Defensive genius Carson, 75, passes

SARASOTA, Fla. – Bud Carson, the innovative architect of Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” defense who later coached the Cleveland Browns, died Wednesday. He was 75.

Carson, who had been ill with emphysema, died at his home.

Carson was the Steelers’ defensive coordinator from 1972-77, and shaped a defense led by Joe Greene, Jack Ham and Jack Lambert into one of the best in NFL history. During that time, the Steelers won two Super Bowl titles under coach Chuck Noll and would go on to win another two after Carson left.

He then became defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams, who lost to the Steelers in the Super Bowl after the 1979 season. He coached the Browns in 1989-90, posting a 11-13-1 record in 1 1/2 seasons.

“He was a great, great coach here,” Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said Wednesday. “In fact, I might say he coached the best defense that ever played in the National Football League – and I told him that one time after he left. They were a phenomenal team.”

The Steelers didn’t win the Super Bowl in 1976, but Carson’s defense had a sustained run that may never be equaled. After quarterback Terry Bradshaw was injured during a 1-4 start, the Steelers had five shutouts – three in a row – and allowed only 28 points while winning their final nine games.

“That was quite a feat,” Rooney said.

That 1976 team failed to win a third consecutive Super Bowl after its two 1,000-yard running backs, Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, were hurt in a 40-14 playoff rout of Baltimore and couldn’t play in an AFC title game loss in Oakland.

After Carson became a head coach, Cleveland won the AFC Central in his first season, beating Buffalo 34-30 in the playoffs before losing to Denver 37-21 in the AFC championship game. He was fired the next year when the team got off to a 2-7 start.

Colts coach Tony Dungy, a Steelers rookie defensive back under Carson in 1977, recalls marveling at how Carson could make major adjustments in personnel and strategy in the middle of a game or a season.

“We’re still doing stuff that he was doing 30 years later and everyone thinks it’s innovative,” Dungy said.