First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?
I’m an underwriter now for the mortgage industry. I’ve been doing that pretty much since I’ve been out of football. My first few years I was in loan processing and then dabbled as a loan officer before getting into underwriting.
I also coached high school football at a local high school here from 2008 to 2018. I was the offensive coordinator and worked with the wide receivers and quarterbacks there at Channel Islands High School. In fact one of my players, Jeremiah Valoaga, made it to the NFL
How did you get started as a coach?
A friend of mine got me into coaching. I was coaching his son – Rod – my cousin who played for the Raiders – he and I coached semi-pro ball in Oxnard and that got me into coaching. My friend was the high school coach at Channel Islands and he hired me to be a coach for him there.
Did any coaches you play for help shape the way you coached?
I don’t think I picked up anything specific from anyone for my coaching style. But I learned to appreciate the time coaches spent. It was a seven-day-a-week job. Monday through Thursday we practiced, Friday we played, Saturday we got together and reviewed film and went over the game plan for the next week and Sunday I’d watch football and film at the same time.
What was it like being drafted by the Steelers in ’81?
It was an eye opener. They welcomed me with open arms. I was always a fan of the Steelers’ Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. I wore their numbers in high school and college. Being teammates with them was an eye-opener for sure.
Stallworth took me under his wing and showed me how to run routes and to be a pro. In college practice was practice but in the pros practice was work. Watching how he approached it day-to-day and him showing me how to get better – I admired him for that.
Were you surprised to be drafted by the Steelers? How did you find out?
I was very surprised yeah. The Steelers came out to California and tried me out when I was there. They mentioned they were interested in me but I didn’t think much about it. They had a lot of great receivers there already. But they had that process of taking the best available player no matter what then, I guess.
Tom Moore was the one who worked me out and he was the one who called me and congratulated me and told me the Steelers drafted me.
Any good memories stand out to you of your time there?
Definitely – those first few days of mini-camp when the rookies, free agents and quarterbacks report. Bradshaw, Stoudt and Malone were there and I remember my first huddle with Bradshaw. He called the play and I just stood there looking at him as the huddle broke. I couldn’t believe then that I was in the huddle with him.
Seeing all of those greats in person. They were so down-to-earth. It was impressive. They won four Super Bowls and all of those soon-to-be Hall of Fame guys, but they were just down-to-earth and so cool. It was so great being drafted by a team like that.
Any funny memories?
One I remember yes! Stallworth and Mel Blount were talking about going to see the Temptations one day at the Holiday House. I was watching and listening in, and like a little kid I asked if I could go to.
Well, Mel looked at me and smiled and said sure. The Temptations were going to be presented with a game ball during the show. Well, we get there and the Temptations performed then took a break and Mel and John went up to give them the game ball. I stayed in my seat – those were the two Hall of Fame guys they wanted up there. Mel gave them the ball and they spoke to the audience a bit on their support for the team and the upcoming season. Then they told the audience that there was a new addition to the team here. They called me up, and I’m sure I walked up to the stage, but it felt like I ran at full speed! I got to meet the Temptations, we all danced a few steps then I got to hang out with them backstage. I remember that like it was yesterday!
What happened to you as a player during the season?
I was placed on IR. I tore cartilage in my knee making a simple cut on that tall grass field in practice. It happens. That’s football.
But I got to hang out with the team that season and learned how they did things.
After that you ended up in the USFL with the Pittsburgh Maulers. How did that come about?
I signed with the Arizona team first actually, but they traded me to Pittsburgh. It was just a younger team than the Steelers. The team of course wasn’t established like the Steelers. But it was football and I just wanted to play.
Do you watch the NFL now? And are you a Steelers fan now?
Oh yeah! I still have all of my playing gear and my contract and pictures. I’m a big Steelers fan – you know what they say, once a Steeler, always a Steeler.
Even as a California guy and with cousin Rod who is a former Raider?
Rod and me go at it when we play but it’s all in fun. I’m a Raiders fan too except when they play the Steelers. I’m still a Steelers fan first.
Did Rod give you any advice when you got drafted?
He just told me to do my best. Football is football. Just try not to be intimidated by the NFL. He told me “You know what you can do.”
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
