First off, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?
My time in Pittsburgh still impacts me to this day. To see how they have so much success in their systems – from top to bottom – from the Rooneys to the coaches and players and how they created a winning culture. They have been doing it for so long – it trickled down though the team. It’s one of the best organizations I’ve been around.
How did they manage to do that, from your perspective?
Tomlin – the way he joked and got along with players and yet be serious at the same time. It was interesting to see how he pulled off that dynamic. I was able to see what winners did to be successful – how to create a winning culture. I remember once walking out to the practice field and passing a room on the way out – in the room Dick LeBeau was there getting his Hall of Fame bust made. I had to stop in to see it – he was a legend.
I went to the practice squad then and they told me that if they made the playoffs they were seriously thinking of activating me. Unfortunately we didn’t make it.
How did that affect what you do today?
It led me to what I’m doing now. I have a startup – Player Epic – it’s a competitive gaming platform that includes both digital gaming and physical activity. We’ve created a gaming environment for people using AI and digital twin technology.
It’s really a gamified simulation for training and gaming – for use in sports and the military – uses like that.
It’s a platform with two separate activities – there’s digital gaming and match data with a separate physical activity. You add your measurables – height, weight, gender – and it creates a digital twin that syncs up with your wearables and gives you a target heart rate. The platform takes into account when you reach your target heart rate with your digital gaming data to create one ranking.
We started in 2020 and are soon going to be doing some IRB trails at UCF.
You mentioned before how different the Steelers were and how that impacted you. What was so different about it?
Just the way the players all got along – it was so different from other organizations. Everyone had each other’s backs – everyone was on the same page. You don’t get a culture like that without an owner and coaches developing it. The way they put the right people in the right places – it’s the way I’ve tried to build my team now for my startup. I can say I’m building my own coaching staff for my business.
Stepping back – how did you first get signed by the Steelers?
They called me. I was with Jacksonville prior and I think they liked that I was a hybrid player – I could play inside and outside and had some pass rush abilities. It’s an honor for any linebacker to get considered to play for the Steelers.
The defense was so different from other teams. The playbook was twice as big as any playbook I had seen. They taught you the why not just the how. They taught you that if this happens then this is what we do and why. The way they taught helped you understand things better.
What do you remember most about your time there as a practice squad player?
Getting the chance to see how James Harrison played and practiced – that helped me to become a better player. I was a speed pass rusher and he had more balance – he had speed and strength. He played a chess game as a pass rusher – he wasn’t just all speed or power.
And watching film and seeing the plays that Troy Polamalu made – plays I can’t even describe. It was like he knew the plays – he was almost supernatural.
I remember once in practice going up again Max Starks – I usually faced the ones. He said I was going too hard in practice and that I should calm down – but they were going hard too! Well one of the offensive coaches pulled me out of practice – he said I was going to hurt someone. But then Coach Tomlin came over and said “No. If I want him out I’ll take him out!” I was like “Yeah! Let’s go!”
Any fun off-field memories that stand out?
Casey Hampton had just gotten his signing bonus, and after practice he took a bunch of guys to Atlantic City. As he was walking off the field he asked me if I wanted to go. I asked him when – I thought it was in a couple of months or something. He told me “No – we’re leaving in two hours!” I asked him how we were getting there and he said he rented a private jet. So we all went to Atlantic City and had a great time.
That was my first time in a casino and they had a full spread of foods I had never heard of. Casey told me I should eat the foie gras – I had no idea what it was, but it was expensive! It was just a cool experience to all go out together. It was like being in college – that kind of atmosphere.
What do you think they saw in you that helped you make the team?
I think it was my ability to pass rush and drop into coverage. I didn’t pass rush a lot in college until my Senior year. I beat one of the top SEC tackles for I think two sacks and they liked that. I also remember Tomlin telling me I had a good day at the East-West Shrine game. I felt like I belonged there and fit the culture.
What happened after that season?
During the offseason I had an injury – when I came back I tore my rotator cuff and had surgery. With all of the guys they had and the timing, I didn’t have enough time to rehab as much as I needed. They released me and told me they were going to bring me back but I got picked up instead by Denver.
When I got off the plane in Denver Pittsburgh called me – but it was just too late. The worst part was that Denver I don’t think was aware that I just had surgery and they wanted me to go at 100%. It was just bad timing.
I learned a lot there though – it was fun there. It was a dream come true and I am thankful for the opportunity. It was a good life experience and I met a lot of people and learned how they approached being a professional.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
