JERRY
OLSAVSKY RETURNS TO THE STEELERS 2002
I started to
follow the Steelers when Channel 4 began broadcasting NFL highlights
in 1981. I chose to follow them when they were past their sale by
date, but I had Liverpool to compensate for all those woes. Didn't
we have a 5-11 season somewhere along the way?
I've rarely had
favourite Steelers players because I've been more interested in seeing
the team do well. Anyway, if I got attached to a particular player...
they went elsewhere, so what was the point?
Jerry Olsavsky
became one of those rare Steelers that I called "a favourite
player of mine." But that is all down to the special person that
Jerry Olsavsky is.
Jerry Olsavsky
was picked by the Steelers in the tenth round of the 1989 draft. As
their number one choice that year, the Steelers settled with Tim Worley.
Worley provided a couple of years good service to the Steelers before
going astray. Jerry Olsavsky was to give his best to the Steelers
for almost a decade.
At 6 foot and
half an inch and 217 pounds, Olsavsky was considered by many not to
have the physique to become a good linebacker. Jerry O proved them
all wrong.
That's probably
why I admired him as a player. He wasn't a superstar. He was just
Jerry O. What he did, he did to the best of his ability.
He suffered a
bad knee injury in 1993, but showed extraordinary courage, determination
and tenacity to come back the following season.
These few words
from the Steelers 1996 media guide sum the guy up better than I can,
"Epitome of determination and perseverance."
Olsavsky attended
Pittsburgh University and graduated with a degree in Information Science.
During his college years, Olsavsky played middle linebacker and became
the first senior player at Pitt for over ten years to have three consecutive
100 tackle seasons.
During his first
pro season, he played on special teams and as backup to Hardy Nickerson.
Jerry O started the last eight games due to a Nickerson injury and
played well enough to be named to the NFL all-rookie team. During
the playoffs, he blocked a kick at Houston that led to a touchdown.
1990, he played
in 15 games seeing limited time as ILB, but a lot on special teams.
He had his best game vs Cleveland, with two solo tackles on special
teams, 2 forced fumbles and four solo tackles on defense.
1991 he played
in all sixteen games, starting the first 4 for David Little. Was 2nd
in special team tackles with 13.
1992 saw him miss
1 game with a broken hand and 8 games with a foot sprain. His 1993
season was even worse for injuries. He played and started the first
7 games before suffering an injury to his left knee in the game against
Cleveland which put him out for the season.
1994 saw a triumphant
return when he signed on November 16th and he was activated for the
Cincinnatti game December 4th.
1995 saw Olsavsky
play in 15 games, starting 13 in total, with 5 of those starts in
place of Chad Brown. When he replaced Chad Brown October 19 vs Cincinnatti
he recorded a season high 7 tackles (5 solo). He suffered an ankle
injury at Cincinnatti on November 19th and was inactive for the Cleveland
game the following week with a sprained foot, but was named starter
for the final four weeks of the regular season.
His 1995 season
continued into January 1998 with him starting the Buffalo playoff
game and making his first career interception. He recorded 6 tackles
during the AFC Championship game against Indianapolis and played more
than half of the defensive snaps as a reserve during Super Bowl XXX.
1996 saw Olsavsky
playing 15 games and making 13 starts at RILB, which was the same
position he started in 1993. Finished 6th on team with 63 tackles
and was 4th with 12 stops at or behind line of scrimmage. Recorded
career-best 63 tackles to finish 6th on team. Sidelined with a heel
injury for the regular season finale at Carolina game, but started
the playoff games vs Indianapolis and New England.
1997 saw his Steelers'
career fading.
CAREER
STATS
BACK
WITH THE STEELERS - TEMPORARILY?
While working
currently at the University of North Carolina as the assistant strength
coach, Jerry Olsavsky spent the first couple of weeks of the 2002
training camp with the Steelers.
Steelers.com
quoted Olsavsky as saying, "I want to be a coach. I want coaching
to be my career, but I don't know if I will be lucky enough to have
a shot at this level. I would love to coach in the NFL, because you
are working with the best, and that's especially true here because
the Steelers linebackers are real, real good. It's great to be around
them."
Jerry's cousin Bob emailed me at the end of 2004 to say hello to the UK Black & Gold and to tell us that Jerry is now the linebacker coach at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio where they both grew up.
Olsavsky's
non Steeler years.
