Randy Grossman looking dapper and distinguished (James Ward/Pinterest).
Randy Grossman is one of the more subtle “Steel Curtain” players. There were a lot of big personalities on a highly successful team, so there wasn’t enough spotlight for everyone. Grossman wasn’t like that. He was in the background and did what he needed to do when he did it. He loved being a Pittsburgh Steeler and was tightly connected to the squad in one of the most dysfunctional brotherhoods of all time. In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we will write our final article on the unofficial rabbi of the NFL. Catch our other three articles here, here, and here.
A Little About Randy’s Childhood
It’s so easy to lose the story of the more average NFL players who aren’t heading to the Hall of Fame but do their work well. When focusing on amplifying Jewish stories in the NFL so we remember their contributions to the sport, we also are often focusing on the story of the wallflower. Is Terry Bradshaw’s story significant to the NFL? Of course. Could he do what he did without people like Grossman? Absolutely not. Let’s remember them both.
One of the most emphasized parts about Curt Randy Grossman’s childhood was that he was Jewish. It’s an important part of Grossman’s identity. He grew up attending a conservative synagogue—Grossman was born in 1952, and that’s the primary synagogue type, at least in suburban Philadelphia. Apparently in the 1950s, Reform Judaism was a little less common but far more indicative of the family’s approach to the faith. We don’t know anything else about Grossman’s family besides the fact that his dad was a butcher.
Grossman, of course, had a bar mitzvah and recalled the rabbi saying this about him:” “My rabbi,in addressing the congregation following my bar mitzvah service, shared that they didn’t know if I was going to show up for the service on time, but they knew they could find me out back playing football if I didn’t.” Grossman ate, drank, and slept football. When talking to his career counselors at school, he listed professional football player as his first, second, and third choice of careers. The counselor wasn’t thrilled, and it makes sense. No one made money in the league in the 1970s.
College Days
Trying to find details on Grossman is quite the wild goose chase in general. We were able to determine he attended Temple from 1971 to 1974. He was a three-year starting tight end that led the team in receptions in 1973. His full stats are viewable here. Grossman also was a bit of a frat boy, having joined Pi Lambda Phi.
Grossman Goes Pro
It looks like Grossman has a crystal ball, because he knew what he was going to do and then did it. He went undrafted but seemed to draw interest anyway. He was an AFC man over an NFC man when it came to game style. Apparently, according to the tight end, the conferences had their own unique strategy. That’s the first time this author has heard of that. Allegedly, the AFC was pass-heavy, and the NFC had a more rushing-yard emphasis. That does seem like a wise choice for a tight end.
Grossman was in the league for eight seasons, playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers the entire time. He wasn’t particularly sentimental about the fact—there was just no free agency, and the Steelers never chose to trade him. Moving around would have been fine with the tight end. Just not for Philly. The Eagles didn’t carry the same energy as him.
In 1976, Grossman put himself on the map by making a critical catch throw made by Terry Bradshaw. In 1978, the tight end went from second string to first after an injury. Grossman was considered small and underweight at 6’1 and 218 pounds, which sounds large to most. However, he showed his chops and made a name for himself. In the 10 games he started, he had his career high of 37 receptions; that was also the record high for tight ends on the Steelers for the next 12 years. Grossman was a four-time Super Bowl champ in what was a mostly uneventful career until he retired in 1981. At least at the time, Grossman had the most rings out of any Jewish player in the league.
Next Steps
Perhaps having a part-time career in the off-season like everyone else prepared him for next steps post-retirement. It’s unclear if Grossman had a degree, or if he even needed one, but either way he has been a certified financial planner since 1990. It seems he is still in practice.
Out of the office, Grossman got married to a lady named Barb. He is also a father of three and grandfather of three. His hobbies are training bird dogs, hunting birds with dogs, and shooting clay targets with shotguns. He is in a small Jewish group of friends that also shoot clay in the Clay and Knishes Club. Knishes are a traditional Jewish snack that originated in Europe and typically have a fried dough outside and potato filling inside.
Sometimes Grossman’s humor and language choices are different, perhaps a bit outdated. For example, Grossman describes himself as a “Manischewitz Jew.” That’s a turn of phrase the internet and the author are not familiar with. Manischewitz is an American brand that is popular for its kosher food offerings. Perhaps Grossman is measuring the type of Judaism he ascribes to in his adulthood by indicating he eats kosher. It’s anyone’s guess. He still feels strongly connected to his heritage and observes holidays like Yom Kippur seriously. We love that for Randy Grossman!
The Nickname
If Grossman is a financial planner and not a rabbi, then where does that nickname come from? It is a name he got in the NFL because of his Jewish heritage, but it was not antisemitic. In fact, he experienced very little antisemitism in the league at all. There was one player who got a little mouthy with the slurs one time, but he never did that again.
When discussing antisemitism in the league, Grossman had this to say:” “If you ‘bring game,’ you’re fine. If you’re an imposter, then they’ll run you out regardless of what your religious preferences are or ethnic background is. It was obviously different in the ’60s, ’50s, ’40s, but from the time that I’ve been involved, it’s been completely open and purely performance-based acceptance or non-acceptance.” We appreciate his viewpoint, but we want to clarify that if a person experiences antisemitism or prejudice in general, it doesn’t mean they’re bad at football. Be careful with that kind of phrasing, or you’ll be in Robert Kraft’s next Super Bowl ad.
For no obvious reason, Pittsburgh Steelers Dwight White had the authority to create and enforce a nickname for his teammates. It didn’t seem like a particularly democratic process, but there was a lot of faith in his ability to pick just the right name. In discussing the naming process, Grossman was quoted saying, “He and I were locker neighbours and, yeah, what are you going to call a white kid from Philadelphia who’s Jewish? Sparky?” Certainly not. No one calls Mr. White’s wisdom into question—including us.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Randy Grossman was a good guy who showed up to work and did what he needed to do to help his team be great. The league needs all types, and Grossman’s consistent commitment to hard work and improving allowed him to be a more subtle but still critical member of the NFL. Check out the video of him trying to do stretches and practicing his heart out here. In some of the worst footage ever, you can also try to see the 1976 pass from Terry Bradshaw to Randy Grossman that put the tight end on the map here. No one could finish out Jewish American Heritage Month 2025 quite like the great Randy Grossman!
