June 15, 2024 • 9 mins
Gerry Mullins sits down with Rob King to talk about his football career and more
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Okay, Jerry. First I have to ask you Moon Mullins.
How'd you get the nickname?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
When did you get the nickname?
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Well, actually, Moon Mullins was a comics character from the thirties,
and when I was in junior high school, there was
four Jerry's on the team, and my coach at the
time decided that to eliminate some of the confusion, he
put the moon handle on me. And it sucked all
through high school, college, and into the pros. Everybody, all
(00:31):
my teammates always called me.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Move.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Well, you grew up in sunny Anaheim, right right, played
at USC your junior year, you guys were ten oh
on one.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
You only lost one game, not quite as good a
your senior year.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
But at that same time, your junior year, Steers have
a new coach, Chuck Nole. They go one in thirteen.
Pittsburgh not exactly known for its sunshine. So a couple
of years later, when you were drafted by this year,
there's what were you thinking.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Well, I took a trip back.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
They flew me back and I think it was in February,
landed a greater pit and had that brown snow coming
into the city, and you know, I was thinking to myself,
what did I get into, Harry? But went through the
four Pit tunnels and just happened. When we came out
the other side. The sun broke through and look, the
(01:20):
Golden Triangle is really shining golden. And I was like
pretty impressed, you know, with what I saw. But obviously
with their past history, I thought maybe you know, I
had been sent to Siberia.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
And when you got to the postseason, finally a couple
of years into your career, the Steelers had never won
a playoff game. Were you aware of that history?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Not really, I know that they had forty years of mediocrity,
and I used to think about Art Rooney senior. You know, yes,
it's your great attitude, you know. And I was like,
all the years of frustration. Every day he showed up
in the locker room, he always had a positive attitude
winter lose. I just couldn't imagine being that optimistic. And
(02:03):
then when we finally won a Super Bowl, you know,
I think the highlight of my career was seeing him
take that trophy. You know, his eyes were all like
all fogged up, his big coat glasses, and I'm thinking,
you know, finally he reached the top of the mountain,
you know, after all those years of frustration, and then
obviously three more times he did it, but that first
(02:25):
time was really special.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
You started out and people, I don't know, You're drafted
as a tight end. When were you moved to guard?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Well?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Actually I was a tight end in college. When I
got the call, Dan Rooney called to let me know
that the Steelers had drafted me, and then he put
Chuck Noll on the line, and Chuck said, don't don't
worry about catching passes or anything. You're going to be
an offensive line. Put on a little weight because I
was about two hundred and thirty five pounds in college,
(02:55):
and I think when I showed up at training camp
my rookie year, I was about two hundred and forty
five pounds.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You guys had great offensive lines. I mean, it's amazing
when you look back that not too many of those
Steelers throughout the seventies.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
You guys are leading the league and rushing every year,
made the Pro Bowl.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Did you feel like you were undervalued a little bit
around the league?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Well, we were really undersize as a group, mainly because
we did a lot of pulling and trapping and running,
so we were basically the guards especially were more like
running back. We did a lot of outside running key.
I think when we got Franco, you know, that was
his forte and he made it a living out of running.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Outside the tackles smaller people.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I mean, I probably couldn't have made it on some
teams the big you know, straight ahead like Oakland Raiders
blocking straight ahead, you know, zone blocking kind of thing,
just sort of fifth in this year.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
A lot of people talked about Joe Green being the
guy that sort of changed the arc of the franchise
when he came in a couple of years before you
were drafted. But you've also identified Franko Harris as a key,
key figure for the Steelers offense.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, well, Franco was the missing piece. I mean, I
came in seventy one. We had an excellent draft in
seventy one. I think we had.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Six or seven starters for the Super Bowl teams.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Jack Ham was the second round pick, Frank Lewis was
the first round pick, wide receiver, Mike Wagner, Glenn Edwards, White,
White White, Larry Brown myself. We had a great draft
and we were getting the pieces put together. But like
Franco was the outside threat that we didn't have running
(04:33):
the ball, and the way our offensive line was structured,
we were basically set up to be running outside, pulling, trapping,
and Franco was one of those kind of backs could
read the holes very well and he would bust some
big plays and that opened up the passing game for Bradshaw,
you know. So it was sort of a culmination of
everything coming together.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
I want to take you back to Super Bowl nine
because points are hard to come by in that game.
