He spent most of his adult life working within the world of professional sports, and his world was not one for the faint of heart. Football, and in the middle of the line of scrimmage at that. Boxing. Sumo wrestling. Martial arts. Competitive weight lifting. In all of those, he was a combatant, a hand-to-hand warrior who gave as good as he got, a man who didn't have it in him to back down from a fight.
But that was only one part of the man. If you weren't opposite him on a line of scrimmage, or in boxing's square-circle, or in any of those other mano-a-mano competitive confrontations, Craig Wolfley was a kind and gentle soul. Loving, supportive, understanding, giving of his time and of himself, fiercely loyal.
Craig Wolfley died on March 10. He was 66.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Craig Wolfley, a beloved member of the Pittsburgh Steelers family," said President Art Rooney II. "Craig was an outstanding player who brought both toughness and heart to the field during his 10 seasons with the Steelers. As an offensive lineman, his grit and dedication were essential to our success, contributing to the solid foundation of the Steelers' offensive line in the 1980s. His work ethic and commitment to excellence were felt both in the locker room and on the field, and his leadership was always evident.
"Following his retirement from playing, Craig seamlessly transitioned into a broadcaster, providing insightful commentary and analysis as part of the Steelers Audio Network. His passionate voice and deep understanding of the game made him a trusted figure for Steelers fans, and his humor, warmth, and enthusiasm left a lasting impact on our community.
"On behalf of the entire Steelers organization, we offer our deepest condolences to Craig's family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him."
A fifth-round pick (138th overall) in the 1980 NFL Draft out of Syracuse University, Wolfley was part of the class that also brought Tunch Ilkin to the team in the sixth round (165th overall) from Indiana State. Wolfley and Ilkin spent five-plus NFL seasons holding down the left side of the Steelers offensive line, and the men became best of friends. The depth of that friendship came across on the air during broadcasts of "In the Locker Room with Tunch and Wolf" on Steelers Nation Radio, and then also during the Steelers Audio Network's broadcasts of games when Wolfley was added to the Bill Hillgrove-Tunch Ilkin team as the sideline reporter. And that relationship seemed to grow up until Ilkin's death in September 2021.
"Training camp was always easy (doing the two-hour talk show with Wolf every day)," Mr. Ilkin once said about their time together as broadcasters. "Wolf and I would compare training camp today with what training camp was like when we were playing. I had fun doing 'Inside the Locker Room,' and if we weren't doing it together, I never would've done a five-days-a-week show. I did it with him, and we did it well together. I also loved it when Wolf joined the broadcast team and would come along on road trips. We continued to be roommates on those trips like we were as players. We would sit on a bench outside and have a cigar when we got to the hotel, and then we'd have another one before we'd get on the bus to go to the stadium for the game the next day."
After Ilkin's death, Wolfley partnered with Max Starks on the 2-hour, 5-day-a-week talk show on SNR and then moved into the booth alongside Hillgrove when Starks was added as the sideline reporter.
Wolfley quickly became known for his on-air delivery, which could be described as high-energy mixed with a penchant for making up words to emphasize a point, but he had learned about the need to study film during a career where he played along with Mike Webster and Larry Brown and he understood the importance of technique and fundamentals from being coached by Chuck Noll.
One of the skills Wolfley showcased during the last decade or so was his writing ability, as in long-form pieces that were analytical, anecdotal, and enjoyable to read. That he could be seen huddled over a notebook with a pen writing his stories by hand in cursive only added to the self-deprecating way he always viewed his own work. But Craig Wolfley could write. And he knew football, and he loved the Steelers.
"Just the energy and the passion that he brought to life," said Charlie Batch. "Not just from a Steelers perspective, but he genuinely cared about people … "Ultimately, he was able to share that as he went from the sideline to the booth. And he brought a different element. People enjoyed listening to him … The older I got in my playing career, knowing that I wanted to transition into that media side, he would give me tips and little things that he may have done that helped him get to that transition point. And then ultimately, having the chance to work with him and Tunch Ilkin on different shows. They were two peas in a pod."
That was Craig Wolfley after his playing career. During his 12-year playing career, he was a full-time starter in the interior of an NFL line of scrimmage during the 1980s, and he had the demeanor required of that job description.
"I remember our first encounter in camp was a fight," said Edmund Nelson, a defensive tackle who came to the Steelers as a No. 7 pick (172nd overall) from Auburn in the 1982 NFL Draft. "He was the first guy that I went up against in the Oklahoma drills Chuck Noll used to have. Me and him went at it the first day that the veterans reported up to camp. He body-slammed me on the first play, and then I body-slammed him on the second play. Then we just went at it. Craig and I told this story all the time, that by the time the end of practice came, we were so tired and so beat, we grabbed each other and helped each other up the hill to the locker room. That was Craig Wolfley in a nutshell. We would go at each other in camp, and then we were buddies at the end of the day. Craig lived in the same area as me after playing … Him and I would see each other every home game, and we greeted each other with a big hug. And in that hug, there was something that was 45 years' worth of friendship old. There was just a genuineness to him, a good God-fearing man. That's the main thing … I'm going to miss my hugs from Craig."
Said Dermontti Dawson: "Wolf had a bigger-than-life personality. And he was a man of faith. God was No. 1 in his life … He was upbeat all the time. And he called you 'brother,' and that was his thing. He would always call you 'brother,' and it's because you truly were family to him."
And Wolfley's "family" extended into the community, where he participated in blood drives, walks to raise money, would contribute to a charitable gathering by grabbing the microphone and entertaining the assembled group with stories about his playing and broadcasting careers. "He was truly one of those unique human beings," said Merril Hoge. "He was genuine, fair and kind. That's a pretty good recipe."
Bill Hillgrove: "Not only in the booth, but out of the booth, Wolf was a special person. The last couple of years when I was working the Steelers games, between two knee replacements and a back operation, I struggled to carry my luggage on and off the plane during road trips. Wolf always made sure he got it up and down the steps or out of the overhead bin. He was so kind in that regard … Wolf was a naturally funny man. He didn't try to be funny. He just was naturally funny. He did everything with his sense of humor. I'll miss him so much. He was a special person. He didn't wear glasses, but if he did, they would be rose-colored glasses."
Craig Wolfley is survived by his wife, Faith, and daughters Megan, Hannah, and Esther, and sons, Kyle, "CJ", and "Max."
(Teresa Varley contributed to this story.)
