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Who we lost in 2023:

The Steelers family lost a number of players and others closely associated with the team. Here is a list of those players:

Sidney Thornton (September 2, 1954 – January 29, 2023)
“I didn’t understand how fortunate I was to be a part of a situation and organization like the one in Pittsburgh. People play so many years without ever getting to a Super Bowl and I got to two.”
https://steelerstakeaways.com/sydney-thornton-steelers-running-back-1977-1982/

Marv Kellum (June 23, 1952 – February 4, 2023)
“It’s humbling. You don’t realize how lucky you are. I was talking to former Steeler Craig Bingham – I’d do it all again for free to make it to the Super Bowl.”
https://steelerstakeaways.com/marv-kellum-steelers-linebacker-1974-1976/

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Exclusive with Steelers Running Back Godwin Igwebuike

First off, what prompted you to sign with the Steelers – why Pittsburgh?

To be honest I didn’t have that many choices. I was on the practice squad in Atlanta and they grabbed me. I’m thankful they did – all the teammates I met around the league that played for Pittsburgh spoke highly of the team. When my agent hit me up and told me Pittsburgh wanted to sign me I was super-excited.

Did the 2021 Lions game where you had success against the Steelers play into it?

You’re 100% right – it definitely was a big factor I think in why I’m here. Mike T. harps on it all the time: “Own your film. You never know where it will take you.” We were struggling in Detroit that year but I played with grit and was fortunate to make plays against Pittsburgh. The conversations I had with Mike T. – I think that’s a big reason why I’m here. They have a long memory and I am happy I got their attention.

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Exclusive with WWE Announcer and Pittsburgh Native Corey Graves

First off, can you let me know what made you decide to get involved in professional wrestling?

Growing up wrestling was the number one bonding activity between my dad and I. He was a big-time fan and we used to go to live shows together, There are pictures if me with my wrestling figures growing up. So wrestling was important to me.

I wanted to ask about how much of a grind the WWE can be – how do you navigate that constant travel especially with a family and kids?

Very carefully! I can honestly say that I wish I would have done it better from the start – I’m reprioritizing my life now though. The grind never stops especially as we travel more and do more international shows. I always joke that we would all do the work for free – it’s the travel we get paid for. Dealing with the messed-up flights and hotel reservations – that happens all the time.

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Exclusive with Former Seattle Center Robbie Tobeck

First – tell me a bit about what you’ve been doing with yourself since retirement from the NFL?

Well, I’m an insurance broker here in Seattle. I’ve been doing that since I retired – really before I retired. I was doing that in the offseason for about five years before I retired. I retired right after the playoffs – went to Costa Rica and fished for two weeks – then came back and continued to work.

Jumping into the Super Bowl against Pittsburgh – how did you guys prepare for that game?

I think we approached it as we did most games. We got Pittsburgh when they were hot – they got hot at the right time and won some road games in the playoffs. But we prepared like we always prepared. We looked at it as “We do what we do and know how we want to prepare for games.”

‘We knew Pittsburgh had their exotic blitzes and were strong upfront – they had guys you had to account for of course. But we prepared they way we felt we should have and didn’t worry so much about what Pittsburgh did. That’s how we approached the season and we felt like we had a good week of practice.
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Exclusive with Former Bengals Quarterback Akili Smith

First off, can you let us know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?

When my career was over I still felt like I could contribute to the game and help others. I wanted to be a mentor for others and help them reach their goals to play in the NFL. That has always been my mission – to help guys make it to the league. So I’ve been training young players now.

What do you focus on most with them, do you find?

I teach them that it’s all about choices. I did way too much partying when I played and you can’t do that if you want to be a top-tier athlete. I see kids today allowing social media to raise them and see them doing too much partying. That will catch up to you. It’s my job to teach them that.

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Exclusive with Author John Harris, “Tomlin: The Soul of a Football Coach”

Fist off, why did you decide now to write this book?

After I wrote my book on Edgerrin James, I wanted another project to work on. I covered the Steelers as a journalist and wanted to do something on them, so I researched to see if there was a book on Tomlin and saw there wasn’t. I thought that would be a good topic to explore and that’s how I started with “Tomlin: The Soul of a Football Coach“.

I looked at what the best way would be to approach a guy people don’t know well. My chore was to discover who the real Mike Tomlin is – that was my challenge. He wouldn’t do an interview for the book, but there were plenty of people to talk to. Not doing the interview was pure Tomlin – he wouldn’t be in his own biography. So the challenge was to do the research and talk to those he coached, his former coaches, family members and everyone else he was close with.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Dave LaCrosse, 1977

First, what have you been doing since your time in the NFL?

I bounced around a bit on jobs. I worked at Equifax for a while then with a competitor of theirs in Harrisburg. Then I started my own business doing insurance investigations for insurance companies. I did that for 20 years before I retired.

Now, I do some work remodeling homes – a lot for my family. But I’m technically retired.

How was the post-football adjustment for you?

It was very easy. I wasn’t one of those guys where football was everything to me. I had no intention of even playing football in college until all of the sudden I got scholarship offers. I accepted Wake Forest’s.

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Exclusive with Former Colts Quarterback Bert Jones

First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your time in the NFL?

Well, in 1978, when I was still playing, I started a lumber business here in Ruston, Louisiana. I grew up around lumber and construction. My father was an NFL player – he started a lumber company of his own after he played, so it was something I knew and enjoyed. I always intended to go back to Ruston after football and enjoy life there after I was done with football – to go back to where I was raised.

How did the lumber business start?

My brother was on the track to becoming a partner at a law firm – he went to law school but was just a cowboy at heart. He figured once he made partner he’d never get out – I mean, he had an undergraduate degree in animal husbandry – that shows you how different he was from most people.

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Exclusive with Former Bengals, Patriots Running Back Corey Dillon

First off, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your football days?

I’m invested in a company I’m launching – Kudosnacks.com – we’re partnered with the UFC. It’s a protein packed popcorn – healthy and vegan friendly. I’m getting into that now. It’s been my main focus – getting that off the ground.

I’m putting my kids through college as well and just trying to relax a bit.

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Exclusive with former Steelers Player Engagement Coordinator Terry Cousin, 2015-2021

First, can you let me know what you’re up to now?

I’m the General Manager now Of BURN by Rocky Patel here in Indiana. We had one near the stadium in Pittsburgh. I did a lot of work there with Mike Linkovich – the General Manager there. We went there a lot with coaches and players and their families and associates – we’d go there and have a good time and hold meetings and events there.

I settled here after working for Pepsi when Mike approached me about this opportunity. It fit my skillsets – I love people and building relationships. He thought this would be a good fit. I’m all about people.

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