ESPN.com "took its positional Power Rankings series off the field and into the boardroom to rate the owners," and "nobody was more respected than" Steelers Owner the Rooney family, who ranked No. 1, according to Tim Graham of ESPN.com. The Rooneys were "listed first or second on all eight of the panelists' ballots." By "any definition," Steelers Chair Emeritus DAN ROONEY and President ART ROONEY II "qualify as powerful." They are "winners," as the Steelers "have played in eight Super Bowls and won six of them with three head coaches." ESPN's John Clayton said, "The Steelers under the Rooneys have been the model of franchise ownership in sports. They are successful, consistent and supportive." Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT ranked No. 2, and Graham noted the Patriots "have won three Super Bowls in the past decade and went to a fourth." ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky ranked Kraft No. 1, and said, "In many ways, the Patriots -- not the Steelers -- are the standard-setters for the league. And while I prefer the way Heinz Field is in the middle of Pittsburgh, that development around Gillette Stadium has to be the envy of a lot of owners" (ESPN.com, 5/10).
| RANK | TEAM | OWNER(S) |
| 1 | Steelers | Rooney family |
| 2 | Patriots | Robert Kraft |
| 3 | Packers | Exec Committee |
| 4 | Giants | John Mara & Steve Tisch |
| 5 | Eagles | Jeffrey Lurie |
| 6 | Ravens | Steve Bisciotti |
| 7 | Colts | Jim Irsay |
| 8 | Cowboys | Jerry Jones |
| 9 | Falcons | Arthur Blank |
| 10 | Jets | Woody Johnson |
