While Kevin Colbert won’t go to bat for his own Hall of Fame candidacy, he certainly will for Art Rooney Jr. There are already two Rooneys in the Hall of Fame, but Colbert firmly believes at least one more is deserving. Fewer people know about Art Rooney Jr. than they do his father, Art Rooney Sr., or his brother, Dan Rooney. In terms of football, though, they certainly should.
Art Rooney Jr. was the Steelers’ personnel director during their dynasty, with Bill Nunn working under him. Together, they built that championship roster from scratch, drafting a litany of Hall of Fame talent. It is largely because of him that his father, brother, and Nunn are in the Hall of Fame themselves.
Kevin Colbert also drafted a handful of Hall of Famers, including more to come, like Ben Roethlisberger. His rosters helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls and compete for three. While that isn’t enough for many fans, by most standards, that is worth consideration for the Hall.
During an interview on Off Set with Kinger and the Big Man, Colbert declined the opportunity to state his case. Instead, he stated the case for one of his predecessors. “What I will mention is Art Rooney Jr., who put together that great team in the ‘70s”, he said. “Art’s been nominated a few times, and he hasn’t quite gotten there. But Art did a tremendous job. Four [Super Bowls] in six [seasons] has never been matched. Five Hall of Famers in a draft.
“That era was special, and Art [Rooney Jr.] … putting that together, and Bill Nunn, who’s in the Hall of Fame, was part of that. So that’s a special era”.
Art Rooney Jr. remains with the Steelers today, having served as vice president since 1987. Now 89 years old, he grew up with the team his entire life, which his father founded two years before his birth. A North Catholic and Saint Vincent alum, the latter the location of the Steelers’ training camp, he had bled Black and Gold from the womb.
Under Rooney, the Steelers drafted or signed 10 players who went on to the Hall of Fame. While he must share credit with others, he was the head of the personnel department when they drafted Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Mel Blount, Franco Harris, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster, and added Donnie Shell as a rookie free agent.
By the mid-80s, Art Jr. and Dan butted heads, the former wanting more control over the scouting and drafting process. That ultimately led to Dan firing his own brother, who then returned to the organization in a new role. The Rooney family remains very much in charge, with Dan’s son Art II—Art Jr.’s nephew—the current president.
The Steelers inducted Art Rooney Jr. into their Hall of Honor in 2019. It’s only a matter of time before Kevin Colbert joins him. Will they ever reunite in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? While Colbert can live without his own induction, he certainly believes Rooney deserves a bust.
