Todd Haley:
Well my father always reminded me of how fortunate I was to grow up with it as a kid and he was right. The memories of being there at camp in Latrobe as a kid and on the sidelines for things like the Immaculate Reception. I grew up with the NFL – it was my whole life. I’d watch Hall of Fame players every day with the Steelers – it was such a huge advantage seeing what great players did to be great. Lambert was always my idol – we’d fight as kids to see who would get to wash his car in camp.
Watching Lambert – in the locker room Swann and Stallworth would throw balls to each other in the locker room before games and Lambert would be sitting at his locker smoking cigarettes by himself. It was like a forcefield around him – if one of the balls went past those guys and rolled to Lambert, they’d just leave it there. No one would get it!”
OL John Lott::
I just wanted to bring up Dick Haley. What he brought to the NFL and the Steelers as an ex-player doesn’t get talked about enough. He was very instrumental in the four Super Bowls – it could have been six! He was incredible with understanding personnel and with his insight on players. He always knew what the Steelers needed in players. And with the Jets, he and Parcells were like McCartney and Lennon together. He definitely deserves more recognition.
Scout Jesse Kaye:
The biggest thing was the precision in the way Dick Haley evaluated the athletic ability of players. He concentrated a lot on their flexibility. Their hips, knees, and ankles. Hank Bullough was a Green Bay coach at the time and he told me that Green Bay called the shuttle drill at the combine “The Steelers” because it was such a big part of the evaluation Dick used.
WR Coach Lionel Taylor:
Before the draft we were deciding on whether we wanted to draft Swann or Stallworth round one. Chuck was leaning towards Stallworth but Haley and Nunn said Stallworth would be there around round four.
DB Carnell Lake:
I had one brief conversation with Dick Haley when he came to see some guys work out at UCLA. I wasn’t scheduled to work out then but I came and watched the guys and sat in the bleachers. He came up to me there and introduced himself then went back to the guys working out. Then next thing I knew they drafted me!
CB Bob Sherman:
Dick Haley did more to help me than anybody. We got to know each other well – he was a nice person and genuinely good guy. He helped show me how to read offenses – to see what’s coming. He taught me to read the motion on offense to understand the play.
Tim Rooney:
Noll and Haley talked about the need to start up a pro personnel department. They wanted to be out in front of free agency – they anticipated it and wanted to be the first team to have scouts ready in advance for it.
STs/Conditioning Coach Paul Uram:
Bill Nunn, Dick Haley… A really, really good department. At no time did anyone question how much a guy bench pressed or what their speed was. It was all recorded and given to the coaches, but not one was rejected due to their lack of speed in the 40 or because they didn’t bench 600 pounds or any of that garbage.
P Craig Colquitt:
Chuck Noll and Dick Haley talked to me like I was punting on a golf green. I knew I had the talent. They taught me pro football is show business and that preparation will make it seem second nature.
STs Coach Bob Valesente:
“It was a well-run organization that way – from Dick Haley to Chuck. It was easy for me because of that. “