Steelers Chair DAN ROONEY, who succeeded his father and Steelers Founder, ART SR., as team President and "rose to become one of the most powerful and beloved owners in sports, died Thursday at the age of 84," according to a front-page piece by Ed Bouchette of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Under Rooney's leadership since the late '60s, the Steelers "transformed from lovable losers into a Super Bowl dynasty" in the '70s and "remain among the most successful and popular franchises." A "powerful voice in the NFL for decades, often out of the public eye, he helped settle two players’ strikes, served on many league committees and was a confidante and adviser" to three commissioners: PETE ROZELLE, PAUL TAGLIABUE and ROGER GOODELL. He "fought to give more opportunities for minority coaches to ascend in the NFL, an effort that prompted the adoption of what is known as the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority coach in the process of hiring a head coach." Ranked for decades among the "most powerful voices in the NFL, he handled himself with the kind of modesty that endeared him to colleagues and office workers alike, showing up daily at his only place of business." Rooney was a "voice of reason in the league." He often "piloted his own plane" to NFL HQ for "various issues or committee meetings, many of which he headed, including its most powerful, the NFL management council" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/14). Funeral arrangements for Rooney "include a public viewing at Heinz Field." Steelers Communications Coordinator BURT LAUTEN said that family and friends will be received from 2:00-7:00pm ET on Monday at the PNC Champions Club. Rooney's funeral Mass will be Tuesday at 11:00am at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh (AP, 4/14).
ONE OF THE GREATS: The AP's Wilner & Graves noted under Rooney, two stadiums were built in Pittsburgh, "securing their place in a small market where they are sporting kings." Rooney "played a major role" in league expansion in '76 to Seattle and Tampa. He also was "involved in scheduling and realignment decisions." But Rooney’s "most lasting contribution to the NFL -- and to sports in general -- came with the Rooney Rule." He also "never lost sight of its roots and made sure the focus remained on the people and the game itself" (AP, 4/13). In N.Y., Ken Belson writes Rooney "helped shape" the modern NFL and was "one of the last surviving links to its founders." In a league "filled with billionaires and outsize personalities, Rooney was more interested in deflecting attention than receiving it, particularly when he turned into an elder statesman surrounded by owners who had made their money outside of football" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/14). YAHOO SPORTS' Jackie Bamberger wrote Rooney's "steadfast leadership and insistence on doing things 'the right way' cemented the franchise as a powerhouse and made him one of the league’s most respected figures" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/13). In New Orleans, Joel Erickson writes Rooney's death sent a "shockwave through the league" (New Orleans ADVOCATE, 4/14).
HEAR IT FROM HIS PEERS: In Pittsburgh, Burns & Tascarella noted tributes "began pouring in from all over" within minutes of the announcement from the Steelers on Rooney's passing (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/13). Tagliabue called Rooney an "extraordinary man of faith, conviction, reason and peace." Tagliabue: "He loved his family, his Steelers and his Pittsburgh. His values were of America, Ireland and his Church. He was an inspiration to millions throughout America, and in many other lands. He was at home on mean streets, in lockerrooms and chapels, with Presidents, Popes, poets and visionaries. Few have served so many so well. Dan was my mentor, role model, indispensable supporter and great friend during five decades. In the NFL, he is irreplaceable" (THE DAILY). Goodell: "Few men have contributed so much to the National Football League. ... He was one of the finest men in the history of our game" (NFL). More Goodell: “He contributed on so many levels to the game. He was always thinking about the league, always thinking about the Steelers. I think devotion is the word I think about with him, and goodness. ... He defines the Hall of Fame when you think about influence that he has” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 4/14). One of Rooney’s closets friends, Panthers Owner JERRY RICHARDSON, stated, “Dan was a cornerstone of the National Football League and leaves a lasting mark on the game he loved both on and off the field" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/14). Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT said, "He was a great role model of always trying to put the league's interests first." Packers President & CEO MARK MURPHY: "I don't think any owner had a bigger impact on the modern NFL than Dan" (TRIBLIVE.com, 4/13).
TRIBUTES POURING IN: Bills co-Owners TERRY and KIM PEGULA said, "Dan Rooney is one of the true pioneers and pillars of the National Football League and deserves a lot of the credit for the success that our sport has enjoyed for a very long time. On top of that, he was as classy and nice of a man you will ever come across" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/14). Jets Owner WOODY JOHNSON said, "Dan will always be one of professional football's great treasures" (TRIBLIVE.com, 4/13). Saints Owner TOM BENSON said, "Dan was one of the true visionaries in our sport and our game is what it is today due to the efforts of men like him. He was a true gentleman with impeccable character and integrity who was thoughtful, gracious, caring and a remarkable person, someone who truly embodied everything we should all aspire to be and an example of how we should all live our lives" (NOLA.com, 4/13). Former Steelers coach BILL COWHER said, "The culture he built, the very fiber of who he was, was humility and responsibility -- don’t ever forget where you came from and it was a privilege to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. He did that. He lived that" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/14). More Cowher: "It wasn't about the revenue. It wasn't about TV. He wanted to do what was in the best interest of the game" (“NFL Total Access,” NFL Network, 4/13). ESPN's Merril Hoge, who played for the Steelers, said, "He had a great vision for this organization and his vision has actually spilled over to the league. A lot of things you see and hear are now because of Mr. Rooney” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 4/13). Penguins President & CEO DAVID MOREHOUSE said, "He was committed, humble, hard-working, loyal and never forgot where he came from. He’s an example for all of us in how he lived his life and how he ran a sports team" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/14).
