First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?
I own my own roofing company here in Orlando and also work with ABC Supply Company – doing construction and supply. I also coach a few youth sports football teams and work with Football University – I coach the All-Star team here in Naples.
Find yourself falling back on the lessons from coaches you had as a player?
Definitely. Mike T., obviously. What he taught is a big part of what I do now. It’s crazy, I’m working with 10 year-olds now – that’s younger than I’m used to and it’s challenging but fun. They are less receptive to things at that age, but I can walk by and give them a good Mike T. saying and that stays with them. Mike T. used to walk by us when we were stretching and warming up and joke around with us, but be serious too. Sort of tell us serious messages in a joking way so we were more receptive to it. That makes it easier that way and that’s something I adopted and do when I’m talking to kids now.
What made you desire to sign with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent?
I had no choice really. I played for Mercyhurst – you don’t get many opportunities to play coming out of there. They called my mother – I didn’t have an agent. Somehow they got her phone number and crazily, I was flying back to Pennsylvania and accidentally booked my flight through Latrobe – I was going back to Mercyhurst to hang out with guys there. When I got off the plane I had like 50 text messages telling me the Steelers wanted to sign me. So I rented a car from Latrobe and drove right to rookie mini-camp – I was going for a tryout at first. I actually missed the first day of camp since I had to get there and sign the contract.
What do you think sold them on you after the tryout?
I was talking to Danny Smith and he showed me a freeze-frame of me running and told me that’s why they signed me. I trained hard to get my speed up for my pro day and I think that helped. I wasn’t blazing fast but he told me he could see that I could run well and that’s why they picked me.
Coming from a small school, what was the biggest adjustment for you?
Everybody is good. That was the biggest thing. But time and time again they would tell us that we were here because they knew we could play. To not worry about that – no matter where you came from they made it clear they knew you had the ability. You just had to go put it on display.
Anyone take you under their wing and help you out – how so?
Fitzgerald Toussaint – he was a cool dude. He showed me a lot about the cultural aspects of the team. The coaches told vets to grab a young guy and show them how to be a pro and that’s what he did. He showed me how to pass block, and how to maintain a good diet. He didn’t even have to reach out to me – I bee-lined straight to him. You know how you just get a good feel for people? He started as an undrafted free agent too and knew what it was like coming in wide-eyed to camp. They don’t give you a list of things to do to fall in line – you just have to figure it out. He knew what to do and helped me.
What kind of running back were you – what did you add to that room, do you think?
I think I added quickness. Le’Veon had quick moves but he wasn’t a quick runner. DeAngelo was a downhill runner. They ran a lot of stretch plays and counters and inside zones for them so they could find lanes and cut.
For me it was all a change. I ran in a power offense at Mercyhurst. I was under 200 pounds and ran the ball 30 times a game. In Pittsburgh they had me running outside zones and pass routes. I guess because I was the smallest guy in the room that’s how they used me. It was hard for me to understand what they expected of me – I had to learn to run routes like a receiver and was in a lot of spread offenses – a lot of motion. That was difficult for me – it was very different from what I was used to. I think I caught more passes than I ran the ball there.
Any fun moments stand out to you?
The rookies show – they made us all get up and tell them our signing bonuses, where we are from and made us sing a song. And seeing famous people come into the locker room – the Stanley Cup too – those were exciting times.
Also beating Baltimore in 2016 on that last drive when AB reached over the goal line on the slant pass.
On special teams Mike Hilton was R1 and I was R2 – I was the one crashing the double teams to free him up to make the tackles. That was the year he bubbled up and made it. He was a defensive player and a better tackler than I was so it just made sense for him and not me to be making those tackles!
Any big matchups you remember in camp?
I went up against Vince Williams and Lawrence Timmons every day and had a number of one-on-one matchups with TJ Watt. Those were big highlights – those and seeing AB practice and watching Le’Veon run.
Was it tough with guys like Le’Veon, DeAngelo Williams and Touissant in front of you to get reps – was it frustrating?
It’s already scripted before you take the field. As an undrafted free agent you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get – no rep can be wasted. It was tough but I was able to stick around for as long as I could. Everything in life that’s worth having is tough to get.
What happened after that 2016 season?
I was there for a time in 2017, but then they signed Joe Haden and that’s when they released me and I signed with Dallas.
Do you watch the NFL today – any thoughts on the game and how it’s changed?
I watch every game I can. It’s changed a lot but you have to be in the building to really understand why they call things the way they do. When you’re there you’re in the meetings with the refs and they tell you what they are looking to call that year and why. You understand what’s being implemented and why. Now when I watch I don’t understand what’s happening – I’m on the outside looking in. I’m not in the room any more so it’s hard to understand what I’m seeing.
Any advice for young players trying to make it today?
Put it all out there. Every year you have to show progress – you can’t come back the same person the next year – you have to constantly add weapons to your arsenal and show you’re progressing.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
