Carnell lake, a former pittsburgh steelers safety and defensive backs coach, will return to the ufl in 2024, according to the league. Lake will remain with the memphis showboats, who are making the switch from the usfl to the ufl as one of eight teams in the new unified league formed as a result of the usfl and xfl merger. Lake was the defensive coordinator for the showboats in 2023 under former steelers offensive coordinator todd haley, who was the team’s head coach. The showboats went 5-5 and finished in last place in the usfl south division.
Bill difilippo, a youngstown, ohio native who was the head coach of the new orleans breakers, will coach the showboats this season. As part of the deal, eight teams were acquired by the breakers. Former pittsburgh steelers draft pick and safety antoine brooks is among the players on the showboats for 2024. Lake, 56, played for the tampa bay bandits for one season before joining the showboats as a defensive coordinator. From 2011-17, he was the steelers defensive backs coach. He stepped down to spend more time with his family, including his son quentin, who attended ucla from 2017-21 before being selected by the los angeles rams in the 2022 nfl draft.
Lake was the steelers’ second-round pick in the 1989 nfl draft, and he became one of the franchise’s all-time greats at the safety position. He was a five-time all-pro and a five-time pro bowler. Lake is a member of the nfl 1990s all-decade team, the pittsburgh steelers all-time team, and the pittsburgh steelers hall of fame. He spent ten of his 12 nfl seasons with the steelers before finishing his career with the jacksonville jaguars and baltimore ravens in 1999 and 2001.
