First off, what’s the plan/situation for you now?
Well, I’m not under contract as of the end of February. So I’m waiting on these job openings to get filled to see where I can get an opportunity. It all depends on who comes in for those jobs.
Would you stay in Pittsburgh if given a chance?
Well you treat it like any other job at this point.
You’ve moved around a lot over your career -how hard is that as a coach? You hear players talk about it a lot but coaches go through it to…
Yeah I’ve done that part many times. That non-paycheck part is stressful, and frankly, fans I know don’t care. That’s the job. I’ve done it many times.
I think it’s hardest on my family. I have 18 and 17-year old kids and they’ve been to three different high schools in three different states. That’s a lot for them. For me, it’s easier. Once I get the job I’m gone the next day working. But for my wife and kids – they bear the brunt of it.
How do you handle that stress personally?
Well, it is stressful. But it is what it is. It comes with the job. The problem is there just aren’t that many jobs in the NFL.
How did Coach Tomlin influence you as a coach – how hard to see him go especially under those circumstances?
For anybody it’s hard but I’ll just speak for myself. When you have a guy of that stature have to step down because he felt he didn’t get the job done…you feel like you let him down. That’s the kind of guy he is and the respect he has.
The “Oh my gosh we have to move again.” That’s a part of it. But as a competitive person and human – you feel like you didn’t get the job done and it feels awful to have let him down.
Are there mentors that influenced you most as a coach over your career?
For sure. If you’re a good coach, as I’m sure you’ve heard, you take pieces from everyone you’ve worked with. Urban Meyer gave me my base foundation of how to look and act and from there I took pieces from everyone – not just head coaches – from assistant coaches and coordinators too.
Good coaches keep evolving. A lot of coaches do the same thing but good coaches evolve. I learned a lot from the guys I was under. I got a PhD learning under Mike Tomlin. Your style has to continually change as a coach to be successful – especially in this changing NFL landscape.
Do you see a lot of change in receivers out of college now versus, say, 10 -20 years ago?
I don’t think so. The position is straight-forward. Offenses have changed. In the mid-90s when I played it was more of a pro-style – we didn’t think of throwing it 60 times a game. When I worked under Urban we used the spread offense – we reinvented things. But it depends on where you’re at. The position itself hasn’t changed.
I will say one thing maybe that has changed things a bit it – betting and fantasy football and how they have influenced things in ways we don’t see. They have creeped in and may have influenced things more as players get measured and paid by those numbers.
How important was it to play in college now as a coach?
I do think it’s important. Is it the end-all-be-all? I think it can be over-rated, but as a guy who did play it’s hard to tell.
I can draw up and coach offensive line play, but I can’t talk from experience about that six-inch step a lineman needs to take, for example. I don’t have that perspective. But there are good coaches who didn’t play like Mike McDaniel – he’s done ok for himself!
Why did you decide to coach for the Steelers?
Ultimately most of the time you don’t get to pick and choose where you go as a coach. You go where the opportunity takes you. In Pittsburgh I was lucky – sometimes you get to go where you want to go – the stars aligned for you.
Arthur Smith interviewed me when he took the Atlanta job but I decided to stay in Denver. So he knew me. I knew Mike Tomlin for forever – our paths had crossed over the years. We are close to the same age and we bonded over the Antonio Brown thing. So when Arthur brought up my name to Mike, he already knew me and told Arthur to bring me in. I just had to interview and make sure it was all ok.
What were they asking you to do with the receiving corps – what were you focusing on as the new receivers coach?
I look to develop the same thing wherever I go. For me it’s about creating a strong standard in the room. How we behave in practice and watching film. How it feels – creating a certain way to go about our business. There’s a certain way to meet and practice and you can feel that as a coach.
You need that connection with players as a coach. That’s hard to do in the NFL with free agency and the hierarchy of players. Creating a brotherhood is a challenge and I like that more than the X’s and O’s of football.
How do you accomplish that as a coach?
You chip away at it. There’s never a day that went by that I didn’t talk about it. It might be different every day – one day it’s about how we do walk-throughs, for example. But you do it relentlessly. You have to be committed to showing that expectation. You can never assume – you need to chip away at it every day. If your nucleus buys into it then those expectations bleed down to everyone else.
