First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing since your time in the NFL?
Well, I’m the GM now at Nalley Cars Toyota, here in Georgia. I’m a legacy – my father was in the business pre-dating me. I walked into the business and started from the ground up – from sales to becoming GM. I hit the ground running.
I’m a father of two kids and have a wonderful wife. I also still try to spend time with youth – to talk to them about their futures through youth football here. I coach a little and try to help use football as a platform for showing them what in life can be great for them.
Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult for you?
My personal opinion is that it was better than it was for most. I was always a decent student – I majored in economics at Georgia. It’s not always easy – you always feel like you can still play. But realizing that you have other skills to develop and utilize is important.
I interviewed for jobs after football. I thought I’d go into coaching but I think that’s because I thought I wanted to stay close to football. But there are so many other avenues where you can get that same feel as coaching. Managing people can be a lot like coaching.
I originally thought I would get into mortgage loan origination. I took the test to qualify and I failed it. You have to wait 90 days to retake the test and I was really bummed about it.
So what did you do?
I didn’t want to sit around, so I went into the dealership and asked for a job. In their eyes I was overqualified but I told them to let me make the decision on that. I had a background in the business already and I guess they saw something in me. The put me in a program for managers in training – it was a six-to-seven year track. I blew away some of the metrics and achieved my goals.
I think for me – or for anyone really – transition means change. You have to let go of the past if you want to transition into the future. It doesn’t matter what you choose. Now, I have 170 employees that work for me.
Stepping back to your time in the NFL – what made you choose to sign with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent?
I had a few offers – from Dallas and Minnesota as well – both offered me more money. But I sat down with my agent to see what would be the best opportunity for me. Dallas just drafted two linebackers – I thought it would be great to be a part of that rookie class of linebackers. But my agent told me that with so many rookies, they’d want veteran linebackers there to help show them the way – so they may not want more rookies. That made sense.
That made it between the Vikings and Steelers. The Steelers had a reputation of making sure everyone got an opportunity – whether you were a drafted guy or not. All got a chance.
Coach Butler actually called me before the draft was over – around the seventh round. He told me they were going to pick someone else in round seven but they were interested in signing me after the draft.
Bittersweet call?
Yeah – I appreciated it but I was bummed I wasn’t drafted. I was a good player in college but injuries did me in – I missed six games my senior season at Georgia. I felt I had the talent – I just needed the right opportunity. I guess the fact we’re on the phone now means it worked out well! I think God put me in the right direction.
Me and Kendrell Bell grew up together too – he just left that season to play for Kansas City. He gave me the background on Pittsburgh too – he said it worked out for him – it was a good place to play.
I felt the defense was good for my skillsets too. At Georgia, I played the SAM linebacker in the 4-3. I felt I could rush the passer and be better suited in a 3-4. And even if I was cut – if I did well, at least other teams could see film on me and sign me.
How was that initial adjustment for you?
Haggans, Harrison, Farrior, Foote, Kriewaldt, Porter – I think that was the strongest room on the team. They had Al0nzo Jackson too who they just drafted in the second round. It was pretty much like, good luck…
I was told going in that I may only get one rep per practice as an undrafted free agent. I felt I had to show them something each rep so maybe the next day I’d get two reps, then four…. And that’s what happened – three years later I was starting games for the Steelers.
Who helped mentor you when you got there?
Coach Butler was a great coach – hi s style was that you either get it or not, and if not you won’t be here long. My defensive coordinator at Georgia was a great coach – I got a good understanding of the philosophy of football. I was a cerebral guy so I picked up the 3-4 well.
Haggans was a guy that stood out – he saw something in me. The NFL is competitive and guys usually don’t help others to take their spot. But he saw I could be someone who could help the team – that I earned my way. It was like a family. I ended up getting cut my rookie year but they brought me back due to an injury to Clark.
I learned behind everybody as a rookie and played against some great players while on the practice squad – guys like Heath Miller, Tuman and Marvel Smith.
And then you started getting playing time…
My good friend Andre Frazier got injured and I replaced him on the roster. The next year I was better and cut my teeth on special teams. I could play multiple positions which helped – I backed up all four linebacker spots.
But I tore my ACL after I became a starter. Still, it was like the great American underdog story. I went from undrafted free agent to having a five-year career.
Any memories stand out most to you of your time in Pittsburgh?
Of course, losing to Baltimore in 2005 mid-season. The whole team was upset – it gave them a foothold on the division, and Cincinnati was good then too, so it really put the division title out of reach for us.
We knew we needed to win out – we were all bummed, Cowher brought the whole team together and we thought he would yell at us all, but it was the opposite. He gave us days off – told us he’d see us Wednesday instead, We were like, “What??”
Well, we decided to take a train to New York for the weekend from Baltimore instead of going back to Pittsburgh. We hung out for the weekend. You’d think we would go out partying but it wasn’t like that. It was more like a two day meeting. We all talked about how we were better than this. They talked about ways to get better. It turned into a pact – no more messing around. Singling out guys if needed.
That weekend set the precedent for our run to the Super Bowl that season. It wasn’t a conversation with coaches – it was between the players.
Who were some of the leaders in those conversations?
Porter and Farrior – they were on top of the food chain. Those two stirred the drink for the team. They were the main guys. Townsend and Ward too – they helped set the tone too.
Any personal experiences come to mind?
On a personal level, when Porter got injured the next season and Harrison got hurt right after, that’s when I practiced withe the ones. I went from practice squad player to making my first start. We played Kansas City that week and they had a great running back in Larry Johnson and the best tight end in the game in Tony Gonzalez – and a great offensive line. It was a rough game to have your first start. You needed great linebacker play versus a team like that – we had to cover tight ends as well as play the run well. That’s a tough first start!
In practice I made a mistake in coverage and left the tight end wide open. Cowher had a way with guys he liked – he wouldn’t yell at them, he’d talk to the coach instead to make sure you knew what what going on.After he did that he told me I better get it right. So, I was nervous. I had a high level of anxiety. Clark and Harrison – they helped calm me down. They weren’t nervous. They were superstars so it made sense when they played they wouldn’t be nervous. But they built my confidence up.
How did you play?
I went out and played well. It’s insane how quick a career can turn the corner. It was my moment when I knew I belonged in the NFL. We beat them and Gonzalez had no catches against me. The Post-Gazette showed me deflecting a pass to Gonzalez and said we found a way to win despite injuries.
The next week I started against Atlanta in Atlanta in front of my family and I led the team in tackles. It’s those types of memories – those games that mean so much. Everyone has those types of moments.
What do you think of the way the game has changed since you played?
There are positives and negatives. Safety is vitally important. From the physicality perspective though, I think players not practicing hitting a lot in practice is problematic. It’s a violent sport and you need to practice violently at times. Your body has to adjust to that and not practicing that doesn’t allow it to do so. I think it’s actually causing more players to be susceptible to injury.
Transitioning out – I’m a fan now. It’s interesting because football is not the reason I’m successful now – that’s laughable. But it does help me with the work ethic – my standards of work is higher than most people’s because of football. I outwork a lot of people and expect to be a champion off the field now too. I want to win so I set up higher goals and work harder to achieve them. That’s definitely a transferrable skills you learn playing football.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
