Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers reveal 2018 Hall of Honor class

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced their 2018 Hall of Honor class on Saturday.

The team introduced the Hall of Honor last year to recognize former players, coaches and front office personnel who played an important role in the franchise, according to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The idea came from Steelers President Art Rooney II and late Chairman Dan Rooney.

The following people will be inducted into the Hall of Honor:

  • Bill Nunn served as a scout and personnel director from 1968-2014 after Dan Rooney lured him away from his job as managing editor of The Pittsburgh Courier. Due to his extensive coverage of and ties to historically black colleges and universities, he helped the franchise land such luminaries as L.C. Greenwood, Mel Blount, Ernie Holmes, John Stallworth and Donnie Shell. Nunn was also a member of the inaugural class of the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
  • Art Rooney Jr., son of the franchise founder and brother of Dan Rooney, served as personnel director from 1965-86 and currently is a team vice president. His philosophy of building the roster through the draft reinvigorated the franchise, leading to four Super Bowl wins in the 1970s, and became a bedrock of the team's identity.
  • Buddy Dial only played five seasons with the Steelers, but he still holds a team receiving record despite the number of illustrious players who followed him at the position. From 1959-63, Dial scored 42 touchdowns -- a team record at the time -- and averaged 20.6 yards per catch, a franchise record that still stands. He was the first receiver in Steelers' history to post a 1,000-yard season.
  • Rocky Bleier redefined the term "tenacious" during his tenure with the Steelers. A 16th-round draft pick out of Notre Dame in 1968, he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1969 and served in the Vietnam War. He earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart, and overcame foot injuries he suffered in combat to return to the Steelers, where he ended his career with 3,855 yards rushing, including a 1,000-yard season in 1976. He remains a fan favorite for his underdog story and bona fide status as a war hero.
  • Alan Faneca anchored the offensive line from 1998-2007, when he went to nine Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro six times. The first-round pick played primarily at guard but demonstrated his versatility by occasionally lining up at left tackle because of injuries to his teammates. He's a member of the Steelers' All-Time Team and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s.

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