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| In '09, Rooney was appointed U.S. Ambassardor to Ireland by President Obama |
MAN OF THE PEOPLE: In DC, Mark Maske writes Rooney was a "kingmaker among NFL owners" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/14). THE MMQB's Peter King writes there was no owner better than Rooney, "maybe ever, at combining the good of the game with the good of his team." And later in life, the "good of the country." In June '09, Rooney was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Ireland by PRESIDENT OBAMA, whom he supported in the '08 presidential race. Over the next four years, Rooney became an "on-and-off owner, ceding much control and authority" to his son, Steelers President ART ROONEY II. Giants President & CEO JOHN MARA said, "This is how much the owners thought of Dan Rooney. With all the Republicans in the room, his support of Obama did not affect the respect everyone had for him when he stood to speak. Anytime Dan got up to speak, in fact, you could hear a pin drop, and that doesn’t happen very often. Most times in those meetings, you’d seen owners looking at their phones or being distracted with something. Not when Dan got up." King: "Dignity lay at the heart of how Rooney lived and worked" (MMQB.SI.com, 4/14). In Pittsburgh, Chris Adamski writes Rooney was a "legend." Adamski: "Pioneer. Icon. Torchbearer. Role model. Visionary. Cornerstone of the NFL. Heart and soul of the league. The best of the best" (TRIBLIVE.com, 4/13). ESPN's John Clayton said, "The Steelers didn't have the biggest payroll, couldn’t afford the biggest payroll, but yet Dan Rooney was the one who kept advancing the game of football. ... It’s not just football, but sports in general. He set up one of the model franchises and has had some of the greatest success in sports history” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 4/14). SPORTING NEWS' Mike DeCourcy wrote Rooney made the Steelers what "we know today." His passing is a day "many had dreaded as he grew frail in recent years." Rooney "never seemed like the other NFL owners" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 4/13). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote the NFL has "lost one of its most important figures of the past half-century" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 4/13).
INFLUENTIAL VOICE: NFL.com's Judy Battista wrote few people in NFL history had "as much influence for as long a period of time as Rooney did." Few others "did it all with such a common touch, remaining a part of the blue-collar city that shaped his life as surely as he shaped football" (NFL.com, 4/13). In Pittsburgh, Ron Cook writes Steelers players "loved the way Rooney treated them." No one arguably "did more for the NFL, not even his father." Rooney was the "wise head during labor negotiations with the players, pushing for peace between the two sides because it was the right thing." He "pushed for racial inclusion because it was the right thing." He "occasionally pushed for decisions that were good for the league as whole even if they might have hurt the Steelers in the short term" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/14). In L.A., Sam Farmer writes Rooney was a "man for all seasons." The "modest and unassuming Rooney" was among the "most beloved owners in sports" (L.A. TIMES, 4/14). ESPN.com's Pat McManamon wrote "nobody who interacted" with Rooney "walked away without being touched by his kind and unassuming manner." Rooney "knew no pretensions" (ESPN.com, 4/13). In Minneapolis, Mark Craig writes the Rooney family "lifted the NFL to incredible heights, but remained unselfish and never looked down on anyone." That is "not common." Rooney "was an NFL giant but he never talked at you." Craig: "He talked to you" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/14). In Pennsylvania, Jacob Klinger wrote Rooney was "unyieldingly present" in the way the "patriarch of a self-sufficient family unit is -- there, comforting to see, even without need" (PENNLIVE.com, 4/13). NFL Network’s Steve Wyche said the "legacy of him expanding open mindedness was a huge, huge exclamation point" (“NFL Total Access,” NFL Network, 4/13).
LASTING LEGACY: In Pittsburgh, Brian Batko in a front-page piece writes Rooney will "forever be synonymous with efforts in athletics to encourage opportunities for minority coaches." Fritz Pollard Alliance Chair JOHN WOOTEN "worked closely with Rooney to develop a league policy requiring teams to interview minority candidates." Wooten said, "The thing about it is, he really didn’t want it to be called the Rooney Rule" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/14). Also in Pittsburgh, Kevin Gorman wrote, "Let's remember Dan Rooney, not just for the rule he gave the game but the way he ran the Steelers, as the face of a family business that has represented the best of our city and its people for generations" (TRIBLIVE.com, 4/13). ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert wrote Rooney "almost certainly will be remembered for the rule that bears his name." Its results "can be debated, but its spirit cannot." Rooney will "forever be associated with ideals like fairness, opportunity and inclusivity." Seifert: "Who wouldn't aspire to that?" (ESPN.com, 4/13). Pro Football HOFer TONY DUNGY said, “I don't know that he will ever get enough credit for some of things he did in terms of the merger and the player relations and those type of things behind the scenes. The league would not be in the position it's in today without Dan Rooney, no doubt” (“PFT,” NBCSN, 4/14).
DAN IN REAL LIFE: SBJ/SBD awarded Dan Rooney with our Lifetime Achievement Award in '14. Read senior writer Bill King's cover story, which takes a look at the life and times of Rooney. King wrote Rooney was "around Steelers practices and training camps from the time he was a small boy. He was the water boy and worked the locker room, putting gear in lockers and picking up towels. By the time he reached college, he was the training camp manager." To Art Rooney, the Steelers "were a great thing." But to Dan Rooney, they were the "only thing." Rooney said, "I always enjoyed the game. So even when we weren’t doing well, it wasn’t terrible. My father and I, we said we’re going to get this going if we just keep doing things right. People might say, ‘Right? What’s that mean?’ But if you do things right, and that’s your idea of what you’re going to do, your decisions are going to most likely be OK."
