First, let me know what you are doing with yourself now?
I’m in the car business now – I started about seven years ago. I was with Homeland Security when my buddy told me that he thought I’d be great as a car salesman. I told him no way – I was used to carrying a gun and badge – no way I was going to go sell cars.
But my buddy had me visit him at the dealership and it got so busy there I ended up helping him sell three cars, The next day the manager called me and I thought he was going to tell me to stop hanging out at the dealership. But he asked if I would like to sell cars and told me I could double my current salary.
I had some vacation time so he asked me to come in then and sell during that time to see how it goes. I sold a bunch of cars and enjoyed it. I love working with people and really love it.
How has the post-NFL adjustment been for you in general?
It’s a struggle , but when I came to the Steelers they had a lot of veteran, wise guys around who told me to invest in my 401K. I thought as a young guy I’d play for eight years or so, but the defensive guys, Strelczyk, Lloyd – they gave me advice.
When I was in Carolina, I was injured and had to have a few surgeries on my knee. The doctor told me that what they had to do would mean my career was over. I couldn’t play after that. So that was a hard adjustment when the thing you wanted to do your entire life was gone.
After that I played semi-pro ball – I could pass their physical. But my time was done. Some people wanted me to coach but in my mind it was too hard to stay around the game. I didn’t want to be around the game. I couldn’t even watch it or go to games for the first seven or so years after that.
Were you surprised to be drafted by the Steelers?
I was definitely surprised. I went to a team that didn’t seem to need more linemen – I didn’t know what their plan would be for me on the team. This was a team that just went to the Super Bowl. I just had to trust the process – that they knew what they were doing and to trust them.
I was glad to be around those veteran guys. I remember getting the call from Donohoe and my phone beeping as another team was calling me.
Did anyone help mentor you when you got there?
I can be like a leech – like a sponge. I went in trying to learn from everyone there. I always did that – if you had something to give I was going to go get it.
The crazy thing, after I was drafted and went to camp, I flew back to North Alabama. I sat down on the plane and next to me sat John Stallworth! I had all of these things in my head I wanted to say to him and ask him – but I was too starstruck. I never said a thing!
A few years ago he came to the dealership and bought a car. I told him that story and he just laughed and told me I should have said something! He was tickled to death about the story.
Any good stories about your time in Pittsburgh?
One story stands out – especially because of what’s going on today with racism.
I went to an all-white school in Alabama – most of my friends were white – some from the city, some more country. Well, when we were about to play Cleveland, Cowher came up to me and told me they needed to dress more receivers and were going to deactivate me. I didn’t know what that meant – I thought he was cutting me. But he told me no – that I am still on the roster just not dressing for the game, so there was no need to travel with the team to Cleveland. He said I should stay in Pittsburgh and to just make sure I didn’t get in any trouble.
Well, I went shopping downtown that weekend and I saw a bunch of people lined up around a building with police there too. I went over to see what was going on. It turned out to be a Klan rally. Now, I’m from Alabama but I never saw anything like that. There were fences around the guys, but people were throwing crackers at them and yelling at them to go home. That no one wanted them there.
So, I joined the rally and yelled at them and shook the fences too. I guess they had media folks there taking film of the rally.
Well, on Monday I’m in the room watching film with the defense, sitting next to Lloyd. The lights are out in the room when the door bursts open and Cowher bursts in, light shining behind him – he looked like some God walking into the room. Then he yells “Dick – get Raybon here now!” I had no idea what was going on. Dick {LeBeau} told me I should go to Bill’s office and take my ass-whooping. Greg said “Rook – what did you do?” I had no idea though.
So what happened?
I walked into Bill’s office and he yelled at me. He told me I needed to be different, that I can’t go do what other people do – I had to represent the organization. I still had no idea what he was talking about. Then he popped a tape in the VCR and showed me an image of me at the rally. He told me I couldn’t do anything like that again.
I learned then that there were certain things we could say and do then. It’s not like it is today where players have more freedom and the platform to say things. I was held to a different standard and I needed to be different.
What was it like for you stepping on the field for the first time in a regular season game?
It was great. My first game I got some playing time, and the second game was a Monday Night game versus Miami. I sacked Dan Marino. I felt then I belonged – that I was out there with the big boys.
It was hard getting up early though. I was used to setting my own schedule. As a younger guy I had to come in the earliest – lifting for me started at six am. And you had to maintain an exact weight. If they wanted you at 303 pounds, you couldn’t be 300 or 310. So you had to constantly watch your diet.
What happened after that season that had you end up in Carolina?
In training camp I made the final cuts so I thought I was ok. But then they told me I needed to go to Cowher’s office with my playbook. They traded me to Carolina. We just played them in our final preseason game. What’s funny is their locker rooms were new then – their facilities were really nice. I was joking with Joel Steed on the plane home that it would be a great place to play and he told me to be careful what I asked for!
Any thoughts on the way the NFL has changed since you played?
I think it’s great they are really trying to take care of players. It’s a lot better, but it can still be better. The way I saw them deal with some of the concussion stuff was a joke. I went in for one appointment and the doctor looked at my hands and had me move my shoulder and that was it – he said thanks for coming in. I asked if that was it and he said that’s what they were told to do.
It was supposed to be more than than. I didn’t like that aspect of it at all. I just feel sorry for the guys with real head trauma issues.
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