Lynn Swann

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Swann was born in Alcoa, Tennessee. He attended USC and played football as a wide receiver of the USC Trojans, where he was a consensus All-American. He was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 1974 NFL draft. With the Steelers, Swann won four Super Bowls, was selected to three Pro Bowls, and was named MVP of Super Bowl X. Swann was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

In Their Own Story

Three seasons after his Super Bowl X heroics, in 1978, the Steelers made it to Super Bowl XIII. In the game, Swann caught seven passes for 124 yards and scored the final touchdown for Pittsburgh in their 35–31 win over Dallas. The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl again in the 1979 season, and Swann caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown at the Rose Bowl in Pittsburgh's 31–19 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV. Overall, Swann gained 364 receiving yards and 398 all-purpose yards in his four Super Bowls, which were both Super Bowl records at the time. Swann retired after the 1982 season with four Super Bowl rings. In his nine-year career, he amassed 336 career receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns, 72 rushing yards on 11 attempts and a touchdown, and 739 punt return yards and a touchdown. He was a Pro Bowl selection three times (1975, 1977, 1978), and was selected to the 1970s All-Decade Team. Swann was unique among football players in that he credited his experiences in dance earlier in life with contributing to his aptitude on the football field. A 1981 interview which aired on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood showed him on the field, and then in the Pittsburgh dance studio where he later underwrote scholarships.

Reader's Guide

Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore jersey number 88. As a rookie in 1974, he led the NFL with 577 punt-return yards. He recorded four catches for a Super Bowl-record 161 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl X, becoming the first wide receiver to earn Super Bowl MVP honors. He retired after the 1982 season with 336 career receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowl selection three times (1975, 1977, 1978) and was selected to the 1970s All-Decade Team.

Did You Know?

• Swann credited his experiences in dance with contributing to his aptitude on the football field.
• He was named to the All-Pro team in 1975, 1977, and 1978.
• Swann was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001, a year before his teammate John Stallworth.
• He served as athletic director of the University of Southern California from July 1, 2016, until September 9, 2019.