Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

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

Well, I own 12 Dunkin’ Donuts franchises now – eight in Oklahoma and four in Kansas City, Missouri. I opened them up in 2012 – the first one in Kansas City and later the first in Omaha in 2013. At the time Dunkin’ Donuts was expanding rapidly Westward – they had an aggressive growth strategy. I was able to got those territories then.

What got you started in that business?

I knew nothing about it really when I got into it. I got started on the operations side and got operational training to understand how to assess what makes a store successful. The only way to understand that was to get my hands dirty. I had a few partners and we decided I’d take on that operational role.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Kicker Kris Brown,1999-2001”

First, let mc know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your NFL days?

Basically, I’ve been teaching and coaching high school since I retired from playing. I recently retired from coaching. I’m still in the classroom though teaching health, PE, and driver’s ed. But I don’t go out on the road – I just teach them the law!

Why teaching – and what influences affected how you coached?

I went to school, for a degree. The thing is, when  I left high school, I had no desire or inclination to pay pro football. It just happened for me. By the grace of God I had a good eduction at East Carolina and always wanted to be an educator. As a player, you emulate your coaches, and my coaches were like teachers too. You take some of those things you learn and transfer those to what you do in life.I went into sales first before finding a job in teaching, and have been teaching now for almost 25 years.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Linebacker Zack Valentine, 1979-1981”

First, what you are doing now with your time?

Well, I’m teaching criminal law right now here in West Palm Beach. And I’ve gotten involved in horse racing a bit. I’m paying more attention to my kids now. I always wanted to spend just eight to 10 years in Congress before I retired. I didn’t want to miss time with my kids when they were older – I wanted to see their football games and spend time with them. It’s a 180 degree change from Congress!

I was actually going to retire after eight years but stayed longer because I started moving up on some of the committees I sat on – plus I had two more years on the Intelligence Committee and wanted to stay on to wrap up the Russia investigation.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Former US Congressman (FL) and Steelers Minority Owner Tom Rooney”

First, can you let us know how you got involved as member of the Secret Service?

Basically,  going back to when I played at the University of Washington, I was blessed to play with a lot of great guys, But I had a number of injuries, and just like everyone else, you try and battle through them. Even as a rookie after I was drafted by Chicago, I had issues with my neck and back, In those days I had a bad foot and groin issues too.

But I loved playing. I loved being around the guys and loved contact. I loved to hit. As a linebacker I loved to learn the schemes and strategies too. When I was finally let go from my last team – the 49ers, I knew I was done after that. It was a short career – not what I had hoped for. But our bodies are mortal.

Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Linebacker Dave Hoffman, 1993”

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

Well, I’ve been a college football analyst for ESPN – now going on my 29th year. I’ve been calling college football games for the last 12 years with ESPN.

I majored on speech with an emphasis on broadcasting at Penn State. This is what I always though I wanted to do. I just didn’t know for sure until I had a chance to get into it after I stopped playing.

Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult for you?

It’s always hard no matter who you are. There’s nothing like playing the game. I loved playing – and playing it for  living was special, It’s a big hole – a big void to fill. You miss the locker room – the comradery. There’s nothing else that simulates that. I was fortunate to be around the business – to watch and study games film – that helped with the adjustment. I was able to make being around the game a career. But even with that I have to say it was still hard at first and it took me a while to get into the career.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Quarterback Todd Blackledge, 1988-1989”

First, tell me a bit about what you’ve done since you retired from coaching?

I worked for IMG sports Academy for about six or seven years, working with guys like Eli Manning, Chad Pennington, and Thomas Jones, getting them ready for the draft. Worked with a lot of first round guys. IMG – they get good people.

So stepping back – you were a good basketball player and track athlete in high school. How did football become your career?

Oh – I wasn’t good at any of them! Football wasn’t my decision – it just fell that way for me. I wanted to play basketball in high school but in order to play basketball you also had to play football. There were only 190 kids in my school and the basketball coach was the football coach!

My first year playing football there we had to practice in the gym one day because it was raining and we were just throwing the ball around and I caught everything, so the coach moved me to end after seeing that. I liked that because you didn’t get too much attention then at end from the defense – we didn’t throw much then.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Lionel Taylor, Steelers Wide Receiver Coach, 1970-1976”