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Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Charles Davenport, 1992-1994

First, can you let me know what you got into after football?

After I left Pittsburgh I finally finished my undergraduate degree at NC State. While I was there I became a Graduate Assistant under Coach Keane. That was his last season there and when he left I moved over to the Wolfpack Club to handle fundraising for a year. I enjoyed it but I missed working with kids. I loved working with the donors but I felt I had more to give to kids.

So after that I started coaching high school football, then took that experience to go work in the mental health field in 2002-2003 working with at-risk boys. I saw a lot of them as a coach and really wanted to work more to help them. I opened up two group homes afterwards, which was a different kind of coaching, helping them with life skills.

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Exclusive with Maulers Linebacker E.J. Ejiyah

First, can you let me know how you got started with the USFL?

I played in the Spring League – just looking for a shot to get back in the NFL. I thought that would be the best idea at the time. When that was done I heard rumors about the USFL. It seemed like a similar thing as the Spring Leagues – another opportunity to play football.

The NFL isn’t always promised to everybody. This was a chance to play more football and get some revenue and more film on me. So it was a no-brainer.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Fullback Carlos King, 1998-1989

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

I’ve been doing air duct work now for 17 years. I started with a company in New Jersey after I retired from football then moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and started my own business there. It’s a lucrative business – everyone needs duct cleaning at some point.

I also just started picking up golf – I started that about four years ago. I should have started picking that up sooner.

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Exclusive with Maulers Linebacker Kyahva Tezino

First off, what brought you to the USFL?

Well, when I came out of college from San Diego State as a free agent, I signed with the Patriots for guaranteed money – me and my agent thought it would be a good place to go. I thought I’d make the practice squad at least but with Covid, it was just hard to handle that year. It was all virtual and that was new to me and to them. It was tough – when it came to the day to report to camp I was cut the day before I reported. I had no chance to show what I could do.

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Exclusive with Steelers Linebacker Darin Jordan, 1988

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

Well, after the Super Bowl in ’94, I decided to walk away from the game. I decided to raise my kids while my wife did her residency in pediatric oncology. My kids are now in college and I’m back to working part-time as an NFL uniform inspector on gamedays. I’m also doing some auctioneering and fundraising in Florida. And I’m still working out and staying fit.

That’s the big picture in the sky right now.

Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult for you?

I think it was easier only because of my wife’s path to becoming a physician – we had a clear picture of her path – so my taking care of the kids was the right thing to do. If we didn’t have that path it would have been more difficult. I didn’t have a clear vision of my plan either after football so it worked out well for us.

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Exclusive with Maulers Outside Linebacker Tyson Graham Jr

First, can you let me know how you got included in the USFL draft and what you’re hoping to achieve this season?

A former coach of mine told me about it – and then my agent told me as well. I read up on it and I felt like it was a good way to get back to continuing my career. I have a lot left in the tank – so I applied and got a contract from them.

Were you surprised to get drafted by the Maulers?

I landed on the team that my old coach from the Alliance Football League coached for – Coach Horton. So I feel like it was a connection thing – that helped. I feel like I had my best years playing for Coach Horton so it was a bit surprising but not very.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back Walter McFadden, 2012

First, can you let me know what you’re been up to since your playing days – and how difficult was the post-NFL adjustment for you?

I’m here in Houston working for Coca Cola as their Sales Manager. Learning what to do next after football was difficult at first. I knew the life skills and strengths that I had from playing football would help me afterwards, but I had to put it all together. I didn’t have those business skills.

I built my resume. The toughest part was that when you’re in the NFL you don’t get much of an opportunity to get those business skills. There aren’t any job fairs. It’s great you were an NFL player but even though I knew I had some of those skills they looked for in interviews I didn’t have the experience behind them.

But the NFLPA helped me out. I went through their programs and they put me through some work coops and helped me with the skills and experience I needed.

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Exclusive with Maulers Offensive Tackle Chidi Valentine-Okeke

First off, how did you get involved in USFL draft?

My agent told me about it – last year I was playing for Tampa Bay but I got injured in the preseason – an ankle sprain and it took me 10 weeks to recover. By December I was good to go but at that time I didn’t hear from any NFL teams.

My agent told me then that the USFL may be a good opportunity for me. I said I was down to showcase what I have to offer, and it happened! The Maulers drafted me and I’m so excited. I’m ready to show them what I’m made of!

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Steelers Players, Coaches & Scouts Reflect on the Combine

WR Coach Scottie Montgomery: “I saw Antonio Brown at the combine – followed him some before – watched his tape. I saw his game coming together. When we brought him in he told me he would work harder than anyone and be the best player in the NFL. So at the combine, he just smiled at me and said “I’m ready.” I didn’t even say a word to him. When we drafted him, Mike and Bruce were on me whenever he made an error. They would tell me it was my fault – they wanted to put us together to make sure he did well. We believed in each other.”

CB Dwayne Woodruff: “I wasn’t even invited to the combine. My roommate, Nathan Poole, was the only guy that was expected to be drafted from Louisville. He would get calls from teams asking him to work out with them and I went with him. That’s how scouts saw me.”

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Excusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Charles Davis, 1974

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

Initially, I went into banking after football. It was a nice thing to start with. Then I got into marketing, and after that I got into the import-export business, bringing in Mercedes, Porsches – German cars. What we called grey market cars – ones modified to pass the EPA and DOT standards. Then we sold that off. I went into the insurance business afterwards but got bored with that.

I just tried to live my best life – I tried different things. It wasn’t an either-or thing. I just wanted to have fun. I had a passion to help people – I had a teacher certification so helped with kids and adults too.

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