The Steelers are one of the most important franchises in football after winning six Super Bowls. They dominated during the 70s under head coach Chuck Noll and recently, thanks to stars like Ben Roethlisberger, two more championships arrived.

For many decades, the Steelers’ signature has been defense. The list of names is just remarkable. Jack Lambert, Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Rod Woodson, James Harrison or Troy Polamalu.

Now, in heartbreaking news, the Pittsburgh Steelers have lost a beloved player at a very young age. He was part of a spectacular team lead by Bill Cowher which hoisted the Vince Lombardi trophy for the first time in more than two decades. It’s a sad day in the NFL.

Clark Haggans passed away: What happened to the Steelers player?

According to a report from Colin Dunlap, Clark Haggans died. He was 46-years old and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2000 to 2007. The linebacker won Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2005 season. The cause of death wasn’t revealed yet.

After his tenure with the Steelers, Haggans went to the Arizona Cardinals (2008-2011) and then finished his career with the San Francisco 49ers. He was picked by Pittsburgh in the fifth round the 2000 NFL Draft.

During his college career, Clark Haggans was extraordinary as defensive end in the Colorado State University playing alongside Joey Porter. He currently holds the all-time sack record in the program.