 Kunyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Mushure mokutamba nokuda kweSteelers mwaka wake wokutanga muna 1963 uye kungopotsa kutamba neChicago Bears nokuda kweNFL Championship, Russell akasiya chikwata kwenguva pfupi achienda kuuto kuti azadzise zvisungo zveROTC kubva kuMissouri. Akagara muGermany kwemakore maviri, achiwana chinzvimbo chemutevedzeri wechipiri, uye achishanda semubatsiri kune mukuru-nyeredzi nhatu. Iye akabva adzokera kuSteelers muna 1966, kwaaizopedza mwaka 11 inotevera. 