The Pensacola Tigers have benefited from a new set of eyes and two Super Bowl rings on the coaching staff this season.

Longtime New York Giants wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion Domenik Hixon has been coaching for Pensacola High in 2017, offering the Tigers his insight on the offensive side of the ball.

Hixon retired from the NFL after suffering the third torn ACL of his playing career in 2014. While he’s found other hobbies outside of the game, Hixon said he knew couldn’t stay away forever.

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"I always knew I wanted to go back and coach football,” Hixon said. “I met up with one of my friends and he ended up introducing me to Coach (Mike) Mincy and Coach Longley here in the spring and one thing led to another. I really enjoy talking football with Coach Mincy, but it’s also about the kids and what he’s doing for the kids.

“I think he’s doing an outstanding job and I just wanted to be a part of that.”

A fourth-round pick out of the University of Akron in 2006, Hixon totaled 109 catches for 1,460 yards and nine total touchdowns in a six-year playing career.

He was an important receiving option and special teams threat on two championship New York teams, winning rings with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII and XLVI.

While much of his early and collegiate playing career was based in Ohio, Hixon has long had ties to the Pensacola area. His father’s side of the family lived in Cantonment and his dad played football at Tate High School.

During his childhood, Hixon and his father often went fishing around town, a passion he carries to this day.

“He had family that used to live down here growing up and he always said that if he could afford it, he was going to move down here and fish,” Pensacola head coach Mike Mincy said. “So when he retired from the league, he moved down here, bought a boat and started being a charter captain.”

Hixon’s charter fishing business — aptly named “Super Bowl Fishing” — proved to be a dream fulfilled, but the gridiron started calling in spring 2017 and he found an opportunity at Pensacola High.

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The Tigers struggled last season and finished 1-9, but have made a turnaround this season and fell one win short of a District 1-5A championship.

Hixon and quarterbacks coach George Barge have led the PHS offense that, starting with a dramatic, last-second win over district rival Bay, helped the Tigers rattle off three straight district wins.

“We got off to a rough start where we were 1-4 but we stuck with it and kept coaching through it,” Hixon said. “They started to believe in themselves at Bay and now it’s caught fire.

“It’s been a lot of fun, challenging, but it’s great to see the kids as they grow through the season. With the team and individual goals, I’m really enjoying it.”

Even with the victories and wisdom won on the sport’s biggest stage, Hixon said there’s plenty he still has to learn about the game, like perfecting a spread offense scheme.

“Especially coming from Ohio to down here, we didn’t do the read option and all the zone stuff,” Hixon said. “We were more of an I-formation team that ran downhill. It’s been a learning experience.”