Taking on the Vikings, Frank runs left, you pull around,
you get the big block on Wally Hildenburg.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Do you remember that through that play?
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, it was I think thirty seven special or something.
I dipped around and Wally Hilgenberg was coming up full speed,
and I knew that I had to like try to
stop him because Frank it was always like on my hip,
you know, he really set up the blocks for his
for his lineman, you know. And so I decided instead
(05:28):
of staying up high on him, I'd go down loan
and kind of because I knew he was he was
running full speed. He could you know, he had to
sell out, and I went down low on him and
he hit the ground of Franco moved around the outside
and he basically walked in for the winning score.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Is that block a highlight? Do you think about that?
Because that shows up on you know, listening to a
touchdown in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Hey, I was, I was on CBS or one of
the networks, you know, they called me because of that block.
Was probably the only time I was ever on national
TV because back in that era, you know, linemen were
like one step above maybe the punter, and all the
publicity you get was usually bad a holding call off
sides or your man beats you and kill the quarterback.
(06:14):
You know, so we sort of like just stayed amongst ourselves.
We were happy to be you know, low profile.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
You also and that you had a real championship drive
later in that game, and we just ground it down
the field. Franco n Rocky Pier. You had a big
run right off with bright guard. I think it was
Rocky Bier had an almost a twenty yard run. What
does that feel like as an offensive line take control
of a game and they know you want to run it,
and you run it and they can't stop you.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Yeah, well that's the whole key.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
You know, you've got to maintain control of the football
if you want to win. You know, we had a
great defense. They always gave us opportunities. And in those
big games, like I said, the Dallas, the Vikings, I mean,
they had great defenses.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I mean it wasn't an easy.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Task to believe me, and especially like I said, we
were an undersized group, but we worked hard and we
were able to stay together for the most part. Ray
Mansfield transitioned over to Mike Webster at center, and the
rest of us were pretty much together. You know for
most of the time, John called Sam Davis, Webster, Larry Brown,
(07:30):
Gordon Gravelle, those.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Guys offensive line.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
You need to have continuity, you know, because you rely
on people without necessarily even talking.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
You know, you just get a feel from.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Doing things on the move, and by having that group
together for so long, it just came second nature. Sometimes
you had comfort of knowing that your teammate next to
you was on the same way link as you were.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
So I made your job a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
One super Bowl became two, and then three and then
four in a short period of time for you, your
whole career seventy one to seventy nine.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
What's that like? When you look back at that era
of dominance.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Well, I mean my football career was nine years. I
just think that, you know, it was amazing. I mean,
nobody could have even dreamed about having that kind of
a run. I mean, we were the team of the Seven.
He's probably one of the greatest teams in the history
of the NFL. But you know, it's just amazing state
(08:30):
of Steeler for life.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
What is it like for you to be in this
Teether's Hall of Honor?
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Well, it's an amazing thing. You know.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
When I got the call from Ur the second telling
me I was going to be inducted, you know, I
couldn't believe it. I was grateful of having the opportunity
to play with so many great players. And I took
a lot of pride in seeing Franco get a Hall
of Fame Terry Bradshaw, because our defensive line as a group,
(09:01):
you know, made that happen. We were the engine that
ran the ran the offense. I took a lot of
pride in that, and I never really felt like I
missed out on any kind of honors because it just
wasn't what motivated us. We wanted to do whatever it
took to make the team win the games.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
I mean, that was our motivation.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
And talking to my wife, you know, she said this
really put into perspective. She said, after you're gone, you know,
our grandson could be down at the stadium with some
of his buddies point to your name up on that
wall and say that's my pap, Pap. You know, sort
of makes me get a little, you know, congested. Knowing
(09:47):
that it's not just a stealer for life, it's steeler
for a Lomasters of Steelers. You know, it's really an honor.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
That was beautiful, Thanks man, I appreciate it.
