Atlanta Falcons name Ike Hilliard Wide Receivers Coach

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Atlanta Falcons have named Ike Hilliard wide receivers coach.

Hilliard comes to Atlanta having most recently served as co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Auburn in 2022 after spending 10 seasons as a wide receivers coach in the NFL for the Pittsburgh

Steelers (2020-21), Washington Commanders (2012; 2014-19) and Buffalo Bills (2013).

While with Pittsburgh in 2021, Hilliard coached Diontae Johnson who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his career after leading the Steelers with 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns.

In 2020, Pittsburgh became just the seventh team in NFL history to have five different players catch at least five touchdown passes in a single season – Chase Claypool (nine), JuJu Smith-Schuster (nine), Diontae Johnson (seven), James Washington (five) and

Eric Ebron (five). Claypool led all rookie receivers in touchdown receptions (nine), while finishing second among rookies in total touchdowns (11) and fourth among rookies in receiving yards (873).

With Washington, Hilliard helped Terry McLaurin compile one of the best rookie seasons by receiver in franchise history as he led the team in receptions (58), receiving yards (919) and touchdown catches (seven) in 2019.

He began his NFL coaching career as assistant wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2011 after spending two seasons (2009-10) as an assistant for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.

As a player, Hilliard was selected by the New York Giants in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played 12 seasons – eight with the New York Giants (1997-2004) and four with the Tampa

Bay Buccaneers (2005-08). In 161 career games (106 starts), Hilliard caught 546 passes for 6,397 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Hilliard played collegiately at the University of Florida from 1994-96, where he recorded 126 receptions for 2,214 yards and 26 touchdowns and earned first-team All-SEC and consensus All-American honors in 1996, as he helped lead the Gators to a national title.

Hilliard is a native of Patterson, La. He and his wife, Lourdes, have five children, Kye, Kalyn, Leila, Ilysa and Jewels.