Falcons hire Ike Hilliard as wide receivers coach
FLOWERY BRANCH — Ike Hilliard, who starred at Florida under coach Steve Spurrier in the 1990s, was named the Falcons’ wide receivers coach Thursday.
Hilliard, 47, was drafted seventh overall in the 1997 draft and went on to play 12 seasons in the NFL for the Giants (1997-2004) and Bucs (2005-08).
Hilliard was co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Auburn in 2022. He has spent 10 seasons in the NFL as a wide receivers coach with the Steelers (2020-21), Commanders (2012; 2014-19) and Bills (2013).
T.J. Yates, who was the Falcons’ wide receivers coach the past two seasons, will move over to coach the quarterbacks.
Hilliard started his NFL coaching career as assistant wide receivers coach for the Dolphins (2011) after spending two seasons (2009-10) as an assistant for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.
At Florida, Hilliard had 126 receptions for 2,214 yards and 26 touchdowns. He earned first-team All-SEC and consensus All-American honors in 1996, as the Gators won the national title.
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Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
