Art Rooney Jr.

Arthur Joseph Rooney Jr. (born 1935) is an American football executive who is the vice president for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). The son of the team's founder, Art Rooney, he has been employed by the team since the 1961 season. Rooney served as the Steelers' personnel director from 1965 to 1986 and helped them have one of the best drafting runs in league history over a span from 1969 to 1974 while presiding over their scouting department, helping them select nine players who were later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and signing another as an undrafted free agent. This contributed to them winning four Super Bowls in six years, and Rooney has in total been a member of six league championship teams. He was inducted into the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor in 2018 and has been considered for induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on several occasions. Early life Rooney was born in 1935 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney. He has been associated with the team for all his life, starting as an assistant in training camp and ball boy when young. He attended North Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, gaining a spot on the varsity football team in 1951 as a tackle. He was a starter on the line in 1952, before graduating in 1953. After mulling where to attend college, Rooney's father had him meet Al DeLuca, coach at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, who had him join the school. He played football there from his freshman year to his senior year and graduated with a bachelor's degree in history in 1957. Following his graduation, he served for a time in the United States Marine Corps and acted in several stage productions.