The Pittsburgh Steelers have forever been known for representing a city of blue-collar, hard-working people. So when NFL Films approached owner Art “The Chief” Rooney 30 years ago about a gimmick, they were turned down.
After beating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl 10, then-commissioner Pete Rozelle went to Art’s son, the late Dan Rooney, to seek permission to dub the Steelers “America’s Team” in an upcoming NFL Films production.
When Dan addressed the topic with his father, Art’s response was simple.
“We are not America’s Team. We are the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
The Chief had spoken.
“We didn’t want that,” Dan recalled in a 2014 interview on Talk of Fame. “We’re Pittsburgh’s team. We feel strongly about that.”
The Chief didn’t like it. The Cowboys were next asked about becoming America’s Team. General manager Tex Schramm liked the idea and ran with it.
And that, kids, is how the Cowboys became America’s Team. Because the Steelers took a hard pass.
The reason the Cowboys are "America's Team" is because the @steelers didn't want to be it. pic.twitter.com/88tcp5mrNZ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 13, 2016
