Posted on July 1st, 2009 by panther

SOURCE: Pro Football Hall of Fame / PittsburghPanthers.com

Four former University of Pittsburgh players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Dan Marino is the latest Pitt player to earn induction, officially receiving the honor on Aug. 7, 2005. Marino had a legendary 17-year career with the Miami Dolphins. An eight-time Pro Bowler, he retired after the 1999 season holding an incredible 25 NFL regular-season records and as the career leader in passing attempts (8,358), completions (4,967), yardage (61,361) and touchdowns (420). He was also one of the winningest quarterbacks in NFL history, earning 147 regular-season victories, one behind all-time leader John Elway.

Tony Dorsett was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994. He left his professional mark as the NFL’s fifth-leading rusher behind Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Eric Dickerson. Dorsett has the distinction of being one of only two players in the history of football to win the Heisman Trophy, a collegiate national championship, a Super Bowl championship, and to be elected into the college and pro football halls of fame.

Mike Ditka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. Ditka was an All-America tight end at Pitt in 1960, his senior season. Ditka’s pro football career included All-Pro honors. He also was a member of the Chicago Bears’ 1963 NFL Championship squad. Ditka worked as an assistant coach at Dallas for nine seasons, spent 11 seasons as the head coach of the Chicago Bears and three seasons as head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

Joe Schmidt, Pitt’s other inductee in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was an All-America linebacker at Pitt in 1952. He went on to spend 13 years with the Detroit Lions, and was a member of the Lions’ two NFL championship teams. He later coached the team for six seasons and led Detroit to its only playoff appearance of the 1970s. He was inducted in 1973.