Hank Poteat facts for kids

Henry Major Poteat, Jr. (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player. He played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). Today, he is a coach for the Iowa State Cyclones football team, teaching cornerbacks.

Poteat was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2000 NFL draft. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. During his career, he played 10 seasons in the NFL for teams like the Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, and New York Jets. He even won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Early Life and College Football

Hank Poteat grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He went to Harrisburg High School, where he was a star in football, basketball, and track. In football, he was chosen as an All-Conference player twice, both as a running back and a defensive back.

When he played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, Poteat showed he was a top player. He made 136 tackles and caught 10 interceptions. He also set a school record for kick return yards with 1,917! As a junior, he was named a 2nd team All-American and 1st team All-Big East. He led his conference and was fourth nationally with six interceptions that year.

In his senior year, he again earned All-Big East honors. He was also named a 3rd team All-American. He had 55 tackles, three interceptions, and forced one fumble.

Playing in the NFL

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers picked Hank Poteat in the third round of the 2000 NFL draft. He was the 77th player chosen overall. As a rookie, Poteat quickly became one of the best returners in the NFL. He set a Steelers record for the longest punt return for a touchdown at Three Rivers Stadium, running it back 54 yards! He was also named to the All-Rookie team as a punt returner.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After playing for the Steelers, Poteat joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in one game for them before moving on.

New England Patriots

Poteat signed with the New England Patriots before the 2004–05 playoffs. He played in all three of their playoff games, helping them win Super Bowl XXXIX. This was a special win for him, as they beat his hometown team, the Philadelphia Eagles. He later had a few short stints with the Patriots again.

New York Jets

After leaving the Patriots, Poteat signed with the New York Jets. He played for the Jets for several seasons, showing his skills as a cornerback and special teams player.

Cleveland Browns

In 2009, Poteat signed with the Cleveland Browns. This allowed him to play again for coach Eric Mangini, who he had played for in New England and New York.

Life After Playing Football

After his playing career, Hank Poteat became a football coach. He started as an assistant coach for Kentucky Christian University in 2011 and 2012.

Coaching College Teams

In 2013, he went back to his old college, Pitt, as a graduate assistant coach. Later, he became the cornerbacks coach for Kent State University in 2015 and 2016.

From 2017 to 2020, Poteat was the cornerbacks coach for the Toledo Rockets. He helped them become MAC Champions in 2017.

In 2021, he moved to the University of Wisconsin to coach their cornerbacks. Since January 2023, he has been the cornerbacks coach for the Iowa State Cyclones.

Personal Life

Hank Poteat is married to Jasmine Poteat. They have three children: Ariana, Sierra, and Henry “Tre” Poteat III.