First, tell me a bit about what you’ve been doing since your time coaching?
I’m the CEO and owner of City on My Chest – it’s a custom apparel company. We make t-shirts that represent any city around the world. We opened up our first store in 2020 in Norfolk, Virginia. We’re growing rapidly – I’m actively looking for more space now.
The meaning behind the work is that we’re trying to help show people that they can empower their own community. They can be proud of their communities. No matter where you’re from you can feel proud of your community.
How did you get started in this work?
The t-shirt journey actually started in college. I had no intention then of starting an apparel company. I wanted to play in the NFL then after that I wanted to coach.
As you know coaching is a full-time job. More than that even. There’s no time for a side hustle. I started the business then stopped for a while and tried to hide it even. I didn’t get a job with Miami because they found out I had the business and thought it would be too much.
In 2018 I was let go from my scouting job with the Saints. That’s when I decided to put all of my focus on the brand.
Stepping back – tell me how your coaching career got started?
It started due to the relationship between my father and Coach Tomlin. 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!
I stayed in Coach Tomlin’s ear over the years and when I was a graduate assistant coach at UVA he invited me and my father, who was also a coach, to come up to OTAs and watch. I talked to him then and he told me that I could come up whenever I wanted to watch practices and learn some things.
I got an internship with the Steelers then too but that didn’t start until August. So technically I started in February because I’d got up once a week so I could sit in meetings and observe how guys worked out there.
My father was drafted by the Steelers and played for them. To be able to go and work there and with Coach Tomlin – that was near and dear to my heart to get that opportunity.
What did you learn working under Coach Tomlin – what did he show you?
He was first-class. He always had that great vocabulary – after meetings I’d have to go look up some of the words he used. He was always professional. I worked under Coach Mann – helping him coach the receivers. That’s when I got close with AB and Martavis Bryant. I worked more closely with Coaach Mann, but Coach Tomlin would poke his head in from time to time and ask Coach Mann about me.
What was Coach Mann like to work with?
I really learned my football IQ from him. I played wide receiver in college – some quarterback too. I had some good coaches but Coach Mann was at another level. We’d watch film of receivers from the 70’s and 80’s – black and white film on VCRs. He told me the game never really changed. They still use much of the stuff today!
You also worked some in the scouting department correct?
At the time I had no intention of getting into scouting. Coach Tomlin came up to me and gave me some advice. He told me I should poke my head in the scouting department and learn from them. I didn’t want to do it then but go figure – that’s how I ended up getting the job with the Saints.
In Pittsburgh I learned how to break down skillsets and body types. To understand what a player can really do for the team.
What made Pittsburgh so successful at scouting players – especially wide receivers?
That’s a great question. I think they just knew exactly what they wanted and most importantly, what type of player fits their system. There may have been guys that were ranked the best on their board, but may not have been the best fit in their offense. You have to fit their system. They mastered being able to understand what makes a player a great fit in their scheme.
Also, they have a great quarterback. That helps too – having a great triggerman!
Any good stories from your coaching time?
One funny story. C.J. Goodwin – he was a wide receiver in Steelers camp when I was there in 2014 and we were both learning the playbook together. He was a great athlete – a basketball player his first two years in college before he went to a division II school and played wide receiver there. He was a relative of Mel Blount.
We’d stay up late together trying to learn the playbook. I just remember him saying every night “They’re going to cut me! They’re going to cut me!” I told him to keep trying – you never know what will happen. He ended up making the practice squad.
Well, fast-forward years later. I lost contact with C.J. a while ago when I left to coach elsewhere. I’m watching the Super Bowl and I see C.J. break up a pass! There he was now. He ended up moving to defensive back and was playing in the Super Bowl! I laugh at that moment.
Also – Coach Mann. He would tell us he came up with the term “B-line”. He said no one ever used it before he came up with it!
Mostly, I remember how they just welcomed me with open arms. I’ll never forget that Coach Tomlin let me come in and spend time with the team.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
