Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

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

I’ve just been working and enjoying spending time with my family – my wife, kids and grandkids.

Was it hard adjusting to life after football?

Sure I missed it, but God put me on this journey and I’m thankful to him on a daily basis and appreciate him giving me the opportunity to play football. But I took it ll in stride. God has been good to me. I worked at a seafood restaurant for 23 years, then at a fishery for the last 12 years. I’ve been in the seafood business now for 35 years.

So you’re eating well!

Ha! Oh yeah I am!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver/Kick Returner Ernie Pough, 1975-1976”

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

When I played I was working for Dow Chemical in the offseason. I went to the University of Virginia and got my degree in chemical engineering.

When I was released in September of ’86 due to injury, I just moved on and worked. I came from a working family – from Alabama – that’s what you did. I went to Ohio two weeks after I was released and worked for Dow.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult?

It was like anything else – you have transitions all through life. You do what you have to do – you just have to be responsible and live your life. I worked as a sales engineer for chemical companies then got involved in real estate when I went to Houston. I got a lot of experience at Dow – in accounting, production, research … it was good for me when I opened up my own business in real estate.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Fullback Steve Morse, 1985”

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

Well, I’ve done a number of things. After football, I started as a commercial real estate broker, but it ended up being bad timing, so I moved on to commercial landscaping – I was a project manager for a large landscaping company. But that company went under.

After that I went into the food service industry and ended up working for Cisco for 24 years. It worked out well for me – it let me move down to their headquarters here in Phoenix where my family all are now so I can see them often.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker/Defensive Lineman Bob Kohrs, 1981-1985”

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

Obviously, I’m older now! I was let go from my job last March so I was just deciding if I want to go back to work again after all this is over or to retire.  I worked in finance for a long time and really don’t need to work now. I can retire if I want. Coming from the world of football, I’ve seen a lot of the people I know or ran across from then die a lot sooner. So that has weighed on me. Do I want to work more or spend the time I have left enjoying my life-  spending it with my wife and kids?

Was the post-football transition difficult?

I wasn’t there long. I started for a year – but it’s easer to get used to it than un-used to it. In college everything is taken care of for you, then you go get paid in the NFL doing what you love to do. Then you have to go figure out what you want to do after that, after everyone else has already gotten started in their careers. So it takes a while to get started.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Punter John Goodson, 1982”

First, can you tell em how you got into photography in the first place?

I was planning on going to art school after college. But my dad at my high school graduation bought me a Canon DSLR as a graduation gift. I switched my major in college after that – it piqued my interest.

When I was in college I got an internship working for Michael Fabus  – the Steelers’ team photographer at the time. I ended up doing that for two-and-a-half years. I started off helping in what I thought was a short stint – I got to go cover the AFC Championship game versus the Patriots in 2004 – unfortunately we lost. But they ended up keeping me on – and from then on I knew that this is what I wanted to do.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Photographer Karl Roser”

I know you played defensive back professionally – how did you become a running back coach?

I played running back all through my youth and for two years in college. In order to get on the field a position switch was necessary though – it worked in that regard. I played defensive back in Canada only – I never played there before in high school or college.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Kirby Wilson, Former Steelers Running Back Coach, 2007-2013”

First, can you let us know what you’ve been up to since your time in the NFL?

Well, I was in the commodities business for about 10 years, then I semi-retired. I haven’t been doing a ton of anything since – a few investments here and there, that’s about it.

We’ve been doing quite a bit of snowboarding now where we are in Montana. Some skiing and snowshoeing too.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult for you?

Not really. It didn’t really feel like it anyway. It was big that right away I had things to get involved in. I built and sold a couple of spec homes in Miami and split our time between here and the Florida Keys. We sold the house in Florida in 2006 and bought a sport fisherman boat and had some great experiences boating up and down the Keys, staying from island to island.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Tom Newberry, 1995”

First, can you tell me more about Alkeme Health – what it is and how you were motivated to launch this company?

Alkeme Health is a digital health platform whose guiding principle is to provide care to Brown and Black people with on-demand mental health and well-being content and courses offering psychotherapy help, meditation and more.

What prompted your specific interest in this?

Black and Brown people have been underserved by the the healthcare industry – especially in regards to mental health – for a long time. The healthcare industry didn’t address issues like intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, anxiety, and micro-aggressions. And no one really did anything about it. So we’re seeking to fill that gap by helping those in need. I experienced this as a player in the NFL. I really didn’t receive the proper care I needed for these issues. I wanted to provide help to others by filling that need.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Ryan Mundy, 2008-2012”