On the search for a Team President: Obviously, experience running a sports team is probably the number one. Also, some of the obvious business things: marketing, development. There’s a couple people I’m kind of pinned down on – I just want to make sure that they’ll be able to build a good team here and also understand the philosophy I just said – openness in a team environment and one family. We’re a family here and I want to make sure that people understand that – that family includes the football side and that includes the business side.
On the football side: A certain amount of patience to let things develop – I don’t want to give people too many compliments, but you’re actually blessed with a pretty good football side here; a head coach that understands himself – I appreciate some of the changes that were made on that staff side, in my view, I had nothing to do with it, but I’m going to appreciate it. Norv [Turner] is a pretty good addition on the offensive side and I think Ron is a natural defensive guy. Natural like walking down the street and drinking water natural. I’m not looking to do too much there, I think we’ve got some good folks there – I know people always want to hear things that are bad or not, but sorry, I can’t do it. It is what it is.
I think the Steelers had a pretty good philosophy; Dan and Art had a pretty good philosophy on the Steelers side, so I’ll take those sort of lessons – I’ll take the patience in letting things develop, which I think sometimes things are made too fast. I also have a personal great appreciation for things I don’t know, but that’s not them, that’s me. Although, I think they have a great appreciation for that too. Obviously a great organization, it’s certainly not a bad thing to have been with them for nine years and kind of make observations.
On how his past has affected him: I didn’t go to a pro game until I was in my twenties, so this whole idea is kind of crazy to me and I really do – I am a person who has faith. I kind of wake up sometimes and say “Thanks, God.” It just is what it is for me, and I think God Bless America, because I think this is a great place to be and I think everybody in this room is incredibly lucky to be in this country – so those two things I reflect on all the time. I do think of the different parts of my life, because sometimes it seems like different lives for me – and it gives me appreciation to help, to do the charity side – where I came from and how I lived and what happened in certain situations. I think my high school class was 800 going in and 500 going out; I think it’s worse than that in some places now, still.
On the players charity donations: I’ve been reflecting a lot about the football players here. There are incredibly good guys here, really good guys that love this country. That doesn’t get said enough. Good guys that are charitable on this team, I don’t know if you guys appreciate it, if you look at the website, the organizations, and I’m talking about the football players, are involved in. Hopefully, we can get more involvement from them, they’re already involved – I know it doesn’t get reported enough and it doesn’t get said enough, so hopefully we can start accentuating the positive a little bit more. Hopefully, I can bring that out.
I’m going to be told by my press people that I shouldn’t say this, but did you ever watch Spider-Man? I love Spider-Man, do you like Spider-Man? With great power comes great responsibility. I think I have that, and I think the players have that and I think a lot of them appreciate that.
I’m a big believer in social justice. I’m actually a big believer in the country – I’m patriotic. You guys know the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, and what’s the last part? With liberty and justice for all. With liberty and justice for all. That’s what this is about, liberty and justice for all – this is the most patriotic thing going, so that’s all I’m going to say about that.
On the Jerry Richardson Statue outside Bank of America Stadium: I’m contractually obligated to keep that statue as it is.
On Football: Football. This is the best sport. In my opinion, I love this game. I love watching this game. I watch games, I watch all kinds of different games and it’s the only sport and I don’t know about you folks out there, but I can watch any team on any Sunday – because it’s entertainment and it’s great entertainment. And while I love the playoffs in some other sports, it’s not football. You watch a regular season baseball game and let me know how that goes.
