Dick Hoak
No. 42 | |
---|---|
Position: | Running back |
Personal information | |
Born: | Jeannette, Pennsylvania, U.S. | December 8, 1939
Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Jeannette |
College: | Penn State |
NFL draft: | 1961 / Round: 7 / Pick: 90 |
Career history | |
As a player: | |
As a coach: | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Player stats at PFR |
Richard John Hoak (born December 8, 1939) is an American former
College career
Hoak attended
Professional career
Chosen by the Steelers in the seventh round of the
Coaching career
After a highly successful playing career, Hoak was hired by then-coach Chuck Noll as running backs coach in 1972, and served in that position for 20 seasons. He passed on the head coaching job with the USFL's Pittsburgh Maulers when offered it in 1983. Noll retired in 1991, and Hoak was the only one of Noll's assistants retained under his successor, Bill Cowher.
During his tenure, the Steelers rushed for over 30,000 yards (the only team to do so in this time period) and led the league in rushing yards three times. He was the position coach for Steeler greats Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis. On January 1, 2007, Hoak announced his retirement after 45 seasons with the team: 10 as a player and 35 as a coach.[1]
Hoak has the distinction of being the only coach to work for both Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher. At the time of his retirement, he had been a Steeler for 742 of the franchise's 1,057 games and had been involved in every title game and playoff victory during its 74 seasons up to that point in time.[2]
Personal life
Hoak lives in Hempfield, Pennsylvania. Hoak's wife, Lynn, died March 9, 2019.
References
- ^ Dulac, Gerry (January 3, 2007). "Dick Hoak retires after 45 years with Steelers as coach and player". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ^ "Notes from the Cuff". imakenews.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.