Andy Russell (American football)

Interceptions:	18
Interception yards:	238
Touchdowns:	1

Andy Russell
No. 34
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	October 29, 1941; Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died:	March 1, 2024 (aged 82)
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Ladue Horton Watkins; (Ladue, Missouri)
College:	Missouri
NFL draft:	1963 / Round: 16 / Pick: 220
Career history
	Pittsburgh Steelers (1963, 1966–1976);
Career highlights and awards
	2× Super Bowl champion (IX, X); First-team All-Pro (1975); 3× Second-team All-Pro (1968, 1970, 1972); 7× Pro Bowl (1968, 1970–1975); Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team; Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor; Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame;
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:
Interceptions:	18
Interception yards:	238
Touchdowns:	1
	Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Charles Andrew Russell (October 29, 1941 – March 1, 2024) was an American professional football player who spent his entire 12-year career as a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL).

Early life[edit]

Russell was born in Detroit, Michigan to a family that relocated multiple times in his childhood (to Chicago and New York) due to his father's work as an executive with the Monsanto chemical company, with the family eventually settling in Ladue, a suburb of St. Louis. He attended Ladue High School and graduated in 1959 to the interest of colleges that wanted to recruit a player nicknamed “The Horse” for his power as a stiff-armed tackler.^[1] Heavily recruited by out-state universities, he selected the University of Missouri under Coach Dan Devine and played both linebacker and fullback. In his three seasons (1960-1962) with the team, they lost just four times (with one loss later vacated) while Russell led the team in rushing (1961) and interceptions (1962). In addition to his football talents, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1963.^[2]

Playing career[edit]

His father did not wish for him to play professional football, and Russell put a "no" on every questionnaire mailed to him by prospective NFL teams. However, the one team that did not send him a letter was the one who drafted him in the Pittsburgh Steelers.^[3] However, he elected to sign for a $12,000 salary and a $3,000 signing bonus. After playing for the Steelers his rookie season in 1963, Russell temporarily left the team for the Army to fulfill ROTC commitments that had him stationed in Germany.^[4] He then returned to the Steelers in 1966, having convinced his father that it would be best for him to play football to pay for further studies in economics for a master's degree. Russell would play the next eleven seasons and graduate with an economics master's degree in 1967 (the following year, he formed his own company involving investment vehicle syndicates).

Russell was an early member of Pittsburgh's famed Steel Curtain defense and was named the Steelers' MVP in 1971. He made seven Pro Bowl appearances—in 1969 and from 1971 through 1976—and earned two Super Bowl rings in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. On December 27, 1975, he set the NFL playoff record for a returned touchdown–93 yards in a Three Rivers Stadium victory over the Baltimore Colts. Some have claimed it as the longest football play from scrimmage in time duration.^[5]

In 1976, he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and to the Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2011, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Russell to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2011.^[6]^[7]

Personal life[edit]

After his playing days ended, Russell maintained his interest in business and investing to go along with mountain climbing and philanthropy.^[8] Russell died on March 1, 2024, at the age of 82.^[9]

References[edit]

^ "Distinguished Alumni" Archived 2018-10-11 at the Wayback Machine. Ladue Education Foundation and Alumni Association. Accessed February 8, 2018.
^ https://pittsburghquarterly.com/articles/andy-russell-businessman-and-former-steeler/
^ https://retrosimba.com/2024/03/29/cardinals-fumbled-chance-to-land-local-lad-andy-russell/
^ "Merrill: The lessons of Chuck Noll". 21 January 2009.
^ "Steelers tell jokes, share tales at 75th year gala". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
^ "Hall of Very Good Class of 2011". Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
^ https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article286169011.html
^ https://norfolkdailynews.com/benfred-before-helping-steelers-become-champs-ironman-andy-russell-helped-mu-football-roar/article_286923db-98f9-5c0f-9d31-64ce497a570a.html
^ Thompson, Stephen (1 March 2024). "Steelers Great Andy Russell Passes at 82". Si. Retrieved 1 March 2024.

External links[edit]

[1] "Distinguished Alumni" Archived 2018-10-11 at the Wayback Machine. Ladue Education Foundation and Alumni Association. Accessed February 8, 2018.

