Meeting with the media during Tuesday’s annual pre-Super Bowl clusterfudge known as “Media Day,” Steelers owner Dan Rooney pointed out that current coach Mike Tomlin wasn’t a Rooney Rule candidate. The Rooney Rule requires at least one minority coach to be interviewed for each head-coaching vacancy. “Let me say this, Mike Tomlin was not part of the Rooney Rule,” Rooney said. “We had already interviewed [Bears defensive coordinator] Ron Rivera, and so that fulfilled the obligation. We went on, had heard about Mike, called him in and talked to him. He was very impressive. We got him back and talked to him on the phone often and he just showed that he was going to be a terrific coach, which I think is coming to bear. But, he was not part of the Rooney Rule.” Rooney wasn’t asked about the rumor/legend that offensive line coach Russ Grimm had been verbally offered the job, and that the offer was rescinded after Commissioner Roger Goodell advised Rooney that Tomlin needed to be hired in order to give credibility to the Rooney Rule. It’s unknown whether the topic would have come up if Rooney had been present for the full hour. As we heard it from another media type in attendance, the 76-year-old team chairman was whisked away a bit prematurely, apparently due to a combination of the midday Tampa heat and the crush of reporters trying to talk to him. Still, Rooney addressed several subjects during his time with the press -- including the little-known merger of the Steelers and the Cardinals during the 1944 season, due to World War II. The combined effort was the only Steelers team to not win a game. “They had four head coaches,” Rooney said. “That shows you when you have too many what happens.” UPDATE: Several of you have pointed out that the Steelers merged with the Eagles, not the Cardinals. Actually, they merged with both. The Eagles in 1943, and the Cardinals in 1944.
ROONEY SAYS TOMLIN WASN’T A “ROONEY RULE” CANDIDATE
Published January 27, 2009 09:53 AM