John J. Rooney, the son of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Arthur J. Rooney and brother of former chairman Daniel M. Rooney, has died, the New York Giants announced on Tuesday.
John Rooney was one of five children of Art Rooney and was a minority shareholder in the team. He started with a 16% share, but sold most of it as ownership coalesced around Dan Rooney and his son, current team president Art Rooney II, in 2008.
The Rooneys needed to comply with NFL rules regarding having a primary shareholder at over 30% equity and also separating the Florida gambling businesses from John and Timothy Rooney from the football business.
Rooney and his brother Patrick attended Mount St Mary’s University in Emmittsburg, Maryland. He married his wife Joanne in 1961 and has six children. With the Steelers, John Rooney was involved in the management of training camp at St. Vincent College.
The Steelers’ Rooney family and the Giants’ Mara family are connected through marriage. The Steelers have not made a formal announcement of his death.
Rooney’s death coincided with the public funeral for former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris at Acrisure Stadium on Tuesday. Harris died last week, just days before the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.