First off, why did you decide to sign with Pittsburgh this year?
Truth be told, I was looking for a stable opportunity. I was with the Raiders for five weeks but I wasn’t really given an opportunity there. The Steelers gave me a real chance. Mike T. told me he knew that I wasn’t a practice squad player.
With the injuries there, I got a good chance to play if I proved myself. He told me that “If you don’t act funny, I won’t act funny!”
What’s next as a free agent – want to come back?
The exit meeting went really well. He commended me for jumping on a moving train. I was only there for 10 days when I started my first game there. He and I had a good laugh about that.
He said that he hopes to continue to do business with me and that if I come back he wants to see me play even better, but you never know what happens in free agency. I have a good agent so we’ll see what happens, but it would be nice to get a full offseason and camp with the team.
What did he think you needed to improve on?
It’s a game of confidence – it’s important to know what the guys around you are doing so you aren’t just reacting instead of making plays. It’s detrimental when you don’t know the guys around you well. So for me it is really just having a good feel for the other guys. It’s not just X’s and O’s – it’s about knowing that when the guy in front of you sees “X”, that he’ll do “Y”. You have to get to know those guys and play with them to get that.
I know you are a versatile player – you’ve played inside and outside – do you have a preference and how did that help you in Pittsburgh?
I like either. I played outside linebacker in college but it’s not that I like one over the other. I’ll play wherever the opportunity presents itself but I’ve had the most success at inside linebacker.
Were there players who were mentors for you early on in your career?
Deion Jones and Foyesade Oluokun in Atlanta – I still chat with them every week. They showed me how to be a pro and how to take care of other people – that the relationships you form last a lifetime in the NFL. I credit them both a lot.
Anyone in Pittsburgh show you the ropes when you got there?
That’s one thing that disappointed me – I missed that in Pittsburgh. Jumping on a moving train like that, people didn’t really know who I was or if I’d be playing. I tried to explain it to the younger guys – you get your outlook on the NFL from players more than from the coaches. Coaches can only do so much – the players help you form that perspective. And I just didn’t have that with the Steelers due to coming in so late. Without having that training camp and hard grind experience with the other players, it’s just hard to form those kinds of bonds.
I will say though that when Myles Jack came in, I clicked with him immediately. He and Adoree Jackson – they were from my area. I watched Myles when I was in college and he and I just really clicked.
How were the Steelers different from the other teams like the Falcons and Raiders that you played for?
I think the biggest difference is the Mike T. effect. I always wanted to play for him – he is like a figurehead there, so I was happy it worked out. It’s not that he does things so differently, it’s just that he brings the same energy no matter what. He creates a belief in the building. Even when we had those three bad losses, with him we always knew we would have a winning season and get into the playoffs.
What does he do to instill that?
It’s just him – everyday he is who he is. There are no good or bad days with him – he’s consistent. His message never changes. He addresses things head on and keeps us believing.
It’s funny. After I was released from Chicago earlier in the season, I had a workout with the Steelers and I thought they were going to sign me before week one. They told me they didn’t see me as a practice squad player and Mike said that he didn’t know why I wasn’t a starting linebacker in the NFL. But they had some injuries so they had to sign me later on. He told me “Show us you can play and we’ll put you out there.”
He showed that he believed in me and that gave me more confidence.
How did the coaching staff get the team through all of the injuries and ups and downs of the season? Did they change much of the defense?
I’ll give a shout-out to Coach Curry – he got me, Mark, Myles – all of us up and running fast. They didn’t change anything though. You have to go with what you know at that point. And you know as a player if you’re active you’re one play away from playing. The defensive backs coach had to go with whoever was available too.
With Cam, TJ, Highsmith – one sack…one TFL….that can change the game. So that’s a big deal. I told TJ in the last game that it was an honor to play with him. He told me he really appreciated that. I think that was the first time we really connected.
As a player, when no one thinks you can do something, that makes it feel all the better when you do it. No one thought we could end up with a winning season and make the playoffs, but we did it. We didn’t go far like we wanted to, but we beat the teams we needed to to get there when many people didn’t think we could.
Any memories stand out most to you so far over your career or time in Pittsburgh?
Coach Bush in Atlanta – when I was benched at the end of last year in Atlanta he told me “Sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side.” I thought I was playing well.
Well, we had a good laugh at that recently after how this season went. This year taught me a lot – especially about the business side of the league.
I’m proud of how things went. I had a lot of good people in my corner that helped keep me going when I was down. But I battled through it when things weren’t going well. Especially when we lost to two two-win teams in a row – you try to stay positive but you look at yourself and question yourself – you know you didn’t do enough and play well enough. But we battled through that and I’m proud of that.
Lastly, what should we know about that is you non-football related – what besides football keeps you going?
I’m just a laid-back guy when I’m not playing football. I like going on trips with my family and friends and hanging out with my kid. We went to this place today for kids and I was the only dad there! I’m just the most regular person you’ll meet in the NFL. I’ll always value being a good dad and brother. I’ll never change.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
