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Olsavsky tries for elusive ring
By Tom Williams
Two years ago when the Pittsburgh Steelers were preparing to play the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, Youngstown State linebackers coach Jerry Olsavsky spoke about the frustration of being on the one Steelers team that didn’t win the Super Bowl.
On Jan. 28, 1996 , Olsavsky didn’t start but played most of Super Bowl XXX at inside linebacker at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. The underdog Steelers threw a major scare into the Dallas Cowboys before losing, 27-17.
After coming close to a ring 15 seasons ago, Olsavksy, 43, has a chance to earn one tonight when the Steelers play the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas. The Chaney High graduate who played nine seasons with the Steelers is completing his first season as a defensive assistant for Mike Tomlin’s coaching staff.
“I just feel so thankful to be in the right place at the right time,” Olsavsky said.
When YSU hired Eric Wolford to replace Jon Heacock as head football coach in December 2009, Wolford didn’t retain any of Heacock’s staff.
Not long after that, Olsavsky was hired by the Steelers to be a defensive assistant.
“Coach Tomlin wanted a former NFL player for the position,” Olsavsky said.
“I guess it all works out for the best,” said Olsavsky who played for the Steelers from 1989-97. “I’m back with a good family.”
During those years, the Steelers played in 11 postseason games including three AFC championship games at Three Rivers Stadium as well as one Super Bowl.
“I think a lot of people viewed me as just the guy next door,” said Olsavsky of his Pittsburgh years. “I was not some superstar first-round pick, I was just a guy who could play football and I just happened to play for the Steelers.”
Olsavsky played for the University of Pittsburgh before being drafted by the Steelers in the 10th round of the 1989 draft.
“I’ve been fortunate to have two great homes — Youngstown and Pittsburgh,” Olsavsky said. “The love they have for the Steelers is second to none.
“I think people realize now what the Steeler Nation is about,” Olsavsky said. “It’s a great thing and I consider myself lucky to be part of it.”
He played in 108 games for the Steelers and made 227 tackles while excelling on special teams.
In 1993, he suffered a severe knee injury but battled back to start most of the games during the 1995 season when he was the recipient of the Steelers’ Ed Block Courage Award for an outstanding on-field performance despite the obstacles he faced.
Olsavsky finished his playing career in 1998 with the Baltimore Ravens.
Olsavsky, who was picked by Tomlin over former Steelers linebacker Earl Holmes, described his role as being “low man on the totem pole, but that’s OK. I’m happy with it.”
During the week, his role is to break down the opponent’s game film and prepare plays for practice. During games, he sits in the coaches’ booth and listens to the defensive coaches, sometimes making suggestions with defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.
His mother, Nancy, lives in Youngstown, but Olsavsky and his family (wife, Rayme, and children Joseph, Emma and Dominic) moved to Pittsburgh.
As for the 1995 Steelers, somebody from that defense will be earning a ring after tonight’s game. Safety Darren Perry, a former Steelers coach, is the Packers secondary coach. Outside linebacker Kevin Greene, is the the Green Bay linebackers coach.
“There’s a lot of connections to Pittsburgh with the Packers,” said Olsavsky, referring to head coach Mike McCarthy being a Pittsburgh native and defensive coordinator Dom Capers once having the same role with the Steelers.
“The NFL is a big family where it seems you always know somebody [on an opposing team],” Olsavsky said.
Olsavsky remembers how things take longer to happen on Super Bowl Sunday.
“When the flyover happens with the jets, after that you’re kind of waiting for the next dog-and-pony show to come down the aisle,” Olsavsky said. “After the planes fly over, they clear the field and you’re sitting there and then ‘oh now, it’s us.’
“It’s the same feeling you get at Fitch or YSU or Ipes Field when you’re a little kid,” Olsavsky said of gametime. “It’s like, ‘OK, they’re waiting to see us.’ It’s the same thing you’ve lived as long as you’ve played football. It’s the same game I grew up playing in Youngstown. But it is quite a show.”
And he’s returned to the NFL’s biggest stage.