Matthew Joseph Rooney, grandson of Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Art Rooney, passed away on Aug. 15, 2025, at the age of 51 in East Hampton, New York.
According to a statement from a Pittsburgh Steelers team spokesperson, “The Rooney Family is mourning the loss of Matthew.” He was recognized for his intelligence, creativity and support for the arts.
Rooney was born on Nov. 11, 1973, in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania. He was the son of JoAnn Wallace Rooney and John J. Rooney, who previously held a significant stake in the Steelers before selling most of it in 2009. He attended New York University for his bachelor’s degree and later completed a master’s degree at Columbia University.
He maintained an active presence in the arts community by writing and creating art himself and by supporting literature, ballet and opera. He served as vice chair of the Allegro Circle donor group for New York City Ballet and joined the board of directors at the Metropolitan Opera of New York in 2024. By 2025 he had taken on an advisory director role with that institution.
An obituary described him as “a lover of literature and passionate about ballet and opera.” It added: “His wit, charm and love of fashion made him one of life’s last true Dandies and an authentic Bon Vivant.”
Rooney lived both in New York City and Los Angeles. His residences included homes in Brooklyn Heights and East Hampton. He is survived by his mother JoAnn Wallace Rooney, four older siblings, fifteen nieces and nephews as well as eighteen great-nieces and nephews.
A funeral took place on Aug. 21, 2025, in Pennsylvania with family members present; burial arrangements were private.
Art Rooney Sr., founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise in 1933, began a legacy continued by family members including current president Art Rooney II.
