Tag: Steelers

First, can you let readers know what you are doing with yourself now?

Well, I moved back to Tuscaloosa – I bought a house there when I was playing in Pittsburgh. I have three children – a nineteen year old son, a son who’s a sophomore, and a daughter that’s twelve. I’ve been married to my wife now for twenty-three years.

I’m a hospital rep for Baxter Health – I sell anesthesia to OR’s in hospitals.

How did you get started in pharma?

When my career ended in Pittsburgh, I soul-searched. I had nine hours left to finish my degree at LSU. I chose pharma – it was a lucrative business. I wanted to mimic what I was making in the NFL and pharma sales was booming at the time. I hooked up with AstroZeneca in 2000 – that’s how I got started.

Continue reading “Harold Bishop, Steelers Tight End, 1998-1999”

OLB Anthony Chickillo – The way the team views his development and potential at LB/DE could impact the team’s need to add OLB depth this draft

ILB’s Jordan Zumwalt and LJ Fort – Can either take the place of Garvin if he leaves in FA as a backup ILB and ST’s ace? If not they’ll need to draft someone.

DL LT Walton – The Steelers are woefully thin at DL. Can Walton become one of the at least two players needed to provide key depth here? he came in raw but with promise. If he can become part of the DL rotation that saves the team a draft pick.

First, can you let readers know what you are doing with yourself now?

Well, I’m training, and at the same time I’m sending out resumes to coaches – I want to be a coaching assistant for someone and learn  the business.

Any coaches and coaching lessons influence you the most?

I was coached by what I think were three Hall of Fame players – Rod Woodson in Oakland, Carnell Lake in Pittsburgh, and Al Harris in Kansas City. I took something from all three of them. They were all players first – and that player-coach mentality was good- it helps them show players what needs to be done on the field. They knew what to do – they’ve been there before.  They were also leaders – not just bosses.

Continue reading “DeMarcus Van Dyke, Steelers Cornerback, 2012-2013”

The roadmap for 2016:

The Steelers have seven potential holes to fill. CB, S, 2 DL, 1 ILB, 1 OT, 1 OLB.  Here is the roadmap for how the Steelers will address their needs:

Continue reading “Steelers 2016 roadmap”

As a NY/Philly guy, why were you interested in the Steelers?

As a young child growing up in foster care, I did not see or hear of any football games on television except for the highlight shows from small documentaries at the time. Television and sports were so different at the time so I was outside playing and just having fun as a young child.

When I was adopted in 1974, I started to see a quite a few pro football games and I was amazed at this sport and how fun it was to see these guys go head to head in this sport A rough sport it is but it was fun to watch. I came across this football team that I knew nothing about and they were from Pittsburgh called the Steelers and wow, they had problems early on until they hired this genius of a coach by the name of Chuck Noll. I was 11 years old when I saw their second Super Bowl. They were down early to the Dallas Cowboys and a key drive I saw Roger Staubach throw an interception to Jack Lambert which gave the Steelers the momentum for the rest of the game and that was the only play that I saw for the whole game. This kid, Lynn Swann, I never saw that dramatic catches that he made throughout the game witch eventually gave him the MVP. What a receiver he was and to believe that he and his mate from the opposite side of the field (John Stallworth) are Hall of Famers to this day is simply amazing.

Continue reading “Allan Ware, Special Intern Assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers”

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

I received my MBA and have been building my career as a health care executive.  I have moved around the country to work for various organizations and gained a plethora of experiences.  Currently, I work for a large medical center in Buffalo, NY as a Senior Vice President, where I reside.  In addition, I currently officiate college football at the FCS Division I level.  I work in the CAA, Patriot League and the Ivy League as Line Judge.

Continue reading “Jarrod Johnson, Steelers Offensive Lineman, 1991”

First, you’re still with Atlanta right?

Yeah- I’ve been here for about eight weeks now after being released by the Steelers. I had a tryout with Oakland. I stayed ready and the Falcons called me in for a workout. I made the practice squad off of that workout – I had to stay there.

How hard is that process – going from tryout to tryout?

It’s stressful, but the outcome is better than the process. You have to enjoy the process – be in the moment. It is stressful being at home, working out and not knowing.

Well, tell us how you got started in the first place. You didn’t even start playing football until you were a senior in high school right?

Yeah – I played as a senior in high school. I only played then because I never really thought I’d play again. I didn’t play after that again until I was a junior in college at Fairmont State. That only happened because I was playing intramural basketball with my roommate at the time “Dewey” McDonald who’s now with the Raiders. We played the football team coaches and I dunked on the head coach!  I considered myself more of a basketball player then but the coach told me I should try and play football – my roommate said he had been telling me that for a long time.

