The Pittsburgh Steelers will be well represented in the XFL as two former Steelers legends will become head coaches. Hall of Famer Rod Woodson, and Steelers all-time leading receiver Hines Ward were announced last month as two of the coaches.
During an appearance by XFL owners Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Dany Garcia on ESPN's Get Up, the following names were announced as XFL head coaches for the 2023 season:
On ESPN, the @XFL2023 just announced the league's 8 head coaches for its 2023 return to the field. They are:
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) April 13, 2022
Wade Phillips
Bob Stoops
Terrell Buckley
Hines Ward
Rod Woodson
Reggie Barlow
Anthony Becht
Jim Haslett
Owners @DanyGarciaCo and @TheRock are on @GetUpESPN now.
Former Steelers All-Pro defensive back, Rod Woodson. | Charles LeClaire / USA Today
It was reported this morning by Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network that Woodson will assume the duties of Head Coach for the Las Vegas XFL team. Ward on the other hand will stay be in the state of Texas where he will coach one of the three teams there. He will have the San Antonio team. Former NFL Head coach Wade Phillips, and former Oklahoma University coach Bob Stoops will also coach teams in Texas.
Also among the coaches listed was Jim Haslett who attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania and was with the Steelers coaching staff from 1997 to 1999 serving as defensive coordinator. Haslett left the Steelers to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. After being fired from the Saints in 2005, he bounced around the league in different roles including as a linebacker coach for Mike Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans last season. Haslett coached Vrabel after he was drafted by the Steelers in 1996.
From Steelers players to NFL coaches
After Woodson retired from the NFL, he spent some time as a coaching intern and assistant before being hired by the Las Vegas Raiders as defensive backs coach in 2017. The Raiders changed head coaches after the 2017 season and Woodson wasn't brought back by the new staff. He hasn't coached since then.
Ward interned with the Steelers as an assistant coach during training camp in 2018. He was hired by the New York Jets as offensive assistant in 2019. He stayed there until 2020 before leaving to become the wide receivers coach at Florida Atlantic.
