Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Champion Dwayne Woodruff: From the NFL to the Judge’s Bench

[00:00:00] Welcome to Plot Twist Radio, the show where creativity, storytelling, and the unpredictable path of the creative life all collide. I'm your host, Erin Egnatz. Hello, Judge. Thank you for joining me on Plot Twist Radio today. It was great to be here. Thank you for the invite. It's great to have you. It's really special. I'm a big football fan, so I'm excited about this episode for sure. Where are you from? I'm from right outside of Chicago.

[00:00:28] Chicago. Okay. Well, they got good football in Chicago. Yeah, depending on the year. We had a good year last year, so we'll hold on to that. So, before we get going, can you introduce yourself to the audience? It always sounds better coming from you than me anyway. Okay. Well, I'm from Judge Dwayne Woodruff. Played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1979 to 1990 for 12 years. One Super Bowl. We won and beat the Rams out there in LA.

[00:00:56] I am now our current juvenile court judge here in Pittsburgh. I've been doing this for the last 21 years and just taking a break from court here to be on this podcast and speak with you. Very cool. You're a busy guy. Okay. So, looking back on your career, was there a moment when you realized, you know, you could do two things, football and a judicial career?

[00:01:20] Like, you know, I became a writer much later on in my life. I started as a historian and kind of transitioned over. Did you always want to do law as well? You know, I did not. You know, the first five years of my football career, I spent that time to figure out what it was I wanted to do after football. You know, football, you know, the careers don't last that long. You know, I was hoping to play at least five years and ten years if I was lucky.

[00:01:47] But I always knew I had to do something else after football was over. You know, so I had three children, had to take care of them. And, you know, football players didn't get paid the way they do now. Now you can play football and have a career and you don't have to worry about anything else afterward. But, you know, back then, you know, you had to have something else to do. And so I always thought about something else to do.

[00:02:12] I knew a lot of my friends were lawyers at the time. And so I, you know, asked them how they enjoyed it. They all seemed to like it, you know, having that independence as well. So you could be with a firm, you could start your own practice. And that sort of, I sort of interested me and I liked those options. And so I decided, well, I need to, first thing I need to do, I had to go to law school and get a law degree.

[00:02:39] So I figured I'd do that. And I was able to do that, you know, while I was playing at the same time. You know, Duquesne law school here in Pittsburgh had a night program. And so I decided I'd go at night so I could still, you know, participate and play football and go to school at night and get my degree and hopefully get it before I retire, which was the case.

[00:03:03] So, you know, that was, that was my plan all along, you know, trying to have that career after football was over, to still be able to make a good living. Wow. That is, that's amazing. And how difficult was it to balance the game and practices and legal studies? I couldn't imagine how hard that could have been. Well, you know, it was not quite sure. I don't think it was, it was hard. It was, you know, I'm pretty, pretty much of a scheduled kind of guy.

[00:03:33] I said, you know, I just, you know, have a schedule. I got to go to class. I got to go to practice. And I just lived by my schedule, my schedule for four years. And so I didn't have to, you know, it was, it was easy, easy living for me, so to speak, because I didn't have to worry about what I was going to do every day. You know, it was already planned out and scheduled out. So, you know, get up in the mornings, you know, get ready, go to practice.

[00:03:57] After practice, grab something neat on the way to class, go to class, go to study afterwards, get home about midnight and go to sleep. And so that's what I did for about four years. Those, just that, that thing. So it was, you know, life for me was, was, was easy. It was planned out. You know, you don't get to sleep as much as you want, you know, but, you know, I'm used to getting up and getting early and getting going anyway.

[00:04:23] So it worked out, worked out good for me. And, you know, they say, you know, football players, you know, get hit in the head sometimes too much. And so maybe that was one of my issues, you know, trying to accomplish this thing because I, I wasn't thinking correctly, you know, but I was, I was happy that, you know, I was able to get through and get done. You know, my professors in law school, particularly on, on Monday, you know, one professor, because those are classes I would occasionally miss because of Monday night, Monday night football.

[00:04:52] So, you know, he was, he was aware of that. I talked to him early on that, you know, those are the days I may miss because of Monday night football. He says, well, I'm going to see you on TV and you can't miss any other days during the, during the week. So those only days I missed in law school, I was doing those, those Monday night games. We rarely had Thursday night, but, but Monday nights, the games I could, I could miss.

[00:05:17] Wow. That's very interesting. And so before you, before you did all this, you were a Superbowl winner as a rookie. What do you remember most vividly about that season that maybe the fans don't even remember now? I tell you what, it was, it was a phenomenal year. You know, it, I think it started off, you know, when I was drafted by the Steelers, you know, they had just won the Superbowl of the year before.

[00:05:42] And so, you know, my, my, my teammate, Nathan Poole and I were sitting by the radio because the draft was, wasn't on television yet. It was just on the radio and we were sitting there and when my name was called, I was drafted in the sixth round to the Steelers. Now I was, I was like, you know, so excited and very happy about it. But then I realized, you know, what team I was going to, you know, Pittsburgh Steelers, Superbowl champs.

[00:06:09] And I was thinking, man, how am I going to make that team? I mean, they got everybody that they need, particularly in the secondary, you know, so right now when I look back on the secondary, they got, you know, two Hall of Famers in that, in that secondary, Mel Blunt and Donnie Schell's in there. You know, you know, you look at the Hall of Fames on their offensive side, you know, there's got to be about a dozen Hall of Famers. And so it was, you know, my excitement went from sky high to sky low because I can't make,

[00:06:39] it's got to be difficult for me to make that football team. But, you know, we went out and started working out, you know, that day. Even before the end of the day, the draft was over, you know, Nathan and I went out. He got drafted, you know, that second day by the Bengals. So I had to play against him, you know, for about five or six years as well. So, you know, but it was a good time. I was really excited about it.

[00:07:05] And when I came to the Steelers, it wasn't about, you know, if we were going to win or not. It's like, you know, how many points are we going to score or beat them by to win? So I think we won. I think we lost three games that year. And, you know, you look at our defense particularly, you know, it was one of the best defense, I think, ever in football. And, you know, I think we had the number one NFL defensive player ever in Joe Green. He was our nose tackle.

[00:07:33] So, you know, there was a study or program not long ago in regard to, you know, who was the number one football player, offensive defense. And I think Joe Green was voted as that guy. But, you know, he was just a beast on the offensive line. And the play behind him, you know, I knew that if it was a pass play, the ball had to be coming out there pretty quick. So it changed, you know, the way I played, you know, trying to play quicker because I knew the ball had to come out quick. Because, you know, Joe Green gets the quarterback.

[00:08:03] We had L.C. Greenwood, you know, obviously Jack Lambert on that as a linebacker on that team as well. You know, Donny Schell, Mel Blunt. So it was just a staff, you know, football team. And just to play with those guys was just unbelievable. They taught me a lot along the way. So as I got better, they got better. We won more football games. Yes, it was an incredible team.

[00:08:29] When I was researching before doing this interview, I was just in awe because, you know, I learned all about these names. My dad was always obsessed with football and I would try and watch it with him as a little kid. And those names, like the ones you just mentioned, he just, you know, he just got these stars in his eyes when he talked about them. So this is really incredible to hear. Of all of your football accomplishments, which one means the most to you?

[00:08:52] Probably, probably when my teammates, you know, voted me the most valuable player of the team. I think it was in 70, I can't remember exactly the year. I think in 77, 70, no, I mean 79. I got voted MVP of the team, which was a big thing for me because, you know, we got a Super Bowl team. And then your teammates vote you as the most valuable player on that team.

[00:09:20] I mean, that meant a lot, you know, not just, you know, that you're playing good football as well, but for your teammates to recognize that and vote you with such an honor. That was probably the biggest honor that I think I could receive. Very cool. Very cool. So let's transition a little bit over to the legal side now. Have there been lessons from football, whether it be discipline, preparation, teamwork that directly helped you on the bench?

[00:09:47] Well, you know, obviously, you know, you have to have a good staff and, you know, teammates and different things here in the law, which is a big deal. I really appreciate that. You know, I think preparation is huge, you know, and so I'm always enjoying preparing for games. I enjoy preparing for court as well, doing that. So that's important. And I also get the opportunity now because I'm in juvenile court to talk to the kids that come before me as well and explain to them.

[00:10:16] And they can see that preparation, dedication, all those things work hand in hand. And it's important that you do those things. And probably, you know, just believe, just believe in yourself, the things that you can do because, you know, kids and adults alike, you know, we can do some things that we wouldn't ever dream of doing if we just gave it a shot and tried. And so I try to do that. And so I think football, you know, allows me to do that even on the bench.

[00:10:44] So I talk to kids. Hopefully they listen. And the majority of them do. Some of them don't. You know, but we have to continue to fight for them and support them and encourage them as well. So, you know, I like that aspect, you know, having that opportunity to play football and also to, you know, do the things that I love to do in court as well. Yes. Yes, for sure. Now, you've spent your life proving that people don't have to be defined by a single chapter.

[00:11:12] Looking back, if you could sit down with 22-year-old self, your 22-year-old self, right before entering the NFL, what advice would you give him? 22-year-old self? Well, that's a long time ago. So, you know, I would just, you know, you've got to decide what you want to do in life. And whatever it is you decide to do, you know, do it. You give it your all. You know, don't doubt yourself. You know, believe that you can do it. And just go out and, you know, give it all your best.

[00:11:41] And, you know, sometimes it only takes a little bit of extra effort. It's a shame if you give up on something and, you know, if you just kept going another day, how things would have turned around for you. So just keep fighting. Keep doing what you believe that you want to do and continue to encourage yourself. Sometimes other people encourage you, but, you know, the most important person is you. And if you encourage yourself and know that you can do it, the majority of the time, it turns out to be a good, positive thing.

[00:12:11] And you can achieve those goals that you have. Very well said. Absolutely. And this is the last question. When Steeler fans stop you today, are they more likely to ask about an interception, a Super Bowl ring, or whether they can get out of jury duty? Well, all those questions have been asked from me in the past as well.

[00:12:36] But the majority of the time, you know, it's, you know, particularly here in Pittsburgh, you know, if you're living in Pittsburgh and you're not a Steeler fan, you live in the wrong city. So, you know, everybody here is a Steeler fan. And they enjoy it. They always want to know what it was like to be on the Super Bowl team, which is phenomenal. You know, it's difficult to even describe the feeling.

[00:12:59] But the best feeling was, you know, coming back home, coming to Pittsburgh and just saying thank you to all the fans that were here and that supported us and continue to support us throughout the years as well. You know, but I always get asked about the Super Bowl. And, but, you know, one thing and play on that particular team, you know, it's not, you know, there's some great teams now, but I don't think there's any, any team that compares, you know, to the Super Bowl years here in Pittsburgh. Yes, absolutely.

[00:13:28] Thank you so much for joining me. This has been an absolute pleasure. Well, Aaron, thank you so much.