So I played and did ok. I wasn’t great – I was more athletic but didn’t know much about football. At the end of the season they started featuring me more and in my second year I started creating a buzz. After that first year the coach was fired so I went with him when he got a new job at California University of Pennsylvania and my roommate and played there, I didn’t get much playing time – it was competitive and there were three senior wide receivers I was behind.

And after that season, you looked to the draft…

I knew my 40 was good and some were saying I may get picked in the late rounds, but I told them  whatever – I knew better. I just wanted a chance. Before the draft I got calls from about twenty-six of the thirty-two teams. But after the draft the calls stopped.

I talked to Mr. Mel (former Steeler Mel Blount) after that and he said he’d make a call to the Steelers to see if they’d have me in for a workout. Nothing more than that. They did and I did ok. The next week they signed me and I made the practice squad.

Who was present at the workout?

Coach T. – they were all there really. They could see I was a raw athlete – I had ability and could be molded. I didn’t know much but could learn.

Stepping back – tell us about your connection with Mel Blount.

I was working for Mr. Mel at his youth home since I was 17. I knew him since I was fourteen or fifteen – I went to school with his sons. He gave me a job as a farmhand when I was seventeen. I cut the grass for him – he had over three-hundred acres. There was so much grass to be cut!

When I got to college I couldn’t work during the week so I worked weekends there. His wife had me take training and gave me the opportunity to work with the kids as a counselor. I enjoyed that – it was really rewarding. I worked there for over seven years.

So you make the practice squad…who helps mentor you and shows you the ropes in the NFL?

Pittsburgh was a great place – everybody was approachable – from Antonio Brown to the practice squad guys, Even Coach T. would just come over and talk to you. The main one was Markus Wheaton. We connected – he was about the same age as me – he came in a year before me. Information flowed from him to me.

Coach Mann was a great help. He was a blessing. He didn’t care if you were a first round pick or not – he sat you down and went over things with you like you were the number one guy.

What do you think helped you most to make the team?

My work ethic….You can’t take days off – there’s someone vying for your job every second. Especially at this position. Even in the classroom – off the field. But it was fun more than anything.

Prior to my second season with the Steelers I was told by Coach T that if I didn’t make the team but just made the practice squad I should view it as a failure, meaning that he believed in my ability

Speaking of fun…who were some of the characters on the team then and hat made them so?

Antonio Brown was  one of the funniest people I have ever met. Every day it was something new with his crazy outfits. He was a real genuine dude – nice. He would joke with you if you came in with flashy outfits – “You can’t afford that!” he’d say!

It was a bunch of clowns … there was always an opportunity to have fun.

How was Martavis Bryant to play alongside with? As an “insider”, is he a bit misunderstood by fans?

Bryant’s a good dude. Some things didn’t go his way. He is a great player and Coach Mann really has his back. He worked with him a lot when I was there. He learned a lot also from Antonio Brown – he saw what Antonio could do and working with him helped him see what he could do too. He was still a kid when I was there. He took some steps back but he’s made some great leaps forward.

How was Ben Roethlisberger to work with?

Ben is another great dude. My father passed away last year – at the end of March – two weeks before the offseason. But when I came back he was he first person to offer his condolences – he, then Coach T. It was humbling.  Ben didn’t have to say anything – I was surprised he knew my dad passed and that he would be the first person to send his kindness.

Your second year you were released and went to Atlanta. What did they tell you heading into the season?

I’m not sure who the dude was I spoke with, but before the season they told me it would be the same situation as the last season where I’d be placed on the practice squad. But it didn’t happen.  So I thought it was kind of fishy when it didn’t happen but I have no hard feelings. It’s a business.

When they called me into the office after the first day of cuts I figured it would be the same thing, but it worked out. It was hard waiting for a call but now I have a better opportunity here.

Any advice for young players going through the same thing?

Anything is possible. Take the opportunities and run with them. I know it’s a cliché but those clichés really work. I was thinking of all of them while I was  trying to make it, and they helped me.

Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades.  To order, just click on the book:

First, can you let readers know about your academy and how you got started?

It was something I was inspired to do. I attended camps at an early age and it was very beneficial. But it is very expensive for kids to attend these camps so my goal was to create an affordable camp for kids. We’ve added different events – this year we’re helping mentor the kids – to allow them to express themselves. Sometimes kids have things they don’t want to tell their parents or schools – things like bullying. We give them advice on how to handle things like that.

