Steelers Owner to Discuss Autobiography at Pitt Book Center Nov. 28

PITTSBURGH—Dan Rooney, owner and chair of the Pittsburgh Steelers, will sign and discuss his new book, "Dan Rooney: My 75 Years With the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL," (Da Capo Press, 2007), at noon Nov. 28, in the University of Pittsburgh Book Center, 4000 Fifth Ave., Oakland.

Rooney, a son of Steelers founder Art Rooney, has been affiliated with the NFL since the early 1960s. He has spent more than 50 years in various positions with the family-owned Steelers. In 1975, he was appointed president of the organization and took over total control of the franchise in 1988 after his father's death.

Rooney has been praised as one of the most influential NFL executives in league history, both on and off the field. During his tenure, the Steelers have won the American Football Conference's (AFC) Central Division Championship 14 times, the AFC Championship six times, and the Super Bowl five times. Rooney helped negotiate the collective bargaining agreement of 1982, which ended a strike that lasted half of the season. He is one of the architects of the modern NFL salary cap, implemented in 1993. He is the namesake of the "Rooney Rule," which requires NFL teams with head coaching and general manager vacancies to interview at least one minority candidate. Rooney was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

In his autobiography, Rooney talks about growing up on Pittsburgh's North Side, learning the ropes of big-time sports from his father, and his part in shaping the modern NFL into what it is today. He also speaks about winning and losing and discusses his relationships with family, coaches, players, owners, NFL commissioners, the media, and fans.

The book was published in concordance with the team's 75th anniversary. This event is open to the public. For more information, call 412-648-1453.

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