from Pittsburgh Steelers Media Release - The end of an era came today for the Pittsburgh Steelers when Dick Hoak, the team’s running backs coach, announced his retirement, ending a 45-year career as a Steelers player and coach.

Hoak, 67, the NFL’s longest tenured assistant coach, has coached the Steelers’ running backs for 35 seasons, dating back to 1972, when he joined Head Coach Chuck Noll’s staff. He participated as a player or a coach in 742 of 1,057 games in the Steelers’ 74-year history.

“Dick Hoak is one of the most special people to have ever been associated with the Steelers organization,” said Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney. “He was an outstanding player for us and should be recognized as one of the greatest running backs coaches in NFL history.”

Born Dec. 8, 1939, in Jeannette, Pa., Hoak’s entire football career took place in his home state. After a standout college career as a running back and quarterback at Penn State (1958-60), Hoak was selected by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL Draft. He played 10 seasons at running back for the Steelers and gained 3,965 rushing yards, which ranked second in team history at the time of his retirement.

“Dick’s longevity with the Steelers is unprecedented among NFL assistant coaches,” said Steelers president Art Rooney II, who is the grandson of team founder Art Rooney Sr. “My grandfather was very fond of the way Dick Hoak represented the Steelers organization both on and off the field, and we will always appreciate his many contributions to our club as both a professional and a friend.”

Hoak led the Steelers in rushing three times (1965, ’68 and ’69) and played in the 1969 Pro Bowl after finishing fourth in the NFL with 858 rushing yards in 1968. He currently ranks 12th in Steelers history with 33 touchdowns, seventh in rushing touchdowns (25), fifth in rushing yards (3,965) and fourth in rushing attempts (1,132). He also caught 146 passes for 1,452 yards and eight touchdowns during his career.

After retiring from his playing career in 1970, Hoak spent 1971 as the head football coach at Wheeling (W.Va.) Catholic High School before replacing Max Coley as the Steelers’ offensive backfield coach under Noll in 1972. As an NFL coach, he guided the careers of Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris (1972-83) and future Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis (1996-05), who rank 10th and fifth, respectively, on the NFL’s all-time rushing list.

“Dick was one of the finest coaches I have ever had the honor to work with,” said Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher. “He helped us in so many ways that people did not see, but everyone who worked with him appreciated his value to our club.”

The Steelers led the NFL in rushing four times and finished in the top five in the league 16 times during Hoak’s coaching career. He is the only coach in Steelers history to be a member of all five of the team’s Super Bowl titles.

In addition to coaching some of the best players in NFL history, Hoak also played for two of the best coaches in football history as a collegian under Penn State’s Joe Paterno — an assistant at the time — and professionally under Noll.

After earning team MVP honors as a college senior, Hoak graduated in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in social studies. Hoak and his wife Lynn have three children, daughters Kelly and Katie, and son Richard, and many grandchildren.