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The San Antonio Brahmas are new to the XFL in 2023, and they’ll be led by first-year head coach and former star NFL wide receiver Hines Ward. Most people remember Ward from his playing days with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played 13 seasons of professional football.
Ward has some experience in coaching, although he has never been a head coach. Ward served as an offensive intern for the Steelers in 2017, then the New York Jets hired him as an offensive assistant from 2019 to 2020. Ward then accepted a job in the college ranks as a wide receivers coach at Florida Atlantic in 2021. That was his most recent gig before accepting the head coach and general manager spot for the San Antonio Brahmas of the revamped XFL in 2023.
As a player, Ward’s list of accomplishments are more extensive. The Steelers wide receiver won two Super Bowls, and he was named the MVP of Super Bowl 40. Ward made the Pro Bowl four times in his career, and he earned second-team All-Pro honors on three separate occasions. Ward amassed 1,000 receptions for 12,083 receiving yards and 85 touchdowns in his NFL career. That’s not bad for a third round pick (No. 92 overall) from the Georgia Bulldogs in the 1998 NFL draft.
Ward is working with a talented roster in his first head coaching stint. The Brahmas are led by former Wisconsin and Notre Dame QB Jack Coan, former NFL RB Kalen Ballage, TE Alize Mack, WR TJ Vasher, and LB Riko Jeffers.
San Antonio’s first game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 19. The Brahmas will host the St. Louis BattleHawks with ABC carrying the broadcast.