First off, can you let me know you’ve been up to since your playing days?
I’m a private wealth advisor now with AllianceBernstein. We have $650 billion under management but we act more like a boutique firm. The firm is based in Nashville but I work out of Columbus, Ohio. I don’t target athletes, funny enough, but I do get calls from them as I work through my coaching networks.
We’re the first financial management firm to be recommended by the NFLPA on their website. When agents talk to players about their financial needs they are supposed to refer to the site first – though I don’t think they all do that!
Was the transition tough for you?
I think the transitions are difficult for a lot of players, but I had a history of injuries as a fullback. We practiced like we played at Ohio State – unlike today. So I had a lot of miles on me before the NFL, you could say. I knew that if my opportunity with the Steelers didn’t work out that I’d close the book on the NFL. I was actually already intending to work with Merrill Lynch while I was in OTAs with the Steelers.
Why did you think that would be it for you?
Well, during the draft Arizona said they’d draft me in the sixth round – they called me during the draft and told me. But they ended up taking a linebacker. So I went undrafted – only four fullbacks were drafted that year. I knew then that from a statistical standpoint the odds of making it in the NFL as a fullback were small. And Coach Tressel – he was adamant that his players have a Plan B in case football didn’t work out.
I actually hurt myself training for the combine – so when I didn’t get drafted I worked for a year in broadcasting and stayed in shape. The next season Coach Tressel allowed me to come in for Ohio State’s pro day. Kevin Colbert was there and told me he thought I looked great and wanted to have me come in. So that’s how I got to Pittsburgh – that was just a few months after they won the Super Bowl.
I had great respect for the organization and the way they treated players. Kevin told me that he didn’t care if I was a first round pick or free agent, if they think I can play I can make the team. In fact I saw them cut draft picks so they meant it.
Even though I grew up a Browns fan, I’m a Steelers fan now because of that experience.
Did anyone help you out and take you under their wing when you got there?
Dan Kreider was not a man of many words – he wouldn’t invoke a conversation with you but if you approached him he’d have a conversation with you.
There was a group of free agent running backs – we all got along. Me and John Kuhn got along well. I joked with him that it was a good thing I hurt my neck – that he got lucky because I was doing great in camp. They were using me as a running back and fullback and I thought they might have kept me over him if not for the injury!
It was interesting though. As it came closer to cutdown day, the veterans would talk to you a little less and be less forthcoming with information.
Who were some of the other guys you got close with?
For some reason I hung out a lot with the Polynesian players there – I just seemed to get along well with those guys. Troy, Shaun Nua and Chris Kemoeatu – I’d do the rituals with them and we’d hang out. They also drafted Santonio Holmes that year – he was my guy at Ohio State. We still play golf together.
What was the biggest adjustment for you in Pittsburgh?
The 11 guys I practiced against at Ohio State all ended up in the NFL. So while I know a lot of guys say the speed of the game is the biggest adjustment, that wasn’t the case for me.
The biggest thing for me was that I had three playbooks to learn. The special teams playbook was the biggest one I had ever seen – and special teams I knew was how I was going to need to make the team. So I had that, then the offensive playbook and the running back book. It was just a lot to learn in a condensed period of time. That was the hardest part – just being able to digest all that information to play at the NFL level.
Anyone help you – or try to trick you as vets sometimes do – with the playbook?
It’s funny you say that because Verron Haynes did that to me in a live scrimmage. Ben called an audible and I looked back at Verron and asked him if I should go eight or left, and he just shrugged his shoulders. I knew he knew. But I was lucky and guessed right. I never talked to him after that though!
Any other memories stand out of your time there?
Latrobe was special – it was an amazing experience. You get worn down during camp – I was seen at first as a camp body to give Dan Kreider some rest I think. Those open practices were great for fans, but the players would hate them at times. It made practices that much more intense and guys played harder for the fans, and sometimes we just wanted to get a break and get out of there healthy! We loved having the fans there – especially the kids – but it was a double-edged sword.
I do remember scoring a touchdown on a swing pass from Ben – it was a walk-off to end practice.
Any other fun memories from playing?
One great one was when we played the Vikings in preseason. A bunch of guys were by Alan Faneca’s locker and they are drinking this stuff called Spark – an energy drink. They offered me some and told me to be careful – it would make your hair raise! Well I drank some and it did!
So that was my first game and my nerves were already high. We won the coin toss and I’m standing next to the kicker on the kickoff. I remember running downfield and just blowing up the guy in front of me – I put him parallel to the ground in the air. It was a hit that would be fined today. I didn’t even fall down – but I was so jazzed I ran straight into the end zone past the kick returner!
So, the next day they have us in the room watching film on the game. They put up the opening kickoff first and Cowher shines the red light on me on the screen and asked “Who’s this?” I told him it was me. He said “I really like this! But next time, make the damn tackle!” That was the first time he ever acknowledged me in person – he didn’t really know who I was before, which was understandable.
What happened after preseason that had you not make the team? What did they say to you?
Before the last preseason game against the Panthers Kevin Colbert called me in to his office and told me he really liked my play and wanted to put me on the practice squad after preseason was over. But I was hurt in the prior game and told him that I needed to see a doctor first. He told me I needed to play next week but I told him I wanted to get checked out first.
It turns out I had Spinal Stenosis. So I talked to Dr. Maroon and he wanted to do a relatively new procedure on my neck that would relieve the pressure. I told him no – I didn’t want to risk it. So the team put me on IR.
Later on I learned that the procedure was the same one that Peyton Manning and Mike Alstott had that prolonged their careers. In hindsight I’ve wondered if maybe I should have had it and maybe would have had a long career. But I also think that I am happy in what I do – and I can walk.
Lastly, as a former fullback, what do you think of the way the NFL has changed and moved away from the fullback position?
I like the new NFL. It’s changed but it’s a better product from a viewing experience. More points draw more excitement and fans.
When I was at Ohio State I was 255 pounds. I wasn’t partial to playing fullback, I just couldn’t play running back – I was too big. But I have no regrets – I could have gone and played linebacker elsewhere. But I got to win a national championship playing fullback and we beat Michigan three times. And I still have mad respect for the guys still playing fullback today.
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