RIP Steelers owner Dan Rooney

[Illeye buckmatic]

Pure class all the way

Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney has died, the team confirmed Thursday. He was 84.

Under Rooney's direction, the Steelers won four championships in six years -- Super Bowls IX, X, XIII and XIV. He also played a large role in the 1974 draft class, considered the greatest class in NFL history, in which the Steelers picked four of five future Hall of Famers -- Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Mike Webster.

Among his lasting accomplishments was his role in the establishment of the Rooney Rule, which was created in 2003 and requires teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation positions. The rule was named in honor of Rooney, who had served as chairman of the league's diversity committee.

Off the field, Rooney was appointed U.S. ambassador to Ireland in 2009 by President Barack Obama and served until his resignation in 2012. In March 2016, the Jackie Robinson Foundation honored Rooney with its Lifetime Achievement Award.

Rooney was born July 20, 1932, in Pittsburgh, to Art Rooney Sr., who founded the Steelers the following year. He played football for North Catholic High School, and was named to the 1949 all-Catholic League second team, notably losing the first team spot to quarterback Johnny Unitas -- whom the Steelers later signed, and cut.


Steelers chairman Dan Rooney dies at age 84

 

[SteelCitySoldier]

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Steelers nation has lost a legend, as chairman and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney has died at the age of 84.

Long before he ran the Steelers, Dan Rooney ran the offense on the football team at North Catholic High School. He was a high-regarded quarterback, as if he’d been born into the game.

Which, of course he was.

Dan Rooney was born in 1932, just as his father was about the found the Pittsburgh’s NFL franchise, a team then known as the Pirates.

Fresh from earning an accounting degree at Duquesne University, Art Rooney’s oldest boy joined him in the team’s front office, working at his father’s side and learning all aspects of the game before eventually taking over leadership of the Steelers in 1969.

The library at the Steeler Headquarters tells the sweet story of the years that would follow, years that began with what turned out to be a masterstroke – hiring Chuck Noll as head coach.

Dan Rooney’s man, and the now-household names he helped bring to the Steelers, turned the sorry team around and gave a struggling city bragging rights. Pittsburgh in the 1970s was the home of champions, winning four Super bowls in six seasons.

By the time KDKA’s Ken Rice to Rooney on the occasion of the team’s 75th anniversary, they’d added a fifth Super Bowl, with the sixth only a couple of seasons off.

 

[calh45]

 

[Illeye buckmatic]

He's what every owner should be. That stability in that organization is amazing

 

[#1 pick]

The only owner I half way fukked with.

RIP.

@3Rivers

 

[resurrection]

Possibly the GOAT owner

Rest in peace, Mr. Rooney

 

[jay211]

R.I.P.

 

[Ice Cold]

RIP mr Rooney

 

[Conscious Pilot]

R.I.P

At least he didnt treat his coaches/employees like Call center employees and from what I've heard was progressive obviously with the Rooney Rule .


Got to live a full life , let this man have all the concubines in the after life

 

[luckyse7enz]

Damn. Legend. Loved the way that organization did things.

 

[Omar Little]

Rest in Paradise Mr. Rooney

 

[PortCityProphet]

Peace to the dude. Great owner m, never heard a bad thing about him

 

[Piff Perkins]

RIP. A team owner worthy of dap/respect, for once.

 

[Hiphoplives4eva]

Rip.

 

[ATearInMyEye]

R.I.P