Tag: Steelers

First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing with yourself lately career-wise and personally?

Well, I’m not currently employed – I’m just enjoying retirement. I do a lot of personal appearances – things of that nature. My relationships have grown because of that. People think it’s just about smiling, taking pictures, and signing autographs. But if you take a step back and ask and answer questions, you’d be amazed at the people you meet.

Now, I have gotten a couple of coaching offers – but that’s not my forte’. I’ve had opportunities. If the right opportunity comes along, then I’d make that happen.

Tell  us about getting drafted by the Steelers, Were you surprised to be drafted by Pittsburgh?

First of all, I never imagined being drafted. Everyone was saying that coaches and scouts were talking about me, but the athlete I was – I wasn’t into it until I was into it.  Once I left school I went to the Senior Bowl and that’s when I really found out that I could be playing for an NFL team. People after the Senior Bowl were saying mid-second round to the fourth round. I went on a few trips after that – to teams and a few combines – and my stock went up. Now people were telling me mid-to-late first round. I said “Ok – that was fine with me!”

I just wanted to be drafted. A number of teams would call asking if I wanted to play for them. It didn’t matter to me who it was – I just wanted to go somewhere.

Continue reading “Louis Lipps, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1984-1991”

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

After Pittsburgh, I still wanted to play and had opportunities at Miami, Atlanta, and wound up in San Diego (1989), but I didn’t make it and was released. I knew my career was over then. I jacked up my elbow in Pittsburgh. I couldn’t really bend it – I was in extreme pain. So I retired and went back to college for two semesters and got my degree.

Continue reading “Mark Behning, Steelers Offensive Lineman, 1985-1987”

As heard on Tunch & Wolf show, ESPN, 93.7 The Fan, TribLIVE Radio, KDKA, SB Nation Radio and more!

If your a Steelers fan, you’ll love Steelers Takeaways – taking the best stories and quotes from over 600 Steelers interviews and breaking them down by topic and generation. Just $20. Order via Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

See what these former Steelers and others have to say about the book!

Continue reading “Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades – Order Today!”

First, can you let us know a bit about what you did with yourself after the NFL?

After being cut by the Steelers I returned to Oklahoma University to finish my degree. Then the following year I went with the Dallas Texans and played there two years, becoming a two-time All Pro Bowler with them. When the Texans moved to Kansas City to become the Kansas City Chiefs, I retired from football but remained involved helping with the transition of the team. At the same time I joined the national staff of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, whose offices were also in Kansas City. I have been vice-
president of an insurance agency, developed youth homes to house and work with troubled youth, worked with a nationwide prison ministry, built and operated an adult retreat center, and eventually went back to Fellowship of Christian Athletes, finally retiring in 2002.

I fully retired six years ago, though I serve as the Chaplain for the Dallas NFL Players Association Alumni Chapter.

Continue reading “Bill Krisher, Steelers Offensive Lineman, 1958-1959”

First, you’ve been coaching track and field for over twenty years now. How did you get started in this and why track and field?

I originally started the Track Minnesota Elite program to help my kids and others to develop their track skills and increase their opportunities to receive college scholarships, which I proudly state “mission being accomplished”. All three of my kids received division 1 scholarships and 90% of our participants have received academic and athletic scholarships the past 15 years.

Considering I was part of the 1983 Pennsylvania high school state champion and in consideration that my wife and I whom both competed in track at the University of Minnesota, developing a track and field program was a natural, plus I coached youth football (The Minnesota Steelers) and high school for seven years.

Continue reading “Mel Anderson, Steelers Wide Receiver, 1987”

First, can you let readers know about your post-NFL career – what you’ve been doing and how you got started in this new line of work?  

I currently work for  start-up technology company (Domo, Inc.) based in Utah.  I also started my own business (where I work full time as well) after my career ended.  My company Empee Solutions manufactures innovative, high-quality products that help simplify life. One of our products the “Lifter Hamper” was featured on SharkTank last year, and really helped us hit the market.

Continue reading “Marvin Philip. Steelers Center, 2006-2007”

First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing since you’ve retired from the NFL and how you got started in these new ventures?

Usually,  I’m with my kids. I have three kids, eight, six, and three.  My six-year old has Down’s Syndrome, so I spend most of my time in therapy, driving him around, volunteering at school… A lot of my other time is spent with my eight-year old, coaching his football team.

How did your time in the NFL influence your coaching?

I try not to tell him what to do. I’m not on the field – he has to learn to be instinctive. I help him when he comes off the field if he makes any mistakes – give him tips…but I let him go on his own natural ability as a runner.

Continue reading “George Jones, Steelers Running Back, 1997”

First, you’re a judge in Pittsburgh – why did you decide to become a judge and how did you get started on that path?

I was always thinking of my future – I had a family since I started in the NFL. three-to-four years into the league I started going to law school at night. It was different then – not like now where your football salaries pay for everything. Then you needed something else to do.

Why law?

I wanted something that was challenging and exciting and law fit in that. I knew some lawyers and liked the competition in the court room. I applied to Duquesne and Louisville and got into both. Since I had moved to Pittsburgh I took the night program and prepared for my future.

The Lord led the way really. I was watching a PBS program on TV when I was in Louisville and there was an ad for an option for LSAT courses. It was a sign – I did well on the exam and the rest is history.

Continue reading “Dwayne Woodruff, Steelers Cornerback, 1979-1990”

First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing since being with the Steelers?

After I left the Steelers I played for five more years winning a Super Bowl with the Giants, and officially retired in 2012.  After retirement I became the definition of an entrepreneur, and have been leading a project for franchising in my home state of North Carolina. And now that the groundwork has been laid, I’m looking to get into something that suits my goal-oriented nature and success driven personality; for me it’s Pharma or bio tech sales.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a few great people from a company called Bioventus.  And after meeting with about four people from the company, I realized that I truly have a passion to work in that field.  I really enjoyed the culture of the company and people, and the actual devices they make are beneficial to a lot of individuals.  Overall my plan and goal is to bring the success I had on the field to a company like Bioventus.  So since, I left school early to pursue my NFL career I plan to return and finish my last 17 credits and possibly intern or shadow in the Pharma or Medical Device field and then jump into the industry and make a name for myself.

Continue reading “Brandon Torrey, Steelers Offensive Lineman, 1996-1997”

First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing since you’ve retired from the NFL and how you got started in these new ventures?

Since my playing days came to an end, I decided to take time to relax with family and friends. I spent so many years away, trying out and playing for different teams, working with different strength coaches, trying to keep the dream I had for as long as I can remember alive. You sometimes lose track of the people that matter the most. The last couple of years haven’t been all fun in the sun. I put myself out there looking for work, which took awhile and involved a lot of hearing no before hearing yes.  I kept the faith.

Currently I am working for Remax as a Buyer’s Agent in the Philadelphia area, and am very pleased with the opportunity to help people find their dream home. I work with a great team, after playing in Pittsburgh that bar is set really high.

Continue reading “Eugene Bright, Steelers Tight End, 2009”