G.I.F.T. 2025 Honorary Chairman Robert Patrick “Rocky” Bleier is an American former professional football player and a veteran of the United States Army. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968 and from 1970 to 1980.
After his rookie season with the Steelers, Bleier was drafted into the U.S. Army on December 4, 1968, during the Vietnam War.[8] He volunteered for duty in South Vietnam and shipped out for Vietnam in May 1969 assigned to Company C, 4th Battalion (Light), 31st Infantry Regiment (Pro Patria), 196th Light Infantry Brigade (Ahead of the Rest) (Chargers), Americal Division, and assigned as a squad grenadier operating a 40mm M79 grenade launcher. His rank was Specialist 4. Bleier’s military service is commemorated in the Pentagon’s Wounded Warrior corridor
On August 20, while on patrol in Hiep Duc, Bleier was wounded in the left thigh by an enemy rifle bullet when his platoon was ambushed in a rice paddy. While he was down, an enemy grenade landed nearby after bouncing off a fellow soldier, he tried to leap over it and it exploded, sending shrapnel into his lower right leg. His right foot was severely damaged in the blast as well. He was later awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
While he was recovering in a hospital in Tokyo, doctors told him he should not expect to ever play football again. Soon after, he received a postcard from Steelers owner Art Rooney which simply read “Rock – the team’s not doing well. We need you. Art Rooney”. Bleier later said, “When you have somebody take the time and interest to send you a postcard, something that they didn’t have to do, you have a special place for those kinds of people”. After several surgeries, he was discharged from the Army in July 1970, and began informal workouts and rejoined his Steeler teammates.