,[6] and accounted for the only scoring in the first half when he sacked Fran Tarkenton in the end zone for a safety — the first points in Steelers' history in a championship game, and also the first safety in Super Bowl history.

[10] A blood clot in his lung, the complication from back surgery, is the suspected cause of death.