If you could put the University of Pittsburgh’s all-time NFL team in a time capsule, it would become an annual Super Bowl contender and likely hoist multiple Lombardi Trophies.
Pitt’s all-time NFL team would feature nine Pro Football Hall of Famers and three other all-decade selections. The 26 players on the team went to a combined 100 Pro Bowls.
The Pitt team would have Dan Marino throwing passes to Larry Fitzgerald and Mike Ditka. It would have Tony Dorsett and Curtis Martin rushing the football with two Hall of Famers plus two all-decade selections up front blocking for them.
On defense, it would have Chris Doleman, Rickey Jackson and Aaron Donald rushing the passer with Hall of Famer Joe Schmidt stuffing runs at middle linebacker. Doleman and Jackson are both members of the 100-sack club and Donald is the best defensive player in today’s NFL. Schmidt went to 10 consecutive Pro Bowls. Put the ball in the air and Pitt would have a shutdown corner in Darrelle Revis to take away your best receiver.
Pitt’s all-time NFL team is so talented that an NFL rushing champion (LeSean McCoy) and a nine-time Pro Bowl guard (Ruben Brown) couldn’t make the cut. Also missing the cut was a safety (Paul Martha) who went on to become the CEO of the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins.
Fitzgerald, Revis and Donald all loom as future members of Canton’s exclusive fraternity, which would bump Pitt’s representation in the Hall of Fame to 12 players.
Here’s Pitt’s all-time NFL team:
QB–Dan Marino, Hall of Fame
RB–Tony Dorsett, Hall of Fame
RB–Curtis Martin, Hall of Fame
WR–Larry Fitzgerald, 2000s NFL all-decade team
WR–Tyler Boyd, 6 seasons, 388 catches, 24 touchdowns
TE–Mike Ditka, Hall of Fame
OT–Jimbo Covert, Hall of Fame
OT–Mark May, Pro Bowl, 3-time Super Bowl champ
G–Russ Grimm, Hall of Fame
G–Bill Fralic, 1990s NFL all-decade team
C–Mark Stepnoski, 1990s NFL all-decade team
DE–Chris Doleman, Hall of Fame
DE–Bill McPeak, 3 Pro Bowls in the 1950s
*-DT–Aaron Donald, 7 Pro Bowls, 3-time NFL Defensive Player of Year
DT–Bill Maas, 2 Pro Bowls in the 1980s
OLB–Rickey Jackson, Hall of Fame
MLB–Joe Schmidt, Hall of Fame
OLB–Hugh Green, 2 Pro Bowls
CB–Darrelle Revis, 7 Pro Bowls
CB–Shawntee Spencer, 9 seasons, 11 INTs
S–Carlton Williamson, 2-time Super Bowl champion
S–Ed Sharockman, 12 seasons, 40 INTs
K–Fred Cox, Vikings’ all-time leading scorer (1,365 points)
*-P–Andy Lee, 4 Pro Bowls, 46.6-yard average
KR–LeRod Stephens-Howling, 3 career KR TDs
ST–Louis Riddick, 94 games, 8 starts
*-Still active
