Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

First off, what are you up to now? What’s next?

We’ll see. I don’t know what’s next. I know I’m not done coaching. No one knows what’s next so we’ll see. But I know I’m not done.

What made you decide to get into coaching?

My love of the game. When I played I thought like a coach – I approached things like a coach. I just didn’t know anything about coaching. I was detailed and understood what we were trying to do and what the other teams were trying to do as a player.

It all started with B.A. {Bruce Arians}. He got me started. I didn’t think about it before then – I didn’t understand what coaching was about. B.A. saw it in me first and got me started in Arizona.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Quarterback Byron Leftwich, 2008, 2010-2012”

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

After Pittsburgh I had a brief time with the Packers. At the point when the Steelers released me I had a conversation with Bill Cowher. I wanted to explore coaching maybe at the college ranks. I wanted to stay close to the sport and looked into that. I went back to my school – the University of Connecticut – and talked to the Athletic Director and Head Coach then. After those conversations, though, I realized that while I loved to play the game I wouldn’t want to be a coach.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Mark Didio, 1992”

First, can you tell me what you did after you retired from the NFL?

Once I was out of football, I hung around for 10 years – I got a job in ’75 with Wilson Sporting Goods, in sales. I then moved to their headquarters in Chicago to work on product development on certain lines of equipment.

Then I got a job in their international division covering distribution in the Asia-Pacific region. I traveled to Asia six or seven times a year to visit the distributors and make sure they had the right inventory. I did that for 10 to 11 years – I always made sure I took extra time off to see the country. I didn’t want to just do business and leave – I really enjoyed being able to carve out time and see things.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive/Offensive Lineman Steve Smith, 1966”

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

I work now at Yavapai Junior College in their foundation – it’s a separate entity there. I do their fundraising for scholarships for student athletes. I was poking for a career change and just stumbled on to it really. But I love my role here – I’m a one man operation so I can create and design my own thing.

Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult?

It was definitely hard. You go from a structured environment like the NFL for so long then you’re cut loose and left to your own devices. I had some money saved up so I could take my time find something without struggling. It took some time but I found something now that I really like.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Shaun McDonald, 2009”

First, can you let me know what you got into after football?

I got into real estate development. I tried to buy apartments and renovated them and sold them. It didn’t make me rich but I could live off of it.

Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult?

It was. I used to wake up at night with blood on the wall. I’d hit the wall in my sleep – I’d dream about plays and swing and hit the wall. My wife stopped sleeping with me after that!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Kenny Graham, 1970”

First, what have you been up to since your playing days?

I’m not up to much now. I’m coaching my eight-year old son’s football and basketball teams – that’s pretty much it. I retired in 2010. I met my now ex-wife on the Millionaire Matchmaker reality show, moved to Scottsdale, Arizona and then got divorced.  So I’m splitting raising my son now.

What started the coaching interest? Any other interests?

I love coaching – I’m the head coach of both teams. He gets to play with his friends and I get to teach him right, like my dad did me.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Punter Mitch Berger, 2008”

First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing since your time playing football?

I played with a couple of teams after Pittsburgh than retired in ’97. I’ve since taught firearms and been involved in executive protection and have been a stuntman for shows like SpiderMan Live.

I’ve been living in Las Vegas – I’ve done six-to-seven movies as a stunt driver and 10-to-12 TV shows as a featured extra and have done some stagehand work as well. So I’m just being a regular Joe out here in Vegas!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman William “Mike” Withycombe, 1991″

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.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers PR Director Dan Edwards, 1985-1994”

First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing since your time in the NFL?

Well, since I got hurt and retired, I went back to Greensboro and became a cop for a few years. I resigned after that though – I just didn’t like it. I moved to Charlotte and got into coaching football at the high school level. I wanted to give back to the youth in the area – it wasn’t about the money. I wanted to coach and did that for five years.

Then, I got called to the ministry. I moved back to Greensboro in 2000 and started our church there, doing that and working with kids with disabilities.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Jessie Britt, 1986”

First, can you tell me how you got started working at San Diego State?

Well, after I stopped playing for Pittsburgh in 2015, I went to Toronto and tried playing there for a while. I just wasn’t the same after my knee was so messed up, so I called it a career.

After that I worked in corporate America for almost two years but I hated wearing a suit and tie everyday. So in 2018 I went back to football on the coaching side. I went to the University of San Diego – a non-scholarship FCS school – and worked there as a graduate assistant. I got my feet wet there to see if I liked it. I helped coach the offensive lineman there and reignited my passion for the game.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Nik Embernate, 2013-2015”