First, can you let us know about your post-NFL career?
Well, I have a career in medicine now as an orthopedic surgeon here in Birmingham, Alabama. I actually chose my career path while I was a rookie in Latrobe, during training camp. I was an inside linebacker in college and in Pittsburgh they moved me to outside linebacker which was an entirely different position for me. I put a lot of pressure on myself – I was hard on myself. I didn’t think I’d make the team.
I had a hard time learning the system. In my first preseason game, I didn’t do that well. I felt like I’d get cut – I was mad at myself for blowing a great opportunity. I felt like I let myself down. The Saturday after the game we flew back home and Sunday I went to see a movie with some of the guys, I remember throughout the movie just thinking that I blew my chance. That night I packed my bags ready to be cut – my roommate was cut the week before. I knew the drill.
The next morning – it was about 8:30 – I was asleep when there was a knock at the door. I opened up the door and it was a teammate asking if I had heard anything yet. I hung around the room for a bit waiting, then went down to the dining hall and walked in. My position coach – Jed Hughes – called me over to him and I thought that was it. Maybe they didn’t get to me before but they were now. Then he started talking to me about what they wanted to work on in practice that afternoon. I felt like I was given a second chance. The weight of the world was off my shoulders.
The next week Bryan Hinkle was out – his wife was pregnant – so I got to play more and had a good game and I stuck around.
So that was an eye opener?
After that yes, I started to look at my life’s work, as Noll used to say. I knew this wasn’t my long-term thing.
I became interested in orthopedics in camp. I got my degree in engineering that season at Auburn then went back every year and took pre-med courses and retired. I trained with Dr. Andrews – who’s a guru in the field. I loved my time in Pittsburgh – I wouldn’t change it for anything. But I’m working on my passion now.
So you were drafted in the sixth round – how did you find out about that and what did you think?
I was studying for an engineering test. At that time there was no hype about the draft. I got some calls from other teams during the day but never heard anything further. Then I got a call from the Steelers telling me they just drafted me. I remember as a kid in Birmingham – the city had a smoke-filled skyline like billowing smoke – that was my first impression of what Pittsburgh would be – just like Birmingham used to be.
The team showed no interest in me before the draft so it was a complete surprise. But it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I was surprised at how beautiful the city was. It came alive. I have no negative thoughts about the city or the organization. I couldn’t have ended up in a better place. I enjoyed my time there.
You still follow the team?
I have five children now – the oldest is twenty-five, the youngest is 10. I went to Pittsburgh a few years ago to see a game and asked the team for some tickets. They invited me to all of the team activities, the pre-game dinner with all of the players and coaches and the Rooneys, who were in town. I went with my two boys – the team was so gracious and welcoming. They treated me like Jack Lambert – like a superstar, which I wasn’t. It just shows what kind of an organization it is.
I don’t talk about my football past much with my family, but this brought it all home for the kids. Seeing my picture on the wall, and the Rooneys telling my kids stories about my time there…
The Rooneys were all down to earth – they really cared about us. They never talked football – they always asked about my family. They were very approachable – even as a rookie. They had an open-door policy which was very unusual. Even as a rookie I would go in and speak with them. I’ve spoken to friends on other teams and they never experienced that.
I took classes while playing and sometimes I couldn’t make the practices. Dungy, Jed Hughes – they’d hold special weekend practices for me to help me. It was just a very inviting program.
Who were some of the guys that really mentored you there?
Coach Noll was a great influence. He was very fair. I never fully got to know him – I’m not sure anyone really did. But I respected what he said. He seemed to have a life away from football – he had different interests. He wasn’t a typical football make-up.
Dungy – he was as respected and decent a man as I ever met in my life. What you see in front of the camera is what he is behind it. He was cerebral – but he would talk to us – not down to us. He talked at our level. He was a genuine person. He was a morally and ethically wonderful person and that was a great influence on a twenty-one year old.
Jed Hughes – he got his Masters and Doctorate at UCLA and Michigan. Education was important to him and he knew it was for me too. He knew football was temporary. He played a big role as a mentor to me. They were all men with substance and character. They were deep – not shallow. I needed that. They were great role models and I will always be grateful for the opportunity they gave me. That opportunity gave me the ability to pursue what I eventually did. Without it I’m not sure I’m where I am today.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
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