Pittsburgh Steelers Unveil Initial Hall of Honor Class

PITTSBURGH, PA -The Pittsburgh Steelers introduced the inaugural class of the team’s new Hall of Honor Tuesday, and 27 of the team’s most famous names made the cut. They will be formally inducted during the Nov. 26 Steelers-Green Bay Packers game at Heinz Field.

The prestigious group is led by team founder Art Roone; his son, Dan Rooney, the team's beloved former chairman who died in April and Chuck Noll, the coach who led the team from the depths of NFL bottom-feeders to four of the Steelers' six Super Bowl championships.

From the team's first Super Bowl era in the 1970s, the Hall of Honor will welcome Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, L.C. Greenwood, Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert and Andy Russell.

Those who played more recently for the Steelers include Rod Woodson, Dermontti Dawson, Kevin Greene and Jerome Bettis.

Among those associated with the team before it became consistently successful were former coach Walt Keisling and players such as Jack Butler, Bobby Layne, Ernie Stautner, John Henry Johnson, Bill Dudley and Dick Hoak, Johnny "Blood" McNally and Bill Dudley.

Living inductees will receive a replica of a solid steel football replicating the one given to Steelers’ founder Art Rooney Sr. by the United States Steel Corporation and United Steel Workers in 1982 to mark the team’s 50th Season. They will be part of a display to be located inside the FedEx Great Hall at Heinz Field.

To be eligible for the Hall of Honor, former players have to be retired for at least three seasons, have played for the Steelers for at least three seasons and possess noteworthy records and achievements. Former coaches and staffers must have made significant contributions to the team and community.

Photo by Daniel X. O'Neil via Creative Commons.