Pitt to retire Jimbo Covert’s number at Saturday’s game

Pitt football will retire its second jersey in three years on Saturday when the team honors former offensive tackle Jimbo Covert and retires his No. 75 jersey.

Covert, who will become the first retiree since Larry Fitzgerald in 2013 to receive the distinction, played for the Panthers from 1978-1983 and was drafted sixth overall by the Chicago Bears in 1983.

“I owe Pitt a tremendous debt of gratitude because the university has given me so much in so many important ways,” Covert said via a press release. “I’m proud to call myself a Pitt Man.”

In his final three seasons at Pitt, Covert allowed just three quarterback sacks as the team went 31-5 in that span. He was a consensus All-American for the 1982 season.

During his eight-year NFL career, Covert was a four-time All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowler and a part of the Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team in 1985.

“At every level of play, and every stage of life, Jimbo has always been a standard–bearer,” Pitt athletic director Scott Barnes said in the release.

Covert will become Pitt’s 10th player in program history to have his number retired at halftime on Saturday against Notre Dame. He is the school’s third offensive lineman to earn the honor, joining Bill Fralic and Mark May.

“Jimbo represents everything that is great about the University of Pittsburgh and its football program,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. “He embodies what we want our current players to aspire to be.”