Steelers' Alejandro Villanueva's Surprising Story Of How James Harrison Kept Him From Quitting

One of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and possibly the NFL's, most unique player stories comes from Alejandro Villanueva. He ultimately played offensive tackle in Pittsburgh, but bounced around both sides of the ball including tight end, defensive end, and even wide receiver.

Villanueva came into the league undrafted after playing college football for the Army Black Knights. He did three tours of duty in Afghanistan as an Army Ranger. While still in the military, he was given a tryout by the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles and made it to training camp with the Eagles. The Steelers and the Eagles played a preseason game and reportedly Head Coach Mike Tomlin saw Villanueva's size and athletic ability, and called him once he heard he had been cut. 

In 2015, Villanueva was signed to a two-year practice squad contract with Pittsburgh. He played swing tackle and also took some reps on special teams. Due to some injuries to starting linemen, Mike Adams and Kelvin Beachum, Villanueva got a chance to start at tackle. He would ultimately finish out the last 12 games of that season as the Steelers starting left tackle. 

But Villanueva says that he never thought he would actually start. According to him, his primary motivation wasn't even to win that starting spot, instead, he was hoping to get a little something different out of football. That is, until he met Steelers linebacker, James Harrison.     

Steelers' Alejandro Villanueva Said James Harrison Changed His Football Trajectory

Recently, Villanueva appeared on Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce's podcast, New Heights, and discussed his incredible journey to the NFL. Jason, the center for the Philadelphia Eagles, actually played with Villanueva when he was on the Eagles.

Villanueva shares how his first year went on the Steelers practice squad. He said that the stars aligned, a familiar face showed up, and that changed the course of his career.   

"Three days into my practice squad days, James Harrison decides to come out of retirement and join the Pittsburgh Steelers. To be able to go against James Harrison every single day during practice and James Harrison is an incredible human being. He's a phenomenal football player and he's very smart. For me, it was really interesting to learn by observing an outside linebacker."

Harrison is as well known for his ruthless persistence on the football field as he is for his patented spin move. Both Kelce brothers and Villanueva describe it as he would fake to the inside and then he would "dip and rip" the opponent's arm so they couldn't get free. He could swing them around and get passed them.  

"I feel very privileged to go against a player who was also undrafted and also had a very unconventional way to get into the NFL."

Harrison, like Villanueva, was undrafted having played college football for Kent State. He was the only undrafted player ever to be named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. Harrison was cut from the Steelers numerous times, but he kept coming back. After being cut for the fourth time, and considering giving up on his dream, he got his shot. Like Villanueva, an injury to a player gave Harrison the start he needed. 

"It's incredible, he would never give you any compliments, but he had his own ways of being able to coach you and guide you. I spent a whole year in practice blocking him, so once I felt I could block him, I could block in a game. He was a huge part of my development."

Thanks in part to Harrison's on-field coaching, Villanueva got his shot to play on what was one of, if not the best offensive line in the league. He played with Maurkice Pouncey, Ramon Foster, David DeCastro and so many other greats. The part that Villanueva says is most crazy about all of it is that he didn't really plan to stay in the NFL. 

"All I was doing [while on the practice squad] was applying to business schools and getting my GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test). I had to get my GMAT done like 37 times to be able to get into Carnegie Mellon and start my MBA."

During the weekends when the starters like Beachum were studying the playbook, he was studying for his MBA. He said he had to keep graduate school quiet, he didn't want the NFL folks to know he wasn't confident in his success in professional sports. 

"I never thought I was gonna make it in the NFL. Here's the reality about the NFL, you get labeled as an undrafted guy, it's hard to break through. It was never in my plans to play in the NFL, I just wanted one year's salary, which back then was $480,000 to be able to pay for business school and then move on with my life. That was my only goal."   

Thanks to Harrison coming out of retirement, the Steelers got a fantastic player in Villanueva. He was named to two Pro Bowls and helped the Steelers make the playoffs multiple times. That offensive line that he helped to anchor was consistently ranked among the very best. 

What do you think about Villanueva's journey to the NFL? Are you surprised he did not think he would be able to stay and play in Pittsburgh? Are you surprised that Harrison was one of the main motivators that helped to keep him? Click to comment below. 

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