The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 54 individuals who are semifinalists in the Seniors, Coach/Contributor category for the Class of 2023, and they include two from the Steelers organization.
Art Rooney Jr., who is a member of the Steelers Hall of Honor, and former coach Buddy Parker are both semifinalists in the Coach/Contributor category.
Rooney was the team's Personnel Director from 1965-86. He worked with Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll, Rooney Jr. and the Steelers scouting department drafted, or signed as rookie free agents, 10 future Hall of Famers from 1969-74, and the team would go on to win four Super Bowl championships during the 1970s. He is currently a vice-president with the team.
Parker coached the Steelers for eight seasons, 1957-64, after stints with the Chicago Cardinals (1949) and Detroit Lions (1951-56). His record with the Steelers was 51-47-6, while he had a career coaching record of 104-75-9.
From the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
Selection bylaws stipulate that both the Seniors Committee and Coach/Contributor Committee vote for 25 Semifinalists but also allows for additional candidates to proceed in the process in the case of a tie vote for the 25th position.
The respective selection committees now will consider the candidates and vote to send 12 Seniors and 12 Coach/Contributors through to the Finalists stage. The results of those reduction votes will be announced July 27.
The Seniors Committee will meet Aug. 16 to select up to three Seniors for final consideration as members of the Class of 2023. Expansion of the Seniors pool for election to the Hall was approved earlier this year for the Classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Coach/Contributor Committee members will meet Aug. 23 to select one Coach or Contributor for final consideration for the Class of 2023.
