Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

First, can you let me know how you got started working for the Steelers?

I was on the golf team at Robert Morris but quit after my second year – I knew golf wasn’t my future.  I started working for Joe Walton and Radakovich doing video work for the football team. I was going to do an internship with the Golf Channel and passed up one with WFAN to do it, but then the Golf Channel internship fell through and I had nothing else going on. Then a job opening opened up with the Steelers and the RMU coach asked if I’d be interested, and I said “Hell yeah!”. So he  recommended me to the Steelers. It was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Video Assistant Rob Brakel, 1998-2007”

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

Well, I retired from the NFL around 2008-2009 and came back home to the inner-city of Memphis and have been coaching high school football here for the last 11 years. It’s been wonderful working with the youth here and being able to give back to my hometown  – especially in front of my family and friends so they can share these moments.

It’s been a long journey, and I’m now actually at my alma mater where we had a good season and placed second in our division!

What coaches have helped shape the way you coach now, and how?

I’m so blessed  to have had so many good coaches. I had a Hall of Fame high school coach in Tim Thompson – he assisted 30 to 40 kids in getting division one scholarships and had three or four championship appearances of his own.

At Tennessee Philip Fulmer, John Chavous and Randy Fichtner were all great. And when I got to San Francisco I had Steve Maricucci, Dennis Erickson and then of course Cowher in Tomlin in Pittsburgh. So a ton of coaching lessons from all of them.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Cedrick Wilson, 2005-2007”

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

Well, I’ve been a school teacher and high school football coach for 34 years and an administrator – the city coordinator for high school football before I retired.

You’ve been a legendary high school coach in the Chicago area – what made you such a good coach?

Number one – I had a good feeling for getting kids to want to play for you. I had two great college coaches in Joe Gilliam Sr. and John Merritt at Tennessee State.  They were both hard workers who showed me how to get guys to want to play for you. I also was a quarterback in high school and college and that helped me to learn the game. I knew the game as a player and that carried over into coaching.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Roy Curry, 1963”

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

Well, right now I’m selling real estate here in Dallas and working with my foundation. We help with breast cancer prevention for low income families. We provide free mammograms – my mother passed away over 20 years ago from breast cancer so this means a lot to me.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult for you?

I knew a lot of guys struggled with retirement before I got to the NFL.  Some couldn’t adjust- it was their whole focus and way of life. But I didn’t have any problems. I played for 13 years and am grateful I could. I don’t miss any of it now. I’m totally happy. I think something must be wrong with me because I don’t miss it at all! Maybe because of my longevity it made it easy.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Offensive Lineman Flozell Adams, 2010”

First, tell me about your work in the XFL – your role that you had there?

Well, all is in flux now that the XFL shut down and is starting up again. I was the Manager of Football Operations and Player Personnel – I was the liaison between the league and head coaches. I did everything from help formulate the rules for the league to helping with the ramp-up operations – including R&D.

With player personnel, I helped set up the Summer Showcases, which were like our combines. We did some new things – GPS testing on specific football movements and one-on-ones and seven-on-sevens, so coaches could see the real football acumen of players. 30% of the players in the XFL came out of the showcases.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback Justin KIng, 2012-2013”

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

I’m just trying to be humble and grateful about all that God has gotten me in my life. I’m working at U.S. Pipe making steel pipe. I’ve been doing that for 27 years now.

How hard was the post-NFL adjustment for you?

Well, it is hard getting adjusted to the real world. A lot of guys, maybe they take stuff for granted. I put God ahead in my life and everything else worked out fine with my family and personal life.

It can be frustrating. I’m so grateful because you hear about guys who struggle after football. I had my struggles but I put my trust in God and that helped me to prioritize things in my life. You can hurt the people you love when you try to keep up wit the Jones’. I stayed grounded. I did what God asks us to do. He opens our eyes to the things he promises us when we follow him.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Anthony Henton, 1986-1988”

First, can you let me know what the next steps are for you?

Well, I don’t know really. I’m probably not going to coach again. It depends on the situation I guess. I’m definitely taking time away from coaching now. But I’m  keeping my eye on it. You never say never.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Coach Dick LeBeau, 1992-1996, 2004-2015”

First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself lately that you’d like people to know about?

Well, I’m as busy as ever even at my age and stage. I don’t see myself slowing down any time soon. The Super Bakery business has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams – it’s been a lot of fun and I’ve been able to share that success with a couple of Penn State buddies- Lydell Mitchell and Ron Rossi who does the marketing. I’ve been managing the Super Bakery business for over 30 years now.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Running Back Franco Harris, 1972-1983”

First, can you tell us how you got into coaching and how you arrived back at USC?

I’m the Offensive Analyst at USC. Once I was done playing in ’06 I took a year off to figure things out – like a lot of guys end up doing. I was like “Damn. What do I do now?”

In ’07 I got an opportunity as a Graduate Assistant at San Diego State. I wanted to go back to USC but they didn’t have any openings then. That’s how I got started. After that in ’08 I went to the University of San Diego to coach tight ends – it was a restricted earnings salary so I only made $20,000, but it was an opportunity for me to coach my own room. I didn’t have kids then so it was something I could do.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Lenny Vandermade, 2005-2006”

First, let me know what you’ve been up to since your time in the NFL and how you got started?

I work for Direct Supply, Inc. as the Director of National Accounts. We supply equipment – and build – long-term care facilities – the equipment, ventilators, technology and e-commerce platforms – everything . I work with C-Suite relationships across the country.

After I finished my NFL career – I ran left and my leg went eight and tore my ACL, MCL – that was God’s way of saying it’s time to get a real job. So I went back to school at Wisconsin and got my business degree in marketing, and was then recruited by Altria. I think they liked the attributes that many of us as athletes have – leadership, discipline, commitment – hard work. But between football and moving around for that job, I moved six times in nine years. My wife looked at me and we talked about raising a family and growing roots somewhere.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Donnel Thompson, 2000”