Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

First, any divided loyalties when the Steelers play San Diego?

Not at all! I’ve been a Steelers fan since I was a kid. Swann and Stallworth were my guys. I’d imitate them in my backyard and wore 88 in high school. I was happy I got to wear 82 when I got to Pittsburgh.

Any big differences you remember between the two organizations?

Unfortunately I didn’t play in San Diego for very long. I was only on their active roster for four games in that one season. It’s hard to remember the differences. When they let me go I was excited to be able to play in Pittsburgh. They let me play at the weight I was comfortable at. San Diego wanted me to play at a lighter weight than I was used to playing at. Problem was I was a fit guy and had low body fat. Getting down to that weight meant me having to lose muscle. In practice I would start off ok early on, but by the end I could barely move.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Wide Receiver Yancey Thigpen, 1992-1997”

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

Well, I’m a retired teacher. I also coached the past few years as an assistant at Youngstown State. I was a volunteer working with the wide receivers and special teams guys. And I also worked as an assistant to Mike Tomczak too.

You broke a number of receiving records at Youngstown State and decided to go to Pittsburgh afterwards as an undrafted free agent. Why Pittsburgh?

A few teams called with interest. Cliff Stoudt was in Pittsburgh and he was the Youngstown State quarterback when I was a freshman. He and I were good friends and stayed in touch.

I think he mentioned me to the Steelers’ scouts. Once they called I knew that gave me the best opportunity to be able to compete for a job. I dropped everything and went to Pittsburgh and stayed with Cliff. We worked out every day – it helped give me an idea of what to expect in camp.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Jim Ferranti, 1979-1980”

First, let me know what you were with yourself after the NFL?

My last year in the NFL was 1966 – I played for Atlanta then went to work for Westinghouse for nine years. After that I worked for Volkswagon until they closed. I went back to school after that and became a physical therapist until I retired when I was 62 years old. I had enough of the workforce – I let someone else have at it!

Was that post-NFL adjustment difficult then?

Back in the 60’s, we didn’t make money like the guys today do. It wasn’t tough because in the offseasons we all had jobs. Once the ’60 season ended in December on a Sunday game, the Monday after I was delivering mail with a mail sack on the North Side. Back then they needed extra guys over Christmas because of all of the Christmas cards people sent.

I sold cars and worked in a butcher shop in Homestead. After that I was in the best shape I was ever in before training camp! Working in a butcher shop was tough work!

So after all of that, the transition to life after football wasn’t so hard.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Running Back Charley Scales, 1960-1961”

First, can you let me know what you’ve been up to lately?

Well, I’m in real estate now. My wife and I decided to get into real estate. I’m still training too, hoping for a call. It’s a crazy situation right now – I’m just seeing how it all plays out. I’m interested to see how it all goes.

And  I’m coaching at St. Benedictine High School here in Memphis – coaching the wide receivers there.

As a coach, any coaching lessons fro the guys you played for that stand out to you and influence how you coach now?

Shawn Jefferson when I was with the Titans. I really enjoyed his style. He was very detail-oriented – that helped me out in life and in football. It helps me with the younger guys. When I was in high school I didn’t have much coaching on details so it helps me now to do that for the kids I coach. Preach one teach one is how I approach it.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Justin Hunter, 2017-2018”

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

I live in Indianapolis with my wife – and I have my kids here as well.

I bounced around after pr football. I played for four years – after my first year I actually started law school. That was my whole goal – I wanted to become a lawyer. I had to pay for it though – I had paid my own living expenses since I was 17. I got a scholarship at Indiana University, but I needed to gather funds for law school. Not that I didn’t love to play football – I did.

I pursued my law degree at Duquesne. But after the ’73 season the Steelers traded all four of their receivers. They had that great draft of ’74 and saw the talent they had in Swann and Stallworth and traded the rest of us.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Glenn Scolnik, 1973”

First, what’s gong on with you now – what’s next for you?

Well I’m a full-time dad right now – I have a one-and-a-half year old so I’m chasing him around a lot. I was playing in the XFL when it folded due to Covid. Now it has a new owner so I’m not sure what’s going on with that. I’m staying ready for the NFL – staying in shape.

I’d really like to go back to the NFL. The XFL was great – it was great competition and a lot of fun. It made me like football again. But these new leagues are tricky – they are tough. I played for the AAF before it folded too – it didn’t make it either. I don’t want to get caught up in another thing that doesn’t work out.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Johnny Maxey, 2016”

First, let’s talk about how it all started. 15 years coaching one team is a long time – how did it all start?

When I was finishing college at the University of Tulsa, I had just played four years of football. But I was a realist – I wasn’t going to be an NFL player. I sent my resume out to Tom Donohoe in Pittsburgh for a scouting internship. I was supposed to be there for one year, but I ended up staying for 15 years!

Rooney and the staff were awesome. It was great to work with Donohoe and Cowher on those successful draft classes and on evaluating players. And Tomlin after that.

What made the team so special, from your perspective?

It all started with the ownership. It was run as a business and they worked on things as a team effort. Everyone had to be on the same page. We all had the same goals.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Assistant Coach Lou Spanos, 1995-2009”

First, tell me how you got into coaching and some of the lessons you’ve taken away from some of the coaches you played for and worked with?

I got into coaching back in 2001 at the collegiate level, My old coach  Paul Schudel at Michigan became the head coach at Central Connecticut State and called and asked if I’d be interested in coaching with him, and I took that opportunity. Ever since I’ve been involved in college coaching.

Coach Noll – he was one of the guys actually that I learned a lot from. His presence was s0 cool, calm and collected. I don’t get visibly upset either- I can give that look and people kind of know. But I don’t get too angry.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback David Arnold, 1989”

First, can you tell me about your coaching career – what got you into coaching and who some of your biggest influences were?

It’s easy – when I was in high school in Tacoma, Washington I graduated early. This was back in 1978. My high school coach asked what I was going to do for the rest of the eight months before college started. I told him I didn’t know and he said he’d try to get me into college early.

Well, I ended up going early to the University of Washington – eight months early And if you can imagine, I was the only one there that early – no orientation. I was on my own. It was sink or swim.

When I attended the football meetings it was the same way – sink or swim. Chick Harris was the coach then and he told me it was up to me – I was in meeting rooms with guys who had been there for one or more years – I needed to learn the system. It was sink or swim.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Secondary Coach Ray Horton, 2004-2010”