Kevin Darwin Greene (July 31, 1962 – December 21, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker and defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1985 through 1999.

The Greene family moved to different bases and spent three years in Mannheim, Germany before they settled in Granite City, Illinois, in 1976.

After playing his first year in the NFL, during the off season, he graduated from the RC-1-86 Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox.

During his military career, he earned the rank of captain and completed airborne training at Fort Benning to become a paratrooper.

[6] The Birmingham Stallions selected Greene in the 1985 United States Football League Territorial Draft.

He was later selected by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League in the fifth round (113th overall) of the 1985 NFL draft.

[10] That total included 4+1⁄2 sacks against the San Francisco 49ers' Joe Montana in a key late-season game that the Rams had to win in order to make the playoffs, which they did.

[11] In 1989, Greene made both the First and Second All-Pro Team and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time with his second consecutive season of 161⁄2 sacks (4th in the NFL).

Although he had compiled 46 sacks during the previous three seasons, Greene was moved from left outside linebacker in a 3–4 to right defensive end in a 4–3.

[18][19] Dick Selcer, his linebacker coach added, "Kevin's a more complete player than he is given credit for, people only seem to notice the home run, but not seem to see the singles.

[20] Returning to his left outside linebacker position, he teamed up with Greg Lloyd to form what head coach Bill Cowher called his "bookends" in the team's "Blitzburgh" defense;[21] teammates including the biracial Rod Woodson referred to the white Greene and African American Lloyd as "Salt & Pepper".

The following season, Greene was a consensus All-Pro choice in 1994 as he led the NFL in sacks (14) and made another appearance in the Pro Bowl.

Additionally, Greene was voted the NFLPA AFC Linebacker of the Year (tied with Junior Seau) for the first time in his career.

[24] His departure from Pittsburgh was due to the salary cap and the Steelers wanting to focus on younger players; Greene, though understanding of the business decision, felt hurt from the organization but continued to hold them in high regard.

Greene was called on to play the "elephant" role with the 49ers, the player to rush the passer and come in the games on likely passing downs.

[29] In December 1998, he attacked Kevin Steele, Carolina's linebacker coach, during a game; he received a one-game suspension from the team.

[30] After the season, Greene was named the NFC Linebacker of the year by the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).

As of 2023, Greene's 15.0 sacks in 1998 remains tied with Greg Hardy's 2013 season for the Panthers' franchise record.

He also finished as the NFL's all-time leader in sacks by a linebacker, ahead of players such as Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas, Rickey Jackson, and Andre Tippett; Greene is also one of only four players to lead the NFL in sacks in multiple seasons ('94 with the Steelers and '96 with the Panthers).

"[34] After being a finalist for five consecutive years, Greene was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016[35] and his bust was sculpted by Scott Myers.

He was one of several celebrities brought in by WCW president Eric Bischoff to help generate mainstream publicity for the company.

[36] Greene made his first appearance with WCW at the TBS television special Clash of the Champions XXXII in January 1996, accompanying Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage to ringside for their match against Ric Flair and The Giant.

On the June 22, 1998, episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Greene made a surprise return; as he gave an interview, he was confronted by Curt Hennig and Rick Rude, who distracted him while The Giant attacked him from behind.

[36] Following Greene's death in 2020, multiple wrestlers paid tribute to him, including Ric Flair, Mick Foley, and Sean "Syxx" Waltman.

On February 6, 2011, the Packers won Super Bowl XLV, the first time Greene had ever been part of an NFL championship team.

On January 17, 2014, it was announced that he would be stepping away from coaching "in order to spend more time with (his) wife, Tara, and (his) children, Gavin and Gabrielle".

Greene replaced Mark Collins, who was one of five assistants not brought back by head coach Todd Bowles for the 2017 season.