The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday that Bill Nunn, former Steelers scout and director of player personnel, is a contributor finalist for the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
Steelers' President Art Rooney II was excited about the announcement, mentioning his close relationship with Nunn and the respect of his legacy with the organization:
#Steelers President Art Rooney II on Bill Nunn being named a Contributor Finalist for the @ProFootballHOF’s Class of 2021: pic.twitter.com/h3IdbAdSzn
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 25, 2020
Nunn joined the Steelers in 1968 after working as the managing editor for the Pittsburgh Courier, and went on to be an instrumental member of the Steelers' scouting department. His initial contributions led the team to find and prioritize less recognized talents from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) during the 1970s.
Among the key players from HBCUs that were essential to the Steelers' run of four Super Bowl championships in the 1970s were three Pro Football Hall of Fame players in Mel Blount, John Stallworth and the recently selected Donnie Shell. Other key players hailed from HBCUs, like members of the 'Steel Curtain' defensive line in Ernie Holmes, Dwight White, and L.C. Greenwood, as well as receiver Frank Lewis and quarterback Joe Gilliam.
Nunn would be part of the Steelers' scouting department for 46 years until his passing in 2014. He was also inducted as a member of the Black College Football Hall of Fame's inaugural class in 2010.
The Steelers already have three members of the 2020 Hall of Fame Class that will be inducted at the ceremony in Canton, Ohio, next year in Shell, Troy Polamalu and former head coach Bill Cowher. They also are expected to have another finalist again this year in former guard Alan Faneca.
If Faneca is finally selected this year -- he's been a finalist the previous four years -- the Steelers would have five people in next year's induction ceremony going into the Hall of Fame. The ceremony was postponed this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Steelers had been scheduled to play the Cowboys in the Hall of Fame game as part of the induction weekend. They are already scheduled for that game again in 2021.
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