Shell's journey from undrafted long shot ends with hall call

Donnie Shell knew he had a little time to make an impression. The life span of an undrafted free agent rookie is short. Really short. Especially for undrafted free agent rookies from a Historically Black College and University like South Carolina State, where the undersized Shell spent years playing out of position at outside linebacker.

"I was 190 pounds soaking wet," Shell said with a laugh.

Still, Pittsburgh Steelers scout Bill Nunn saw enough in the way Shell delivered hits — punishing opponents with little regard for his own well-being — to convince his bosses that Shell deserved an invitation to training camp in the summer of 1974.

A chance is all Shell was guaranteed. So he made a promise to himself to arrive at Saint Vincent College in better shape than anyone else on the roster. Then fate intervened. The NFL Players Association went on strike for six weeks, giving rookies like Shell extra reps during the early days of camp.

It was all Shell needed to launch a career that nearly 50 years later landed him in the Hall of Fame. The hard-hitting cornerback won four Super Bowls during his 14 years in the NFL and next month will become the fifth — and most unlikely — member of the "Steel Curtain" defense to be enshrined in Canton.

The other four — lineman Joe Greene, linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert and back Mel Blount — all arrived in Pittsburgh with a pedigree. Not Shell, who views his winding path to football immortality as a testament to what can happen when innate ability and a relentless belief in yourself collide.

"It just shows that no matter where you start or where you come in, what round you are in or where you played, backup or whatever, that you can be successful if you have the right attitude," Shell said. "I knew I was going to separate myself through my conditioning and my physical play and also being a student of the game. A great example for young people