First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?
I moved back to Wichita after I was done playing and taught high school algebra to teenagers. I did that for 10 years and started flipping houses in the Summer. That morphed into a house flipping business – I quit teaching and bought more homes and now that’s my business. Now I have 25-to-30 employees in Wichita and we manage our own rentals as well as that of 30 other investors.
The company is Goshen Property Management – we’ve been doing this for over 25 years now.
Was the adjustment to post-football life tough?
I always had that entrepreneurial itch. I enjoyed teaching but wanted out of the classroom. I liked working with the teenagers but I was in the same room all day. I just wanted to get out and really enjoy the real estate business.
Now I’m living in Idaho but I go back to Wichita once a month for the businesses.
Looking back – were you surprised to be drafted by the Steelers?
No – I was told I’d get drafted between rounds four and seven and I went in the seventh round. I was waiting and watching the draft on TV when I got the call from the Steelers. They asked how I felt about being a Steeler and I told them that sounded fine to me!
Who were some of the guys that helped mentor you when you were there – and how?
Rick Strom and I became good friends. We still stay in touch.
Tunch Ilkin was always a warm guy – he was always helpful. And Alan Haller and I became good friends as well. It was tough because I was only there a year. But, my second play in the regular season I broke my hand. It was frustrating – everything in my body was working except the fourth metatarsal in my right hand. I was on IR for eight weeks but then was able to come back and play special teams.
What happened in that second season?
That second year I was released. It was trying going though that. But I think it was a good thing for me – it helped me to pursue other dreams and prepare me to do that. I’ve been doing the same thing now for over 20 years. You can’t play ball forever even though we all think we will.
Any good memories of your time in Pittsburgh?
Practicing against Lloyd and Greene and then Jerrol Williams – they were so good. That defense was a great defense.
And I remember Dick LeBeau coming out in Latrobe telling us in the rain that this was “Steelers weather”. We’re all out there stretching and soaking wet but it was a fun experience.
I liked Cowher and remember how happy he was when I scored a touchdown in Three Rivers in preseason. I really enjoyed my time there.
Do you enjoy the NFL today?
I got tired of the woke and political nature of the NFL for a while but got back to watching and enjoying it again.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
