The Pittsburgh Steelers and President Art Rooney II have a long offseason ahead, with multiple decisions to make. Amidst all the chaos of being an NFL owner, Rooney was able to make quite an impact off the field and has earned himself a humanitarian honor for his work.

“Steelers President Art Rooney II is the recipient of the, which was presented on Saturday at Steinberg’s annual Super Bowl event,” Steelers’ official statement read.

“I am honored to receive the Steinberg DeNicola Humanitarian Owner Award this year,” Rooney said. “I have always appreciated Leigh Steinberg’s commitment to the community and in particular the way he’s always encouraged his players to be involved in the community.”

The Steinberg DeNicola Humanitarian Owner Award is given to leaders in the NFL and across the sports world who consistently give back and use their rather large platform to make a big and positive impact. Rooney was recognized for a body of work that spans years, both through the Steelers as an organization and through his own personal efforts.

As an NFL owner, Rooney has leaned into the big platform that comes with the role. With him at the helm, the Steelers have been involved with a wide range of charitable initiatives, including the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research, and Cancer Bridges through Steelers Style.

Cancer Bridges through Steelers Style has grown into the franchise’s largest fundraising event, but Rooney’s involvement doesn’t stop at team-led efforts. He has also made it a priority to stay active on an individual level, including serving as a board member for the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, focusing on programs that benefit the broader community.

Another personal project is the Art Rooney Scholarship Fund, which includes an annual race that provides scholarships to students from Pittsburgh’s North Side. This initiative comes from the passing of his grandfather and reflects the family’s long-standing connection to that part of the city.

Beyond all this, he also makes giving back to his family’s native country, Ireland, a priority. He oversees the annual Ireland Funds Pittsburgh Gala, which raises hundreds of thousands (and millions) to support charitable causes in Ireland. He is evidently deserving of this honor.

With the recognition now behind him, Rooney will turn his attention back to a rather busy offseason.

Art Rooney prepares for a busy offseason

There has been a lot of change in the Steelers building for Art Rooney or anyone else to get used to. For the first time in 19 years, Mike Tomlin will not be leading the team, assistants are shuffling in and out, Aaron Rodgers remains a question mark, and expectations surrounding the franchise are bigger than ever.

The Steelers have already made a few moves, and by mid-January, they had already signed 16 players to reserve/future contracts. They’ve been even busier with the coaching shuffling.

The new coaching staff under Mike McCarthy currently includes 19 assistant coaches and is still missing a TEs coach, and when that happens, the staff will grow to 20 assistants, making it the largest coaching group the organization has ever assembled. There’s clearly a direction here, but it needs to translate into success.

The urgency stems from the fact that the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 Divisional Round, making it the longest postseason drought of the franchise’s Super Bowl era and currently the ninth-longest active streak in the league. With a new head coach and a reshaped roster, the fans want to see a different outcome this year.