Verron Haynes: “My father instilled in me that nothing comes easy. I was always taught that you have to work harder than the next man, work while others sleep. I saw the effort he put into his work and it stuck with me from a young age.”
Chidi Iwuoma: “ I never take anything for granted and hope to be as good a parent as my father is.”
Justin Layne: “I’d say my father. He stayed in my ear to make sure I was always grinding and working hard. “
Andy Russell: “My father was a very successful business man working for a major business, Monsanto. My dad had told me when I was seven years old, having been born in Detroit, “Son, we will be moving very often and you’ll be called a Corporate Brat.”
Tom Myslinski: “First of all, I was very fortunate to be a son of a coach. I learned what it took at a very young age. My father taught me to love the process more than the product.”
Brentson Buckner: “I was a Steelers fan since I was five years old- my father bought me Steelers pajamas, sheets…when I was drafted, I was a fan living a dream.”
Mike Logan: “I was emotional when I signed my contract as my father and I looked out the window at the land where my grandfather had worked. Playing professional football In your hometown is a blessing”
Jon Staggers: “My father was a coach – both in high school and college at some of the small Southern Black schools. I’ve been around athletes my whole life – I carried the helmets of the players he coached then. My uncle was a sociologist – they both had big influences on me. “
John Jenkins: “My father and grandmother went to every game I played – my family meant a lot to me. Even during the recruiting process at Pitt I chose to stay close to my family. I told my father when I was six he was going to see me play at Pitt, and he did.”
Todd Spencer: “My dad was a boxer – Thad Spencer – when the heavyweight boxers were the most popular athletes at the time – guys like Ali and Frazier. My dad was supposed to fight Ali, but then Ali was stripped of his title, so the boxing commission formed an eight-boxer elimination tournament which included my dad. My dad fought Ernie Terrell – the guy who wouldn’t recognize Ali – first in the tournament and beat him. That was in the Houston Astrodome with Howard Cossell calling he fight. But he lost the next round to Jerry Quarry – the Great White Hope. My dad actually got arrested three days before the fight – they probably should have postponed the fight. But that loss tore my dad up.
After that fight my dad was never the same. He got shot six times – two separate incidents. He also almost got run over by another guy while he was still on crutches after getting shot. My dad had six fights after the Quarry fight but just gave them all away. As he said, he just fought to get to the parties afterwards. He partied hard and got in with the wrong crowd. He had his entourage and hung out with some big wigs like Sinatra, but he went to the streets. I never saw him.
Not having my dad around – that inspired me to be a person to help others.”
Zach Banner: “My dad, Ron Banner. He definitely helped shape me to become the man and player I am today.”
Donnel Thompson: “My father was a football coach and PE teacher. They did a good job of rooting my brother and I – teaching us that football is only a short window even if you make it. I always knew I wanted to get into the business work.”
Mark Malone: “My mother and father divorced when I was young. There were never any gray areas with him. I spent a lot of time trying to win his approval. To see myself in a light that made me feel better about myself. “
Todd Haley: “Well my father always reminded me of how fortunate I was to grow up with it as a kid and he was right. The memories of being there at camp in Latrobe as a kid and on the sidelines for things like the Immaculate Reception. I grew up with the NFL – it was my whole life. I’d watch Hall of Fame players every day with the Steelers – it was such a huge advantage seeing what great players did to be great. Lambert was always my idol – we’d fight as kids to see who would get to wash his car in camp.”
Kordell Stewart: “. I was raised by my father since I was eleven up until three years ago when he passed away. Being on my own was never a problem. But having friends around was very important.”
Max Starks: “My father and mother had a talk and decided to let me know. Ross had a good football history and it was good to be a part of that lineage. But I already had the passion. He helped me navigate the recruiting process. He was more of a mentor than a dad which I appreciated. He didn’t come in as “dad” and try to fill seventeen years of the void. That was important. That would have pushed me away. Now my relationship has grown. He’s my father and I love him. But in the early days it was more about advice and mentorship.”
Seth Meyers: “Look, what drew me to the Steelers was my dad and the lore of the team he talked about with me. I was born in “73, so I missed those 70’s moments except for seeing my dad caring about them and showing me that. He gave me his Steelers Super Bowl win Sports Illustrated issues.”
Anthony Anderson: “When my father passed away, it was right before George Perles told me the players voted me the MVP of training camp. That was good to know, I said. But then I had to take a week off when my dad passed away. That affected me. It was one of those things – it’s not an excuse – but I think it affected me – that’s what happened.”
Jack Deloplaine: “I told my father I think I could make the team. He angled the driver’s mirror so he could see me in the back seat so I could see myself, and said, “Do you see yourself?” Well, Ernie punched me right in the nose – I had two black eyes. I just told him I think I had it made – that my black eyes don’t hurt nothing!”
Cameron Heyward: “Just providing them social activities and working with the Boys and Girls Club where my dad grew up attending. If not for that my dad may never have been on a path to get to the NFL.”
