First, what’s the offseason plan for you – how are you handling the offseason?
My main goal is to focus on getting stronger for next season – that and working more on my technique.
Coach Tomlin – he told me to focus on my technique. He said I have all the tools in the toolbox. I just need to keep working on it and make sure I’m ready to go for next season. The biggest thing for me is to get stronger and to get my body fat percentage down. Just to put myself in a better position to compete next year.
How do you handle joining a team so late in a season like you did and picking up the playbook, meeting players…?
I was only there a couple of weeks before the season ended yeah. I think I was coached and raised to be accountable. I felt I showed what I was about in that regard when I was there this year. For me it’s all about putting the team number one. At the end of the day, Coach Tomlin said I’m an empty canvas to him. I’m just happy I could make a good enough impression to be signed to a futures contract and to have things be going in the right direction.
Any guys so far take you under their wing and help you?
I’ve been on numerous teams and in enough locker rooms – one of my better traits is that I am able to connect with different people. In Denver I tried to emulate the veterans there.
In Green Bay Mercedes Lewis helped me. He was a tight end, but the way he carried himself and took care of his body – it showed how important it was to do that. One thing I’ve been taught is that you have to take care of your body – capability is important but availability is key.
As far as learning the playbook in Pittsburgh, Coaches Sarrett and Klemm made it easier. I’ve learned three different NFL offenses before Pittsburgh so I was able to pick up this one relatively easy. Once you learn others it’s not as hard to adjust.
One of the big things you offer is your versatility, correct?
I was a long snapper and played center, guard and tackle. At Tulane I started off as the long snapper then was moved to offensive line. When the center broke his arm I moved to there as a sophomore. As a senior I moved from tackle to guard because they needed help there. I feel like I did whatever I could to help the team out.
Does that versatility sometimes become a double-edged sword though – making it harder to perfect one position?
I don’t think so. Playing on the line is all about angles. When you play tackle you are looking to get yourself between the defender and the quarterback. If it’s a wide-nine stance or you adjust to your quarterback’s drop – you have to know the playbook and know their drops to know the angle you need to take.
When you play guard and center, whether it’s the three-tech or the nose is right over you, you have to get in and fight right away.
But either way, any time you have a chance to play a position in practice you just have to focus at that time on the right technique. I had an offensive line coach in college who told me I shouldn’t do one-and-a-half hours of drills. He wanted me to focus on 15-minute drills targeting one area at a time I needed to improve on. If you keep doing that it becomes muscle-memory.
Any of the current Steelers players give you pointers and help you out some?
Pouncey, Villinueva, DeCastro – really across the board they’ve all helped out. It’s a veteran line – there’s a lot of continuity and they welcomed me with open arms and answered any questions I had. I talked to those guys really more than Klemm and Sarrett. That’s how it often goes with linemen. As a new guy, they just want to make sure I know how to do everything.
Do you look at the line and think about how free agency may affect some of those guys and open up opportunities for you?
No. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is yourself and your own work ethic. The team will make the decisions they need to make. It’s a great organization and culture. When I first got to the city I saw so many “Sixburgh” signs. The Rooneys run the organization so well. That culture of winning exists for a reason. I’m fully confident that whatever decisions they make will be the right ones for the team.
What made you decide to sign with the Steelers, by the way?
I just felt it was a great opportunity. When I was in Denver Coach Munchak always talked about Pittsburgh as such a bright spot for him. When they called to sign me I said “Absolutely.”
So, as a new guy to fans, outside of football, what should fans know about you?
I like to fish and spend time with my family. I golf here and there. I’m a big hockey fan too – I live in Tampa in the offseason and when I was at Tulane I got to go see a Bolts game and fell in love with the team. But don’t tell the Pens fans that!
One thing by the way I do think is cool, something I just learned is that all three Pittsburgh teams have the same colors. I’m not sure if people outside of Pittsburgh know that. That would be a great Jeopardy question!
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
