First off, what’s the offseason plan for you?
I’m just sitting back and enjoying the down time right now and spending time with friends and family. Right after the Super Bowl it’s time to start getting in shape again for OTAs.
No rest huh?
I’m so used to being scheduled yeah, it’s hard to just sit and chill. I took a vacation earlier but it’ll be time to get back to work.
Not a lot of players from Georgia State in the NFL (Will Lutz and Quavian White the other two current players) – what does it mean to make it to the NFL from Georgia State – and does that create a bit of a chip on your shoulder?
It’s all going according to plan. Since I was eight years old I knew what I wanted to do. Going to Georgia State was my choice. It was a new program and I wanted to go somewhere and set records, not break them.
Albert Wilson and Robert Davis are Georgia State guys and they helped prepare me for the NFL. It’s funny too because Quavian is my cousin – I helped prepare him for the NFL and we talked about how to make it as an undrafted free agent. He’s doing well so far!
I won’t talk free agency here, but what did the team tell you after the season ended in your exit interview?
I felt like I did the most with the opportunities I had. I didn’t play as many snaps as I’m used to – that’s just how it ended up schematically. But I took advantage of the opportunities I had on defense and on special teams. I hadn’t played a lot on special teams before but I think I played well there.
The team told me before I left that they would like to do more business with me, but who knows. We know how the business of the NFL can be. But no stress – I know I’ll end up playing somewhere.
Why sign with Pittsburgh – what did they tell you?
It was a new opportunity – a new challenge. I played with Patrick Peterson in Minnesota so it was good playing with him again. I think they liked my versatility and my ability to play in the slot. That’s a spot they told me they had a need in.
Did you know guys on the team besides Patrick – and did any take you under their wing at all?
No one took me under their wing really – I’ve been in the league long enough now. But I knew Levi Wallace and Duke Dawson who was there when I got there. And Patrick of course. That helped make it an easier adjustment. It wasn’t the first time on a new team for me so the adjustment wasn’t too hard.
What was the hardest thing to pick up on the Steelers defense – what was different about it from, say, Minnesota and Green Bay?
I’ve played on a number of different defenses so it wasn’t too hard to pick up. But we had a lot of moving pieces in the back end. Being able to play multiple positions helped me to fill in different needs – you just have to learn the playbook.
As a slot defender, what’s the most difficult part of that role and how have you addressed it in your style of play?
The biggest thing is just playing in space – it’s a lot different than playing on the outside where you have the sideline as a boundary. It’s a two-way street in the slot – receivers can go either way. You just have to be good with your angles and know where your help is. And in Pittsburgh you really have to play like a mini-linebacker too and know when to hit the A, B and C gaps. You have to be a well-rounded player.
Lots of injuries in that secondary and linebacker spot as you alluded too- how did the defense adjust to those – what did you do differently?
When you look at it that whole back seven was like a next-man up situation. But that’s the NFL – you have to be prepared and well-rounded. I played a lot of ball – you know injuries can happen. We just did our part to make sure we didn’t let up big plays – that was the big thing. You can’t let those happen.
What were Coach Austin’s and Coach Brown’s approaches like – what did they do to help you and that defense the most?
Aggression! They weren’t going to sit back and let other teams run the ball. Stopping the run was number one. Some teams, especially in the NFC – they look to stop the pass first. That’s their first thing. But in Pittsburgh they set the tempo early on in camp to stop the run first. They talked to us about that – especially playing in the AFC North where there are some big backs and big tight ends. They prepared me for that early on and talked to me about that.
What’s the best fun/poignant memory that stands out to you from the season?
Getting that first interception as a Steeler was a beautiful thing. And rallying and winning three straight. We didn’t let that outside noise in. We knew the talent we had and we were able to win games and flip the script and make it into the playoffs.
What helped make that turnaround happen?
We just realized that we needed to focus on what we could control. Our job as players is to execute. The media, outside noise… that has nothing to do with us as players. We compartmentalized and focused on what we could control.
Did the coaches talk to you about that – did that start with them?
Not really. I think we just peaked at the right time. We had a lot of things happen with injuries and the offensive coordinator being fired, stuff like that. But we were able to peak at the right time. We got back to basics and fundaments – especially with all of those injuries – and that was important. We also went back to having fun and enjoying playing. It’s still a kids’ game.
Any other cool experiences come to mind from the season?
I remember when Patrick P. moved to safety for the first time. He and I are close and he told me that he was going to get his first interception as a safety that week – and he did! He was like a fortune-teller! I was the first guy to run to him and congratulate him!
Also – seeing Joey Porter get his first interception in a big game covering Odell – that was a cool moment.
And Trenton Thompson – how well he played just speaks volumes on how well prepared he and all of us were. He played so well for a guy called up so quickly. I’d watch him take notes when he was on the practice squad each week as if he was on the active roster getting ready to play. Watching him play that well – I was so proud of him. He didn’t flinch.
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