Rod Woodson at Steelers minicamp as a coaching intern

Woodson gaining experience at minicamp
Posted Jun 11, 2013

Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

When you are a Hall of Famer, you probably don’t need to gain much more experience in the football ranks. But former Steelers and Hall of Fame cornerback Rod Woodson is spending this week at the team’s minicamp doing just that as he is continuing to pursue his coaching career.

Woodson, the Steelers’ number one draft pick in 1987 who spent 17 seasons in the NFL, will also join the team in training camp in July working with the coaching staff to gain experience and share his knowledge of the game with players.

“It’s a privilege to come here and be around Mike Tomlin, a guy who in the near future is going to be one of the better coaches ever to coach in this league, Dick LeBeau, who everyone knows how knowledgeable he is, and Carnell Lake, who has done a tremendous job with these young guys his first few years. It’s great to be in this environment, a winning environment where I can learn a lot.”

Woodson spent one season as secondary coach for the Oakland Raiders, a year that was marred by the death of owner Al Davis, as well as a disappointing 8-8 season that resulted in several defensive coaches, including Woodson, being let go.

“It was a great opportunity,” said Woodson. “Unfortunately Mr. Davis passed away midway through the season. We didn’t play the way we wanted to play down the stretch. We finished 8-8. The defense played sporadically throughout the year.

“But it was a great experience and gave me the learning curve of coaching. You have to look at the game differently. You have to be flexible, precise in what you are telling the young guys. Some of the older veterans have the way they like to do things, and great coaches allow them to bring their own uniqueness to the game.”

When his playing career ended in 2003 Woodson was offered several coaching jobs, but at the time wasn’t ready for the move and instead joined NFL Network as an analyst for Total Access.

“After spending 17 years as a player my mind was bogged down with it and I just wasn’t ready,” said Woodson. “I needed to get away from it to realize how much I appreciated it. The last several years I started getting itchy about getting into coaching and had a great opportunity with the Raiders.”

Woodson began working with Dial Global Sports last season as a radio analyst for college broadcasts, and will be doing NFL broadcasts this season. And while he enjoys it, his dream is to be on the sidelines again and not just in the broadcast booth.

“I really like to coach,” said Woodson. “That is what I want to do for my future. Hopefully I can keep building my resume and learn more from these guys.

“Coaching is the closest thing to competing. To be back here in this environment is great. I just love coaching. I just want an opportunity.”

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When LeBeau retires, shuffle the chairs on the defense...

Butler to DC

Lake to LB coach

Rod to DB coach

I didn't realize he was let go by the Raiders....anyway, what a chance for the younger DBs to pick the brain of one of the best.

When we first hired Darren Perry as a coach, wasn't he an assistant DB coach before eventually becoming the DB coach?

Could we make Rod an assistant DB coach with Carnell as the DB coach? Woodson could work primarily with the corners with Lake working primarily with the safeties. Just a thought (remember, Amos Jones was an assistant ST coach under Ligashesky and Everest before he was our ST coach...of course, I expect more from greats like Carnell and Rod than that special teams clusterfudge over the last few years...hopefully Danny Smith straightens that out this year).

[QUOTE=RuthlessBurgher;564799]When we first hired Darren Perry as a coach, wasn't he an assistant DB coach before eventually becoming the DB coach?

Could we make Rod an assistant DB coach with Carnell as the DB coach? Woodson could work primarily with the corners with Lake working primarily with the safeties. Just a thought (remember, Amos Jones was an assistant ST coach under Ligashesky and Everest before he was our ST coach...of course, I expect more from greats like Carnell and Rod than that special teams clusterfudge over the last few years...hopefully Danny Smith straightens that out this year).[/QUOTE]

Frankly, Lake is doing so well coaching up both safties and corners I would be against that suggestion.
A great player does not guaranty a great coach. Woodson is essentially admitting he was learning and growing with limited success with the Raiders.

Remeber Tomlin was a small college RECEIVER who never played a down in the NFL.
He did arguably the best secondary coaching job IN HISTORY at Tampa (amazing secondary play some of the best EVER, secondary dominated the SB, limited talent, secondary TANKED when he left)

Tomlin the player, did not fortell Tomlin the coach.
Woodson was a great player.....let him LEARN to coach from someone who knows his craft.
He can of course share his tips, but let him wait and learn. Once Lake is promoted, THEN he might be ready to take over.

It is very true, that great players don't make great coaches. I think they can have success as a position coach. But I think they struggle (I'm borrowing a phrase from Al Campanis) some of the necessities of being a head coach. One of the prime reasons IMO why I think they struggle is that they aren't able to set aside their egos, which manifests in intangible ways.

[QUOTE=Captain Lemming;564803]Woodson is essentially admitting he was learning and growing with limited success with the Raiders.[/QUOTE]

Of course he was learning and growing...2011 was the first time that he coached anyone on any level. Now he's learning some more with an internship with us. Perhaps it turns into something like when Mark Bruener started out as a scouting intern for us and is now a full time scout. Or maybe it won't...who knows.

And as for limited success with the Raiders, for them an 8-8 season is a resounding success. They were 7-4 heading into December (Hue Jackson's monumentally stupid trade for Carson Palmer left them with a 1-4 record down the stretch). Still, they finished tied for first place in the AFC West with the Broncos and Chargers (all 3 were 8-8 with the Chiefs 7-9). If not for the common opponents tiebreaker, we might have faced off against Woodson's Raiders in the playoffs that season instead of Tebow's Broncos. Other than .500 seasons in 2010 and 2011, the Raiders have had double digit losses every other season in the last decade.

[QUOTE=RuthlessBurgher;564799]When we first hired Darren Perry as a coach, wasn't he an assistant DB coach before eventually becoming the DB coach?

Could we make Rod an assistant DB coach with Carnell as the DB coach? Woodson could work primarily with the corners with Lake working primarily with the safeties. Just a thought (remember, Amos Jones was an assistant ST coach under Ligashesky and Everest before he was our ST coach...of course, I expect more from greats like Carnell and Rod than that special teams clusterfudge over the last few years...hopefully Danny Smith straightens that out this year).[/QUOTE]

Lake might as well train his replacement so he can take over for Lebeau when he retires.