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Pittsburgh Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney dies at 84

Dan Rooney watches warm-ups before an October 2012 NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles in Pittsburgh. The Steelers announced Rooney died Thursday. He was 84.
Dan Rooney watches warm-ups before an October 2012 NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles in Pittsburgh. The Steelers announced Rooney died Thursday. He was 84.
(Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press)
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His NFL franchise was dominant in the fall, but Pittsburgh Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney was a man for all seasons.

He helped settle two players’ strikes, came up with a rule that promoted diversity in the coaching and executive ranks, collected six Super Bowl rings along the way and served as United States ambassador to Ireland in his late 70s.

The modest and unassuming Rooney, among the most beloved owners in sports, died Thursday at 84.

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“Few men have contributed as much to the National Football League as Dan Rooney,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he was one of the finest men in the history of our game and it was a privilege to work alongside him for so many years.”

Rooney, who took over the team in the 1960s from his father, Art Rooney Sr., took a stumbling franchise to staggering heights in the 1970s, with four championships in six years. He played a pivotal role in assembling the team’s legendary 1974 draft class, which included future Hall of Famers Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Jack Lambert and Mike Webster.

He was instrumental in resolving players’ strikes in 1982 and ’87, and in 2003 he helped establish what would become known as the “Rooney Rule,” which requires teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football-operation positions.

When it came to loyalty to their coaches, the Steelers practiced what they preached. Whereas other teams impatiently burn through head coaches, the Steelers have had three since 1969 — Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin.

“Most owners call me or GMs, and they say, ‘What are you thinking?’ or ‘Give me some advice,’ ” former NFL coach Tony Dungy, a onetime Steelers player and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, told The Times in January. “I say, ‘Call Dan Rooney and ask him how he does it. He’s hired three coaches in 50 years, they’ve all gone to Super Bowls. He’s never had to fire a coach. He’s got a formula. He knows what works for him.’ ”

Born July 20, 1932, Rooney played quarterback for North Catholic High School in Pittsburgh and would have earned first-team all-Catholic League honors but for another young talent, Johnny Unitas, a future Hall of Famer who briefly played for the Steelers. Rooney was named to the second team.

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After graduating from Duquesne University in 1955, Rooney began working for his father and was named president of the Steelers in 1975. He held that position until 2003, when he assumed the chairman role and his son, Art Rooney II, took over as president.

In 2009, Rooney was appointed U.S. ambassador to Ireland by President Obama and served until his resignation in 2012. Four years later, the Jackie Robinson Foundation presented Rooney its Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Dan Rooney epitomized what has made not just the Steelers, but the NFL and competitive sports, so adored,” said Larry Paul, a Los Angeles resident whose family owns the largest non-Rooney share of the Steelers. “His deep drive for the betterment of our team, our game and our country knew no limits. His contributions to the game of football and the Steelers will provide an enduring legacy that will transcend time.”

Rooney is survived by Patricia, his wife of 65 years, as well as seven children, 20 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and four brothers.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

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Follow Sam Farmer on Twitter @LATimesfarmer

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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