First, can you let me know how you got started working for the Steelers?
I was on the golf team at Robert Morris but quit after my second year – I knew golf wasn’t my future. I started working for Joe Walton and Radakovich doing video work for the football team. I was going to do an internship with the Golf Channel and passed up one with WFAN to do it, but then the Golf Channel internship fell through and I had nothing else going on. Then a job opening opened up with the Steelers and the RMU coach asked if I’d be interested, and I said “Hell yeah!”. So he recommended me to the Steelers. It was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
What was your role – what did you do?
I shot all of the game and practice pictures for nine years and did the prints for the sidelines – the prints the players and coaches look at on the sidelines. That was me.
It was different when I started. We always had to have a shift working at the office in case something was wrong with film – if something was missing or mis-labeled. The film would be sent to the coaches and players’ Ipads and Surface Pros for them to look at in meetings or at home. Quality control would do the cutups of the film and send them on. We did the playbooks and video both for the team – including for opponents two weeks out to get ahead of things. We’d also do college film cutups for scouts who were looking at certain players too.
I’ll say this – one of the things I’m most proud of is that in Arizona – we and Seattle were the first departments to put college stats in the video – down and distance, who threw and caught the pass, who made the tackle…no one else did that beforehand. When word got out other teams got upset – they wanted it too and they bitched to the NFL so the NFL ended up taking the whole process over. We ended up showing the league how to do it.
Any good stories of your work in Pittsburgh?
Oh yeah – I remember a presseason game in Detroit when Cowher was coaching. it was the first drive of the second half and Cowher comes over and yells to me. “Hey Rob!” And I do a good Cowher imitation if you saw me! I said “Yeah coach?” “Find me prints for the last defensive series.” I saw he and some of the players were disagreeing about something. So I go searching for them – in the garbage cans, behind the bench, everywhere. Finally, I found them behind a bench and hand it to him. “This isn’t the right defensive series.” he said. I showed him they were all stapled together and walked him through the prints – this is the first play, the second… ” He yelled at me again that they were the wrong prints. Then he asked me ‘When do you take these – how long after the snap?” I said “The same as always – two seconds after the snap and then during the play.” He yelled at me again “From now on I want you to take them right at the snap, understand?”
Well, Josh Miller made fun of me the on the bus back to the hotel – everyone heard Cowher yelling at me. The next week Cowher and I were in a meeting room together and he looks over and asks me “Where are you during the games Rob?” I said “Near the back wall, near the 50-yard line.” Well, I never see you there Rob!” I just looked at him and said “That’s probably a good thing coach!” He laughed at that. It was just funny how intense he was over maybe being wrong – and during a preseason game too.
It’s funny too because we went back and played in Detroit the following year and a security guard came up to me and asked ‘Aren’t you the guy that Cowher chewed out on the sidelines last year?” I said yeah….He laughed. “It was just a preseason game!” he said and laughed some more.
Any other good stories?
Oh yeah, In training camp in Latrobe once I remember being in one of those really high lifts – it was on the 50 yard line between fields one and two. It was an hour before drills were supposed to start and for some reason I had my headphone son listening to the Adam Sandler Hannukah song and was reading a book on golfing.
I looked down and saw Chet Fuhrman waving his arms at me and pointing. I looked to where he was pointing and Cowher was yelling at me. I took off my headphones and told him I couldn’t hear him. Well, he yelled at me again – “We’re doing the linebacker-tight end drills right now. Do you hear that!”
That night I was sitting behind Cowher watching film of the drills with the coaches. His feet never stop moving when he’s thinking about stuff. But then his feet stopped and he slowly turned around. “Hey Rob. We’ll be doing the drills the same time and place tomorrow. You hear that?” All the coaches started laughing.
Cowher was from the Schottenheimer school- you never get caught off guard. He was always on guard, When I was there I played every coach at ping pong and beat them all – Cowher, Whiz – everyone. When Cowher retired I shook his hand and thanked him for all he did for me – and he thanked me for all of my hard work. I walked out of the room but as I got to the door I slowly turned around and told him “You never did beat me at ping pong coach!” He smiled at that. It was interesting to see how he let down his guard after he retired.
Any of the players you enjoy working with most?
One of the guys I loved working with was Hines Ward. We’ve stayed in touch. We have a bet every year on the Georgia Tech – Georgia game. My dad and brother went to Georgia Tech – but we never win. So every year it’s basically a charity – me sending Hines $100!
Rande El – I called him “Hot Dog”. Every preseason game he’d sneak into the film tent and eat a hot dog. He’d sneak in and ask “Rob – where’s my hot dog!” He actually sent me a jersey from the game where he threw a touchdown pass to Cooley – when he played for the Redskins It was signed by him with a note ‘ Rob – thanks for all of the hot dogs!”
Jeremy Staat was one of the more interesting guys there. He was a different bird – he was pretty immature – he’d say some silly things in the locker room. It’s great to see what he’s doing now for the country – running for office and doing other great things. It seems like he’s really matured.
Jerome was just a great guy. And Whiz was a special guy – I’d caddy for him at the Tahoe charity golf tournaments. Jerome – he was one of the most caring, honest and open guys I knew. He, Dawson and Ward were the three players I really appreciated the most. Dawson was a great guy too.
Do you stay in touch with the Steelers at all still?
I do. I’ve been away for 14 years now but it’s funny – I can pick up the phone any time and call someone in marketing, ticketing, video – and it’s like I never left. It really is like family.
It’s sad -I remember my last conversation with Dan Rooney. I wanted to talk to him about a couple of things. I was in the doghouse with the Cardinals and tried to talk with Bidwell, but he wouldn’t return any of my calls. I called Dan after to talk, and he called me back two hours later and talked for 30 minutes There’s something to be said I told him for an owner who does that. It says a lot about the Steelers organization – they treat you like a family.
At one point I was interested in a job with the 49ers. They said I had to get approval from ownership before I could interview. My boss wasn’t available so I asked to speak to Dan. He said give him five minutes then come in to his office. I went in and told him I was interested in the video job with the 49ers. He told me that it wasn’t the same place since DeBartolo left. That maybe I should wait for the right opportunity – one with a better fit. He was really looking out for me – I appreciated that. A year later, Whiz took the job in Arizona and hired me there. That was the first wave of Pittsburgh West!
Any good stories from the Super Bowl facing your old team?
One funny story yeah. During the Super Bowl week I got a call from a buddy who called my old number when I was in Pittsburgh by accident. He called me in Arizona and said “Rob – you need to call your old number.” So I did, and a woman picked up. I told her who I was and she said “You’re the guy! My phone hasn’t stopped ringing with people wanting to congratulate you for getting to the Super Bowl! I had to stop picking it up!” I missed 30 to 40 calls!
My buddy also asked me that if, deep down, I didn’t really want the Steelers to beat Arizona, even though I was working for Arizona. I said “Hell no.” My bonus and Super Bowl ring was tied to the Cardinals!
I congratulated the Steelers after the game, but it was tough – it was the greatest Super Bowl ever. But I was happy for the Steelers too, even if it was at my expense. They truly are like family to you even if you’ve been away from the organization for a long time.
It’s funny – one good last story comes to mind. It was right after the draft – as it was ending. I was in the war room and got up to get a drink, when Joe Greene bends over and hands me a Coke. I said “Thanks Mean Joe!” Just like the commercial. We both started laughing. That’s one of those memories you never forget.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
