The Legend of Donnie Shell

There are many Steeler legends but most SC Steeler fans have heard the upstart story of Donnie Shell whom played on the great Steeler teams of the 70's.  Now I will share a bit of the rumored "story behind the story" about this player who was the other reason a South Carolina native became a Steeler fan. 

I first heard about Donnie Shell from the strangest resource - my father.  My Dad cared nothing about football back in those days in the early middle 70's since he was extremely fond of baseball.  However, as the family was watch football one Sunday, he mentioned, "Oh Shell from Whitmire 'sposed to be on that team, you know".  I thought he knew absolutely nothing about the game but a NFL player from SC was rare and this one lived only about 17 miles from our house!

Subsequently, I begin to hear about "Shell" as he was referenced.  The stories of his beginnings seemed like a story from another era and there is some truth to that.

See, Donnie Shell played for my school's then cross-county rival in a town call Whitmire, SC during the late 60's!  If you were not there you cannot imagine what life in SC was like in a "small" town during the post "Jim Crow" and late "Civil Rights" era.  I was only about eight or nine years of age at the time but can tell you most African-Americans were extremely poor and had limited opportunities to become an NFL star!  "Shell" was poor and the legend has it he did farm chores and ran miles all before going to school at that time.  "I told you it sounded like something out of a movie script!  It was also rumored that in his Senior of football at Whitmire High School, no team scored a single touchdown the entire season. 

"Shell" was awarded a football scholarship to SC State College where he played from 1971-1974.  Here's another enigma!  HBCU's(...look it up) were flooded with NFL talent throughout the 60's and early 70's.  The one's in the South were extremely loaded because of the culture of the time as mentioned earlier; however some BCS schools were beginning to "skim the cream of the crop" at that time so to speak but there were still many highly talented HBCU players during this era.

I'm not sure why "Shell", being an AP All-American selection at SC State College was not high on most NFL scout team list of potential draftees.  However, "Shell" persisted through adversity, got himself to Pittsburgh, PA, got signed as a free agent then "clawed" his way on the Steelers special teams in 1974 before gaining a starting position as strong safety, eventually.

As an avid SC Steeler fan in the 70's, I remember hearing "Donnie Shell" being recognized on defense but he was often overshadowed by "Steel Curtain", an elite group of linebackers and the first real "shut-down" corner back in the game.  However, "Shell" became legendary in my eyes in the NFL on the big stage against probably the most feared runner in the game at that time, Earl Campbell who had been terrorizing defenses because of his size, strength, and brutality.  

Donnie Shell ended that Campbell "mystique" on Monday night football game with vicious shot to the spinning Earl Campbell that silenced the announcers, the stadium, and those of us whom saw the hit.  It put the big back out of the game with a rib injury.  From that moment forward, "Shell" always seemed to be a continuous Nemesis to the Houston Oilers and also seemed to erode that "fearless" charge from Earle Campbell. 

  

"Shell" went on to total 51 interceptions as well as FOUR super bowl rings!   I still don't know why this SC Steeler legend is NOT in the Pro-Football Hall of Fame.