Andy Russell (American football)

Russell was born October 29, 1941, 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. 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.[https://alumni.ladueschools.net/distinguished-alumni-2002/ "Distinguished Alumni"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011053513/https://alumni.ladueschools.net/distinguished-alumni-2002/ |date=2018-10-11 }}. Ladue Education Foundation and Alumni Association. Accessed February 8, 2018.{{Cite web |title=Andy Russell Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RussAn00.htm |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

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.{{cite web | url=https://pittsburghquarterly.com/articles/andy-russell-businessman-and-former-steeler/ | title=Andy Russell, Businessman and Former Steeler }}{{Cite web |title=Andy Russell College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/andy-russell-1.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=1961 Missouri Tigers Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/missouri/1961.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} He played in the Blue Bonnet Bowl for Missouri. He never missed a game in high school or college.

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.{{cite web | url=https://retrosimba.com/2024/03/29/cardinals-fumbled-chance-to-land-local-lad-andy-russell/ | title=Cardinals fumbled chance to land local lad Andy Russell | date=March 29, 2024 }} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs2008/news/story?page=hotread19/chucknoll|title=Merrill: The lessons of Chuck Noll|date=21 January 2009}} 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 M.B.A. from Missouri in economics/finance in 1967 (the following year, he formed his own company involving investment vehicle syndicates).{{Cite web |last=Sewald |first=Jeff |date=February 20, 2006 |title=Andy Russell, Businessman and Former Steeler |url=https://pittsburghquarterly.com/articles/andy-russell/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Pittsburgh Quarterly |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Labriola |first=Bob |date=March 2, 2024 |title=1970s team captain Andy Russell, 82 |url=https://www.steelers.com/news/1970s-team-captain-andy-russell-82 |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=www.steelers.com |language=en-US}}

Russell was one of the few players future Pro Football Hall of Fame and member of the NFL 100th Anniversary Team coach Chuck Noll kept, when he became the Steelers head coach in 1969. 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. When future Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham joined the team as a rookie in 1971, Russell took the time to mentor Ham, contrary to the usual customs of veteran-rookie interactions at the time.

On December 27, 1975, Russell 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.{{Cite web |title=Steelers tell jokes, share tales at 75th year gala |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2007/11/05/Steelers-tell-jokes-share-tales-at-75th-year-gala/stories/200711050227 |access-date=2022-10-20 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}} The record was broken with a 98 yard return in 2023.

He never missed a game, playing in 168 consecutive games for the Steelers.{{Cite web |title=Andy Russell {{!}} Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers.com |url=https://www.steelers.com/history/bios/russell_andy |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=www.steelers.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-03-02 |title=Ex-Steelers LB Russell, 7-time Pro Bowler, dies |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39638847/steelers-great-andy-russell-2-super-bowl-champ-dies-82 |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} His teammates voted him team captain for ten seasons. He was named a member of the Steelers All-Time Team and the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1970s.{{Cite web |title=Remembering the life of ANDY RUSSELL |url=https://obituaries.post-gazette.com/obituary/andy-russell-1089436150 |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=obituaries.post-gazette.com |language=en}} In 2017, he was an inaugural member into the Steelers Hall of Honor. Russell was one of only four inductees, out of a class of twenty-seven, who were not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |last=Klinger |first=Jacob |date=2017-11-27 |title=Steelers remember 27 in inaugural Hall of Honor induction ceremony |url=https://www.pennlive.com/steelers/2017/11/steelers_hall_of_honor.html |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=pennlive |language=en}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.com/hall-of-very-good-2011.htm |title=Hall of Very Good Class of 2011 |access-date=November 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902011938/http://www.profootballresearchers.com/hall-of-very-good-2011.htm |archive-date=September 2, 2018 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |last=Kerkhoff |first=Blair |date=2 March 2024 |title=Former Missouri Tigers & Pittsburgh Steelers great Andy Russell dies at 82 |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article286169011.html |access-date=28 September 2024 |website=kansascity.com}}

After his playing days ended, Russell maintained his interest in business and investing to go along with endurance canoeing, mountain climbing, and philanthropy.{{Cite news |date=August 13, 1977 |title=The Wilderness and Andy Russell |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/08/13/archives/the-wilderness-and-andy-russell.html |work=New York Times}} Russell's financial success came outside football, and he was an active entrepreneur involved in the investment business during and after his football career. He was a partner with various investment banking firms.

Among his charitable and community service efforts, he founded the Andy Russell Charitable Foundation in 1999,{{Cite web |title=Andy Russell Charitable Foundation {{!}} |url=https://andyrussell.org/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |language=en-US}} and generated over $10 million in contributions to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh through the Andy Russell Charitable Golf Tournament. The foundation also supported charities and charitable causes such as The Ronald McDonald House, Leukemia Society, The Cancer Society, Economics PA, Cystic Fibrosis, Mothers Hope, Juvenile Diabetes, SIDS, and Pittsburgh Vision Services. Russell's most recent charitable work before his death was Everyone's Playground,{{Cite web |title=Everyone’s Playground {{!}} Andy Russell Charitable Foundation |url=https://andyrussell.org/everyonesplayground/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |language=en-US}} a park for special needs children located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

In 1989, he was named Big Brothers and Sisters Man of the Year.

Russell wrote three books, A Steeler Odyssey (1998), An Odd Steelers Journey (2002), and Beyond the Goalpost (2010).

Russell died on March 1, 2024, at the age of 82.{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Stephen |title=Steelers Great Andy Russell Passes at 82 |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/pittsburgh-steelers-great-andy-russell-passes-82#google_vignette |access-date=1 March 2024 |publisher=Si |date=1 March 2024}} He died of complications from Alzheimer’s Disease and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). A memorial service for Russell was held on June 15, 2024, at Everyone's Playground.{{Cite web |last=Carlip |first=Freddi |date=2024-07-07 |title=Stellar Steelers star remembered at memorial service |url=https://www.dailyitem.com/stellar-steelers-star-remembered-at-memorial-service/article_56007b0c-380d-11ef-a3e4-7356ea55f8ef.html |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=The Daily Item |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.andyrussell.org|The Andy Russell Charitable Foundation}}
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205091943/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=RUSSEAND01 Andy Russell statistics at databasefootball.com]}}

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Category:1941 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:American football linebackers

Category:Ladue Horton Watkins High School alumni

Category:Missouri Tigers football players

Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players

Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players

Category:Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players

Category:Players of American football from Detroit

Category:Players of American football from St. Louis

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Category:United States Army officers