EDEN PARIRIE, Minn. — Riley Reiff thanked so many people Tuesday morning that he had to list them on a stack of notecards so he wouldn't forget any of them.
But Greenway likely didn't need a reminder for one name that he gave special attention.
Greenway, who retired Tuesday after an 11-year career with the Vikings, paid tribute to former Vikings linebacker and current scout Scott Studwell.
Just as Greenway set the bar for current and future Vikings linebacker, he said Studwell set the bar for him.
Studwell is the Vikings all-time leading tackler with 1,928 career defensive tackles, while Greenway is fourth in team history with 1,334. Both players are tied for fifth among Vikings linebackers with 11 career interceptions.
"We all know his historic career and all his damn records I couldn't catch," Greenway said. "Those shadows lurked over me, just trying to live up to, not only how Scott was as a player and the way he played the game, the respect people had for him, but also the way he carries himself professionally.
"I look up to you, Scott, a lot," Greenway added. "I appreciate that example every day. I couldn't catch the records because they were way too far out in front of me, but I appreciate you giving me a standard to reach for."
Studwell, a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor, was actually the first member of the organization to meet Greenway when he was still at the University of Iowa.
Greenway and Studwell formed a relationship that grew when the Vikings tabbed Greenway with the 17th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. The bond was strengthened through Greenway's 11-year tenure in Purple.
"He's one of our best players of all time. He's certainly my favorite Viking of all time," Greenway said. "Scott started scouting me at Iowa, maybe, in 2003 or 2004. And he would always be around and asking a bunch of questions, and I didn't really know who he was, and then our strength coach told me who he was.
"Then I looked him up and I realized exactly who he was," Greenway quipped.
Like Greenway, Studwell spent his entire career with the Vikings and also was named to two Pro Bowls.
Studwell's 14-year career garnered his selection as one of the 50 Greatest Vikings. He said he's cherished his friendship with Greenway over the years.
"This is what makes everything you do worthwhile," Studwell told Vikings.com after Greenway's retirement press conference. "I was the (Director of College Scouting) when we drafted Chad … if we had 52 more Greenways, then we'd have a championship team.
"He's a guy that would have played the game for free," Studwell added. "He's a great asset to this organization and to the state of Minnesota. There aren't enough superlatives to go around … Chad is a great player and even better person."
