Lynn Swann Lynn Curtis Swann ( born March 7 , 1952 ) is an American former professional football player , sportscaster , and current politician and part owner of the Arena Football League team , the Pittsburgh Power . In 2006 , he was the Republican nominee to run against the incumbent Ed Rendell for Pennsylvania governor . Biography . Early life . Swann was born in Alcoa , Tennessee , in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains near Knoxville . The Swann family moved to San Mateo , California , in the San Francisco Bay Area when Lynn was 2 . As a youth , Swann was raised in neighboring Foster City and attended Junípero Serra High School , where in addition to playing football he was a track star , leaping 24 ' 10 " in the long jump . At the 1970 CIF California State championship meet , Swann won the state title , defeating future Olympic gold medalist Randy Williams . Personal life . On June 10 , 1979 , during the summer after winning Super Bowl XIII , Swann married Bernadette Robi , the daughter of singer Paul Robi of The Platters . The pair divorced in 1983 , and she is currently married to boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard . On June 23 , 1991 , Swann married Charena ( née Shaffer ) , a psychologist , and they have two sons , Braxton and Shafer . Shafer and Braxton are currently attending Central Catholic High School . Football career . Collegiate . Swann attended the University of Southern California , where he was an All - America n on the Trojans football team . He played under coach John McKay , including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season . McKay said of Swann , " He has speed , soft hands , and grace . " He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations in 1974 . In 1993 , he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame . In 1971 , Swann had 27 catches for 305 yards and 2 touchdowns . He led USC in catches and finished second to WR Edesel Garrison in receiving yards . In 1972 , Swann rushed for 117 yards and had 27 catches for 543 yards and 3 touchdowns . This time he led USC in receiving yards and finished second to tight end Charle Young in catches . In 1973 , Swann rushed for 99 yards while catching 42 passes for 714 yards and 6 touchdowns . Professional career . Swann was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 21st pick of the first round in the 1974 NFL Draft . The Steelers draft class of ' 74 is considered one of the best in NFL history and included 4 eventual Hall of Famers : Swann , John Stallworth , Mike Webster , and Jack Lambert . Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore the jersey number 88 . As a rookie , he led the NFL with 577 punt return yards , a franchise record and the fourth most in NFL history at the time . 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 3 punts for 34 yards . The following season became the highlight of Swann ' s career . He caught 49 passes for 781 yards and a league - leading 11 touchdowns . In the AFC title game against the Oakland Raiders 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 and becoming the first wide receiver to earn Super Bowl MVP honors . 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 . Three seasons later 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 the Dallas Cowboys . The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl again in the 1979 season , and Swann caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh ' s 31 – 19 win in Super Bowl XIV . 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 season with four Super Bowl rings . He amassed 336 career receptions for 5 , 462 yards and 51 touchdowns , along with 72 rushing yards , a rushing touchdown , and 739 punt return yards and a touchdown . He was a Pro Bowl selection three times 1975 , 1977 , 1978 and was selected on the 1970s All - Decade Team . Swann was named an All - Pro Team Selection in 1975 , 1977 , and 1978 . He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 , a year before his teammate John Stallworth . He was also selected to the NFL 1970s All - Decade Team by Hall of Fame voters . After football . On January 11 , 1983 Swann announced his retirement from the Steelers . Swann went on to serve as a director on the boards of H J Heinz Co . , Hershey Entertainment and Resorts and Wyndham International . He was a football and sports broadcaster for ABC Sports from 1976 – 2006 , but left to run for Pennsylvania governor . Swann briefly hosted the television game show " To Tell the Truth " , on which he had previously appeared as a panelist before replacing original host Gordon Elliott , on NBC from 1990 to 1991 . His fourteen - week run as emcee ended , and he was replaced by Alex Trebek . He made a cameo appearance on " Mister Rogers Neighborhood " . During his time at ABC , Lynn Swann began his broadcasting career in 1976 while still active with the Pittsburgh Steelers . Upon retirement in January , 1983 , Swann began his career full - time with ABC Sports , which ended after the 2006 Sugar Bowl . Swann has broadcast a variety of events as a host , reporter , and analyst . Included in these events are : the 1976 Winter Olympics , the 1976 Summer Olympics , the 1980 Winter Olympics , the 1984 Winter Olympics , the 1984 Summer Olympics , the 1988 Winter Olympics , the Iditarod Trail sled dog race , International Diving Championships , USFL , college football and " Monday Night Football " , the Kentucky Derby , Preakness Stakes , Belmont Stakes , the Irish Derby , " ABC ' s Wide World of Sports " , and Curt Gowdy ' s The American Sportsman Swann was the sideline reporter on CBS ' " Clash of Champions " bowling telecast that aired on May 10 – 11 , 2008 . He teamed with color analyst Nelson Burton Jr . and play - by - play man Bill Macatee . The broadcast marked bowling ' s return to network television for the first time since 1999 when CBS carried it . Swann made an appearance , playing himself in the role of a sideline reporter at the " Bourbon Bowl " , in the 1998 Adam Sandler comedy feature film " The Waterboy " . He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame on December 30 , 2013 at the Pasadena Convention Center . Political career . Swann was the Chairman of the United States President ' s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports , appointed to the position by President George W . Bush . He served as Chairman of the President ' s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from June 20 , 2002 to July 30 , 2005 . Political positions . Swann is a social conservative who opposes abortion and gay marriage ; however , as of 2006 , Swann had not formulated a position on stem - cell research . As a supporter of gun rights , Swann opposed limiting the number of guns a person could purchase , although he did support stricter enforcement of current laws to cut down on the straw purchase of handguns . He also opposed spending highway funds for public transit . 2006 candidacy for governor . In December 2004 , Swann , who resides in the Pittsburgh suburb of Sewickley Heights , Pennsylvania , indicated that he was considering seeking the Republican nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania in the 2006 election . On February 23 , 2005 , Swann filed papers with the state elections board stating his intention to run . On the same day he formed a fundraising committee called " Team 88 " after his Steeler jersey number . On January 4 , 2006 , Swann formally declared his candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania . Swann ' s opponents in the Republican primary scheduled for May 16 , 2006 had initially included Jim Panyard , State Senator Jeff Piccola , and former Lieutenant Governor William Scranton , III . After Swann received the endorsement of the Republican state committee on February 11 , 2006 , all three opponents quit the race , leaving Swann as the only Republican to have filed by the deadline of March 7 , 2006 . Swann ' s campaign focused mainly on property tax reform . He also supported giving the Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh ' s lone slots license so they could build a new arena , free of taxpayer money . In the end , Swann lost the election with 40 % of the vote to incumbent Ed Rendell ' s 60 % . Had Swann won , he would have been the first African - American governor of Pennsylvania and only the third African - American elected governor of a state in U . S . history . Of the three African American gubernatorial candidates in 2006 , only one ( Massachusetts ' Deval Patrick , a Democrat ) won ; Kenneth Blackwell , a Republican , lost in Ohio . 2008 to present . In 2008 , Swann confirmed that he was considering running for the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania ' s 4th congressional district against Rep . Jason Altmire . However , Swann did not file for the election and former congresswoman Melissa Hart won the Republican nomination unopposed and then lost to Altmire in the 2008 General Election . Although he did not endorse a candidate in the primaries , Swann endorsed John McCain in the 2008 Presidential Election . In October 2009 , Swann joined the Augusta National Golf Club . He is a dues - paying member of the home of the Masters golf tournament , which is held every April . On August 19 , 2010 , the " Pittsburgh Tribune - Review " reported that Swann would be a part of the ownership team for Pittsburgh ' s AFL expansion franchise , which began playing in the spring of 2011 . Named the Pittsburgh Power , the team shares the new Consol Energy Center with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . Swann has said that , despite his football experience , he doesn ′ t interfere in the day - to - day coaching , although he will occasionally give some advice . External links . Politics Football Other