Steelers owner and chairman Dan Rooney will and always will be an icon in Steel City. His presence is already being missed after he passed away last Thursday at the age of 84 as one of the most influential people in the NFL. Rooney experienced winning six NFL championships during his time at the helm in Pittsburgh after taking the organization over from his father, Dan Rooney in the 1960s. He built a legendary team and drafted players like Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Mike Webster over his 50 years in the league. He won Super Bowls IX, X, XIII and XIV and earned a rightful spot into the National Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

There was more to the man than accolades as he was a leader in minority hiring. This led to the Rooney Rule, a National Football League policy that requires league teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs.

“Few men have contributed as much to the National Football League as Dan Rooney,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he was one of the finest men in the history of our game and it was a privilege to work alongside him for so many years. Dan’s dedication to the game, to the players and coaches, to his beloved Pittsburgh, and to Steelers fans everywhere was unparalleled. He was a role model and trusted colleague to commissioners since Bert Bell, countless NFL owners, and so many others in and out of the NFL.”

The Rooney family are quite legendary. They have been owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers since the team’s inception in 1933 after immigrating from Ireland during the 1880s. Art Rooney was the founder and owner of the team until 1988. Following his death, ownership of the franchise transferred to Art and his wife Kathleen McNulty Rooney’s oldest son, Dan Rooney, a former United States Ambassador to Ireland. In recent years, front office operations have passed from Dan Rooney to his son and current team president, Art Rooney II, according to reports.

Rooney has some famous fans who will attend this funeral. Former President Barack Obama, who appointed Rooney as ambassador to Ireland will be attending. “Michelle and I offer our condolences to the Rooney family, some of the most gracious and thoughtful people we know — even as we celebrate the life of Dan Rooney: a championship-caliber good man,” said Obama in a statement.

Born on July 20, 1932, in Pittsburgh, Rooney played football for North Catholic High School. He would take his homework on the bus with the team and started working for his father after graduating from Duquesne University in 1955. He became president in 1975 until 2003. His son Art Rooney II, then moved into that position in 2003.

“My job is to do what’s best for the organization and to make that decision regardless of what the consequences are to me personally, he said. “I take my position very seriously…what I want is an organization that can be together, one where everybody in the place has the same goal, and that is to win.”

He did and shaped people along the way. Hines Ward, a former wide receiver said. “He meant the world to us. To me personally, he helped me so much with life lessons and that’s something I’ll always cherish. I remember when I first got to Pittsburgh and I got drafted, learning the art of the handshake. When you walked into Three Rivers, through the building, you would say hi Mr. Rooney. He was little in size, but he had a strong grip and handshake. I remember he was like ‘Shake my hand, look me in the face everytime I see you.’ He taught me the art of the handshake and it’s something I passed on to my son.”

Rooney’s legacy will continue to live proud and strong.