First, can you let me know what you’ve bee doing since your time in the NFL?
I started my own food safety company – we ended up serving over 25,000 stores across the United States. We handled food safety and sanitation and did that until 2008 when I sold the business. I did some consulting work in the field after that for a bit then a couple of years ago I started up a couple of other small businesses.
How did you get involved in that?
I got started by working with my former Syracuse coach who was in the business. I looked into what the future would hold for businesses – did some research and saw that there was a need in the food safety area as more people got sick from food issues – so I delved into that. He took me under his wing and and taught me everything about the food safety business and I became a food safety inspector after that until I started my own company.
And your family?
I’ve been married for 55 years – I have three kids and eight grandchildren. I met my wife in junior high school – so we’ve known each other for over 62 years! A lot of compromise- that’s the key to success in marriage I’ve learned.
I’ve had seven knee surgeries and four knee replacements and other issues – I had colon cancer, shoulder issues – but she supported me through all of that. I’m a lucky man.
So stepping back – you were drafted by the Steelers in 1966. How did you find out?
I was drafted by the Dolphins of the AFL too. It’s funny – I’m Irish and I had an Irish friend take me to New York City during the draft process. We stayed at a hotel and we just hung out in New York. I got a call from Dan Rooney there telling me the Steelers drafted me. They had me sign a contract quickly – I never had a chance to even talk to the Dolphins.
How was that adjustment to the NFL?
It was a tough adjustment. Syracuse was a running team and in the pros there’s more passing. I wasn’t used to that. But I came on and had a good first game. The coaches told me they were happy with me after the first game, but they didn’t know I had been injured. Clarence Childs on the Giants -he clipped me on a kick off and tore up my knee. The next season I got hurt again playing Cleveland. So I never had a chance to play a lot for Pittsburgh.
I played in two games my first year and one exhibition game that second season due to injuries. That second year Pittsburgh had me go play for Norfolk of the Continental League while I was getting better. That’s when Vince Lombardi called me and told me he wanted to trade for me. But he didn’t know I had two knee injuries – once he heard that, well, there were a lot of healthy centers he could sign instead.
I was blessed though – I had a chance to play with some great guys.
Any of those guys help you out the most?
Paul Martha was from Greentree and he and I would drive to the facility together. I got to know him real well. Bill Saul – he was friendly too. They were all good guys and friendly to me. I was a rookie- I was just trying to get into a friendly atmosphere with everybody there.
We had great practices and the coaches had good learning sessions after practice. Leon McLaughlin was the offensive line coach and he helped me a lot. Bill Austin was a former line coach too and he’d walk through practices and was helpful. They gave everyone a fair shot. I just wish I could have done more and not gotten injured.
I’m still a Steelers fan. I grew up a Giants fan but I have a lot of Steelers memorabilia still. Craig Wolfley and I are still good friends. It was an honor and a privilege to play there.
Any good memories that stand out to you?
I remember Larry Gagner’s St. Patrick’s Day party. My wife dressed me up in green lights and green slippers with bells – like a Leprechaun – as a joke . I got a lot of grief from guys on that one.
And pass blocking drills – Riley Gunnels was a defensive tackle in Pittsburgh then. He was only 6’1″ but weighed 300 pounds. He was the toughest guy for me to block. He was just so low to the ground – he’d come flat at you. In pass blocking drills I’d be fighting for my life!
Well, they ended up trading Riley to Atlanta. But in my second year I was picked up by Atlanta. I didn’t know Riley was still there. When I went to practice who was lined up across from me – none other than Riley Gunnels, with a huge grin on his face!
When the Steelers finally recognized how bad my knee was they had their surgeon operate on it. At the surgery center there was the Pittsburgh Penguins center then – he had taken a stick to the eye and his eye socket had hit his naval cavity – his face was completely swollen. But he was more worried about me – he was a real nice guy.
In the end it just wasn’t meant to be for me to have a long career playing football. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time too many times.
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