Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

First, can you let me know what you got involved with after your time in the NFL?

After my playing days I got my first job working at a juvenile detention center. It was very rewarding but very challenging working with young kids who had gone astray, trying to instill some values into them.

My friend who also played football in the NFL had worked there and mentioned it to me – that’s how I got started there.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Bob Gaddis, 1975-1976”

First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?

I grew up in what most would call poverty. I was a country kid – an at-risk kid, though I didn’t really know that at the time. That background gave me the desire to connect with at-risk kids as I got older. I ended up after football working with at-risk youth as a drug and alcohol counselor and social worker. I also worked for 25 years as the City of Decatur Director of Youth Services. I retired in 2020 – I was able to reach and help a lot of young people over that time.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back Bruce Wayne Jones, 1987”

First off, can you let us know what you’ve been up to since playing football?

I’m working for the government now – it was a calling I had – something I wanted to do since I was in college. That was my plan before the NFL became an option. I just happened to get a surprise last-second invite to the combine and football then became something I just wanted to pursue and give a chance.

I’m working as a special agent for the Secret Service. Working at the federal versus local level lets me have a bigger effect – to have an impact on the bigger picture too. I had some good mentors and made sure all of my ducks were in a row to make this happen.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Jamar Newsome, 2011”

First off, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?

While I was in the second half of my career, I was preparing for the day my football career was done. I dabbled in radio and webcasts in Wisconsin – I took the NFL up on its broadcast bootcamp my sixth or seventh year in the league. I met some great people – they helped teach me. I was able to put that on the back burner for later to land on.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Fullback John Kuhn, 2005-2007”

First off, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?

I retired in 2003. After football I started working at a small company – the Suma Enterprise Group – I started there after two years in New York.

I started learning all the facets of business planning, marketing and sales there – it was a good experience. It was a start-up so they threw me into a lot of different scenarios. I was a jack-of-all-trades, master of none!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Tight End/Long Snapper Dan O’Leary, 2002”

First, can you tell me a bit about what you’re up to now?

I had a blog I was working on – it was like my journal really on my thoughts and interest in sports performance. I had that interest since I was 12 – when I started wrestling. I realize now sports performance was more of an obsession for me than a profession.

Wrestling was so important to me because it showed me that the little things were so important – what you did off the mat mattered more than what you did on it.

So, the website captured those thoughts that I felt at the time were powerful. I decided to take time away from the trenches to write more and to be with my kids.

Continue reading “Exclusive: Dan Liburd, Steelers Strength & Conditioning Coach, 2017”

First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since your playing days?

I’m coaching now. Doing private training here in Fort Myers and coaching at D1 Training. I’ve been coaching since 2018 – at Florida Atlantic under Lane Kiffin, then at Tennessee under Coach Pruitt, then for Coach Flores in Miami in 2020-2021. I also coached at Boston College and helped with their recruiting.

Now I’m here in Fort Myers and will also do some high school coaching this year at Lee High Senior High school.

Continue reading “Exclusive, Former Steelers Wide Receiver Tyler Murphy, 2015”

First off, can you let me know what you are up to now?

I learned I was no longer fast enough to play in the NFL! That’s when I retired. After that I coached the tight ends at Oregon State for a year. I never really told many people before, but I actually got a call from the Steelers during their fall camp after Jonathan Decker blew out his knee asking me to come back. They needed a viable third string tight end to backup Heath and Jerame.

I had the plane ticket for that 2009 season – I just didn’t feel good about it. I couldn’t sleep that night and ended up calling Kevin Colbert and told him I made a commitment to Coach Riley at Oregon State and couldn’t leave in the middle of camp there. My heart wasn’t into it – and when that’s the case it’s just more like physical abuse. So I made the decision to stay at Oregon State.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Tight End Tim Euhus, 2006-2007”

First, can you let me know what you’ve been ups to since your NFL playing days?

I just won a championship last year in Toronto in the CFL – I retired after that. I had an interception and some tackles so I left on a good note. I never won a championship before.

Now, I’m coaching high school football at my alma mater, Los Alamitos in California. I’m working with the kids and showing them how to navigate all the things I had to as a kid. The football part will always be there – the hard work and practice. But the off-field distractions – mental focus, staying healthy and taking care of your body – that is what I am trying to help them with most. I want to help them get ready for that next step – college. I’m helping them to understand the mental aspect of the game to help them prepare.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Cornerback Shaquille Richardson, 2014”