Arthur J. Rooney

Art Rooney, Owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is shown on Dec. 12, 1972. In 1976, he spoke in front of Congress about sports gambling. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

(HARRY CABLUCK)

In 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney spoke about sports gambling in a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the subject.

ESPN dug up his and other witness contributions from the hearing that resulted in a 750-page report. New Jersey has sued to allow sports gambling on college and professional sports in the state in a lawsuit that remains open.

Members of the Rooney family have owned racetracks that allow gambling, and still do, though they are no longer part of the team's ownership structure, in compliance with NFL rules.

But thirty-nine years ago, "The Chief" opposed the legalization of sports gambling, saying it would take the focus away from the games themselves in favor of people simply wanting to win money:

"The integrity, success and future of football would be jeopardized if gambling were legalized. The number of bettors -- both social and compulsive -- would increase dramatically. More fans would have a financial stake in the outcome of the game and hence little or no interest in its competitive value." -Art Rooney before Congress in 1976

Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) has suggested Congressional hearings on the subject and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred have said they're open to the idea of legalized sports gambling.

The 1992 Amateur Sports Protection Act effectively limits gambling on sports to Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana.