First, can you let me know what you’re doing with yourself since your time in time NFL?
Well after I was done with football, I finished my degree at UNLV – I accomplished that. Now I want to get my Masters and am also in the process of becoming a firefighter and becoming a paramedic and EMT. I started taking the tests and am doing well.
I also play rugby as a hobby. I keep in shape – that helps me stay competitive which is important to me. I work out four-to-five times a week.
That, and I’m raising my kids too!
How hard was that post-NFL adjustment for you?
I always felt that football was something I did, not who I was. Don’t get me wrong, I loved and enjoyed the game. At the end of the day, not many get to walk away at their own will like I did. Most of the time the game moves away from them.
In my last year. I didn’t get a lot of opportunities to play due to my position – fullback wasn’t something a lot of teams were using anymore. But that’s life. You have to move on and that’s what I did. I had kids, and life doesn’t stop for you. So I chose to move on – I did what I had to do.
Were you surprised the Steelers drafted you in 2009?
Not really. I expected it somewhat. I visited Pittsburgh as well as San Francisco, San Diego and Oakland. Pittsburgh told me they were interested in taking me around the fifth round and that was were I was slated to go.
Oakland didn’t have a pick after the fifth round though and San Diego took a guy round three – he was a big guy like me so I figured they wouldn’t draft me also. But then Oakland made a trade for some picks and I thought then then may take me, but they didn’t.
So that Sunday I went out for breakfast and made sure I got back for Pittsburgh’s picks – they had two picks back-to-back. As soon as I put my bagel down the phone rang and it was the Steelers. They told me they had good news and bad news, that they were going to draft me, but with the second pick in the fifth round. I was excited!
Who helped you most as a rookie to adjust to the NFL? What was your biggest adjustment?
The organization as a whole was set up very well for young players. Ray Jackson, the head of player development was very helpful. They were great in helping us younger guys. There were a lot of guys that had been there a while.
The hardest thing really was just learning the playbook. Everything else was just football.
You mentioned before being moved to fullback. Were you frustrated at the move?
I kind of expected it due to my frame and size. Looking back on it my back injury really set me back. It limited what I could do. And once I was healthy, I think the coaches already looked at me like they knew all I could and couldn’t do. But you can’t change the way things happen.
Who helped you to learn the position – and how?
Kirby Wilson helped me – he showed me film of some of the older guy like Sam Gash and Mike Alstott to see how they did it. Just their physicality – as blockers, runners, and pass catchers. They were just pure football players, and that’s what I considered myself to be. So I thought, yeah, I could do this.
He also showed me film of myself playing. At the end of the day, you just go where the opportunity is. You play where you are asked to play. Only one percent of guys are top guys that can pick and choose what they want to do. I wasn’t one of those guys. But I don’t think I would act that way even if I was, to be honest.
What are your fondest memories of your time there?
I had a great time. I was close with Lawrence Timmons – he was my guy. Rashard Mendenhall too – I was close to him as well.
In the locker room, we were the first to get a pool table. We used to have fun games. Ray Jackson played with us a lot – he spent a lot of time with the rookies, making sure we were taken care of. It was just a great time with the guys there.
You left Pittsburgh during your second season. What brought that on?
My second year they placed me on the practice squad. I tore it up – I played well. But the offensive coordinator then didn’t want to use a fullback – he wanted to use more tight ends. There wasn’t much I could do. After a great preseason though I chose to go to San Diego when they wanted to sign me off of the squad and on to their active roster. I talked to Pittsburgh and they thought I’d have a better chance to play there.
I went to San Diego and and did well in my first training camp. I lit it up – I was the second fullback and third-string running back. Norv Turner had packages set for me and Tolbert to be on the field together, but that second week I blew out my hamstring. It was another frustrating setback for me.
Especially as a former fullback, what are your thoughts on the NFL today and the way offenses are emphasized?
Well, you still see the ground and pound from some teams, but it’s rare.. When I played the game linebackers used to be 250-to-270 pounds. Now they are 230 pounds, The game has changed.
Some teams still line up tight ends and fullbacks – some still make it happen. Pittsburgh is one of them – they line up number 45 back there. It’s a nice sight. Some teams keep fullbacks. Baltimore and San Francisco do as well. But the utilization is still slim. Now, most fullbacks are glorified special teams players.
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