First, let me know what you’ve been doing since your time in the NFL?
Not much – working for Fedex now. I used to have two jobs – working for Fedex and an airline company. Now just working for Fedex. Heck, I’m shocked you were able to find me!
Was that post-NFL transition difficult for you?
It wasn’t really that hard, no. There was just no easy work for me to find after I left football. It was not my choice to leave football. I just had a bad agent that didn’t help me. When the Steelers released me I couldn’t even find him – he didn’t really help me at all. I should have fired him but I just didn’t know how it all really worked.
As an undrafted free agent, how did you end up signing with the Steelers?
After the draft several teams called me – Dallas, Tampa Bay, Detroit… They all called me the day after the draft. Pittsburgh was always my favorite team – I think that’s why I just wanted to play for them.
Dallas made me angry – they called first and asked me to play for Dallas. They told me they’d give me a $300 signing bonus – I told them I needed to talk to my agent. They said they wouldn’t talk to him – that I needed to take it or leave it. I told them I still needed to talk to my agent and the guy just hung up on me. Right after that Pittsburgh called me and I signed with them.
Anyone help mentor you when you got there and how you the ropes?
I’ll tell you something that will surprise you – no one helped me. When I first got there and met the trainer, he brought me to Chuck and asked Chuck if he had anything he needed to talk to me about anything. Chuck just shook his head and said no.
I didn’t know anyone there. But after a while Chuck saw my play and liked my blocking. He’d talk to me a little. I was a guy more like Mark Bavaro – I didn’t like to talk to people really. But they didn’t care as long as I kept opening up holes.
I did get a bit closer to Frank Pollard – we roomed together. He was the only one I really talked to a lot – maybe Stallworth a bit too. But Bennie Cunningham and I never talked either.
What surprised you about your time in Pittsburgh?
I was surprised that it wasn’t harder than it was to be honest. The speed of the game is an adjustment but I felt like I could handle it ok. They really didn’t know how to use me at first, but I was used much more as a blocker.
I caught a couple of passes – averaged over 15 yards! But they didn’t throw my way much. I had more of a mindset as a blocker – I was always surprised when the ball was thrown my way.
I don’t remember it so much as it being good times. I don’t know why. I just kept to myself. I guess I always had that attitude since elementary school when I was bullied. After that I decided I wouldn’t be bullied any more and didn’t really talk to people much. So I kept to myself. When we went on away games I stayed at the hotel and just hung out in my room after practices.
Any fun memories stand out? How did you handle the rookie hazing stuff?
I sang that song – Take These Shackles From My Feet – I just chose it because it was popular then. When all of those big guys are threatening you if you don’t sing something, you just come up with anything!
Gillespie was a prankster. He’d pretend to be a superhero and tackle Stallworth when he walked into the locker room. He’d have him spread eagle on the floor wrestling with him when he caught him!
Who were some of the guys you remember lining up against most?
I remember playing against Howie Long and Too Tall. Lawrence Taylor and Rickey Jackson were the two best. Trying to block Rickey was like trying to block a brick wall – he was so strong.
What happened when they released you?
When they released me I didn’t understand why. They told me Chuck wanted to see me in his office, and he told me they wanted to put me on waivers. They had some injuries and had signed a linebacker and needed to make room for him. He asked me if I had anything I wanted to say, and I just said no and walked out. I didn’t understand how I could go from a starting tight end to being sent back home to Memphis. I probably could have asked them about it more but I just never really said anything – that wasn’t who I was.
Another thing was we had played Miami the week before and I tackled a guy on the sidelines that game and got a concussion. They pulled me out of the game and I was in the hospital for one day after that. The doctor told me they had to hold me out of practice until Thursday, and they released me on Friday. I asked the doctor if there was anything wrong with me but he said no. Then I was waived the next day.
Any other memories stand out from your time there?
One about Lambert surprised me. He had given me a headache all day during practice. After practice I had two footballs and I was going to ask him to sign for me. I was about to ask him when I saw him yell at an older guy who wanted Jack to sign an autograph. I think someone stole Jack’s helmet and he was pissed.
Well, I was timid about it but went up and asked him to sign the two balls and he just said “Sure.” He turned out to be a really nice guy!
You watch the NFL today? Like the way tight ends play now?
I see guys like Gronk and Kittle – Sharpe when he played. I wish I could have played like that too. I like the way they play now – I like watching them play.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
