Ernie Holmes, 59, a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers ‘Steel Curtain’ defense, was killed in a car crash on Thursday evening. He was the single occupant of the vehicle, which rolled several times near Lumberton, Texas.

The Texas Department of Public Safety reported that Holmes was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene, some 80 miles from Houston.

The former NFL defensive star was instrumental in the back to back SuperBowl wins by the Pittsburgh Steelers in their 1975 and 1976 seasons under Chuck Noll. During his playing days, the 6 foot 3 and 260 pound player once told Time magazine that he was attracted to the game of football because of the violence.

After retiring from the game, Holmes became an ordained minister. He lived on a ranch near Wiergate.

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