2 Former Steelers Have A Revealing Discussion Regarding Some Of Their Surprising Regrets

Two former Pittsburgh Steelers players have been sitting down recently to discuss what the end of their professional football career was like. Arthur Moats and Terence Garvin were both linebackers in Pittsburgh. Now Moats hosts a podcast on which Garvin is a frequent guest. 

Moats' podcast is called The Arthur Moats Experience and he and Garvin routinely do a segment called Lockermates. They usually talk about what is going on currently with the Steelers, crazy stories from their time in the NFL or they evaluate new or existing talent. But Moats has been adding in a serious topic lately and they have revolved around their NFL exit, including how they knew it was time to go and most recently if they have any regrets. 

Arthur Moats And Terence Garvin On Their NFL Regrets

Garvin and Moats both agree with all of the adages, "hindsight is always 20/20" and "you have to live with no regrets." But Garvin adds that it might be situation dependent and rely in part on how you leave the league. 

"I think as a player, if you blow your candles out rather than like they tell you they're done with you, or you can't get back on the team, stuff like that. I think if you blow your own candles out, I think you always leave no regrets. Or you feel a little better, 'I was done with it," said Garvin.   

Now Garvin is coaching. He frequently talks about how he takes the lessons he learned, the experience he gained, and tries to pass that knowledge on to his young college players. He said he feels like he is passing the torch and he is excited to be influencing the next generation. 

"As competitors, you've always got something you wish you did harder or better. In coaching, now I try to pour into my dudes that you don't want to have regret. So go hard as you possibly can, train really hard, and drink your water."

Garvin jokes that he wishes he had listened to those who told him to stretch more. Moats says that there were always coaches that told them they had no idea what they had, meaning in opportunity, and that they probably wouldn't until it was gone from them. 

There were tons of times when they just didn't feel like doing what they needed to be doing. They agree they would have even worked out harder. They said they would be dismissive to the coaches and now that they can't do it anymore, they miss it. 

"When we talked to some of the vets and they would say, 'Hey man, don't complain about this because there's gonna be a time you gonna wish you could be out here and you can't," reminisces Moats. 

Garvin agrees and said he recalls seeing players like Roosevelt "Rosie" Nix who got cut early and then got another chance. He said you could see the change in perspective from them the "hunger." 

One item that is somewhat universal among players, at least among the ones who didn't make Tom Brady kinds of money, is the wish that they had done a better job not just saving money, but protecting it so it would last. 

"Even off the field, just the deal with my money. My biggest regret in terms of football isn't on the field, it's more off the field, in terms of buying a house. I tell my young boys, especially the rookies, there's not a perfect time to buy a house, just go ahead and buy it."

Moats laughs and agrees, saying that he had no idea how much money he would waste on rental properties and trying to figure out how to set down roots. He said one of the most difficult parts was having to deal with all of this is that you were alone. 

"I can't just come in here as a rookie and I'm talking to my vet. I'm like, 'Hey vet, how do I be an NFL player?' That vet looking at me like, 'Were you trying to take my job?' That vet like, 'Nah, you trying to take food off my plate? Nah I ain't got time for this.'"

Moats also says that most players don't obtain the information they needed about how to survive until they leave the league. Most players don't realize that you need to make that money last for the next 50 years.  

Most people think of players in the NFL and have some jealousy over fame and fortune, but also over the fact that they get to do something they love so much as a career. Moats and Garvin remind us that all of those choices come from decisions that had to be made. 

Will you spend your offseason in Arizona training with James Harrison? Or will you be with your family? If you don't go train with the best, it isn't mandatory - then how much will it potentially not prolong your career?  

Moats and Garvin both feel that they were fortunate enough to decide to leave their career on their terms. They were not forced out by a coach or by injury. As Garvin put it, "They blew out their candles." Since it was their decision, it has left them without a lot of regrets about their time playing. 

What regrets do you think many NFL players might have? What do you think about Moats' and Garvin's statements on controlling their destiny? Click to comment below.

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