Pittsburgh Steelers President Art Rooney II is no stranger to criticism, but the ever-outspoken Stephen A. Smith pushed the narrative to even further heights.
On ESPN’s First Take, Smith criticized Rooney for the Steelers’ recent struggles and the decision to hire McCarthy.
“I’m just looking at this man here, I’m talking about Art Rooney and the quotes," Smith said via On3's Daniel Hager. "You’ve given the Pittsburgh Steeler fanbase nothing to be excited about. He talked like a guy where people were coming to see them for free. He didn’t talk about the paying customer, because you’ve given them nothing to be excited about. Absolutely nothing. ...You haven’t won a Playoff game in nine years. You took over in 2017 and are 0-6 in the Playoffs. You’re going to hire this man in his 60s who was pushed out of Green Bay and Dallas with [Aaron] Rodgers and Dak Prescott as his quarterback.”
Smith took his rant into an even harsher territory, claiming Rooney is nothing like his predecessors and is only connected by name alone.
“...Who the hell do you think you are? You ain’t your uncle, you ain’t your daddy, you ain’t your family members. You’re a Rooney, but you ain’t them because your record proves you ain’t them. You don’t talk to Steeler Nation like that. This is unacceptable.”
Yikes. While Smith is known for some fiery takes, his message to Rooney was brutal. But his comments on the team direction are what Steelers fans have echoed for the past several years.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers President Art Rooney II blasted by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith