Football in their blood
The reminders are everywhere Pitt football players turn, from the facilities they share with the Steelers on the South Side to the luxuries of Heinz Field on the North Shore.
Seeing a Super Bowl ring is nothing new, whether it's worn by a Steelers player, Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt or offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh.
The NFL is all around the Panthers.
And they can relate.
Forgive the Panthers if they express a nonchalant attitude toward their pro football surroundings, as 16 players have relatives who are current or former NFL players. Pitt has a cadre of Panthers who are hoping their success on Saturdays will translate into paydays on Sundays.
"It's in your bloodlines," said Pitt sophomore fullback Conredge Collins, whose father, Tony, played for the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins. "If you've got football and NFL that's in your bloodline, the majority of the time you can go to that level, too. (When) you've got people that come from the NFL, you know what it takes."
Collins is one of three Panthers whose fathers played in the NFL, joining senior linebacker H.B. Blades and redshirt freshman receiver Oderick Turner.
Blades used to spend time in the Detroit Lions locker room with his father, Bennie, and a future Hall of Fame running back named Barry Sanders.
"It's weird at first, being in the locker room, meeting guys like Barry Sanders and people like that," Blades said. "Growing up around them every day, you kind of get used to it, and they are just like normal people."
Turner's father played receiver alongside another of the game's all-time greats, Jerry Rice, with the San Francisco 49ers. When Odessa Turner took careful notes of his son's performances and offered advice, Oderick knew to listen.
"He liked when he played with Jerry Rice in San Fran," Turner said. "He said he learned a whole lot from him. He said you learn more just watching a person and see what they do so you can develop your game.
"My father, he means everything to me. He taught me everything I know, and I am just trying to do the best I can and follow in his footsteps and try to take a step further than he ever did, and do what I can for him."
Despite his father and uncles, Al and Brian, all going from the University of Miami to the NFL, Blades wanted to make a name for himself at Pitt. A first-team All-Big East selection, he led the conference in tackles last season.
It doesn't hurt that Blades' father played for Wannstedt at Miami or that Collins' and Turner's fathers played with Cavanaugh in the NFL. Although Pitt coaches don't promise a path to the league, they aren't shy about using their NFL experience as bait.
"I don't think talking about the National Football League is any part of our recruiting talk, but it is a fact nowadays, and it comes up at some point," Wannstedt said. "There's not many places in the country that can prepare them as well as we do at Pitt. Like it or not, that's an attractive part of recruiting. That's something every 18-year-old dreams of."
Even so, Pitt has to guard against the ambitions of its players for the sake of its program. The Panthers are careful to make sure the team comes first. Receiver Greg Lee, who gave up his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft, served as a cautionary tale when he wasn't selected.
Former NFL defensive lineman Sam Clancy, who is volunteering with the Panthers while completing his degree, said it goes to show the NFL blood coursing through a player's veins has to reach his heart and head.
"It takes more than just the bloodlines to get you there," Clancy said. "These kids (have) to work hard. They have to understand what it's all about. I think sometimes they get an unrealistic picture when they see the Steelers out here practicing. I think it's a false sense of security."
Yet, it's a great source of motivation for those whose relatives reached the NFL. Freshman receiver Cedric McGee is the nephew of former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin, and he watched his uncle win two Super Bowls.
"It was real exciting to see a piece of my blood out there," McGee said, "just watching and knowing that other people are loving him just as much as me."
Sophomore left guard C.J. Davis was inspired to succeed by his cousin, Lovett Purnell. Junior cornerback Darrelle Revis hopes to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, former Pitt and NFL star Sean Gilbert, perhaps after this season.
Junior cornerback Kennard Cox, whose cousin Torrie plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has a different desire. He wants to support his mother, Marilyn, and his two young children, Quanard, 6, and Kanaria, 8 months.
"I don't want them to grow up like I did. I had a single parent," Cox said. "My mother raised me. We didn't have the best life, but she did everything she could and did all she could for me not to go out in the wrong direction of life. I can pay her back for everything."
The percentage of players who succeed in going from college football to the NFL is miniscule - only 20 Panthers have been drafted in the past decade -- and one reason why Pitt athletic director Jeff Long stresses that athletes need to place an emphasis on academics.
"It's that way on every major-college campus," Long said. "Those of us who've been around know the percentages are pretty small, and that's why we emphasize the student part of being a student-athlete. But we also understand it's about dreams: the dream of getting a degree, the dream of competing at the Division I level and winning bowl games and championships, and also the dream of going on to play professional football."
Staff writer Tricia Lafferty contributed to this report. Additional Information:
Family ties
Sixteen Pitt football players have relatives who have played in the NFL. Here is a look at the Panthers and their NFL ties:
H.B. Blades Sr., LB, Plantation, Fla.NFL relation: Dad Bennie, S for Lions (1988-96), Seahawks (?97-98); uncle Al, S for 49ers (2000-02); uncle Brian, WR for Seahawks ('88-98).
John Brown Fr., OG, BurrellNFL relation: Uncle Tom, RB for Dolphins (?87-89).
Conredge Collins So.,FB, Miami (Fla.) Monsignor PaceNFL relation: Dad Tony, RB for Patriots ('81-87), Dolphins (?90).
Kennard Cox Jr., CB, Miami (Fla.) KillianNFL relation: Cousin Torrie plays CB for Buccaneers.
C.J. Davis So., OG, West AlleghenyNFL relation: Cousin Lovett Purnell, a TE for Patriots (?96-98), Ravens (?99).
Joe DelSardo Sr., WR,Seton-La SalleNFL relation: Cousin Bruce Gradkowski is a QB for the Bucs.
Ricky Gary Fr., CB, Pahokee, Fla.NFL relation: Cousin of Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin, Chiefs OT Willie Jones ('01-02).
Derrell Jones Fr., DT, Accokeek (Md.) WestlakeNFL relation: Cousin Donta Jones, LB for Steelers (?95-98), Panthers (?99), Saints (2000).
John Malecki Fr., DT, Franklin RegionalNFL relation: Cousin Steve Sciullo played OG for Colts (?03), Eagles (?04-05).
Cedric McGee Fr., WR, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) PlantationNFL relation: Uncle Michael Irvin played WR for Cowboys (?88-99).
Jason Pinkston Fr., DT, BaldwinNFL relation: Cousin Todd Pinkston plays WR for Eagles.
Tamarcus Porter Fr., WR, Pahokee, Fla.NFL relation: Cousin Carlton Williamson, S for 49ers (?81-88).
Aaron Smith Fr., WR, GatewayNFL relation: Cousin of Saints CB Josh Lay; former Bengals CB Chuck Fisher (?99-00).
Darrelle Revis Jr., CB, AliquippaNFL relation: Uncle Sean Gilbert was DT for Rams (?92-95), Redskins (?96-97), Panthers (?98-02), Raiders (?03-04).
Oderick Turner Fr., WR, Teaneck, N.J.NFL relation: Father Odessa was WR for 49ers, Giants (?87-93).
Ross Ventrone Fr., S, Chartiers ValleyNFL relation: Brother Raymond plays S for Patriots.
Penn State
Rodney Kinlaw , RBNFL relation: Nephew of Browns, Broncos DE Courtney Brown.
Jordan Lyons , TENFL relation: Father, Thomas, played for Broncos.
Mickey Shuler , TENFL relation: Father, Mickey Sr., played TE for Jets, Eagles.
Kevin Suhey , QBNFL relation: Uncle, Matt, played FB for Bears.
West Virginia
Adam Bednarik , QBNFL relation: Cousin of Chuck Bednarik, who played LB for Eagles.
Kevin McLee , LBNFL relation: Uncle Reggie played RB for Bucs.
Mortty Ivy , LBNFL relation: Cousin Khori, WR, spent time with the Steelers in 2003.
