Ike Hilliard was named Atlanta Falcons wide receivers coach on Feb. 1, 2024.

Hilliard comes to Atlanta having most recently served as co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Auburn in 2022 after spending 10 seasons as a wide receivers coach in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2020-21), Washington Commanders (2012; 2014-19) and Buffalo Bills (2013).

At Auburn, Hilliard helped running back Tank Bigsby match his single-season career high with 10 rushing touchdowns, while recording a single-season career-high 5.4 yards per carry. Bigsby finished the season rushing for 970 yards on 179 attempts in his junior season before declaring for the NFL Draft where he was selected in the third round (88th overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Under Hilliard's guidance, Tigers veteran wide receiver Ja'Varrius Johnson set single-season career highs in receptions (26), receiving yards (493) and receiving touchdowns (three).

While with Pittsburgh in 2021, Hilliard coached Diontae Johnson who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his career after leading the Steelers with 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2020, Pittsburgh became just the seventh team in NFL history to have five different players catch at least five touchdown passes in a single season – Chase Claypool (nine), JuJu Smith-Schuster (nine), Diontae Johnson (seven), James Washington (five) and Eric Ebron (five). Claypool led all rookie receivers in touchdown receptions (nine), while finishing second among rookies in total touchdowns (11) and fourth among rookies in receiving yards (873).

With Washington, Hilliard helped Terry McLaurin compile one of the best rookie seasons by receiver in franchise history as he led the team in receptions (58), receiving yards (919) and touchdown catches (seven) in 2019.  His 919 receiving yards and seven touchdowns ranked second in franchise history among rookies. In 2018, Hilliard played a major role in wide receiver Josh Doctson setting single season career highs in receptions (44) and receiving yards (532). 

Hilliard guided a young wide receiver corps in 2017 that helped quarterback Kirk Cousins become the first player in team history to record a third consecutive 4,000-yard passing season. Jamison Crowder led Washington in receptions (66) and receiving yards (789), and at age 24 on the final day of the calendar year, became the youngest player to lead Washington in receptions since Gary Clark (24) in 1986. 

Hilliard's group played a major role in Washington's record-setting offense in 2016, a unit that set single-season team records in yards per game (403.4), yards per play (6.40), net passing yards (4,758), completions (407), passing first downs (226) and 500-yard games (three). Veteran wideouts Pierre Garçon (1,041) and DeSean Jackson (1,005) both eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the season, representing the first time Washington featured multiple 1,000-yard receivers since 1999 (Albert Connell and Michael Westbrook). 

During Washington's NFC East championship season in 2015, Hilliard coached a group that prominently featured two prolific veterans (Garçon and Jackson) and two young players in their first or second seasons (Crowder and Ryan Grant, respectively). Garçon posted 72 receptions, the second highest total of his career, while Jackson recorded 528 receiving yards and four touchdowns despite being limited by injury to nine games. Hilliard's guidance also helped Crowder to a Washington rookie record 59 receptions in 2015.

In his return to Washington in 2014, Hilliard coached the newly-acquired Desean Jackson, who led Washington with 1,169 receiving yards on 56 receptions. Jackson became the player in franchise history to record 1,000 receiving yards in his first season in Washington (Bobby Mitchell in 1962, Henry Ellard in 1994, Laveranues Coles in 2003 and Santana Moss in 2005).

Hilliard served as wide receivers coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2013, helping mold a young group that included rookie second-round pick Robert Woods (40 receptions for 587 yards with three touchdowns) and rookie third-round pick Marquise Goodwin (17 receptions for 283 yards with three touchdowns).

In his first stint with Washington in 2012, Hilliard guided the team's receivers to the franchise's first division title since 1999. He incorporated free agents Pierre Garçon and Joshua Morgan into the offense, helping Garçon lead the team in receiving yards (633 in only 10 games) and helping Morgan lead Washington in receptions (48). Hilliard also oversaw the resurgence of veteran slot receiver Santana Moss, who caught 41 passes for 573 yards and eight touchdowns. 

In 2011, Hilliard served as the assistant wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins. He helped in the development of wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who was named to his third-career Pro Bowl and first as a member of the Dolphins. Additionally, Marshall finished third in the AFC in receiving yards with 1,214 and recorded his fifth-consecutive 1,000-yard season.

Prior to joining the Dolphins, Hilliard spent two seasons coaching for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. 

As a player, Hilliard was selected by the New York Giants in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played 12 seasons – eight with the New York Giants (1997-2004) and four with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-08). In 161 career games (106 starts), Hilliard caught 546 passes for 6,397 yards and 35 touchdowns. 

Hilliard played collegiately at the University of Florida from 1994-96, where he recorded 126 receptions for 2,214 yards and 26 touchdowns and earned first-team All-SEC and consensus All-American honors in 1996, as he helped lead the Gators to a national title.

Hilliard is a native of Patterson, La. He and his wife, Lourdes, have five children, Kye, Kalyn, Leila, Ilysa and Jewels.