A longtime member of the Steelers franchise and father of former team offensive coordinator Todd Haley, Dick Haley has died.
The 85-year-old had been dealing with Parkinson’s disease and dementia for years.
The Midway, Pennsylvania native played college football at Pitt as a running back.
He was a player for the first four of his 23 years with the organization and was a member of the player personnel department the next 19.
“Dick played an instrumental role in our unprecedented success in the 1970s during the second part of his career. He developed a unique eye for talent and he ultimately helped identify and draft many of the players that allowed us to win four Super Bowls during that decade,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II in a release.
His son released a statement on Friday morning saying in part, “Very sorry to say , the world , the NFL and my entire family lost one of the best people I’ve ever known and my idol. A man that gave me the best chance to succeed in this world.”
Haley was part of the group that brought Hall of Fame names like Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Mike Webster and Donnie Shell during the 1974 draft.
The younger Haley is currently the head coach of the Memphis Showboats in the USFL.