Welcome to Steelers Takeaways! – Page 52 – More than 1,000 interviews of Steelers players, coaches, front office staff, media and more with those that played in the 50’s through today’s current roster.

Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Ken Woodard, 1987

First, I know you just went back and finished your degree at Tuskegee. What made you decide to do so?

I always wanted to do it. I speak to the kids- speak to my kids – explaining the importance of a degree. I was a late round pick out of Tuskegee and there’s a lot that needs to happen to make you able to get drafted by an NFL team. It takes a lot to get there – I didn’t have the chance to finish getting my degree before I was drafted.

But, I was tired of telling people I attended Tuskegee instead of saying I graduated from Tuskegee. And I had too much competition once I got to the NFL to be able to go back and spend time getting my degree.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Ken Woodard, 1987”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Tight End Xavier Grimble, 2016-2019

First, what’s been the plan for you and what’s been going on lately?

Well, I’ve been working out and staying in shape – training every day. I just had my first son – he was born November 30th.

So sleeping well!

Ha yeah! I’m staying in shape – staying optimistic. I still love the game and get up every morning at six am to lift and train – doing what I normally would do and just trying to see what will happen next.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Tight End Xavier Grimble, 2016-2019”

Exclusive with Former Oilers Quarterback Dan Pastorini on the Houston-Steelers Rivalry

First, can you update us a bit on what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?

Well, I’m doing several things. I’m consulting – helping companies with new business development – law firms, structured settlements – I help those businesses. I also have a spice business I’ve been running for six-to-seven years now. These were spices developed by my dad who had a restaurant in California – he was one of the best chefs and butchers I ever met in my life.

That’s all kept me busy.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Oilers Quarterback Dan Pastorini on the Houston-Steelers Rivalry”

Exclusive with Aimee Kimball, Player Development Specialist for Steelers, Penguins

First, can you let me know how you got started in this profession and why?

I knew I wanted to get into mental training and sports psychology since I was in high school. All my education after that was about that. I interned then with Kevin Elko, who worked on profiling some of the Steelers draft picks at the time.

What did you learn from him?

Just seeing someone do it in real life. I saw the process. He also did motivational speaking – group talks – and I was able to sit in on those as well. I learned how to understand what different teams look for – what personality characteristics were most important to them.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Aimee Kimball, Player Development Specialist for Steelers, Penguins”

Exclusive with Former Houston Oilers DC/Head Coach Ed Biles

First, tell me how it’s going with you now and what you’ve been up to since your NFL days?

Well, I turned 88 last month and I’m just here enjoying life. I golf two days a week and play cards two days a week with some old buddies. I moved into a retirement community and I’ve been happy with that. I’m enjoying my family – my kids and grandkids. Whatever I have left in life, I’ll enjoy those days that I have left!

Let’s talk Houston and how you landed there as a coach?

I coached with the Jets under Eubanks. I knew he was retiring and knew who they were giving the job to next. I didn’t really think that guy would be successful and it turns out I was right. I called Sid Gillman – I knew he was putting together a coaching staff and he hired me.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Houston Oilers DC/Head Coach Ed Biles”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Center Pat Killorin, 1966

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

I started my own food safety company – we ended up serving over 25,000 stores across the United States. We handled food safety and sanitation and did that until 2008 when I sold the business. I did some consulting work in the field after that for a bit then a couple of years ago I started up a couple of other small businesses.

How did you get involved in that?

I got started by working with my former Syracuse coach who was in the business. I looked into what the future would hold for businesses – did some research and saw that there was a need in the food safety area as more people got sick from food issues – so I delved into that. He took me under his wing and and taught me everything about the food safety business and I became a food safety inspector after that until I started my own company.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Center Pat Killorin, 1966”

Exclusive with Tom Chaffee and David Russek on The Chief movie and NFT

First off, can you tell me how The Chief FC NFT process began and how it works?

Tom (Executive Producer & CEO, The Chief Partners): David and I had known one another over the past 10 years through other media properties. Over the past year or so I became aware of NFT’s and digital collectibles and became interested in them. I was interested in seeing how I could move the Chief into a digital NFT format – not just streaming video. I did some exploration on my own and as I was doing that research I reached out to David since he was in that space. He responded right away. Entre.One has been a leader and has been pioneering in the NFT ecosystem, having created the first shown video NFT in the industry – that’s how we got where we are today.

David (CEO & Founder, Entre.One) : NFTs are quickly becoming what the internet was in the 90’s. I lived through the beginning of the computer and video-audio ages – I helped launch QuickTime. I was lucky enough to live through CD-ROMs, the internet and social networking. As NFT activity unfolded, we decided what our entry point would be. We saw it could add greater value to fan engagement besides the streaming videos – it was something fans could acquire, have social utility and value built over time.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Tom Chaffee and David Russek on The Chief movie and NFT”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Quarterback Rod Rutherford, 2005

First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to since the NFL – especially your coaching work?

For the last nine-to-10 months I’ve been training high school kids who are trying to become better quarterbacks. I started XII Academy to help train kids on footwork, technique and the mental aspect of the position.

My wife and I moved from Pittsburgh to Florida over a year ago and looked to figure out what was next for us. I got the idea to do the training and felt Florida was a good place because you can spend the entire year outside doing it. I had to meet a lot of new people and learn my way around but it’s been going ok.

Football has done a lot for me. Growing up on the North Side of Pittsburgh, I don’t think I could have ever experienced what I have in my life without having played.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Quarterback Rod Rutherford, 2005”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Fullback Tim Tyrrell, 1989

First, can you let me know how you landed in Pittsburgh after your time with Atlanta and L.A.?

I played six years in the NFL – I was one of the last cuts in Steelers camp in 1990. I was a college quarterback, but I made it in the NFL as a fullback. I was traded to the Rams by Atlanta and built my career up as a special teams player and backup fullback.

By my fifth year I became a Plan B free agent. I signed with Buffalo but they released me. They had Tasker there so it was a funny signing since I was a special teams guy too, but Levy was the coach of the Blitz in the USFL and he drafted me then for the USFL, so I think he had some familiarity with me.

When Buffalo released me, the Steelers picked me up. I think they had an injury or something and I played that year. The next season they drafted Barry Foster and they were pretty jacked at the position.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Fullback Tim Tyrrell, 1989”

Exclusive with Ravens Linebacker Cornell Brown

I know you’re coaching now – can you let me know how your coaching career got started?

I got hurt my last year playing and got an opportunity to do a coaching internship in NFL Europe. They had a camp in Tampa in the offseason so I said “Yeah” and did that while I rehabbed.

After I got my start I got excited about coaching – I enjoyed it and was told that if an opening came up as a coach somewhere I’d get recommended. The next year I coached the defensive line for the Frankfurt Galaxy. I went back to Virginia Tech after that to become a graduate assistant and coached for Coach Beamer there.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Ravens Linebacker Cornell Brown”