Resides in
Upper St.
Clair, Pennsylvania (outside of
Pittsburgh)
What is your current job and what does it
entail?
I am the Athletic Director at
Upper St.
ClairHigh
School. I
love it. Fortunately I was able to get this job without any other athletic
director experience and was able to draw on my sports background with the
Steelers and as a high school football coach. Being around high school athletics
helped. It was a big learning curve. It was pretty tough my first few years. But
I have settled in. This is my fifth year. I really enjoy it tremendously. Tunch
Ilkin, one of my former teammates, told me I should look at the job. I had no
experience. I am a coach and I wanted to coach. I wasn't interested but then
started thinking I would be a coach of coaches. I give my coaches everything
they need to be successful, within reason. I know what it was like to be a coach
and I try to support my coaches accordingly.
What is the fondest memory from your playing
career?
That would be two-fold. I think one of
the most exciting times was when we were headed to Super Bowl XIII. That was my
first Super Bowl. I was fortunate to be on two teams and it was the team's
third. I am not sure we were in the playoffs yet, we were wrapping up the season
and were dominating. I remember Joe Greene telling a reporter we will see you at
the summit, meaning the Super Bowl. I thought if Joe Greene thinks we are going
to go to the Super Bowl and is outspoken about it, he must think we have a good
chance. That ride, that run of playoff games, was a very exciting experience.
There were a lot of guys my rookie year in 1977, nine of them, that made the
team. Tony Dungy was one. We had a large class of kids who had never been there
before so it was a fun ride. The first Super Bowl was just a phenomenal
experience.
What was your best game?
It was in 1983 and we were playing the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers and I had a pretty good game against Lee Roy Selmon. He is now in the Hall of Fame. He was an
All-Pro defensive end. We had been watching film the week before we were playing
them and he just destroyed people. I am trying to prepare hard and was nervous about it. It turned out
my preparation was well spent because I had a pretty good game against him. One
other thing that made that special was we shared the same agent and I had heard
about him before that a lot.
What did you like most about playing for the
Steelers?
I thought they were a wonderful family
and made you feel extremely welcome. They were very professional. I was
fortunate to play for two other NFL teams, the Cleveland Browns and the
Indianapolis Colts. They both have their pluses and minuses, but the Steelers
were an outstanding place to work. Art Rooney, Sr. was an incredible person. He
made everyone feel like he was their favorite. The stories you hear are true, I
have my own, of how he would always remember people. I would bring friends
around and he wouldn't see them for a year or two and would come up to me and
ask about them. I think they still have that. They do things right top to bottom
and they will always be successful. They hire good people. I think they have a
great one in Mike Tomlin and I am excited about that.
Teammate you were closest to during your playing days and
why?
I would say Jon Kolb, Tom Beasley, Steve
Courson and Gary Dunn. I think the team as a whole was very close, but those
were my closest teams. Later it was also Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley. I think
one of the hardest things I went through was losing Steve Courson to that freak
accident. It really crushed me. We were very close.
Do you still keep in touch with former teammates?
Not like I should, but I just saw Jon Kolb at a
personal appearance. I called Tom Beasley recently to talk.
Cliff
Stoudt is another one I
was very close to. There were so many it's hard to mention any of them. We
appreciate any reunions because that's the only time they get together.
Who is the one player you think should definitely be on the
75th season team?
I was say Joe Greene is at the top of
the class. I was fortunate to play on a team with eight or nine Hall of Famers
and a Hall of Fame coach. With him at the top you could work you were down. He
has to be top shelf.
Do you still follow the Steelers and if so, how closely?
I don't watch every play every Sunday
but I would like to. I am away at so many sporting events that my wife would
kill me if I did that. I have three sons and my middle son Garrett and I get
into the Steelers games. I would lie if I didn't say I wasn't a little depressed
when they lose. I enjoy watching them and seeing them play Steelers football
which is great defense and a strong running game.
Visit the Steelers
Alumni
page for more on the team's former players.
