First, can you let us know what you’re doing with yourself now and how you got started in it?
I never expected to be doing what I am doing now – my career evolved over time. I’m the general manger and vice president of the Crested Butte Mountain Resort here in Colorado. Its part of the Vail Resorts family of 37 resorts around the world. I grew up skiing – so now I get to enjoy doing what I did growing up.
How did you get involved in that as a Texas guy?
I was placed on IR my last year in San Diego – a guy I knew worked at Vail Resorts and I followed him there in the mid-2000’s..
I started on the real estate side. Once the recession hit I moved to the operations side, thinking I’d move back to real estate but I never did. My wife and I and our two kids love living here in the mountains – we’re super outdoors people. Mountain biking, skiing, hiking, fishing…we’re real blessed. Sometimes I ride the lift and people ask me what I do and I tell them I live here and help run the resort, and they ask me “Wait – you live here?” Living here is a dream – and the opportunity to work with an amazing group of leaders.
Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult?
It was a tough adjustment. I didn’t do anything for a year after retiring from football. I got good at Playstation, surfing, and I learned t fly. I got my pilot’s license and bought a small Cessna and flew around Northern California. I wasn’t sure what to do next. It was a struggle – a different world. Before I was really focused on fitness and playing and now I needed to find a new professional career.
What got me motivated to find a job again is a funny story. I was dating my now wife and I flew to Northern California to ask for her parents permission to marry her. They told me they loved me and think I would be amazing for their daughter, but the answer was no. I needed to have a job first. I looked for a job right after that.
Stepping back – you signed with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent. Why Pittsburgh?
That’s a great question. I thought maybe I’d get drafted at the tail end of the draft. My agent and I were talking and I was glad I wasn’t drafted at that point. He and I could sit down then and talk about what the best fit would be for me of the teams that had interest in me.
Cowher really sold me on the team. He was a big special teams guy and I knew my skillset – and being an undrafted free agent – that special teams would be a way I could make the team. That would be my best opportunity.
The wide receiver corps was also deep from one through three, but I thought I could compete for the fourth or fifth spot too. And the organization itself – they were the type f team I wanted to play for – the ownership, community involvement – it was the kind of culture I wanted to be part of.
Did anyone take you under their wing- show you the ropes being in a new city and as a pro football player?
I never felt a division between me and the guys like Bettis and Kordell, even as an undrafted free agent. My best memories are of us hanging out at Jerome Bettis’ house at Thanksgiving. The wide receivers were all supportive- Hines, Plaxico, Will Blackwell. Of course as a rookie they’d give you a hard time sometimes. I had to bring breakfast Saturday mornings and Hines would give me a hard time about how many blueberries were in the pancakes – he liked a certain number!
When I went out, even as a rookie free agent, there were fans who knew who I was and took care of me. They were always respectful – not overbearing. Those are the kinds of things I remember.
What do you think was the deciding point on making the team and roster?
I started off on the practice squad but we had a few injuries the first couple of weeks that precipitated me getting called up to the active roster. I remember the first time was right before 9-11. I spent about half the year on the active roster and half on the practice squad.
I think it must have been the fact I made a lot of plays on special teams in the preseason. I don’t think I played any snaps as a wide receiver during the regular season – just on special teams. But I loved playing special teams – that was so much fun.
In fact the kickoff team had a pot it kept every game – everyone had to put in $20 before every game. The first player to tackle someone inside the 20 got the pot. Well, no one tackled someone inside the 20 the first two games. When I got there I was fortunate enough week three to be the first guy. Deshea Townsend was the keeper of the pot – he was so pissed! There was two-to-three thousand dollars in there!
What else do you remember about your time there?
The 2001 team – I think we got home field advantage by week 13. We should have won the Super Bowl that season – we were such a talented team. There was no drama – we were all singularly focused and, no matter what position you played, everyone was supportive.
It’s funny, because I never expected to have a chance to play in the NFL until my senior season in college. My junior season I led the team with 22 catches. But then Mike Leach came to Texas Tech and I caught 80 passes my senior year. That gave me an opportunity to be seen by the NFL.
So when I did things like go to Jerome’s house, it was still amazing to me that I was there. I remember calling my friend and saying “You won’t believe where I am! I’m in Jerome Bettis’ bathroom!” This skinny kid from Texas – I was accepted by the other guys as part of the team. It was different from what I expected.
Any fun practice matchups and memories?
When I was on the practice squad I’d often play in the slot for the scout team. Porter would sometimes walk back and cover me, and he’d talk so much crap, and I’d do the same. I loved it. Gildon too – and sometimes I’d have to try and block down on Gildon – what a waste of time that was!
We had fun in practice but we took it seriously.
I remember when we played the Vikings, they passed out the scout team numbers and I was 81 – Randy Moss. I couldn’t do what Randy did! Every play was a fade or go route – every play. It was my hardest week of practice – I was so tired. Every play I’d go deep, and come back and do it again.
What happened after that year though that saw you leave?
It was a one-year contract, so I was back where I started after the season. My agent and I sat down and looked at the teams that were interested in me – including Pittsburgh who was interested in bringing me back.
But, I decided to make the move to Carolina. It was a horrible decision. It was in part due to immaturity. Living in Pittsburgh – it was my first time away from Texas and I missed my family. I had family in Raleigh – I thought I would be more comfortable there. I took the easy way out. I should have stayed and competed and gotten to know the city and community. I regret leaving. I think I would have had a good opportunity to make the team had I stayed.
Do you follow the game today?
I’m a Steelers fan – as are my boys. We bleed Steelers colors- I have my Steelers helmet right here next to me.
It’s a different game now – the way the defense is forced to adjust now to offenses. I can’t claim to know what they are going through now – it’s a different era. But we used to celebrate big hits when I played – big blocks or hits. They were things that earned people respect. They were reasons to celebrate. Now you don’t celebrate those things.
It’s a different game now – more wide open and receivers have less of a fear of the big hit. Offenses can take more chances going downfield because they aren’t afraid of big hits. I used to get my head knocked off when I went over the middle. I’d get crushed, being a big guy. But I prided myself on taking those hits for the team.
Any last thoughts for us?
My fondest memory of my football career – why I bleed Black and Gold – is after we beat the Ravens in the playoff game that 2001 season. Rooney came down to the locker room with a list of names and $100 bills. He gave each of us $200 and shook our hands and told us it was a great game, that we should go get some dinner on him,
You could tell how he meant it. The way he cared for us – it was about more than just winning games. That’s why I’m a Steelers fan for life. He didn’t have to do that. The organization just cares about the players and the community. That is the kind of culture I wanted to be a part of.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
