More than 2,000 interviews of Steelers players, coaches, front office staff PLUS interviews with Pittsburgh actors, musicians, authors and more
First, can you let me know what you’re doing with yourself now?
Well, to be honest my post-NFL time hasn’t been all that great. I did have a landscaping company in ’06 to ’07. I recently sold the lawn service to a buddy and gave the landscaping piece to my brother. I do the soliciting for him now.
The NFL has helped me out a lot. I’m now getting total physical and neurological disability from the NFL.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Fullback Jon Witman, 1996-2001”
First, can you explain how you started off as a pastor in Pittsburgh and how you got into this role?
I have been a pastor for 22 years now in the Pittsburgh area. I was a pastor for 10 years in Pittsburgh then moved to Detroit for four years, then I came back to plant a church here in Pittsburgh. That failed wonderfully! It was the hardest year of my life. But I landed after that at a great church and have been there ever since – for 12 years – Northway Christian Community now has seven churches across the Pittsburgh region – I was the campus pastor for the original location.
This past July, I stepped out of that role to become a local missionary for Athletes in Action – hired by them to be the Steelers chaplain.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Chaplain Kent Chevalier”
First, let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since you time in the NFL?
Well, I’m a manager at a boutique hotel – Hotel Zaza – here in Houston. I’ve been here for over two years and been with the company for six years.
Before that I was doing medical sales – I started that right after football. That was about the time I had my first son. My wife was a flight attendant and was based in Houston so we moved there and I got caught up in the hotel business there. I had relatives in the business who helped me get started.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Lee Mays, 2002-2006”
First, tell me what you’ve been doing with yourself since the NFL?
Well, for the most part, I’m staying out of the limelight now after being in the limelight in Pittsburgh! They could tell you then I was the life of the party! I’m trying not to do that anymore – just here with my beautiful wife, three kids and two beautiful grandkids.
Were you surprised you were drafted by Pittsburgh? Who helped mentor you when you got there?
I was super-surprised. They showed no interest in me before. I ran a slow 40 at the combine – hell, I didn’t even want to run. But whatever – I just wanted to get into the league and show what I could do.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Cornerback Deon Figures, 1993-1996”
First, tell me a bit about what you’re doing now?
Oh man, I’m just enjoying retirement! Just having fun and golfing!
Let’s talk Steelers-Patriots rivalry. What were your first impressions of those games as a young NFL player?
Well, when I was growing up my dad was a big-time Steelers fan – so I grew up knowing that Steelers history from him.
When I got to New England I remembered all of those times my dad talked about the tradition they had and the Super Bowls they won. Then after I got there New England started winning and we started building our own tradition. We sucked for years before that. So now you had two big powerhouses going at it. It was like the number one and two college teams playing each other.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Patriots Defensive Lineman Vince Wilfork”
First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing since your time in the NFL?
Currently I’m working at a company that makes calibration testing systems here in Baton Rouge. We work on equipment and accessories in industrial and electrical industries. We have eight locations – we’re a pretty large international company.
I work in the rental division and make sure the materials we work on are updated and in the system for lab technicians and customers to see.
How hard was the post-NFL adjustment for you?
After my career ended, it was somewhat of a bitter moment. I didn’t have the long tenure in football like I planned on having.
So, it was quite an adjustment. It was a different lifestyle – facing the reality that my football days were over wasn’t easy. I started playing football when I was in fourth grade. Not being able to play any more – that was hard to take.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Anthony Tuggle. 1985-1987”
First, you’re involved in so many different things outside of football – what are the biggest things on your plate right now?
Well, I’m still practicing law – I’m the Chair of the Board of Directors at Eckert Seamans, Duquesne University, and the Pittsburgh Foundation. Those are the biggest things.
Your family and the Rooneys are always deeply involved in charity and community causes. Why do you think your families are so involved?
That’s a great question and one I often ask myself as well. There are a few of us that are more involved in charities. I’ve honestly thought about this over the years and I think there are multiple origins.
My grandfather and his wife – and my father and Aunt Rita – they were all very involved. On the Rooney side, Art was in his own ways too. We all had have been very concerned about the people in our community.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Minority Owner Jack McGinley, Jr.”
First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?
Well, I settled into the greater DC area. I’ve been here seven years now. I opened up a men’s clothing boutique called Core in Pentagon City in 2012 with my buddy- we sell women’s clothing now too. I also have some real estate investments in Michigan and the DC area. We’re opening another in Montgomery County soon too.
So it’s fashion and real estate is the thing,
Was it hard to adjust to post-NFL life?
Yes – because my career ended sooner than I anticipated. I wasn’t as fortunate as some players. You spend time getting your body ready to perform for teams and lose time trying to plan for the next move. I had a good support system though. My parents in Michigan were helpful. I went back and had a couple of classes left to take to graduate from Michigan. I worked out for a few teams but didn’t get picked up.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Safety Grant Mason, 2007-2008”
First, can you let us know a little about you?
I’m not great talking about myself. It’s been 20 years since my dad passed away, My family has been on pause as we waited for the final decisions on the lawsuit with the NFL – trying to figure out where we go no from here,
For me – I feel like I don;’t know what I do from here – I’m in a state of arrested development – at least that’s how I feel. I don’t have much of a direction – I’m just not sure if it’s generational – or what we’ve been through or both.
Past generations – I feel like they knew what they were going to do early in their lives. They had more direction – my dad was going to be a football player and if that didn’t work out he knew he would be a soldier or a farmer. He was a Wisconsin boy and always enjoyed talking about tractors and irrigation techniques. I never had that kind of direction. I think many in my generation were just paralyzed by the opportunities.
Let’s start by talking about how you ended up in Pittsburgh as their tight ends coach in 2001?
Well, I was in the league coaching already with the Jets. Dan Henning – he drafted me as a player and always helped me. When Al Groh got the head coaching job with the Jets he hired Dan Henning as their offensive coordinator, who brought me in as their tight ends coach. The idea was that Dan would groom me so that when he stepped down I would take over as coordinator.
But Groh went back to Virginia and that blew the whole thing up. I was looking for a job and Pittsburgh had an opening . They hired Mike Mularkey as their offensive coordinator and Mike and I knew one another. When I was with the Redskins and he was with the Steelers we’d scrimmage each other in preseason and I got to know him then. I talked to Coach Cowher – we met at the Senior Bowl to talk about the position. After that he and Mike offered me the position and that’s how I got started there.