First, can you tell me a bit about what you’re doing with yourself now – your work with students and your foundation?
Well, right now I’m the Dean at a local high school here in Saginaw, Michigan. I started here a couple of years ago.
My foundation was started by me and my wife because of our personal experiences we had. We lost four children due to miscarriages and two due to ectopic pregnancies. We’ve dealt with that over the past four years. We did have one successful pregnancy – we have a daughter who is five years old.
The experiences that came from all of those losses affected our marriage and my wife’s mental health. From all of that once we got through it, we started the Keys of Hope Foundation here in Saginaw. There wasn’t anyone here who could help us with our experiences – no organization with people who could relate to what we were going through. That motivated us to start our own organization for people going through what we did.
Now, we hold two group sessions per year – one in the Fall and one in the Winter. Each group has six meetings that cover different topics like faith, friends, goal-setting…run by facilitators who are doctors, ministers, licensed therapists…all trained. We wrapped our last couple up just recently – we had to do those through Zoom due to the Corona Virus, so that was interesting…
But we’re just trying to make a big difference in the lives of so many families who didn’t have resources like this before.
How did you get involved in the school system work as well?
It came through different job experiences. When I left Pittsburgh I got my degree in criminal justice and worked for different youth agencies including a prison re-entry program. Then I worked for the housing commission – dealing with building issues and upset tenants. That was a very stressful job. The position then came up for the school position and some friends who worked in the system told me I should apply for it. I did and was selected – that was around two years ago.
I told myself before I took the job that after seeing today’s youth, I didn’t think I’d like working with kids. But I’ve really enjoyed the job.
Was the post-NFL transition difficult for you?
It was a good transition for me. I knew guys coming into the game like Woodley as I was leaving it, so I could give them some pointers before I left. I always knew I wanted to come back home and work in Saginaw. I love the city and community and my wife and I always wanted to be here, so that helped.
What made you decide to play for the Steelers as an undrafted free agent?
I had offers as well from Miami and Chicago. The Steelers offered a little more money. But most importantly, my agent and I looked at the roster and saw they kept more linebackers than the other teams- they liked to use them on special teams and keep more. So I figured that would give me my best chance to get started in the league. That’s why I chose Pittsburgh.
Did anyone help you most when you got there to adjust to the NFL and city?
It was a solid group of guys – you could see why they won a championship. They were open and honest with us – there was a great comradery with that linebacker group. No one seemed to worry about guys taking their jobs. They were open and honest with you – no playing games with you.
They would tell me where to go around the city – stuff like that. I played behind Farrior – mostly I just watched him and his technique. He’d help me out. And James Harrison did too. He didn’t play the same position as me and this was before he became the famous player he later on became – but he helped me too.
Anything stand out most to you from those years in Pittsburgh?
Just the city. A lot of people I know have never been to Pittsburgh and don’t think about it a lot. But I tell them it’s a fun city – unique. It’s not too big or small – in-between size. I tell them it’s a very fun city.
In training camp I do remember doing the rookie skit. The rookie linebackers imitated the veterans – I stuffed my shirt and pants to look like muscles and copied James Harrison. For our skit I just kept on the side doing pushups and situps!
You were back and forth on the practice squad and the active roster. What was your role on the practice squad – a lot of people don’t fully understand how important that work is.
A lot of people don’t realize what the practice squad does. It was a humbling experience for me at first – I was a star player at Michigan State and now here I was on the practice squad. Things didn’t go as I planned.
But, I worked as hard on the squad as if I were on the active roster. It’s an important role – you are preparing your team for the other team’s defense. If you don’t study film and give realistic looks on what the offense will see when they play the other team’s defense, they won’t be prepared on gamedays. So it’s a very important role – if you don’t prepare you are letting your team down.
How did that first year go?
I was cut in training camp and picked up by the 49ers, but they released me in week 11. The Steelers picked me up again – and that week Foote and Farrior were both hurt, so me and Rian Wallace – both of us rookies – we practiced with the ones all week. I knew the playbook from camp so I wasn’t very worried about that. We went through the walk-through that Saturday thinking we would start – that this could be the turning point in our careers. Then on Sunday right before the game Foote and Farrior both said they were ready to go. Those two jokers both suited up – they got out of practice all week and played.
I was like, “Man, are you serious?” But we still played on special teams. It was still like no other feeling, getting on the playing field for a regular season game.
What do you think of today’s NFL game?
What I see? It seems like a bunch of primadonnas! The young guys want everything right away – right now – without putting in the work first. Even the guys that leave college early – they want the big paychecks before taking an NFL snap. They just want everything right away before putting in the work.
I’m also distressed about the rule changes. I know it’s for player safety but some of these hits players are getting fined and suspended for are legit. As a linebacker, I know sometimes you just get your body in awkward angles when you go to make a tackle – they aren’t intentionally looking to hurt anyone. They don’t deserve to be fined and suspended.
And the catch rule – the Calvin Johnson thing that really irks me! It takes away from the game. I have a friend who was watching a game from the 60’s – he’d rather watch that game. It was hard-nosed football. Today’s game – it just seems to be washed out sometimes.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
