First off, what have you been up to since your time playing football?
Currently I’m working as then Deputy Shift Supervisor for the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office. I’ve worked in law enforcement now for over 22 years and started basically because of former Steeler Dwight Stone.
How did that come about?
He was a guy who took me under his wing as a rookie and talked to me about the transition away from sports. He was the main reason for me to get involved in this.
The transition for me back then was difficult. There wasn’t a mechanism in place to transition out of sports for players. You just had to do it. The veterans impressed on me that you had to find something after you’re done.
It was difficult for me after I retired to find that next career. I bounced around from coaching and even driving trucks, but those weren’t for me. Dwight got me involved in law enforcement. I like it because it was the closest thing I found to that locker room mentality – where most people have that same mindset. I’m a Type A personality – give me a gun and let me drive fast and I’m happy! I’ve enjoyed it.
Are there aspects of football that have helped you now as a law enforcement officer?
When I left the guys I came into the league with were still playing. I couldn’t really reach out to them and change out with them until years later when they were done playing.
I still keep in touch with a lot of those guys – they have helped me personally and professionally. If there’s anything I take away from the Steelers organization is that once a Steeler, always a Steeler. I got close with Dermontti Dawson, Barry Foster, Levon Kirkland, Leon Searcy, Duval Love – a lot of those guys.
When things were going bad for me there was never an issue reaching out to them. They’d talk me off of the ledge when things were going tough – they’d tell me not to do anything drastic.
When Tunch and Carlton passed and I couldn’t be there for the funerals due to work, they talked to me. Carlton meant the world to me – it’s still hard to talk about that. When Mr. Rooney passed away and I wasn’t allowed to travel due to Achilles surgery, they were there for me.
What brought you to Pittsburgh in the first place?
I played in the World League – with the Montreal Machine before I went to the NFL. After the season was over my agent had me fly back home to Texas and rest. He told me to wait and take it easy and he’d get back to me.
Two days later he called and told me three teams had interest in me. I asked who and he told me Atlanta, the Colts, who had Tony Dungy there then, and then the Steelers. I said “The Steelers? Isn’t it cold up there?” I had just played in Montreal and was a Southern guy – I had enough of the cold! But he said it was a new coach and new staff and I’d get a fresh opportunity there. So I gave it a shot. He told me they’d fly me up in 48 hours. I was surprised – “That quick?” He told me to get ready. The newness there was the reason I chose the Steelers.
Did anyone take you under their wing right away?
When I got there the first person I met was Mr. Rooney. He’ll always be Mr. Rooney. He was this little bitty white guy with white hair. But he knew my name. Wow.
Then I met with Coach Cowher and you could tell he was just ready to get to work. He had so much positive energy – it was infectious. I didn’t know how important that meeting was then. He told me as I left that I would get a shot. That I shouldn’t worry about the vets. That if I did everything he thought I could do that I would get an opportunity. He didn’t bring me in for window dressing.
I took that as the gospel.
What helped you to make the team?
Me, Levon Kirkland and Leon Searcy all came in together and we all hit it off. They were guys I could talk to. We didn’t know a damn thing! They broke us down into our units and when I got to the defensive line room the coach told us that there were 12 guys in the room and they’d only keep seven of us. Those first couple of weeks the veterans wouldn’t talk to you- you had to earn your voice.
After the first couple of practices the vets would tell me to slow down, but I needed to prove myself. Me, Levon and Leon all decided we were going to go all out and prove ourselves. After my first fight in camp things started to settle in. Kenny Davidson started to talk to me – he was a fraternity brother. He wanted me to earn my way to talking to the vets. Donald Evans took me under his wing too. Then I got tight with Carlton Haselrig – he taught me how to go up against the offensive linemen. Tunch Ilkin too for whatever reason – they all taught me how to be a pro.
What helped you most to make the team?
It’s funny because I made the roster as an offensive lineman. I came in as a defensive lineman but in practice they’d have me run drills mimicking the offense and asked me later on to play offensive tackle.
