A cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 1970s dynasty, Andy Russell passed away on Saturday night, according to a statement made by the University of Missouri on Saturday. His age was eighty-two.
Along with receiver Hines Ward and former colleague L.C. Greenwood, Russell is maybe the finest Steelers player not inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Russell, who was selected in the 16th round of the 1963 NFL Draft, spent his whole playing career with the Steelers, retiring following the 1976 campaign.
He had a significant role in the growth of Hall of Fame linebackers Jack Lambert and Jack Ham, who joined the Steelers in1971 and 1974.
The trio helped Pittsburgh win back-to-back titles in 1974 and in 1975. In Pittsburgh’s 1975 playoff win in over Baltimore, Russell recorded what was the longest fumble return (93 yards) in postseason history.
After toiling on bad Steelers teams for a decade, Russell ended his career with two rings while playing an instrumental role on arguably the greatest defense of all time.
He is one of the key initial figures in helping the Steelers become a dynasty, along with Noll, former team president Dan Rooney, defensive tackle Joe Greene, quarterback Terry Bradshaw and running back Franco Harris.
“We talk about him as being the third guy [as a linebacker], but he’s really the first,” Greene said of Russell back in 2018.
“Andy Russell was there when we were the Steelers … you know, the team that everybody could beat. Andy suffered through some terrible years.
“Andy, special teammate, experiencing all of the bad things that happened with the Steelers. He could share with the group the kinds of things that you needed to do to be successful.
He was the guy that ‘brought the word’ to the locker room — and I mean by ‘bringing the word,’ the coaching philosophy, the teaching that Chuck Noll and his staff placed on us.
“He was able to translate and tell us that these are things that are going to come to pass and come to fruition. [And he’d tell us], ‘You need to listen to this guy.
Over my 13 years I found out through experience you can have great coaches, but if you don’t have a messenger in the locker room who’s carrying his message it becomes very difficult. And Andy did that.”
