First off, can you let me know how you got started working with the Falcons?
This is my second season working for the Atlanta Falcons. It’s been a great opportunity to see the other side of the game, working with a great owner like Arthur Blank. I’m thankful for the opportunity.
How did that get started?
I grew up in a football family of course – but growing up I never knew the role my dad had in life was so impactful as it was. We never placed that much emphasis on it as a family – I didn’t appreciate it until I got older.
Now one of my brothers works for the Raiders and the other works for Texas Tech. My dad holds down Pittsburgh for us! I played some – but you can only play for so long. You strap on pads, put on helmets and cleats for a period of time then it’s over. You just make the most of it while you can.
What made the transition easy or hard for you?
I was released by the Dolphins then had a workout with the Steelers. They worked me out as a linebacker and defensive back – they signed me that day. I felt good about things and worked out over the Summer with the team. But one day I went into the locker room and there was a letter from the NFL in my locker – from New York. I opened it up and it said that I had tested positive – I took some supplements and wasn’t aware of what all was in them. You have to be so careful with that stuff.
So what happened next?
It said I had to sit out for four games. I talked to our player relations guy – Terry Cousin – and he said to just be transparent with Coach Tomlin and Kevin Colbert. I talked to them both and Coach Tomlin told me to just keep working. But it’s hard for a team to keep an undrafted free agent on the roster who’s been suspended for four games.
Tomlin was super supportive, but at the end of the day it’s a business. He called and told me they had to release me. From there I went to the Alliance Football League – but I told the team I was icing my knee and they made it a bigger deal and told me I needed an MRI before I could stay on the team. I ended up having a bone bruise. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I went back to grad school and while I was there I watched ESPN and saw the league had gone bankrupt.
But it led to my next opportunity. I went to the Super Bowl and met the President of the Hall of Fame there at one event – David Baker. From there I was made the first recipient of the James Harris/Doug Williams Fellowship. I was able to sit in meetings with executives like Jerry Jones and see the business side of the game and network in the business. That’s how I get my job.
When you were in Pittsburgh, did anyone there help you on or off the field?
Ryan Shazier – I knew him before. I came in with TJ’s draft class. We were all tight-knit in Pittsburgh – it was such a family organization – there was a lot of support throughout the locker room. The team was great for team development.
Jerry O. – he sat and met with me and showed me a lot as well. At Florida A&M – my coaches were Earl Holmes and Levon Kirkland. We ran a 3-4 at Florida A&M so I knew the defense. It taught me that especially making it from a small high school in West Virginia to an HBCU school to the NFL, anything is possible. It doesn’t matter where you come from – it’s about the work.
Transitioning out of football – being able to be part of that 1% that makes it to the NFL from college, it shows you can be successful in business too with that same work ethic. Players have to keep that in mind – if you can make that 1%, you can do it in other areas of life.
What did Coaches Holmes and Kirkland show you and tell you about Pittsburgh?
They made it to the NFL – they showed you that you can do it. They taught me that if I played at a certain level I can make it. Especially Coach Holmes – he instilled that belief in me. I took that to heart. When I was a Freshman, in practice I was playing in the slot as a nickel back and had an interception that I took back for a touchdown in front of a number of scouts there. I said that when I was a Senior I wanted those scouts to be back to see me.
What stood out most to you of your time in Pittsburgh?
One thing I came to realize was that the culture of the Steelers embodied the culture of the city. In Miami they had palm trees on the practice field and a huge facility. Pittsburgh modeled the mentality of the city. The facility had everything you needed but it wasn’t fancy – it modeled the blue collar mindset of the city. it wasn’t a billion-dollar facility. The practice field had a train running alongside it and you could see the mountains behind it. It wasn’t flashy.
What impact did your dad have on your desire to play?
My dad was always supportive but he never pushed the game on us. But naturally we were always around it. I loved playing basketball growing up but I was player of the year as a football player. Buy dad told me to just keep football open as an option, and I saw that’s where my best opportunity was to play. My Senior year our high school team – Lindsley – went 10-0.
My dad would wake up at 4 am and work out at 5 am. He still has that same regimen today. I couldn’t let a 50 or 60 year old man outwork me! We baled hay every Summer growing up and fed and worked the cows. He instilled that work ethic in us. My bothers and I all pushed each other. Once I heard my dad talk about how he worked out in the heat in Georgia, I wanted to do the same thing. To be like him in terms of work ethic.
As a kid, what do you remember about hanging out in those Steelers locker rooms?
Every Thanksgiving me and my brothers and some of our friends would go to the locker room and throw the ball around with Hines, Troy, Ben, Jerome…I grew up around the organization – teammates were like family. I remember seeing the guys cut off their ankle tape and betting hundreds of dollars too see who could shoot the tape into the trash. It was like the NBA Finals!
I played with the Steelers travel basketball team – with Lipps, Batch, Dupree…for me when I played I felt like an NBA player! I played my best basketball playing on that team – I was like Steph Curry!
I know a lot of people ask me about my dad’s legacy. I never thought about my dad that way – he was the guy I played chess and golf with and worked on horses with. But as I got older I have appreciated his legacy more and plan to carry it on off the field with how we work in the community and our foundation.
We’ve done charity events throughout the city with former players – the organization is really like a big family. It’s unique what goes on in the locker room. But it’s also helped us stay connected on the business side and establishing business relationships as well. With guys like Thomas Tull who liked cutting and showing horses like we do with the NCHA. We show horse in the same industry so we all got to know one another. That’s been cool.
Any future goals for you?
Just as some who played football and is now aspiring to have more entrepreneurial goals – I want to be an example for other athletes. There’s a ton of opportunity to position yourself for life after football. Some of the best businesses are run by former athletes and I want to contribute to that and be an example of that as well.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
