Former Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl champion Andy Russell, who was a 7-time Pro Bowler and also a famed member of the infamous Steel Curtain defense, has reportedly died at the age of 82.
He helped the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X while playing under legendary coach Chuck Noll.
“If you want to be a great linebacker, you also have to be smart out there, and he taught me the mental part of the game,” said former teammate and fellow outside linebacker Jack Ham. “I think that’s what set him apart and made his career such a great career here in Pittsburgh.”
“You don’t always know what you're getting yourself into. I’m kind of vying for a linebacker job, and he could not have been more helpful to me as a rookie, and I always appreciated that,” Ham said. “It’s one thing to have a coach, but a guy who’s playing the other linebacker telling me about the things you have to look for and so forth was so helpful to me. And he didn't have to do that as one of those seasoned veterans, but he took time to do that with me, and I will always be indebted to him for that.”
In 12 years of NFL play, he amassed an impressive 38 sacks, 18 interceptions, 10 fumble recoveries .
“He was a real top player there with all the intangibles and athletic skills, but not only that, he was a real leader,” Art Rooney Jr. stated on Friday. “The thing was, he was in the ROTC. Coach Buddy Parker said let’s take him, but the fear was he might go to the service — and he did.”
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