Longtime NFL executive Tim Rooney, the nephew of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr., died Tuesday morning. He was 84, and he had been diagnosed with cancer not long ago.
A former coach at Villanova, Tim Rooney joined the Steelers as a scout in 1972 before becoming their director of pro scouting. As reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he was credited with drafting Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert after escorting then-coach Chuck Noll to watch Lambert at Kent State.
After leaving the Steelers in 1979 to join the Detroit Lions, Rooney was hired by the New York Giants as director of pro personnel in 1985.