The Rooney family transformed the Steelers into the NFL's model franchise.
ARLINGTON, Texas-- Back in 1933, Art Rooney paid a grand total of $2,500 dollars to a purchase a football team in Pittsburgh that was then known as the Pirates.
In 1942, the team took on a new name, the Steelers.
Between 1933 and 1971 the Pirates/Steelers only made the playoffs twice and lost both games. Through all the years of losing only one thing held the Steelers together, the commitment of the Rooney family.
The Rooney family values that became the bedrock of the franchise back in the 1930's are just as strong in 2011.
Eventually, Art's son became the Steelers owner and carried on the tight family atmosphere that his father spent years cultivating. Dan Rooney is now the U.S. ambassador to Ireland but still managed to attend both the Steelers playoff games and will be at Cowboys Stadium on Sunday.
Dan's son is now the team's president, co-owner and in charge of the day-to-day operations of the team.
From 1933 to 2011, from Art to Dan to Art the 2nd; the concept that the Steelers are one big extended family has never changed.
In an era of high priced athletes with powerful agents and the explosion of social media, it's the old school concept of family values that makes the Steelers one of the most sought after franchises in the NFL.
Players that are drafted by the Steelers never want to leave. Players that leave, end up trying to get back.
So what is their secret?
Pittsburgh isn't a big city and doesn't boast a warm climate, but to the men who play for the Steelers, it has something far more important, a sense of family.
Nobody is suggesting that star players on the Steelers make less money than comparable players on other teams. But when you talk to Steelers players, what is crystal clear is that they would much rather stay in Pittsburgh and be part of the extended Rooney family than chase big money to play elsewhere.
"It is about the organization. The way it is run; like a family. To see a man like Mr. Rooney, who I think is probably the most respected owner in football right now, to see him in the lunch room, he knows your kids names, and he hugs your wife. I think the family aspect of the whole thing makes you not want to leave," said starting safety Ryan Clark.
Veteran nose tackle Casey Hampton isn't a big talker, unless you ask him why playing for the Steelers is so special.
"When you come to work every day and you see the owner's car parked right out front. He's right upstairs and you can go talk to him and he comes to practice every day."
James Farrior spent the first five years of his career with the Jets before coming over to Pittsburgh. In his mind, the reason guys love playing for the Steelers is very simple, family values.
"First of all, you have to look at the ownership and the Rooney family. You never see a lot of ownership that are in the building every day with you, that go out to practice with you, that eat lunch with you, that travel with you. Guys want to stay around because they are a fair organization, they treat you good, they roll out the red carpet for you when you're a player for them. It's no secret why guys want to stay, said Farrior."
When I brought up the universal love the players have for the Rooney family and organization, team President Art Rooney the 2nd quickly tried to deflect the credit elsewhere.
"We try to have players that are going to fit into the organization and for the most part we have been able to do that. Our player personnel people have a done a great job making sure we bring in the right guys. That's the key, to have a good core group of players you want to have be around for awhile"
The Steelers sense of family was severely tested in the off-season when star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had another ugly incident. This time, Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old college student near his off-season home in Georgia.
The organization was so upset over the matter that they actually considered trading their franchise quarterback in exchange for a high-end first round pick in the 2010 draft. While no deal ever materialized, the message was loud and clear, that kind of behaviour would not be tolerated withing the Steelers organization. Roethlisberger was forced to undergo counselling and then serve a four-game suspension at the start of the season.
The Steelers "family" hung tough during Ben's absence, winning three of those four games.
Big Ben was welcomed back with open arms and the team proceeded to win 11 of their next 14 games as they advanced to the Super Bowl for the eighth time in their history. Roethlisberger says while the Rooney family is a big part of the Steelers success, so is the band of brothers mentality among the players.
"You see Mr. Rooney every day, shaking your hand after a win or a loss in the locker room after games. We just have a lot of fun together, we hang out. There's no "offence" or "defence", there's no black or white, we all hang out together and we all enjoy each other's company. There are a lot of guys that are on injured reserves that don't have to be around but you see them every day in meetings and every day at practice that's just an awesome thing. Guys want to be around. I think it keeps us close and when people try to divide us, it actually brings us closer together."
Wide receiver Antwaan Randle-El is well equipped to speak about what makes the Steelers special. After spending the first four years of his career with the Steelers, Randle-El left for greener pastures with Dan Snyder in Washington. Following a four year stint with the Redskins, Randle-El is back with the Steelers. Upon his return, Randle-El made sure he reminded his teammates who have never played anywhere else just how good they have it.
"I was telling players that most places aren't like Pittsburgh."
Most places aren't like Pittsburgh and most teams can't compare to the Steelers record of excellence.
And now this team built on the concept of treating everyone like family and that no one is more important than anyone else is on the verge of winning their seventh Super Bowl.
