Total Pro Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr.’s grandson, Matthew Joseph Rooney, has tragically passed away at the age of 51.
An obituary notes that Matthew died at his home in East Hampton on August 15. The Steelers, who are set for a new era with Aaron Rodgers under center this coming season, have also addressed the unfortunate incident.
“The Rooney Family is mourning the loss of Matthew,” a spokesperson for the team told the New York Post.
A cause of death has not been disclosed.
Matthew was the son of JoAnn and John J. Rooney, a minority shareholder in the team prior to selling most of his 16 percent stake back in 2009. His passing comes after several notable deaths in recent weeks, including that of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, and iconic actor Malcolm Jamal-Warner.
He graduated from NYU before earning a Master’s degree at Columbia University. According to the obituary, he spent time in both New York and Los Angeles before settling in Brooklyn Heights and East Hampton.
Matthew Rooney was a writer and artist and is described in the obit as a lover of literature, while he was “passionate” about ballet and opera. His “wit, charm and love of fashion made him one of life’s last true Dandies and an authentic Bon Vivant,” it reads.
He is survived by his mother, four older siblings, 15 nieces and nephews, and 18 great nieces and nephews.
The Rooney family is considered legendary in football circles and has been a pillar in the NFL since Art Rooney brought the Steelers into the league in 1933. He remained the chairman until he died in 1988.
Pittsburgh will mark the upcoming season with a new uniform inspired by their old 1993 team, which they unveiled a month ago.
The family will hold a mass and burial for Matthew in Pennsylvania this Thursday.
