- May 21, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
Dick Hoak, who spent more than 45 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a player and assistant coach, has died at age 86.
The team announced Hoak's death Wednesday. No cause was given.
Hoak was selected in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL draft after playing at Penn State. He ran for 3,965 yards and 25 touchdowns over 10 seasons as a running back, leading the team in rushing three times and making the Pro Bowl in 1968.
After retiring as a player following the 1970 season, Hoak joined Chuck Noll's staff as running backs coach in 1972. He remained through Bill Cowher's tenure, mentoring Hall of Famers Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis while helping build the ground attack that powered five Super Bowl champions.
Cowher, who kept Hoak on staff after replacing Noll in 1992, called him "a voice of reason" and "a very important part of my growth as a football coach."
Hoak retired in 2007 and was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor in 2017. The Pro Football Hall of Fame honored him with its 2025 Award of Excellence.
Mickey's Angle: Hoak's lifetime of loyalty is increasingly rare in modern football; he shaped two generations of Steelers greatness without ever seeking the spotlight.
Source: ESPN (also reported by ProFootballTalk) - written by Mickey the Mouth from the original report.