Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!
More than 1,000 interviews of Steelers players, coaches, front office staff, media and more with those that played in the 50’s through today’s current roster.
First, can you tell us about the new head coaching job with the new Alliance of American Football Birmingham Iron team. What made you decide to take the job?
Well, I’ve been coaching for a long time now. From youth football, high school, college, and at the professional level. As a coach you always think about running your own program – coaching your own team. When the opportunity came up, it was the opportunity to live out a dream. That’s what all coaches aspire to do.
First, can you let us know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?
Well, I’m still around football. I’m helping raise my family – I have a son who just finished playing football at Maryland. I was coaching but I took off the past four years to officiate games at the high school, middle school and college and semi-pro level.
Does being an official give you a new appreciation for what NFL officials go through?
It definitely does. It gives you a different perspective. You learn a lot of things you can get away with – things you wish you knew when you were playing. Like what the officials do and don’t look at on the field and with players. Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Linebacker Donta Jones, 1995-1998”
First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since you retired?
Well, I stopped coaching in 2016 and am living in L.A. now with my family. I’m now working with a real estate company with a guy I’ve known for fifty-plus years and went to school with.
What got you into coaching, and as a coach, anyone help influence your style as a coach?
I played thirteen years professionally, twelve in Canada and one in Kansas City. I retired in ’87 after going to law school in Chicago during the offseason. I became a lawyer in Chicago for four years but I missed football. A quarterback coaching job opened up at Notre Dame then and interviewed with Lou Holtz and got the job and worked with him for four years before getting an NFL job.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Quarterbacks Coach Tom Clements, 2001-2003”
First, can you let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time as a coach?
My wife and I live in Corona Del Mar now. She was a flight attendant for US Air for over thirty-four years. She was a Sewickley girl.
I’m done coaching. I work periodically for an agent – Ryan Tollner. I help prep college kids for the draft and combine. Once they committed themselves to going pro and get an agent I take it from there and work with them for one to two hours at a time. I sit down and talk to them about what to expect and how to help them improve. Most of these kids come in very well taught. Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Backs Coach Willy Robinson, 2000-2003”
First, can you tell me about the AAF – why you wanted to get involved in it?
First of all, the Alliance of American Football is all about creating opportunities for guys to begin, extend, or revitalize their careers. To become an executive for the league was an awesome opportunity for me. I was always a leader on my team and liked to help the younger guys. Now I want to help these guys make it to the NFL.
I jumped on board to be a part of the league. Collectively as a group, with the coaches we have in the league like Mike Singletary, Steve Spurrier and others, it gives us credibility. There are a lot of great football minds here, including Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian.
First, tell me what you’ve been doing with yourself since your time in the NFL?
I’m the head football coach now for a Georgia high school – it’s my second year as head coach there. I was the defensive backs coach there before that and was a coach also at Limestone college for a year before that. I coached for a guy I played with in Detroit.
Any coaches or coaching influences help shape your coaching style today?
There were a few coaches. James Stallings at Alabama was a strict disciplinarian – a tough coach. And Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville was in the same vein. Run the ball and stop the run. Hard-nosed…
Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Cornerback Fernando Bryant, 2008”
First, can you let us know what you’ve been doing with yourself since your playing days?
Well, I really don’t have a plan yet. I guess I need to get one soon. I’m enjoying my family – spending time with them. I’ve delved into a few small business ventures, but mostly I’m just enjoying my life and family
Continue reading “Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Alan Faneca, 1998-2007”
First, can you let readers know what you’re doing now – what foundations or work we should be paying attention to?
Well, I’m living in Atlanta with my beautiful wife and two great kids. That’s about it for me. My foundation is The Bus Stops Here . It’s for underprivileged, at-risk kids. I’ve been involved with that for over twenty years.
The whole idea is to impact change in the community where I grew up. I benefited from that when I was a kid and my goal now is to help other at-risk kids now in Detroit. I got help from Reggie McKenzie when I was a kid and it hanged my life. I wanted to do the same thing for others now that I can. Continue reading “Exclusive with former Steelers Running Back Jerome Bettis, 1996-2005”
As a ten-year NFL veteran, I have been through a lot, and I have seen a lot, especially what takes place behind the scenes that most individuals are unaware of. I was not a multi-million-dollar superstar. I was a “journeyman,” and I am okay with that label. I did not leave the game with millions of dollars in an account. I was a “blue collar player” that fought every year to make a roster. I feel as if the NFL got everything that they could out of me, only to be left to fend for myself with no assistance from neither the league nor the teams that I played for. Due to this lack of help, I believe that is why there are so many lawsuits against the league and its teams.
Continue reading “In His Own Words: Troy Sadowski”
First, can you let us know a but about your post-NFL life?
When I retired from the NFL it took a few years before I got settled in. I worked for General Electric in their appliance division, selling TVs to retail customers.
After several years GE sold their appliances division to Thomson/RCA and I worked for them until I retired. After that I decided to move to Texorama area where I used to fish. My wife and I are now in Meade, Oklahoma in small subdivision here. with a fifteen-acre lake in our backyard. We’ve been here for twelve years now.
Continue reading “Exclusive with Johnny Burrell, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1962-1964”