Rooney was the former chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers and American ambassador to Ireland.
The much loved Dan Rooney has died at the age of 84.
In a moving tribute on its official website, the NFL wrote: Few people in NFL history had as much influence for as long a period of time as Rooney did -- he was a confidant of three commissioners, helped settle labor disputes and pushed the league toward diversity, among other things -- and few others did it all with such a common touch, remaining a part of the blue-collar city that shaped his life as surely as he shaped football.
He was responsible for the Rooney Rule, a policy in the NFL that requires league teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs.
Rooney also spent three years as the United States' Ambassador to Ireland between 2009 and 2012, and was the first person in his role to visit all 32 counties during his tenure.
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