Steelers Mourn Legendary Player And Coach Dick Hoak, Dead At 86

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost one of the most loyal figures in franchise history on Wednesday. Dick Hoak, who spent 45 years with the organization as a running back and then as the team's running backs coach, has died at 86. The Jeannette native played through the franchise's lean years in the 1960s, then coached on all five of the Steelers' first Super Bowl-winning teams. Few people have been part of more Steelers history.

Team President Art Rooney II announced Hoak's passing in a statement on Wednesday, according to WPXI, and called him part of the foundation of the organization.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dick Hoak, a legendary member of the Pittsburgh Steelers family," Rooney said.

Rooney also pointed to the qualities that kept Hoak in Pittsburgh for more than four decades.

"Dick represented everything the Steelers stand for with his toughness, loyalty, dedication and an unwavering commitment to the team," Rooney said.

Hoak starred at Jeannette High School before playing at Penn State, and the Steelers selected him in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL Draft. He spent his entire 10-year playing career in Pittsburgh from 1961 to 1970. He made the Pro Bowl in 1968 and still ranks seventh on the franchise's all-time rushing list with 3,965 yards. He also led the team in rushing three times and caught 146 passes, making him one of the most dependable players on some difficult Steelers teams.

Steelers Dynasties Ran Through Dick Hoak

Hoak's biggest impact came after his playing days ended. Chuck Noll hired him as running backs coach in 1972, and he stayed in that role until he retired after the 2006 season. He was the only assistant to coach under both Noll and Bill Cowher.

That run put him in the room with some of the best backs in team history. He coached Hall of Famers Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis, as well as Rocky Bleier and Willie Parker. SteelerNation once looked at how Noll warned his offensive coaches about handling Franco Harris, and Hoak was the coach who worked with Harris every day.

Hoak won four Super Bowl rings with Noll in the 1970s and a fifth with Cowher in Super Bowl XL, when Bettis and Parker led the backfield. The Steelers inducted him into the inaugural Steelers Hall of Honor class in 2017. In 2025, the Pro Football Hall of Fame gave him its Award of Excellence for assistant coaches, according to WTAE.

Hoak's death comes less than three years after the passing of fellow Hall of Honor member Andy Russell, who was also part of that first class.

For generations of Steelers fans, Hoak was a constant. He was there when the franchise struggled, and he was there for the dynasty that followed. From Franco Harris to Jerome Bettis, the Steelers' running game carried his stamp for more than three decades. His fingerprints are on 45 years of Steelers football.

SteelerNation sends its condolences to the Hoak family.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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