Donnie Shell

No. 31

Position:

Safety

Personal information

Date of birth:

August 26, 1952

Place of birth:

Whitmire, South Carolina

Weight:

190 lb (86 kg)

Career information

College:

South Carolina State

Undrafted:

1974

Career history

Pittsburgh Steelers (1974–1987)

Career highlights and awards

5× Pro Bowl (1978–1982)
3× AP First-team All-Pro (1979, 1980, 1982)
AP Second-team All-Pro (1981)
4× Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)

Career NFL statistics

INT:	51
INT yards:	490
Touchdowns:	2
Player stats at NFL.com

College Football Hall of Fame

Donnie Shell (born August 26, 1952 in Whitmire, South Carolina) is a former American Football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s.

Shell retired as the NFL strong safety career leader in interceptions with 51. He started eleven straight years for the Steelers and was selected to the Steelers All-Time Team, the College Football Hall of Fame, and to the NFL Silver Anniversary Super Bowl Team.

Early life

Shell played college football for Willie Jeffries at South Carolina State University where he was teammates with future New York Giants and Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson and earned All-American and All conference honors. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998.^[1] He was signed undrafted by the Steelers.

Shell is a member of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Incorporated

NFL career

Shell was a five time Pro Bowler between 1978 and 1982, a 4 time All-Pro selection, and was the Steelers team MVP in 1980. He saved several possible six points in Super Bowl XIII and Super Bowl XIV. He had been in the top fifteen in balloting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame once before, in 2002 but with no success.^[2]

Shell resides in Rock Hill, South Carolina and was the Carolina Panthers Director of Player Development from 1994 to 2009.^[3]

With the lone exception of former Steelers safety Mike Logan, who grew up in McKeesport, Pennsylvania just outside Pittsburgh, Shell's number 31 has not been reissued by the team.

He played in 201 games for the Steelers, second only to Hall of Fame Center Mike Webster (who played in 220).^[4]

Post-retirement

Shell currently serves as Director of Spiritual Life at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina.

References

↑ Shell inducted into Division II HOF Retrieved in 2006-07-25.
↑ Pro Football Hall of Fame yearly finalists Retrieved in 2006-07-25.
↑ http://www.panthersgab.com/2009/02/17/donnie-shell-announces-his-retirement/
↑ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10233/1081638-66.stm

Pittsburgh Steelers

Formerly the Pittsburgh Pirates
Founded in 1933
Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Franchise

Stadiums

Home fields: Forbes Field; Pitt Stadium; Three Rivers Stadium; Heinz Field

Training facilities: Rooney Field; Point Stadium; UPMC Sportsplex; Chuck Noll Field

Culture

Lore

Rivalries

Media

KDKA-TV
WPCW-TV
Root Sports Pittsburgh
- Charlie Batch
- Chris Hoke
- Bob Pompeani
Radio Network

Division championships (21)

Super Bowl appearances (8)

League championships (6)

1974
1975
1978
1979
2005
2008

Retired numbers

Numbers no longer issued

Hall of Fame members

Players: Bettis; Blount; Bradshaw; Butler; Dawson; Dudley; Greene; Ham; Harris; Johnson; Lambert; Layne; Stallworth; Stautner; Swann; Webster; Woodson

Coaches and administration: Bell; Kiesling; Noll; Art Rooney; Dan Rooney

Current league affiliations

League: National Football League
Conference: American Football Conference
Division: North Division

Seasons (83)

1930s	1930 . 1931 . 1932 . 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939

1940s	1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949

1950s	1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959

1960s	1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

1970s	1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1980s	1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

1990s	1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

2000s	2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

2010s	2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl IX Champions

5 Terry Hanratty 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam 20 Rocky Bleier 22 Richard Conn 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 25 Ron Shanklin 26 Preston Pearson 27 Glen Edwards 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris (MVP) 33 John Fuqua 34 Andy Russell 35 Steve Davis 38 Ed Bradley 39 Bobby Walden 43 Frank Lewis 45 Jim Allen 46 Reggie Harrison 47 Mel Blount 50 Jim Clack 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 54 Marv Kellum 55 Jon Kolb 56 Ray Mansfield 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Jim Wolf 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness 68 L. C. Greenwood 71 Gordon Gravelle 72 Gerry Mullins 73 Rick Druschel 74 Dave Reavis 75 Joe Greene 77 Charlie Davis 78 Dwight White 82 John Stallworth 84 Randy Grossman 86 Reggie Garrett 87 Larry Brown 88 Lynn Swann 89 John McMakin