At first they put me on the practice squad, The Colts wanted to sign me again but Cowher asked if I wanted to stay and I said “Yes.”
After that first season on the practice squad they tried me at offensive tackle. Now I was learning something totally new. God had his own plan I guess. Guys on the defense helped me still and guys like Searcy, John Jackson, Dermontti all helped me. They all taught me how to be an offensive lineman. I still played with that defensive mindset. It was a humbling experience making that transition at that level.
What helped you to make that transition?
I think mostly just being stubborn. I wanted to prove anyone who thought I couldn’t do it wrong. I felt like if I was given an honest opportunity I’d do my best and guys never gave up on me.
It’s very rare in this business to get that kind of support from players and coaches. Pittsburgh wasn’t like most teams – you could fight with each other but we’d be damned if we’d let anyone else mess with us. It was always about making the team better. We hung out together and ate together. After I left I understood how unique that all was.
Any memories stand out most to you there?
There are things you go through that stay in the locker room. They are priceless. There are things we did that couldn’t be printed then, much less in today’s culture.
We had guys from all over the country – all kinds of backgrounds. It’s interesting – I played ball with Esera Tuaolo in Green Bay who later came out as being gay. We were close then – we all went out and partied together and he sung at my wedding. But I never knew he was gay until he came out years later. He kept it hidden for fear of being ostracized in the locker room.
I always wanted to find him and talk to him and see if I ever did anything to make him feel uncomfortable. He ended up having issues while in the league – because he felt so isolated. I wish I had the opportunity then to talk with him. I loved him to death and nothing would have changed that. I wish we had had the chance to talk, but I understand why.
He ended up stronger than I was because everything he went through he did in silence. I have a grandson I’m trying to teach strong values to. You never know who you come across in life that will have an effect on you.
Any on-field memories stand out?
We used to do joint practices for a week with Washington then play a game at the end of that week. Well before that practice Justin Strelczyk and I got into a fight. It was one of those things you could see coming. Weeks of practicing against each other every day – we were tired of it. Well one day I lined up against him and I could see that look in his eye – I knew what was about to happen. He grabbed my facemask and it was on. It took a lot of guys to separate us. After that Cowher made us face each other nine more times – we were tired as hell but neither one of us could back down.
Well, we then went to Washington and again you could tell a fight was about to happen in practice. I got into a big fight with one of their linemen and Cowher was standing right behind me. When it was over Cowher said “Good job Mike Finn!” I thought “Oh shit! He knows my name!”
My locker was close to Greg Lloyd’s. He would always dog-pile on people – call them names and mess with them. Well one day I just got tired of it and told him that “If you do it again, I don’t care if you’re a Black belt, I’m going to hit you in your fucking head with my helmet!”
He never messed with me after that. I think he just wanted to know I wasn’t soft. The vets wanted to know if you were needed that you could go and play and be relied on.
Do you apply that a lot to your work today?
In law enforcement it’s not easy – especially in today’s climate. I have days I wonder if I want to continue doing this. But I go back to the things I learned as a young man in Pittsburgh. You can never quit. You can be hurt or sick and people will help you. But you can’t quit.
Someday I’ll write a book on it – when I retire, based on the things I’ve experienced. I’ve met some great people and some jerks too. But 90% have been positive. I’m blessed to have been a Steeler. What they say is true – once a Steeler always a Steeler. I was there for just a couple of years but you’re a Steeler for life. It’s special to have played alongside so many Hall of Fame players that I can call at any time if I need someone to talk to. They are still mentoring me even today.
My grandson wants to play football, and he tells me it’s not fair that he has to try and live up to what I did. I tell him he doesn’t have to live up to what I did – he has to live up to what he wants to accomplish. What his dream is. But it won’t be easy. Doing the right thing and being the best is hard work. Doing your homework and practicing while your friends are out partying isn’t easy. It’s hard to do but that’s what it takes to be the best.
I’m blessed that I got my chance in the NFL. And I’m blessed that I got to do it the right way – that’s just who I am as a person.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
