In fact, that seemed even more unlikely during my rookie season. I was a pretty bad actor on the field. I got thrown out of a few games, got into fights, and once against the Eagles, I grabbed a game ball before Philadelphia could snap it, heaved it into the stands, and stormed off the field. I was being held and the officials weren’t calling it, so I was pretty mad. The officials were shocked.

Flash forward 13 years: I’m back in his office, telling him that I want to retire after so many great seasons with the Steelers. And he sits back and says, “Joe, remember that game in your rookie year when you threw the ball into the stands?” And I thought, “Oh, my goodness. Thirteen years have gone by and he never said a word about this.” And then he said, “Joe, I felt the same way you did.”

Another time, I remember treating a newspaper reporter very poorly. When the Ambassador found out about the incident he didn’t scold me or go into a tirade. He clearly and effectively said, “Joe that is not how we do things around here.” I thought that on any other team, they might have cut me or traded me after that first season. But Dan Rooney let me grow into a man. He saw that I was highly emotional and did some immature things. But he allowed me to find myself. Just a few years later, I was named captain of the Steelers, and at the time, I was anything but a captain. But that changed my attitude, and my bad acting just went away. I got the feeling that the Ambassador anticipated how I would react, that he saw something in me that I didn’t know about myself.

That was the Dan Rooney I came to know. He was authentic, he had values, he knew how to play the long game when others were looking for short-term gain, and he believed in doing the right thing.

He used a phrase that I’ve never forgotten: “Let it soak.” It was something I heard often when I was that young, emotional player. He’ d simply tell me, “Let it soak.” Think about it. Sleep on it. Consider the implications of your actions. That’s what he meant.

He also was no pushover. Yes, he was quiet, but that was part of his inner strength. After my rookie year, I thought I deserved a raise because despite all the bad stuff, I had a pretty good season. So I went into the office and said, “Mr. Rooney, I think I need a raise.” And he said, “Joe, I’m not going to give you one quarter.” And the way he said it — well, I can’t describe it, but I just started laughing. And the negotiation was over.

And years later, I interviewed for the head coaching job that Bill Cowher eventually got. The ambassador summoned me to his office and said, “Joe, we’re not going to hire you as head coach.” I don’t deny it — I was disappointed at first. But by the time I left the building, I was relieved because I realized he was right. It was the first time in my life and maybe the only time that I got “no” for an answer and felt comfortable with it. If Dan Rooney said I wasn’t ready, then I wasn’t ready. I trusted him.

I saw another side of the Ambassador while I was working as a scout for the Steelers. This was the business side of the man who took a team that had been always on the wrong end of the standings and turned it into a dynasty. He spoke with other front-office people in a quiet and matter-of-fact way, often explaining how he wanted things done — the right way.

During those years, I saw how impactful he was as a leader, not only as the owner of a team but as a leader of the National Football League. The other owners really listened to him, and that’s because he had a reputation for being insightful, factual and honest. Looking back to even before I became a Steeler, I think his attitude, particularly his ability to see the big picture, was really important. When the old AFL joined the NFL to create the league we know today, he and his father put self-interest aside by agreeing to join the new American Football Conference. That was a key moment in the merger, and we all know what happened after that.

He also played an important role in another key moment, this one far from his home town of Pittsburgh. During his stint as U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, appointed by President Barack Obama, I have been told by many that he applied the same principles that guided his stewardship of the Steelers. My reaction was always: I would not expect anything else. He had long been an advocate for peace in Ireland, and as ambassador, he used his influence to help the healing process and bring prosperity to the land of his ancestors.

When you consider the man’s character, values, acumen and his profound sense of fairness, it makes sense that Dan Rooney was the person who pushed for a hiring policy that now bears his name — the Rooney Rule. He saw an injustice — the league’s coaches were almost all white in a league where most players are African-American. He persuaded the other owners to adopt a policy requiring management to interview minority candidates for head coaching vacancies beginning in 2003. That policy has been extended to other management vacancies in the years since.

The Rooney Rule is something the NFL desperately needs. It gives minorities an opportunity, at a minimum, to get into the pipeline for coaching and other jobs. It also gives minorities a chance to experience the job interview process, to learn what kinds of questions are asked, and to figure out how to prepare for an interview. If you’re not getting interviews, you don’t know how to answer those questions, and you’re not getting into the pipeline. So the Rooney Rule strengthens the entire league and it gives minorities a feeling they have an opportunity.

It’s true that there have been cases of sham interviews, but I know for a fact Dan Rooney called out, challenged and ultimately championed a change that is the spirit of the Rooney Rule. When I get frustrated because people are not abiding by the process, having the rule and having it named after him is, to me, is a source of hope and strength because it speaks to the character of Dan Rooney.

Most of my adult life has been spent with the Steelers and the Rooney family. I was especially glad to hear that Jim Rooney was writing this book. Whenever the Ambassador had a “big dude” in town — a CEO, an Irish diplomat or the president of the United States, Jim was by his side. I know when speaking to those with influence, the Ambassador was always holding up the point of view of those without a say, whether it was minorities, small markets or the “guy on the street.” Jim was the guy who was with him. Hearing from those perspectives will be one thing I look forward to in this story.

Finally, there’s a short list of people who have helped the National Football League live up to its creed: To honor everyone, the fans, the players and all the teams. Dan Rooney was one of those people. And he was like that in all the other roles he played, as a father, a business leader, a philanthropist and a peacemaker.

Everywhere Dan Rooney went, he was revered. And this book will tell you why.