TRIBUTES have been paid to Pittsburgh Steelers legend Tim Rooney after his death aged 84 following a battle with cancer.
The longtime NFL executive passed away on Tuesday surrounded by his loving family, it was announced.
Tim Rooney was the nephew of Steelers found Art Rooney Snr[/caption]
Pittsburgh Steelers legend Tim Rooney has died at the age of 84[/caption]
He is the nephew of Steelers founder Art Rooney Snr, and is survived by his wife Mary Ann, their two children and six grandchildren.
Rooney joined the AFC North giants as a scout in 1972 before going on to become their director of pro scouting.
He was credited with drafting Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert after spotting him at Kent State.
The football exec then left for the Detroit Lions in 1979, before being hired by the New York Giants as director of pro personnel in 1985.
Rooney stayed with the franchise before retiring in 1999, but later returned to the team in a part-time role.
He was part of six Super Bowl wins during his illustrious career, making him one of the most successful executives ever.
“He was a great guy,’ Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“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.”
His family and other NFL execs also paid tribute to Rooney, along with fans taking to social media to pay their respects.
His younger brother Tom took to Facebook to post an emotional message this week.
NFL important dates 2025 season
March 12 – Free Agency begins
April 24-26 – NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin
September 4 – 2025 season opener (TBC vs Eagles)
November 27 – Thanksgiving Day triple header
January 4, 2026 – End of regular-season
February 8, 2026 – Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
“Lost my brother Tim today,” he wrote.
“Big brother took me to my first Pirates game, golfing and hosted my high school graduation party.”
It finished with: “Rest in peace, Timmy!”
Rooney’s battle with cancer is understood to have been a short one, according to reports.
“Tim was an invaluable member of our player personnel department for 14 seasons as our director of pro personnel,” said Giants president John Mara.
“He was an accomplished evaluator. More importantly, he was a great person and colleague.
“Our thoughts are with Tim’s wife Mary Ann and children and grandchildren and friends, of which there are many.”
