First, can you let me know what you’re up to now, including your time playing in the CFL with Hamilton?
The most important thing is that I’m a relatively new father – I have a nine-month old daughter who’s growing every day. She’s teaching me a lot about life – what’s important. That’s my main focus – the biggest thing. Taking care of her and spending time with my girlfriend.
As for football, I’m working with my agent to get me back in the NFL. All I need is an opportunity – to get to a camp and make a name for myself and show I can play.
What are your thoughts in the CFL – especially as a defensive back having to cover so much more territory?
The CFL is fun – I love my teammates and being able to play. I’m hoping to be able to use that as a platform to get back to the NFL. The CFL, AFL, NFL – no matter where, I’m blessed to play the game I love. I’ve seen how fragile it can all be. I’ve seen guys get injured, and now when you see what happened to Damar Hamlin – my prayers go out to him and his family.
The CFL is definitely a different game – it’s like playing in the park with your friends. The sidelines are so far away it’s like they are non-existent. The entire game is running East to West. Some snaps I played free safety – that’s where I’m most comfortable. But others I also played the nickel, dime, and even true linebacker and the nine-technique, close to the line of scrimmage. It showed how versatile I can be.
Stepping back, who helped mentor you most when you got to the NFL level, and how?
My dad was a really good player – he could have played in the NFL but had a back injury. He taught me all I knew going into the NFL – how to be a student of the game.
In the NFL Kavon Frazier in Dallas showed me how to be a pro – how to take care of my body. I appreciate him for that – for what he’s done on and off the field.
When I got to the Steelers Joe Haden was my biggest mentor. He was a true pro – he studied and knew the game. He was invested in his career and I learned how to manage my time and approach to the game – on and off the field – from him.
You suffered from compartment syndrome in college – how did that affect you and does it still today?
It wasn’t the slow version like some get. I was kneed in the calf during in a game and the blood all rushed to my calf. I had to have surgery – that was in the middle of the season. I was ready to play by the bowl game. Now I have no lingering effects. My leg is fine, I just lost some feeling in the top layers of my skin near my calf.
What did you learn from your experience in the Alliance of American Football that helped you to improve your game to the NFL?
Eric Allen was the defensive backs coach and Larry Marmie was the defensive coordinator – the head coach was Mike Martz. There were a lot of good coaches there.
They had me start off at free safety but they had some issues at wide receiver. Coach Martz watched me in practice and saw that I tracked the ball well and had good ball skills, so he asked me to move to wide receiver at first. Now, I was trying to get the NFL to see me as a safety – I didn’t think playing receiver was going to be something the NFL would see me playing at that level. I asked myself if the NFL would ever see me as a receiver. But I knew it was the best thing for the team – I think that’s the kind of guy I’ve been as a player. Team first. We talked and I made the switch and played receiver for the first three games.
But then the starting nickel broke his wrist, so they sat me down and asked me to move back to defense. But they asked me to play corner not safety. I hadn’t played corner since college. But Coach Allen coached me based on my attributes – based on my size, not on what they wanted me to be. He didn’t force me to play like a 5’9″ corner. He showed me how to use my size. I’m 6’2″. I was able to get five interceptions in five games playing corner.
How did you end up in Pittsburgh? Did they show interest in you in college?
The Steelers called after college yeah.
At the combine the Steelers were actually the only team that interviewed me. There were 12 other guys in the room sitting in rows of chairs, but it was really a one-on-one interview with Coach T. He had questions about my game and how I played. When we played Army in the bowl game I got a personal foul for smack talk and he asked me about that. I wanted to answer the right way but the film doesn’t lie. I play with passion. He told me that there was little room for that in the NFL. I appreciated that and told him that I play with a lot of heart and passion.
He also asked me what I thought my worst game was. I knew he probably already saw it – I knew I had to be honest about that and tell him what I knew was my worst game.
You seemed to shine early and catch the attention of the coaches – getting you on the field on game days. What do you think caught their attention?
I was blessed because the Steelers had some injury issues – Sean Davis came in and was still banged up. That gave me an opportunity in camp to make some plays. I had an interception every day. I think as a 6’2″ defensive back they expected me to play a more physical game, but I am an IQ guy. As a former receiver and quarterback I can identify and understand concepts and offenses. I knew that in camp they couldn’t install the full playbook – just a few routes. So I was able to hone in on those and make plays. My technique and fundamentals needed some work, but they could see how I could track the ball and make plays on the ball. That’s something you can’t teach.
What are you best memories in Pittsburgh from off the field experiences?
I think the biggest thing was just the closeness of the team. You never felt like there was a hierarchy with players – everyone felt like they were on the same level. Coach T. played pool with the guys and we went over each other’s’ house for Thanksgiving. It was a laid-back atmosphere and I appreciated that. It brings out more in you – it makes you want to play harder for the guys around you.
What are you best memories in Pittsburgh from on the field experiences?
The interception against Baltimore off of Lamar Jackson. That was pretty cool. Any time we made a play there was so much energy. And that was a rough season with Ben being out due to injury and having to shuffle quarterbacks in and out. We were still able to play for a chance to make the playoffs though at the end of the season. That taught me a lot about resiliency.
How did the team respond to the off-field issues you experienced – what did you learn from that experience?
I learned to be smarter – to understand that its not worth it to put yourself in a situation where something could go wrong. To not put myself in high-risk situations and to appreciate the time with my family more. I can’t remember the last time I went to a club or something like that.
I want to focus on being a better father, son and boyfriend. I learned that those are the most important things – I’m trying to just stay under the radar and handle what I need to handle. To love people regardless of how they treat me or my family – to find the good in everybody. And to forgive myself – I’m struggling with that.
What are the next steps no for you?
I was in a great position in Pittsburgh before the off-field stuff. I would have been re-signed if not for that.
Coach T. told me when I first got there that he didn’t care where I came from – that when I got there I’d be given a chance. He didn’t lie. I respected that a lot. But I think I lost sight of what got me there. My goal is to get back to that and not let up on what got me there. To tune out the noise and do what’s best for me and my family.
The thing is, I know I can play. I was an All-Star in the CFL last season. It was tough my first season there – the playbook is as thick as an NFL playbook but it’s a new game. I was comfortable this year and now I hope teams can see the film on me and see my versatility. And that I am a team guy. I hope that they can see all of that on film. I was good enough to make the team with the Steelers and I’ve only gotten better since. I’m ready for another opportunity when it comes.
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