Pitt Panthers All-Time NFL Team

The most successful quarterback to never win a Super Bowl, South Oakland native Marino led the Miami Dolphins through a successful period while throwing for over 61,000 yards and 420 touchdowns in 17 seasons, all with Miami. Marino is an inductee in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Running Back: Tony Dorsett

Another Western Pennsylvania native, Dorsett is the only Heisman winner from Pitt, but had a stellar NFL career on top of his college successes. He is the one of only two players in history who won the Heisman Trophy, Super Bowl, National Championship, as well as being enshrined in the College and Pro Football Halls Of Fame. His No. 33 jersey is retired by Pitt. The team has another Hall of Famer at the position, Curtis Martin, but the goal is to list 22 total players, so he gets left out here.

Wide Receiver: Larry Fitzgerald

The newest addition to the Pro Football Hall of Fame from Pitt, Fitzgerald had a tantalizing three-year career with the Panthers, then went on to become one of the greatest receivers in the history of the NFL. Fitzgerald is second in career receiving yards, and sixth all-time in receiving touchdowns.

Tight End: Mike Ditka

Ditka was the first tight end to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, doing so in 1988. His blocking skills were unmatched for his era, and his 43 touchdowns stood out. His No. 89 is retired by both his first NFL team in the Chicago Bears as well as Pitt.

Offensive Tackle: Bill Fralic and Jimbo Covert

Fralic and Covert are both legendary lineman in their own rights, and Covert is a 2020 Pro Football Hall Of Fame Inductee. Fralic played 9 seasons, earning First-Team All-Pro honors twice, and landed on the NFL 1980s All-Decade team. Covert played 8 seasons, all of which with the Bears.

Offensive Guard: Ruben Brown and Mark May

Brown is a four time First-Team All-Pro honoree who appeared and started in 181 games between the Buffalo Bills, a team which he made eight consecutive Pro Bowl selections with from 1996 to 2003 as well as the Chicago Bears.

May is a two time Super Bowl champion, winning both with the Washington Redskins during the 80s. He was a Pro Bowler in 1988.

Center: Russ Grimm

Grimm was a 2010 inductee into the Hall and spent his entire 11-season career with the Redskins, also winning the same two Super Bowls as May as well as the team's third and most recent Super Bowl in 1992. Part of the famed "Hogs" with May, Grimm was responsible for the excellent career of running back John Riggins, as well as protecting franchise quarterback Joe Thiesmann.

Defensive End: Chris Doleman and Rickey Jackson

Doleman is a 2012 inductee in the the Hall, finishing his career as an eight-time Pro Bowler as well as three-time First-team All-Pro Honoree. He led the league in sacks in 1989 as well as having six forced fumbles in 1987.

Jackson was inducted along with Grimm in 2010, receiving Second-Team All Pro honors five times in his career and forcing 40 fumbles in his career.

Defensive Tackle: Aaron Donald and Tony Siragusa

Donald is the only Pitt player, active or ineligible, that is a sure induction into the Hall. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in the history of the sport, suiting up for the Los Angeles Rams for his entire career. The three time Defensive Player of The Year finished his career with 8 First-Team All-Pro honors and made the Pro Bowl in every season he played in.

Siragusa went undrafted to begin his professional career, but was able to turn his undrafted status into 11 years of dominant play in the National Football League. Siragusa retired with over 500 tackles, and spent thirteen years as a broadcaster following his NFL career.

Middle Linebacker: Joe Schmidt

Schmidt made ten consecutive Pro Bowls as a member of the Detroit Lions, earning 8 First-Team and 2 Second-Team All Pro honors across the ten seasons. Schmidt's number is retired with both the Lions and Pitt.

Outside Linebacker: Hugh Green and John Reger

Green was a four time All-Pro honoree, splitting evenly between first and second team. He logged two defensive touchdowns in his career, and his No. 99 is retired by Pitt.

Reger played for the Steelers and Redskins in the 1950s and 1960s, and landed on three Pro Bowl rosters during that span. One player less notable for his playing career, but notable for coaching is No. 7 on the regular season coaches win rankings in former Pitt linebacker Marty Schottenheimer.

Cornerback: Darrelle Revis and Avonte Maddox

Revis is widely considered one of the greatest defensive backs in the history of the league, and was given the moniker "Revis Island" due to teams being afraid of throwing it into his coverage. He retired with four First-Team All-Pro selections. Along with Ditka, he is one of a record-high three inductees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to go to local Aliquippa High School, along with Ty Law.

Maddox was a four-year player at Pitt. He is currently in the middle of his career and will enter his ninth season in 2026. He was a Super Bowl champion with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.

Safety: Jordan Whitehead and Carlton Williamson

Whitehead had a seven year career in the NFL, winning one Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and amassing 557 tackles as well as 11 interceptions as a top safety option.

Williamson recorded 17 interceptions during his career, all of which he spent with the San Francisco 49ers. He won three Super Bowls with the team, retiring after eight seasons

Punter: Andy Lee

Lee was a three-time Pro Bowler and four time All-Pro honoree with the San Francisco 49ers in the late 2000s. He had a lengthly NFL career, playing from 2004 to 2022.

Kicker: Ben Sauls

At the time of writing, Sauls is currently perfect in his NFL career in kicks, landing 8 of 8 field goals and 7 of 7 extra point attempts in part of the 2025 season with the New York Giants.