Steelers Legends Hines Ward, Rod Woodson Among Notable XFL Coaches

Pittsburgh Steelers legends Hines Ward and Rod Woodson were among the eight XFL head coaches announced for the league's reboot in 2023.

Other notable coaches include former BCS champion Bob Stoops, former NFL head coach Wade Phillips, former New Orleans Saints head coach Jim Haslett -- who had also previously worked as the Steelers' defensive coordinator -- former NFL wide receiver and return specialist Reggie Barlow, former NFL tight end Anthony Becht and former NFL cornerback Terrell Buckley, the league confirmed in a news release shared on its official website.

Ward joined the Florida Atlantic University football program's coaching staff as a wide receivers coach prior to the 2021 college football season having spent the 2019 and 2020 NFL seasons working as an offensive assistant with the New York Jets.

The 45-year-old spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Steelers, holding franchise records in career receptions (1,000), receiving yards (12,083), receiving touchdowns and games at the receiver position (217), appearing in 32 less games than quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's record of 249 for all Steelers players.

Ward was also a four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time Super Bowl champion, which included earning Super Bowl MVP honors during the Steelers' 21-10 victory against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

Woodson was selected by the Steelers at No. 10 overall in the 1987 NFL Draft and spent his first 10 seasons in Pittsburgh, which included winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 1993, as well as five of his six first-team All-Pro selections.

The 57-year-old led the NFL in interceptions twice and won Super Bowl XXXV as a member of the rival Baltimore Ravens during his four-year stint with the franchise.

Woodson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Stoops, a recent College Football Hall of Fame inductee, led Oklahoma to a national championship during his second of 18 seasons with the program, which included a 191-48 (121-29 Big 12 Conference) record and nine Big 12 Conference championships.

Phillips, the son of legendary Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips, had multiple stints as an NFL head coach and most recently served as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator from 2017-19, as well as the Denver Broncos, which included a dominant defensive performance in Super Bowl 50.

Haslett was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year in 2000 after leading the Saints to a 10-6 regular-season record in his first season.

The 66-year-old spent the past two seasons as the Tennessee Titans' inside linebackers coach.

The XFL is currently scheduled to kickoff in February 2023.

More information can be found here.