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Fiala chooses retirement over Texans
Jerry DiPaola is the Tribune-Review high school sports editor. He can be reached via e-mail.
He released him.
The Steelers were certainly justified in their decision to release Fiala and his $800,000 base salary from the team June 12. The team had recently fortified itself at inside linebacker with free-agent veteran Clint Kriewaldt and Larry Foote, drafted a year ago from the University of Michigan. And they were just backups behind starters Kendrell Bell and James Farrior.
Still, Fiala said he was surprised that the Steelers gave up on him.
He had been the special-teams captain for the past four seasons. Only a year ago, he was considered a challenger -- at least in the team's public pronouncements -- for the job vacated by Earl Holmes in 2002.
"I was surprised at the time," Fiala said of being cut, "but I understand the reasons."
He also appreciated the timing.
"If I was cut at the end of training camp, it would have been harder to find another team. (The Steelers) were set with middle linebackers," he said.
Fiala immediately set aside his disappointment and instructed his agents, Paul Sheehy and Warren Schmidt, to find him another job. It didn't take long for the Texans to offer a proposal that would have made Fiala a key backup in Houston.
But after thinking over the situation and discussing the future with his wife Meg, Fiala decided that he didn't want to bounce from team to team. After six years in the NFL, Fiala said that he wants to retire.
"It's never been about the money for John," Sheehy said.
"I know that football has taken a toll on me physically over the past six years," said Fiala, who had shoulder surgery last year and two procedures on his knee earlier in his career. "I respect my body enough now that in the future it is going to be fine for me. It was worth my body to say no to the Houston Texans and move on to the next chapter in my life. Some of my major joints have had some trauma. It was time to enjoy the later years of my life.
"It was kind of a blessing in disguise that I was cut by the Steelers."
Fiala said he plans to move back to Seattle and possibly open a craft store with his wife. He always has had a keen interest in woodworking. He also is interested in coaching high school football, if the opportunity arises.
"The hardest thing about leaving after being released are the friendships you leave," he said. "You go through a lot with the players on the team, the blood, sweat and tears. Friendships run deep and it's hard to say goodbye."
