Author: pittsburghsportsdailybulletin

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

Well, I’ve been a college football analyst for ESPN – now going on my 29th year. I’ve been calling college football games for the last 12 years with ESPN.

I majored on speech with an emphasis on broadcasting at Penn State. This is what I always though I wanted to do. I just didn’t know for sure until I had a chance to get into it after I stopped playing.

Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult for you?

It’s always hard no matter who you are. There’s nothing like playing the game. I loved playing – and playing it for  living was special, It’s a big hole – a big void to fill. You miss the locker room – the comradery. There’s nothing else that simulates that. I was fortunate to be around the business – to watch and study games film – that helped with the adjustment. I was able to make being around the game a career. But even with that I have to say it was still hard at first and it took me a while to get into the career.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Quarterback Todd Blackledge, 1988-1989”

First, tell me a bit about what you’ve done since you retired from coaching?

I worked for IMG sports Academy for about six or seven years, working with guys like Eli Manning, Chad Pennington, and Thomas Jones, getting them ready for the draft. Worked with a lot of first round guys. IMG – they get good people.

So stepping back – you were a good basketball player and track athlete in high school. How did football become your career?

Oh – I wasn’t good at any of them! Football wasn’t my decision – it just fell that way for me. I wanted to play basketball in high school but in order to play basketball you also had to play football. There were only 190 kids in my school and the basketball coach was the football coach!

My first year playing football there we had to practice in the gym one day because it was raining and we were just throwing the ball around and I caught everything, so the coach moved me to end after seeing that. I liked that because you didn’t get too much attention then at end from the defense – we didn’t throw much then.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Lionel Taylor, Steelers Wide Receiver Coach, 1970-1976”

First, can you let me know what you’re doing with yourself now?

Well, to be honest my post-NFL time hasn’t been all that great. I did have a landscaping company in ’06 to ’07. I recently sold the lawn service to a buddy and gave the landscaping piece to my brother. I do the soliciting for him now.

The NFL has helped me out a lot. I’m now getting total physical and neurological disability from the NFL.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Fullback Jon Witman, 1996-2001”

First, can you explain how you started off as a pastor in Pittsburgh and how you got into this role?

I have been a pastor for 22 years now in the Pittsburgh area. I was a pastor for 10 years in Pittsburgh then moved to Detroit for four years, then I came back to plant a church here in Pittsburgh. That failed wonderfully! It was the hardest year of my life. But I landed after that at a great church and have been there ever since – for 12 years – Northway Christian Community now has seven churches across the Pittsburgh region – I was the campus pastor for the original location.

This past July, I stepped out of that role to become a local missionary for Athletes in Action – hired by them to be the Steelers chaplain.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Chaplain Kent Chevalier”

First, let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since you time in the NFL?

Well, I’m a manager at a boutique hotel  – Hotel Zaza – here in Houston. I’ve been here for over two years and been with the company for six years.

Before that I was doing medical sales – I started that right after football. That was about the time I had my first son. My wife was a flight attendant and was based in Houston so we moved there and I got caught up in the hotel business there. I had relatives in the business who helped me get started.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Lee Mays, 2002-2006”

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

Well, for the most part, I’m staying out of the limelight now after being in the limelight in Pittsburgh! They could tell you then I was the life of the party! I’m trying not to do that anymore – just here with my beautiful wife, three kids and two beautiful grandkids.

Were you surprised you were drafted by Pittsburgh? Who helped mentor you when you got there?

I was super-surprised. They showed no interest in me before. I ran a slow 40 at the combine – hell, I didn’t even want to run.  But whatever – I just wanted to get into the league and show what I could do.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback Deon Figures, 1993-1996”

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

Currently I’m working at a company that makes calibration testing systems here in Baton Rouge. We work on equipment and accessories in industrial and electrical industries. We have eight locations – we’re a pretty large international company.

I work in the rental division and make sure the materials we work on are updated and in the system for lab technicians and customers to see.

How hard was the post-NFL adjustment for you?

After my career ended, it was somewhat of a bitter moment. I didn’t have the long tenure in football like I planned on having.

So, it was quite an adjustment. It was a different lifestyle – facing the reality that my football days were over wasn’t easy. I started playing football when I was in fourth grade. Not being able to play any more – that was hard to take.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Anthony Tuggle. 1985-1987”

First, you’re involved in so many different things outside of football – what are the biggest things on your plate right now?

Well, I’m still practicing law – I’m the Chair of the Board of Directors at Eckert Seamans, Duquesne University, and the Pittsburgh Foundation. Those are the biggest things.

Your family and the Rooneys are always deeply involved in charity and community causes. Why do you think your families are so involved?

That’s a great question and one I often ask myself as well. There are a few of us that are more involved in charities. I’ve honestly thought about this over the years and I think there are multiple origins.

My grandfather and his wife – and my father and Aunt Rita – they were all very involved. On the Rooney side, Art was in his own ways too. We all had have been very concerned about the people in our community.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Minority Owner Jack McGinley, Jr.”