6. Appreciating What Isn’t Always So Apparent

Steelers chairman Dan Rooney can stack his legacy against any sports owner.

He has been instrumental in the Steelers winning an NFL-best six Super Bowls and the organization becoming a national brand. He helped shape the NFL into a powerful, billion-dollar enterprise but is just as proud of the “Rooney Rule,” which mandates interview opportunities for minorities when it comes to head-coaching and executive openings.

Oh, and yeah, Rooney also served as the United States’ Ambassador to Ireland from 2009 to 2013, fulfilling a dream of serving both his country and his ancestral homeland. A book could be written about Rooney and his accomplishments—and would have been had “DMR,” as he is sometimes referred to at Steelers headquarters, not done it himself. Dan Rooney: My 75 Years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL came out in 2008 and is cited multiple times in this book.

The thrust of this chapter isn’t to laud transcendent figures like Rooney as much as it is to recognize others who deserve credit for critical contributions as well as the organization’s impact beyond football. It also takes a look at some of the harsh truths of the game, from the enormous physical cost it can exact to the reality that most players don’t get to go out on their own terms.

EXTRA POINTS

Gay Makes Mark on the Field Too

His teammates gave him the nickname “Big Play Willie Gay” early in his career. It just took some time for Steelers cornerback William Gay to grow into the moniker.

Gay, a fifth-round draft pick in 2007, intercepted three passes in his first five seasons with the Steelers before signing with the Arizona Cardinals as an unrestricted free agent in 2012. The Cardinals released Gay after one season and he returned to the Steelers.

The signing that lurked under the radar turned out to be one of the better ones that the Steelers have made in free agency. Gay returned five consecutive interceptions for touchdowns from 2013 to ’15, setting an NFL record. He also emerged as the Steelers’ top cornerback in his second stint with the team and showed something to fans who had relentlessly criticized Gay earlier in his career.