Former Steelers, Lions, Giants scout Tim Rooney dies at 84
Via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rooney passed on Tuesday morning, after a short bout with cancer.
A coach at Villanova, Tim Rooney joined the Steelers in 1972, as one of four scouts. The others were Art Rooney Jr., Dick Haley and Bill Nunn. Tim Rooney served as director of pro scouting, where he scouted opponents and evaluated players already in the league.
Per Fittipaldo, Tim Rooney is often credited for the drafting of Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert. It was Tim Rooney who took coach Chuck Noll to watch Lambert play at Kent State.
Tim Rooney stayed with the Steelers through 1979, the last of their four Super Bowl-winning seasons of the 1970s.
After spending time with the Lions, the Giants hired Tim Rooney in 1985 as director of pro personnel. He stayed in that role until 1999, before later returning in a part-time capacity. Which means he won at least six Super Bowl rings during his NFL career.
'He was a great guy,' Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells said of Tim Rooney, via Fittipaldo. 'When you're a head coach, you need someone to tell you the truth. Tim was our pro personnel guy, and that was his job. We had daily interaction every day talking about the roster. We had a lot of talks and became close. That enhanced our relationship. He understood me, and I understood him.'
We extend our condolences to Tim Rooney's family, friends, and colleagues.
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