Pittsburgh Steelers’ Team President Art Rooney II issued a statement Thursday afternoon following the news of former outside linebacker Clark Haggans’ death.
Here is the full statement Rooney issued, via the team website.
“We are saddened to hear about the tragic and unfortunate passing of Clark Haggans. He helped us capture our fifth Super Bowl championship following the 2005 season, and he was a very active member of the community during his time here in Pittsburgh.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family during this difficult time.”
Haggans died on Tuesday due to unknown causes. His death is still being investigated, though foul play has been ruled out. He was 46 years old.
The Steelers drafted Haggans in the fifth round out of Colorado State. He left college as the school’s all-time sack leader. After biding his time as a backup and special teamer, he became a starter in the mid-2000s. His best year came in 2005 with a team-high nine sacks. Pittsburgh finished with a top-five defense as part of its Super Bowl run, becoming the first 6th seed in NFL history to hoist a Lombardi. Haggans had a notable impact in the game, sacking Seattle Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck on the opening drive of the game, forcing a punt.
Teammates have shared their thoughts and stories about Haggans over the past 48 hours. His loss has been felt by even current Steelers with Joey Porter Jr. sharing this heartfelt message yesterday. Porter Sr. and Haggans were close, teammates in college and the NFL, and remained friends after their playing days were over.
Haggans spent eight years in Pittsburgh, appearing in 107 games and recording 32.5 sacks.
