Wednesday, 04 December 2024

Art Rooney

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Contributors 2024
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Football Owner and Executive
Statistics: 4 Super Bowls (IX, X, XII & XIV)
1 The Sporting News Executive of the Year (1974)
Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Art Rooney founded the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1933, where they were named the Pirates until 1942. The Steelers struggled for years, but Rooney weathered substantial financial losses to keep the team afloat in a city that loved the game of football.
Rooney is very rare in that he was far more successful after he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After his executives mastered drafting and hired Chuck Noll as their head coach, the Steelers would win four Super Bowls in the 1970s and become one of the most popular sports teams.
While other owners and NFL executives might not have openly admitted they were happy for Rooney’s success, they had to appreciate his efforts in keeping the team in Pittsburgh and the work involved to get there. The people of Pittsburgh did not have to hide any emotion for Rooney and his beloved Steelers.

We are proud to nominate Art Rooney for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.