ATLANTA - Ever since he first buckled up a chinstrap as a lad in rural Whitemire, S.C., Donnie Shell has attained greatness on the football field.
He excelled as a defensive stud at South Carolina State University. He later transferred those talents to the professional ranks, winning four Super Bowl rings as a member of the famed Steel Curtain Defense. Shell also played in five Pro Bowls and was a three-time AP All Pro.
Now, at age 62, he is still standing tall as a dominant football figure.
This past weekend, Shell was honored for his skills as a student-athlete as he was enshrined in the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Shell was inducted with six other greats from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) who left a lasting legacy on the sport at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
“It’s amazing. I was very excited when I heard the news in November. I was an All Pro and won four Super Bowls, but when you’re honored by historically black colleges, a place where I came from, it’s a different type of excitement,” said Shell. “When I went to South Carolina State University, I received more than an education. I learned how to move forward in life, and that’s what you get when you go to an HBCU.”
Before becoming an intimidating force in the secondary with the Steelers, Shell struck fear in the hearts of offensive players as first linebacker and then strong safety with the Bulldogs. Shell enjoyed a fruitful four-year stint (1970-73) at the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision formally Division I-AA) school in Orangeburg. He capped off his senior season by being named First Team All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and AP All-American.
Oddly, after receiving all these postseason accolades, his name was left off the draft board of every team in 1974. However, this didn’t derail him from fulfilling his dream of playing in the NFL. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Steelers and embarked upon an illustrious career with one of pro football’s most notable dynasties.
“I just wanted an opportunity and Pittsburgh was a team that fit for me. They gave me a fair chance, I worked hard and made the team,” said Shell.
Joining Shell as a classmate in the Black College Football Hall of Fame was the late L.C. Greenwood. The towering defensive end, who died in 2013, was a monster player at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff before suiting up for Pittsburgh in 1969. While at UAPB, Greenwood bullied offensive linemen, quarterbacks and running backs on a weekly basis. This habitual excellence earned him Ebony All American honors during his senior year.
“L.C. was beloved all throughout Canton, Mississippi,, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and Pittsburgh. This was special evening,” said L.C.’s sister, Annie Greenwood, who accepted the Hall of Fame honor on her brother’s behalf.
Shell and Greenwood were championship teammates in the 1970s. Now, they are immortal icons of HBCU royalty.
“L.C. was a great person and mentor to me as well as to a lot of others on the team. He was an HBCU guy that took me under his wing, taught what to say, what not to say, and how to act,” said Shell.
Along with Shell and Greenwood, the Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015 includes Ken Riley (FAMU), Ernie Ladd (Grambling State), Roger Brown (Maryland Eastern Shore), Richard Dent (Tennessee State) and W.C. Gorden (former head coach, Jackson State).
First Published: March 2, 2015, 9:43 p.m.