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Bud Carson Dick Hoak George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl X Champions

5 Terry Hanratty 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam 20 Rocky Bleier 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 27 Glen Edwards 29 Brent Sexton 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 33 John Fuqua 34 Andy Russell 36 Dave Brown 38 Ed Bradley 39 Bobby Walden 43 Frank Lewis 44 Mike Collier 45 Jim Allen 46 Reggie Harrison 47 Mel Blount 50 Jim Clack 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 54 Marv Kellum 55 Jon Kolb 56 Ray Mansfield 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness 68 L. C. Greenwood 71 Gordon Gravelle 72 Gerry Mullins 74 Dave Reavis 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 78 Dwight White 82 John Stallworth 84 Randy Grossman 86 Reggie Garrett 87 Larry Brown 88 Lynn Swann (MVP)

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Bud Carson Dick Hoak George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIII Champions

5 Craig Colquitt 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw (MVP) 15 Mike Kruczek 18 Cliff Stoudt 20 Rocky Bleier 21 Tony Dungy 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 25 Ray Oldham 29 Ron Johnson 30 Larry Anderson 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 35 Jack Deloplaine 38 Sidney Thornton 39 Rick Moser 40 Randy Reutershan 47 Mel Blount 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 53 Dennis Winston 55 Jon Kolb 56 Robin Cole 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Willie Fry 64 Steve Furness 65 Tom Beasley 66 Ted Petersen 67 Gary Dunn 68 L. C. Greenwood 69 Fred Anderson 72 Gerry Mullins 74 Ray Pinney 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 77 Steve Courson 78 Dwight White 79 Larry Brown 82 John Stallworth 83 Theo Bell 84 Randy Grossman 86 Jim Smith 87 Jim Mandich 88 Lynn Swann 89 Bennie Cunningham

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Dick Hoak Tom Moore George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Dick Walker Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIV Champions

5 Craig Colquitt 9 Matt Bahr 12 Terry Bradshaw (MVP) 15 Mike Kruczek 20 Rocky Bleier 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 27 Greg Hawthorne 29 Ron Johnson 30 Larry Anderson 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 33 Anthony Anderson 35 Jack Deloplaine 38 Sidney Thornton 39 Rick Moser 47 Mel Blount 49 Dwayne Woodruff 50 Tom Graves 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 53 Dennis Winston 54 Zack Valentine 55 Jon Kolb 56 Robin Cole 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Willie Fry 63 Thom Dornbrook 64 Steve Furness 65 Tom Beasley 66 Ted Petersen 67 Gary Dunn 68 L. C. Greenwood 72 Gerry Mullins 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 77 Steve Courson 78 Dwight White 79 Larry Brown 82 John Stallworth 83 Theo Bell 84 Randy Grossman 85 Calvin Sweeney 86 Jim Smith 88 Lynn Swann 89 Bennie Cunningham

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Rollie Dotsch Dick Hoak Tom Moore George Perles Louis Riecke Paul Uram Dick Walker Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team

Offense:	Terry Bradshaw Jerome Bettis Rocky Bleier Franco Harris Bennie Cunningham Elbie Nickel John Stallworth Lynn Swann Hines Ward Larry Brown Dermontti Dawson Alan Faneca Tunch Ilkin Jon Kolb Mike Webster

Defense:	"Mean" Joe Greene L. C. Greenwood Casey Hampton Ernie Stautner Dwight White Jack Ham Jack Lambert Greg Lloyd Joey Porter Andy Russell Mel Blount Jack Butler Carnell Lake Troy Polamalu Donnie Shell Rod Woodson

Specialists:	Gary Anderson Bobby Walden

Pittsburgh Steelers 50th season All-Time team

Offense:	Terry Bradshaw Rocky Bleier Franco Harris Elbie Nickel John Stallworth Lynn Swann Mike Webster Gerry Mullins Sam Davis Larry Brown Jon Kolb

Defense:	Joe Greene Ernie Stautner L. C. Greenwood Dwight White Jack Ham Jack Lambert Andy Russell Mel Blount Jack Butler Donnie Shell Mike Wagner

Specialists:	Roy Gerela Pat Brady

Pittsburgh Steelers Team MVP

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