First, tell me what you’re doing with yourself since you retired?
I’m in medical device sales. It’s a competitive business – a lot of players are in it and do well in it. It’s a lot about who you know. You either love it and do well or don’t and don’t do well. I’ve been doing it for over 10 years now. I went back after I retired and got my Masters and went to law school, but then decided I didn’t want to be a lawyer after all.
How was the post-NFL adjustment for you?
It’s wasn’t too bad. I had a family I was very interested in spending time with and grounded me. Thank the good lord – I had a great nucleus around me. I wasn’t sure what to do at first. I had to find something I enjoyed, I fell into this opportunity through a friend who owned a medical device distribution company.
Is it hard watching Steelers versus Jacksonville games? Do you root for Jacksonville since they are the team that drafted you?
To be honest with you I was a guy who played on a number of different teams so I don’t really root for one team as much as I do the players that I know and had relationships with that I liked. I hope those guys do well.
But, I live here in Jacksonville and the team is important to the community. So because of that I pull for them to do well. My top priority really is for no one to get hurt and for them to be good games.
But you were also a Steeler at one point. How did that happen?
Well Tom Coughlin was just let go and one of the guys in the Jacksonville personnel department knew a guy in the Steelers’ personnel department who inquired about me. I had a good year in Jacksonville despite the fact we didn’t do well.
They brought me in and I was excited. Pittsburgh was my favorite team growing up. It was a well-run organization. I didn’t last very long there of course. I was traded to Carolina where my Jacksonville coach went.
What happened in Pittsburgh that they traded you?
I liked the traditional brand of Steelers football, but they got away from that when I was there. It used to be a blue collar team with Jerome running the ball, but when I was there it was Amos Zereoue and Maddox at quarterback, The team struggled – it was more of a passing team. It got away from the typical teams that ran the ball, held the time of possession and counted on a great defense. It wasn’t the blueprint for success they had been used to.
Was it difficult being traded after one year?
It wasn’t hard. Honestly, it was the right move for me and the organization. They just drafted Max Starks in the third round. He was young and wasn’t ready yet but they had other guys too. And Carolina needed the help.
I had flown down to Jacksonville to take my family to Georgia because a hurricane was about to hit, when Bill Cowher called and told me I had a lot left in my career and was a good player but they traded me to Carolina.
Any fun stories of your time in Pittsburgh?
The craziest was the fact I was from South Georgia and snow was not usual there. When we were in Pittsburgh we got 12 inches of snow and I had no clue what to do. I shoveled my way to my truck and went to work. I didn’t realize the snow was so high my wife couldn’t get out of the garage! And that I left the driveway like a sheet of ice.
Later that night my wife and I went out with Jeff Hartings and his wife to the Southside. I saw a car struggling on the highway and it turned out to be a Jamaican guy in a Mercedes. I ended up hitching his car to the back of my truck and driving him all the way out to Wexford! It was a funny sight.
Jeff Hartings, Jay Riemersma and I were all family guys. We all spent time with our families together. We didn’t have many crazy times.
How is your health today?
My health is good. There are days when it’s not as good but I stay active and have five kids. I’m doing pretty well health-wise. I can still get around a bit. Not as well as I used to but I can some.
Any thoughts on the way the game has changed since you played?
It’s changed a lot due to the litigation and stuff. They had to do a better job of protecting guys and their careers. The type of players today has changed too. When I watch today I see a lot of entitlement it seems. It’s aggravating. It’s more of a business – they are marketing themselves more than being concerned about the team. I’m not a proponent of that. I know individuals need to be successful for the team to win and play well. I just think it’s gone too far.
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