First, congratulations on your retirement. What’s next for you?
Whatever I want to do! I’m only recently into my retirement, but it’s been really nice to have time to do whatever I want to do. I go to the beach every day, take walks and see my kids and grandkids.
There are projects around the house I’m sure I’ll get to but I have all the time in the world for those.
How did you get started in PR as an intern with the NFL – how did that come about?
I was a business major at Oregon then went to Ohio University’s Sports Management program. I got my internship then – I grew up with Jeff Kemp and his dad was close with commissioner Pete Rozelle. My dad was talking to his dad and told him that I wanted to get into the business, so he called Pete Rozelle who got me an interview with Don Weiss, who was the former Executive Director for the NFL. That led to the internship there, and the next year I got an internship with the Dolphins.
After that you joined the Steelers staff – what made you decide to join the Steelers?
Joe Gordon had an opening and I flew up and interviewed. The next day he offered me the job – that was three days before camp started. It all happened very quickly.
Any advice for those trying to break in to the field?
If you’re still in school, do all you can in college. Work at the sports information office or the athletic department. That’s the best training you can get to get into sports PR.
If you’re past college, make contacts and network. Learn about the job – get informational interviews to learn about what they do and to meet people.
Who were some of the mentors that helped you as you got started there in Pittsburgh – PR staff, players, coaches?
Joe Gordon was my mentor – he set the tone for the team. I learned a lot from him over the nine years I was with the Steelers. He was one of the most respected PR guys in the NFL – I soaked up all I could from him.
Anything particular stand out?
Some of the things he started – he was so innovative. Like the thumbnail notes he started. Back then the network production meetings were just the PR and broadcasting folks – no coaches or other people like there are today. So the PR people really had to know their team and roster well. Joe wrote up thumbnail notes on the team and players that were a great cheatsheet for the broadcasters. No one else did those before him – and everyone copied those afterwards.
Just his approach at those meetings – he has such a good perspective of the team – he knew what stories needed to be told.
How much did your staff winning the Pete Rozelle Award from the Pro Football Writers of America mean to you and what helped you win that?
That was only the second year of the award. The Broncos won it the first year which was funny because that was the year the Broncos offensive line refused to talk to the media!
Winning that award was a compliment to Joe really – to his reputation and how he built the department. I think the Steelers have won it three more times since then too.
Who were the players and coaches you really enjoyed working with most in Pittsburgh and elsewhere and why?
Chuck Noll – he was really low maintenance. He wasn’t demanding and was a straight shooter. He didn’t care about what the papers said which was refreshing.
Neil O’Donnell and Bubby Brister were great guys to work with. Bubby listened to me. He did what I told him to do – he knew I was there to help him. I worked with him to make sure he was consistent and available for the media – you had to be as the quarterback. I helped him not to fight it and to just have fun with it, which he did.
Neil was a good guy. Every Christmas Eve I’d get a knock on my door and he’d be there with a case of beer and thanked me for everything. He was the only player who did that.
You had been in the business for so many years – how have things changed over the years in terms of how and what teams handle?
I think it’s easier to say what hasn’t changed. The industry is so different. It goes through cycles.
First off, players and unions are on a more even playing field now. Players are more powerful – they make so much more money. They don’t need the attention now from the media. In the past players wanted to be in the press – it helped their careers and to get bigger contracts. Now it’s not so important for most.
There were also so many more outlets and media when I got started – demand for access was through the roof. During Covid many of those outlets closed down. So now there are less and most of those are digital outlets that are new or are in their infancy stages.
Those journalists now are different. In the past every reporter had a journalism background and followed journalistic standards closely – sourcing quotes and making sure their stories were accurate.
Now it’s not the same. A lot more is opinion than news. Editorializing instead of reporting. I guess that’s what digital media is about now.
How has social media impacted and player self-branding things of PR – how involved do you get in player social media?
I think it is a bigger deal just for some players. Most players have marketing directors and people who run their social media and websites. It’s sometimes like we’re in competition with them. We just have to work harder with them to make sure they understand we’re all on the same team and not work against each other.
I get why the players want their own brands – and I think in most cases they do it well and are just taking advantage of opportunities that benefit them and don’t hurt others.
Any moments stand out most to you over the course of your career?
What stands out most are the friendships I made throughout my career and how many people I still stay in touch with. At my retirement party 20 PR people from around the league attended – it was wonderful.
Another example. I lost my wife two-and-a-half years ago. At the funeral service I got flowers from every NFL team. Those are the memories and things that I treasure.
Anything you’re most proud of?
I’m most proud that both of my sons went into the PR business. My older son Christian has been working in the NFL for 10 years – he actually interned with the Steelers and is now with the Colts.
Preston worked for five-and-a-half years with the Panthers and just recently took a PR job with the PGA Tour.
That both wanted to follow my footsteps even after seeing all the headaches I went through is something I am very proud of.
One thing I wanted to ask about – and I know there isn’t one definitive answer. But how do you divine the line between what you reveal/discuss to the media about player activity and issues – what is your process there?
I think transparency is always a good thing. The more upfront and honest you are with the media the more they can trust you and the more they will believe what you tell them. If you’re not forthcoming or especially if you are misleading, that damages your credibility and you can never get that back.
Now, sometimes there are sensitive things that sometimes others that are involved internally may not want to see released. But the more transparent you can be the better. There may be a time when your credibility is questioned – the more people know that you can be trusted the better.
Lastly, what do you think would surprise fans most about what you saw and did there in Pittsburgh?
Something that stood out to me when I was there – I think I might have been the only non-native Pittsburgher in the front office when I got there. They liked to hire locals and I think – I could be wrong – but I think I was the only non-Pittsburgh guy there. I came over from the Dolphins.
Joe and the Rooneys were always committed to hiring from the community and it was the right thing to do for them.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
