Pat Summeral turned down the Steeler HC job!

[feltdizz]

I was on my way to work and he was on the radio in Charlotte and he said he asked Rooney if he filled the position yet and Rooney replied.."No, but the job is yours if you want it."

Pat turned it down because he wanted to do the TV thing and Noll was hired 2 weeks later.

Anyone else ever hear that story?

[SteelBucks]

Re: Pat Summeral turned down the Steeler HC job!

I was on my way to work and he was on the radio in Charlotte and he said he asked Rooney if he filled the position yet and Rooney replied.."No, but the job is yours if you want it."

Pat turned it down because he wanted to do the TV thing and Noll was hired 2 weeks later.

Anyone else ever hear that story?

Didn't Joe Paterno also turn down the job? I seem to remember that story as well.

[ikestops85]

Re: Pat Summeral turned down the Steeler HC job!

I was on my way to work and he was on the radio in Charlotte and he said he asked Rooney if he filled the position yet and Rooney replied.."No, but the job is yours if you want it."

Pat turned it down because he wanted to do the TV thing and Noll was hired 2 weeks later.

Anyone else ever hear that story?

Didn't Joe Paterno also turn down the job? I seem to remember that story as well.

I'm reading Ruanaidh now and according to Art Rooney Jr. Paterno was at the top of Dan Rooney's list to hire but he decided he didn't want to leave Happy Valley. Noll had a glowing recommendation from Don Shula so he replaced Paterno at the top of the list. The rest is history ... and a glorious one at that. No mention of Summeral being in the mix for the job.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Re: Pat Summeral turned down the Steeler HC job!

Sounds more like an off the cuff remark made in conversation. Back then the TV gig was not as potentially lucrative as it is now. If a serious offer was made to coach I can't see anyone having chosen TV over coaching.

[feltdizz]

Re: Pat Summeral turned down the Steeler HC job!

Sounds more like an off the cuff remark made in conversation. Back then the TV gig was not as potentially lucrative as it is now. If a serious offer was made to coach I can't see anyone having chosen TV over coaching.

You don't see how a guy could choose a TV gig over coaching the Steelers when they were one of the worst franchises in history at the time? You have to remember who the Steelers were in the late 60's... they were bum sauce

Neither were lucrative back then but I bet Pat saw more potential in TV than a Steeler team without Bradshaw, Joe Greene, etc... at the time.

[aggiebones]

Re: Pat Summeral turned down the Steeler HC job!

I'm always humored by the Paterno rumor. Can you imagine him coaching the Steelers for 50 years. lol
Just a funny thought of him not retiring and running out there with the Steelers every Sunday.

[Iron Shiek]

Re: Pat Summeral turned down the Steeler HC job!

I'm always humored by the Paterno rumor. Can you imagine him coaching the Steelers for 50 years. lol
Just a funny thought of him not retiring and running out there with the Steelers every Sunday.

...and running back into the locker room because he $hit himself...

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Re: Pat Summeral turned down the Steeler HC job!

Yeah, I heard the Summerall story before. I tend to think it's true. Luckily for the Steelers, Pat turned down the coaching offer and they hired Noll.