Pitt Legend Earns Induction into WPIAL Hall of Fame

PITTSBURGH -- One of the finest Pitt Panthers football players earned recognition for his play in high school, receiving the highest honor for his efforts.

Russ Grimm, who played offensive line at Pitt, earned induction into the WPIAL Hall of Fame, as the organization announced their Class of 2025 at the Heinz History Center. Grimm, himself, did not attend the WPIAL Hall of Fame reveal press conference.

Grimm played for Southmoreland High School in Alverton, Pa., 40 miles southeast of Pitt's campus. He earned nine varsity letters, playing football, basketball and track and field with the Scotties from 1973-77.

He played a number of positions for the Scotties, including quarterback, linebacker and punter. The school named their football stadium after him as well.

Grimm went to Pitt and spent four seasons there from 1977-80. He originally went to play linebacker, but finding himself low on the depth chart, moved to the offesnive line for playing time.

He would bulk up for the position change and it paid off, as he started at center his junior and senior seasons, leading the Panthers to a 22-2 record and to wins in the Fiesta Bowl and Gator Bowl.

Grimm served as the Panthers' center with future Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino as his quarterback. He also played alongside future Pro Bowler and College Football Hall of Famer Mark May, plus future Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle Jimbo Covert as a senior in 1980.

The Washington Redskins took Grimm with the 69th pick in the third round of the 1981 NFL Draft. He started 114 of the 180 games he played in, winning three Super Bowls with the franchise as a player, including two with May, over his 11 seasons with the team from 1981-91.

He was also a four-time consecutive Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honoree from 1983-86. He is a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team and a part of the 80 Greatest Redskins.

Grimm then went on to the coaching ranks, spending five seasons as the tight ends coach with the Redskins from 1992-96 and four seasons as the offensive line coach from 1997-2000.

The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Grimm as their offensive line coach, and he spent six seasons there from 2001-06 in the role, winning Super Bowl XL in 2005.

Grimm spent the next six seasons, 2007-12, with the Arizona Cardinals as the assistant head coach/offensive line coach and two seasons, 2016-17, with the Tennessee Titans as their offensive line coach before announcing retirement from coaching.

He earned induction as one of 10 Pitt players into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

This includes running backs Tony Dorsett and Curtis Martin, tight end Mike Ditka, defensive back Darrelle Revis, defensive lineman Chris Doleman, linebackers Joe Schmidt and Rickey Jackson, plus Covert and Marino.