MMQB’s Albert Breer is reporting that the Detroit Lions have interviewed Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard for their offensive coordinator position.
Hilliard was drafted 7th overall in the 1997 NFL draft by the New York Giants and played with them the first eight of his 12 years in the league — his other four seasons were with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-08).
Hilliard’s playing days in New York would overlap with Lions coach Dan Campbell (1999-2002), and the two would once again team up during the 2011 season, this time as coaches with the Miami Dolphins.
Miami offered Hilliard his first NFL coaching opportunity as an assistant wide receiver coach and after one season Washington came calling and offered him a wide receiver coaching position in 2012. In 2013, Hilliard moved on to the Buffalo Bills as their wide receiver’s coach for a year, then went back to Washington for the 2014-19 seasons. In 2020, he became the Steelers wide receivers coach, where he remains today.
Hillard’s work with Washington 2019 rookie Terry McLaurin and Steelers 2020 rookie Chase Claypool has garnered well-deserved attention. He is also recognized for helping JuJu Smith-Schuster bounce back from a 2019 injury-plagued season — he is a potential free agent this offseason — as well as helping James Washington and Diontae Johnson improve their overall game.
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