Alan Faneca on his football career and more | Steelers Time Machine

Alan Faneca on his football career and more | Steelers Time Machine

all right Allan first of all you grew up in New Orleans I know you wound up going to school high school in Houston had you always wanted to go to LSU was that a dream for you always was always was and you know I I didn’t quite realize it when I was going through the recruiting process cuz I I was that close to going to Alabama uh literally committed to him the day before and uh was sitting in my room uh they told the LSU coach that was recruiting me chewed me out you know I hang up the phone and I’m in my room I’m like man I just got chewed out and I sit there and I’m looking in my room you know and when you’re a kid I don’t know about you but I had posters and shirts and things pinned all over my wall and then I started counting the LSU things and I hit 20-some and I just stopped counting and said what am I doing uh and changed my mind with the 26th pick of the first round the Pittsburgh Steelers select a guard from Louisiana State University Allan fanica so you were drafted by the St ERS what were your thoughts about being drafted by the Steelers how familiar were you with things like snow when you got drafted by the Steelers I had no personal connection with snow uh you know knew Pittsburgh was up north uh knew about the football side of Pittsburgh and what they were about uh but knew nothing about Pittsburgh as a city uh so you know that was really one of my first things I was like have you been to Pittsburgh do you know something you know I was asking people if anybody knew anything about Pittsburgh but you learn fast when you come up here uh what the city is about um you know even before um uh Mr Rooney uh sat us down and had a had a meeting with all the uh incoming rookies and you know just to tell you a little bit about the city and um it’s it’s just a great uh great tradition to to sit in a meeting with him and and hear those things uh but just to learn about the city and just kind of see you know where you’re taking your life right all of a sudden you know somebody calls your name and your life just changed and uh it’s not your decision but it’s an exciting moment what was the that moment like and what did somebody call you on the phone yes yes uh uh you know the Steelers called me and uh you know it was uh just a a crazy moment you know all my family and friends you know we had the the typical draft party kind of thing uh uh that you can imagine a family and friends just there for for the moment and um just just to share it with everybody and uh you know to get that phone call I was kind of oblivious to everything I was going with the moment I was just so excited and not really paying attention to what was happening in the draft or on TV and all of a sudden it hit we hit like pick 20 I was like whoa we’re at pick 20 what’s going on here and then I started paying a little more attention uh and then you know next thing you know I get the phone call so a quick step back before we move forward you’re one of three million Americans that have epilepsy was that something you did I don’t know if you ever reflected upon that when you got to the NFL but was that something you had to overcome along the way it was it was I was diagnosed in high school and uh um you know really uh you know back then this is pre- internet pre uh you know information at your fingertips right this is uh you know encyclopedia days uh so you know we uh you go sit down with the doc and you find out all this information and you know once you get past all of the the the real questions the how does this affect my life as a as a human being uh you know then you get to the you know what’s your passions and how does this affect Sports I love sports growing up uh and football right running around tackling putting on helmets hitting people and he said go tackle you know go chase your dreams um and he said it so fast I asked it DOC I was like you know what football is Right doc like you know you know what I’m I’m signing up for and he said yeah he said you just go do it and uh I never asked again and I just kept going so early years for the Steelers um the Steelers don’t make the playoffs first three seasons so what was it like then when you do make the playoffs and get all the way to the AFC Championship game in 01 man uh so special man uh one of my most favorite moments as a player uh is in the tunnel before that AFC Championship game and just the the crowd you could feel the crowd in your chest right you’re just feeling it you’re standing out there they’re waiting for you normally they call my name and I’m gone like let’s go play ball I’m going but I I just paused man it was just like and I had a little moment I was like this is what I’ve been waiting for this is what I’m here to do in the NFL for these games these moments you run out the crowd and you know our fans are always going crazy but that day was extra special crazy right they know the big games the big moments that the towels were were in the air and uh I was like this is what I’m here for before we get to the Super Bowl that you won um along the way you start collecting all pro recognition Pro bowls um what was that like as a player to get that you know that that feedback from your peers and from others that you’re Elite it’s pretty special um you know you’re always chasing you know every player’s out there how do I improve my game how do I get better um you know you’re kind of taking those steps like like I was in my earli years right you’re you’re trying to be better than you