First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since you time splaying in the NFL?
I’m the Vice President for Player Engagement in New Orleans now. I’m helping to mentor young players – trying to lead them down the best path to be professionals. Players today have a lot of free time and money. I’m trying to help them to mange their time and money – we offer financial classes on how to manage money and budget. A lot of these players come from humble beginnings so we try to give them some experience managing money.
How did your playing experience help you in this role?
You said it – as a former player I know what they are going through. I played for 16 years – which is very uncommon. I experienced more than most players have. I scored my last touchdown when I was 38 years and six months old – I’m still the oldest running back to score a rushing touchdown.
I like how you add the six months….
Ha oh yeah! You have to add the six months! In the NFL if you lasted even six months means you’ve done something. I played for Haslett, Mora, Cowher, Dungy, Payton …I played for the best.
Who helped mentor you when you first got into the league – and how?
Dalton Hilliard in New Orleans. He was a running back in New Orleans when I was drafted and I learned valuable lessons from him. He showed me how to watch film – to understand what I was seeing. He showed me how to take good notes when I studied film – and he showed me how to do things the right way. To be on time, know the plays – to gain the trust of your teammates and coaches.
When I got to Pittsburgh Woodson, Lloyd, Perry, Lake….My friend Jerome Bettis, Lester, Thigpen…they welcomed me and when I was there I was able to help mentor guys like Bam Morris and Erric Pegram and pay it forward.
How did you end up in Pittsburgh in 1994?
The Steelers showed interest in me before the 1991 draft. They came down to Mississippi College to see me -I think they thought they found something in me. But New Orleans drafted me right before they were going to take me. In ’94 I went to Arizona – I played the Steelers one week then was playing for the Steelers the next! Arizona released me after half a season. Buddy Ryan was the coach then and they were just trying to find their way then. I did well on special teams there.
My special teams coach in Arizona was Al Roberts and he told me that I needed to continue to add tools to my tool bag. The running back there was Larry Centers – he taught me a certain blocking technique that helped me. I was chipping defensive linemen – breaking ribs! I was crushing guys. That made me a good third down back – that and my play on special teams helped me a lot.
When I got to Pittsburgh they had Bettis, Foster, and Bam Morris as their main guys. They always had good backs. I was able to transition in the NFL – first I was a good running back that played on special teams, then I became a good special teams player that played running back.
So many stories about your sense of humor from other players – what made you so funny?
We all told a lot of jokes. Dick Hoak would have me tell stories to the group about my years growing up in Mississippi. Jerome Bettis was funny too. I can’t repeat most of the jokes we told! I remember one guy on the team had large eyeballs. Every time he said something Jerome would respond with “I see!” The guy never caught on!
Jerome was unrelenting too. If you talked to a coach in the locker room he would crush you – he would make fun of you if he caught you. You couldn’t talk to coaches in the locker room around him.
He, Earl Holmes and Barry Foster – they had good jokes too. One guy pooped in another players shoe – it nearly caused a riot.
Erric Pegram was a hairy guy – we’d joke with him. We’d tell him it was Summer time – to take his sweater off! If you were around me you just had to be on your toes. I’d rip you apart. We’d call it “Snapping”.
Any specific memories stand out to you of your time there?
Mostly what stands out is just the brotherhood we all had. We had so many veterans and Hall of Famers on that team. Vrabel, Bettis, Dawson, Kirkland, Woodson, Lake……it was a great brotherhood. The locker room was as stable as its comes.
If you were a punter Cowher was always on your butt.
The joking with each other – that just showed how close we were. If you could take something wrong with someone and make them laugh about it, that’s good. Lloyd had a hard exterior but even he was funny. Lake and Perry too. Jay Hayes was a voice of reason – he got the team to rally. Dawson too.
Dawson, Woodson, Hayes, Lake – they were leaders. Hall of Famers. They knew when it was time to joke and when it was time to go. They were real guys. Dudes. It was a collection of leaders.
What helped you to stay so long in the league?
It starts from the beginning. Dalton Hilliard showed me how to be a pro. Shitheads don’t stick around, you know? Sometimes you have to be a glue guy, a mentor….You have to be a combination of things. You have to be good and have those other qualities.
Sean Payton used to joke with me. He’d say “Freddy – you lasted 16 years in the NFL. 12 years longer than you should have!” I asked him then what he thought of Buddy Ryan, Bill Cowher, Jim Haslett, Jim Mora, Tony Dungy…? I was calling out big time coaches I played for. I told him “I guess I fooled you too!”
The truth is it’s tough to last and be a leader in the NFL if you’re not good. You better be that guy. And being able to have a good sense of humor – there’s value in that too.
What do you remember most about your Super Bowl experience?
I was captain of the special teams which was special for me. The experience stands out most for me – seeing Diana Ross and Vanessa Williams – it was rock star stuff. We had police escorts everywhere and there were different gifts in our rooms every time we walked in.
It was the ultimate sport experience.
What do you think about the way the NFL has changed – especially as a guy still heavily involved in the game?
It’s an ongoing experience – the game is ever-evolving. I mean, once upon a time there were no facemasks! There are always tweaks being done to the game but it’s still at its core the same game – kill the guy with the ball! It’s more a part of the American fabric – the most popular sport in the US.
Lastly, as a Vice President for Player Engagement and former running back, what advice would you give young players entering the NFL today?
Put your head in the playbook and watch someone else who knows what they are doing. Follow the guy you want to be and do what they do better or equal than they do.
But if you don’t know the playbook – if you don’t know the plays – you have no chance.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
