Pittsburgh Steelers' minority owner John Rooney dies just days after legendary Steelers player Franco Harris
PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: John Rooney, the son of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Arthur J Rooney and brother of former chairman Daniel M Rooney, died on December 27, 2022. The New York Giants announced the sad news via a post on Twitter on Wednesday, December 28. No other information surrounding his death has been released yet.
John, a club minority shareholder, was one of Art Rooney's five children — Dan, Art Jr., John, Patrick and Timothy. He started with a 16% share in the company along with the rest of his brothers, but sold the majority of it and the ownership centered on Dan and his son.
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Roger Goodell, a former NFL commissioner, informed Dan in 2008 that modifications were necessary because NFL regulations forbid club owners from holding gambling businesses. The NFL wasn't pleased until all of the brothers either sold their stakes in the team or their gambling holdings. At the time, Dan, who was the Steelers' chairman, had divested himself of any gambling interests. The other Rooney brothers were still involved with dog and horse racing tracks in Florida.
In 2009, John and Art, Jr. sold around 8% of their shares, and Patrick and Timothy sold their 16% stake in the club. At that time, Dan and Art II oversaw the team while new investors Thomas Tull, James Haslam, and the Paul Family became minority shareholders. "My brothers sacrificed themselves doing this," John said, according to the Post-Gazette, via ESPN. "They could have gotten more money from another offer. My brothers stood up, you know. It's the best way to keep it going [in the Rooney family]. I hope Dan lives 20 more years to enjoy them." In 2015, John had sold all but a 1% share of his stake in the franchise.
Prior to acquiring a share in the Steelers, John Rooney attended Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he and his brother Patrick participated in track and field competitions. With a $3 million contribution from each brother, the brothers supported the 'Centerpiece of the Forward!' initiative at Mount St. Mary's in the spring of 2019. After earning his degree from Mount St. Mary's in 1960, John Rooney managed the Steelers training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, taught middle school English, took care of the family's oil, gas, and real estate businesses, and served as the Palm Beach Kennel Club's chief financial officer. His death comes only a week after the legendary Steelers running back Franco Harris, who caught the 'Immaculate Reception,' died at the age of 72.