First off can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your time in the NFL?
I’ve owned a jewelry store – House of Diamonds – now for 28 years here in Overland Park, Kansas. 85% of what we sell we manufacture – that helps us from a marketing and advertising standpoint. Our affiliation with the NFL has helped the business immensely. We build the ambassador rings for the Chiefs – for the guys that retired that get inducted into their ambassadors club. The relationship I’ve had with the Steelers and Packers helped with that.
How did you get involved with that?
I went to college at Washburn and signed with the Steelers as an undfrafted free agent. I had a buddy I hunted and fished with who asked me to sell jewelry on the side. He figured my time with the team would help me to sell more jewelry.
At that age I was naive – you think you’ll play forever then you get on the field with those other players and then reality smacks you in the face! But I liked jewelry sales – I worked for $5 an hour seven days a week. It was an opportunity to learn the industry. After a year I felt like I could do it on my own. Looking back I should have never attempted it. But like most athletes I thought I could do anything. My first two years I starved but then the business started taking off.
Coming in from a smaller school, how did you catch the Steelers’ eyes?
I played for an NAIA school. I think I caught their eyes when they scouted Jeff Wright who ended up playing for the Bills and saw me go up against him. I could run and jump – I was a good athlete. They came to my pro day and I ran a good 40 – they signed me as a free agent after that.
When they came to Washburn I felt like I was walking on air – I couldn’t believe scouts were coming to Washburn to see me. I think after that they felt I could play at that level.
Did you know Coach Noll had talked about you as real competition to play center at the time along with Chuck Lanza and some guy named Dermontti Dawson?
Ha! Well, I was injured so I didn’t have much of chance to show them anything. I got what they called at the time a tib-fib sprain – it was a high ankle sprain. I was placed on IR and the next year they brought me back and I blew out my knee. I got a scope and then had my knee reconstructed. It was three years in and I was sitting at home feeling sorry for myself when Green Bay called and signed me to their practice squad. I played for a year in the WFL for Montreal then came back again to Green Bay.
Back then I didn’t follow the NFL when I was in college so I didn’t know how good Dawson or Lanza were, to be honest. I remember scrimmaging against the Redskins – seeing Mann and Manley there. I was amazed at being on the same field as those guys – I used to watch them on TV. I was naive as to what was happening then. Looking back, I didn’t appreciate it then like I do now.
Were there guys who stood out to you when you were there?
Dermontti Dawson was unbelievable – he was like a big linebacker playing center. He moved like a cat. Chuck Lanza was more of the body-builder type. For me, I felt like the fact I could play center, guard and long-snap would help me make the team. But you can’t compete it you can’t stay healthy. I learned that quick. Some guys have been able to play with the injuries I had – I saw Mahomes do that last year. But for some reason I just couldn’t.
Did anyone help you most when you got there to learn the system and just how to be a pro?
Tunch Ilkin was awesome – he was a great guy. He gave me a lot of words of encouragement. Dermontti – I don’t think he looked at me as competition. He knew his place.
When you think about that time – that’s what you miss – those guys in the locker room. I think those guys watched me as a rookie and saw my eyes glaze over at times and gave me words of encouragement.
Brian Blankenship was a good guy – he was from my hometown. And Chuck Noll – I had so much respect for him. He could show you how to do things – some could talk through it but he could show you. I was a long-snapper and he would come over and show me how to long-snap. He would do it in front of me – and he was good at it too! He could demonstrate it not just chirp at you.
Did any of those guys who were competing for spots stand in your way?
Terry Long was a character. You didn’t know what you were going to get from him. He could be nice one day than a complete ass the next. Of course he had his demons as we know. But he was a phenomenal athlete. He could do backflips – as an offensive lineman! But he wasn’t a guy who was going to help you out.
It’s funny too. I listen to fans in the stands when they criticize offensive linemen. But they have no idea how fast some of these defensive linemen are. They should go stand next to some of those guys and then they’ll realize how fast they are!
Do you watch the NFL today – any thoughts on the way the game has changed?
Well athletes are bigger, stronger, faster. I know there’s a lot of concern over head injuries. My concern is that they are taking away from the contact and violence of the game that draws people to it. My concern is it’s getting too soft.
You see them playing flag football at the Pro Bowl. I hope that’s not a sign of things to come.
Do you root for the Steelers and Packers?
I still do – I still watch them. I wish I had a longer career – my girls still watch with me and think it’s awesome I was there. As I get older I appreciate that time a lot more. From a personal perspective I know that I was able to parlay those opportunities into becoming a successful business owner. I was fortunate in that regard. My advice to anyone who puts on a uniform is to realize what kind of opportunity that is for life. It opens up so many doors for you if you leverage it.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
