Hawkins was only in Pittsburgh for the last 3 years (maybe 4) of his career. I remember some fans thought he was keeping Edwards off the field.
Sound familiar..
He was released in 2000 but resigned because we drafted Burress and had no experience at the position. He was set to retire but came back to help out and provide some leadership. That's the year I remember Hines commenting on their relationship and how valuable it was to him. I recall a conversation I had with my brother that season, we discussed Hawk's future as a coach. Of course, we thought he'd coach in the NFL, but knowing he's mentoring high school kids is even better.