Dick Hoak, Steelers player and coach, dies at 86

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 12 Nov, 00:33 · Archive

Dick Hoak, a Pittsburgh Steelers player and coach for 45 years, has died at 86.

Dick Hoak, a longtime Pittsburgh Steelers player and coach, has died at 86, the Steelers announced Wednesday. A football star at Jeannette and Penn State, Hoak was drafted in the seventh round by the Steelers in 1961.

As a player, Hoak amassed 3,965 rushing yards, a total now good for eighth on the franchise's all-time list, before retiring in 1970. He then became the team's running backs coach in 1972 and held that position for 35 years, winning five Super Bowl rings along the way.

Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement: 'Dick was part of the foundation of this organization and played an instrumental role in shaping the Steelers as both a player and coach during his 45 years with the team. Dick represented everything the Steelers stand for with his toughness, loyalty, dedication and an unwavering commitment to the team.'

Hoak was inducted into the first class of the Steelers Hall of Honor in 2017 and was honoured by the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the 2025 Award of Excellence in the assistant coach category. He is also a member of the Jeannette Jayhawks, WPIAL and National High School Football halls of fame.

In a 2020 interview with the Steelers website, Hoak reflected on his decision to remain with the team throughout his career. 'I was pretty lucky. I played in Jeannette. I went to Penn State. I got drafted here, played here,' he said. 'I never left. It was my hometown. If I needed anything, I knew everybody.'

How it is being reported

• Pittsburgh Steelers, Penn State football legend dies at 86Pittsburgh Steelers and Penn State football legend Dick Hoak has died at the age of 96.PennLive · 11 Nov, 18:30
• Dick Hoak, former Steelers player and Super Bowl-winning assistant coach, has died at 86Pittsburgh Post-Gazette · 11 Nov, 18:15
• Dick Hoak, Steelers great and Jeannette legend, dies at age 86Dick Hoak, a longtime Pittsburgh Steelers player and coach and a Westmoreland County football legend, died at age 86, the Steelers announced Wednesday.TribLIVE · 11 Nov, 16:36

In this story: Dick Hoak · Pittsburgh Steelers · Penn State · Jeannette · Art Rooney II · Pro Football Hall of Fame

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