Mizzou Football: Ten Best NFL Careers of All-Time

Best Tigers to Play in the NFL – Number 3: Andy Russell

NFL Linebacker from 1963-1976

Now we go from Russ Washington to Andy Russell, who went from wearing Mizzou black and gold to donning the black and gold of the Steelers in the pros. He spent his entire career in Pittsburgh.

An interesting part of Russell’s career is that he played his rookie season in 1963 and then went to serve in the Army for several years. He did not return to football until 1966, where he appeared to not have lost a step whatsoever.

Russell was with the Steelers during some of their best years and he has two Super Bowl rings to show for it. Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl in 1974 and in 1975.

Russell was with the Steelers during some of their best years and he has two Super Bowl rings to show for it.

Russell was named First-Team All-Pro in that 1975 Super Bowl winning season and was Second-Team All-Pro three times during his career.

Oh and Russell was a seven-time Pro Bowler and was named the Steelers MVP in 1971. He had a hell of a career with the Steelers and is apart of their “All-Time Team”.

Defensive stats aren’t easy to find from the 1960s and 1970s, however, Russell had 18 interceptions in his career and returned one for a touchdown.

If Andy Russell wasn’t apart of this list, then that’d be downright ridiculous because he’s easily one of the best Mizzou players ever to play in the pros.