{{Short description|American football player (born 1951)}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Van Green | image = | number = 21 | position = Defensive back | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|4|21}} | birth_place = Auburndale, Florida, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lbs = 192 | high_school = Auburndale (Florida) | college = Shaw | draftyear = 1973 | draftround = 6 | draftpick = 150 | pastteams = * Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|1973}}–{{NFL Year|1976}}) * Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1976}}) | statlabel1 = Interceptions | statvalue1 = 3 | statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue2 = 4 | statlabel3 = Defensive TDs | statvalue3 = 2 | pfr = G/GreeVa20 }}
'''Van Harold Green''' (born April 21, 1951) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills. He was selected by the Browns in the sixth round of the 1973 NFL draft after playing college football for the Shaw Bears.
==Early life and college== Van Harold Green was born on April 21, 1951, in Auburndale, Florida.<ref name="Pfa">{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/players/g/gree06600.html | title=Van Green | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=11 July 2025}}</ref> He attended Auburndale High School.<ref name="Pfa"/>
Green played college football for the Bears of Shaw University.<ref name="Pfa"/> He was inducted into the Shaw University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://shawbears.com/honors/shaw-university-athletics-hall-of-fame/van-green/69?path=mbball | title=Van Green | publisher=Shaw University | accessdate=11 July 2025}}</ref>
==Professional career== Green was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round, with the 150th overall pick, of the 1973 NFL draft.<ref name="Pfr">{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GreeVa20.htm | title=Van Green | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=11 July 2025}}</ref> He played in all 14 games, starting five, for the Browns as a rookie in 1973 and returned two fumble recoveries for 15 yards and one touchdown.<ref name="Pfr"/> He started all 14 games during the 1974 season, totaling two interceptions for 56 yards and one touchdown, one fumble recovery, and one reception for 27 yards as the Browns finished 4–10.<ref name="Pfr"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/1974.htm | title=1974 Cleveland Browns Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=12 July 2025}}</ref> Green appeared in all 14 games for the third straight year in 1975, starting seven, and recorded one interception and one fumble recovery.<ref name="Pfr"/> He played in one game in 1976 before being released by the Browns on September 15, 1976.<ref name="transactions"/><ref name="Pfr"/>
Green signed with the Buffalo Bills on September 24, 1976.<ref name="transactions"/> He played in five games for the Bills during the 1976 season.<ref name="Pfr"/> He was released on August 31, 1977.<ref name="transactions">{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/g/gree06600.html | title=Van Green Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=11 July 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Browns1973DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Green, Van}} Category:Living people Category:1951 births Category:American football defensive backs Category:Buffalo Bills players Category:Cleveland Browns players Category:People from Auburndale, Florida Category:Shaw Bears football players Category:Players of American football from Polk County, Florida Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen Category:20th-century American sportsmen