So first off, what have you been up to since you stopped playing football?
I played my last game with the Arena League L.A. Avengers then retired in 2001. I’m still out here in L.A. now – I settled down here with my family and started coaching my son who’s now an offensive lineman with the University of Georgia. He was six-years old when I start coaching him. I’ve coached him for 13 years and now he’s in the University of Georgia’s hands – so that’s a big adjustment for me.
How did that coaching experience go for you?
I coached the L.A. City Ducks for a while first – they are a youth football organization. My son was so big that he was only allowed to play in between the tackles and as a defensive end. I was the head coach for the Ducks for four years and we won two Super Bowls.
When my son started going to St John Bosco High School, I helped coach there as well and we won the national championship in 2019. I also help train offensive linemen in high school and college, getting them ready for the NFL. Showing them how to improve their hand and foot placement – those types of things.
What coaching lessons did you find yourself leaning on as you were coaching him and at high school?
The game really evolved since I played. When I was young it was all about the chicken wing way – hands in and elbows out when you blocked. Now you can use your hands which changes a lot.
When I was young I looked up to Jackie Slater – and I wore 66 because of Joe Jacoby. I also followed Anthony Munoz – he was considered big at the time – he was 6’6″ and 300 pounds. But he was so quick and had good hands. I picked up things from those guys, watching them.
My offensive line coach in San Diego – Carl Mauck – he showed me that all I thought I knew I didn’t know. He made me a more polished lineman and worked with me on hand placement and footwork – my steps and angles that made me better. I still use his sayings and mantras today.
What brought you to Pittsburgh in 1995?
A year before that we played Pittsburgh and beat them to go to the Super Bowl. The next year they reached out to me and signed me. I went from sunny San Diego to digging out my car from the snow. That was a big change! But I played with the best center in football in Dermontti Dawson, and transitioned to the city and Coach Cowher.
What was it like playing in two Super Bowls in two seasons with two different teams?
It was crazy. Of course that Super Bowl with the Steelers was where Neil O’Donnell made Larry Brown famous. But we got to put that on the backburner – you win and lose as a team.
That season Leon Searcy and Dawson took me under their wings. And I was about to come on the active roster when Rod Woodson got hurt – they needed an extra spot for a secondary player. That was a bummer. It would have been my coming out party – a Super Bowl and being on the roster.
What happened to you after that season?
After that season I was released and stayed in shape waiting for the next call. I ended up in Philadelphia with Ray Rhodes but tore my rotator cuff and was released. I played some Arena Football after that – first in Portland then to the Avengers. Unfortunately Arena Football wasn’t a real good fit for me. I was a natural offensive tackle and they only had centers, guards and tight ends in the Arena League, so that wasn’t a good fit.
Any good memories stand out of your time in Pittsburgh?
Going up against Chad Brown, Kevin Greene, Lloyd – Seals and Buckner too…. Lloyd went to Fort Valley State and I came from Savannah State so we had some good battles. In the locker room those guys would give me a hard time. They told me I was a practice squad guy but they had to play on Sundays, so they told me I should take it easier in practice! I thought that was funny. I couldn’t play less than 100%. I tell my son that he should never let up too – always go 100%.
Any thoughts on the way the NFL has changed, especially as a former lineman?
Right now, the new rules mean for the defense you can only take one or two steps to the quarterback – but I would tell guys that you are always live. I talk to my son about that – you need to stay active on every play. To stay nasty and keep your technique – your hand and footwork. It doesn’t matter how strong you are if you can’t get there to block in the right position, so your hand and footwork are key.
And you have to stay moving – keep your feet moving. Often the guys getting hurt are the ones standing around the pile.
Is it tough today not being able to be on the sidelines with your son?
When I retired from football it was tough – I felt football was taken away from me before I was ready. I was done with football until he asked me to help coach him. I coached him since, all the way through high school. He was number one in the nation in his recruiting class. So it was hard to pass the torch over to the coaches at Georgia.
Now, I see him doing some things that I know I’d talk to him about if I were on the sidelines with him, but now I can’t. I’m proud of him though and know I can always talk to him after the games.
Football gave me the opportunity to learn things on my own and to help my family. My hope for him is that he is better than me. I hope he gets that gold jacket – that’s the ultimate goal!
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