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 Marc Zeno, 1988

First of all, what have you been up to since playing for the Steelers?

I have seven kids and grandchildren – so that fills my time these days! I had knee replacement in 2021 – so I’ve struggled with that as a lot of us who played sports do.

In college I struggled with my knees – I left college on a high note and didn’t want to say anything was wrong with my knee. I performed poorly in the combine because of that. I should have taken care of it, but that mentality then of saying “I’m alright. I’m ok – I can play.” took over. I should have done that differently – it hurt my stock in the draft. I should have told someone.

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Exclusive with Tom McMillan, Author/Former Vice President/Communications for the Pittsburgh Penguins

You started off as a media person – how did you make that transition to the “others side” into PR and then authorship?

It was just an opportunity that came up. The Penguins reached out to me a few years earlier and it didn’t feel like it was the right time. They reached out again a few years later and I figured they wouldn’t reach out a third time. I was 40 years-old and I figured “Why not?” I Might like it or I might not – but I figured if not I could always go back to the media.

Teams now tell their own stories – now that the internet has exploded. At the time they wanted someone someone from the media to run their media. I didn’t have a PR or marketing background -I didn’t have that experience – but we all do the job in our own way anyway. I relied on my background and hopefully I did some good – I’m sure I screwed up sometimes too. The landscape changed so much over those years – in 1996 I couldn’t imagine all of the social media outlets that arose. It was an exciting time. They said I was smart for taking the job when I did but I didn’t see that all coming, honestly.

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Exclusive with Matt Blistan, Trumpeter/Member of Prince and the Revolution

First off, what are you up to now – still playing?

I grew up in Peters Township – that’s when it was mostly farmland – I graduated with 80-to-90 kids! My uncle and cousins were there to – I grew up with them. My uncle was the president of a life insurance company based in Ligonier. When he passed away years later I took his place as president of the company. It was an 11 million dollar business then. Then another insurance company in Pittsburgh hired me – I drove to Pittsburgh and back from Ligonier every day for 20 years until the company merged with my former company. I ran that and it went from a $300 million company to $3 billion. I retired since then – four years ago. Now I’m the artist formerly known as Atlanta Bliss!

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Exclusive with Former Pitt Coach and Player and Steelers Linebacker (1982), Sal Sunseri

First off what are you up to now? Still looking to coach?

Well, my last coaching venture at Colorado I fell and messed up my shoulder. I had to have four anchors placed in my shoulder and my bicep reattached. So during that time off I also had my knee replace.

So I recovered from all that and now I’m just seeing what’s out there. I’m semi-retired but if something comes up I’d enjoy, I’d welcome the chance to develop players again.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Dan Audick, 1977

First off, what did you get involved with after football?

Well, I got workers compensation after my NFL career. I’m bi-polar and had to overcome that to have my NFL career.

After the NFL I went back to school and got my MBA from San Diego State and got degrees from the University of Phoenix and my doctorate from USC in 2004. I stayed busy as possible.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Elijah Riley, 2022-2023

First off, what are you up to now, including your work with L.I.MITLESS Foundation?

I’m medically retired since the 2024 season. I had post-concussion symptoms and neck pain from playing. It wasn’t in the best interest for me to keep playing. I had a growing family and wanted to transition to a new life.

I started L.I.MITLESS in 2023. It started with simple events and has grown now with free clinics for kids now including the Whetstone Clinic. I started the clinic with my childhood best friend Denzel Williams. We wanted to give back to the kids with the resources and relationships we didn’t have access too as kids. I was fortunate to meet some incredible people in college and to have some great experience and I wanted to share those with the kids.

Outside of that I’ve bene rehabbing from the concussion stuff and navigating what’s next. I love dirt – I love ecology – so I’m exploring anything involving growing things too.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Elijah Riley, 2022-2023”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Gerod Holliman, 2015

First off -what are you up to now?

I’m still playing – I’m, playing in the Indoor Football League for the Cincinnati Slingers. I’m playing the linebacker position for them.

How has that adjustment to indoor football been?

It’s been a big adjustment – there are lots of restrictions. Less people, smaller field and you wear regular shows. It’s a high-paced, high-scoring game. A good defense in this league holds teams to 20 points- not like in the NFL or college where it’d be 10 or less.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers 1973 Draft Pick, Defensive Lineman Glen Nardi

First off, how did you get into the media and newspaper business and what made you so successful at it?

When I left the Navy my dad had a contact at Knight Ridder – he knew the VP of human resources there. I interviewed and got the job in 1980 working in the operations department at the Miami Herald.

I liked operations – I liked the printing work and managing people. Newspapers at that time had large staffs and large budgets and I found the work interesting.

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Exclusive with Steelers Wide Receiver Levi Wentz

How has offseason gone so far – why Seattle before Pittsburgh?

I signed with Seattle after the draft and was there until June. That was a good experience, but then they needed help with other positions so they let me go. After that I worked out for the Steelers and they signed me.

Why sign with Pittsburgh?

Being a local guy helped. They called my agent the day after I was released and had me come in for a workout. I guess I did well – they signed me the next day.

Who was there for the workout?

It was just me and most of the staff.

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Exclusive with Cartoonist and Comic Book Illustrator Jim Rugg

First off, what projects are you working on now?

I was self-employed for 20 years – I was a freelance illustrator until last Fall when Gary Vaynerchuk hired me to make comics for him. Now I’m working for him at VeeFriends. He has 250 characters he’s developing in cards and stickers and now we’re working on building stories around them in comic books.

I’m also working with Steven Bissette on Tyrant – a comic book he wrote years ago about the life of a T-Rex that we’re turning into a collection. It was one of the most beautifully done comics I had ever seen. I’d bring comics to my art teacher at college who would dismiss them until they say Tyrant – they said it was beautiful. So I’m excited to help put that together.

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