Pittsburgh Steelers: 3 Things That Dan Rooney Did For NFL

The NFL world was shaken by the passing of one of its great ambassadors in Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney at the age of 84.

This has led to questions about his legacy. Of course there is the obvious one. With his help the franchise has won six Super Bowl titles, more than any other in the modern era. For decades the Steelers have been considered one of the mainstays of professional football. However, those aren’t what will tell the tale of the man himself when it’s all said and done. Rooney did so much more for the game of football than just win.

Here are three things that will come to define him as the years progress.

Ended the 1982 strike

It was the most prolonged work stoppage in NFL history and could’ve been so much worse. In 1982 the players reached a breaking point with ownership over money and compensation issues. For months the two sides refused to budge. It got to a point where half of that season was cancelled. Some felt the entire year would follow. However, Rooney headed up negotiations in the 11th hour that finally led to a compromise that saved the season and maybe the league.

Don’t forget the USFL would arrive just a year later. Who can tell how big that league might’ve become had the NFL lost credibility with fans due to that strike.

Helped institute the salary cap

One of the problems facing the league in the late ’80s and early ’90s was seeing the same teams dominate year after year. Part of the reason was money. Some franchises had way more to spend on keeping their own players than others. So Rooney joined the efforts to level the playing field. This by establishing a league-wide salary cap, leading to the creation of free agency. Parity became the word of the day and it ushered in a new era of competition. One were every franchise felt they had a chance.

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The Rooney Rule

Easily the greatest thing Dan Rooney has ever done is promote diversity in the NFL. His most influential creation was a league mandate that required every team to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach or general manager positions. It ushered in a wealth of new opportunities for black and latino coaches like Mike Tomlin, Ron Rivera, Anthony Lynn, and Todd Bowles among others. If there is one fundamental truth about Rooney’s legacy, it’s that he was a true champion of tolerance.