Donnie Shell
Encyclopedia
Donnie Shell 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.
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. He was signed undrafted by the Steelers.
Member of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Incorporated
er 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.
Shell resides in Rock Hill, South Carolina
and was the Carolina Panthers
Director of Player Development from 1994 to 2009.
With the lone exception of former Steelers safety Mike Logan, who grew up in McKeesport, Pennsylvania
just outside of 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).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
between 1974 and 1987. Shell was a member of the Steelers famed Steel Curtain
Steel Curtain
The Steel Curtain was the nickname given to the front four of the famous defensive line of the American football team Pittsburgh Steelers during their 1970s dynasty years. This defense was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won 4 Super Bowls...
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
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
, and to the NFL Silver Anniversary Super Bowl Team.
Early life
Shell played college football for Willie JeffriesWillie Jeffries
Willie Jeffries, was a college football coach. In his 29-year career, Jeffries compiled a 179-132-6 record. He coached 19 years at his alma mater South Carolina State University in two stints, five years at Wichita State University, and five years at Howard University...
at South Carolina State University
South Carolina State University
South Carolina State University is a historically black university located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. It is the only state funded, historically black land-grant institution in South Carolina and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- Colleges, departments,...
where he was teammates with future New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Hall of Fame linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Harry Carson
Harry Carson
Harold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
and earned All-American and All conference honors. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1998. He was signed undrafted by the Steelers.
Member of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Incorporated
Groove Phi Groove
Groove Phi Groove is a social fellowship founded at Morgan State College as an alternative to mainstream Black fraternities...
NFL career
Shell was a five time Pro BowlPro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er 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
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
and Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. He had been in the top fifteen in balloting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
once before, in 2002 but with no success.
Shell resides in Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill is the largest city in York County, South Carolina and the fourth-largest city in the state. It is also the third-largest city of the Charlotte metropolitan area, behind Charlotte and Concord, North Carolina. The population was 71,459 as of . Rock Hill has undergone rapid growth between...
and was the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
Director of Player Development from 1994 to 2009.
With the lone exception of former Steelers safety Mike Logan, who grew up in McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
just outside of 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).