Dick Hoak, who gave more than 45 years of his life to the Pittsburgh Steelers as a running back and then as a coach, has died. He was 86.

The Steelers announced his death on Wednesday. No cause of death was given.

"Dick represented everything the Steelers stand for with his toughness, loyalty, dedication and an unwavering commitment to the team," team president Art Rooney II said.

A hometown kid in the backfield

Hoak was born in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh. He starred at Penn State, where he played running back, safety and quarterback. He was the MVP of the 1960 Liberty Bowl after throwing for two touchdowns, running for two more and picking off two passes.

Pittsburgh took him in the seventh round of the 1961 draft. He spent all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Steelers.

He ran for 3,965 yards and 25 touchdowns and led the team in rushing three times. His best year came in 1968, when he ran for 858 yards and made the Pro Bowl. He still ranks among the top 10 rushers in team history.

Thirty-five years on the sideline

Hoak retired as a player after the 1970 season. Chuck Noll brought him back in 1972 as the running backs coach. He held that job until early 2007.

He coached some of the best backs ever to wear the black and gold, including Hall of Famers Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis. The Steelers won Super Bowls after the 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979 and 2005 seasons with offenses built around the run game he helped shape.

Bill Cowher kept him on staff when he replaced Noll in 1992. Cowher said he leaned on Hoak's wisdom for all 15 of his years as head coach.

"A SPECIAL man who impacted all that knew him!" Cowher wrote in a social media post. He also called Hoak "a voice of reason" and an adviser he listened to a lot.

Loyal to the end

Hoak had chances to leave or move up the coaching ladder. He never did. He retired in 2007, shortly after Cowher stepped down.

Former teammate Rocky Bleier, who later played for him, remembered Hoak as a great coach and "a good friend."

The Steelers put Hoak in their first Hall of Honor class in 2017. The Pro Football Hall of Fame gave him its Award of Excellence in 2025, an honor for people whose work often happens behind the scenes.