First, what have you been up to since your NFL playing days?
Oh it’s been a long time. I’ve been through a lot. Currently I’m working with Under Armour’s camps – they run them around the country for All Americans – and we’ve incorporated Football University in that as well. I’ve been doing that for six years. I started off at the bottom there and worked my way up to doing this.
Also, just recently I started job at a lumber company. It keeps me busy – I like it way more than I thought. I love the outdoors and learning the landscaping skills.
How hard was the post-NFL adjustment for you and why?
It was hard – I didn’t have a backup plan. I started drinking and got a DUI – all that stuff got old. I haven’t had a drink now in seven years. I had too much free time in my thirties – I drank, had concussion symptoms – the thirties were a blur for me. But I’m doing great now. I re-patched my life and I’m happy.
In addition to working for Under Armour, I also coached high school – we got our high school to be number one in the country. So I’m proud of that too.
Who were your mentors when you came to the NFL – and in what way?
I came in with Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden. Working out with Ray – he was just so passionate about football. I just remember how much he loved the game and that rubbed off on me. I wasn’t a big weight room guy – I was focused on being agile and my speed. I was worried working out would limit those things, but I started working out more after seeing Ray do it.
Also, I studied a lot – a lot of late nights. I watched Eric Metcalf and Jerry Rice – those were the main two guys I leaned from. I was up all night a lot watching them. I was just happy to learn from them. I didn’t really know football at all until I got to the NFL.
Did you prefer returning kicks and punts or playing wide receiver?
Playing wide receiver – it broke my heart not playing wide receiver more. I was benched for a while due to my size. When Brian Billick came in – he came from Minnesota where they had guys like Randy Moss and Cris Carter – tall receivers. I was 5’8″. So he didn’t use me as much. It was a unique situation. I was a running back in high school and a wide receiver in college. I broke school records as a wide receiver at Maryland – but I mostly returned kicks when I got to the NFL.
Do you think your receiving skills were overshadowed by your return game skills?
It was frustrating then, coming to the NFL and not playing receiver more. Most guys fight to get off special teams. Special teams are violent! I think I got typecast as a return man. I didn’t mind that completely since I was a top 10 return man all-time. I do take pride in that.
But I did think about it – not playing receiver more. I got used to it though. That Super Bowl run lives forever. I made plays outside of special teams – I have to remind people. But it turned out great. I wouldn’t take it back for anything. I’d rather win a Super Bowl than play more wide receiver.
The Steelers drafted a smaller wide receiver in Calvin Austin. Coming in as an “undersized” player, how were you able to make size a non-factor over your NFL career? What would you tell him?
I’ve seen Austin play yeah. For small receivers, you have to play big. That’s what my father used to tell me. I looked taller on film – I kept my knees up a lot – I was always bouncing out there. And rely on your speed. My fifth gear was my bazooka. That was my major weapon. I just had to learn to control my footwork and those gears in order to be effective. Like a Ferrari! You’re running for your life out there but you have to be under control.
You train for that. You have to have that poise and simulate what you see on the field. There are only 11 defenders and they are usually around the same place every play. In practice you have to finish your runs and keep moving – that’s what it takes to be effective as a smaller receiver.
What was your first experience in the Steelers-Ravens rivalry?
I just remember that they were close, hard-hitting games every time. Pittsburgh was supposed to draft me in the third round. But I was so mad after not going day one that I wasn’t there when they called me during the draft. I missed the call so they ended up drafting someone else. The Ravens didn’t even call me when they drafted me round five. It ended up way better for me since it was right down the street really.
My wife is from Pittsburgh. So I have the in-house rivalry. When I was playing, I was doing it for two families!
Any matchups in those rivalries you remember most – and why?
Those matchups with Carnell Lake. He played in the slot and was physical and had such long arms. He was the biggest nemesis I faced in the slot.
In the slot and on special teams – it was always such a physical game. All the games were rough and Cowher took pride in special teams and stopping me. He had a lot of young guys who were passionate about making an impact by tackling me.
Any memorable on-field rivalry moments for you?
I think the punt returns for a touchdown in the playoffs. We lost though – I knew that was probably my last game as a Raven considering the money I was going to make.
What were some fun memories of those rivalry games?
The funnest story was about Orpheus Roye. He was a demon on special teams. We called him a nightmare when he ran down on special teams. He ran a 4.5 at 300 pounds! Everyone was afraid to block him. Bennie Thompson wold tell me to watch my back on special teams because he wasn’t blocking Roye!
What do you think of the rivalry today?
I still follow it. I know one thing – every game is intense. It’s not like a normal regular season game. They’re doing a 30 for 30 on the Super Bowl team – we had a lot of characters on that team for sure! So I got to see a lot of those guys recently in the ceremony they had for it.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
