First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?
Well, I’m pretty much retired now. I oversee real estate and construction for a company. I make sure they do what they re supposed to do and help handle payroll.
How hard was that post-NFL adjustment for you?
Oh yeah it was hard. Just after winning a Super Bowl too. I wanted to be part of that process again, but I didn’t get an opportunity. It was hard to deal with. Hard to swallow. There is always something to remind you of the game too. Constant reminders – TV or something on the news. It was hard to digest. Hard to accept.
Were you were surprised to be drafted by the Steelers? Did you know they were interested?
It was a big surprise. I was familiar with the Steelers. It’s funny, I used to be the Steelers when I played the Tecmo Bowl – that Atari game. I used to play as Greg Lloyd. It was great. I was so excited.
It was crazy. I had no idea they would draft me. Cowher’s voice is the first one I heard on the phone when they called and he congratulated me and told me they drafted me. Then the defensive coordinator and the line coach got on the phone and welcomed me to the Steeler family.
Anyone help mentor you once you got there?
It’s crazy. but Greg Lloyd was the guy who did. When I got there, my locker ended up being right next to Greg Lloyd’s. I didn’t realize but the guy didn’t like rookies. They didn’t haze then, but I heard the whispers from the other guys, that a rookie was next to Lloyd’s locker.
When Greg walked in the vets yelled to Lloyd that there was a rookie next to him. I was intimidated. When he walked up to his locker I didn’t look back. I kept looking at my locker. I saw feet behind me – I looked between my legs and saw his feet there. He asked me what I was doing there, and I finally turned around and told him that’s where they put me. He told me I had to move, and I said “Okay sir.” He started laughing then and told me he was just playing with me. After that we were cool and he took me under his wing.
You came to a team that ran a 3-4 defense. How hard was that adjustment for you?
I’ll tell you, it was hard! The hardest adjustment was changing my stance. In Florida State we just used a get-up stance. I needed to utilize a stagger stance – to be more gap-oriented. In the 3-4 I needed to be able to line up and use more lateral movement. One gap become three gaps.
It was hard to adapt. The coach says to come off pushing forward, but if you do that and the offensive line moves laterally you’re lost. I ended up mimicking Joel Steed. I watched him at nosetackle and that helped me to learn to play end. I got my technique from him.
Any fun memories of your time there?
Oh I have a couple. One, they used to call me Mr. Wedge-Buster. I would knock people out on special teams. They thought I was invincible. Then in one game I was knocked out on special teams. Holmes, Emmons, Donta’ Jones all teased me after that. I knew I had to go and redeem myself!
Also, when we traveled, when all the guys sat on the plane we’d critique guys’ outfits as they walked to their seats. If your clothes were not up to par they’d tease you.
Well, I don’t know if you remember that movie Coming to America when the guy goes into the barber shop and one of the guys says “Hey, what is that, velvet?” Well, Greg Llloyd walks down the aisle with this outfit – matching pants and jacket that looked like suede or velvet. So as he walked by I grabbed him and said “Hey, what is that, velvet?” The whole plane laughed. Fortunately I had a good relationship so it didn’t matter too much to Greg!
You came back to Pittsburgh in 2008 and won a Super Bowl after leaving in free agency. How did that happen?
I got injured in Cleveland – I tore my meniscus and it never healed. I was not told the right things and played hurt. It backfired. I couldn’t perform like I should, but the team said it needed me. I played but wasn’t one-hundred percent. I felt like I did my service to the team.
Then, they let me go. I was shocked. But it motivated me. I healed and then teams started calling me. Then Aaron Smith went down and they brought me in for a tryout. I thought when I saw Aaron go down that it might happen. Tomlin said I looked good in the workout and they signed me. It was a dream come true.
How special was that for you, to be able to return and have such success?
It was my best season in 13 years as a professional football player. Pittsburgh always had integrity and played as a hard-nosed team. When I left the organization I missed it too much. When I got back we were the number one defense. Being a part of that – coming back to where it all started – it just was what I was supposed to do. I have been on both sides in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh was all abut togetherness and execution and having fun on the field. And it showed with the number one defense. I went out on top.
Why did you leave Pittsburgh in free agency in the first place?
I didn’t want to leave. I was young and didn’t know. Pittsburgh made an offer and I thought yeah, I wanted to take it. But I trusted my agent who told me to wait and take the other offer. I was happy there but after a couple of years I missed Pittsburgh. It was fun playing Pittsburgh and tackling Bettis and Kordell. It was fun competing against Pittsburgh.
My agent made it about money. It was definitely more money. But I wanted to stay. I knew the system and was just coming into my own.
Who were some of the toughest guys you faced over your NFL career?
I hated playing Baltimore with Ogden and big Orlando Brown. Ogden was a workload and was tough. Cincinnati had Willie Anderson. The Titans had Matthews and Runyan. They were big dudes, and tough. But Ogden was the toughest guy for sure.
Any advice for young players entering the game today?
I’d say leave the game with no regrets. You don’t know what will happen so go all in. Back then we played without fear. We got concussions and more, but we played without fear. Guys are more timid now. They have more information so its understandable. But playing timid is when things happen and guys get hurt. You can play smart but you have to play with no fear.
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