Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

First, what have you been doing since your time in the NFL?

I’ve been coaching players who are leaving college to play in the NFL. Pre-draft coaching for Stars SoCal. Jason David runs it – he was the corner for the Saints and later won a Super Bowl. I knew him from the lockout year when we all ran big seven-on-seven practices together to stay in football shape. We did special trainings to keep us sharp then during the lockout.

He approached me once I was done with football to coach the linebackers and defensive linemen for Stars. It gave me a chance to stay close to football without having to spend all of that time that college and NFL coaches have to spend. I played for 20 years straight. So it was good to stay close to the game and kick back some knowledge to the younger guys.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Bruce Davis, 2008”

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

I’ve been a school teacher – teaching math to ninth and 12th graders in high school. I also dipped into coaching and was the head coach for a high school in Ft. Lauderdale for five years.

Now, I get to watch my kids grow up. I have two sons – one a senior in high school and one is in college – a starting cornerback for Oklahoma.

Was that post-football adjustment difficult?

It was and it wasn’t. You get so used to being around your guys and smiling and having fun with everyone – and being a part of a team. You all have the same vision and one common goal. Then you go out into the world and everyone has a different vision of how you should think and do things. That was an adjustment. Now you have to do something new – you may like it, but not as much as you did football.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Lorenzo Davis, 1990”

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

Well, I’m a little bit different than some of the other folks. I knew I wanted to be a prison warden since high school. 99% of the prison wardens will tell you they just sort of fell into it – got a job with the agency and then whoa, they are there.

When I was in high school, I was fascinated with prison movies. We took a trip to a local prison and met the warden. I was fascinated with the power they had and what goes on in the prison. And there’s a big element of making a difference every day.

So, even in high school, I wanted to be a prison warden.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Eddie Miles, 1990”

First – what have you been up to lately – how are you doing?

Well, I’m retired! I’m 87 years old!

I have grandkids – one plays basketball and one plays baseball too.

So – tell me how you got started working for the Steelers?

I was drafted by the Major Junior Ontario Hockey Association in 1949 – I ended up playing everywhere after that –  England, Sweden, Italy, Czechoslovakia….I was a goaltender and played in over 870 games.

When I got home in 1962, I played for the Pittsburgh Hornets hockey team. They folded and I was hired by Mr. Rooney as the equipment manager in ’65. That’s when they played at the old stadium – in the old locker room. In fact – I was the one who created the AJR patch for Art when he passed away – I put that together.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Equipment Manager Tony Parisi, 1962-1996”

First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing since you retired from the NFL?

Actually, when I first came out, I did a lot of youth training for football. Then I moved on and started my own trucking company  – 18 wheelers. I worked with underprivileged kids before deciding to stop for a while.

Now, I’m just licking my wounds from the NFL and being a dad. Taking it easy.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult for you?

It wasn’t hard at all for me. I went from a starter in Cleveland to not much playing time by the time I was done, so I knew where I was headed before I retired. I was already getting prepared and had started work on starting the trucking company before I stopped playing.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Wide Receiver/Kick Returner Quincy Morgan, 2005”

First, I know you’re practicing law now. How did you get started in your new career and what area of law do you practice in?

I practice general corporate law – mergers and acquisitions and general business transactions. I was interested in law as an undergrad at Northwestern when I did a legal studies program there.

After Pittsburgh I went to Michigan and got my law degree and made my way back to Chicago to start my second career.

Was the post-football adjustment difficult for you?

The transition is always a bit of an adjustment. A lot of guys I think will echo that. I was taken back from the structure of professional football where everything is laid out for you – from breakfast to evening film study. It’s all structured for you.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Defensive Lineman Brian Arnfelt, 2013”

First, can you let us know why you signed with Pittsburgh?

Only Dallas and the Rams showed interest in drafting me. My agent told them they’d need to draft me if they wanted me because we had a deal in place with the Steelers if I wasn’t drafted.

I’m not sure why Pittsburgh had that interest in me though. We never talked about it.

Continue reading “Exclusive: Steelers Linebacker Calvin Bundage”

First, tell me how you became a Steelers fan – how did it all start?

I’ve been a lifelong Steelers fan – since I was four years old. I was born in California so it’s a bit strange why I became a Steelers fan.  It was dumb luck really.

I was four, and I was at my Aunt Jan and Uncle Don’s house. My cousins weren’t there so I didn’t have them to play with. I was watching TV – turning the dial – you know – when we all had those! I came across what I later found out was a football game. My parents weren’t big sports fans, so I didn’t know what it was. It turns out it was the 1975 Super Bowl versus the Vikings, so that was my first Steelers game. The first play I saw was Bradshaw throwing his only passing touchdown of the game to Larry Brown and then seeing and hearing the fans going wild. It was love at first sight and I was hooked from that day forward!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Minority Owner Paul Sams”