Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Andy Russell, a two-time Super Bowl champion, has died. He was 82.
Russell died Friday, according to the Steelers. A cause of death is not initially known.
Russell was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times while also being part of the famed Steel Curtain defense. The Steelers won Super Bowls IX and X during Russell's tenure.
He was part of a star-studded linebacker trio with Jack Lambert at center and Jack Ham on the other side.
“If you want to be a great linebacker, you have to be smart, and he taught me the mental part of the game,” Ham told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I think that’s what sets him apart and what made his career here in Pittsburgh such a great one.”
Selected in the 16th round in 1963, Russell played twelve seasons for Pittsburgh starting in 1963 before completing two years of military service. He returned to playing from 1966 to 1976 and completed a streak of 168 consecutive games, not missing a single game in his career.
In the 1975 postseason, Russell set a playoff record for longest fumble return when he picked up the ball and ran 93 yards for a touchdown against the Baltimore Colts. The record stood until Sam Hubbard of the Cincinnati Bengals scored a 98-yard return against the Baltimore Ravens on January 15, 2023.
“We are saddened by the news of the passing of Andy Russell,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement. “Andy was part of the foundation of the great Steelers teams of the 1970s. He was one of the few players coach Chuck Noll kept on the team after he became our head coach in 1969. Andy was the team captain and his leadership was a crucial part of Coach Noll's development of the 1970s Steelers, paving the way to four Super Bowl championships. We were pleased to induct Andy into our inaugural Steelers' Hall of Honor class of 2017.
“Andy had a very successful business career after his playing days and was a constant presence in the Pittsburgh community. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Cindy and the Russell family.”
Before his NFL career, Russell played linebacker and running back for Missouri. He was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.
Field Level Media contributed to this report.