Steelers scout Mark Gorscak was honored during the NFL Scouting Combine when he received the 2022 C.O. Brocato Memorial Award for Lifetime Service to NFL Scouting on Wednesday at the annual Inside the League Scouting Seminar in Indianapolis.
The award is named after C.O. Brocato, the late long-time scout from the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans.
"I am happy to receive the award because C.O. Brocato meant a lot to me," said Gorscak. "He was a mentor. He taught me a lot about relationship building. I spoke at his funeral. I am very happy to receive this.
"When I was a young scout, he always wanted to test us and find out if we were good people, if we cared, and if we wanted to learn. He would try you a little bit. Once he accepted you, he turned you on to all of his contacts. He built the relationship but tested you in the relationship as well."
Gorscak, who enters his 28th season with the Steelers and his 24th as an area scout after serving as the team's BLESTO scout for three years, still relies heavily on relationship building in his daily scouting duties.
"C.O. had a fine eye for talent, but he knew everybody in the building," said Gorscak. "You walk into whatever school, everyone knew C.O. He was a character. It's such an important quality."
For anyone watching the NFL Scouting Combine, Gorscak has become a familiar face as he is the official starter for the 40-yard dash every year. It's something he enjoys and again, helps build those important relationships.
"Everyone knows I do the 40," said Gorscak. "People know me because of it."
Gorscak is from Donora, Pa., outside of Pittsburgh, and scouting for the hometown team is something that is a dream for him.
"I grew up here," said Gorscak. "To be able to be working for the Steelers is a dream come true. It's a special part of the fabric of the city. Everything runs around the Steelers. It's a football town. It means a lot. It's a lot of pride."
