Here are some select quotes from interviews with players who have praised Donnie Shell for his on-field play and locker room leadership and mentoring:
Tony Dungy: “Noll put me in a room with Donnie Shell and told me Donnie would teach me how to play the position. He told me to do what he does. Donnie taught me how to be a Christian – a good man and husband as well as a competitor.”
Larry Griffin: “Donnie Shell was there too. He mentored me at safety – to see the scheme – what the offense was trying to do to us. I played a bit of cornerback and safety so Shell and Woodruff both helped me the most.”
Joe Greene: “I’d argue L.C., Donnie Shell, and Andy Russell all should be in the Hall of Fame. “
Rod Woodson: “My roommate as a rookie was Donnie Shell. That was great for me. We’d go to the hotel before games and go over the gameplan. His biggest advice was about being a pro both on and off the field.”
John Banaszak: “Donnie “Torpedo” Shell, come on man. Ask HOF running back Earl Campbell how his ribs feel. The hardest hitting safety ever. “
Thomas Everett: ” Shell was the veteran in the secondary – he was a leader for me.”
Tim Johnson: “Coach Joe Green and Donnie Shell, were a Godsend to me as mentors by helping me to mentally adjust to the level I needed to be in handling my opportunity as a football player but also understanding the business of the NFL.”
Louis Lipps: ” Me, Stallworth, Sweeney and Shell all used to watch practice film after practice to see what the coaches saw. Then we’d meet later that night to watch the practice film again. We didn’t watch film just to watch it – you were supposed to get something out of it. Some didn’t get that – some didn’t take it seriously.”
Delton Hall: “Woodruff and Shell talked about having a bigger, broader view of the whole field and I had to work on that.”
Rick Woods: “Donnie Shell – pound for pound there was not a tougher player and he wasn’t going to let you not do it the same way.”
Rick Moser: “Donnie Shell by far in practice. He would knock the snot out me and others when blocking him.”
Lupe Sanchez: “It was great playing on the same team with Donnie Shell, John Stallworth and Mike Webster. I really learned a lot from Donnie, being a defensive back myself. They were all great teammates and classy individuals.”
Scott Campbell: “There were several guys from the Super Bowl era of the 70s still on the roster that I really looked up to. Donnie Shell, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster are the players that stick out to me. I learned what is was to be a pro by watching them.”
Solomon Wilcots: “Donnie Shell told me once too, that any time I needed anything I should just go talk to Rooney. I asked him “Really?” We never did that in Cincinnati.”
Pete Rostosky: “Donnie Shell was a great motivator; and Jack Lambert, needless to say, was an incredible character.”
Zach Valentine: “Shell and Stallworth talked with me and helped show me how to play.”
Fred Anderson: “Its a travesty that L.C. and Shell aren’t in there {the Hall of Fame}. They had everything – everything – to do with those championships.”
And from Donnie himself:
“I was becoming frustrated because I was not a starter. Mel Blount took me to dinner and let me know the team goal was to go to the Super Bowl and everyone had to do their job to accomplish this goal. He encouraged me that I was doing a great job and that my time would come to be a starter at my position. He made me recognize that no one individual was more important than the team and this advice came at a critical time in my career and gave me the right perspective.”
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