Dustin Colquitt Recalls Meeting Art Rooney Sr. During His Father's Time With Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- The name Colquitt hasn't been worn on a Steelers jersey since 1984.

Craig Colquitt, the Steelers' punter from 1978-1984, spent plenty of time at Three Rivers Stadium during his time in Pittsburgh. On Sundays during home games, so did his son Dustin.

Dustin Colquitt signed with the Steelers on Monday after spending 15 years in Kansas City with the Chiefs. Despite the change coming later in his career, he's thrilled to be back in Pittsburgh playing for the team he dad once played for.

He also has stories of his last time in Pittsburgh.

Colquitt said that before Sunday home games, the Steelers' players were allowed to bring their families in for stadium walkthroughs. Colquitt, who admitted he has peed on the field at Three Rivers Stadium, said one of his experiences with Art Rooney Sr. is one he still looks back on.

"After the walkthrough, after all the players do everything they do, Art Rooney Sr. saw me," Colquitt said. "I guess I was one of the only kids that day. It was a colder game. He saw me and said, 'Hey J.C., who's this?' and [my father] goes, 'Oh, this is my son Dustin.' [Rooney] is like, 'Come back here to my office.'

"He takes me back to his office. He's looking for football memorabilia to sign for me since I was one of the only kids there. He finds a Pirates baseball, which I still have to this day in Kansas in my basement, and he signed it, 'Dusty, one day you'll be a superstar.'"

That experience is a story Colquitt said he's told thousands of times. Although he was only 2-years-old when his father left the Steelers, the memory of Rooney Sr. was the first story he thoughts of during his opening press conference with the team.

Colquitt said despite his father claiming to be more excited about the signing, Colquitt is truly more thrilled. After spending his first 15 seasons in Kansas City, Colquitt will bring a second generation to the Steelers locker room.

"I think it's really cool. I stole all the stuff that he used to put down in his desk area and I put it in my bar over the years. Really just to honor him," Colquitt said. "The longer you play, the more stuff you compile ... I'm pumped because I've been here before and watched his games so long ago I don't even remember. But I got to hear all the stories about Franco [Harris] and Terry Bradshaw, so this is kind of coming to life and I'm really excited about the opportunity."

Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.