{"id":71673,"date":"2025-05-23T01:47:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T01:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/71673\/"},"modified":"2025-05-23T01:47:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T01:47:09","slug":"former-steelers-rb-mentor-to-mike-tomlin-dies-at-73","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/71673\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Steelers RB, Mentor to Mike Tomlin, Dies at 73"},"content":{"rendered":"

Steelers News<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"SteelersMissouri tailback Tommy Reamon (21) chases down a pitchout from quarterback Ray Smith (14) in 2nd quarter action in the Sun Bowl, Dec. 29, 1973 in El Paso. Smith was decked by Auburn linebacker Bill Luka (52) and Auburn defensive end David Hughes (94) stopped Reamon for no gain after he scooped up the ball. (AP Photo\/Fred Kaufman)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Tommy Reamon, a former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, a legendary football coach and educator in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area, and a mentor to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, has died at the age of 73.<\/p>\n

Reamon\u2019s son, Tommy Reamon Jr., announced his father\u2019s death in a post on Instagram on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Reamon was a ninth-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1974 NFL Draft out of Missouri, but never played a regular-season game for the team. Instead of joining the Steelers after he was drafted, Reamon played for the Florida Blazers of the World Football League, and was one of the league\u2019s MVPs as a rookie, leading Florida to a World Bowl appearance.<\/p>\n

That December, the Blazers folded after the arrest of their owner, and Reamon returned to the Steelers an the NFL. He played in the 1975 preseason, but did not make the team, instead spending time with he Jacksonville Express of the WFL.<\/p>\n

In 1976, the Steelers traded Reamon to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played 11 games and rushed 103 times for 314 yards and four touchdowns. After that, Reamon spent time with the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins, and also the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL, but never played in another NFL game.<\/p>\n

After his playing career, Reamon went into acting, appearing in North Dallas Forty and\u00a0<\/p>\n

also episodes of Charlie\u2019s Angels, The Fall Guy and Quincy, M.E.<\/p>\n

Reamon then returned to his native Newport News as an educator and high school football coach for several decades. He coached at a number of schools in the region, most recently Denbigh High School in Newport News from 2023-24. Tomlin, a Denbigh alumnus, talked Reamon into returning to coaching<\/a> after a brief hiatus. Reamon returned for good in December.<\/p>\n

MIKE TOMLIN \ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffd Former Steeler Tommy Reamon Sr. And @COMCSPORTS had the privilege of being the guest of honor for todays game vs the Browns. Thank you @steelers<\/a> for the first class treatment! pic.twitter.com\/MQ0ctTnqxc<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tommy Reamon Jr. (@CoachReamon) January 8, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was a teenager, I went to his camp,\u201d Tomlin said in a video posted to Twitter by Reamon Jr. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have money to go to nobody else\u2019s camp. We went to Coach Reamon\u2019s camp for $5; man, he\u2019d give you lunch and a T-shirt. \u2026 I ain\u2019t played one down for this dude, but he always checked on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to Tomlin, among the players he mentored over his career were former Steelers quarterback Michael Vick, who is now the head coach at Norfolk State.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Norfolk State University athletic department is saddened to hear of the passing of local football legend Tommy Reamon,\u201d an athletic department statement read. \u201cCoach Reamon was a one-of-a-kind figure who impacted countless members of the Hampton Roads community \u2014 including our head football coach Michael Vick. He will be deeply missed. At this time, we request privacy for Coach Vick and his family as they mourn the loss of a close friend and longtime mentor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned In This Article: Mike Tomlin<\/a> Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> Steelers<\/a> Tommy Reamon<\/a> <\/p>\n

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