Editing Mike Webster (section)

==Professional career==
===Pittsburgh Steelers===
[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 46 - Terry Bradshaw (Mike Webster crop).jpg|thumb|left|Webster during Super Bowl XIV]]
[[File:Linebacker Jack Ham and Center Mike Webster (3819023160).jpg|thumb|Steelers uniforms worn by [[Jack Ham]] (59) and Webster (52)]]
At {{convert|6|ft|1|in}} and {{convert|255|lbs}}, he was selected in the fifth round of the [[1974 NFL draft]] by the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. Webster served as a backup at center and guard for two years while being mentored by veteran center [[Ray Mansfield]]. He became the team's starting center in [[1976 NFL season|1976]], where he remained for 150 consecutive games. He was the Steelers' offensive captain for nine years.<ref name="steelers">{{Cite web |title=Mike Webster |url=http://www.steelers.com/team/historical/mike-webster.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507153628/http://www.steelers.com/team/historical/mike-webster.html |archive-date=May 7, 2018 |access-date=May 7, 2018 |website=Pittsburgh Steelers}}</ref> That ended in 1986 when he dislocated his elbow, causing him to sit out for four games. The Steelers won Super Bowls [[Super Bowl IX|IX]], [[Super Bowl X|X]], [[Super Bowl XIII|XIII]], and [[Super Bowl XIV|XIV]]. Webster was honored as an [[All-Pro]] seven times and played in the [[Pro Bowl]] nine times.

An avid weightlifter, Webster was known for playing with bare arms to keep opponents from grabbing his sleeves.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Webster |first=Colin |date=2011 |title=Reflections in Iron: Mike Webster's Training Methods |url=http://startingstrength.com/articles/reflections_iron_webster.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304230242/http://startingstrength.com/articles/reflections_iron_webster.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |website=Starting Strength}}{{unreliable source?|date=August 2024}}</ref>

===Kansas City Chiefs===
Webster became a [[free agent]] after the [[1988 NFL season|1988 season]]. He was signed by the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], who initially made him an assistant offensive line coach before allowing him to return as the starting center.
Webster played two seasons in Kansas City before announcing his retirement on March 11, 1991, after a 17-year career with a total of 245 games played at center.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/12/sports/sports-people-pro-football-webster-retires.html |title=Webster Retires|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 12, 1991 |access-date=November 30, 2020|language=en|archive-date=December 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042830/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/12/sports/sports-people-pro-football-webster-retires.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Retirement and legacy===
At the time of his retirement, he was the last active player in the NFL to have played on all four [[Super Bowl]] winning teams of the 1970s Steelers. At the time of his retirement, he had played more seasons as a Steeler than anyone else in franchise history (15 seasons), one season ahead of [[Terry Bradshaw]] and [[Hines Ward]]. [[Ben Roethlisberger]] tied Webster's record in the [[2018 Pittsburgh Steelers season|2018 season]], and broke it in [[2019 Pittsburgh Steelers season|2019]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=DeArdo|first=Brian|date=September 27, 2020|title= Ben Roethlisberger breaks Mike Webster's record for most games played with Steelers|work=CBS sports|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ben-roethlisberger-breaks-mike-websters-record-for-most-games-played-with-steelers/.|access-date=February 2, 2023}}</ref>

Despite the Steelers ceasing officially retiring [[number (sports)|jersey numbers]] at the time of his retirement, Webster's No. 52 has not been reissued by the team since he retired in deference to his legacy with the Steelers. In 1999, he was ranked number 75 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. The football stadium at [[Rhinelander High School]], his alma mater, is named Mike Webster Stadium in his honor.<ref>[http://www.hodagfacilities.com/ Hodag Facilities Foundation :: Home<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724014702/http://hodagfacilities.com/ |date=July 24, 2012 }}</ref> Webster was posthumously elected to the [[Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wihalloffame.com/mike-webster.|title=Class of 2007|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2007|website=Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame|access-date=February 2, 2023}}</ref>