One day, FB Monte Pottebaum was a Pittsburgh Steeler. The next, he was gone. In the summer of 2023, Pottebaum was the first “cut” of training camp, but it wasn’t the coaches who gave him the pink slip. Instead, he decided on his own volition to hang up his cleats and walk away, retiring days after arriving in Latrobe.
Now, he’s explaining why.
Recently appearing on the SHRP podcast, Pottebaum says his decision was for various reasons, and one weighing on his mind as soon as he signed with the Steelers following the 2023 NFL Draft. Like many who hang up their cleats, health played a key reason.
“In order for me to do [play football], there was some pain that goes with that, and that pain increasingly got worse and worse as I progressed through college,” he told the show. “Got to a point where anytime I would hit somebody wrong, it would send just shooting pain down my neck into my fingertips all throughout my arm.
“You guys all know what a stinger is, but basically, it’s like, I wish it had the visual effect of breaking your arm or something like that. From an outsider looking in, it looks like you’re just being a wuss. But realistically, on the inside, it’s like some of the worst pain imaginable.”
Pottebaum played fullback at Iowa before trying his hand at the NFL, signing with the Steelers as part of their small undrafted class following their 2023 selections. He earned local notoriety for his mullet, his throwback position, and playing for an Iowa team with the same philosophy, not to mention jerseys, as the Steelers. Though his odds were long, Pittsburgh had just parted ways with FB Derek Watt, potentially opening the door to someone like Pottebaum. Our scouting report outlined the special teams path that could allow him to compete for a spot.
But he retired after three days of camp practice before the pads were on. He decided to walk away rather than play below his expectations and the NFL’s rigorous demands.
“Just couldn’t get rid of those [injuries], and I felt like it was affecting my play. And I was thinking about it while I was playing on the field, and I couldn’t be me when I was on the field anymore. And that took some joy out of the game as well.”
An Iowa boy through and through from the small town of Larchwood, population less than 1,000, packing up and heading out East to Pittsburgh was a serious life change. One that also weighed on him as the physical toll mounted.
“I got three nieces and nephews that I don’t see. And family and friends and nobody’s getting younger, and it’s just like, I felt more like I would enjoy life more being around the people that I love rather than chasing some money.”
Pottebaum also described the unpleasantness of living out of a hotel during his time with the Steelers, a suitcase life, instead of enjoying the creature comforts of being home. It’s common for rookies and young players to begin their time with a new team in a hotel, not making enough money to rent an apartment and in no position to commit and buy a house in the area.
His faith also called him to give up any football dreams and return to Iowa.
“Somebody to look in from the outside would be like, what? This guy’s got everything that he has ever wanted. He is playing for his childhood team. He is gonna make a lot of money, potentially. Do all these great things. But realistically, on the inside, I wasn’t feeling that way and wasn’t having any peace about where I was heading. I kind of thought that through a few different things that God was kind of calling me home.”
Now, he’s gotten into coaching at the local line. He’s back at his alma mater at West Lyon High School, where he describes himself as a “big morale guy” for the team. It’s paying off. His team went undefeated in the regular season and picked up a blowout first-round playoff win Friday night, toppling Garner-Hayfield Ventura 42-0. It might not be an NFL Sunday, but Friday night football in Iowa is pretty darn close to living the dream.
