Radakovich, coach at college and NFL levels, retires after 48 years

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CORAOPOLIS, Pa. -- Dan Radakovich, the assistant head coach at Robert Morris and an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers' first two Super Bowl-winning teams, is retiring after 48 years as an NFL or college coach.

Radakovich is being replaced by one of his former Steelers defensive linemen, John Banaszak, an assistant coach at the school for five years and the former head coach at Washington & Jefferson College.

The 72-year-old Radakovich began his coaching career at alma mater Penn State in 1957 and was the assistant coach in charge of the linebackers when the Nittany Lions became known as "Linebacker U." He later coached at Cincinnati, Colorado and North Carolina State.

He spent one season with the Steelers in 1971, then returned as defensive line coach during the 1974-77 seasons. The Steelers won Super Bowls the first two seasons, when Radakovich was one of the NFL's best-known assistants and acquired the nickname "Bad Rad."

During 18 NFL seasons, he also was an assistant with the 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Broncos, Vikings, Browns and St. Louis Rams. From 1985-88, he was an assistant under New York Jets coach Joe Walton, who later became Robert Morris' coach. Radakovich and Walton spent 13 seasons together at Robert Morris.

Radakovich was Banaszak's position coach with the Steelers during Banaszak's first three NFL seasons.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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