First off -what’s next for you – what’s the offseason look like?
I always come back to Atlanta and train. In the offseason we take a couple of trips and reset our minds and spend time with family. It’s good to move around a bit – during the season as a family we’re more stationary. It’s good to get some mental relaxation and have some fun before the season starts.
Is it tougher or fun being a free agent again and reliving some of the recruitment feeling?
Yeah, the first time around, being a highly-touted free agent was very fun. But then I had that injury spell and there’s less interest. Still though it was good to come home and see there was interest. You put in the hard work and you’re not overlooked, so it’s always a blessing to see and get that interest.
Coming into the NFL – there was clearly interest early on by the Steelers pre-draft. Were you excited to come in as a 3-4 OLB or did you want to play as a defensive end?
I loved playing outside linebacker and being able to use my versatility – to be able to drop in coverage and play outside. When you’re a lineman you play more of that tight-five – it’s a different space you’re playing in. I like to play in space more and use my athleticism. It’s a small difference but it makes a big difference as a player.
Who were the other players who helped mentor you when you got to Pittsburgh – and how did they do so?
Arthur Moats – he was an older guy – a veteran there and he let me know it was all there for the taking if I went in and worked hard.
James Harrison – not verbally, but just watching him working as hard as he did, I learned a lot from him. About how he worked out and took care of his body. That was a big part of things for me. Seeing him – it was a major help. Now I do those things still to this day, every week.
Other players too – Pouncey – he was a lot like Harrison in the way he worked and took care of his body. He also showed how to recover from injuries. William Gay too – on time management. That’s a really big part. On this day you spend time with your family, then on this day with your girl, then the next with the boys on the team. You always have to find that balance between football and regular life and that can be hard to do.
What did Coach Porter show you that helped you most? He told me he took great pride in working with you.
Definitely, Joey was just a different type of coach. Some coaches are X’s and O’s guys, but Joey was more than that. He was also a father-figure – a mentor. He was always there for you with life lessons and you could always talk to him. He always had answers on almost anything pertaining to life.
You get to the NFL and focus on football, but you need help sometimes with regular life stuff too. And he showed you to how to be a dog on the field – to take no plays off. Don’t just be the guy that jumps on the pile.
I spoke to guys that played with him – they always said he was a great teammate and he was a great coach and mentor for me as well.
What was the hardest thing to pick up as an NFL player?
That time management. Just going about every day. Your body changes – things change. But you have to keep up with it all. Even social media. Nowadays if you don’t showcase your work people think you’re not doing anything. We didn’t have to worry about that when I got into the league! Now you have to build time for showcasing your work too!
Switching gears a bit, A lot of the Steelers players talked about your leadership and mentorship. You were a member of the Future Business Leaders of America in high school, team captain at Kentucky and graduated from Kentucky with a degree in community and leadership development. What makes leadership so integral to who you are as a person and player?
I felt growing up like a lot of the kids in the neighborhood attached themselves to me. I always wanted to help give them a different outlook on life. To be positive. I took it upon myself to – to have a mindset even in middle school to change the life of others around me. To help them see the potential they have. So I took on that leadership role. My mother was also a leader in the community – so seeing her also inspired me to be a leader.
Was it a conscious transition you made from mentee to mentor? Do you remember that sort of flipping as you became a leader?
I think it was around year five – in Pittsburgh – when I really came into being a leader there. The younger guys started coming up to me more. Harrison left and it was a blessing to have guys – even guys like TJ – come up to me for advice.
When I went to Tennessee it really all flipped. I knew a lot of those stories on how you go through things in the NFL and – through adversity – and how to handle those types of situations. So I was able to teach some of those younger players what I went through. And it’s important to have someone who is going to tell you the truth – who won’t sugercoat things for you.
When you look back at your time in Pittsburgh – what on-field memories stand out most to you?
I’d say the hardest things were losing the two AFC Championship games! Losing to Brady and having him demoralize you just hurts. But getting to play with some of the great players like Harrison, Polamalu, Ben, AB before he went the other way, Le’Veon in his prime, Pouncey and Foster…that was an amazing journey.
The hit on Matt Moore may have been my favorite single moment. I think that woke the NFL up to me.
The worst memory was the torn ACL. I think that changed my career and detracted me from greatness. I think I was on that path. But God puts you on His own path for a reason. But that was my lowest career point.
How hard was that to go through knowing the direction you were going in?
I think the ACL injury changed my life, when you go back and look at it. I know I’m blessed – I’m financially stable and continue to play, but looking at it, it I don’t get hurt, I’m probably looking at a five-year guaranteed contract and Pro Bowls. I thought I’d be ok the next year but it took two years to recover – the knee just wasn’t the same. It was a huge letdown mentally. You just have to go back at it and keep grinding.
What are some of the best off-field memories that stand out to you – funny, poignant, or others?
It’s just crazy, silly stuff. People think I’m serious, but I’m really a goofball. I like to get people to laugh.
We’d throw rookie’s gear in the cold tub, wrap up their cars in bubble wrap…just stuff for laughs. I also used to hide guys’ helmets before games. They’d be looking around after Tomlin’s pre-game speech for their helmets. In the tunnel before they ran out for the game they’d be trying to figure out where their helmets were and panicking- I’d finally go back and get it for them. Guys get so serious before games – I tried to take some of those goosebumps away so they wouldn’t be so nervous.
Lastly, because I have to ask, would you consider a return to the Steelers?
For sure! If the opportunity came up. definitely! It’s a great organization and Tomlin – he is who he is. The standard is the standard – for sure I’d go back!
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
