First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?
Well, I partnered with my brother-in-law to start up a termite inspection company in California. It was a funny thing to jump into I know. It’s what my brother-in-law was doing for the last 15 years but was working for someone else and wanted to be a manger. We were chatting about what to do next after my knee wasn’t healing well enough after my injury for me to play again. We opened our doors last August and we now have 15 guys working for us already.
How hard was the post-NFL adjustment for you?
For me, I was hurt in training camp my last season, so it was a good segway to being done. I was on the team but I was rehabbing I was a player but I wasn’t playing. It was a different feeling. I was watching guys get beat up. I was in my ninth year and I knew I wasn’t going to play much more anyway. But my knee injury, with my kids now in school, I guess it all timed out well.
Not being able to play due to the injury really helped in my transition. I know lots of guys struggle with it, even more when they are cut and just don’t make a team. That’s a more disappointing way. I got to fulfill a lot of my goals and enjoyed my time. So the transition was easier for me.
Stepping back, you signed with the Steelers in free agency. Why Pittsburgh, and how hard was the free agency experience for you?
Honestly, for me, I was in my sixth season when I came to Pittsburgh. I was in Tampa Bay before but was cut. There weren’t many teams looking to sign me. When the Steelers brought me in for a workout and wanted to sign me, I was excited. It was one of the storied franchises of the NFL
Why did they decide to sign you?
Jack Bicknell was there and had me run drills – it wasn’t even against another player – it was against an intern I think. Colbert was there as well. They had me do drills then Coach Tomlin told me he wanted to bring me in. It was awesome, but a crazy time. My wife and kids had to hurry up and pack things up to move to Pittsburgh.
I know you weren’t a rookie, but did anyone help you adjust to the team and city?
Ramon Foster was always that guy. He talked to all the guys – especially the young guys. He always pointed you in the right direction and helped you to be successful. He was a great teammate and that’s why he was so important to the team on and off the field, in the locker room.
You were known as a very physical player, and sometimes you got fined and penalized for that. How hard was it to draw the line between physical play and going over the line?
I always joked that I wish I played in the 70’s and 80’s when that was all ok. I’d watch films of Joe Greene kicking and punching people and that was just part of the game then. I always played that way. It wasn’t that I couldn’t control it, I just played as hard as I could. Sometimes I did step over the line but the coaches liked that. They liked that I brought an edge to the game and that it would rub off on the other players. Guys would see me play like a maniac and wanted to match that level of play. I wasn’t the strongest or fastest guy but no one was going to outwork me.
Off the field I was a different person – you can ask those guys, I was the nicest guy. But on the field I was out there trying to kill people. That’s the way the ask you to play football in high school in Texas. That’s how they taught people. By offensive line coach at Texas A&M taught us to play aggressive and physical. It was less about technique and more about effort. They’d teach us some techniques along the way but they cared about effort more.
You had a difficult childhood, with your father dying in prison when you were eight and your mother when you were a teenager. How did that affect your approach to life in general and to football?
My dad passed away when I was eight and my mom at 16. It’s difficult at any age really. In a strange way though, my dad’s passing was a blessing. My grandparents took me in and gave me guidance and values. Took me to church. I had a more stable upbringing than I would have had otherwise, probably. I know that’s a weird thing to say.
When my mom passed away when I was 16, I was bold enough to realize what it meant. I was able to pour myself into football and working out. I got my frustrations out that way. It was a more productive way. My older brother went the opposite path. He went through his struggles being in and out of prison He is as big as me. Bigger. He could have played too. It’s interesting to see how your decisions and choices affect your path and course for the rest of your life.
Now, all of this experience is a good thing. I use it to bring that knowledge to young kids today. I speak at high schools and help them understand how to be productive. It’s shown me how to have good values and morals and to have a good work ethic.
Any fun experiences you can speak about of your time in Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh was a special place. Tomlin talks to players like they are real people. He’s the only coach I’ve played for that can have normal conversations with players. Most are so focused on football they forget they are talking to regular people. And he accepts everyone’s differences.
I do remember one season when me, Landry Jones, Michael Palmer, and Brad Wing bought Nerf guns and would have Nerf battles the night before games. We got out of meetings at 9:00 and bed check was at 11;00 so we’d blast guys as they got out of the elevators of the hotel. It escalated into those fully automatic guns, and we’d wear GoPros. It became a weekly thing – we had hotel floors to ourselves so we never bothered anyone else. I still have those videos. We were winning games so it didn’t adversely affect the team. It helped lighten things up.
We tried to make camp enjoyable too. It’s a grind. It can be miserable. You’re hot, tired, and beat up. But there’s a lot of downtime as well. When I got older I’d bring video games and my kick scooter and scoot around Latrobe. to make it more fun.
Any thoughts on the way the game has been changing?
It hasn’t been too long since I played – it hasn’t changed a ton. I think the rule changes are for the better. Anything you can do to make it safer- especially when it comes to hits to the head. It’s a violent sport. Like I said earlier, I wish I played in the 70’s and 80’s. But maybe it’s a good idea to make players more conscientious about how to use their body versus opponents. It’s man versus man every play and you don’t want people hurt. But at the same time you want to see people go out and do things you can’t do.
They just need to keep the main integrity of the game.
Any thoughts for young players entering the game today?
It goes fast. A lot of guys get worried the moment they step into the locker room. Some guys – first round draft picks – they don’t have that struggle or worry about their jobs. But most of us did. I used to joke with people – what’s the worst that can happen? They fire you? It would suck but you’d still have a great experience. You’d just have to go and get a job like everyone else.
Some worry themselves out of job. They get too uptight. Have a ball. You’re playing a game! As I got older I got that. You’ll have some bad plays and practices – no one’s on point every play. That’s just part of it. Play loose and have fun.
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