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PITTSBURGH, PA — Tim Rooney, a former Pittsburgh Steelers scout and a key member of the team responsible for what widely is considered the greatest draft in NFL history in 1974, died Tuesday.
Rooney, the nephew of Steelers founder Art Rooney, was 84.
Rooney joined the franchise in 1972 as the team’s director of pro personnel, and he remained with the team until 1979.
Under Rooney's guidance, in 1974 the team drafted four future Hall of Famers: Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster. They also signed Donnie Shell as a free agent, who also became a Hall of Famer.
Rooney also worked for the Detroit Lions and New York Giants during his career.
"Tim was an invaluable member of our player personnel department for 14 seasons as our director of pro personnel," Giants president John Mara said in a statement.
"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."
Rooney joined the Giants in February of 1985 as director of pro personnel and had that job until his retirement in 1999.
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