Hoak, LeBeau reflect on remarkable coaching careers
The National Football League has embarked on it无毛视频檚 97th season. Which makes the story of two former Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coaches even more remarkable.
Dick Hoak, who retired from coaching in 2007, spent 45 years with the Steelers as a player and coach. Dick LeBeau, who turned 80 years old on Sept. 9, is still going strong as defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans.
LeBeau joined the Titans after his second stint as defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 11 seasons (2004-2014). Overall, he spent 13 seasons (also 1995-96) as defensive coordinator for the Steelers where he served as the architect of the Steelers famed 无毛视频淶one Blitz,无毛视频� and the accomplishments during those 13 seasons are staggering: 10 top-five defensive rankings, five seasons as the league无毛视频檚 number one defense (2004-07-08-11-12), four AFC Championships, two Super Bowl wins (XL & XLIII) and nine playoff appearances. He was also defensive backfield coach for the Steelers from 1992-1994.
LeBeau is in his 59th year in the NFL as a player or coach (46th year). Hoak and LeBeau have a combined 104 years in the NFL.
无毛视频淒ick Hoak spent 45 years with one organization,无毛视频� LeBeau marveled. 无毛视频淭hat will probably never happen again.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 happy it happened the way it did,无毛视频� Hoak said. 无毛视频淭his is my home, I never had to leave. I had opportunities to go other places, but I liked working for the organization and, like I said, it was my home. One of the things I无毛视频檓 very happy with is I had three kids and I never had to move them all around the country and that was big for me.
无毛视频淚 had opportunities to go some places as a coordinator, but I turned them down. I无毛视频檓 very appreciative of the Rooney无毛视频檚 and what the did for me and to Coach Noll and Coach Cowher for keeping me there.无毛视频�
In a profession where assistant coaches are like nomads going from one team to another and rarely survive a coaching change, Hoak remained with the same organization for five decades, both as a player and position coach. Since Chuck Noll was hired in 1969 only he, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin have led the Black and Gold. Coaching continuity at the top is a big reason the Steelers have been successful.
无毛视频淵ou keep your same system,无毛视频� Hoak stated. 无毛视频淵ou don无毛视频檛 change things around, the players don无毛视频檛 have to learn a different offense every year. You stay with the system and when you find something that works you keep doing it.无毛视频�
The ageless wonder, Hall of Famer LeBeau rolls on and he shows no signs of slowing down. He is starting his third year with the Titans.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 amazed that he is still going strong,无毛视频� Hoak said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not amazed that he无毛视频檚 doing it because I know he could do it. Dick always took care of himself and he无毛视频檚 always in great shape. The physical part you can do that, but what is amazing is the mental part of it. The hours you have to put in, it无毛视频檚 not an easy job. You spend a lot of hours and people think when the season无毛视频檚 over you don无毛视频檛 do anything until the next season, but you still work a lot of hours during the day. He likes it. He loves it and has the energy level.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚 had the honor of being in Pittsburgh for so many years,无毛视频� LeBeau stated. 无毛视频淚t doesn无毛视频檛 seem like that long ago that I was there, but I like Nashville, it无毛视频檚 a good town and the players are playing hard and I无毛视频檓 happy to be here and happy to have a job.无毛视频�
LeBeau has seen it all and says the game remains the same.
无毛视频淭he X无毛视频檚 and O无毛视频檚, you only have 11 guys and there无毛视频檚 only so many places you can put them,无毛视频� LeBeau said. 无毛视频淚 suppose if you went to Carolina or down to Miami or Atlanta you无毛视频檇 have the similar type X无毛视频檚 and O无毛视频檚, but they have different words.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e seen a lot of changes, but the basic ingredient in football is not going to change. Somebody is carrying the ball and you无毛视频檝e got to find him and get him on the ground and if you are the offensive guy you无毛视频檝e got to protect him and get him across that goal line, that can never change. So it无毛视频檚 always going to be blocking, tackling and execution. The ability to throw and catch has increased more, but it无毛视频檚 still football and I don无毛视频檛 think that无毛视频檚 going to change.无毛视频�
LeBeau works on a year-to-year basis, but he hasn无毛视频檛 lost his zest for the game.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檇 be doing something, you无毛视频檝e got to do something in this world,无毛视频� LeBeau offered. 无毛视频淵ou无毛视频檝e got to work and I无毛视频檝e always loved coaching and I无毛视频檝e loved teaching and I really don无毛视频檛 pay any attention to age and I无毛视频檝e said that several times when I无毛视频檝e spoken. Age is really just a number and chronological age and physiological age are just two different things and my parents and my ancestors and the good Lord gave me some good genes and I don无毛视频檛 intend to abuse 无毛视频檈m any sooner than I have to. I无毛视频檓 going to get as many miles out of them as I can, and I just go to work.无毛视频�
Hoak and LeBeau are what is right about athletics.
Recently the Steelers introduced the inaugural class of the team无毛视频檚 new Hall of Honor, and 27 of the team无毛视频檚 most famous names were in that first class, including Hoak.
无毛视频淚t meant a lot to be in there with some of the great players who played this game,无毛视频� Hoak explained. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 nice that the Steelers have done that, I think it无毛视频檚 about time because I used to go to the stadiums and I无毛视频檇 see they had a ring of honor and the Steelers never had it. I thought it was a great idea and I无毛视频檓 very honored to have been selected in the first class.无毛视频�
It无毛视频檚 a given that some time in the future LeBeau will join Hoak and the other Steelers greats.
George Von Benko无毛视频檚 无毛视频淢emory Lane无毛视频� column appears in the Monday editions of the 无毛视频-Standard. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.