1/8 Martin Luther King Jr had a major influence on my father making diversity crucial to his mission. Hiring Bill Nunn put that into action. Tomorrow, @ProFootballHOF voters will consider Bill to be enshrined as the first African-American in the Contributor category.

2/8 Bill Nunn was my first boss at the Steelers. I was a 12-year-old ball boy.  I used to sit in his office and talk with him about all sorts of topics. As I grew older, we discussed politics, world events and Pittsburgh’s Hill District.

3/8 Bill also shared his views on what he would call black schools. He felt these institutions not only developed athletes but more importantly taught the character necessary to succeed. He felt it was a shame these HBCU players were being overlooked.

4/8 The Steelers listened to Bill’s advice & the rest is history.  Bill’s leadership led to a kind of next-level of player recruitment at the Steelers, enabling them to outperform every other team in the NFL.  It also led to an organizational culture like no other.

5/8 Culture matters and Bill was the first of several significant hires that my father made to contribute to the Steelers culture. Others include Chuck Noll, Tony Dungy, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. All are or will be in the @ProFootballHOF

6/8 Perhaps more important, these hires were essential for developing the foundation of today’s Rooney Rule – an initiative that originated with Bill Nunn’s type of thinking.

7/8 I would like to see Bill’s legacy get the recognition it deserves. When that happens, it will reward so many of us who want to see more of it both in and outside of sports: The elevation of leaders who exemplify diversity and inclusion.

8/8 A celebration of MLK would be appropriately highlighted by Bill’s confirmation into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.