First off, what have you been up to since your time in the NFL? Was the post-NFL transition difficult?
Well, I’m married and have grown kids now and live here in San Antonio working retail.
My oldest son Dimitri played in the NFL for two years and my nephew Trey is playing now for Atlanta.
For me, it wasn’t as rough of an adjustment as it was for others. I always knew the NFL stood for not-for-long and I was excited for that next chapter. The biggest struggle was just figuring out what that next chapter would be.
You grow up in the locker room – then when you’re done playing you realize that not everyone understands what teamwork and sports are all about. It’s difficult seeing those types of interactions and seeing how others are treated that wasn’t what you did or expected when you played.
What advice did you give your son and nephew about playing in the NFL?
Oh that’s a good question. If I remember I think the biggest advice I gave was to just stay confident in your abilities. The NFL is a hard business – and it is a business for sure. It goes from a kids’ game you played since middle school and flips immediately to a business once you get drafted.
Did anyone help you to the most when you were first drafted – get any good advice?
I’m sure some guys helped and offered advice but honestly I was pretty immature then as a 22-year old kid. I was excited and thought I had it all figured out. So no one took me under their wing, but I didn’t make myself available for them to do so.
I’ve spoken to some players who felt getting drafted early didn’t help that kind of mindset – do you think getting drafted in the first round did that for you?
It’s a great point – I never looked at it that way. But when I think about it, the majority of my life I had success playing football. When things didn’t go my way in the NFL it got frustrating – it’s that way for anyone when things don’t go as planned. Dealing with setbacks is hard. And at that level everyone has an opinion – you’re only judged by your play at the highest level. So I think that does make sense.
How did you end up in Pittsburgh in 2013?
If I remember, Dom Capers used to be the Steelers defensive coordinator so he had connections. That was when Joey Porter was shot and he was supposed to be out much longer. I worked out with him years before so I knew him – when I signed and he saw me in Pittsburgh he asked me what I was doing there. I told him he was supposed to be out for a while and he told me “No way – I won’t be out for long!” He came back faster that most expected and I was just really insurance there.
I know you weren’t there long, but what do you remember most about that Steelers team?
I do remember how different it was there. A lot of people don’t understand what blue collar really means – it was a real lunch pail environment there. In the general workouts on Tuesdays it was all more like a family – they embraced it more. Everybody bought into it – it was just the way things were done.
Can you give more detail on what made that different from other teams?
Well as an example – in Buffalo Monday and Tuesday were workout days and people would stagger in to work out. In Pittsburgh, everyone showed up by position group at the same time – everybody was there. It felt more like we were all in it together. It created that bond. And guys did so much extra after every workout. I noticed all of that – it was the first time I experienced that.
Do you follow the NFL closely today – any allegiances to Buffalo or Pittsburgh this weekend?
I promise you this – I don’t follow it very closely now. I don’t have any allegiances. I respect all of the organizations and am really just enamored with all of the talent now in the NFL.
Aaron Donald and Chris Jones are unbelievable. And guys like Tyreek Hill – I haven’t seen anyone use his speed like that since Randy Moss, though I know they are different kinds of players. Ruben Brown told me that the talent in the NFL – the difference between starters and backups was small – they were 98% the same. Two-percent of NFL players were truly elite with God-given talent who are real freaks of nature. Those are the guys that not only have the ability but they execute with it at a higher level. Tyreek Hill is like that.
What happened with you in Pittsburgh that caused your stay to be so short?
I expected to be let go – though no one ever wants to be let go. But once I saw Joey I knew. You have to appreciate that mindset he had. You know how the numbers look and I didn’t do enough to separate myself from the others. I didn’t do enough to stand out. I knew it was coming – there wasn’t a lot of wiggle room in that linebacker room – it was a deep group!
Lastly, any on-field or funny memories of your time there stand out?
The locker room was hilarious – Casey Hampton and Larry Foote had my stomach hurting at times I was laughing so hard. They were very funny individuals that worked hard but had fun.
I remember that opener against Kansas City too when Dante Hall had a big game against us. Its funny – I talk to fans and even though I was only there for a few games and they tell me that they remember that I played for the Steelers. I am always surprised they remember that! That just shows you the loyalty the Steelers have create with their fans.
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