John Norwig, who served as the Steelers’ head athletic trainer for 32 years, and Dick Hoak, a long-time running backs coach for the team, were recognized with the Pro Football Hall of Fame ‘Awards of Excellence’ in Canton, Ohio.
Norwig retired in 2023 after beginning his career with the Steelers in 1991. He was part of two Super Bowl Championship teams during his tenure. At his retirement, Steelers president Art Rooney II praised him: “It’s pretty hard to sum it up in just a few words what John has meant to us for 32 years.” Rooney described Norwig as a consummate professional whose relationships and conduct left a lasting impact on the organization.
Norwig attended the Hall of Fame ceremony with family members and colleagues from the Steelers staff. During his speech, he highlighted contributions from others, including Ariko Iso and Sonia Ruef, who both made history as full-time female athletic trainers under Norwig’s leadership.
In addition to being inducted into the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame in 2015 and receiving other accolades like the Fain-Cain Memorial Award that same year, Norwig led significant roles within professional organizations such as PFATS.
Dick Hoak could not attend but was acknowledged for his extensive career with the Steelers. Starting as a player drafted by Pittsburgh in 1961, Hoak later became an assistant coach under Chuck Noll. His tenure lasted until his retirement in 2006 without ever being dismissed—a rarity among coaches.
Hoak’s playing career included rushing for nearly 4,000 yards and scoring 33 touchdowns over ten seasons. As a coach, he guided players like Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis to achieve record-breaking performances for the franchise.
The Awards of Excellence have been presented annually since their inception in 2022 to honor individuals across five categories vital to team success: assistant coaches, athletic trainers, film/video directors, equipment managers, and public relations personnel. Names of awardees are displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum.
The selection process involves committees from each category establishing their criteria independently; however, these decisions do not involve nominations or voting by the Hall itself.
