Pittsburgh Steelers vice president Art Rooney Jr. is a semifinalist in voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 in the contributor category, it announced on Thursday. becoming one of 11 remaining for consideration by the hall's blue ribbon panel.
Rooney was the team's longtime personnel director. From 1965 until 1986 Rooney worked in the Steelers' scouting department as personnel director. Rooney is the architect of the Steelers' four Super Bowl championship teams in the 1970s. He changed the team's strategy to one that would build through the NFL Draft, something that has continued to the present day.
Under Rooney's watch, the Steelers drafted nine Hall of Famers and signed a tenth as an undrafted free agent. The number could increase to 11 if former Steelers defensive end L.C. Greenwood makes the Hall of Fame.
Rooney, 90, has been officially employed with the Steelers since 1961, but has been involved with the team his entire life, starting as a ball boy. The son of team founder Art Rooney Sr., Rooney Jr. worked in the ticket office and public relations before finding his calling in the Steelers scouting department, beginning in 1964.
"Art put together the greatest draft class in NFL history – that's why he should be in the Hall of Fame like Bill Nunn," former Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said . "Art didn't have a big staff when he put those 70's teams together. He'd hire high school coaches as part-time scouts to fill in scouting duties – to grade film and things like that. The guys that did a good job, he'd recommend to Jack Butler who was with BLESTO at the time. My high school coach was Ron Hughes and he was the one that got me hooked up with BLESTO."
Rooney was fired as personnel director in 1986 by his brother, Steelers president Dan Rooney, but he remained with the team in other roles, working in the club's real estate division.
Art Rooney Jr. was also a semifinalist for the 2025 , 2024 and 2023 classes. Dan Rooney and Art Rooney Sr. have both been previously enshrined.
The 11 contributor semifinalists will be winnowed to a single finalist on Nov. 11. That finalist will be included alone with one coach, three senior players and 15 modern-era players for consideration when the Class of 2026 is selected in February.
Former Steelers head coach Buddy Parker is one of nine finalists in the coaches committee voting. Defensive end L.C. Greenwood remains in consideration in the seniors committee voting.
In the modern-era player voting, four former members of the Steelers have advanced in the voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. They are kicker Gary Anderson, outside linebacker James Harrison , center Maurkice Pouncey and wide receiver Hines Ward.
1963: Owner/Coach Bert Bell, FB/Coach Johnny "Blood' McNally, OT Cal Hubbard
1964: Owner Art Rooney
1966: RB Bill Dudley, G/Coach Walt Kiesling
1967: QB Bobby Layne
1969: FB Marion Motley
1969: DT Ernie Stautner
1987: DT Joe Greene, FB John Henry Johnson, QB Len Dawson
1988: OLB Jack Ham
1989: CB Mel Blount, QB Terry Bradshaw
1990: RB Franco Harris, OLB Jack Lambert
1993: Coach Chuck Noll
1997: C Mike Webster
2000: Owner Dan Rooney
2001: WR Lynn Swann
2002: WR John Stallworth
2009: CB Rod Woodson
2012: CB Jack Butler, C Dermontti Dawson
2015: RB Jerome Bettis
2016: OLB Kevin Greene
2020: SS Troy Polamalu
, SS Donnie Shell, Coach Bill Cowher
2021: G Alan Faneca, Scout Bill Nunn
Chris Ward contributed reporting for this story.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Third Rooney to Canton? Architect of Steelers 1970s Dynasty Edges Closer
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