Sports

Bill Nunn inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted several members posthumously on April 28, in a ceremony that aired on NFL Network on May 1 after the 2021 NFL Draft was completed.

Among those enshrined was a contributor and super scout, Bill Nunn. Nunn is the first black contributor to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

As part of the ceremony and the show, the family of Bill Nunn not only unveiled his bronze bust, they also were placed the bust on the display in the Hall of Fame Gallery inside of the museum.

Nunn was a legendary figure who opened the door for players from historically black colleges and universities who previously hadn’t received attention in the draft.

Nunn was a trailblazer, and his impact forever changed the NFL. Nunn’s path to the Steelers included a very successful career in the newspaper business. He was a sportswriter, then sports editor, and eventually the managing editor of the Pittsburgh Courier.

Nearly 20 years before joining the Steelers, he was responsible for selecting the Courier’s annual Black College All-American team.

He joined the Steelers on a part-time basis in 1967 and took a full-time position two years later when Chuck Noll was hired as head coach. The draft picks and player signings of the Nunn era were legendary, including the likes of Joe Greene, LC Greenwood, Mel Blount, John Stallworth and Donnie Shell.

Nunn’s vision changed the scouting game, impacting the Steelers and the entire NFL in a profound way.