Dan Rooney

Daniel Milton Rooney (July 20, 1932 – April 13, 2017) was an American football executive and diplomat, primarily known for his work with the Pittsburgh Steelers and as the son of the team's founder, Art Rooney. Over his career, he served as the franchise's president, owner, and chairman.

Rooney built a management style centered on openness, practicality, and efficiency. Under his leadership, the Steelers won 15 division titles, eight AFC championships, and a record six Super Bowls. In 2000, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also pushed for the NFL rule requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach and general manager openings—now called the "Rooney Rule."

Outside football, Rooney was the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland from July 2009 to December 2012 and co-founded The Ireland Funds, a fundraising organization for Irish causes.

Rooney was born in Pittsburgh to Art Rooney and Kathleen McNulty. From a young age, he helped his father at Pitt Stadium and Forbes Field. He grew up in the city's North Side, attended North Catholic High School, and played quarterback there. He also coached the St. Peter's Elementary football team, whose quarterback was future CIA Director Michael Hayden. Rooney learned the football business from mentors Fran Fogerty, Joe Carr, and Ed Kiely.

He studied accounting at Duquesne University, where he briefly shared a class with Laird Cowher, father of future Steelers head coach Bill Cowher. Rooney graduated in 1954.

In 1960, Rooney became the Steelers' director of personnel. In 1969, his father appointed him general manager, replacing Francis Fogarty. That year, Rooney selected Joe Greene with the third overall pick, a cornerstone of the Steel Curtain defense. After a 1–13 season in 1969, Rooney stepped down as GM and hired Dick Haley, who assembled the 1974 draft class—four future Hall of Famers.

By early 1969, Rooney was running day-to-day operations and personally chose Chuck Noll as head coach. He became team president in 1975 and gained full operational control. His father remained chairman until his death in 1988. Rooney oversaw all six Steelers Super Bowl wins and hired the team's three head coaches (1969, 1992, 2007).

Though he avoided the spotlight, Rooney was active behind the scenes. He helped negotiate the 1982 collective bargaining agreement and was credited by owners and players for ending a strike that cut the season in half. He also helped design the salary cap, implemented in 1993. After his father's death, Rooney became the controlling owner. In 2003, he began ceding daily operations to his son, Art Rooney II, while remaining chairman.

In 1995, Rooney tried to block the Cleveland Browns' move to Baltimore. He and Buffalo's Ralph Wilson were the only owners to vote against it, and Rooney pushed for the Browns' return to Cleveland in 1999.

The Steelers' selection of Ben Roethlisberger in the 2004 draft is often credited to Rooney. Head coach Bill Cowher wanted to pick offensive lineman Shawn Andrews, but Rooney insisted on a quarterback, not wanting to repeat the team's 1983 pass on Dan Marino. Roethlisberger ended a quarterback drought dating to Terry Bradshaw's retirement and led the team to three Super Bowls from 2005 to 2010.

Rooney was known for patience. After Chuck Noll's 1–13 debut in 1969, Rooney kept him and even gave him a raise. He retained Noll through later rough seasons and let him retire in 1991. He also kept Bill Cowher after consecutive losing seasons in 1998 and 1999, dismissing any talk of firing him.