Bill Priatko, the oldest-living Steelers player, turned 92 earlier this week. Even into his 90s, he was doing 155 push-ups every weekday. And we’re talking two sets.
He has scaled back to 103 push-ups, not as a concession to age but an affirmation of Psalm 103, a favorite of his and son Dan, a West Point graduate and Army Ranger.
“I’m blessed that I can still do it,” Priatko said of his push-up routine. “I’m a big believer, like my friend Dick LeBeau, says that age is only a number.”
Steelers Depot recently caught up with Priatko, who represented the 1950s when the Steelers celebrated their 80th and 90th anniversaries. We talked to the North Huntingdon (about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh) resident about his love of the Steelers and Rooney family, his friendship with LeBeau and why he thinks the Steelers will be just fine at quarterback.
Steelers Depot: What is a memory that stands out from playing for the Steelers?
Bill Priatko: Back when I played, a different criteria was used for who had the best defensive team in the league. The only category was what team gave up the least number of yards. We were playing the Chicago Cardinals at Comiskey Park, and it was the last game of the year. We’re nip and tuck with the Cleveland Browns as far as who gave up the least number of yards. We’re in the last quarter and we had the game won. The Cardinals had 2nd down and 7 and just before we broke the huddle, Dale Dodrill, our middle linebacker and defensive captain, said, “Bill, look for the deep reverse to Ollie Matson.” He was a great running back who ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was a world-class sprinter. I remembered what Dale said to me as we lined up. Sure as all heck, Lamar McHan, their quarterback, pitched it to Ollie, who was coming around to his left. I was playing left-side linebacker and just shot the gap and hit him for a 12-yard loss.
I didn’t think anything of it other than I felt good about hitting him for a loss. We’re flying home and everybody’s interested how the Giants-Browns game turned out. Somebody came back and hollered, “We just won the defensive title, we edged out the Browns. It was Bill’s 12-yard loss on Ollie Matson that gave us the title!” I couldn’t believe it. Buddy Parker, our head coach, was in the seat in front of me. I tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Coach, does that get me a raise?” He smiled and never answered me. At that time, it didn’t seem like a big deal although Pat Livingston the next day in The Pittsburgh Press did mention that we won the defensive title, and he gave me some accolades for my play.
SD: A couple of years later, in 1959, you signed with the Cleveland Browns and roomed with Dick LeBeau during training camp. How did such an enduring friendship result from that summer you two spent together in Hiram, Ohio?
BP: The moment I first shook hands with him I could see that he was so genuine, so humble. It was easy to see when I got to be around him a little bit more each year, why, when he came here to coach with the Steelers, his players just simply loved him. In pro football, it’s kind of a rarity for players to love their coaches. It’s a tough business. Because of his genuineness, humbleness, the way he handled men, the way he talked to his players…I don’t he ever really chewed his players out. He was always a teacher and always knew how to motivate his players without getting on them so to speak like most defensive coordinators do. That made him rarity.
When we were in Cleveland, in those days, they only kept five defensive backs. Paul Brown cut Dick after the final preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Who am I to say this but of the five defensive backs, Dick definitely should have been one of them. But he was number six and Paul Brown let him go. Paul always said that was one of the biggest mistakes he ever made. When I tell Dick that story, he says, “Paul, always told me he cut better guys than me.” He got picked up by the Detroit Lions. He plays 14 years, he’s All-Pro and he made it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. From the day I met him, he became my best friend to this day.
SD: That camp you also became friends with another player, this one a linebacker/guard by the name of Chuck Noll. Do you remember your reaction when the Steelers hired him as their head coach in 1969?
BP: I had a little bit of advance knowledge that he was going to be hired even though the Pittsburgh newspapers weren’t even indicating that he was going to be a Steelers choice. A friend of mine, Ralph Felton, played for the Washington Redskins and was very tight with Don Shula. Chuck was one of Shula’s assistants at the time and Ralph said Shula told him that the Steelers were going to hire Chuck. Nobody knew about it, and it turned out they did hire him. I always remembered our conversations in training camp, and he never seemed to indicate he had aspirations to coach and now he was head coach of the Steelers. Things didn’t work out his first year, he went 1-13. A lot of people around town were saying, ‘Who the heck did they hire?” Well, they sure found out.
When he became the coach here in Pittsburgh, he always would invite me to training camp at Saint Vincent. When they were in Super Bowls, on the Friday practice before the Sunday game, it was closed, and he always let me come in and watch. Everybody knew what type of coach Chuck was, but I found out what type of man he was. He was very compassionate and a very sincere and humble and genuine man. I could write a small book about some episodes and the type of man he was.