Okay, Jerry. First I have to ask you Moon Mullins.
How'd you get the nickname?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
When did you get the nickname?
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Well, actually, Moon Mullins was a comics character from the thirties,
and when I was in junior high school, there was
four Jerry's on the team, and my coach at the
time decided that to eliminate some of the confusion, he
put the moon handle on me. And it sucked all
through high school, college, and into the pros. Everybody, all
(00:31):
my teammates always called me.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Move.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Well, you grew up in sunny Anaheim, right right, played
at USC your junior year, you guys were ten oh
on one.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
You only lost one game, not quite as good a
your senior year.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
But at that same time, your junior year, Steers have
a new coach, Chuck Nole. They go one in thirteen.
Pittsburgh not exactly known for its sunshine. So a couple
of years later, when you were drafted by this year,
there's what were you thinking.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Well, I took a trip back.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
They flew me back and I think it was in February,
landed a greater pit and had that brown snow coming
into the city, and you know, I was thinking to myself,
what did I get into, Harry? But went through the
four Pit tunnels and just happened. When we came out
the other side. The sun broke through and look, the
(01:20):
Golden Triangle is really shining golden. And I was like
pretty impressed, you know, with what I saw. But obviously
with their past history, I thought maybe you know, I
had been sent to Siberia.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
And when you got to the postseason, finally a couple
of years into your career, the Steelers had never won
a playoff game. Were you aware of that history?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Not really, I know that they had forty years of mediocrity,
and I used to think about Art Rooney senior. You know, yes,
it's your great attitude, you know. And I was like,
all the years of frustration. Every day he showed up
in the locker room, he always had a positive attitude
winter lose. I just couldn't imagine being that optimistic. And
(02:03):
then when we finally won a Super Bowl, you know,
I think the highlight of my career was seeing him
take that trophy. You know, his eyes were all like
all fogged up, his big coat glasses, and I'm thinking,
you know, finally he reached the top of the mountain,
you know, after all those years of frustration, and then
obviously three more times he did it, but that first
(02:25):
time was really special.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
You started out and people, I don't know, You're drafted
as a tight end. When were you moved to guard?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Well?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Actually I was a tight end in college. When I
got the call, Dan Rooney called to let me know
that the Steelers had drafted me, and then he put
Chuck Noll on the line, and Chuck said, don't don't
worry about catching passes or anything. You're going to be
an offensive line. Put on a little weight because I
was about two hundred and thirty five pounds in college,
(02:55):
and I think when I showed up at training camp
my rookie year, I was about two hundred and forty
five pounds.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You guys had great offensive lines. I mean, it's amazing
when you look back that not too many of those
Steelers throughout the seventies.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
You guys are leading the league and rushing every year,
made the Pro Bowl.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Did you feel like you were undervalued a little bit
around the league?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Well, we were really undersize as a group, mainly because
we did a lot of pulling and trapping and running,
so we were basically the guards especially were more like
running back. We did a lot of outside running key.
I think when we got Franco, you know, that was
his forte and he made it a living out of running.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Outside the tackles smaller people.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I mean, I probably couldn't have made it on some
teams the big you know, straight ahead like Oakland Raiders
blocking straight ahead, you know, zone blocking kind of thing,
just sort of fifth in this year.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
A lot of people talked about Joe Green being the
guy that sort of changed the arc of the franchise
when he came in a couple of years before you
were drafted. But you've also identified Franko Harris as a key,
key figure for the Steelers offense.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, well, Franco was the missing piece. I mean, I
came in seventy one. We had an excellent draft in
seventy one. I think we had.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Six or seven starters for the Super Bowl teams.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Jack Ham was the second round pick, Frank Lewis was
the first round pick, wide receiver, Mike Wagner, Glenn Edwards, White,
White White, Larry Brown myself. We had a great draft
and we were getting the pieces put together. But like
Franco was the outside threat that we didn't have running
(04:33):
the ball, and the way our offensive line was structured,
we were basically set up to be running outside, pulling, trapping,
and Franco was one of those kind of backs could
read the holes very well and he would bust some
big plays and that opened up the passing game for Bradshaw,
you know. So it was sort of a culmination of
everything coming together.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
I want to take you back to Super Bowl nine
because points are hard to come by in that game.
