Pittsburgh Steelers Legendary Coach Chuck Noll Passed Away
By Kim Myers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost an icon. Charles “Chuck” Noll has passed away at the age of 82. The Hall of Fame coach had been under a doctor’s care and was found unresponsive by his wife, reports the Trib.
Without Chuck Noll there would have never been any Super Steelers of the 70s. Noll coached the Steelers for 23 seasons from 1969-91. He took over the team at the age of 37 with the task of leading the team to their first championship as a franchise. This season, the Steelers were already set to honor and remember the 40th anniversary of their first Super Bowl win in 1974.
Chuck Noll coached the Steelers to Super Bowl victories in 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979 making them what is arguably the best professional football dynasty in NFL history. His coaching record for the Steelers was a 209-156-1 (including the post-season) record that earned him an enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
Chuck Noll was never much for the celebrity side of being in the NFL, and kept his private life very private. His legacy as one of the greatest coaches of all time will surely live on. I grew up, as many members of Steeler Nation did, on the stories of Chuck Noll and the Steelers of the 70s.
In Jerry DiPaola’s piece in the Trib about Noll he provides a quote from the oldest son of Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr. that explains just how important Noll was to the Steelers and Rooney families.
"“Chuck Noll is the best thing to happen to the Rooneys since they got on the boat in Ireland.” – Art Rooney Jr."
Our thoughts are definitely with the Noll family. RIP Charles Henry Noll.