Some time around the mid-2000s, the National Football League tweaks its rules stipulating who can own franchises and by what percentages they can be considered majority owner. For the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, that meant that changes in ownership became mandatory, and after a couple of years of quiet discussion, plans began to unfold in 2008.
Between Dan Rooney and his four brothers, the Rooney family held an 80 percent stake in the Steelers, with the other 20 percent retained by the McGinley family, who are related. But several of Rooney’s brothers held ties to gambling enterprises—you might recall the story of how Art Rooney made part of his fortunes at the track—which came in violation of new restrictions.