Taking on the Vikings, Frank runs left, you pull around,
you get the big block on Wally Hildenburg.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Do you remember that through that play?
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, it was I think thirty seven special or something.
I dipped around and Wally Hilgenberg was coming up full speed,
and I knew that I had to like try to
stop him because Frank it was always like on my hip,
you know, he really set up the blocks for his
for his lineman, you know. And so I decided instead
(05:28):
of staying up high on him, I'd go down loan
and kind of because I knew he was he was
running full speed. He could you know, he had to
sell out, and I went down low on him and
he hit the ground of Franco moved around the outside
and he basically walked in for the winning score.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Is that block a highlight? Do you think about that?
Because that shows up on you know, listening to a
touchdown in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Hey, I was, I was on CBS or one of
the networks, you know, they called me because of that block.
Was probably the only time I was ever on national
TV because back in that era, you know, linemen were
like one step above maybe the punter, and all the
publicity you get was usually bad a holding call off
sides or your man beats you and kill the quarterback.
(06:14):
You know, so we sort of like just stayed amongst ourselves.
We were happy to be you know, low profile.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
You also and that you had a real championship drive
later in that game, and we just ground it down
the field. Franco n Rocky Pier. You had a big
run right off with bright guard. I think it was
Rocky Bier had an almost a twenty yard run. What
does that feel like as an offensive line take control
of a game and they know you want to run it,
and you run it and they can't stop you.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Yeah, well that's the whole key.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
You know, you've got to maintain control of the football
if you want to win. You know, we had a
great defense. They always gave us opportunities. And in those
big games, like I said, the Dallas, the Vikings, I mean,
they had great defenses.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I mean it wasn't an easy.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Task to believe me, and especially like I said, we
were an undersized group, but we worked hard and we
were able to stay together for the most part. Ray
Mansfield transitioned over to Mike Webster at center, and the
rest of us were pretty much together. You know for
most of the time, John called Sam Davis, Webster, Larry Brown,
(07:30):
Gordon Gravelle, those.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Guys offensive line.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
You need to have continuity, you know, because you rely
on people without necessarily even talking.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
You know, you just get a feel from.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Doing things on the move, and by having that group
together for so long, it just came second nature. Sometimes
you had comfort of knowing that your teammate next to
you was on the same way link as you were.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
So I made your job a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
One super Bowl became two, and then three and then
four in a short period of time for you, your
whole career seventy one to seventy nine.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
What's that like? When you look back at that era
of dominance.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Well, I mean my football career was nine years. I
just think that, you know, it was amazing. I mean,
nobody could have even dreamed about having that kind of
a run. I mean, we were the team of the Seven.
He's probably one of the greatest teams in the history
of the NFL. But you know, it's just amazing state
(08:30):
of Steeler for life.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
What is it like for you to be in this
Teether's Hall of Honor?
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Well, it's an amazing thing. You know.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
When I got the call from Ur the second telling
me I was going to be inducted, you know, I
couldn't believe it. I was grateful of having the opportunity
to play with so many great players. And I took
a lot of pride in seeing Franco get a Hall
of Fame Terry Bradshaw, because our defensive line as a group,
(09:01):
you know, made that happen. We were the engine that
ran the ran the offense. I took a lot of
pride in that, and I never really felt like I
missed out on any kind of honors because it just
wasn't what motivated us. We wanted to do whatever it
took to make the team win the games.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
I mean, that was our motivation.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
And talking to my wife, you know, she said this
really put into perspective. She said, after you're gone, you know,
our grandson could be down at the stadium with some
of his buddies point to your name up on that
wall and say that's my pap, Pap. You know, sort
of makes me get a little, you know, congested. Knowing
(09:47):
that it's not just a stealer for life, it's steeler
for a Lomasters of Steelers. You know, it's really an honor.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
That was beautiful, Thanks man, I appreciate it.
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