John Norwig, the Steelers head athletic trainer for 32 years, and Dick Hoak, the Steelers long-time running backs coach, were honored as recipients of the Pro Football Hall of Fame 'Awards of Excellence' on Thursday in Canton, Ohio.

Norwig retired in 2023 after 32 years with the Steelers, a career that began in 1991 and included being a part of two Super Bowl Championship teams.

"It's pretty hard to sum it up in just a few words what John has meant to us for 32 years," said Steelers president Art Rooney II at the time of Norwig's retirement. "He's been a consummate professional. And just on a personal level, he's had relationships with so many people. He handled himself the way you would hope everyone on the staff conducts himself. He's as good as it gets in terms of somebody that comes and stays for 32 years and provides us with that level of professionalism. I think our medical staff has been the best in the NFL for a long time, and he's part of the reason for that for sure. We're going to miss him."

Norwig was joined at the Hall of Fame by his family, including his wife Emily and his three children, Erin, Nicholas and Luke, as well as members of the Steelers athletic training staff and medical staff, and other Steelers staff members.

In typical Norwig style, he deflected attention from himself when called out others while on stage, including the Steelers medical and athletic training staff. He also introduced Ariko Iso and Sonia Ruef. Iso, who spent nine seasons with the Steelers, was the first full-time female athletic trainer in the NFL when she joined Norwig's Steelers staff in 2002. Ruef, who is currently the Steelers associate athletic trainer, was the second full-time female athletic trainer when the Norwig hired her in 2011.

Norwig, who was inducted into the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame in 2015, also won the Fain-Cain Memorial Award in 2015, one of the highest honors in the profession. It is presented annually by the NFL Physicians Society to the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society member who best reflects the virtues of a certified athletic trainer and displays the highest level of professionalism.

"The Fain-Cain Award is given by the team physicians to the athletic trainer they perceive as being the athletic trainer of the year," said Norwig during the Hall of Fame award ceremony. "It's just like this. It's a very prestigious honor."

Norwig was the president of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) from 2008-14 and was also named the National Athletic Trainers' Association's Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award in 2008.

Norwig, who graduated from Penn State and earned his Master's Degree in Health Education from the school, spent time working at the university but was with Vanderbilt when he got a call from the Steelers. The rest is history as he accepted the position in Pittsburgh and went on to have a Hall of Fame career.

Hoak, who was unable to attend the event, was an inaugural member of the Steelers Hall of Honor as a member of the Class of 2017. Hoak retired in 2006 after spending 45 seasons with the Steelers as a player and an assistant coach. He was honored by the Hall of Fame for his time as an assistant coach.

Hoak played running back for the Steelers for 10 seasons, then joined Coach Chuck Noll's staff in 1972 as the running backs coach. He remained in that role until he retired in 2006.

"I beat the system," said Hoak when he retired. "Coaches are hired to be fired. I was hired, but I was never fired."

Hoak, who is from Jeannette, Pa., played quarterback and tailback at Penn State and was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL Draft. In 10 seasons he rushed for 3,965 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Hoak coached two Hall of Famers in running backs Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis, who are one-two respectively as the Steelers all-time leading rushers, a list Hoak is eighth on himself.

This is the fourth year for the Awards of Excellence, which started in 2022 to honor those in five categories who contribute to the success of the team. They include assistant coaches, athletic trainers, film/video directors, equipment managers and public relations personnel. Former Steelers public relations director Joe Gordon and equipment manager Tony Parisi were part of the initial group honored with the "Awards of Excellence" in 2022, while former assistant coach Tom Moore was part of the 2023 group. Former video director Bob McCartney and assistant coach Lionel Taylor were part of the 2024 class.

The names of the winners of the "Awards of Excellence" will be placed on display inside a designated area of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum in Canton. Award recipients will be invited to the 2025 Enshrinement Week and will be recognized in Canton this August.The five groups presenting the Awards of Excellence created their own selection committees and set their own criteria for choosing new members. The Hall of Fame does not participate in any nominating or voting.