pittsburghsportsdailybulletin – Page 39 – Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

Exclusive with Former Maulers Linebacker Ron Crosby

First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing since your time playing football?

I’m retired now. I worked at UVEX for 15 years then went to work for United American Sales as their VP of Sales. We sold all types of safety equipment – hard hats, respiratory equipment, protective clothing – all sorts of safety supplies.

Was the post-football adjustment difficult?

It was and it wasn’t. I worked after football selling insurance. What was difficult was finding what to do next. I did research on a new career and looked into sales. I ended up calling people to try and get jobs. I sent my resume to a number of places and followed up with phone calls until I found a job. That took a while.

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Exclusive with Steelers Outside Linebacker Tuzar Skipper

First, what drove the return back to Pittsburgh?

We got the call from Coach Tomlin – my agent and me – he said he wanted me back. I was a free agent at the time – the Titans released me in early May, so it was perfect timing.

Coach Tomlin asked if I was in shape and ready to go and if I wanted to still play football, and I said “Yeah!”

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Return Specialist/Defensive Back Erroll Tucker, 1986

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

Now I’m doing physical therapy-working with and training kids and adults.

I also have been coaching for now, wow, over 35 years or so. Mostly youth sports – football and baseball – lots of high school coaching. I went back to my junior college – Long Beach – and coached there for a couple of years but then had kids and stepped away for a bit before I couldn’t take it any more and went back into it.

But other than that just enjoying life and being a father. My kids are still young so I’m enjoying that.

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Exclusive: Rick Reiprish, Steelers Senior Scout, 2015-2022

First off, how did you get into scouting?

I started in January of ’79. A BLESTO guy that coached me at Villanova later hired me as a coach at Austin Peay. When he went to BLESTO he asked me to come on and so I was there for three and a half years. I met people then and used that to help start and navigate my career from there.

It’s not all glamour – a lot of travel and roadwork. What’s been the hardest part of the business?

It’s not the travel. The hardest part is getting all the reports done and in on time. When I was at BLESTO it was all handwritten on those carbon copy sheets. You kept one sheet and sent the other two to the office and coaches. You had to write hard enough to make sure it went through all three copies and make sure not to smudge those!

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Steelers 2022 Pre-Camp Roster Assessment

Overall few starting positions are truly being contested in 2022. A couple maybe on the offensive line, some jockeying at wide receiver and of course, at quarterback – these are the only real starter-level battles. Maybe you throw in safety if Kazee shines in camp or corner if Witherspoon struggle and Sutton latches on as the outside starter. But both of those are long shots. The rest is about depth/role players.

Coaching will offer some of the biggest intrigue. Will we see Matt Canada’s “true” offense? What is Canada’s “true” offense and will it be significantly better than last year’s (it better!)?

And what impact will the addition of Flores have to the defense, and likewise, what will Austin’s implementation as the new defensive coordinator have on a defense that can use a few new wrinkles.

Here’s a positional breakdown:

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Exclusive with Steelers Running Back Jaylen Warren

First, why choose Pittsburgh as your free agent destination?

I felt like it was the best situation for me at that moment. My agent and I were talking about it and they gave me the best signing bonus and, looking at the running back room, there was some good competition there.

After Najee there seems to be a real competition at running back, like you said. Do you look at the roster a lot still? Do you pay attention to that?

It’s more a “what happens happens” kind of thing. I’m just going to go there and put my best foot forward and do what the coaches want me to do. It’s a good room to learn from.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Punter/end Fred Glatz, 1956

First, can you talk about your coaching career – how you got started and when?

I got into coaching as a graduate student when I was at Pitt. I coached the JV squad while I was working on my graduate work. Warren McGuirk brought me in to play for Vic Fusia. Vic was a former Pitt coach so he knew me from there.

You were a legendary high school coach in Boston at St. Johns Prep – who helped shape your approach to coaching and how?

John Michelosen at Pitt – he was a quiet guy. I wouldn’t say stern, but he was a hard guy. I knew I wasn’t going to be an easy coach – I wanted to win. That was all there was to it for me.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Punter/end Fred Glatz, 1956”

Exclusive with Steelers Offensive Tackle Trenton Scott

First – why sign with Pittsburgh and how did that occur?

I was a free agent and was just at home working out, honestly, when I got a call from my agent saying Pittsburgh wanted me to come in. I had a tryout for the Bears in June but that didn’t work out. I went to Pittsburgh and passed the physical and am hitting the ground running and have my nose in the playbook now.

You’ve got some stuff that you do for the community outside of football right?

I have a scholarship program I do every June and a backpack drive as well back home. I started those my rookie year. I don’t have a foundation yet but that’s the goal eventually.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Marshall McFadden, 2012

First, I know you’re involved with NASCAR now – how did that happen?

Well, after the NFL I went to Canada for two years, but I found out then that Canada wasn’t it for me – I wasn’t enjoying it.

I was living in Charlotte, North Carolina – that’s where the national headquarters of NASCAR is. I grew up in Lamar, a short distance away. My friend was involved in NASCAR and when he heard I was back he asked if I would be interested in trying out the crew side of NASCAR. I had no idea about NASCAR – even though I grew up right there, I never watched it or anything. But I gave it a try.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Marshall McFadden, 2012”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back/Return Man Donnie Elder, 1986

First, tell me about your post-NFL work and how you got started in that?

I’m a police officer. I used to work for the Tampa Bay Police Department and now work for the public school system.

I figured I’d give it a try. We were all about helping others when we played football so it was something I wanted to do when I was done as well.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult?

Not for me. I was always thinking about life after football. I wasn’t what you’d call an elite player and wasn’t being given a big tv contract after I was done. I knew I had to find something to do after football eventually and was prepared for it.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back/Return Man Donnie Elder, 1986”