Editing Lynn Swann (section)

==Professional career==
Swann was selected in the first round of the [[1974 NFL draft]] by the [[1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] with the 21st overall pick.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1974 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1974/draft.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Steelers draft class of '74 is considered one of the best in NFL history and includes four [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Famers]]: Swann, [[Jack Lambert (American football)|Jack Lambert]] (RD2), [[John Stallworth]] (RD4), and [[Mike Webster]] (RD5). Undrafted 1974 free agent signee [[Donnie Shell]] is also a hall of famer.<ref name="f547">{{cite web | last=Labriola | first=Bob | title=Steelers' 1974 draft class still the gold standard | website=Steelers.com | date=2024-04-24 | url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-1974-draft-class-still-the-gold-standard | access-date=2024-10-31}}</ref>

Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore the jersey number 88. As a rookie in [[1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1974]], he led the NFL with 577 punt-return yards, a franchise record and the fourth-most in NFL history at the time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1974 NFL Kick & Punt Returns |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1974/returns.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1974 NFL All-Rookie Team |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-1974.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He went on to win a championship ring with the Steelers in [[Super Bowl IX]], but did not record any receptions in the tough defensive struggle (Pittsburgh quarterback [[Terry Bradshaw]] completed only nine passes in the game). However, he returned three punts for 34 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl IX - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings - January 12th, 1975 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197501120min.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:LynnSwann-McCainRallyWashingtonPA2008.jpg|left|thumb|190px|Swann waves the [[Terrible&nbsp;Towel]]]]
The [[1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season|following season]] became the highlight of Swann's career. He caught 49 passes for 781 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lynn Swann 1975 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SwanLy00/gamelog/1975/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1975 NFL Receiving |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1975/receiving.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the [[1975–76 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|AFC title game]] against the [[1975 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]], [[George Atkinson (safety)|George Atkinson]] knocked Swann out of the game with a very hard but legal hit. He suffered a severe concussion that forced him to spend two days in a hospital, but surprised many by returning to play for [[Super Bowl X]]. Swann recorded four catches for a Super Bowl-record 161 yards and a touchdown in the game, assisting the Steelers to a 21–17 win over the [[1975 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]] and became the first wide receiver to earn [[Super Bowl MVP]] honors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl X - Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - January 18th, 1976 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197601180dal.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Winners |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/super-bowl-mvp-award.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Swann In Philly 08.25.2006.jpg|right|thumb|160px|Swann with Steelers fans before a game in 2006]]
Three seasons later, 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 [[1978 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys - January 21st, 1979 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197901210dal.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl again in the [[1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1979]] season, and Swann caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown at the [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl]] in Pittsburgh's 31–19 win over the [[1979 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]] in [[Super Bowl XIV]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XIV - Los Angeles Rams vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - January 20th, 1980 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198001200pit.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Overall, Swann gained 364 receiving yards and 398 all-purpose yards in his four [[Super Bowl]]s, which were both Super Bowl records at the time.

Swann retired after the [[1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season|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 ([[1976 Pro Bowl|1975]], [[1978 Pro Bowl|1977]], [[1979 Pro Bowl|1978]]), and was selected to the [[National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team|1970s All-Decade Team]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1975 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1975/probowl.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1977 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1977/probowl.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1978 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1978/probowl.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Teams - 1970s |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/pfhof_all_decade_1970.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Competition-Football-All-Star-Practices-Ballet/dp/B004C51SN2 |title=Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Volume 2: Amazon Digital Services LLC |website=Amazon |access-date=March 18, 2017 |archive-date=February 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218063357/https://www.amazon.com/Competition-Football-All-Star-Practices-Ballet/dp/B004C51SN2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Swann was named to the [[All-Pro]] team in [[1975 All-Pro Team|1975]], [[1977 All-Pro Team|1977]], and [[1978 All-Pro Team|1978]], and was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in {{nfly|2001}}, a year before his teammate John&nbsp;Stallworth.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1978 NFL All-Pros |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1978/allpro.htm |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

===NFL statistics===
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! colspan="2"|Legend
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|
| Won the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
| style="background:#FFFF00; width:3em;"|
| [[Super Bowl MVP]]
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year !! Team !! GP !! Rec !! Yards !! Avg !! TD 
|-
! [[1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1974]] ||style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 12 || 11 || 208 || 18.9 || 2
|-
! style="background:#FFFF00; width:3em;"|[[1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1975]] ||style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 14 || 49 || 781 || 15.9 || '''11'''
|-
! [[1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1976]] ||[[1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 12 || 28 || 516 || 18.4 || 3
|-
! [[1977 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1977]]||[[1977 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 14 || 50 || 789 || 15.8 || 7
|-
! [[1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1978]] ||style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 16 || '''61''' || '''880''' || 14.4 || 11
|-
! [[1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1979]] ||style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 13 || 41 || 808 || '''19.7''' || 5
|-
! [[1980 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1980]] ||[[1980 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 13 || 44 || 710 || 16.1 || 7
|-
! [[1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1981]] ||[[1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 13 || 34 || 505 || 14.9 || 5
|-
! [[1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1982]] ||[[1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 9 || 18 || 265 || 14.7 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career<ref name=NFL>{{cite web|title=Lynn Swann Stats|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/lynnswann/2526890/profile|website=NFL site|publisher=NFL Player|access-date=June 18, 2018|archive-date=June 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619063443/http://www.nfl.com/player/lynnswann/2526890/profile|url-status=live}}</ref> ||116 || 336 || 5,462 || 16.3 || 51
|}