First, tell me what you’ve been doing with yourself since the NFL?
Well, for the most part, I’m staying out of the limelight now after being in the limelight in Pittsburgh! They could tell you then I was the life of the party! I’m trying not to do that anymore – just here with my beautiful wife, three kids and two beautiful grandkids.
Were you surprised you were drafted by Pittsburgh? Who helped mentor you when you got there?
I was super-surprised. They showed no interest in me before. I ran a slow 40 at the combine – hell, I didn’t even want to run. But whatever – I just wanted to get into the league and show what I could do.
For the most part, the whole team was like a family. It wasn’t like they acted like this dude was coming in to take someone’s spot. Lake, Perry, Woodson – they all took me under their wings. It was a family – it wasn’t like everybody was against you.
LeBeau – he did what he did to help guys and we dominated then. When I came from college everything was scheduled for you. In Pittsburgh they talked to me – told me it’s up to me to get it done. The team has a draft every year and they’re always upgrading. If you’re not doing your job, they’ll find someone who will.
What was the hardest adjustment for you to NFL life?
Adjusting to the 3-4 was no problem for me. I came out of that system at Colorado – we invented a lot of that I think. That’s where a lot of it got started in the NFL. You had to know what everyone was doing. They had to double-team Steed up the middle. I remember guys saying his arms were too short for the NFL! All he did was make plays in college. The Steelers knew that – they didn’t care about all that stuff. They wanted guys who made plays. Not just athletes.
I was so blessed to go to Pittsburgh. I was projected to be a top 10 pick, but that slow 40 time had me slide down. I could cover, tackle, and I hit you hard. And I played injured – not just hurt.
I think that’s one thing I regret – playing injured. I gave you my all – I played for my teammates – not just the coaches or the crowd.
What happened that you regret it?
When I got shot, I was like, “Oh my God, is this for real?” My teammates rallied around me. I have nothing bad to say about them or the organization. It’s the nature of the business. My contract was coming up -I had a three year contract with an option. I was injured but played that season because I didn’t want to leave Pittsburgh – that’s how good it was there. I loved the Rooneys and my teammates.
I was shot in my knee and I recovered faster than they expected. But as a defensive back who was shot in his knee, it was a miraculous comeback. I was shot May 14th and had surgery May 19th. I wanted to come back quickly because my mother was dying of cancer and I wanted her to see me play one last time. She loved football! But she passed away the Monday before my first game back. I had to go home and take care of some of the funeral arrangements then go back, and I was still playing hurt.
That’s the thing. Fans don’t know about that stuff. They want to see you do your J.O.B. I played hurt at Colorado all the time too. I had the talent to do it, At the pro level everyone is talented. so I had to go out and do what I got to do. The other guys knew I was still hurt, but they didn’t know my mother passed away. But they saw me go out and play hurt for the team – they knew I gave a damn!
You talked about the limelight -the coaches ever talk to you about burning the candle at both ends?
We all burned the candle at both ends then. What do they say – if you’re going to fly with the owls you better be able to soar with the eagles?
The point is, Cowher didn’t care what you did as long as you brought your A game at game time!
We did what we did. Yeah, I was the life of the party. But we all knew what each other could do and trusted each other.
What made Pittsburgh s special to you?
The crazy thing – like when Lake moved to corner in the Super Bowl when Rod was hurt. We were interchangeable. I praise those cats to the fullest. It’s all love with those guys. Maybe it was a good thing I dropped to the 23rd pick and went to the Steelers. I could have gone to a bad place. Alfred Williams said he hated where he landed – I was just blessed. I went to the right place. I had a good-ass defensive coordinator in Dick LeBeau and played with guys that didn’t play for the check – they played for each other. I’m glad they picked me. When Willie Will came in and replaced me, he was my dude. I love him and his wife. There was no animosity. It was just like, ok, it is what it is.
What do you remember most about your time in Pittsburgh?
The comradery – not just on the field -off the field. We were a close-knit a group. Whatever someone went through- we all went through it together. Blitzburgh was real!
I would walk by myself around Pittsburgh and go out on my own. Nothing would ever go down – if it did, I’d let them know I’d whoop their ass! But the fans showed me nothing but love – they knew I was out there on my own to spend time with them. If there were any haters they’d make them go away.I wasn’t scared of nobody but going out on my own gave me credibility. They saw I was showing the city love and the city loved the shit out of me back.
I’d go to the real hood and talk to the gangsters there – those were my people. I wanted to talk to them and see how it was really going down in the city. They were surprised – they told me no one came down and talked to them. I had full love for Pittsburgh – it will always be in my heart.
You consider yourself lucky to be where you are now?
This is real talk. Man, please. If you don’t believe in God – man – if not for him, I wouldn’t be here. I love those cats I played with. I could have been on the streets selling dope. I’m not saying I didn’t do what I had to do then, but I didn’t want to do those things. We all played together – guys from all different places and situations – we came together to win games and support our families. I could have gone to the gang meetings but I went to football practices. I got out from the streets of Compton – and many guys sacrificed so I could do that.
I just praise God that I got to play with some of those cats. We used to have a CU – Colorado players – corner in the Steelers locker room. Steed, Solomon, Chad Brown, Kordell, Charles Johnson…Guys used to come over and ask if they could hang with us! Now I see Westbrook just made the college Hall of Fame and Bienemey won the Super Bowl. I was surrounded by good-hearted guys – I was blessed to be near them, and the Rooneys – I loved that whole organization.
And few regrets…
Now, I have a beautiful wife, kids and grandkids. I have no regrets. I enjoyed my four years in Pittsburgh. I hated to leave to Jacksonville. For the most part, I was a mentor there for a nee group of guys and got to play with my Colorado teammate Chris Hudson. I came in as an elder and they picked my brain – they tried to take some of LeBeaus style for their defense, but you can’t do that without Dick LeBeau!
They put me in the nickel and asked me to do what I did in Pittsburgh. I tried to impart what I learned in Pittsburgh and led the team in interceptions. But I played on a bad ankle – I had to have reconstruction surgery after the season. I’m grateful they gave me a second chance. They told me they appreciated me playing hurt – but no check came afterwards. I fucked my career up that ’97 season by playing. Athletes don’t give excuses. That’s just the way it is. It is what it is. I was a soldier for my soldiers on the field. I knew I was hurt but I did what I did for my teammates.
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