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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’s next for you and what you’re doing now?
Well, I’m semi-retired. I’ve taken on coaching consulting roles – New England last year, but Bill was only bringing essential personnel back this year. I was working with Iowa for the two years before that.
I was going to coach my kid’s high school team but that’s been pushed back, so now I’m just sitting on my hands waiting.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Special Teams Coach Kevin Spencer, 2002-2006”
First, let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?
Well, I’m working with a home health company – doing hospice and home health care in Waco. I got into that after working at another job after I was done with football. I was doing shift work for Mars and that was working days and nights. I had just gotten married the year before that – my last season in Pittsburgh – and my wife was pregnant. So I knew I needed steady work. The shift work was hard – it didn’t let me be the dad I wanted to be.
So my mother-in-law was good friends with the owner of this business and they needed someone in this region who had my skillset. So it was a good fit.
Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult for you?
I wouldn’t say it was necessarily difficult. It was difficult I guess not being around the locker room and that team environment – with guys from all over the U.S. Football was the common denominator for all of us and it was good being around a lot of people from different backgrounds. That’s the difficult part you miss.
Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Tight End Jamie McCoy, 2011-2013”
First – what have you been doing since you retired from the Steelers in 2017?
Shoot, I’ve been trying to stay busy the best I can. Ain’t easy but trying to do it!
I don’t watch football now but I do look at the scores and sometimes if a Steelers game is on I’ll peak. My son is a coach with the Redskins so I’ll look at those scores too.
I wasn’t ready to stop coaching, but I felt like I’d been doing it a long time. I told myself I’d stop at 70. I wasn’t ready, but it was time.
Was it a hard adjustment?
The game and philosophy behind it were starting to annoy me. The younger coaches, they were different than us old school coaches. They were more interested in outsmarting guys than teaching the fundamentals and techniques. It used to be about showing guys how to do things, now it’s just about trying to be smarter than other guys.
I was disappointed in my last year. I thought we’d win a Super Bowl that last year. I know we had the team – we were 13-3. I was kind of star-struck when we lost. I guess it wasn’t meant to be.
Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Wide Receivers Coach Richard Mann, 2013-2017”
First, let me know a little about what you’ve been doing since your time in the NFL?
I always was invested in some way in real estate – owned some properties. I now own Compass Management and manage single-family homes, duplexes, condos, and apartments. I got into property management over 10 years ago and started the company in 2015 and really enjoy it.
Was the post-NFL transition difficult for you?
I was blessed – I had my degree from Purdue already when I was drafted in ’86 by Houston. My last year in the NFL in Pittsburgh I was already interning in the offseason in Indianapolis as an engineer for the city. In minicamp in 1990, I was still hurting from a knee injury when I was released. So I really just went back to work – it wasn’t that difficult. I was there for nine years.
Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Running Back Ray Wallace, 1989”
First, what have you been up to since your time in the NFL?
After football, I worked at Pitt’s communication department for two-to three years writing for the magazine.
Then I took an opportunity at Syracuse to work as a graduate assistant while got my Masters there. I coached part-time – the pay barely paid for gas money – and worked odd jobs. I was going through a divorce and paying child support. I actually had to declare for bankruptcy.
After that I got a job as a high school coach then as a defensive coordinator. for an arena football team – it was arena II – the smaller league. It was interesting -we did a lot of traveling by bus – the furthest we went was to Huntington, West Virginia! It was like a movie – a lot of characters – gifted athletes but guys from the penal system…guys with discipline issues…The team move around a lot before it finally went under.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Lineman Ernie Brown, 1999-2000”
First, what’s been going on with you – what have you been up to this season?
Well I’m training right now – getting ready for when the next opportunity presents itself. I’m spending time with my family – catching up with my sisters and brother more. It’s been a blessing.
What’s been the hangup do you think in getting picked up by teams – what’s your agent telling you?
Well I had re-injured my knee and needed a scope for that – so that was a holdup. I expect some opportunities to open up soon though. I’ve been working out and am in great shape – better than I’ve ever felt. I’m just staying prepared.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Eli Rogers, 2015-2018”
First, can you let me k ow what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?
Well, currently I’ve been working for Canon selling copiers throughout the Pittsburgh area.
Was the post-NFL adjustment difficult for you?
It was definitely an adjustment. Back when we played big money then was $100k, maybe $120K. Jobs after football paid maybe $35,000 to $40,000. So it was difficult finding a job that could fulfill that challenge you found playing football and that paid enough. That part was difficult – finding something you just wanted to do.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Emil Boures, 1982-1985”
First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing since your time in the NFL?
When I quit I did a couple of things. I got into the construction business – pouring concrete for basement walls and that sort of things here in Missouri. I mixed that in with a little fun. I have an RV as do my two daughters and we often go RV’ing locally here in Missouri – out to Branson or the state parks.
Was that post-NFL adjustment difficult for you?
No because during the offseason I worked down in Florida. We had a home in Ft. Lauderdale and my brother-in-law built homes there. So I worked for him in the offseason. I couldn’t justify just sitting around all Winter. We didn’t make much money then anyhow.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Pete Brewster, 1959-1960”
First, let me know what you have been doing since your football days?
I’m fully retired. We go to Florida in the Winter usually. But outside of that I’m just here with my grandkids. I like to golf, Swim, and my wife and I go on walks. We like to travel usually one or two times a year and see our son in New Jersey, but of course now we’re grounded.
I had three successive back surgeries a few years ago and that set me back a year, but I can walk, golf – I can still do those things now.
As a kid, what memories of your time with the Steelers stand out to you most?
My father worked in the ticket office so we would be very actively involved with the team – we’d g to games, and when I was a Sophomore in high school – around 1955, when the team trained at St. Bonaventure – I would go work at training camp. I was one of the camp boys – I’d do whatever they needed me to do there and on Sunday I’d work as a waterboy.
First, tell me about how the nomination into the Ford Fan Hall of Fame got started?
Well, before the last home game in 2012, I got an email from Steelers Nation Unite telling me that I was one of 12 people to have attended every game that year. You had to check in with the Steelers app – like an “I’m here” thing, and they can track to see you went to the games.
Well, I had pneumonia but I had to go. They wanted us to go down on the field for a drawing -one of us would win a trip to the Super Bowl. I was sick – I wasn’t supposed to go out for more than 30 minutes, but I had a streak of 17 years – never missing a preseason, regular season or playoff game at Heinz Field. It was at 183 games. The last game I missed was at Three Rivers.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Inaugural NFL Hall of Fan member Rick Holman”