First, can you let readers know what you are doing with yourself now?

Well, I moved back to Tuscaloosa – I bought a house there when I was playing in Pittsburgh. I have three children – a nineteen year old son, a son who’s a sophomore, and a daughter that’s twelve. I’ve been married to my wife now for twenty-three years.

I’m a hospital rep for Baxter Health – I sell anesthesia to OR’s in hospitals.

How did you get started in pharma?

When my career ended in Pittsburgh, I soul-searched. I had nine hours left to finish my degree at LSU. I chose pharma – it was a lucrative business. I wanted to mimic what I was making in the NFL and pharma sales was booming at the time. I hooked up with AstroZeneca in 2000 – that’s how I got started.

How hard was that adjustment for you?

It was pretty tough. I didn’t realize how tough it was until afterwards. I had that competitive drive – you get that somewhat in pharmaceutical sales but nothing compares to the comradery with athletes. The sport is something you grow up with learning and you can’t replace that. It’s even tough now – I can’t do the same things I could do when I was in my 20’s. It’s a life adjustment – fortunately I could transition well to the corporate world. That really helped to have that success early.

So stepping back and looking at your NFL career ..

I got most of my playing time in Cleveland. I got hurt though after we moved to Baltimore, I hurt my knee and then tore my hamstring. I got bogged down and was cut by the Ravens. I sat out the ’97 season and got healthy. Then I went to play for the World League’s Rhein Fire and the Steelers picked me up after that.

How surprised and affected were you by the move to Baltimore?

Initially no one knew anything. We heard rumors, but no one thought Modell would ever move the Browns. We started off strong that year. Then it came out we were moving and everything just dropped. You don’t realize the intermakings of that’s going on inside the organization. But you could tell the older players – the guys there ten to eleven years – their focus went away. We tanked afterwards – it was tough for everyone.

When I think back, it was tough on the city. We played Cincinnati at home our last game and you could see the fans were distraught. As a youngster you don’t realize the impact the team leaving the city has. It was really tough on the people of Cleveland. You see it when you watch that game on NFL Films – fans tearing the stadium up to take a piece of the team with them. You could see how distraught they were.

How did Baltimore receive you when you moved there?

Cleveland was fire and Baltimore was ice. The people of Baltimore were ecstatic. They experienced a similar thing and understood Cleveland’s pain but were just so happy to have a football team back and welcomed us with open arms.

After Baltimore let you go you found yourself in Pittsburgh. How did that happen?

I think Pittsburgh would have drafted me if Tampa Bay didn’t. Tom Donohoe and I had a good relationship. Tom called me and asked if I was interested in flying up and working out for the team. My head coach and offensive coordinator at the Rhein Fire both had ties t the Rooneys, and during the season they contacted Galen – the head coach – about me.  I had a good workout and they signed me that day.

Who were the guys you bonded with when you got to Pittsburgh?

I can tell you Earl Holmes and I did. We were in the same fraternity and he pulled me to the side and told me I was going to make the team. He said the team needed a vertical threat at tight end. We had Mark Bruener who was a bulldozer and under-rated receiver, but he was 235 pounds. He was the blocker for Jerome. They wanted a guy who was a third-down tight end. I had one start versus Seattle – that was my best game. I got the game ball. But Mark was the guy.

Who were the guys that joked around a lot – and how did humor help you there?

I used to rib a lot with Earl – he and I were both ribbers. During camp we’d go out to different venues. Pittsburgh was a great city – we used to go out to a place on the water called Donzis when we had free time. We were all tight in the locker room. The NFL – everyone is their own person. But in Pittsburgh we call stuck together. All the positions hung out together. Each person took are of the next man.

Kirkland was also a big influence by the way. He started a football camp in South Carolina and flew eight-to-nine of us down. We all went and ate with his family and their house – it was one of my most memorable times. When we played in Detroit Jerome brought us all to is house and we ate with his family. I remember that well.

What happened though that caused your career to end shortly after you arrived in Pittsburgh?

I got another injury. I got a viral infection – sarcoidosis – which is the same thing Reggie White had. But mine was more controllable. I was put on a high dose of steroids for the inflammation and lost a lot of intramuscular strength. I was healing but tore my meniscus in my left knee. They just took it out but it was just bone on bone. I couldn’t run after that. I stayed with the team for part of the season but then we came to an injury settlement.

What did the team say to you?

They were disappointed. Cowher had plans for me – he liked my ability to get down the seam. When I got hurt they drafted Jerame Tuman …

Looking back on your career, what advice would you give guys entering the game today?

My advice to the younger guys is to respect the game and themselves. Hold yourself to a high standard – Pittsburgh expects that. Fans will love you or hate you if BS them. So look at the people who were there before you – the Hines Wards, Franco Harris’, Mel Blounts, Rocky Bleiers. When you want into those guys they’d pull you aside and were great guys – they talked to you. So respect the craft, your body, and enjoy the game. If you do that, you’ll have a great career and great life afterwards.

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