First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing since you’ve retired from the NFL and how you got started in these new ventures?

Since my playing days came to an end, I decided to take time to relax with family and friends. I spent so many years away, trying out and playing for different teams, working with different strength coaches, trying to keep the dream I had for as long as I can remember alive. You sometimes lose track of the people that matter the most. The last couple of years haven’t been all fun in the sun. I put myself out there looking for work, which took awhile and involved a lot of hearing no before hearing yes.  I kept the faith.

Currently I am working for Remax as a Buyer’s Agent in the Philadelphia area, and am very pleased with the opportunity to help people find their dream home. I work with a great team, after playing in Pittsburgh that bar is set really high.

How hard was it for you to adjust to life post professional football, and how did your time in the NFL help you to do so?

It was very hard to adjust to post football; I missed playing, missed my teammates/coaches, and missed Steelers Nation. I applied to over a hundred jobs and went on a dozen interviews, every one ending with “come back when you have more experience.” My time in the NFL helped me take that rejection and keep moving forward. Football isn’t a easy game. When you’re down Latrobe at training camp doing two-a-days in 100 degrees in full pads and the coaches woke up on the wrong side of the bed, the thought of quitting passes through everyone, but it’s not an option – not at Latrobe and not when facing life obstacles. I will carry that mindset everywhere I go.

You signed with the Steelers in 2009 after signing on with the Eagles earlier that season. What made you decide to sign with Pittsburgh – especially when they had Miller, Spaeth, and Johnson there?

When I got to Pittsburgh I was still new at the tight end position. I had only been playing it for my brief time in the NFL which was about half a year. When the Steelers offered me I knew that I had a chance to learn from great players, great coaches in a great organization. The choice was easy. They brought the best out of me every day I showed up, which is what great people do.

Who helped you to adjust to life in the NFL -and as a Steeler – and how did they do so? Any examples?

Brent Celeck has a great work ethic, loves the game, and I was lucky to start with him and Matt Shoebel in Philly and follow that with the Heath, Matt, and DJ in Pittsburgh.

These guys are true professionals, which is what I think I was during my time. They put in extra work before and after practice, and still manage to thank the fans whenever the opportunity presented itself.

The team had just come off a Super Bowl win. What was the mindset of the team, from your perspective? How was Tomlin pushing the team to avoid a “Super Bowl hangover” mentality?

I think Coach Tomlin stayed constant; he knows how to lead. It wasn’t our best season, but like a good leader he made his adjustments and put us in position to take home another Lombardi Trophy.

What surprised you most about the team and the tight end group then?

How welcoming everyone was, from the cooks in the kitchen all the way up to Mr. Rooney, they make you feel a part of the team from day one. The tight end group lead by James Daniels provided an awesome place to learn and enjoy the game.

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

Humor played a major part throughout the day. Will Gay had a weekly runway show, showing off his latest outfit during the team meeting… trash can basketball.

What was life like on the practice squad for you – what were your day-to-day responsibilities – and how stressful was it for you being “on the bubble”?

The practice squad is a big part of preparing the team for the upcoming opponent. I took the responsibility very seriously. It also allowed me to show what I could do against the first string defense. Being on the bubble takes patience, you know you can play, you know you’re close, you just have to wait for your number to get called. Coach Tomlin would always say the standard is the standard -one day you can be on the practice team, the next day you’re expected to perform.

How did you deal with that stress?

I stayed optimistic, and just kept working. The competition was high and I wouldn’t want in any other way.

What advice would you give to players today entering the sport?

Stick with it, especially when it gets hard. In that moment you character is being built, that same character will give you the edge you need life.

Who were some of the toughest guys you faced then- both in practice and on game days – and what made them so?

James Harrison is a block of muscle. There was a play that called for me to come from the full back position and take him head on,  and after the play was over, my face masked was crushed in and I was seeing double. We had one of the best defenses in the NFL, going up against those guys made everyone else feel like a walk in the park.

Any last thoughts for readers?

The harder you work the luckier you get.

Thank you!

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