were yesterday and the week before and the year before and uh you know to finally get that you know when you get your first one uh your first Pro Bowl uh you know I can remember right before coach Cow announced it uh Russ Grim comes up and sneaks behind me at practice after we called it up and kind of Whispers it in my ear and says congratulations man it just you know chills man just chills to have finally get that recognition that you’re talking about and uh that uh to be in that group that class um you know to take that a step further you know I’m out in Hawaii and you’re at that first meeting right both teams are in the meeting room and they’re kind of telling you what’s going on this week and you look around and you’re like there’s Jerry Rice and you know there’s so and so and this person and you’re just like man I’m in the room with these guys man this is awesome I don’t know how much hitting you did but when you think about those Steelers offensive lines and and those Steelers defensive lines you know Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith and you know the guys on the outside James fer um what was it like in practice did did you guys do a lot hitting and did that help you make make you better oh man we were always grinding and always trying to uh uh make each other better uh especially during training camp uh you know just always uh trying to improve each other working on each other you know we know how to take care of each other but at the same time we know how to push each other and um you know especially you know certain weeks uh certain players you know you knew when guys were were amping up because they had a big challenge in front of maybe they were going against somebody uh that week so it was always always good to practice against each other man I think we always made each other better and didn’t just kind of Coast through ready for Sunday right we were trying to get better as we got there one of the things that happened during your career was the beginning of two great rivalries against the Patriots unfortunately coming up short a couple times but the Ravens too what were those rivalries like both of them cuz they’re both different obviously the Ravens for divisional opponents yeah I mean you know that was that was the Prime game in the NFL during uh during my playing days right that was you know you looked at the Cal at the schedule the schedule release and you didn’t have to look right you knew that it was going to be Thursday night or Sunday night or Monday night those were the only three possibilities that they were going to put both of our games on because they wanted us prime time because we brought playoff football even if it was in August or you know October they knew it was going to be that intense of a game and the nation was going to be watching and that’s kind of setting a tone you know when people look back at the Ravens Riv I think some of the players now talk about the respect and stuff but it seemed tinged with a little bit of dislike back in the day sure sure I think everything had a little tinge of dislike back in the day right that’s kind of how football was a little a little more so back then right uh there was but you know at the end of the day you know we can sit down with those guys and and talk about some of those games and those moments and uh you know we can we can we can look back and and relish those things and enjoy and uh you know kind of chuckle a little bit about how we were on each other and so mad at each other in the moments and you know and what at the end of the day right it’s it’s a game right so great running attack in those days what was that like to impose your will on other teams I I’ve heard Lyman saying that’s there’s nothing better than that did you feel that way I did I did you know to to be drafted to Pittsburgh with a an organization uh and a team right the that had that mindset uh I’m so lucky for that right like you go to a a run and shoot offense and just kind of you know fade away as an offensive lineman for what I love to do um so it was so special to be a part of that and to come to a team that you know was you know it’s third and one we’re going to go get that yard we’re going to run through you right let’s that’s our mentality and that’s what we always built on right that’s we come into training camp and we’re setting that tone and that mindset for that you knocked in the door in 01 you knocked in the door in ‘ 05 what was it like to finally break through the door and win the Super Bowl man chasing it for years like you said right like it’s like the culmination of of everything everything in Pittsburgh and then personally I’m sure everybody kind of reflects on their Journey uh differently but you know I always reflect on it like man this is my football life right this is like Peewee Nerf football in my front yard you know all those years in in junior high high school ball and college and and in my years in Pittsburgh they chasing it and trying to get to it right and all of a sudden here you are you’re in the big dance and you win it right there was no way we weren’t winning that game and um just I’ve I’ve got this this picture of me holding the trophy and I’m screaming and you know the confetti all falling around me and uh it’s something special man I get I get chills just thinking about it when especially when I look at it when you are named to an all decade team what is that like so cool right cuz you look you look at those right I don’t know about everybody but you know when you’re in football you kind of look at those those you know they they make those