Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Austin was actually the Rams OL coach when he was hired by the Steelers, but had been at the controls of the Packer OL before that stint. That same offseason. another Lombardi assistant, Norb Hecker, got the expansion Falcons job.

As far as the other Steeler candidates besides Austin, the only ones that got any mention were Bill McPeak (who was deemed a huge long shot), Ted Marchibroda (who applied, though he obviously wasn't considered experienced enough) and Ara Parseghian, a true longshot to hire, but then most likely in the mix because the Rooneys were devout Catholics--even if Parseghian wasn't.

BD Sullivan wrote:Austin was actually the Rams OL coach when he was hired by the Steelers, but had been at the controls of the Packer OL before that stint. That same offseason. another Lombardi assistant, Norb Hecker, got the expansion Falcons job.

As far as the other Steeler candidates besides Austin, the only ones that got any mention were Bill McPeak (who was deemed a huge long shot), Ted Marchibroda (who applied, though he obviously wasn't considered experienced enough) and Ara Parseghian, a true longshot to hire, but then most likely in the mix because the Rooneys were devout Catholics--even if Parseghian wasn't.

Wondering:

Did Lombardi suspect the following season would be his last in GB and did not think Austin would be considered to replace him?

Who was the fourth candidate? Surely, any real Steelers fan would know but were all disclosed in the book? No doubt Lombardi was told and asked for a comparison. Perhaps Dan felt interviewing all was the courteous thing to do - a sort of in-house Rooney rule. Maybe the old man just bit on his cigar and decided to save the courtesy stuff for the slot machine hearings.

BD Sullivan wrote:Austin was actually the Rams OL coach when he was hired by the Steelers, but had been at the controls of the Packer OL before that stint. That same offseason. another Lombardi assistant, Norb Hecker, got the expansion Falcons job.

As far as the other Steeler candidates besides Austin, the only ones that got any mention were Bill McPeak (who was deemed a huge long shot), Ted Marchibroda (who applied, though he obviously wasn't considered experienced enough) and Ara Parseghian, a true longshot to hire, but then most likely in the mix because the Rooneys were devout Catholics--even if Parseghian wasn't.

Parseghian and Joe Paterno had both turned down the job (which offered to them by Art Sr., not by Dan) before the field was narrowed to five.

rhickok1109 wrote:

BD Sullivan wrote:Austin was actually the Rams OL coach when he was hired by the Steelers, but had been at the controls of the Packer OL before that stint. That same offseason. another Lombardi assistant, Norb Hecker, got the expansion Falcons job.

As far as the other Steeler candidates besides Austin, the only ones that got any mention were Bill McPeak (who was deemed a huge long shot), Ted Marchibroda (who applied, though he obviously wasn't considered experienced enough) and Ara Parseghian, a true longshot to hire, but then most likely in the mix because the Rooneys were devout Catholics--even if Parseghian wasn't.

Parseghian and Joe Paterno had both turned down the job (which offered to them by Art Sr., not by Dan) before the field was narrowed to five.

Paterno turned it down in 1969 when they hired Noll instead. He had just taken over Penn State in 1966.

BD Sullivan wrote:

rhickok1109 wrote:

BD Sullivan wrote:Austin was actually the Rams OL coach when he was hired by the Steelers, but had been at the controls of the Packer OL before that stint. That same offseason. another Lombardi assistant, Norb Hecker, got the expansion Falcons job.

As far as the other Steeler candidates besides Austin, the only ones that got any mention were Bill McPeak (who was deemed a huge long shot), Ted Marchibroda (who applied, though he obviously wasn't considered experienced enough) and Ara Parseghian, a true longshot to hire, but then most likely in the mix because the Rooneys were devout Catholics--even if Parseghian wasn't.

Parseghian and Joe Paterno had both turned down the job (which offered to them by Art Sr., not by Dan) before the field was narrowed to five.

Paterno turned it down in 1969 when they hired Noll instead. He had just taken over Penn State in 1966.

Yes, you're right. I'm sorry. But was Parseghian really in the mix in 1966? I'm not disputing it, but I don't know of any evidence for that.

Regardless of who the mysterious four "others" might have been - if, in fact, there were four others, - the issue was
the old man over-riding Dan's desire to interview the remaining candidates.
Art chose to follow the advice of Vince Lombardi and with reasons that went beyond the application on his desk.

Art Rooney - as anyone prior to the advent of ESPN can tell you - was a long-time friend of the Mara family, those folks
who have that storied franchise in the city that never sleeps. The Maramen entered the league in 1925; the Rooney crew
in 1933. Those two men became fast friends with Art - who had a love of the ponies - often betting huge sums at Tim Mara's bookmaking parlors.
Yes; that was then but the connection has never been severed as witnessed by current-day actress Rooney Mara
(nee: Patricia Rooney Mara.)

We all know that Lombardi was the offensive genius under Jim Lee Howell with the Giants and then left paradise
for the frozen tundra. Bill Austin was on those Lombardi-coached offensive units and played with some pretty fast company. When Lombardi tapped him as OL coach for the Packers, Austin also mentored some pretty good fellows like guards
Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston and others like Forrest Gregg and Jim Ringo to mention another pair.

With Lombardi's endorsement, Art Rooney closed the book.

Just to tighten the knot, here's a little bit about what "family" means to some.

Rooney Mara's mother's family founded the Pittsburgh Steelers and her father's family founded the New York Giants.
Her father is Timothy Christopher Mara, the vice president of player evaluation for the New York Giants. Her mother
is Kathleen (Rooney) McNulty and a brother's name is Daniel. (Sound familiar?)

rhickok1109 wrote:Yes, you're right. I'm sorry. But was Parseghian really in the mix in 1966? I'm not disputing it, but I don't know of any evidence for that.

His name was among those mentioned, but it was noted that the Steelers looked at about 50 different options. Therefore, Parseghian's name might have been thrown into it just to create some buzz and there's no indication that he expressed interest in it.