Art Rooney Jr., whose work in the player personnel in the 1970s helped pave the way for the Pittsburgh Steelers to win four Super Bowl titles in that decade, is one of two men with ties to the organization who are semifinalists for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Also among the 29 semifinalists in the coach/contributor category is Buddy Parker, who coached the Steelers from 1957-64 and won two NFL championships with the Detroit Lions.
Rooney Jr., son of franchise founder Art Rooney Sr., was involved in the Steelers scouting department from 1961-1986, running the department for more than two decades.. He helped coordinate the drafts that resulted in the Steelers building a dynasty in the 1970s, spearheaded by the 1974 draft that featured future Hall of Fame players Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Mike Webster and Jack Lambert. A fifth Hall of Fame player, Donnie Shell, was signed as an undrafted free agent that year.
Rooney Jr. remains a vice president with the Steelers and has a seat on the board of directors. He was named to the Steelers’ Hall of Honor in 2018.
The selection committee overseeing the voting will reduce the number of candidates to 12 with the results of that balloting being announced July 27. The committee members will meet again Aug. 15 to select one coach or contribution for consideration for the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.
