Pittsburgh Steelers minority owner John Rooney has passed away, according to an announcement from the New York Giants.
John, the son of the team’s founder Arthur J. Rooney and brother of ex-chairman Daniel M. Rooney, had started out with a 16 percent ownership stake in the Steelers but would sell most of it as most of the ownership formed around Dan and his son Art Rooney II in 2008. Art is the current team president.
Brothers Dan, Art, Jr., John, and Patrick each owned a 16 percent share after Art Rooney Sr. died in 1987. The other 20 percent was owned by the McGinley family.
NFL president Roger Goodell instructed Dan to make changes in 2008 as the league prohibits team owners from having gambling interests. Dan, then the chairman, washed his hands of such interests but the NFL would not be satisfied until all the brothers either sold their stake in the team or their gambling businesses.
John and Art sold eight percent of their shares the following year but, as of 2015, only owned one percent.
The Rooneys and the Giants’ Mara family are linked by virtue of marriage. The Steelers had not made an announcement at the time of writing.
