The Mount Rushmore of Pitt Football

Very few, if any, cities in the country love their sports more than Pittsburgh.

About the only thing they love more than their teams is to debate topics and make lists concerning their sports teams.

Whether it’s the greatest player in team history, the best draft pick in franchise history or even the biggest bust, Pittsburgh sports fans will talk about it.

This morning, the great Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News posted a tremendous story on GOAT Mountain of Pittsburgh, in other words the Mt. Rushmore of Pittsburgh sports athletes.

When @sportingnews did our project in '22 on the top four athletes from cities with teams in the four long-term major sports, I couldn't wait to continue with the three-team cities.
Why?
Pittsburgh.
Because few cities sparked such an interesting debate.https://t.co/Cf2ZCkslzm

— Michael DeCourcy (@tsnmike) July 24, 2023

Considering the Hall of Fame athletes that have played and displayed their tremendous talents in Pittsburgh, this is a topic with no right answers and something that can be debated forever.

Because this was such a tremendous story, I asked DeCourcy if he’d mind if we ran the same idea but made the focus Pitt football.

The Pitt Panther football program has produced nine players that have gone on to be enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame: Mike Ditka, Chris Doleman, Tony Dorsett, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert, Rickey Jackson, Dan Marino, Curtis Martin and Joe Schmidt. That number will grow to ten next month as cornerback Darrelle Revis will have his bust placed in Canton.

While those nine players are the current NFL Hall of Famers, others like Aaron Donald and Larry Fitzgerald will be joining them and other former Panthers were Hall of Fame College players like Bill Fralic, Hugh Green, Kenny Pickett and others.

The question is if you had to select the top four players in the history of Pitt Football, who would they be? They are to be judged by the careers they had at Pitt, not in the NFL.

VUKOVCAN’S MT. RUSHMORE OF PITT FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Aaron Donald

Resume: During his senior season, Donald was one of, if not the best player in the country, as he totaled 59 tackles, 28.5 for loss, 11 sacks and four forced fumbles. He was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American. Donald went on to win the Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award and the Outland Trophy. Donald was later selected in the 1st round by the St. Louis Rams (13th overall).

Former Pitt standout Aaron Donald during the annual NCAA football spring Blue Gold game, Saturday, April 14, 2018 — DAVID HAGUE

Tony Dorsett

Resume: Dorsett was named an All-American during his freshman season and finished second in the nation in rushing with 1,586 yards. He was the first Pitt All-American selection since Paul Martha and Ernie Borgetti in 1963. Just three games into his sophomore season, Dorsett became Pitt’s all-time leader in career rushing yards, surpassing the previous mark (1,957 yards) set by Marshall Goldberg in 1937. As a senior, Dorsett led Pitt to a national championship and won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award and was named the UPI Player of the Year. He finished his college career as a three-time first-team All-American (1973, 1975 and 1976). Dorsett was the first Pitt player to have his jersey retired.

Head referee Cooper Castleberry shakes the hand of former Pitt running back and Heisman Trophy winner, Tony Dorsett, after Dorsett was presented with an award during a break in the action. — Matt Durisko

Hugh Green

Resume: Green was recognized as a 3-time consensus All-American. In Green’s four seasons at Pitt, the Panthers went 39-8-1. Green finished his career with 460 tackles and 53 sacks. In 1980, Green won the  Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, the Lombardi Award, the UPI Player of the Year and finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting to South Carolina’s George Rogers. Green had his No. 99 jersey retired in 1980.

Larry Fitzgerald

Resume: This was a difficult one but my vote goes for Larry Fitzgerald. Oklahoma’s Jason White won the Heisman Trophy in 2003, but there’s a very, very strong argument that he robbed Fitzgerald of being Pitt’s second Heisman winner. As the recipient of the Biletnikoff, Walter Camp and Big East Player of the Year honoree, he was a unanimous All-American in 2003. Fitzgerald racked up 161 receptions for 2,267 yards (14.4 yards per reception) and 34 touchdowns during just two seasons in Pittsburgh. He would go on to be the third pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald gets ready to pass a football at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, on Wednesday, June 21. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Larry Reid Jr.)