Welcome to Steelers Takeaways! – More than 2,000 interviews of Steelers players, coaches, front office staff PLUS interviews with Pittsburgh actors, musicians, authors and more

Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver DeAndre Thompkins, 2020

First, what have you been up to since your playing days?

I’m getting into the investment space now. While I was in the NFL I did some internships and networked with private equity and venture investment funds. It’s relationship driven and opportunistic and I like that – it changes the world in a very unique way. The skills required to be a football player translate well in this space. And once I’m in a good place financially I can grow my firm and use it as a way to help my former teammates and family set up their own futures.

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Exclusive with Pittsburgh Actor Jon Daly

First off, what are you up to now – what have you been working on?

I’m doing Fallout season three now. And I’m working on making movies, doing standup and working on a lot of things. The Fallout talk show did well too. Just living life in LA!

How did acting start for you?

I did some plays in middle school – Carson – North Allegheny. I was always trying to be funny in school. I was obsessed with hockey too – I played from Pee Wee and Bantam through high school. But then I got into plays in high school and got good roles. That encouraged me.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback Woodrow Wilson, 1980, 1982

First off, I know you coached after you were done playing – how did you get started with that?

After the Steelers I went and played for the USFL but I tore my ACL. I had a lot of teams invite me to camp after that – Washington, Tampa – but I couldn’t pass their physicals – my knee wasn’t stable enough.

My high school coach from Hampton, Mike Smith, asked me in 1988 if I could help him coach. I did then stayed on another year then got another job. But that’s when my coaching career began.

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Exclusive with Charley Kiss, General Manager of The Field at Hazelwood Green

First off, how did you get started with this new role?

I spent the last 24 years in public education – 22 years as an Athletic Director in McKeesport. I was born there and played three sports there. I was tasked to find teams who want to use this new space. Central Catholic will play here. I’ve managed countless high school games and sat on the WPIAL Steering Committee – so I know a lot of people in the area. It’s really doing the same stuff I’ve been doing just with another role, working for Sports Facilities Companies as the company that manages and operates the facility. Community outreach, youth football….I’ll be managing those things.

There are a variety of places that I anticipate will utilize the facility once it starts up in August.

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Exclusive with Steelers Defensive Lineman Gabe Rubio

First, your dad said the team was showing clear interest in you early- what were they saying to you and your agent?

I didn’t have much of a connection with them before the draft really. I had a conversation with one of the scouts at the Hula Bowl but they mostly communicated with my agent. They told him they were high on me – that they liked what they saw.

What have you learned from your dad’s experience in the NFL and how surreal is it to go to the next team?

It is surreal – he was drafted around the same position I was but was traded to San Francisco. He taught me a lot about technique – and how to play violently with maximum effort.

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Exclusive with Pittsburgh Comic Book Creator Tom Scioli

First off, any projects you’re working on now?

At the moment I’m working on a Godzilla project – Godzilla Monsterpiece Theater. I did a book two years ago – Godzilla Versus the Great Gatsby which was successful. Now there’s a whole series of literary Godzilla mashups. Godzilla Versus Robin Hood .. . IDW has been doing 10-15 years of Godzilla stories.

How did you get your start in comics – how did The Myth of 8-Opus start?

I went to college at Pitt to study all kinds of art – sculpture, painting, film-making and comics. When I was there I did an anthology with a few guys my age called Codex Pop – we each did a bit and I did a Jack Kirby-esque style science-fiction story.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Angel Rubio, 1998

First of all, what have you been up to since your time playing ball? ive

When I retired in 2007 I got into fire service. I entered into the EMS and fire academy right after I retired -that was my plan – I was planning to do that the entire time. My dad was a firefighter – it was something I always wanted to pursue after football.

The great thing about football was the locker room mentality, and you have that in the firehouse too. You miss that as a player. The games and plays you make you get over, but you miss that comradery and ability to be with like-minded people. I’ve been fortunate to get into a second field that has that.

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Exclusive with Former Penguins Right Winger/Coach and Phantoms Coach Rick Kehoe

First – what are you up to now?

I’m retired now. When Covid hit I was a scout for the Rangers at the time. After that, I was getting tired of traveling anyway – it was getting to me. So when Covid came down I decided that after 49 years it was enough.

Now we travel out West and back to the East coast – we move around and keep active. I was the Grand Marshall for the Canonsburg parade here last year – I didn’t realize it was the one of the biggest parades in the country!

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Exclusive with Author Dave Molinari on New Book: The Pittsburgh Penguins: An Illustrated Timeline

First, why hockey? Why did that become your first love?

It inexplicably started as a kid – seemingly centuries ago. Baseball and football were the big sports in Western PA at the time but for whatever reason, even before Pittsburgh had an NHL team, I gravitated towards hockey. We had an AHL team at the time – the Hornets – and I followed them. I can’t tell you what attracted me to the sport. But the attraction arrived early and stayed strong – and is still strong.

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Exclusive with Drummer Brian Young of the Posies, Fountains of Wayne and Jesus and Mary Chain

First off, what are you up to now?

Well, Fountains of Wayne have reformed -so we’re prepping for shows now. I also have a home recording studio and do remote drum tracks for people. I’m doing album producing and engineering so I’m still busy.

Since Covid I haven’t toured for years – but with the production and engineering work I get to still stay busy and be at home, which is nice.

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