First, can you talk a bit about what you’ve been doing since your time in the NFL?
I live in Atlanta. I played my final season here in Atlanta – it was like coming home. I went to school at Georgia and after playing the vast majority of my career out West, I slowly moved my way Midwest with the Chiefs and Steelers but am back here near my family. I’ve enjoyed that for the past 12-to-13 years since I retired.
I have a couple of businesses – manufacturing and distribution and tableware and dish-ware related. We do some licensing of college logos for tailgating items – things like that – and also have more traditional items as well for the home. They don’t take up too much of my time – the creative and marketing genius is done by my wife and partners.
You’re also on the board of a number of organizations?
I sit on four private company boards and also on ministry-based and non-profit boards as well. I do a lot of helping others do what they do well. They are all oriented around my ability to advise and help with strategic connections, fund and-or capital raising, counsel…that sort of thing. It keep my brain working – when one is busy the other tends not to be.
A couple of the boards, for example, include a water technology company and a medical and healthcare real estate investment group. They all have something in common relationally – we got involved in them because we knew the people involved well. You choose who you want to have in the foxhole with you when the bullets start flying. You want to have people around you that you know will have your back and who would be willing to take a bullet for you too.
How difficult was the post-NFL transition for you?
It’s a great question. Sadly it’s not very good for most guys – when you see the stats it’s eye-opening on how many have a hard time. The carnage – it’s a reality for some guys after they leave pro sports.
For me it wasn’t as bad. I saw the end of my career and started investigating opportunities before I retired. When I left the game I candidly didn’t miss a beat. I was 37, had nine and seven year old kids and sat on some boards already. It was an easy transition. I think too that when you have a healthy marriage – I love my wife – she’s a great partner – and healthy kids it helps, as does having a purpose outside of the game.
Stepping back, what made you decide to sign and play for the Steelers in 2002?
I have to say, Pittsburgh was the roughest year of my carer. I loved Pittsburgh – the fans, team, Rooneys – I didn’t give them a reason to love me though. I just missed a lot of kicks I should have made.
I was in Seattle for six years. I thought that was normal, but as you know, most players were lucky if they stayed in one place for three years. When I left Seattle for Kansas City, I figured I’d play there for another six years and I would be done. I played there for two years and they made me an offer to keep me out of free agency that was actually bigger than Pittsburgh’s, but there was something special about Pittsburgh. There was no finer football franchise – the Rooneys and Kevin Colbert – they were good people.
You mentioned earlier about missing kicks. What happened in Pittsburgh?
I just didn’t kick great. Everyone knew the field was rough. It wasn’t the wind, it was the grass. They had a lot of problems with the field. They got them fixed in time and Jeff Reed came in and kicked very well so I was out.
I broke my ribs later on in the season when we played in Nashville, making a tackle. I made a kick to beat Cleveland – it was always fun beating the Browns. But I missed too many kicks and this is not a forgiving business.
The truth is, signing with Pittsburgh is what my wife and I thought the Lord wanted for us to do. I figured six years in Seattle, a couple in Kansas City then four or five in Pittsburgh and maybe win a Super Bowl there. I loved the city – we bought a house in North Hills. It was an amazing experience outside of missing field goals.
Looking back, what do you think happened in Pittsburgh that you had struggles there?
I don’t know. I kicked well before and after Pittsburgh in reality. I didn’t really want to waste too much time thinking about what went wrong in Pittsburgh though. Not all things work out in life. We decided to part ways – they didn’t give me my roster bonus after that 2002 season and that made me a free agent the next season in 2003. I was able then to go to San Francisco and play for a couple of more years for Dennis Erickson again, who I played for in Seattle.
What stands out to you most about your time there?
I’d been in a few locker rooms – some can be divided, but the Steelers’ locker room was healthy. Some guys get pissed at guys who aren’t playing well or who side with one player or another, but it was a healthy room. They had great leaders. That defense had so much talent and leadership – Gildon, Kendrell, James, Casey, Aaron Smith… On offense they had Hines, Faneca and Jerome. It was a fun atmosphere, but not a lot of jerking around. They were all business. They were pros and knew how to get the job done.
Jerome was funny – he was witty and fun-loving. He was a stud player and leader. I knew how sucky it was to try and kick a football with broken ribs. Thinking of him playing with broken ribs…son of a gun. He was a beast. He kept things real but he was good at keeping people laughing and on their toes too.
You and many players played with strong beliefs in God and faith. How had that impacted your approach to playing football?
First of all, it helps you realize that you have a bigger purpose. If I just existed to kick a football it would be a pretty empty life. It helps you understand how to influence and make a difference in your community and with causes that matter.
I think those who play with a big commitment to faith, you can see that they play for the love of the game but they also love that it gives them a platform so that other people pay attention to them. People listen to you.
I played a position in the crosshairs – I was either a hero or a goat. When you do something right hardly anyone notices, but when you miss everyone notices you did something wrong. It’s like an offensive tackle that grades highly the whole game but misses a block and lets the quarterback get hit from their blindside. You can be a stud for all but one play but people notice that one play.
I learned that you don’t make excuses and you don’t make any kick bigger than it is. You don’t pray for a kick to go through the uprights. The snap and the hold all have to be good, and you have to kick it correctly. Miracles can happen sure. I can mis-kick it and it could still go through the uprights. But that’s not what you count on.
God gives you the talent – but you have to be a good investor in that talent. Do I want the Lord to help me be my best as a kicker? Sure – I want him to help me be the best husband, dad and friend I can be too. I just happened to have a tough year in Pittsburgh. My faith helped me to learn to take it in stride and that whole year taught me a lot about humility!
Any other thoughts for fans?
I want the fans to know that even though I didn’t kick great in Pittsburgh, the fans there are amazing. I want them to know that. I have the utmost respect for my teammates, Rooneys and the fans. I would have given anything to be a massive contributor for a long time to the team. Sadly, it didn’t get done. It was still a great experience being in Pittsburgh though.
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