Hall of Famer Chuck Noll, the only coach to win four Super Bowl titles, was known by those around him as a great teacher, friend and father figure.
The legendary coach died Friday night at his home in suburban Pittsburgh. He was 82.
Noll coached the Pittsburgh Steelers to Super Bowl victories in the 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979 seasons.
Noll was one of the most influential coaches in NFL history. He took over a struggling Steelers franchise in 1969 and turned it into a perennial winner. In 23 seasons, Noll’s teams went 209-156-1 overall and 16-8 in the playoffs with nine AFC Central titles.
Many of those who played for and coached under Noll described him as a great leader and mentor. Steelers executives remembered Noll for his success and friendship.
The following is a collection of reactions on Noll from the Steelers and throughout the NFL.
—Steelers chairman Dan Rooney: “As for the football end of it, I think he ranks with (George) Halas and (Vince) Lombardi. There are many other good coaches over the history of the NFL, but I think Chuck Noll ranks up there with those other two guys right at the top. No other coach won four Super Bowls, and the way he did it was with dignity. His players were always his concern, both in treating them well and giving them what they needed to succeed on the field.
“As far as personally, Chuck was a good friend. His wife, Marianne, is a delightful person and really had helped him through his illness. Chuck, Marianne, Patricia and I spent a lot of time together. He was a very bright guy and experienced a lot of interesting things during his life, but he also was a very private person.
“He never won Coach of the Year until 1989, but he didn’t care about those things. He did what he felt was right, and it carried over obviously to the football team. Chuck Noll was a coach who always was concerned with the basics of the sport. He always used to say, ‘This game is blocking and tackling,’ and to him that was playing the game the way it should be played.”
—Steelers president Art Rooney II: “When Chuck became our head coach he brought a change to the whole culture of the organization. Even in his first season when we won only one game, there was a different feel to the team. He set a new standard for the Steelers that still is the foundation of what we do and who we are. From the players to the coaches to the front office down to the ball boys, he taught us all what it took to be a winner.
“Chuck was a wonderful person in addition to being a great football coach. The positive influence he had on so many people also will be part of his legacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
—Hall of Fame wide receiver John Stallworth: “One of the lessons I learned from him was that you’ve never arrived. That you never get to the point where you are the best that you can be, and you should admit you are always striving to be better and to get better in whatever it was — as a football player, as a father, as a business person, as someone who was active in the community.
“You could always get better at something. Don’t just settle for where you are. I think I carry that more than anything. You can always be better.”
—Hall of Fame defensive tackle Joe Greene: “Chuck was just the ultimate leader. He had truth and belief in what he was saying, and over time all of those things he said were validated, the things about winning football games and being a solid citizen.”
—Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount: “He was a teacher, he was a father figure, he was a coach. He was the stability we all needed. We were all young kids, great talent and everybody had their own goals and dreams, but he was able to keep us focused on one thing and that was winning.
“He gave Pittsburgh a sense of pride. When the Steelers hired Chuck Noll, they were the doormat of the National Football League. And then he drafted Joe Greene, which in my opinion was the beginning of everything that happened to us.”
—Former Steelers assistant coach Dick Hoak: “I know his players really appreciate him. A lot of them will say the most valuable guy they had when they won all of those championships was Coach Noll. He had the respect of all of his players.
“He was a great teacher. He not only taught the players, he taught the coaches. I thought I knew a lot about football until I got with him. Everything I have I owe to him and the Rooney family.”
—NBC analyst and former Indianapolis Colts Tony Dungy, who also played for and coached under Noll, via Twitter: “So sorry to hear about the passing of Coach Noll. He had such a great impact on me, as well as many others. A tremendous teacher & friend.”
—Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher via Twitter: “RIP Chuck. You had such a positive impact on many people’s lives. It was an Honor and a Blessing to follow in your footsteps. Thanks Coach!”
—NFL commissioner Roger Goodell: “Coach Noll’s quiet leadership produced extraordinary results that deeply inspired players, coaches and fans. He always put the team, his players, and the game first. His legacy of excellence will forever be an important part of the history of the Steelers and the NFL.”