little Montage pictures of the guys and you see the list and uh you know to being a one of those those pictures right those little Montage pictures of of of those guys uh it’s pretty special you know you’re kind of uh when you when you start getting a couple of those Pro bowls and all Pros you know you’re kind of you kind of start chasing those things and you start uh pushing yourself a little bit further to uh be in those kind of places when you look back at your career what do you look back at most do is there any one I mean do do you sit back with your head in the pillow at night look up at the ceiling and think about your teammates the Super Bowls what do you think about man you know I think you think about teammates first man I think about the locker room goofing off in the locker room and and having fun with the guys and so many guys you got a chance to to meet and and call friends and still call friends um you know I I think about you know anytime I walk into a game I I go to a college game we go to a Pittsburgh game right just to think that you did this for a living right there’s 80 something thousand people here screaming their heads off whether they like you or hate you right but you got to do it for a career uh and do it for a living and support your family and uh it’s just an amazing thing to be able to go out there and do and and do do something you’re that passionate about and have fun to me you should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer I’m not sure why you weren’t I’m not sure if you know why you weren’t um but what was it like to kind of not be a first ballot Hall of Famer and then what was it like when you got assume a phone call um was frustrating you know it gets frustrating uh you know they do the production show and they bring your family to the Super Bowl and uh you know so you’re getting ready you’re waiting for the knock and your kids are running around the room cuz they know what’s happening and you know you’re getting dressed for the NFL honors show and so it’s a little tense and you know you do that a couple years in a row and you get the phone call instead of the knock uh you know it starts to wear on you a little bit it starts to wear on the kids I think and the family even more you know it’s kind of like they’re trying to console me but I’m trying to console them like let’s just move on from this and keep moving forward it’s going to happen when it when it happens um you know when I I did I did get the knock you know when when David Baker came and knocked on my door but it was at the house uh you know during covid so we didn’t have to go sit in the hotel room we were at the house and actually kind of surprised me um so uh it was it was nice it was special um I was just ready for it you know you miss you miss out on the opportunity for a couple couple years there and you know I think I told David I was like let’s go I’m ready let’s let’s do it I was just ready to to be a part of it you look great uh what was behind the weight loss and the decision to run a marathon too um I always said I always told people I always told my wife Julie I said you know when I’m done I’m going to lose the weight and if it sticks it sticks if it doesn’t it doesn’t I’m going give it a shot you know I probably shouldn’t be 325 lbs the rest of my life um so when I decided to retire I just put my head down and you know got after it I figured you know I’m not training for football anymore but I could put my head down and and use that same attitude uh and train and lose the weight and and put it off and uh the day the day I hit 30 lbs I’m playing with my daughter on the floor and I just kind of got up and I didn’t do I call it the old man or it’s like a linan the big guy grunt right you kind of like uh push off you know and but I just kind of stood up and I was like well that was nice we got something good here I like this so it’s a Slim Trim Allan fanck putting on the gold jacket why did you choose Hines Ward to give your induction speech Allan and I were always be tied to the hip uh Super Bowl 40 I love him I love his family I love what he what he means to the city of Pittsburgh and and how he represents the Pittsburgh steer organization just so much man so much um competitive passion and drive between the two of us uh being teammates for so long um you know I’ve said it a couple times and I usually get a chuckle out of uh uh people when I say it but you know there’s uh off an offensive lineman and a wide receiver uh being able to push each other and challenge each other just doesn’t sound doesn’t sound like it fits right it just doesn’t doesn’t fit up but but it does it does you know um we had that kind of relationship as teammates and uh that’s he was he was the one you coached uh what was that like did you enjoy coaching I enjoy coaching you know it’s it’s fun um to kind of get down there and and find the kids uh at their level right and and find what they what they’re working on what they’re what they’re in it for uh it’s a fun game man the football gives back so much uh builds so much character and they kind of get down on the ground grass Grassroots level and and be a part of that and kind of you know help a young man grow as a person from beginning to end of a season or or their High School career uh and as a player uh it’s pretty special thing to be a part of as a coach I’m sure was pretty special for the players too and special to catch up with you as well Allan thanks very much thanks

Alan Faneca sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more

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