Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

First of, what have you been up to lately since you retired from playing football?

I’m just happy now being a dad and watching my older son play at Penn State and my younger son play here at North Allegheny.  I stayed in Pittsburgh because I still love it here and am enjoying being the best dad I can be. Watching my sons play football has given me the best joy I have had in a long while.

Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult for you in any way?

No – football wasn’t my life. It was just how people looked at me. I wasn’t lost when football was over if that’s what you are asking. I know some guys are but I always knew there was a deadline on all of that stuff. My body told me my time was done and I was fine with that. I’m enjoying watching my kids, golfing – I’m enjoying this time that I’ve had now.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker and Coach Joey Porter, 1999-2006; 2015-2016”

First, I know there are many stories of your time in Cleveland and trade to Pittsburgh after you were drafted.  Tell me what happened, from how you remember it?

Yes, thank you. I played quarterback at Pitt. I was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, but they wanted me to play defensive back in the NFL.  I would throw the ball around in practice and I was good. I knew what I was doing – how to drop back and my footwork.  I don’t think Cleveland liked that. I guess I had too much promise for a Black quarterback during those times!

So, since Cleveland saw that I wanted to play quarterback, they decided to trade me.  They didn’t believe I could have enough training to play even though I played quarterback all through high school and in college.  I felt I did. The Steelers had wanted to draft me so when I was available they traded for me.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back/Quarterback Henry Ford, 1955”

First, what are you up to now? 

Currently I’m a free agent. I still have a lot left in the tank and am ready to play. I have a small trucking company I run as well – when I come home after working out I work on that.

But I’m staying prepared. I train every day two times a day. I’ve had some interest from NFC and AFC teams. It just takes that one call. Teams are one play or one injury away from bringing me in, and I’ll be ready when they do. I’m eager and hungry and I think a team will be happy to get someone like me.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety J.J. Wilcox, 2017”

First, what have you been doing with yourself since you retired in 2017?

Since I’ve been done playing – it’s been over five years now – I’m still trying to figure out what to do full-time. I’ve dabbled in coaching – helping receivers prepare for the combine and pro days – that sort of thing.

The last couple of seasons I’ve been doing some media stuff too – working for the local NBC affiliate doing a weekly spot on TV.  There may be more opportunity there. I don’t want to coach at the NFL or college level. I always told myself while I was playing that the last thing I wanted to do was spend more time on football after I played than when I played. That can happen as a coach. I have three young kids and I don’t want them to not see me at all.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Lance Moore, 2014”

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”

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”