It’s been almost 40 years since the ad aired – “Somehow I look older than you now”, quips Okon – but Greene got sentimental re-enacting the ad with Okon in a new video.
Advertisement
No wonder he was called “Mean Joe” Greene.
In case you’ve forgotten the spot, Greene is hobbling into the locker room when a wide-eyed Okon bashfully tells him, “I, I just want you to know I think you’re the best ever”.
In 1979, Pittsburgh Steelers player “Mean” Joe Greene famously drank a young boy’s Coke, tossing him his game jersey in exchange.
The duo was brought back together for CBS’s “Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials” special, which will air on Tuesday, Feb. 2.
In the newly publicized clip, Tommy Okon, now a grown man, meets up with the football legend at Apogee Stadium in Denton, Texas. “I don’t know about that”, demurs Okon, who counts the former defensive tackle as “one of his oldest friends”. Oh, and it sold some Coca-Cola, too, when it first appeared in October 1979 and was shown again during Super Bowl XIV in 1980.
Greene pointed to Okon when their interviewer asked why they thought the commercial became so famous. While Greene credits Okon’s adorable performance for the ad’s lasting appeal, his co-star says the commercial works because it embodies Greene’s personality: “tough football player who’s a nice guy”.
Advertisement
Watch the iconic ad below.
