Dan Rooney, who succeeded his father as Steelers team president and rose to become one of the most powerful and beloved owners in sports, died Thursday at the age of 84.
Born Daniel Milton Rooney, he succeeded his father and Steelers founder, Art Sr., as team president and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, becoming only the second father-son combination to be enshrined. Under his leadership since the late 1960s, the Steelers transformed from lovable losers into a Super Bowl dynasty in the 1970s and remain among the most successful and popular franchises in the game.