The Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1980s were not the same type of team they were in the 1970s. However, they were still a feared team in the NFL for their hard hitting defense. Among that defense was safety Donnie Shell. During a Houston Oilers game against Pittsburgh in 1985, former Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon was hit so hard by Shell, it changed how he played the game of football forever.
It was Moon's early years in the NFL. He started his playing career in Canada playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. He made the transition into the NFL in 1984. In the book, Facing the Pittsburgh Steelers: Players Recall the Glory Years of the Black and Gold by Sean Deveney, Moon wrote about the hardest hit he ever took.
“Even from the start, the thing that stands out is just that physical toughness, you knew if you were playing the Steelers, you better pull your chinstrap a little bit tighter that weekend. It was going to be a physical ball game. For me, as the one throwing the football, it was going to be especially tough because they were known for getting after the quarterback. You knew they were going to be relentless with that. That game in Pittsburgh was my first year in the NFL, and I just remember being surprised by how much that team blitzed and how good they were at it. I took a lot of hits.”
Moon detailed what it was really like to face the Steelers in the 1980s. Pittsburgh had a relentless blitz that wreaked havoc on the Oilers. They consistently applied pressure, and Moon took a beating. He described it as his welcome to the NFL moment. Moon even mentioned that the worst hit he ever took happened against Pittsburgh.
“Probably the worst hit around that time was one of the first times I played them, early in my career (1985), and back then, I used to try to run around a little bit. I remember I went back to pass and I ran out of the pocket, a couple of their big linemen got in the backfield, so I scrambled out and I was running down the sideline at the Astrodome.”
Before that game, Moon was accustomed to moving around freely on the field. However, a hard hit from Shell injured his hip, altering his play style for the rest of his long career.
“I was trying to tiptoe down the sideline and get a couple of extra yards on a scramble. Their safety, Donnie Shell, came across the field and he hit me so hard, he gave me a hip pointer and I had to leave the game. From that day on, I knew that I had to really be selective about running around in the National Football League. I couldn't run around like I did in Canada. I was definitely more of a passer after I took that hit from Donnie Shell. That made me learn a few things about just getting out of bounds.”
Moon went on to become a nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback and a member of the Hall of Fame. Over his career, he threw for 49,325 passing yards, 291 touchdowns, and 233 interceptions. Interestingly, the Steelers had a down year that season, finishing 7-9 in 1985 and third in the AFC Central Division.
Despite their struggles, Shell's hit on Moon exemplified the Pittsburgh way of impacting future Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Playing against the Steelers instilled fear in opponents, regardless of the roster. This reputation was built during the 1970s and continues to resonate. Moon still remembers that hit as the worst of his career.
Steelers Are Eager To Return To Glory In 2024
Pittsburgh football is known for its Super Bowls, hard-hitting defense, and consistency. This is the standard in Pittsburgh. Recently, the Steelers have struggled to reenter Super Bowl conversations.
However, with upgrades at virtually every position, they hope to return to glory in 2024. Hearing stories from Hall of Famers about how the Steelers influenced their play style is always fascinating. For the rest of his career, Moon was vigilant to avoid another Shell situation.
