Steve Bird

Steven L. Bird (born October 20, 1960) is an American football special teams coordinator for South Carolina State. He played college football for Eastern Kentucky where he was named to the First-Team All-OVC and won two Division I-AA national championship games in 1979 and 1982. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals and the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Steve Bird
South Carolina State Bulldogs
Position:Special teams coordinator & running backs coach
Personal information
Born: (1960-10-20) October 20, 1960
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:171 lb (78 kg)
Career information
College:Eastern Kentucky
NFL Draft:1983 / Round: 5 / Pick: 130
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
  • Eastern Kentucky (1987–1989)
    Wide receivers coach
  • Kentucky (1990–1991)
    Graduate assistant
  • Tennessee (1992)
    Graduate assistant
  • Pittsburgh (1993–1995)
    Wide receivers coach & kickers coach
  • Kent State (1996)
    Tight ends coach
  • Tulane (1997–1998)
    Wide receivers coach
  • Middle Tennessee (1999–2000)
    Wide receivers coach
  • West Virginia (2001–2004)
    Passing game coordinator & wide receivers coach
  • Eastern Kentucky (2005)
    Tight ends coach
  • Eastern Kentucky (2006)
    Wide receivers coach
  • Bowling Green (2007–2008)
    Special teams coordinator & outside receivers coach
  • South Florida (2009–2011)
    Offensive assistant
  • South Carolina State (2013–2017)
    Special teams coordinator & wide receivers coach
  • South Carolina State (2018–2020)
    Special teams coordinator & running backs coach
  • South Carolina State (2021–2022)
    Special teams coordinator & wide receivers coach
  • South Carolina State (2023–present)
    Special teams coordinator & running backs coach
Career NFL statistics
Punt returns:20
Yards:136
Average:6.8
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

After the end of Bird's playing career he joined his alma mater as a wide receivers coach. He coached for Kentucky, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Kent State, Tulane, Middle Tennessee, and West Virginia before returning to Eastern Kentucky for a third time as an offensive assistant. After a stint with Bowling Green and South Florida he joined South Carolina State for the longest tenure of his career since 2013 as the team's special teams coordinator.

College career

Bird was a three-year starter at wide receiver for Eastern Kentucky and played in four consecutive Division I-AA national championship games (1979–82);[1] the Colonels won in 1979 and 1982.[2] Bird was a first-team All-OVC choice in 1982 when he was also selected to the I-AA All-American team by Kodak, The Sporting News and the Associated Press. He was also chosen as the OVC’s Male Athlete of the Year for 1982–83.[3] In 1982, he led the OVC with 63 receptions for 1,056 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Eastern Kentucky Hall of Fame in 2010.[4][5]

Professional career

St. Louis Cardinals

Bird was drafted 130th overall in the fifth round in the 1983 NFL Draft to the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL).[6] He was also drafted in the eleventh round by the Washington Federals of the United States Football League (USFL) in the 1983 USFL Draft,[7] but he opted to play for the Cardinals. He made his professional debut in the first week of the season against the New Orleans Saints but did not record any stats. He made his first kick and punt returns against the San Francisco 49ers in week three as the team lost 27–42. Four days after his 23rd birthday in a 20–20 tie with the New York Giants he tallied the highest amount of returns in his career as he had four kick returns for 88 yards and five punt returns for 32 yards.[8]

In week one of 1984 Bird started the season off breaking the 100-yard return yards barrier as he had 103 kick return yards in five attempts.

On October 24, 1984, he was released by the Cardinals.[9]

San Diego Chargers

On November 3, 1984, following Bird's release from the Cardinals he signed with the San Diego Chargers.[10] He made his debut for the Chargers in week ten against the Indianapolis Colts as he returned two kicks for fifteen yards and one punt for four yards in his final game in the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals

In 1985, Bird signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. On August 20, 1985 he was released.[11]

Edmonton Eskimos

In 1985, Bird signed with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played in two games for the Eskimos, recording three catches for 33 yards and he also continued his role as a punt and kick returner.[12]

Montreal Alouettes

In 1986, Bird signed with the Montreal Alouettes. He appeared in five games for the Alouettes where he recorded a career-high seventeen receptions for 228 yards while also not returning kicks and punts.[12]

Philadelphia Eagles

On August 12, 1987, Bird returned to the NFL and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.[13] He was released prior to the season and did not play for them.

Coaching career

Early years

Following Bird's playing days he joined his college team, Eastern Kentucky, as a wide receivers coach.

From 1990 and 1992 he was a graduate assistant for Kentucky and Tennessee, working mostly with the offense and the receivers.[14]

In 1993, he joined Pittsburgh as their wide receivers coach, before joining Kent State in 1996 as a tight ends coach.[15][16] He would have stints with Tulane and Middle Tennessee as wide receivers coaches,[17][18] West Virginia as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach,[19] and Eastern Kentucky as a tight ends then receivers coach.[20]

In 2007, he joined Bowling Green as a special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach before becoming an offensive assistant for South Florida in 2009.[21][22]

South Carolina State

In 2013, Bird was hired by South Carolina State to be their special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach.[23]

In 2018, Bird moved from coaching the wide receivers to coaching the running backs while also maintaining his special teams duty.[24]

In 2021, Bird returned to coaching the wide receivers and special teams.

Personal

His father, Jerry Bird, played basketball at Kentucky.[25]

References
  1. "Competition Meets Compassion". www.alumni.eku.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  2. "EKU football heading to postseason for first time since '14". LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY (WLEX). 2022-11-20. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  3. "Male Athletes of the Year". ovcsports.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  4. "Steve Bird (2010) - Hall of Fame". Eastern Kentucky University Athletics. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  5. "EKU Athletics Inducts 13 Individuals Into Hall of Fame". Eastern Kentucky University Athletics. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  6. "1983 National Football League Draft | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". contests.profootballhof.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  7. "1983 USFL Drafts - USFL (United States Football League)". www.usflsite.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  8. "Steve Bird". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  9. "The St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday released wide receiver Steve..." UPI. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  10. "Transactions". The New York Times. 1984-11-03. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  11. "Transactions". The New York Times. 1985-08-20. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  12. "Steve Bird NFL and CFL Stats and Bio - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  13. "NFL Training Camp Roundup - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  14. "Steve Bird - Assistant Football Coach (WR's/Special Teams) - Football Coaches". South Carolina State University Athletics. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  15. "TRANSACTIONS". The New York Times. 1996-06-27. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  16. "Kent State 2019 Record Book" (PDF). p. 43. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  17. "TRANSACTIONS". The New York Times. 1999-02-12. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  18. "Tulane names Georgia assistant as new coach Scelfo will lead Green Wave in bowl vs. BYU". Deseret News. 1998-12-08. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  19. "Football Coaches". West Virginia University Athletics. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  20. "Football All-Time Assistant Coaches". Eastern Kentucky University Athletics. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  21. "HIS REALLY BIG CHANCE". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  22. "Holtz Officially Announces USF Coaching Staff". Bulls247. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  23. Writer, THOMAS GRANT JR , T&D Senior Sports. "Pough changes in coaching staff reflect new priorities for SCSU football". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 2023-02-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. "Pough hires new coaches to SC State staff". ABC Columbia. 2018-07-22. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  25. Writer, Angela Turner Staff. "Basketball legend Jerry Bird dies at 83". The Times-Tribune.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
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