Get to know wide receiver coach Adam Henry, including what his coaching style is.
What got you interested in coaching:
"I would say my high school coach Vic Williams (Thomas Dale High School). I grew up as a ball boy and so he was like a father figure to me. Friday nights laying on the couch before games just seeing him and the other coaches talking about everything and the impact he had on my life. Between him and then my college position coach Donovan Rose (Hampton University), they both impacted me seeing how they were father figures to me impacted me and made me want to go into coaching."
Describe your coaching style:
"I would say it's passionate and loving. I got that from a coach. You wear your heart on a sleeve and let them know you care about them. But also, I coach them like I would my own son. I have two young sons and with the players, and expressing to them, I want the best for you. My coaching is to try to get the best out of you as long as we can. Because it's a short-limited amount of time, but I try to be passionate with them and loving because at the end of the day, if they see that they'll give you whatever they need."
What do you love about coaching:
"Seeing the players develop as people. Over the years, I guess I consider myself one of the older, younger coaches, being that I'm 41, but I've coached in this league double digit years. Seeing guys go from rookies and have no children or coming from not knowing anything about the game. And then you see them five, six years later and they're providing big money for their families and doing things they wanted to do when they got in. Just seeing that progression as young men into men and having families. And now I am getting to the point where some guys, their sons are about to play in the league."
Favorite coaching moment:
"It was in 2013 when I was with the Denver Broncos and we won the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. I would say that moment, coming down from the press box and running onto the field as the confetti is flying. I think that's one of those things as a child you see it on TV. And even though we didn't win the Super Bowl that year, just remembering everybody is in the moment, the adulation. It was amazing. You get to that point and you're not even worried about the Super Bowl. You are just in the moment. I go back to that moment, and I am friends with a lot of people from that team, coaches, players, and you look back on that moment and have pictures of carrying the trophy and stuff and I think that's probably the best moment."
Best advice you have received in coaching:
"It was from Lane Kiffin. He said it tongue in cheek. When he became the head coach of the University of Tennessee, and he was coming from getting fired from the Oakland Raiders, he pulled me in his office, and I told him I was going to take a job in the NFL and I said, do you have anything to tell me? He said, don't (bleep bleep) the players. And I thought it was good advice. To this day, I've kept it and he's been pretty successful down the line. It was great advice and I keep it to this day. It's one of those funny things I look back on and always remember."
Best advice you give to players:
"Just be in the moment every day. It's hard in this league. I try to tell guys all the time you're doing something people would die to do. I say it this way, you're playing a child's game for King's ransom. It's keeping that perspective. I get to do something I've been doing since I was six or seven years old. Just be in a moment. I say it to the rookies when they come in all time. You're where your six-year-old self never thought you would be. Just be at that place. Don't worry about if you're going to get cut. Don't worry about if I am going to make it. Just be there. And if you are there, every day will take care of itself."
Offseason relaxation/reset:
"My family, we have our offseason home in Chicago. We like going on a ride on Lakeshore Drive. My sons and I have a trailer on the back of my bike, and we'll get on there and go to the Cubs games. My wife, she'll meet us there. She won't ride on the bike. But that's our thing. Being outside in Chicago with the family in the summertime, that's what we love to do. Whether it's getting dinner or something relaxing. We love going to Cubs games because we've been Cubs fans forever."
More about Adam Henry:
Prior to joining the Steelers, Adam Henry spent three seasons (2023-25) as the receivers coach for the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills' offense finished second in the AFC, fourth overall in the NFL, in 2025, and seventh in the AFC in the passing game. The Bills were second in net passing yards per game in the AFC.
Henry worked with receivers Brandin Cooks, Gabe Davis, Stephon Diggs and Khalil Shakir, while with the Bills. Under Henry, Davis had a career-high seven touchdown receptions in 2023, and averaged 16.6 yards per reception.
In 2022, Henry spent one season at Indiana University, where he was the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach.
Henry spent two seasons as the receivers coach for the Dallas Cowboys (2020-21). In 2021, he helped CeeDee Lamb earn his first Pro Bowl selection when he finished the season with 79 receptions for 1,102 yards and six touchdowns. He also helped guide Lamb in 2020 establish a rookie Cowboys' record with 74 receptions, the previous one held by Bob Hayes at 46.
Henry spent two seasons as the receivers coach for the Cleveland Browns (2018-19), and in his second year both Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. both had more than 1,000 yards receiving, the first time in franchise history the team had a pair of 1,000-yard receivers.
He also spent time as the receivers coach for the New York Giants (2016-17) and San Francisco 49ers (2015). Henry was the passing game coordinator and receivers coach at LSU from 2012-14.
He broke into the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders, as an offensive quality control (2007-08) and tight ends coach (2009-11).
He began his coaching career at McNeese State, starting as the receivers coach (1997-2005) and then offensive coordinator/assistant head coach (2006).
He played college football at McNeese State, and signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1994.
