Tag: Steelers

First, can you let us know how it’s going -how are you keeping up with the craziness so far?

It definitely has been crazy. I watched the draft every round, and was nervous going into it. I was disappointed not getting drafted but I’m happy with the chance. I wish I heard my name called on draft day but I know hundreds that play in college never even get the chance to play at all in the NFL.

Why choose Pittsburgh ad an undrafted free agent?

It is a great organization. The Pittsburgh fans are diehard fans. I played for Villanova – in Philly – and saw it isn’t a bad state to live in! I mean, it’s not Florida, but still… I also played in Pittsburgh my Junior year and liked the field. It’s a grass field and I like playing on grass – I play faster on grass.

Continue reading “Exclusive with UDFA Steelers CB Trey Johnson”

First, tell me why you chose to sign with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent?

Well, the team showed me some love before the draft. Joey Porter liked me and I think he probably lobbied for me in the meeting room. The system is perfect for me. Playing in the 3-4 like I did in college.

Anything you need to work on most coming in to the NFL?

I have the versatility – I stood up as a pass rusher and dropped back a little in college. But I will have to work on my drops more and on man coverage, I was more of a pass rusher in college.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers UDFA OLB Olasunkanmi Adeniyi”

Quotes from former Steelers we’ve interviewed about Ernie Stautner that played with him in the 50’s:

Dick Lasse: “Ernie Stautner was the toughest lineman in the league. He had a tremendous desire and work ethic. Everyone looked up to him with respect. He had the best forearm. He could deal a blow to an offensive lineman…”

Dick Modzeleweski: “Ernie Stautner was another guy that just got pounded in Pittsburgh. He would have been an All-Pro every year on another ball club. I remember watching film in New York on the Steelers after we played them and we were watching a guy that no one could bring down. The head coach was yelling at us why we couldn’t tackle him. We said “Coach, that’s Ernie Stautner.” he just said “Oh, ok.”  That’s how much respect we had for him.”

Frank Varriochione: “Ernie Stautner and I hit it off real good. We became buddies and hung around together. We were all adults so we didn’t mentor each other much. We knew we had to play and practice. The game wasn’t that much different than it was in college then.”

Continue reading “Celebrating Ernie Stautner”

Sean McHugh: “After my first week in Pittsburgh my wife arrived with my son and we were eating dinner in Cranberry when James Harrison was eating there as well and stopped by our table and introduced himself to my wife and told us that if we needed anything to let him know.”

Cortez Allen: “I also used to train at the same facility as James Harrison did in the offseason in Arizona. He was always the first in the building and I’d watch him in awe. He brought everything he had all the time. Well, this day was his upper body day. He finished and then Terrell Suggs came over and was struggling to finish his set. So James walked over and took it over from him and just started lifting like it was nothing, showing Suggs up! I always had a lot of respect for James.”

Bud Dupree: “James Harrison – not verbally, but just watching him working as hard as he did, I learned a lot from him. About how he worked out and took care of his body. That was a big part of things for me. Seeing him – it was a major help. Now I do those things still to this day, every week.”

Continue reading “Congratulations to Former Steelers OLB James Harrison NFL HOF Nomination”

First, I spoke with former Steeler CJ Goodwin a short while ago and he praised the Youth Home and how it helped him. How did you get started with the youth home – what inspired the idea – and how has the team and city helped the youth home succeed?

The Mel Blount Youth Home was inspired years ago – in 1979-1980. It was soon after our last Super Bowl. I grew up n a small town in Vidalia, Georgia. We were dirt farmers and lived in a small community I was the first athlete from there and the first to win something like a Super Bowl.

When I went back home, all the kids would call me Uncle Mel. The kids would come to the farm and get autographs, take pictures with me and throw the football around.  That’s when the Lord spoke to me. I knew I could do more than just sign autographs for the kids. it made me want to do more.

My brother and I started talking about how we we could do more and work with kids, and starting throwing ideas around. We talked about how it was on the farm with the kids – remember, this was before social media and cell phones. It was a big deal for the kids to see someone in person that they saw on TV.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Mel Blount, Steelers Cornerback, 1970-1983”

First, as a legendary coach for Bethune-Cookman, tell me a little about how you entered into coaching and how influenced how you coached?

I never did any coaching before I got the job in 1961. I got the offer after I hurt my knee in Pittsburgh – I told them I’d give it a try after the coach that was there for fifteen years had to quit. He got sick and had to give up coaching, so I called just at the right time.

The president of the university was my high school coach. He knew of me but didn’t know what kind of athlete I was, I didn’t know either!

They had no athletic director, no coaches… I told them I’d take all of that. They had no players returning. so it was a kind of rough. Continue reading “Exclusive with Jack “Cy” McClairen, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1955-1960″

First, let us know how is CFL going – is the goal to get back to the NFL?

Yeah, I’m trying to get back to the NFL. I’m hoping for one more time in the NFL. If not, I can make a career up here.  Heck, the crime rate is only 5% up here so I’d be safer at least!

How has the CFL helped your career?

Well it’s given me more film to show other teams. I only had one year of film to show from the NFL. So that definitely helps. They can see I’m still a playmaker, doing what I’ve done all my life. And it definitely should help people who claim I’m a troublemaker see that I’ve never had problems here and to prove that I’m not a problem for anyone.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Chris Rainey, Steelers Running Back, 2012-2013”

First, can you let readers know what you’re doing with yourself since the NFL?

Ultimately I got into real estate and have been for seventeen years now. Along the way I built homes and was a sports agent for a couple of years until I settled on real estate.

How hard was that transition from football to a post football career?

I have to say I thought it would be an easy transition.  I was a walk-on in college. No college recruited me. I was the last player drafted out of VMI and the only one since the 70’s.  My dream was to fly for the Navy at first but I had a desire to play in the NFL too. The decision to play football wasn’t easy. I had to give up my flying slot in the Navy to play in the NFL. By the time I retired I was thirty-one and couldn’t go do that after that.

I tried a couple of things. I saw my peers nine years into their careers and felt behind the eight-ball. When you’re thirty-one you feel old! Continue reading “Exclusive with Mark Stock, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1989”

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

Just now, for the last year or so, i started the John L. Williams Foundation. Just got it off the ground and working on it now.

Basically, I’m working to help those in nursing homes, and it’s hard. Most of them are elderly in their ending stages. It’s harder to go in and be there. I had older parents who passed away and were in a nursing home. So I see the need. And it’s not just helping elderly in homes. It’s also about helping them in the community and working with groups like Habitat for Humanity. Continue reading “Exclusive with Steelers Fullback John L. Williams, 1994-1995”

First, tell us a bit about your new job in Cleveland.

Well, I’m happy to be their new special teams coordinator. I’m looking forward to that. It’s a situation where there was mutual interest and an opportunity for me to get back to the AFC North.

Any odd feelings about playing for a team you once considered a big rival?

That’s the way it is in coaching. I’m an Alabama alum but when I coached against Alabama I coached to win the game and had mutual respect for everyone I played. You couldn’t find a more loyal Alabama alum but I always wanted to win.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Amos Jones, Steelers Assistant/Special Teams Coach, 2007-2012”