Bill Cowher and the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Superbowl to conclude the 2005 NFL season, and much of that squad still remains intact. Star players like Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, and Hines Ward are all still performing at a high level for the black and gold. But there are 33 players that were in Detroit that Sunday, celebrating a Superbowl championship, who didn’t remain with the team through this past season. 36 if you count free agent defections and returns by Bryant McFadden, Larry Foote, and Antwaan Randle El.
Those three players returned to the Steelers. The remaining 33, though? Well, they’ve found a variety of things to do. Six former Steelers are currently playing elsewhere in the NFL, a handful are playing football outside the NFL, and many have either retired or gone unsigned for a few years now.
This will be a series of six posts each about 5 or 6 former Steelers and what they’ve done with their time since Superbowl XL. We’ll headline each post with an active NFL player from 2010 and add a handful players that might have slipped through the cracks in your memory.
Major props to pro-football-reference.com for tracking players’ NFL action. Jump for Part 5.
Nate Washington
2005: Backup receiver who had just about nothing to do with anything.
Since: Developed into a big-play threat with some consistency issues with the Steelers.
Now: Signed with Tennessee in 2009. Probably the best recevier in franchise history.
Chukky Okobi
2005: The heir-apparent to Jeff Hartings at center.
Since: Released the same offseason that Hartings retired for some reason. Unsurprisingly signed with the Cardinals.
Now: Some players don’t do anything after football, and some players go on to live fairly successful lives once removed from the NFL. And then there is Chukky Okobi. Concluding that he still liked the media industry, he tried his hand in the commercial acting and then the music business, being one of the producers who lauched the career of Pittsburgh’s own Wiz Khalifa. Opting for for the entreprenurial side of things, he opened a bed & breakfast/mansion for rent in Shady Side and the Crush club in the Strip District.
Verron Haynes
2005: Reliable third down back, occasionally giving Willie Parker a break from his workload.
Since: Skipped 2008 and played with Atlanta in 2009. UFA since then.
Now: Lives in Georgia with his wife and kids. @VerronHaynes on Twitter.
Chris Gardocki
2005: Long time NFL punter who had never had a punt blocked.
Since: Continued his streak of not having punts blocked up until he was released for draft pick Daniel Sepulveda.
Now: Deals with non-profit organization, presumably where he isn’t having punts blocked.
Marvel Smith
2005: The Steelers’ starting left tackle who protected Ben Roethlisberger’s blind side.
Since: Started to amass injury problems but hung around long enough to win another Superbowl.
Now: Last seen signing with the 49ers, but retired before training camp in 2009.
Kendall Simmons
2005: The guard opposite Alan Faneca on the O-line.
Since: Played 4 combined games between Buffalo and New England in 2009.
Now: 32 years old and technically still a free agent. Don’t get your hopes up.
