Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

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

After football, I moved to Michigan and got married and had a son. We bought some property here and built a house. We’re on 20 acres of land here.

My old roommate at Wayne State – he worked at Enterprise Rent-a-Car and helped get me a job there. I started off as a trainee and went on to manage their vehicle repair and maintenance for Southeast Michigan for three years.

Now, I just recently took a job with Amazon working in their fulfillment center in Detroit.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Joe Long, 2012-2103”

First – seems like you have a ton going on. Coaching, podcasts… What have been some of the key things you’ve found interest in post-NFL?

The biggest thing is getting to explore the different schemes that people run now on Pat McAfee’s show. I was in a Bruce Arians scheme for much of my career – now I can dive into other schemes and watch film as a coach and see the creative and different things others are doing. It’s fun to learn all of that and go talk about it.

Pat McAfee and I have been friends for years – we went to each other’s weddings. He asked me to come on and talk about offensive line stuff – to break down what was going on around the league on camera and show what I know and what allowed me to be successful over the years.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Center A.Q. Shipley, 2009”

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

I played in the XFL and Canada for a while, but by the time I got to Canada my knees were shot. I coached high school after that for four years then got into personal training. But the bottom fell out of the economy so I got into construction. Now I’m the GM of  a construction staffing company here in Alabama.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers LInebacker Reggie Lowe, 1999”

First, can you let me know what you’re up to now, including your time playing in the CFL with Hamilton?

The most important thing is that I’m a relatively new father – I have a nine-month old daughter who’s growing every day. She’s teaching me a lot about life – what’s important. That’s my main focus – the biggest thing. Taking care of her and spending time with my girlfriend.

As for football, I’m working with my agent to get me back in the NFL. All I need is an opportunity – to get to a camp and make a name for myself and show I can play.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Kameron Kelly, 2019”

First off, what’s the offseason looking like for you – what’s the plan?

Just staying in shape – that’s key for me. I don’t want to go back to camp out of shape. Just working on getting stronger and faster. And seeing my family – that’s important for the mental side of it. Just enjoying my time and getting my body ready.

This is your “second signing” with Pittsburgh – the first being last December. Why sign with Pittsburgh this time? What did they tell you?

With five weeks left in the season they signed me up. Two weeks before that they had me in for a tryout and it went well, but you know how that goes. They tell you they’ll let you know when you’re needed. Well, two weeks later I got a call from my agent saying the Steelers wanted to sign me to the practice squad.

It was all really nice – the coaches, players – the whole organization. It all just felt like a great fit. I’m excited to do something great there – it was fun going there and seeing them go on a roll to end the season.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Linebacker Emeke Egbule”

First, can you let us know what you’re doing now since your football days?

After the NFL I played for three years in the Arena Football League. I taught school for a year then started working for a railroad company. That’s where I’m at now. I’m a transportation supervisor – I started as a conductor and am now a supervisor.

How hard was the post-NFL transition for you – what made it easier?

It wasn’t bad. It’s funny how it happened, really. Technically, the railroad company that hired me was based in Pittsburgh. I had a 10 minute phone interview then went in for an in-person interview. The interview lasted two hours and it was all about my time with the Steelers! The last few minutes she said they should probably talk about the job, but for two hours we talked about the Steelers!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back DeAuntae Brown, 1997-1998”

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

A lot of a lot and a lot of nothing!

I did some insurance work and then worked for a school here in Orlando – the Innovation Charter School that helped kids who needed some extra help – who were behind in their grades and that sort of thing.

I also tried to own an Arena Football League team. I played Arena Football for 11 years and tried to own a team here in Orlando, but it was harder than I thought it would be. I was attached to the game after I played, but the politics and the amount of money it took – I just misjudged how much it all took. It was just way too tough.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback Kenny McEntyre, 1994”

First, can you let me know what you’re up to now – where you’re at?

Currently I’m the Defensive Analyst at ECU. I was on the offensive side for a decade before doing this. Mostly it’s opposition research – helping defenses get ready for whatever offense we play. Looking at tendencies, concepts and the personnel strengths and weaknesses of the teams we play to help determine what we practice more or less of each week.

That’s been more of my role for the last two years.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Quality Control Coach/Quarterbacks Coach Matthew Symmes, 2018-2020”

First, can you talk a bit about what you’ve been doing since your time in the NFL?

I live in Atlanta.  I played my final season here in Atlanta – it was like coming home.  I went to school at Georgia and after playing the vast majority of my career out West, I slowly moved my way Midwest with the Chiefs and Steelers but am back here near my family. I’ve enjoyed that for the past 12-to-13 years since I retired.

I have a couple of businesses – manufacturing and distribution and tableware and dish-ware related. We do some licensing of college logos for tailgating items – things like that – and also have more traditional items as well for the home. They don’t take up too much of my time – the creative and marketing genius is done by my wife and partners.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Kicker Todd Peterson, 2002”