Author: pittsburghsportsdailybulletin

First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to lately?

Well, I’m in real estate now. My wife and I decided to get into real estate. I’m still training too, hoping for a call. It’s a crazy situation right now – I’m just seeing how it all plays out. I’m interested to see how it all goes.

And  I’m coaching at St. Benedictine High School here in Memphis – coaching the wide receivers there.

As a coach, any coaching lessons fro the guys you played for that stand out to you and influence how you coach now?

Shawn Jefferson when I was with the Titans. I really enjoyed his style. He was very detail-oriented – that helped me out in life and in football. It helps me with the younger guys. When I was in high school I didn’t have much coaching on details so it helps me now to do that for the kids I coach. Preach one teach one is how I approach it.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Justin Hunter, 2017-2018”

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

I live in Indianapolis with my wife – and I have my kids here as well.

I bounced around after pr football. I played for four years – after my first year I actually started law school. That was my whole goal – I wanted to become a lawyer. I had to pay for it though – I had paid my own living expenses since I was 17. I got a scholarship at Indiana University, but I needed to gather funds for law school. Not that I didn’t love to play football – I did.

I pursued my law degree at Duquesne. But after the ’73 season the Steelers traded all four of their receivers. They had that great draft of ’74 and saw the talent they had in Swann and Stallworth and traded the rest of us.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Glenn Scolnik, 1973”

First, what’s gong on with you now – what’s next for you?

Well I’m a full-time dad right now – I have a one-and-a-half year old so I’m chasing him around a lot. I was playing in the XFL when it folded due to Covid. Now it has a new owner so I’m not sure what’s going on with that. I’m staying ready for the NFL – staying in shape.

I’d really like to go back to the NFL. The XFL was great – it was great competition and a lot of fun. It made me like football again. But these new leagues are tricky – they are tough. I played for the AAF before it folded too – it didn’t make it either. I don’t want to get caught up in another thing that doesn’t work out.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Johnny Maxey, 2016”

First, let’s talk about how it all started. 15 years coaching one team is a long time – how did it all start?

When I was finishing college at the University of Tulsa, I had just played four years of football. But I was a realist – I wasn’t going to be an NFL player. I sent my resume out to Tom Donohoe in Pittsburgh for a scouting internship. I was supposed to be there for one year, but I ended up staying for 15 years!

Rooney and the staff were awesome. It was great to work with Donohoe and Cowher on those successful draft classes and on evaluating players. And Tomlin after that.

What made the team so special, from your perspective?

It all started with the ownership. It was run as a business and they worked on things as a team effort. Everyone had to be on the same page. We all had the same goals.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Assistant Coach Lou Spanos, 1995-2009”

First, tell me how you got into coaching and some of the lessons you’ve taken away from some of the coaches you played for and worked with?

I got into coaching back in 2001 at the collegiate level, My old coach  Paul Schudel at Michigan became the head coach at Central Connecticut State and called and asked if I’d be interested in coaching with him, and I took that opportunity. Ever since I’ve been involved in college coaching.

Coach Noll – he was one of the guys actually that I learned a lot from. His presence was s0 cool, calm and collected. I don’t get visibly upset either- I can give that look and people kind of know. But I don’t get too angry.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback David Arnold, 1989”

First, can you tell me about your coaching career – what got you into coaching and who some of your biggest influences were?

It’s easy – when I was in high school in Tacoma, Washington I graduated early. This was back in 1978. My high school coach asked what I was going to do for the rest of the eight months before college started. I told him I didn’t know and he said he’d try to get me into college early.

Well, I ended up going early to the University of Washington – eight months early And if you can imagine, I was the only one there that early – no orientation. I was on my own. It was sink or swim.

When I attended the football meetings it was the same way – sink or swim. Chick Harris was the coach then and he told me it was up to me – I was in meeting rooms with guys who had been there for one or more years – I needed to learn the system. It was sink or swim.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Secondary Coach Ray Horton, 2004-2010”