Dawson has no regrets over Steelers selection
Altoona Curve
Trending
Back in April of 1993, Steelers Hall of Fame center Dermontti Dawson came to Altoona High School on a Steeler caravan on a tour of charity basketball games that were popular in the offseason. In that game, which also featured Steelers great Greg Lloyd, Dawson knocked down eight 3-pointers.
"We used to travel pretty strong," Dawson said on Thursday during an appearance at the Altoona Curve game.
Dawson has no memory of that night, but it didn't exactly surprise him. On top of football, he also excelled in baseball, wrestling, and track and field. In fact, he originally had plans to be on the football and track and field teams at the University of Kentucky.
"Believe it or not I had more scholarships for track and field than football," Dawson said. "I was a two-time All-American. A lot of them thought I'd be a great javelin thrower."
Although he was talked into not being a thrower for the Wildcats, it turned out to all work out for the 13-year veteran of the NFL.
Although he was excited to be a Steeler after being drafted in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft, he was also surprised.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers center Dermontti Dawson (left) walks with Altoona Curve Director of Marketing, Promotions, and Special Events Mike Kessling after visiting a suite at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Thursday evening.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
"I knew the Giants and Bill Parcells were considering me," Dawson said. "When I got the call, I was shocked, but I was happy as could be."
It was a very successful career in a long history of a franchise that has drafted numerous All-Pro centers. He enjoyed being a Steeler so much that he opted to retire after the 2000 season after being released due to injuries and salary cap trouble.
Dawson was eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame in 2006, but didn't get that fateful call until 2012 when he was at home in San Diego. On the day the Hall inductees were announced, Dawson was about to go play golf.
"My wife said, 'Don't you leave this house,'" Dawson said. "I said, 'I don't know if I'm going to make it this year.' She said, 'Well, just stay here.' Of course I stayed, and then I got the phone call from the Steelers.
"My phone blew up because I had so many texts, calls, and emails coming in. My phone completely died. I had to call the Hall of Fame on my landline. It was a dream come true."
Dawson was inducted alongside Steelers cornerback Jack Butler, Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman, Seahawks defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, Patriots and Jets running back Curtis Martin, and Saints and Chiefs offensive tackle Willie Roaf.
Dawson did almost everything there is to do in the NFL, including appearing in a Super Bowl. He was a 7-time Pro Bowl pick, was picked to the 1990s NFL All-Decade Team, and is in the Steelers Hall of Honor.
So what makes the Steelers so successful to him?
"It's the leadership with the Rooney family," Dawson said. "Those guys have been staples. We've only had four coaches since 1969. That speaks volumes with the leadership."
In a season full of unknowns for the Steelers this year, Dawson is like many fans in not knowing what's going to happen in the coming months in what appears to be Aaron Rodgers' final season.
"I don't know what to expect this year," Dawson said. "Rodgers has already accomplished everything you can accomplish as a player. We'll see what happens. I'm just not sure. New coach, new players. Only time will tell."