Ike Hilliard

Biography

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the hiring of veteran NFL player and coach Ike Hilliard as the program's wide receivers coach on January 2, 2026. In addition, Hilliard will hold a co-offensive coordinator title. Hilliard worked with a long list of the league's top wide receivers during 13 seasons as an NFL coach, including five who combined for six 1,000-yard receiving seasons under his watch in Brandon Marshall (Miami); Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson (Washington); Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh); and Drake London (Atlanta). Johnson (2021) and London (2024) both had their most productive NFL seasons when tutored by Hilliard, with Johnson also earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2021. Hilliard's 13 seasons as an NFL coach were highlighted by three teams that were division winners, with Washington taking the NFC East title in both 2012 and 2015, while Pittsburgh was the NFC North champion in 2020. The Steelers added an AFC Wild Card season in 2021. Hilliard played wide receiver for a dozen campaigns in the league before embarking on his coaching career and was a member of the 2000 New York Giants squad that won the NFC Championship and participated in Super Bowl XXXV. Hilliard played in 161 career regular-season games with 106 starts over a 12-year career with the Giants (1997-2004) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-08). He finished with 546 career receptions for 6,397 yards receiving with 35 touchdown catches. Hilliard was selected in the first round (seventh o