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Pittsburgh Steelers chairman and owner Dan Rooney's funeral set for Tuesday

By The Sports Xchange
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (R) and Pittsburgh Steelers founding owner Dan Rooney (L) talk at Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on February 6, 2011. File photo by Brian Kersey/UPI
1 of 2 | New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (R) and Pittsburgh Steelers founding owner Dan Rooney (L) talk at Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on February 6, 2011. File photo by Brian Kersey/UPI | License Photo

The funeral arrangements for Pittsburgh Steelers chairman and owner Dan Rooney include a public viewing at Heinz Field on Monday.

The Steelers announced Friday that the service will be held from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET at the PNC Champions Club at the stadium.

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Rooney's funeral Mass will be the next day at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul Cathedral in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.

Rooney, the Steelers' second owner in franchise history, died Thursday at the age of 84.

Rooney, the son of Steelers founding owner Art Rooney, was admitted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He served as the team's controlling owner from 1988-2003 before turning over control gradually to other members of the family. He is the father of current Steelers owner Art Rooney II.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the Commonwealth flag to be flown at half-staff across the state to honor Rooney.

The family is asking that memorial contributions be made to Rooney's alma mater, Duquesne University, or the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

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Players, fellow owners and coaches paid their respects to Rooney, who will long be remembered as one of the legendary figures of the sport.

"Few men have contributed as much to the National Football League as Dan Rooney," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement Thursday. "A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he was one of the finest men in the history of our game and it was a privilege to work alongside him for so many years.

"Dan's dedication to the game, to the players and coaches, to his beloved Pittsburgh, and to Steelers fans everywhere was unparalleled. He was a role model and trusted colleague to commissioners since Bert Bell, countless NFL owners, and so many others in and out of the NFL. A voice of reason on a wide range of topics, including diversity and labor relations, Dan always had the league's best interests at heart.

"For my part, Dan's friendship and counsel were both inspiring and irreplaceable. My heart goes out to Patricia, Art, and the entire Rooney family on the loss of this extraordinary man."

Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher was among the many paying tribute to Rooney. Cowher was hired by Rooney to succeed Chuck Noll in 1992.

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"The culture he built, the very fiber of who he was, was humility and responsibility -- don't ever forget where you came from and it was a privilege to be a Pittsburgh Steeler," Cowher told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "He did that. He lived that. It was hard not to embellish that when your boss, your friend, your confidant, is living those same values."

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