First, tell me what drove your decision to retire this season?
Well, I have spent a lot of time in this business. It’s been a long journey. People told me I would know when it was time to retire and I just knew it was time this year.
What made you decide to take a job in 2004 with the Steelers as a coach in 2004 – and what were they looking for from you?
I worked with Dan Reeves in previous years in New York then in Atlanta. Dan was getting out of coaching and he and Coach Cowher were friends. He called Coach Cowher and recommended me, and Cowher hired me after that.
For me, I think Cowher was looking for someone who would be professional. He didn’t ask for anything specific from me other than to just be able to do the job.
Who were some of the mentors for you as a coach and how did they impact you – what did you take away most from then?
When I finished college I took a job as a high school coach at Enterprise High School. The coach there was Thad Morgan and under him we won a state championship.
From there Pat Dye at Auburn hired me and I was there until he left. That’s when Dan Reeves hired me in New York and we worked together for four-to-five seasons there before he took me with him to Atlanta. We had a nice run there before I was hired by Cowher and Tomlin retained me when Cowher left.
Early on, what I learned most was how to teach the fundamentals and basics. That was the biggest part of coaching for me. Some coaches like to emphasize the X’s and O’s, but my success in coaching was based on my ability to teach the fundamentals and techniques of the game.
In Pittsburgh, what did you look for in the tight ends you brought in?
I think with the tight ends, it was the same really as in any position. The main thing from our standpoint is that we wanted high-character individuals. You need athletes and talent but it all starts with character. Being able to live up to a high standard as a person.
In terms of what we developed in players, we emphasized everything – route-running, receiving, blocking…everything. Everyone we brought in we looked to develop into a complete tight end. We didn’t put guys in a box to be a blocker or a receiver. We looked to enhance all of their abilities.
So many of the guys I spoke to had such high praise for you. Who were some of the guys you really enjoyed working with in Pittsburgh and what made them appreciate you so much, do you think?
Jerame Tuman was there when I got there and we brought in Heath Miller – I was there with Heath for the duration of his career. Matt Spaeth too. All were really good people and could do a lot of everything. High character guys.
I think – what those guys said about me….I think that’s more of a testament than anything I can say about myself.
How has the tight end position changed over the years from your perspective – and has it changed to your liking?
In my opinion, since 2004 when I started in Pittsburgh, it hasn’t changed a lot. Every guy can’t be the ideal guy that can catch and block and do it all, but in most cases you don’t get that. You have to play to the strengths of the guys you have – you have to know what they bring and help them improve on the other stuff. That’s coaching. You play to their strengths to help the team win.
Now, I know the pass catchers get the most attention from the media and fans – the guys that catch the most passes always get the attention. But there aren’t that many more of those guys than there was when I started. There are still guys who are better blockers and some who are better receivers. I don’t think the position has changed that much. It’s my job as a coach to make every guy a more complete tight end and use their strengths. If they are a better blocker they should be in there helping with the running game, and if a better receiver to help more with the passing game. But it’s my job as a coach to make them all more complete players.
When you talk about the run game in Pittsburgh, what do you think the team needs to do to improve in that area and where does the tight end position fit in there? And where do Randy Fichtner and Matt Canada differ potentially in that approach?
You need to improve talent. Look. I’m not going to get into giving anything controversial on what Randy and Matt do differently or whatever. Randy is a good person. Canada is a good person. I will just leave it at that.
Of course. Last season you got to work with Vance McDonald and Eric Ebron. What was it like working with them, and do you have any fun memories with them or others you can share?
I’m not a guy really to share a lot of the fun stories. I’ll let the players tell you those things.
Vance though – he was here for four years and I enjoyed working with him. He’s a hard worker and good person.
Eric – it was different with Eric because we signed him and Covid hit. I didn’t have the opportunity to really sit down with him in person – face-to-face – and that’s a big part of it. Of getting to know and work with someone. So I wasn’t able to get into some of the things with him because it was all virtual. There wasn’t a lot of one-on-one. I thought he came in and worked hard though and was a professional.
Lastly, as a newly retired coach, are you going to be a guy who still watches football every week, or do you see yourself taking a break from it for a while?
For me it’s all uncharted territory. I’m not sure how I will approach it. I’ve never been there before!
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
