First, can you let readers know what you are doing with yourself since you’ve retired from the NFL, and how you got started doing so?

Since I retired in 1998, I had a few jobs in sales,  and dabbled in home improvements. I found a passion for construction, especially the before and after and the fact that I did it with my own hands. I am currently working remodeling Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, can do just about anything. Also started coaching youth football where my two sons played.

I coached several years there, then moved on to coaching the defensive backs at our local 4A HS here in Bethlehem. I coached there for nine years, until my two sons were playing in college at the same time. I took on a consulting defensive back job for Moravian college, here in Bethlehem for two years so I could travel and see both of them play. Then this last season I was an assistant coach for the Defensive backs for Moravian. I am currently doing construction and coaching. I am currently in the process of getting an internship with an NFL team during training camp.

How did the NFL help you prepare for post-NFL life, and how hard of an adjustment was that for you?

The NFL really didn’t prepare me for life after football. In my era it was pretty much on your own to figure things out. It was a really hard adjustment for me because I moved closer to my family and I wasn’t near a huge city. I struggled with money because you usually try to live the same lifestyle, with no money coming in. So I can see where a lot of players had tough times adjusting, plus the money wasn’t any where it is today in the NFL.

You were a local guy – played QB and DB at Berwick High School before going to college at WVU. What made you and WVU decide to move you to strong safety in college and how happy were you at the time with the move?

As soon as I went to WVU, they moved me to Safety. I knew staying in the Big East that my quarterback days were over because of my size. All the schools recruiting me were recruiting me for defensive back, so I knew going in. Ole Miss was the only school recruiting me for an option quarterback.

What are your impressions now of the WVU program – excited about it’s direction?

At first I had a lot of questions about WVU going to the Big 12, but the more I looked at it, it was a good choice. Maybe not geographically, but at least with one of the big conferences. I don’t think they had many options at the time, but I do like the decision now.

You were drafted by Houston in 1989. How did you feel being drafted by a division rival and how did you like your time in Houston?

I was drafted by the Oilers in 1989, didn’t know a lot about them, but did know the odds of making any NFL team were very slim. I did learn very quickly that the NFL was a business and had some great older teammates that showed me the ropes. I spent six years there and developed some very close friends and felt good calling Houston my home.

What was your biggest adjustment to the NFL and how helped you most to make that adjustment – both on and off the field?

It’s hard to say what the biggest adjustment was in the NFL. Well for one, there was no guarantee of your job from year to year. Times were very different, they didn’t have many off season workouts so you were pretty much on your own to work out, stay in shape and take care of your body. There were some guys who stayed and worked out at the facilities and worked out, but not the whole off season. Managing money was also an adjustment, cause you got a check each week of the season. So you got your whole salary during the season and was up to you to manage for the rest of the year. Trust me I am not complaining, but just coming from a struggling college student to making some good money, it was easy to go through it foolishly.

In 1988, your last season in the NFL, you signed with the Steelers as a free agent. How exciting was it to end your career in Pittsburgh, and was that your intention?

No it wasn’t my intention to retire as a Steeler, but when I got a chance to sign with them, it was something I envisioned that would be the perfect ending for me. I grew up in Eastern Pa., and I played my college ball and hour and a half away, three-quarters of my town are Steelers fans. It meant a great deal to me to retire as a Pittsburgh Steeler, I have had a lot of respect for the organization growing and learned through my playing days.

How different was that Steelers organization compared to others you played for, and what are some of the impressions you came away with, especially playing for Bill Cowher?

The Steeler organization was different than the other three teams I played for. They were more family oriented than the others. Being full Italian and family being everything to me, even magnified my experience. Mr. Rooney would be in there eating breakfast with all the players, and was always very accessible. Everyone from Mr. Rooney down to the secretary were always very helpful and respectful.

I played for coach Cowher, I had a sciatic nerve in my back and was out for several weeks in training camp. I thought I would be done but coach called me in and said to don’t worry cause he knew what kind of player I was, because I played nine out of my ten year career in the AFC central, so he knew what I can do. That being said, I knew I was at a great organization and ready to finish out my career.

How much did humor play a part on the Steelers team you played on, and how so? Can you give a couple of examples of some funny things that occurred, on or off the field?

There was a lot of humor on that team, but like the ownership, everyone knew what it meant to be a Pittsburgh Steeler and it was all in good fun.  Like I said, times are changing, our facilities were in Three  Rivers Stadium. I found it funny that when we practiced on grass, we had to walk through the parking lot, and cross the feeder road to get to it. Most cars would beep and yell out the windows to us. Being a NFL team, they were very accessible to the public!

What advice would you give players entering the game today?

Advice I would give to young players entering the game today is to realize that it is a business and take care of your body. I would make them put a percentage of their money in investments and spend a certain percentage of their salary. Get use to living off a budget cause there are no guarantee in that business. So when they retire, they are use to a budget and realize there will be no more money coming in.

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