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Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Ryan Mundy, 2008-2012

First, can you tell me more about Alkeme Health – what it is and how you were motivated to launch this company?

Alkeme Health is a digital health platform whose guiding principle is to provide care to Brown and Black people with on-demand mental health and well-being content and courses offering psychotherapy help, meditation and more.

What prompted your specific interest in this?

Black and Brown people have been underserved by the the healthcare industry – especially in regards to mental health – for a long time. The healthcare industry didn’t address issues like intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, anxiety, and micro-aggressions. And no one really did anything about it. So we’re seeking to fill that gap by helping those in need. I experienced this as a player in the NFL. I really didn’t receive the proper care I needed for these issues. I wanted to provide help to others by filling that need.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Ryan Mundy, 2008-2012”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Running Back Tommy Reamon, 1975

First, can you talk a bit about what you’ve been doing since your playing days and how you got started?

Well, I’m a head coach now for high school football in Newport News, Virginia. I’m in my 32nd year of coaching and have coached guys like Michael Vick, Aaron Brooks, and B.W. Webb. I’m still teaching and coaching – I haven’t retired yet! I’m still trying to make a difference in the lives of the kids I coach while enjoying what I’m doing.

What has been the biggest influence for you as a coach?

Coming up through high school in the 70’s, it was crazy for me. Those coaches were big figures for me. They were important in my life – I grew up with no father. So those coaches were important and influenced my personal life. They talked to me and helped me – that helped show me what I wanted to do with my life as a coach.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Running Back Tommy Reamon, 1975”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback J.B. Brown, 1997

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

Well, I’m semi-retired but work with NFL Legends – working with former players to help them with benefits, going back to school and to get connected with their former teams. We have the Legends Lounge at the Super Bowl, combine and draft too to meet and work with players and visit with teams on their alumni days. Each of us have a few teams to work with.

I also started a food distribution business locally here in Maryland and Virginia. We get crabs from Virginia and shrimp from North Carolina – ribs and chicken too. It’s a local thing.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback J.B. Brown, 1997”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Orpheus Roye, 1996-1999, 2008

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

Well, I’m pretty much retired now. I oversee real estate and construction for a company. I make sure they do what they re supposed to do and help handle payroll.

How hard was that post-NFL adjustment for you?

Oh yeah it was hard. Just after winning a Super Bowl too. I wanted to be part of that process again, but I didn’t get an opportunity. It was hard to deal with. Hard to swallow. There is always something to remind you of the game too. Constant reminders – TV or something on the news. It was hard to digest. Hard to accept.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Orpheus Roye, 1996-1999, 2008”

Exclusive wth Former Bengals Defensive Lineman Ross Browner

First, I know you’ve gone through more of your fair share of heath issues. How are you doing now?

Well, I’m 67 now. I’m doing well now. I realized that there were some things I could have done differently when I played – to take care of my body more. I played through pain a lot of times. You know, like when they ask you how many fingers they have up the then throw you back in the game.

The equipment and artificial turf – we didn’t have the rubber fields then – it was concrete. We were the testers of that stuff then and our bodies went through a lot.

Continue reading “Exclusive wth Former Bengals Defensive Lineman Ross Browner”

Exclusive with Former Bengals Offensive Lineman Anthony Munoz

First, let us know what you’re doing with yourself since you retired from the NFL?

So this is my 28th year out of the league. My first seven years I did broadcasting for the NFL then became an analyst for college football games and went on to ESPN. I retired from the NFL when my kids were nine and 11. When the first went to college at Tennessee I retired from broadcasting so I could go and see every home and away game he played.

Now, I do broadcasting for the Bengals preseason games.

I also started the Anthony Munoz Foundation and have a couple of small businesses I help manage, including a corporate apparel company.

I also work with the NFL’s Hall of Fame programs and do a lot of public speaking as well – I enjoy that. Plus, I have nine grandchildren!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Bengals Offensive Lineman Anthony Munoz”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Sean Spence, 2012-2015, 2017

First, can you let me know a little about what you’ve been up to since your playing career?

I’m here at home, being a stay-at-home dad. I’m enjoying watching my kids – watching them grow up.

How as the post-NFL adjustment been? Healthy?

It hasn’t been hard really. Two or three years ago it was harder – not like I was staying up at night in cold sweats, but it was harder being away from the game. I played football since I was six years old and now it’s gone. So that’s the most challenging part – just being away from the game.

And yeah, I’m in good health now.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Sean Spence, 2012-2015, 2017”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver/Tight End Warren Seitz, 1986

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

Well, after Pittsburgh I played briefly for the Giants and then went back home to Topeka, Kansas. My brother-in-law got me into coaching and I got my teaching certificate. My family and wife’s family were in Topeka so it all made sense. I was a coaching assistant for five years then got a job as a head coach at my alma mater. I coached there for 15 years and started up a baseball program there.

In 2007 I went to Moberly, Missouri – which wasn’t that far from Topeka – and became their football coach and athletic director there.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver/Tight End Warren Seitz, 1986”

Exclusive with Former Raiders Defensive Lineman Otis Sistrunk

First, can you let us know some of the things you got involved with since your time in the NFL?

There’s not much to do now with Covid – just staying at home really. But after football I worked for the military for 35 years doing charity work for them – helping with the Special Olympics and the school.

You also got involved in professional wrestling – how did that happen?

I needed a job! I was living in Virginia Beach and met the owner of the wrestling company there. He told me he thought I could be good at wrestling. I went to the wrestling school and got in shape – learned how to wrestle. I enjoyed it but I was on the road every day. It was too much traveling, I could do all the stuff and liked it, it was just too much time on the road.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Raiders Defensive Lineman Otis Sistrunk”

Exclusive with former Raiders Fullback Mark van Eaghen

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

I have eight grandkids within a quarter mile of where I live so that’s nice.

My last two offseasons in the NFL I worked part-time, training to be a commercial real estate agent. I sold business insurance after football and got myself ready for that before I retired. Day one after football I got a job doing that and worked as an agent for 30 years!

Was the post-NFL transition difficult – it sounds like you had a good plan?

I eased into it fairly well. After 10 years I knew I couldn’t – or at least shouldn’t – do it anymore. After Colgate – well, let’s put it this way – when you go to Colgate you don’t go thinking you’re going to get drafted in the NFL, for obvious reasons. But four years later I got drafted, and I said “Ok. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” I figured the worst that could happen was I didn’t make the team. It wouldn’t have been an embarrassment if I didn’t. Continue reading “Exclusive with former Raiders Fullback Mark van Eaghen”