By Jim Gehman | Engagement Insider
A linebacker, you were drafted by Dallas in 1984. What was your first impression of legendary coach Tom Landry? Was it a little intimidating?
“It was more than a little intimidating because of exactly that. Here’s the legendary, stoic icon of football who had been the epitome of class, and performance, and just everything that you look at in football as being the distinction in the game. Different from other people. The whole package of Tom Landry was somewhat intimidating, but as you played for him a little bit you became proud to be part of the scenario.”
Following five seasons with Dallas, you played the next five seasons with the division rival New York Giants. How did they compare?
“It was a different organization in terms of the looseness of the locker room, but I think the similarities were more important. The first thing that jumps out at you is here’s (Giants coach) Bill Parcells on one end of the media personality spectrum, and there’s Tom Landry on the other end. But what was more striking was how similar they were in what they wanted from their players. They demanded that you study; they demanded that you be accountable for your actions; they demanded that you work as hard as possible to achieve the goal. They just got it out of guys differently. Bill was much more glib, and much more in your face. And Tom Landry was much more here’s your job, here’s what we expect you to do. You’re a professional. Get it done.
“Both coaches had tremendous respect for their players; they just had different ways of basically getting the same goal. The same goal was for guys to work hard, be prepared, and to approach your job in a professional manner. Like I said, the differences in personality or differences in appearance were striking, but the similarity in approach is what was more interesting.”
Not only did you enjoy a 12-year career with the Cowboys, Giants, Jets and Patriots, but now your son, Zak, is in his eighth season as the long snapper for the Giants. What does it mean to you that you both reached the goal of playing in the NFL?
“It means that the lessons that you try to instill in your kids pay off. It wasn’t a lesson of how to be a football player; the lesson was working hard and doing everything you can to be successful with whatever you choose. Zak’s made it through with nothing but hard work and dedication to what he’s doing. He’s been elected captain a number of times and all that stuff is great and the years in the NFL is great, but the most important thing just happened to him. He just had a son [Lukas] born.
“When I look at him as being a father, he’s going to approach that the same way he’s approached everything. He’s going to work hard at it and do the best that he can. To me, his approach to the way he lives his life is what’s been important and what’s worked for him.”
Are you prouder of what he’s accomplishing in the league than what you did?
“What I did was great and fantastic and fun, but what he’s done is so much more interesting to me and so much more exciting. And nerve-racking. I can never remember a time when I was nervous on the field. But I watch my son on the field at any time and I get nervous. This is the most exciting thing football-wise that I’ve ever experienced.”
Making your home in Boston, when you’re not watching Zak play or making plans on how you’re going to spoil your grandson, what keeps you busy?
“I have a restaurant (with former Buffalo Bills nose tackle Fred Smerlas) at the Twin Rivers Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island, called Fred & Steve’s Steakhouse. I have a cigar bar called Blackstone Cigar Bar at the same facility. And we have a cigar distributorship.
“And I do a lot of local media. I do some Patriots post-game shows, I do some radio [WEEI] and TV [Comcast New England, and the NBC and Fox stations in Boston].”