Hoak, LeBeau reflect on remarkable coaching careers
The National Football League has embarked on it鈥檚 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 鈥淶one Blitz,鈥� and the accomplishments during those 13 seasons are staggering: 10 top-five defensive rankings, five seasons as the league鈥檚 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.
鈥淒ick Hoak spent 45 years with one organization,鈥� LeBeau marveled. 鈥淭hat will probably never happen again.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 happy it happened the way it did,鈥� Hoak said. 鈥淭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鈥檓 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.
鈥淚 had opportunities to go some places as a coordinator, but I turned them down. I鈥檓 very appreciative of the Rooney鈥檚 and what the did for me and to Coach Noll and Coach Cowher for keeping me there.鈥�
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.
鈥淵ou keep your same system,鈥� Hoak stated. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 change things around, the players don鈥檛 have to learn a different offense every year. You stay with the system and when you find something that works you keep doing it.鈥�
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.
鈥淚鈥檓 amazed that he is still going strong,鈥� Hoak said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not amazed that he鈥檚 doing it because I know he could do it. Dick always took care of himself and he鈥檚 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鈥檚 not an easy job. You spend a lot of hours and people think when the season鈥檚 over you don鈥檛 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.鈥�
鈥淚 had the honor of being in Pittsburgh for so many years,鈥� LeBeau stated. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 seem like that long ago that I was there, but I like Nashville, it鈥檚 a good town and the players are playing hard and I鈥檓 happy to be here and happy to have a job.鈥�
LeBeau has seen it all and says the game remains the same.
鈥淭he X鈥檚 and O鈥檚, you only have 11 guys and there鈥檚 only so many places you can put them,鈥� LeBeau said. 鈥淚 suppose if you went to Carolina or down to Miami or Atlanta you鈥檇 have the similar type X鈥檚 and O鈥檚, but they have different words.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen a lot of changes, but the basic ingredient in football is not going to change. Somebody is carrying the ball and you鈥檝e got to find him and get him on the ground and if you are the offensive guy you鈥檝e got to protect him and get him across that goal line, that can never change. So it鈥檚 always going to be blocking, tackling and execution. The ability to throw and catch has increased more, but it鈥檚 still football and I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 going to change.鈥�
LeBeau works on a year-to-year basis, but he hasn鈥檛 lost his zest for the game.
鈥淚鈥檇 be doing something, you鈥檝e got to do something in this world,鈥� LeBeau offered. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to work and I鈥檝e always loved coaching and I鈥檝e loved teaching and I really don鈥檛 pay any attention to age and I鈥檝e said that several times when I鈥檝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鈥檛 intend to abuse 鈥檈m any sooner than I have to. I鈥檓 going to get as many miles out of them as I can, and I just go to work.鈥�
Hoak and LeBeau are what is right about athletics.
Recently the Steelers introduced the inaugural class of the team鈥檚 new Hall of Honor, and 27 of the team鈥檚 most famous names were in that first class, including Hoak.
鈥淚t meant a lot to be in there with some of the great players who played this game,鈥� Hoak explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice that the Steelers have done that, I think it鈥檚 about time because I used to go to the stadiums and I鈥檇 see they had a ring of honor and the Steelers never had it. I thought it was a great idea and I鈥檓 very honored to have been selected in the first class.鈥�
It鈥檚 a given that some time in the future LeBeau will join Hoak and the other Steelers greats.
George Von Benko鈥檚 鈥淢emory Lane鈥� column appears in the Monday editions of the 缅北禁地. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.