Dan Rooney Sr. Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award In Colorado

Congrats to Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney Sr., who Monday was honored with the Global Sports Summit’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual event in Aspen, Colorado.

Each year the award is given to a team owner who has made a lasting contribution to their team, league and community through their leadership and commitment over an extended period of time.

No one can argue that about the impact that Rooney has had on the Steelers franchise. He has been the driving force behind the Steelers – the best and only NFL franchise that has won six Super Bowls.

“He can legitimately claim that he has been there from the beginning and grew up in the business and has had a tremendous passion for the NFL and the Steelers his entire life,” said his son, Steelers’ President Art Rooney II.

“That’s been something that his passion shows, and he has been an inspiration to me and everybody in the organization for many years. My dad was born a year before the franchise was born so he always jokes that was his first birthday present, when my grandfather bought the franchise.”

Rooney always seems to be giving, as he was the United States Ambassador to Ireland from 2009-2012, and returned to the franchise and is still around the headquarters often.

“He’s probably one of the few people who that the reality of him is even more impressive than the reputation,” said Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin. “He’s very hands on. He’s a people person. He has the experience of a lifetime and he brings that to our building on a day-to-day basis.”

Congrats again to Mr.Rooney!