The academy is also skills and drills for football players. We do a combine style – things kids need to know as they come out of high school and into college. If I had known some of those types of skills earlier that we teach I would have been much better – the  position-specific drills…

We also just also added a parent café to give young parents the opportunity to attend parents workshops. We teach them everything from how to change diapers to handling the stress of being a new parent.

Continue reading “Jovon Johnson, Steelers Cornerback, 2006”

Matt Spaeth: “Heath definitely. He was and still is a mentor to me. He was the guy. He was a pro’s pro and just did everything right. He was so perfect it almost made you mad! It was great watching the way he conducted himself on the field, the way he took care of his body, the way he handled fame and success, and the way he was as a family man.

He was someone you looked up to. He wasn’t a real vocal guy, but we became good friends. We talked a lot and still do. He wasn’t a very vocal leader. He was a different kind of leader. He led by example. You watched him and knew that was they way you were supposed to do things. And if you asked he would always answer your questions.”

Weslye Saunders: “I couldn’t have gone to a better organization. There were so many veterans. Heath Miller was the guy – there was no better guy. He knew what would happen before it happened. He knew I’d hit the rookie wall and knew how I’d handle the complex offense under Arians. He showed me how to handle the anger and rage and keep it on the football field – in-between the lines. He showed me how to focus on every play – no brain farts that get you in trouble.”

Anthony Madison: “Toughest in practice were Mike Wallace and Heath Miller.”

Wes Lyons: “Heath Miller, David Johnson and Lenard Pope helped me adjust as my position was changed to tight end.”

Rian Wallace: “Heath Miller – I faced him in college and we had some competitiveness there, being in the same draft class and competing against him to get off run blocks.”

Jonathan Dwyer: “Heath Miller weirdly – I followed him around everywhere he went. It was weird because he wasn’t at my position – but I just loved how he worked. How he brought a lunchbox attitude. We saw each other and spoke every day – he became a good friend too.”

Mike Schneck: “Now, Heath Miller perpetuates that today. I had to train the players to go up and talk to the families at fist, but now every year they see those families pulling up they go and sign autographs and talk to them.

Heath Miller and {Steelers Community Relations Manager} Michele Rosenthal have been great in carrying this on – I owe them a big thanks.”

Martin Nance: “Heath Miller.  He made me feel welcome from day one.  He’s such a high character guy and he and his wife were great supports for my wife and I as we adjusted to the city.  I can’t say enough about the respect I have for Heath.”

Danny Coale: “I worked out with Heath Miller and Ike Taylor and they didn’t care if I was a practice squad guy or not. They were there to teach and mentor.”

Trevor Moawad, IMG: “A good time was watching Heath Miller, Alex Smith and Chris Spencer singing Jimmy Buffet songs at karaoke with Miller playing guitar. It was a classic moment. Miller was a special guy. A real great character guy.”

Jamie McCoy: “Heath was awesome – I guess you can say he was a player from my position who really helped me. It wasn’t anything more than what he did for the other guys. He was just a standup dude. He was there for you if you had any questions.”

Zach Gentry: “It was awesome being around him.  He helped me a lot at the combine to get ready. He’s a heck of a guy. We had some fun talking about the fact we both transitioned from quarterback to tight end and what that was like  -the different obstacles we had to face to make that transition.”

Patrick Bailey: “. Heath helped me off the field. He and Hokie were family men. They showed me how to be there for my kids while playing in the NFL.”

David Paulson: “I got tips from Heath – he was great helping me out. And working on drills every day. “

Chris Rainey: ” James used to lift three times a day – that was too much for me. I did everything Heath did. Hard work – I worked hard all of my life.”

Ravens LB Jarrett Johnson: “Heath Miller may have been the best all-around tight end I ever faced. “

First, can you let readers know what you’ve been doing with yourself these days!

Well, now that I’m retired I spend a lot of my time on the golf course. I do that about two to three days a week. I also like to garden and anything else that keeps me occupied.

After you retired from the NFL, you joined the US Marshals Service and were one of the original agents for the United States Federal Witness Protection Program. How did that come about?

I was a US Marshal for twenty years. I had to retire at an early age – you had to because it was hazardous duty so you have to retire at 55. I thought I’d never take another job after that, but after six or seven months at home I took a job with the state as a property evaluation officer.

At the time you either had to go to college or have police work in your background to get a Marshal job. But my father-in-law was big in politics and had a friend who was a U.S. Marshal. They had a vacancy, so my father-in-law went to talk to the Washington representative to get me in. There were two other applicants but you couldn’t be over 40 years old and that made both of those applicants ineligible. I got the job and was happy to have it!

Continue reading “Steve Meilinger, Steelers Tight End, 1961”