First off, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your time in the NFL?
Well, I’m back in New Jersey now and own a sports performance company – AY Sports Performance. I work with young kids to professional athletes – mostly on football position training. I also coach for a local high school here.
Were there coaches you played for that influenced you most? How so?
You pick up tendencies from all the coaches you play for. Eric Bienemy had a big influence on me. His attention to detail – he was the epitome of that. He taught us to be relentless with our work ethic and drive – and to leave no stone unturned. I learned so much from him as soon as I got to Minnesota. He was hard-nosed about how we went to work and was great at growing and adapting to the times. He was always expanding his bag.
And of course at Iowa they always great at teaching the fundamentals. I try to impart those on to the kids I coach and train now.
Who were some of the biggest mentors you had early on in your career?
Chester Taylor in Minnesota – he was a good influence for me there. He taught me how to prepare and take care of my body and to make sure I was ready when kickoff came. They were also big on pass protection – everyone there was with Eric as a coach. I was fortunate to be in a room then with guys like Adrian Peterson – it was a high-performing group of players and coaches.
The veterans there were also open to giving you information – that wasn’t always the case on every team. It was the best running back room to be in as a player and aspiring coach.
What brought you to Pittsburgh in 2011?
I thought I was done! After Minnesota released me I went to camp with the Jaguars but that was so late into camp I was only there for a couple of weeks. I sat out after that for a while when the Steelers called and picked me up right before the playoffs. I would have been activated maybe if they beat the Broncos but they lost. I think Mewelde Moore was hurt – that’s why they need another running back.
My agent had a relationship with Kevin Colbert – that’s why they contacted me I think. It was a short experience there but I could see even in that short of a time whey they were so Successful as an organization. And as a South Jersey guy it was good to see Isaac Redman there – I knew him since high school.
Was it hard being a practice squad guy?
I started off on the practice squad in Minnesota so no. I was there in Pittsburgh at first to help give a good look for our defense. That late in the season we weren’t even in pads – it was more just to give a good look.
How do you adapt to a new team so quickly in order to be able to contribute?
You have to learn the playbook as soon as you can. Jacksonville was less of an adjustment – I knew the West Coast offense – I came from that system. When teams run the West Coast I could jump right in. You can’t contribute if you don’t know the playbook.
I was there in Pittsburgh for a short time so the season was over before I learned the entire playbook. But you try to find ways to learn quickly. The Steelers playbook was different than what I was used to. When I was with the Chiefs last year as a coach in the Summer, I learned that system right away. The only thing that really changes with the West Coast offense is the terminology – and maybe some use a numbers system which takes a bit more time to learn.
What do you remember most about your time, albeit short, in Pittsburgh?
I’ll tell you this, I could see why so many players spoke so highly of the team even when they left. It was a family there. Mr. Rooney would have lunch with us – the culture was set there. On Thursday when I first got there I felt a tap on my shoulder and in this spot voice I heard “How are you doing Albert? My name is Troy – I wanted to say “Hi.” I turned around and was like “I know who you are Troy!” But someone that acclaimed to introduce himself to me – the new guy who, while I was in the league a while, I wasn’t some star player. I knew then that those guys were just different.
Any other memories stand out?
Even though I was just there a short time, I was going to have my truck driven down to me from New Jersey. But LaMarr Woodley just told me not to bother – that I could just use his Audi instead.
The entire team – they welcomed newcomers – you could see why they were successful. It was different then in Jacksonville – you could see the contrast. Minnesota and the Steelers were more in line with each other. Even the guys released by the Steelers would say it was a top notch place to play.
And Antonio Brown – he was a great guy then – not the AB you see now. He’d sit down and have lunch with you and give you his number to call if you needed anything.
You never felt like an outsider in Pittsburgh.
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