Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

First – why choose the Steelers to sign with in free agency last year?

It was just a great opportunity. When they called they wanted me to come in and compete for a role on defense and on special teams. I just couldn’t pass that up and got there and competed every day.

Did you know they had interest – did the active game versus the Steelers rookie season help that interest?

The league is funny. Coaches and teams don’t talk about who they watch and look at. But they are always looking at guys every week. So even if they didn’t actively show interest it doesn’t mean they weren’t watching with an interest.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Outside Linebacker Derrek Tuszka”

First, what drove the return back to Pittsburgh?

We got the call from Coach Tomlin – my agent and me – he said he wanted me back. I was a free agent at the time – the Titans released me in early May, so it was perfect timing.

Coach Tomlin asked if I was in shape and ready to go and if I wanted to still play football, and I said “Yeah!”

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Outside Linebacker Tuzar Skipper”

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

Now I’m doing physical therapy-working with and training kids and adults.

I also have been coaching for now, wow, over 35 years or so. Mostly youth sports – football and baseball – lots of high school coaching. I went back to my junior college – Long Beach – and coached there for a couple of years but then had kids and stepped away for a bit before I couldn’t take it any more and went back into it.

But other than that just enjoying life and being a father. My kids are still young so I’m enjoying that.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Return Specialist/Defensive Back Erroll Tucker, 1986”

First off, how did you get into scouting?

I started in January of ’79. A BLESTO guy that coached me at Villanova later hired me as a coach at Austin Peay. When he went to BLESTO he asked me to come on and so I was there for three and a half years. I met people then and used that to help start and navigate my career from there.

It’s not all glamour – a lot of travel and roadwork. What’s been the hardest  part of the business?

It’s not the travel. The hardest part is getting all the reports done and in on time. When I was at BLESTO it was all handwritten on those carbon copy sheets. You kept one sheet and sent the other two to the office and coaches. You had to write hard enough to make sure it went through all three copies and make sure not to smudge those!

Continue reading “Exclusive: Rick Reiprish, Steelers Senior Scout, 2015-2022”

First, why choose Pittsburgh as your free agent  destination?

I felt like it was the best situation for me at that moment. My agent and I were talking about it and they gave me the best signing bonus and, looking at the running back room, there was some good competition there.

After Najee there seems to be a real competition at running back, like you said. Do you look at the roster a lot still? Do you pay attention to that?

It’s more a “what happens happens” kind of thing. I’m just going to go there and put my best foot forward and do what the coaches want me to do. It’s a good room to learn from.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Running Back Jaylen Warren”

First, can you talk about your coaching career – how you got started and when?

I got into coaching as a graduate student when I was at Pitt. I coached the JV squad while I was working on my graduate work. Warren McGuirk brought me in to play for Vic Fusia. Vic was a former Pitt coach so he knew me from there.

You were a legendary high school coach in Boston at St. Johns Prep – who helped shape your approach to coaching and how?

John Michelosen at Pitt – he was a quiet guy. I wouldn’t say stern, but he was a hard guy. I knew I wasn’t going to be an easy coach – I wanted to win. That was all there was to it for me.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Punter/end Fred Glatz, 1956”

First – why sign with Pittsburgh and how did that occur?

I was a free agent and was just at home working out, honestly, when I got a call from my agent saying Pittsburgh wanted me to come in. I had a tryout for the Bears in June but that didn’t work out. I went to Pittsburgh and passed the physical and am hitting the ground running and have my nose in the playbook now.

You’ve got some stuff that you do for the community outside of football right?

I have a scholarship program I do every June and a backpack drive as well back home. I started those my rookie year. I don’t have a foundation yet but that’s the goal eventually.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Offensive Tackle Trenton Scott”

First, I know you’re involved with NASCAR now – how did that happen?

Well, after the NFL I went to Canada for two years, but I found out then that Canada wasn’t it for me – I wasn’t enjoying it.

I was living in Charlotte, North Carolina – that’s where the national headquarters of NASCAR is. I grew up in Lamar, a short distance away. My friend was involved in NASCAR and when he heard I was back he asked if I would be interested in trying out the crew side of NASCAR. I had no idea about NASCAR – even though I grew up right there, I never watched it or anything. But I gave it a try.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Marshall McFadden, 2012”