Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney to be honored by Jackie Robinson Foundation

The Jackie Robinson Foundation honors the memory of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play professional baseball. This year, the foundation is honoring Ambassador Dan Rooney with its lifetime achievement award. Rooney is a former United States Ambassador to Ireland and the founder of the American Ireland fund. Steelers fans know him as the owner of their favorite NFL football team.

As an NFL owner, Rooney implemented the so-called Rooney Rule,  a policy that requires teams to interview minorities for coaching and management positions. Recently, in the spirit of the Rooney Rule, the NFL decided to require teams to interview female candidates for those types of positions in order to promote diversity within the league.

Rooney will be honored on March 7 alongside makeup magnate Bobbi Brown, who is receiving a humanitarian award and Robert Smith, who is receiving an achievement in industry award.

Chairman Dan Rooney to receive Jackie Robinson Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award.

| https://t.co/bL5JYZXONg pic.twitter.com/wSd9QFfREv

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) March 2, 2016

Rooney is well loved by his players and is not an aloof, hands-off owner. Recently, Antonio Brown posted a picture of himself with Rooney.

.@AntonioBrown84 and Dan Rooney from AB's official Snapchat. - TH pic.twitter.com/zWM0azaai2

— DKPittsburghSports (@DKPghSports) February 23, 2016