Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Hines Ward is set to make his XFL head coaching debut with the San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday as they take on the St. Louis Battlehawks in the infamous Alamodome. This will be Ward's first job as a head coach. Prior to heading to the XFL, Ward served as the wide receivers coach at Florida Atlantic University and as an offensive assistant with the New York Jets. Ironically, the Brahmas share the same colors as the Steelers, but after an interview Ward did with Tim Benz from Pittsburgh's TribLive, we may see some similarities in the way the team is coached as well.
Hines Ward celebrates a touchdown in Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks. | David J. Phillip Associated Press
Throughout the interview, Ward expressed his gratitude for getting to play for both Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher and how their coaching ways have since rubbed off on him to help form his craft as a new head coach:
“I’ve been blessed to have those two great coaches [Tomlin and Cowher], so I do find myself speaking a lot like them. Using the same analogies. Some of the same sayings. And, I was like, ‘Dang, Cowher just said that?’”
The majority of Ward's playing career in Pittsburgh was with Coach Cowher, but winning a Super Bowl with each coach shows he can take the experience of winning at the highest level with multiple coaches and pass on that same mindset and mentality to players looking to rejuvenate their careers in the XFL:
“I’ve seen success, I’ve lived it,” Ward said. “That standard is the standard.”
Ward Isn't The Only Former Steelers Player That Will Be Joining The Brahmas' Staff In 2023
Alongside Ward on the sidelines is former Steelers linebacker and linebackers coach, Joey Porter. Porter spent eight seasons in Pittsburgh. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and was First Team All-Pro back in 2002 with the Steelers. Porter, like Ward, won a Lombardi Trophy with Cowher in 2006 and was honored as a Second Team All-Pro in the same season.
When asked, Ward spoke highly of Porter and is excited to be able to work with him again now in a different way when compared to years past:
“I’m blessed and fortunate to have him on our staff and working together,” Ward said. “We talk about our glory days. But at the same time, the culture that we had in Pittsburgh, we lived it, so he understands it better than anyone on my staff. I wanted him to really share in the moment of trying to create that culture and that environment.”
Porter spent 2015 to 2018 serving as the Steelers' linebackers coach under Tomlin. He had since stepped away from coaching after being let go by the Steelers at the conclusion of the 2018 season, but will be a tremendous addition to Ward's staff in San Antonio.
For fans in Pittsburgh, having both Ward and Porter on the same staff will intrigue many fans still living in the 'glory days' of Steelers football. It will be a first-hand experiment to see just how the winning culture these two endured, can rub off on a new generation of players.
Joey Porter celebrates a victory in Super Bowl XL with his two sons. | David J. Phillip Associated Press
Unlike Cowher, Tomlin has not had the success of a powerful coaching tree. Many fans look down on him for that and wonder if he has what it takes to bring in and develop coaches to their full potential. The hiring of Ward as a head coach in professional football will be something I personally will be watching closely to see if their is any similarities in coaching style between Ward and his former coaches.
Are you going to be watching closely to Hines Ward as he takes on his first head coaching job in professional football? If it goes well, would you like to see him join the Steelers staff in the future? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
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