Nov. 17, 1982: Thirty years ago, NFL fans were a frustrated lot. The 1982 season was on hold, thanks to a players strike that would drag on for 57 days and become increasingly bitter. When it finally ended in mid-November, Art Rooney Sr. walked into his team’s locker room and was greeted by a smiling Mark Malone, then a back-up quarterback. At right is Jack Ham, one of the NLF’s greatest linebackers. By the way, it was Art’s son Dan Rooney who played a key role in bringing the players and owners together to resolve the work stoppage.
The ‘82 season was reduced to nine games. Rooney’s Steelers finished with a 6-3 record, then were eliminated in the playoffs by a 31-28 loss to San Diego at Three Rivers Stadium.
(Photo by VWH Campbell, Post-Gazette)
