pittsburghsportsdailybulletin – Page 52 – Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Lyneal Alston, 1987

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

Since football I got married – I’ve been married for over 30 years now and have three kids. I’ve just been enjoying my family and working at my trucking company.

Was it hard adjusting to life after football?

It’s funny you ask that because I think about it all of the time. It was very difficult. I was playing football for so long and I thought I was pretty good at it. It was very hard – I struggled for a time. My wife went into the military though and I went overseas with her and did fitness training for the military there. That helped. But it was hard to be a regular civilian after 20 years playing football.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Danny Coale, 2014

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

My last team was the Steelers – my last game was the playoff game versus the Ravens. When we lost and the season was over, I knew it was time to move on.

My NFL journey was an up and down one. I had a lot of injuries, so because of that I think I was always thinking about what was next after the NFL. I had my degree in finance from Virginia Tech and my wife’s family was from Pittsburgh. I’m not sure if you knew it but my father-in-law was Tunch Ilkin. We stayed here in Pittsburgh – we thought about going to different places but I got an opportunity to work at PNC Bank and did that for six years.

Since then I took a job with a company that produces banking software – I’m excited about that. I also have three kids – five, three, and one. So it’s crazy – chaos. But I love it. And I have two girls so having grown up in a family of all boys, I can say having a girl is great.

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Exclusive with Tom O’Malley – Steelers Press Box Assistant/Steelers Charity Basketball Team Coach

First, can you let me know what you are doing with yourself besides the press box and basketball work?

I’ve been in the insurance business for over 40 years. I ran my own agency for years – it was in Bethel Park with Bob Purkey – the former Pirate. I bought it out from Bob when he retired in 2003 then sold it last year to First National Bank and have been working for them since. It’s worked out great.

I still do the press box work for the Steelers and, if we get back to playing again, coaching the Steelers charity basketball team.

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Congratulations to Joe Haden on his Retirement:

Isaiah Johnson: “Joe Haden – he showed me how to be a leader – how he was able to do that for so long in the NFL. One thing I was just told a lot was to be a professional. To “Be you.” It’s easy to do in that environment. They helped show me how to be a professional.”

Kam Kelly: “When I got to the Steelers Joe Haden was my biggest mentor. He was a true pro – he studied and knew the game. He was invested in his career and I learned how to manage my time and approach to the game – on and off the field – from him.”

James Pierre: “Haden and Nelson for sure – I just want to learn all I can from them – and from any of the younger guys too. It doesn’t matter if they are younger or older – I just want to learn. With Haden and Nelson I want to see their film prep – how they watch film and dissect it – how they learn different things.”

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Congratulations to Steelers Linebacker James Farrior on his Hall of Fame Nomination

Alonzo Jackson: “Farrior taught me more of the X’s and O’s. Aaron, well, my locker was next to his. He was a great guy and a mentor on just how to live life. I don’t think he even knew how much of a mentor he was too people.”

Doug Whaley: “The one I think I was most excited about was getting James Farrior from the Jets. When he first got here it took time for him to transfer his skills from a 4-3 to 3-4 defense. When I saw him in the first couple of practices, I was like…oooh no… Then, once he clicked, he was great. When we recruited him he came in and I think he really liked the guys in the locker room and the team chemistry.”

Kevin Spencer: “Heck, I had to throw Farrior off of special teams. He didn’t want to leave – he was indignant when I took him off.”

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Congratulations to Casey Hampton for his Hall of Fame Nomination

Cam Heyward: “Casey – you just can’t not get along with Casey, He never got enough respect for what he did there – he was one of the top five all-time Steelers because he kept it all together. He was the glue of that team – he knew how to bring the team together.”

James Farrior: “Casey Hampton was the first guy to walk up to me. He introduced himself and said he was number 98, and he was the one who was going to keep guys off my ass! I appreciated that and found out that that really was the case! He was the guy who kept people off my ass!”

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Exclusive with Former Oilers and Browns Running Back Lorenzo White

First, can you let us know about what you’ve been up to since football and how you’re doing?

I’m just taking it easy now. I had a remodeling business – I worked on homes and condos. That’s about it. Now I’m just back in Ft. Lauderdale taking it easy.

About how I’m doing. Whooo. I’m doing ok. I can’t complain! I take it one day at a time. I had a plan and did a few things after football. But my body said “That’s it!” There’s only so much you can do then.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Brandon Johnson, 2012

First, can you tell me what you’ve been doing with yourself since you retired from the NFL?

I started a company called Level Up – we do training, apparel and soon nutrition help for athletes. We’ll start with sports drinks soon – all our own stuff. I retired in 2013 and took an opportunity through the NFL Entrepreneur Program – in the Harvard Business School’s Entrepreneur program.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult – how did you work through it?

The transition was very tough. There’s nowhere else like the NFL – nothing with the perks the NFL offers. Two-to-three free meals a day. That may be the biggest thing I miss!

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Charlie Dickey, 1987

First, can you tell us how you got into coaching and what you enjoy most about it?

Well, I got started right after I was released by the Steelers. I had a feeling I was going to be released – I was on IR and knew it could happen. When I was released I tried to figure out what to do next. I graduated with a business degree but I didn’t want to go into business – I wanted to stick with what I loved to do – football.

I decided to stay close to the game. I loved the idea of coaching and wanted to have an impact on people’s lives like many coaches impacted me.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback D.J. Johnson, 1989-1993

What have you been up to in your post-NFL playing days and how did you get started?

When I was in Pittsburgh, I knew even then I wanted to get into broadcasting and acting. I was a Journalism major at Kentucky and always had an interest in doing both.

I got season tickets to the ballet when I was in Pittsburgh and took dance classes at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.. I danced in college – I was the University of Kentucky’s first male dancer. I was in their dance ensemble and danced jazz, ballet and modern dance.

When I went to Atlanta I co-hosted a football show while I played, and then when I retired I worked locally covering Falcons games as a sideline reporter. Then one day I got a mind-blowing call out of nowhere – they wanted me to work as a sideline reporter for John Madden and Pat Summerall. I got to spend time on the road with those two.

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