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Andy Russell pre-dated Mean Joe Greene as a Pro Bowl defensive standout for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1960’s and ’70’s. He lost two seasons to the military before we knew Rocky Bleier. He played 12 seasons for the Black and Gold, made 7 Pro Bowls and had 1 First Team All-Pro selection. He was a key part of the Steelers’ first two Super Bowls as a member of one of the best linebacking units in the history of the NFL. Jack Ham and Jack Lambert arrived in 1971 and 1974 and then surpassed Russell, but if you watched Pittsburgh football in the early to mid-1970’s, Russell was a model of consistency who the Steel Curtain of the late 1970’s never quite replaced.
The Steel Curtain defense has Mean Joe Greene, Mel Blount, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert and Donnie Shell representing them in the Hall of Fame. The electorate over the years has shown a reluctance to induct more of the 1970’s Steelers, with the prevailing attitude that you can’t put the whole Steelers’ defense in the Hall. It has dearly cost L.C. Greenwood who is one of the most egregious oversights in NFL history, and it has cost Andy Russell.
The 5-year waiting period after Russell retired saw Jack Ham and Jack Lambert blossom into the game wrecking forces that powered two more Super Bowls as they emerged as the best outside and middle linebacker in the game. The Steel Curtain gave up a total of 23 points in Russell’s two Super Bowl victories shutting down the Minnesota Vikings and the high-powered Dallas Cowboys. The defense was the unquestioned star of those first two Super Bowls. The Steelers’ other two Super Bowls in the late 1970’s saw them give up 31 to Dallas and 19 to the Los Angeles Rams who led the game in 4th quarter before Terry Bradshaw and John Stallworth took over.
Russell was one of only five legacy Steelers that Chuck Noll inherited who started in Super Bowl IX. When asked about Chuck Noll on America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions in 1974, Russell paraphrased one of Noll’s first speeches to the Steelers when he took over the team.
Noll didn’t just keep Russell, he made him a building block.
The defense was a big part of the drive to Super Bowl XII and XIV, but you could make the argument that Bradshaw’s emergence as a passer was equally responsible. Which brings us back to the run up to and including Super Bowl IX and X. As the Steelers emerged as a contender; it was a suffocating defense led by Joe Greene, LC Greenwood and the playmaking Andy Russell who were powering the initial version of the Steel Curtain. Starting in 1972, the Steelers’ defense was dominant, winning four consecutive AFC Central titles to close out Russell’s run as a Steeler and two Super Bowl gems that starred the defense.
Andy Russell is 80 years old and occasionally the drum beats for him to be reconsidered by the Hall of Fame. Donnie Shell was a great player, and I am glad he made the Hall of Fame, but he wasn’t L.C. Greenwood or Andy Russell. L.C. passed before he could get his moment in Canton. Wouldn’t it be a great Hall of Fame weekend to see Andy Russell deliver a Hall of Fame Speech while he still can? I will bet L.C. Greenwood’s spirit will be smiling down and he will be happy for Andy.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Please comment below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
The Steel Curtain defense has Mean Joe Greene, Mel Blount, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert and Donnie Shell representing them in the Hall of Fame. The electorate over the years has shown a reluctance to induct more of the 1970’s Steelers, with the prevailing attitude that you can’t put the whole Steelers’ defense in the Hall. It has dearly cost L.C. Greenwood who is one of the most egregious oversights in NFL history, and it has cost Andy Russell.
The 5-year waiting period after Russell retired saw Jack Ham and Jack Lambert blossom into the game wrecking forces that powered two more Super Bowls as they emerged as the best outside and middle linebacker in the game. The Steel Curtain gave up a total of 23 points in Russell’s two Super Bowl victories shutting down the Minnesota Vikings and the high-powered Dallas Cowboys. The defense was the unquestioned star of those first two Super Bowls. The Steelers’ other two Super Bowls in the late 1970’s saw them give up 31 to Dallas and 19 to the Los Angeles Rams who led the game in 4th quarter before Terry Bradshaw and John Stallworth took over.
Russell was one of only five legacy Steelers that Chuck Noll inherited who started in Super Bowl IX. When asked about Chuck Noll on America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions in 1974, Russell paraphrased one of Noll’s first speeches to the Steelers when he took over the team.
Noll didn’t just keep Russell, he made him a building block.
The defense was a big part of the drive to Super Bowl XII and XIV, but you could make the argument that Bradshaw’s emergence as a passer was equally responsible. Which brings us back to the run up to and including Super Bowl IX and X. As the Steelers emerged as a contender; it was a suffocating defense led by Joe Greene, LC Greenwood and the playmaking Andy Russell who were powering the initial version of the Steel Curtain. Starting in 1972, the Steelers’ defense was dominant, winning four consecutive AFC Central titles to close out Russell’s run as a Steeler and two Super Bowl gems that starred the defense.
Andy Russell is 80 years old and occasionally the drum beats for him to be reconsidered by the Hall of Fame. Donnie Shell was a great player, and I am glad he made the Hall of Fame, but he wasn’t L.C. Greenwood or Andy Russell. L.C. passed before he could get his moment in Canton. Wouldn’t it be a great Hall of Fame weekend to see Andy Russell deliver a Hall of Fame Speech while he still can? I will bet L.C. Greenwood’s spirit will be smiling down and he will be happy for Andy.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Please comment below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
