A Democratic congressional staffer confirms to Mother Jones that Pittsburgh Steelers owner and Obama supporter Dan Rooney will be named the United States Ambassador to Ireland today.
Rooney became president of the Steelers in 1975 and owner in 1988, continuing a line of family ownership that began when Rooney’s father, Art Rooney, known as “the Chief,” bought the team in 1933 for roughly $2,500 in horserace winnings. In addition to being involved in the Steelers’ league-leading six Super Bowl championships, Dan Rooney is known for guiding the creation and implementation of what is commonly called the Rooney Rule, which requires NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate when filling a head coaching vacancy. The rule is widely credited for adding to the diversity of the NFL’s coaching ranks. When the Steelers won the Super Bowl last February, their head coach, Mike Tomlin, was only the second African-American head coach to pilot a team to the championship. Rooney was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Rooney has long ties to Ireland. He created the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and founded the American Ireland Fund. Despite being a lifelong Republican, Rooney supported the candidacy of Barack Obama, going so far as to campaign for him in important swing states.
Currently, Pittsburgh area papers are reporting that Rooney “may” be named to the ambassadorship. The congressional staffer who confirmed the move to Mother Jones said that his member received a courtesy call from the administration informing his office of the appointment.
Update: The White House emailed reporters announcing Rooney’s appointment at 10:04 am. Beat ’em by about 25 minutes. Obama had this to say: “I am honored and grateful that such a dedicated and accomplished individual has agreed to serve as the representative of the United States to the Irish people. Dan Rooney is an unwavering supporter of Irish peace, culture, and education, and I have every confidence that he and Secretary Clinton will ensure America’s continued close and unique partnership with Ireland in the years ahead.”
