Steelers chairman and Ambassador Dan Rooney died on Thursday at the age of 84. His son, Art II, honored him with a simple but strong statement released through the team.
“It is a sad day for my family and me,” Art Rooney II said. “My father meant so much to all of us, and so much to so many past and present members of the Steelers organization. He gave his heart and soul to the Steelers, the National Football League and the City of Pittsburgh. We will celebrate his life and the many ways he left us in a better place.”
Few figures in the NFL or elsewhere can or will evoke the volume of positive memories and messages that Ambassador Rooney has generated upon his passing. Statements are flowing from every corner of the NFL and beyond, and the process surely will continue in the coming days.