Pitt in the Pros
Former Pitt Assistant Takes Dallas Cowboys Job

Former Pitt wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood turned down collegiate interest to stay in the NFL next season.
Underwood spent last season with the New England Patriots as their assistant wide receivers coach, and according to a report by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, he will spend next season in the same role with the Dallas Cowboys. He further reported that Underwood turned down interest from Florida State.
The Patriots fired head coach Jerod Mayo earlier this offseason and revamped the coaching staff. Underwood was part of the cuts but has found his way to the Cowboys’ new coaching staff.
The Cowboys are bringing former NFL wideout Tiquan Underwood aboard as assistant receivers coach, per source. He was with New England last year, and had interest from Florida State before making the call to stay in the league.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 3, 2025
Underwood spent two seasons at Pitt as the Panthers wide receivers coach and was expected to be the sole holdover on the offensive staff before the 2024 season.
“One thing about coach Wood is he has great relationships with the players, and you can see that,” offensive coordinator Kade Bell said after being hired. “Kids smile when they see him, He has great energy. So, that’s been awesome with him, just having a relationship with him and seeing the way he has relationships is the same way I want my players to view me.”
Underwood was originally hired as the new wide receivers coach in February of 2022, and he served as a key recruiter on the staff and helped the wide receiving corps flourish over the second half of the 2023 season — turning around what had been an underwhelming unit over his first season-and-a-half.
Jared Wayne blossomed into a 1,000-yard-wide receiver in 2022, and after a slow start from Bub Means last season, he emerged as one of the better wide receivers in the ACC down the stretch — selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Pitt wide receivers coach JJ Laster is entering his second season with the program, and the wide receiving corps is losing Konata Mumpfield to the NFL, but there have been three portal pickups in Florida State transfer Deuce Spann, Florida transfer Andy Jean and Louisville transfer Cataurus Hicks.
