Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, has died at age 84.
The Steelers confirmed the news Thursday, according to multiple reports. No further details were available, but Rooney leaves behind a legacy as a very influential NFL executive.
Rooney took over operation of the Steelers organization in the 1960s from his father, Art, who founded the franchise. He’s a six-time Super Bowl champion, even winning four championships in a six-year span beginning with Super Bowl IX in January 1975.
Rooney, an integral member of NFL labor negotiations and expansion, also helped establish the “Rooney Rule,” which was created in 2003. Under the rule, NFL teams are required to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation positions.
Thumbnail photo via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images
