[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 11208-11209]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING MR. CHARLES HENRY ``CHUCK'' NOLL, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. KEITH J. ROTHFUS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2014

  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, we rise to honor the memory of Mr. Charles 
Henry ``Chuck'' Noll of Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Mr. Noll passed away 
on June, 13, 2014 at the age of 82. Chuck Noll was born in Cleveland on 
January 5, 1932, but he will be remembered best in Pittsburgh: the city 
that he transformed through his legendary coaching of the Pittsburgh 
Steelers.
  A Pro Football Hall of Famer, Mr. Noll led the Pittsburgh Steelers to 
four Super Bowl championships in twenty-three seasons. He holds the 
record of being the only coach to win four Super Bowl trophies, a feat 
the team accomplished between 1975 and 1980.
  This achievement did not come without perseverance. Mr. Noll began 
his football career as a linebacker and guard for the Cleveland Browns, 
where he played until he retired at twenty-seven. He then dedicated his 
life to coaching, eventually becoming the then youngest head coach in 
NFL history when the Steelers hired him on January 27, 1969. Steelers 
President Art Rooney II said, ``He set a

[[Page 11209]]

new standard for the Steelers that still is the foundation of what we 
do and who we are. From the players to the coaches to the front office 
down to the ball boys, he taught us all what it took to be a winner.''
  At just thirty-seven years old, Mr. Noll turned the struggling 
franchise into an unbeatable powerhouse, leading the team to their 
first playoff appearance in thirty-nine years in 1972. Two years later, 
Mr. Noll took the team even further, winning the team's first Super 
Bowl in a classic against the Minnesota Vikings.
  The ``City of Champions'' would not be what it is today without Mr. 
Noll. Former Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann said, ``He built a 
foundation . . . This entire organization will be a part of his 
legacy.''
  Mr. Noll's passion and love of coaching and contributions will always 
be remembered by the Steelers, by Western Pennsylvanians, and by all 
members of ``Steelers Nation.''
  Chuck Noll was so much more than a coach. He was a licensed pilot and 
sailor, played musical instruments, spoke French, and was well versed 
in cooking, gardening, and home repairs. Team members would often try 
to find topics that Mr. Noll did not know about, almost always to no 
avail. Mr. Noll once said that he would have been a history teacher if 
not a football coach, but by making the football field his classroom, 
he in a sense fulfilled both these careers.
  Perhaps what Mr. Noll was best at was bringing people together and 
being a source of encouragement. He focused on building a sense of 
family among the team; he taught players the importance of sacrifice, 
humility, and winning both on and off the field. He never ceased to 
remind players that their actions today would affect tomorrow, a 
mentality that made him a role model for everyone.
  Bishop David Zubik said, ``Let's learn this lesson from coach. That 
we should all recognize what we can be, recognize what we are capable 
of doing and encourage other people to be their best. That's greatness. 
And that's why today we thank God for the coach.''
  We are pleased to honor the memory of one of our nation's greatest 
football coaches, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family 
during this difficult time.

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