First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to lately?
Well, I’m in real estate now. My wife and I decided to get into real estate. I’m still training too, hoping for a call. It’s a crazy situation right now – I’m just seeing how it all plays out. I’m interested to see how it all goes.
And I’m coaching at St. Benedictine High School here in Memphis – coaching the wide receivers there.
As a coach, any coaching lessons fro the guys you played for that stand out to you and influence how you coach now?
Shawn Jefferson when I was with the Titans. I really enjoyed his style. He was very detail-oriented – that helped me out in life and in football. It helps me with the younger guys. When I was in high school I didn’t have much coaching on details so it helps me now to do that for the kids I coach. Preach one teach one is how I approach it.
You were a terrific track athlete in high school – nationally ranked. Did you ever consider track over football early on?
Yeah – my junior and senior years in high school I got really good and got some attention. In college I wanted to pursue it there, but then I tore my ACL on my jumping leg. After that it wasn’t the same.
Did your track experience help you as a football player?
Definitely. In track as a jumper and as a sprinter you have to be explosive. On the football field, on take-offs, cuts – it’s the same. So that really helped me. Track and field brought that out in me.
Stepping back – you signed with the Steelers as a free agent in 2017. Why Pittsburgh?
My agent brought me the offer. I just saw the Patriots a week before – I had a tryout with them. With Big Ben and that offense – it fit me. They liked to throw the ball downfield. I enjoyed the staff too. Tomlin was a Virginia guy – so having a coach from my area – that had an impact on me. Those two years, watching how he ran things there – that showed me a lot.
What about Coach Drake – how did you like playing for him and Coach Mann as well?
Coach Drake – Coach Mann too really – they were both some of the most laid back guys I played for, but very detailed. Coach Drake was a great guy. He was never dull. When he was serious he was real serious, but he would joke too. And he was always honest with you – I appreciated that a lot.
What did the coaches tell you that helped you most?
To go at full speed. If you’re a freak, then be a freak and play like one. Always play at a high level.
Did any of the other players help you out at all as a new guy to the team?
It was a collective group. Darrius Heyward-Bey was a good role model and men tor for all the new guys. Everybody was really friendly. It was very family-oriented. If you needed help you could ask anyone – defensive backs, linebackers, receivers…it wasn’t just one person.
Any good stories or memories that stand out to you most?
One good memory is Danny Smith. If there was a gum-chewing competition he’d win. He’d have 100 sticks of gum in his pants and chew 12 pieces at once. He was one of the funniest coaches. But if you made a mistake, you’d get it from him.
The coaches – Randy Fichtner – there were a lot of funny guys. Munchak – the whole staff was cool. When it was time to work we went to work, but when you were off we all had a good time together.
And Kevin Colbert – let’s just say he thinks he was the best pool player in the building. But I disagree, let’s just put it that way. he was good – maybe the best one the team now. I don’t want to discredit him, but when I was there, he wasn’t the best!
Any of the players stand out to you?
Being in that facility – there were so many good vibes. There was never a dull moment. Bud, Vince, Haden, AB…they were all funny. The rap battles on Fridays were funny.
Who were the best guys there?
Freestyling…Bud Dupree – he had some words, He laid down some lyrics. JuJu was the best dancer on the team. By far.
How competitive were the receivers with one another – it was a loaded group.
My first year it was AB, Martavis Bryant, JuJu’s first season, Cobi Hamilton, Coates….it was the most talented group I was ever around. Camp was intense and competitive as hell. We handled it all respectfully. We knew that if we were good we’d get fed more.
I felt like it helped us all ball out more. You see guys get cut and signed, it can get to you. You have to go out and be you and do what you can do – but don’t go and try to do too much. I played my role and made catches and just tried to be consistent.
How did Ben handle that competition and need to feed all of those guys?
Ben was the field general. He’d been there a long time and saw good receivers come and go. He tried to spread it around. He tried to find and utilize the skillsets of every receiver and adjusted to those.
If you were a new guy, Ben would test you. He’d tell you he was going to come to you to see what you got – to throw it to use to see what we could handle. It was a lot of pressure, but as a receiver you want the ball. You want him to say that.
A lot was made about the distractions from AB and Bell….were those really distractions for the locker room?
It can be a distraction, but at the same time you can’t stop working. You have to go out and work. You’re out there in that heat – you can’t be thinking about that other stuff.
If you get that call from the Steelers….?
I’d welcome back that chance with open arms. I never left on a bad note. I’d love to be back!
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