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Exclusive with former Steelers Director of Player Personnel Anthony Griggs, 1992-2005

First, can you let me know about all the things you’ve bene doing lately?

I’m doing a couple of things. I’m working with my training program working with young people to develop their physical mental and emotional skills. It’s important that kids know that training is not just about the physical stuff – a big part of being an athlete is dealing with the emotional and mental parts of the game. So I work with them on that.

I’m also doing speaking engagements and looking to get my book published and doing podcasts as well. I have lots of irons in different things – and I coached for Fox Chapel last year and imagine I’ll be doing that again as well.

It’s been a great road I’ve been on. I like to think of it as me recycling my career! Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Director of Player Personnel Anthony Griggs, 1992-2005”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride, 1999-2000

First, let me know what you’re up to and what your working on now?

Well, before taking the XFL head coaching job I was doing stuff for the media.

For Sunday Night Football was looking at game films of the teams before the game and creating a teaching tape on the offenses and defenses of both teams looking at player tendencies and matchup problems. Showing why the left tackle gets beat if they drop their hands etc. I send the tape to the Executive Director Frank Gaudelli who distributes it to his staff and Collinsworth and Michaels. I know Michaels couldn’t care less about the tape but the other guys appreciate it. I’d give them examples so that when those things happen in the game Chris can talk about it.

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In His Own Words: Jonathan Staggers

Some background about me… my father was a professor and coached football and basketball at small African-American colleges and my mother was the first in her family of nine to go to college but didn’t graduate until 15 years later…while growing up the longest we lived in one place was four years before I went off to college.

I was brought up around sports and athletes in small college communities. I carried my favorite players helmets after the game… I bounced a basketball on stage while the basketball games were played and during half time would go on the court and dribble and shoot…While in high school I would travel with my dad during the Christmas holiday with his basketball team as they played in Minnesota and in North Dakota and would listen to the athletes…they were from Chicago, Philadelphia, Mississippi, St Louis , Louisville, all from different backgrounds and I felt very comfortable in just being with them like my older brothers…

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Exclusive with former Steelers Wide Receiver Terance Mathis, 2002

First, you’ve been bust since your time n the NFL. Tell me a bit about some of the things you’e bee involved in and how you got involved in them?

Well, I’m he head coach at Pinecrest Academy in Georgia. It’s a private school – Single A. And I’m having fun watching my kids grow. I have a daughter in college and a son in high school. It’s been busy and fun being a coach and a dad.

As a coach, anyone influence the way you’ve approached coaching? How so?

I always knew I wanted to coach. I was offered to stay on after year 12 with the Falcons as a coach but I felt I had more time left playing. And Cowher asked me if I wanted to coach after year 13 but I wanted to play still. Of course, that didn’t happen either. The idea of coaching kept pulling me back though.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Mike Adams, 2012-2105

First, can you let mew know what you’ve been doing with yourself since you retired from the NFL?

Now, I’ve started a transportation company – shipping cars nationwide. I oversee that. I also work with a gym in Columbus, Ohio that I own with a couple of buddies and have a couple of other small business ventures.

My real passion – I’m a big bowhunter and like to work on land management stuff too. I’m really into that – it’s a year-round hobby. Archery too.

I also work for Grosetti Performance – it’s an athletic training center where we train guys from the combine. I’m an offensive line specialist for NFL combine prep. I started doing that last year. It’s my way to keep my football fix going.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Mike Adams, 2012-2105”

Exclusive with Doug Davis, Son of 1956 Steelers Running Back Art Davis

OK – so tell me a bit about your dad – how did he find out he got drafted by the Steelers?

The day of the draft was my dad’s 21st birthday – in 1955. They did the first two rounds on his birthday and the remaining upteen rounds then afterwards. There wasn’t any draft hoopla then like there is now. He got a call a day or two after the draft – he didn’t even know then he was on the Steelers’ radar. He thought he was going to the Bears or the Rams – his older brother played for the Bears in 1950. He was also being courted by the CFL which drove the prices for players up a bit.

Unfortunately he only played that one season in Pittsburg despite being the n umber five overall pick. What happened?

Back then the College All Star game was played in early August and he played in the game with the rest of the best Seniors then. They played the Cleveland Browns who were the NFL champions – and he dislocated his shoulder in the game making a tackle.

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Exclusive with Ryan Rhoades, PSSI Game Clock Operator (2013 -Present) and Video Assistant (2005-2013)

So, first let me know how you got into video production and NFL clock management?

I got started in 2005 when I took an intern position with the Steelers. As time went on the video production work across the NFL got bigger. I stayed on with the Steelers as a seasonal employee – all of us were considered seasonal – but the work grew into the offseason as well.

I worked on the television and internet content for the Steelers and that continued to grow. Then Bob McCartney, who was the head of video production, asked if I wanted to work on the other side of video – on football operations. I said yes, but I had on idea what I was doing. But I learned that job for a few yeas. It’s much more raw – you only shoot a couple of angles and it’s all very quick – you’re looking at film and getting cut-ups quickly to the coaches during games.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Ryan Rhoades, PSSI Game Clock Operator (2013 -Present) and Video Assistant (2005-2013)”

Exclusive with Steelers Offensive Lineman J.C. Hassenauer

First, how are you managing right now amidst this craziness?

Well, I’m back home in Minnesota right now – the state is still on lockdown and it looks like it won’t open up until maybe around May 15. I’ve been working out – my fiance’ has a horse farm so I’ve been doing stuff on the farm staying in shape – and have some tires and dumbbells here as well. I’m getting some good work in so far.

You have a year in Pittsburgh under your belt – how does that help you going into this season?

Well my third year if you count my rookie year in Atlanta, but yeah, having that second year in Pittsburgh is huge. I know what Latrobe is like – I know the Indy drills, the playbook and calls. It’s a huge difference. I didn’t even know what Pittsburgh was like before – I thought it was a steel town and a big blue collar town.

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Steelers Reflections on their Mothers on Mother’s Day

Stevenson Sylvester: “My mother was the most significant influence. At a young age, she was a single mother who raised me and my brother, then when my aunt got into trouble, her six kids were going to be placed into foster care so my mother took them in as well. She was a social worker and knew how the foster system worked. So as a single mother she raised eight kids- we were tight. She took care of us without much child support or funds from the state. She made it happen and that instilled hard work in us at a young age.”

Matthew Sexton: “My mom and brothers – we’ve gone through a lot together. Without my mom I couldn’t have made it this far.”

Franco Harris: “The trainers and equipment guys- Ralph, Tony Parisi, Frank Shuley – they were special to us. Special guys. My mother the first time she met Tony – she told him in Italian – she didn’t ask, she commanded – “You take care of my son.” And he did.”

Chapelle Russell: “My mother was the queen of the house – she pushed us and led the way.”

Dwight Stone: “When you have a mother who never complained and never made excuses naysayers never bothered me…”

Mike Logan: “I was able to come home and spend time with my mother who passed away at the age of 51. She said one of her proudest moments was seeing her son play in the Super Bowl for the Steelers. I’ll always have that memory entrenched in my mind.”

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Running Back Frank Summers, 2009-2010

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

Well after I was done with football, I finished my degree at UNLV – I accomplished that. Now I want to get my Masters and am also in the process of becoming a firefighter and becoming a paramedic and EMT. I started taking the tests and am doing well.

I also play rugby as a hobby. I keep in shape – that helps me stay competitive which is important to me. I work out four-to-five times a week.

That, and I’m raising my kids too!

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