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Joined the Cardinals on 1/23/07 when he became the team’s assistant head coach/offensive line.
Was among 10 finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and was one of 17 finalists for induction in 2007.
Spent 19 seasons with the Washington Redskins, the first 11 as an all-pro lineman (1981-91) and then as an assistant coach for eight seasons (1992-2000)
In his career, his teams have earned four Super Bowl victories. Three as a player (XVII, XXII and XXVI) and one as a coach (XL).
Earned four consecutive Pro Bowl selections (1983-86) and was a first-team selection to the NFL’s 1980’s all-decade team.
Russ Grimm enters his first season with the Cardinals as the assistant head coach/offensive line after joining the team on 1/23/07. Previously with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the same capacity, Grimm is beginning his 16th season as an NFL assistant after playing 11 years at guard for the Washington Redskins.
Grimm, 48, spent the past six seasons with the Steelers coaching with current Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt. He joined the Steelers staff in 2000 as only the second offensive line coach in Bill Cowher's tenure and made an instant impact in developing the Pittsburgh’s offensive line. Grimm's value to the coaching staff was recognized by Cowher, who promoted Grimm to assistant head coach prior to the 2004 season, the only coach to hold that title under Cowher.
In his 26 years in the NFL, Grimm had previously only been associated with two teams prior to his appointment in Arizona. He spent 19 years as a player and a coach with the Washington Redskins before joining the Steelers in 2001.
The 2006 Steelers offensive line helped pave the way for running back Willie Parker to gain 1,494 yards and 13 touchdowns on 337 carries (4.4 yard avg.) and earn his first Pro Bowl selection. Pittsburgh’s offense finished the 2006 season with the 10th best rushing attack in the NFL, helping to give the Steelers the 7th ranked total offense in the league. Parker finished the season with the second and third top rushing performances of the season in the NFL with 223 rushing yards (32 att., 1 TD) against Cleveland (12/7) and 213 yards (22 att., 2 TD’s) vs. New Orleans (11/12).
Under Grimm’s guidance in 2005, the Super Bowl champion Steelers averaged nearly 140 yards rushing per game during the regular season to rank fifth in the NFL while also grinding out 181 rushing yards in their Super Bowl XL victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
While in Pittsburgh, Grimm molded a formidable and tough offensive front anchored by All-Pro guard Alan Faneca, who earned his sixth trip to the Pro Bowl and his fifth consecutive start in 2007, and center Jeff Hartings, who made his second Pro Bowl appearance in 2006 and developed into one of the best centers in the NFL in just six seasons.
Grimm also tutored offensive tackle Marvel Smith, who has blossomed into a Pro Bowl player, and guard Kendall Simmons, who has entrenched himself as a starter since the second week of his rookie season in 2002.
A native of Scottdale, PA, Grimm began his NFL coaching career as Washington’s tight ends coach (1992-96) before moving to coach the Redskins offensive line for four seasons (1997-2000). He is credited with the development of Washington tackles Jon Jansen and five-time Pro Bowler Chris Samuels, who each earned starting spots as rookies on the Redskins' offensive line.
Grimm started 11 seasons at guard for the Redskins (1981-91) and helped lead the team to four Super Bowl appearances and three victories. He was voted to four consecutive Pro Bowls (1983-86), was a first-team selection to the 1980s all-decade team, and an original member of Washington’s renowned Hogs offensive line. During his playing days with the Redskins, Grimm was a teammate of Whisenhunt (1989-90) and quarterbacks coach Jeff Rutledge (1990-91).
He was among the 10 finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and was among 17 finalists for induction into the hall in 2007.
An All-American center at Pitt who helped his team to a 22-2 record over his junior and senior seasons, Grimm was selected by the Redskins in the third round (69th overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft. His younger brother, Donn, was a starting linebacker on Notre Dame's 1988 national championship team and signed with the Cardinals as a rookie free agent in 1991.
As a prep, Grimm punted, played quarterback and linebacker at Southmoreland High School while earning nine varsity letters and starring on the basketball team.
Born May 2, 1959, Grimm was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He has four children, Chad, Cody, and fraternal twins Devin and Dylan. | 