[2] ttps://pittsburghquarterly.com/articles/andy-russell-businessman-and-former-steeler/

[3] ttps://retrosimba.com/2024/03/29/cardinals-fumbled-chance-to-land-local-lad-andy-russell/

[4] "Merrill: The lessons of Chuck Noll". 21 January 2009.

[5] "Steelers tell jokes, share tales at 75th year gala". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2022-10-20.

[6] "Hall of Very Good Class of 2011". Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2016.

[7] ttps://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article286169011.html

[8] ttps://norfolkdailynews.com/benfred-before-helping-steelers-become-champs-ironman-andy-russell-helped-mu-football-roar/article_286923db-98f9-5c0f-9d31-64ce497a570a.html

[9] Thompson, Stephen (1 March 2024). "Steelers Great Andy Russell Passes at 82". Si. Retrieved 1 March 2024.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

v t e Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl IX champions
5 Terry Hanratty 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam 20 Rocky Bleier 22 Dick Conn 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 25 Ron Shanklin 26 Preston Pearson 27 Glen Edwards 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris (MVP) 33 John Fuqua 34 Andy Russell 35 Steve Davis 38 Ed Bradley 39 Bobby Walden 43 Frank Lewis 45 Jim Allen 46 Reggie Harrison 47 Mel Blount 50 Jim Clack 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 54 Marv Kellum 55 Jon Kolb 56 Ray Mansfield 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Jim Wolf 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness 68 L. C. Greenwood 71 Gordon Gravelle 72 Gerry Mullins 73 Rick Druschel 74 Dave Reavis 75 Joe Greene 77 Charlie Davis 78 Dwight White 82 John Stallworth 84 Randy Grossman 86 Reggie Garrett 87 Larry Brown 88 Lynn Swann 89 John McMakin
Head coach: Chuck Noll
Coaches: Bud Carson Dick Hoak George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Woody Widenhofer

v t e Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl X champions
5 Terry Hanratty 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam 20 Rocky Bleier 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 27 Glen Edwards 29 Brent Sexton 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 33 John Fuqua 34 Andy Russell 36 Dave Brown 38 Ed Bradley 39 Bobby Walden 43 Frank Lewis 44 Mike Collier 45 Jim Allen 46 Reggie Harrison 47 Mel Blount 50 Jim Clack 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 54 Marv Kellum 55 Jon Kolb 56 Ray Mansfield 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness 68 L. C. Greenwood 71 Gordon Gravelle 72 Gerry Mullins 74 Dave Reavis 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 78 Dwight White 82 John Stallworth 84 Randy Grossman 86 Reggie Garrett 87 Larry Brown 88 Lynn Swann (MVP)
Head coach: Chuck Noll
Coaches: Bud Carson Dick Hoak George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Woody Widenhofer

v t e Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team
Offense:	QB Terry Bradshaw RB Jerome Bettis Rocky Bleier FB Franco Harris WR John Stallworth Lynn Swann Hines Ward TE Bennie Cunningham Elbie Nickel T Larry Brown Tunch Ilkin G Alan Faneca Jon Kolb C Dermontti Dawson Mike Webster
Defense:	DE L. C. Greenwood Dwight White DT Joe Greene Casey Hampton LB Ernie Stautner Jack Ham Jack Lambert Greg Lloyd Joey Porter Andy Russell CB Mel Blount Jack Butler Rod Woodson S Carnell Lake Troy Polamalu Donnie Shell
Specialists:	K Gary Anderson P Bobby Walden

v t e Pittsburgh Steelers 50th season All-Time team
Offense	QB Terry Bradshaw RB Rocky Bleier FB Franco Harris WR John Stallworth Lynn Swann TE Elbie Nickel T Larry Brown Jon Kolb G Gerry Mullins Sam Davis C Mike Webster
Defense	DE L. C. Greenwood Dwight White DT Joe Greene Ernie Stautner LB Jack Ham Jack Lambert Andy Russell CB Mel Blount Jack Butler S Donnie Shell Mike Wagner
Special Teams	K Roy Gerela P Pat Brady

Authority control databases
International	FAST VIAF
National	United States