Welcome to Steelers Takeaways! – Page 54 – 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 Darryl Ford, 1992

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

I’ve been working at International Paper now for the last 25 yeas. I had thyroid issues when I was playing that forced me to stop playing. I didn’t know what I was going to do next but I went with a friend for an interview there and that’s how I got started.

How was the post-football transition for you under those circumstances?

It was difficult – it wasn’t planned. When the hyper-thyroid issues happened I lost too much weight – I had to stop playing and that was hard not having a say in how you stop. I had to deal with that and at the same time I had to figure out how to earn an income. I just got lucky I found the job I did.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Darryl Ford, 1992”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Punter Shayne Edge, 1996

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

I finished up school in Florida and graduated after I was done with football. I taught PE for 11 years here in Lake City. My son played baseball on the travel team and I got to know Dave Chapel at Horizon Promotions through that. In the offseason when I wasn’t teaching he got me interested and involved in doing sales for him in the Summer. I established a friendship with him and have been doing that now for the last 10 years.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult?

It wasn’t too bad. Once I left the Steelers I tried to make it on a couple of other teams – New Orleans, Kansas City, then San Francisco in ’99. When I was in San Francisco my son was born. Once I didn’t make the roster there I decided it was time to get a real job and support my family. It wasn’t a huge transition from there.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Punter Shayne Edge, 1996”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back Doran Grant, 2015

First, tell me about your coaching work at Raw Talent in Columbus and how you got started with that?

I do speed and strength training and football-specific skills work. Raw Talent started really in Cleveland in 2005 – by Mark Harris. Mark trained me, Denzel Ward, Shaq Washington, Connor Cook and others. We expanded to Columbus and that’s where I work from.

What coaches helped shape the way you approach your work with athletes today?

Mark – especially on the training aspect. I learned a lot about technique and style from him. Looking back in college too, Coach Meyer taught me a lot about why he did things and how to do them. I watched what he did to prepare and liked a lot of the “isms” he had. He knew how to make things make sense by being pure and blunt. You couldn’t run from things with him – you had to go through the fire to build yourself up. He used to tell us “Some do, some don’t.” He’d have his thumb up at do and down and don’t. There were no gray areas with him – you had to choose whether you were going to do it or not.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back Doran Grant, 2015”

Exclusive with Former Browns Wide Receiver Ricky Feacher

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

Basically I’m retired now- just trying to enjoy my life. I’m not doing much of anything else. After I was done playing I worked for the Browns front office until ’94 when they moved to Baltimore. After that I started a career in real estate and mortgages. But when that all fell through the bucket I left and came to Florida. I coached high school for a year or so and now I spend time with my grandkids and kids.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult?

I’m still seeing doctors on my NFL concussion case so that’s been difficult.

Outside of that the transition hasn’t been hard. I was able to set up my own schedule and do my own thing. I wasn’t making the kind of money I did when I played but I was able to be successful and continue to live a good life.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Browns Wide Receiver Ricky Feacher”

Exclusive with Gene Collier, co-writer, with Rob Zellers, of the “The Chief”

First, tell me about the status of The Chief now?

The play is going on at the Pittsburgh Public Theater through November 7th. It’s the first time back there since 2014. The Pittsburgh Public Theater selected The Chief as it’s first play to perform there after the pandemic. So it’s a great honor.

What surprised you most as you and Rob Zellers wrote the play?

There weren’t many surprises in the play itself. It’s more that I was just new to the theater, as was Rob. Maybe the biggest surprise was that when Rob said The Chief would make a really good one-man play, that I agreed.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Gene Collier, co-writer, with Rob Zellers, of the “The Chief””

Exclusive: Former Cleveland Browns Running Back Greg Pruitt

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

Well, I’m retired now. I had my own construction business – Pruitt & Associates – that my son has taken over now. I retired from that in 2015.

If you ask me what I am doing now, I’ll tell you fishing, hunting and playing golf. If you ask my friends they’d tell you golfing, fishing and sleeping in the woods!

Was the post-NFL transition difficult for you?

I had an electrical business when I played that I sold to a defense contractor and had applied to start my construction business already. So I was already in business when I retired – so that took up my time and made it easier.

Continue reading “Exclusive: Former Cleveland Browns Running Back Greg Pruitt”

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?

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”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Fullback Steve Morse, 1985

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”

Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker/Defensive Lineman Bob Kohrs, 1981-1985

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”

Exclusive with Steelers Punter John Goodson, 1982

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”