MADE BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD. SHELDON: BILL NUNN NEVER STRAPPED ON A FOOTBALL HELMET OR CLEATS AS A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER. BUT HE MAY STILL BE ANNOUNCED ONE OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME THIS WEEKEND, AS A LEGENDARY SCOUT FOR THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS. BILL NUNN, SR.’S LEGACY IS THAT HE IMPACTED THE GAME OF FOOTBALL AS A PROLIFIC SCOUT WHO HELPED OPEN THE PIPELINE FOR BLACK PLAYERS FORMER STEELERS CORNERBACK J.T. THOMAS EVEN SAYS NUNN WAS TH KEY ARCHITECT OF THE STEELERS DYNASTY. >> IF THERE WASN’T A BILL NUNN, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE A CITY OF CHAMPION SHELDON: NUNN’S INFLUENCE WAS SO PROFOUND, AUTHOR ANDREW CONTE WROTE ABOUT GROUNDBREAKING ROLE AS A SCOUT. IT’S DETAILED IN THE BOOK CALLED "THE COLOR OF SUNDAYS." >> I WANTED THE PLAYERS, COACHES, AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH FOOTBALL TODAY, ESPECIALLY THE BLACK PLAYERS, TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY AND WHOSE SHOULDERS THEY’RE STANDING ON. SHELDON: NUNN WAS A SPORTS REPORTER FOR "THE PITTSBURGH COURIER" BEFORE HE BECAME AN NFL SCOUT FOR THE STEELERS. HE HAD SOLID CONNECTIONS WITH HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THAT WHITE SCOUTS DID NOT HAVE. THAT BECAME AN ASSET FOR THE STEELERS. >> SO HE GOES AND GETS JOHN STALLWORTH, L.C. GREENWOOD, ME BLOUNT, A LOT OF THOSE GUYS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUPER STEELERS OF THE 1970’S. SHELDON: THOMAS IS FROM MACON, GEORGIA, AND WAS A FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK BY THE STEELERS IN 1973 OUT OF FLORIDA STATE. HE SAYS NUNN HELPED EASE THE TRANSITION OF BLACK PLAYERS FROM ALL-BLACK COMMUNITIES IN THE DEEP ONCE THEY JOINED THE STEELERS. >> EDUCATING THEM IN TERMS OF PROTOCOL, WHAT YOU DO, WHAT YOU DON’T DO, HOW YOU BEHAVE, WHERE YOU GO, AND PLACES YOU DON’T GO. SHELDON: CONTE SAYS NUNN NEVER WANTED TO BE PRAISED FOR HIS WORK. BUT IT MIGHT HAPPEN THIS WEEKEND IF HE’S ANNOUNCED AS ONE OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF F
'Super Scout' Bill Nunn elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame
Bill Nunn helped build the Pittsburgh Steelers' dynasty of the 1970s. He will be inducted to the Hall of Fame in the contributor category as a member of the Class of 2021.
![WTAE logo]()
Updated: 11:38 PM EST Feb 6, 2021
Bill Nunn, dubbed a "super scout" for the Pittsburgh Steelers for finding NFL talent at historically Black universities, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor on Saturday night.Learn more about Bill Nunn: Watch our report in the video player above.Nunn was one of the architects of Pittsburgh's famed 1974 draft class that included four future Hall of Fame members who helped the Steelers win four Super Bowls -- Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Mike Webster.Widely regarded as one of the builders of the Steelers dynasty in the 1970s, Nunn helped establish a pipeline for players to land on Pittsburgh's roster because of his unique connections to historically Black colleges and universities, commonly referred to as HBCUs.Full list: Which Steelers are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?From 2014: Dan Rooney reflects on 1974 draft class 40 years later. Watch the video below.The Hall of Fame's contributor committee considers individuals who made outstanding contributions to professional football in capacities other than playing or coaching."I am thrilled that Bill Nunn has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor," Steelers President Art Rooney II said. "He was not only a special friend and advisor to me, my father, my uncle Art Rooney Jr., but also Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and everyone he worked with during his 46 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His stories, advice and lessons that he taught all of us are still apparent in our everyday work. He was a true pioneer in helping traditional HBCU players get their chance in the National Football League, and he is so deserving of this extraordinary honor."The Class of 2021 formally will be enshrined during induction ceremonies in August.The Associated Press contributed to this article.
CANTON, Ohio — Bill Nunn, dubbed a "super scout" for the Pittsburgh Steelers for finding NFL talent at historically Black universities, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor on Saturday night.
Learn more about Bill Nunn: Watch our report in the video player above.
Nunn was one of the architects of Pittsburgh's famed 1974 draft class that included four future Hall of Fame members who helped the Steelers win four Super Bowls -- Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Mike Webster.
Widely regarded as one of the builders of the Steelers dynasty in the 1970s, Nunn helped establish a pipeline for players to land on Pittsburgh's roster because of his unique connections to historically Black colleges and universities, commonly referred to as HBCUs.
Full list: Which Steelers are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
From 2014: Dan Rooney reflects on 1974 draft class 40 years later. Watch the video below.
The Hall of Fame's contributor committee considers individuals who made outstanding contributions to professional football in capacities other than playing or coaching.
"I am thrilled that Bill Nunn has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor," Steelers President Art Rooney II said. "He was not only a special friend and advisor to me, my father, my uncle Art Rooney Jr., but also Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and everyone he worked with during his 46 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His stories, advice and lessons that he taught all of us are still apparent in our everyday work. He was a true pioneer in helping traditional HBCU players get their chance in the National Football League, and he is so deserving of this extraordinary honor."
The Class of 2021 formally will be enshrined during induction ceremonies in August.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
