(Image via Getty Images: Pittsburgh Steelers) Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Tim Rooney passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 84 after a short bout with cancer. Tim Rooney was the son of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr.’s younger brother. He was a longtime NFL executive(27 years) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, and the New York Giants.Rooney was an alumnus of North Catholic High School and Duquesne University and coached at Bishop Canevin High School. Then, he became a college coach at Villanova. In 1972, Rooney joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as a scout. He was among their four scouts: Art Rooney Jr., Bill Nunn, and Dick Haley. Rooney eventually became the director of pro scouting. One of his notable contributions included drafting Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert from the 1974 NFL Draft. Rooney introduced coach Chuck Noll to Lambert during the linebacker’s college days at Kent State.
Tim Rooney had a great relationship with Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells, former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi, and Giants President John Mara
Former New York Giants head coach Bill Parcells told Ray Fittipaldo, “He was a great guy. When you are a head coach, you need someone to tell you the truth. Tim was our pro personnel guy, and that was his job. We had daily interaction every day, talking about the roster. We had a lot of talks and became close – that enhanced our relationship. He understood me and I understood him.”Former New York Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi told Ray Fittipaldo, “He was a wonderful guy to work with. I worked with him for six years before I became the GM. As well as we knew each other, he sheepishly walked into my office when I was hired and said – ‘You don’t have to keep me.’ Of course, I was going to keep him. But that was him. He just wanted to know he was welcome.”New York Giants President John Mara said in a press release, “Tim was an invaluable member of our player personnel department for 14 seasons as our director of pro personnel. He was an accomplished evaluator. More importantly, he was a great person and colleague. Our thoughts are with Tim’s wife Mary Ann and children and grandchildren and friends, of which there are many.”
Tim Rooney led the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants to Super Bowl wins in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s
Tim Rooney was with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972 to 1979. He was a key architect of the roster that eventually won four Super Bowl titles in six years. His front office landed four Hall of Famers in the 1974 NFL Draft. Rooney then worked with the Detroit Lions till 1985 when the New York Giants hired him as director of pro personnel. He won two Super Bowl titles with them during his tenure. He stayed with the Giants till 1999. Rooney returned to a part-time position after his retirement.
Excerpts from Tim Rooney’s exclusive interview with the Steelers Takeaways in 2020
Reporter at Steelers Takeaways asked Tim Rooney in an interview in 2020: Do you like the way the NFL has changed since your time there?Tim Rooney: I love the game today, the spread of the game – teams use the entire field. Today’s athletes are bigger and faster, and better trained. It’s a different game – faster.Reporter: Any last memories before I let you go?Tim Rooney: I remember in 1972, when we played Oakland in the Immaculate Reception game. If we won, I had a flight scheduled for right after the game, to advance scout the Miami-Cleveland game. Miami won, of course, and beat us the following week. But I remember when the Immaculate Reception happened, I was sitting next to Art Rooney Jr. We didn’t know what to do after Franco made the play. But right after it, Art leaned back his chair and leaned back down, and the chair landed on my foot. There was a spike on the chair leg, and it went right through my shoe. But I had to catch a flight, so I had to run to the airport with a bloody foot and a hole in my shoe! I had no time to get a new shoe or get it bandaged. That’s the life of a scout!Also Read: “One thing you can’t do is stab your teammate with scissors”: Jeff Pearlman shares Michael Irvin’s undisclosed event on Going Deep With Chad and JT Podcast | NFL News – Times of India