I was spoiled in Denver with Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Emmanuel Sanders – those guys bought in quickly. It was different here with all of the changing parts. But guys like Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek and Calvin Austin bought in quick. When DK came in he did too. You can’t drop below the standard. It’s death by inches! That’s easy to happen in the NFL – there are different excuses you can use as things slip. As Coach Tomlin said “Never tire!”
What did you learn from Mike Tomlin?
I tell other coaches how much respect I have for how he did the job daily. There’s no word for it. He’s the most consistent human being I have ever been around. There are no ups and downs with him – whether we got beat or won. He’s the same guy. You appreciate that in this league – you can’t ride the rollercoaster and succeed – and he didn’t.
I remember when we were 6-6 and got booed during Renegade. That was tough. The next day though he was the same. The team meeting the next day – the way he addressed the team was the same. Now of course he addressed different issues – but it was the same approach. There was no dip. It’s so hard to do that as a human – especially with NFL players who can be moody – as they have their ups and downs.
We have our boots on the ground as coaches – fans don’t understand how hard it is to do what he did. The consistency he did it with and the connection he has with players. It’s a unique ability. He was good to people – maybe to a fault at times. But that’s who he is.
There were lots of new faces through the year – how do you incorporate them into the offense and why not rely more on Roman Wilson and other young WRs?
A lot of those decisions are made from a lot of other people – not just me, Arthur or Mike. Special teams impact a lot too – those things are real. Sometimes you need a backup punt returner or someone with gunner experience – those are real considerations. Guys like Roman get left out then. It’s not as much about ability as it is about game-planning for special teams or maybe the need to carry things like an extra defensive linemen one week.
The vets understood when they were brought in later – Adam {Thielen} and MVS (Marquez Valdes-Scantling} knew what to do – what it took. MVS had a relationship with Aaron Rodgers already and knew his nuances so that helped. Adam got here Wednesday and started Sunday. We put in extra time together – it was a tribute to him to be able to do that.
You saw Aaron Rodgers get frustrated often during the season – was there something specific happening or was that just him being a guy who would show that frustration no matter if it was about tying his shoelaces wrong?
You’re right – he’s been like that his whole career. That’s the way he is – he’s always reacted that way. He’s a fiery competitor – if someone runs the wrong route or the right tackle sets wrong – he’s going to show his frustration. That’s how he is – but he’ll do that when he screws up too. I’ve been with him twice and I’d rather have that – to have him be amped up over certain details. That’s what I was talking about before – that standard you need to keep.
I do know no one cares – but to have so many moving parts – that’s not easy – it really does effect the passing game.
What would surprise people about the receivers group in Pittsburgh?
How unselfish that group was. They all embraced whatever role they had. There was no splintering with that group which isn’t always the case. That culture shined in moments throughout the season. We brought in two new guys and they felt that and got on board. That room wasn’t the flashiest – we all know that and don’t need to get into that – but they all blocked and played hard.
What do some of those young guys need to do to take the next step?
Calvin and Roman are both getting better. And I think Max Hurleman has a bright future. K’Shawn Williams has a bright future too though I know he’s in Cincinnati now.
Ben Skowronek is what he is – a Pro Bowl special teams guy who does everything you ask him to. Not enough great things to say about him.
What do you think Roman and Calvin specifically need to do to take that next step?
There are just so many little things players work in. Roman did a great job learning the game this season – studying what the defense does. Not every player has that understanding in college – they don’t all get that. Calvin is learning every season too. It’s about understanding the “Why” of what they are doing. That why, for example, they understand what release to use if they know they are the third guy in the progression versus the first guy. Learning that “Why” is why they are going to get better.
Any good/fun experiences you can share?
Latrobe was a unique time. Tomlin had a great expression” “Capture things you cannot measure.” Things like time with teammates. That’s what Latrobe was – food trucks and the home run derby… Unique experiences that get lost these days. When there’s nothing else to do, hanging out with teammates and practicing football is what stands out most.
After winning the AFC North versus Baltimore – that was a fun time in the locker room. They guys were so excited for Coach Tomlin. What we went through, losing to Cleveland…..it was euphoria. That was a great moment.
I don’t think people understand how much time and work goes into it. From July 2nd on we’re working long hours every day and barely see friends and family. Being there when the Pittsburgh Orchestra came in and seeing the players singing with them – that was fun. As coaches, we do this for the relationships we form and to impact people. We’re not in it for the money. It’s those moments that you do it for. Like having the guys in my house after Latrobe, eating with us and playing cards with my kids. That’s what we do this for.