SD: You could also write a small book about your experiences with the Rooney family, starting with “The Chief” Art Rooney Sr. What stands out all these years later about the Pittsburgh’s first family of football?
BP: I’ve always said one of the greatest things in my life is to put on the Black and Gold and play for Mr. Art Rooney Sr. He was just a wonderful man. No matter who you were, he made you feel like you were a number one draft choice even if you were a free agent. Anyone that put on a Steelers uniform to play for him, I’m sure, would say the same thing. Of course, his son Dan took over the Steelers and I felt a deep sense of gratitude to Dan because he was instrumental in my son David getting into West Point. He recommended him to a local Congressman, so I owe a lot to Dan Rooney. His brother, Art Rooney Jr., to this day writes my son Dan every week. He never misses. Even if he is on vacation, he still sends Dan a card. Art II, he’s the same way, he’s good to my family and me. I owe a great deal of my life to the Rooney family.
I’m so deeply appreciative they included me in the Steelers’ celebration of their 75th and 80th anniversaries and for things like what happened within this past year at Mel Blount’s annual event to raise funds for his youth home. There were 33 Steelers alumni, and we were all introduced alphabetically. Jerome Bettis was the emcee and when he introduced me, they gave me a standing ovation. I couldn’t believe it. I said, “Who the heck am I? I’m here with Joe Greene and John Stallworth and Ben Roethlisberger.” Jerome said I was the oldest living Steelers alumni so I said that was one time it pays to get older. Ben Roethlisberger was behind me alphabetically. He said, “Come on, I’m going to take you to your table.” He puts his arm in mind and takes me to my table. That was an added honor, an added joy to have Ben do that and I thanked him so much for that.
SD: One legend was missing that night, and Franco Harris is still dearly missed by so many. What did you treasure about your friendship with Franco?
BP: He would always try to make others happy. My kids [in 2021] held a 90th birthday party for me in my hometown of North Braddock at the Grandview Golf Course restaurant. I had no idea that Franco and his wife, Dana, were coming. He told my two daughters not to tell me he was coming. He walked in and I couldn’t believe it because the Steelers had a Hall of Fame event that day. I can still picture him with that smile. I said, “Franco, how do I thank you for coming here today? You’re so busy. I deeply appreciate it.” He looked at me and said, “Bill, I had to be here. You’re my dear friend.” That’s the way he was, and he was always that way with so many people. I like many, many people will never forget Franco Harris for the wonderful person that he was.
SD: This summer you were inducted into the Air Force Honor Guard’s Order of Praetorians. Legendary Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski emailed you congratulations and you had no idea he even knew about the honor. How in the world did you become friends with Coach K?
BP: When I was at Robert Morris [Ed Note: Priatko worked there from 1982-93 as a sports administrator and is in the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame], there was an annual Five-Star basketball camp and one year Mike Krzyzewski was the speaker. I started to chat with him before he was leaving to catch a flight out of Pittsburgh International Airport. I knew he was a West Point grad and I told him my two sons had graduated from West Point. He lit up when I said that, and I happened to tell him that my one son, Dan, was permanently disabled from a car accident. Right on the spot, he said, “I want to meet your Dan.” I couldn’t believe it. I said, “Coach, you’ve got a flight to catch back to Durham.” And he said, “I’ll take a later flight.” I said, “Coach, I can’t do that to you. There are two parkways between here and where I live in North Huntingdon.” He still insisted that I drive him to North Huntingdon to meet my son. I finally convinced him not to and he brought out a magazine with him and Bobby Knight, who was his coach at Army, and he signed it to Dan.
The following year, I took Dan out to the Five-Star camp. He was in a wheelchair, and when he got up, Coach K hugged him and said, “Dan, we have that bond. We were on the Long, Gray Line together.” That was in 1990. For the next 32 years, he invited Dan and me to a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium and put us right behind his bench until he retired. Not only is he the winningest college basketball coach ever, he is just a humble, genuine man. He has the same traits, and I have told him this, as Dick LeBeau. Dan and I are blessed to have Coach K as a good friend.
SD: You’ve seen a lot of football and a lot of great quarterbacks. What is your take on Steelers QB Kenny Pickett?
BP: I’m a Kenny Pickett supporter. I think before he’s done in the NFL, I’ll be totally surprised if he doesn’t become an outstanding quarterback. He has all the tools, and I think the one ingredient he is showing early in his career is the ability to win football games late in the game. That’s a characteristic that when you have it early in your career, it shows you have traits to be an outstanding quarterback.