Robin Cole: “My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was 43 and passed away at 49. We started a race for prostate cancer awareness out of an organization in Denver called Us Too. Then we created our own race out of Pittsburgh out of our foundation called Man Up. “
Tyler Palko: “My dad was a big influence as a coach. He was one of the big names in high school coaching in Western PA. At the high school level, coaches are like father figures”
Reggie Lowe: “Fortunately I had an amazing father and was around professionals who taught me well. My father was like Superman – he taught me well. I was s simple person so didn’t get crazy with spending. But if you made $100,000 it was really like $50,000 – and you had to make that last all year.”
Mitch Berger: “My dad found a good kicking camp in Washington State run by Ray Poultney. We’d go over the border and did a father and son camp together there. He filmed me and took notes. I competed there against all of the American kids.”
Roy Gerela: “After my father died, I moved to Takoma, Washington to live with my older sister and her husband. She was 15 years older than I was. It was the best move for me. My mother didn’t want me to move but she knew it was my best chance – to go to the states and finish my education.”
Clark Haggans: “When I grew up my mom and dad raised me and exposed me to a lot of things. We grew up on the beach. So when I stopped playing I still hung out at the beach with friends and worked out. “
Matthias Nkwenti: “My father was from Cameroon and worked for the embassy. We came to the United States when I was twelve for his work. I was a big man amongst kids even then. The coaches begged me to play – they saw this big guy running around next to all these smaller kids. They wanted me to play basketball and football. My parents didn’t want me to play football though – they were scared – they thought I’d break my neck. So I lied and told them I was doing track and field. Once they started seeing the letter come in from the colleges though offering scholarships they told me to I shouldn’t dare to stop playing! They loved the idea of free school!”
Steve McLendon: “My father, number one. He was so tough on me. He taught me to work hard – always. “
Jason Capizzi: “Being that I was a lifelong Steelers fan and my father had season tickets to games since 1972 I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play for the hometown team”
Danny Coale: “My father was the strength and conditioning coach for VMI when Coach Tomlin was there – I was kid running around then. So to be around his leadership was exciting.”
Byron Stingily: “My dad was popular for his house music – he was doing that even before I was born. But I’m not gifted in music – no way. shape, or form! I have no clue about music outside of listening to it. “
Jonathan Scott: “My dad told me “Son, it’s your red wagon. You can push it or you can pull it.” That’s how I viewed my career.”
Cody Wallace: “My dad passed away when I was eight and my mom at 16. It’s difficult at any age really. In a strange way though, my dad’s passing was a blessing. My grandparents took me in and gave me guidance and values. Took me to church. I had a more stable upbringing than I would have had otherwise, probably. I know that’s a weird thing to say.”
Fred Foggie: “LeBeau was like a father figure to me, I lost my dad and sister around that time due to tragic deaths – he was there personally for me. Every team should have that kind of environment for their players.”
Mike Wagner: “My dad told me when they aren’t yelling at you I should worry. It’s when they are yelling at you that you know they are interested.”
Troy Sadowski: “Having a Dad that played professional baseball was extremely helpful throughout my entire sports life from Little League/Pop Warner Football, college and the NFL. I was shown at a young age what it took to be the best, to create a work ethic that all elite athletes have, it gives them that extra edge to be great.”
Christian Scotland-Williamson: “I’m lucky. My dad was a former boxer – he would have made it to the Olympics but broke his foot – he would have medaled they say. He was grounded – he showed me that you could do both – be an elite athlete and have an academic career.”
Marv Woodson: “My dad always told me it didn’t matter how, just to make a living the best way I can, no matter what. So that’s how I felt about it.”
Justin Cheadle: “My father, teammates, and coaches. They always pushed to me to be my best and helped me work on my weaknesses. They Also made sure I made all the write decisions on and off the field.”
Hajj-Shabazz: “I spoke to my father and we talked about taking the emotions out of the game. It’s a business and teams don’t owe you anything. “
Alonzo Jackson: :My dad passed away before the draft – he never got to see me get drafted. But he told me once that he said I could end up playing stand-up linebacker for an NFL team. I told him he was crazy.”
Daryl Knox: “I met my father for the first time when I was 18 and never had a real relationship with him. I actually realized that as a probation officer I could recruit kids to play football and improve their lives. I ended up getting some of those kids into big name schools like UCLA.”
Todd Blackledge: “. My dad was an integral part of my life as an athlete growing up. We were both three-sport athletes so he tutored and instructed me, but he never coached any of the teams I played for growing up”
Xavier Warren: “I was raised in a family of servant leaders. My father was a pastor – he was a mover and a shaker in his small town for civil rights issues. I grew up in that vein.”
Tommy Reamon Jr.: “My father was a former NFL player and had his own free football camp in Norfolk. Coach Tomlin went to that camp as a kid – he joked that it was the only football camp he could afford. Well, he was the MVP of the camp. When someone’s that gifted, you pay more attention to them. So my dad and his relationship with Coach Tomlin started there. They got to know each other and my dad become something of a mentor for him.
I saw Coach Tomlin of a lot of times growing up – but I was little Johnny – the high school kid then. He told me then that if I wanted to get into coaching I had to be “Politely aggressive.” That always stayed with me. I actually used that advice on him!”
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
