Andy Russell (American football)

American football player (1941–2024)

American football player

Andy RussellNo. 34

Position:| Linebacker
Personal information
Born:| (1941-10-29)October 29, 1941
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died:| February 29, 2024(2024-02-29) (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:| 18

|

Interception yards:| 238
Touchdowns:| 1
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Charles Andrew Russell (October 29, 1941 – February 29, 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). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, and earned both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in economics from the University of Missouri.[citation needed]

As a freshman in high school, he moved from the New York area to St. Louis, attending Ladue High School. He graduated from Ladue Horton Watkins High School in 1959.[1] Having never played football in the East, he became a starter as a sophomore, playing end.[citation needed] In his junior and senior year, he played fullback and linebacker, earning all-state honors in his senior year.[citation needed] Heavily recruited by out-state universities, he selected Missouri and began a tradition of St. Louis area football players attending their home-state university under Coach Dan Devine.[citation needed]

After playing for the Steelers his rookie season in 1963, Russell temporarily left the team for the Army to fulfill ROTC commitments from Missouri.[2] He then returned to the Steelers in 1966, where he would spend the next 11 seasons.

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.[3] In 2011, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Russell to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2011.[4]

Russell died on February 29, 2024, at the age of 82.[5]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Distinguished Alumni" Archived 2018-10-11 at the Wayback Machine. Ladue Education Foundation and Alumni Association. Accessed February 8, 2018.
2. ^ "Merrill: The lessons of Chuck Noll". 21 January 2009.
3. ^ "Steelers tell jokes, share tales at 75th year gala". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
4. ^ "Hall of Very Good Class of 2011". Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
5. ^ Thompson, Stephen (1 March 2024). "Steelers Great Andy Russell Passes at 82". Si. Retrieved 1 March 2024.

## External links[edit]

* The Andy Russell Charitable Foundation
* Andy Russell statistics at databasefootball.com

* v
* t
* e

Pittsburgh Steelers 1963 NFL draft selections

* Frank Atkinson
* Gene Carrington
* Bill Nelsen
* Hewritt Dixon
* Roy Curry
* Harold Gray
* Robert Dickerson
* Matt Szykowny
* Andy Russell
* Tim Stein
* Jim Bradshaw
* Roger Berg
* Jim Traficant

* v
* t
* e

NFLPA Alan Page Community Award winners

* 1967: Starr
* 1968: W. Davis
* 1969: Meador
* 1970: Sayers
* 1971: Alexander
* 1972: May
* 1973: Russell
* 1974: Little
* 1975: Bleier
* 1976: Hart
* 1977: Alzado
* 1978: A. Manning
* 1979: Staubach
* 1980: Upshaw
* 1981: Houston
* 1982: Harris
* 1983: Dieken
* 1984: Benirschke
* 1985: Williams
* 1986: Moore
* 1987: Martin
* 1988: Cherry
* 1989: Singletary
* 1990: Newsome
* 1991: Kenn
* 1992: R. White
* 1993: Lowery
* 1994: Kelso
* 1995: Thomas
* 1996: Brooks
* 1997: Zorich
* 1998: Nickerson
* 1999: Carter
* 2000: Pelfrey
* 2001: McCrary
* 2002: Brunell
* 2003: Vincent
* 2004: Brooks
* 2005: P. Manning
* 2006: McNair
* 2007: Lynch
* 2008: Dunn
* 2009: Dawkins
* 2010: Asomugha
* 2011: Richardson
* 2012: Brees
* 2013: Batch
* 2014: Boldin
* 2015: Greenway
* 2016: T. Davis
* 2017: Jenkins
* 2018: Long
* 2019: Whitworth
* 2020: Copeland
* 2021: Hurst
* 2022: McLeod
* 2023: Hamlin
* 2024: Campbell

Previously named the Byron "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award, after Byron "Whizzer" White, the award was renamed in the fall of 2018 in honor of Alan Page.

* 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:|

Terry Bradshaw

Jerome Bettis
Rocky Bleier

Franco Harris

John Stallworth
Lynn Swann
Hines Ward

Bennie Cunningham
Elbie Nickel

Larry Brown
Tunch Ilkin

Alan Faneca
Jon Kolb

Dermontti Dawson
Mike Webster

Defense:|

L. C. Greenwood
Dwight White

Joe Greene
Casey Hampton

Ernie Stautner
Jack Ham
Jack Lambert
Greg Lloyd
Joey Porter
Andy Russell

Mel Blount
Jack Butler
Rod Woodson

Carnell Lake
Troy Polamalu
Donnie Shell

Specialists:|

Gary Anderson

Bobby Walden

* v
* t
* e

Pittsburgh Steelers 50th season All-Time team

Offense|

Terry Bradshaw

Rocky Bleier

Franco Harris

John Stallworth
Lynn Swann

Elbie Nickel

Larry Brown
Jon Kolb

Gerry Mullins
Sam Davis

Mike Webster

Defense|

L. C. Greenwood
Dwight White

Joe Greene
Ernie Stautner

Jack Ham
Jack Lambert
Andy Russell

Mel Blount
Jack Butler

Donnie Shell
Mike Wagner

Special Teams|

Roy Gerela

Pat Brady

* v
* t
* e

Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor

Jerome Bettis
Rocky Bleier
Mel Blount
Terry Bradshaw
Larry Brown
Jack Butler
Myron Cope
Bill Cowher
Sam Davis
Dermontti Dawson
Buddy Dial
Bill Dudley
Alan Faneca
James Farrior
Kevin Greene
Joe Greene
L. C. Greenwood
Jack Ham
Franco Harris
John Henry Johnson
Dick Hoak
Tunch Ilkin
Walt Kiesling
Jon Kolb
Carnell Lake
Jack Lambert
Bobby Layne
Louis Lipps
Greg Lloyd
Ray Mathews
Johnny "Blood" McNally
Heath Miller
Elbie Nickel
Chuck Noll
Bill Nunn
Troy Polamalu
Art Rooney Sr.
Art Rooney Jr.
Dan Rooney
Andy Russell
Donnie Shell
John Stallworth
Ernie Stautner
Lynn Swann
Mike Wagner
Hines Ward
Mike Webster
Dwight White
Rod Woodson

Authority control databases

International|

* FAST
* VIAF

National|

* United States

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