First off, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?
I hung up my cleats in 2014 – I was tired of all the tryouts after being on the Steelers practice squad. I went to college with the idea that I wanted to go into business – I had entrepreneurship on my mind even then. That’s what I was going to school for – football was always a platform.
So after football I got a job as a consultant. I was hired by Dan Feeley – a former NIU player I knew. He actually still owned the company – it was a small shop where I was able to learn how to do consulting. I was able to go in and help companies. I learned then that the work ethic that made me a good athlete was transferable in business.
So what is that you do after that?
That work ethic was a point of leverage for me. I went from there to working for EY Parthenon doing M&A work. That was a fast-paced business – it was long hours and a lot of work – just like football was. It was Sunday through Thursday with a lot of travel – being in a new city every week. My girlfriend and I talked and we knew it was time for me to settle down. So I looked for a corporate job – one that let me put some roots down and have a home. I got hired by Google and they moved me out to the Bay area and that’s where I am now. It’s been a fun ride.
Was the post-football transition difficult?
It’s hard to say. You hear amazing stories of people who did well after football and not so amazing stories. I try to look back with the perspective of a player who got the chance to work in the NFL when most don’t get a chance to do so. I always saw college as a way to play football but also as the way to invest in my career. I now mentor other athletes so they are prepared for work after college and football too.
Stepping back, what made you decide to sign with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent?
I was an undersized defensive lineman at Northern Illinois. I always looked up to James Harrison – I saw myself in that defense and system they ran in Pittsburgh. I was a pass rusher – I was passionate about that part of the game. So I saw the Steelers as a perfect fit.
I had no idea the Steelers were interested in me. My agent called to tell me they wanted to sign me after the draft. Before then, during the end of the draft, I got a handful of calls from teams saying they may take me late in the draft, but those calls never came. They told me that if they didn’t take me during the draft they’d want to sign me as an undrafted free agent. But the funny thing was the Steelers never called during the draft – they weren’t one of those teams. They just called after the draft and said they wanted to bring me in.
Did any off those guys help mentor you when you got there – show you the ropes as a free agent?
They all did. Woodley was awesome – he was a real pro. They all were. When you look at that defense they were all such good players. My locker was next to Troy’s. These were guys you saw on the cover of Cheerios boxes growing up, but they were all so selfless as teammates.
I saw where Kevin Colbert early on singled you out for your play in camp?
As a pass rusher, I appreciated what the defense let me do, and in preseason I was able to show my ability. I had a couple of sacks in preseason – that’s what I did in college. But as a free agent it takes more than that – you have to show your value elsewhere – on special teams and other places. It was a deep team and it was a tough decision for the team whether to keep me or not.
What was the toughest thing for you to pick up in that defense?
I played defensive end in college – now I was playing as an outside linebacker in the NFL. I had to drop back in coverage and I had never done that before. So that was a big thing to learn. In fact later on when I went to Indianapolis they moved me to middle linebacker.
Terence Garvin really helped me the most to learn how to drop into coverage. He and I were close and we were really fighting for that last roster spot I think. They called him “Big Safety” because he played safety in college but they moved him to linebacker in Pittsburgh. I learned a lot from him – he had that part of the game down.
Any moments stand out most to you over your time there?
The rookie talent show was a lot of fun. The players then – 10 years later you still remember their names – that’s how much talent was on that team.
I’ll never forget – back then – I’m not sure if they still do it now – but then they put your game checks in your locker. It was a physical check – you could see all of the numbers. Well my locker was across from AB’s and I turned around and saw him open his check – you could see all the numbers and that million-dollar smile!
I also remember the team – I think it was Woodley – pranking a player by putting cheesy popcorn in their new car.
That was Chris Carter I believe!
Yes! I do remember they either did it that year to him or just threatened to do it to us like they did to him!
Any good practice squad matchups that stand out to you?
Honestly I don’t remember many. The offensive line was fun to go up against but I don’t remember any of their names now. It was tough as a pass rusher because you couldn’t get within arm’s length of Ben or they’d throw you out of practice. It was hard to prove yourself that way. It was a deep team and they had good linebackers there. Honestly, I needed to contribute more on special teams and I just didn’t play special teams in college. I think that made a big difference – teams look for guys who can step in and help right away somewhere if they can’t start, and I didn’t have that special teams experience.
What did they say to you when you learned you didn’t make the team?
It was abrupt. Someone from the equipment staff got me – I don’t think I had even seen him before. He told me to grab my things and go with him and then they told me I was released. They told me that they were confident I had a career in the league, that it was just a numbers game for me.
I remember in the middle of the season when I was on the practice squad, when we lost those first four games in a row, Tomlin coming into the locker room at halftime of a game and screaming at the players that he was going to cut some heads if they didn’t turn it around. I wonder if we were winning then, if that would have changed things for me. Maybe they wouldn’t have needed to make as many roster moves and I would have stayed on there and had a longer career.
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