Merril Hoge on the Steelers, Chuck Noll, Cancer & His “Find a Way” Mindset

Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Merril Hoge joins Larry Richert and Jay Caufield for a powerful and entertaining edition of The Larry & Big Man Show. Merril looks back on arriving in Pittsburgh as a rookie from Idaho State, meeting Steelers legends like Art Rooney Sr., Chuck Noll, Joe Greene, Mike Webster and John Stallworth, and the unforgettable moments that helped shape his NFL career. He shares hilarious stories from his rookie season, including nearly telling “The Chief” he couldn’t smoke a cigar in his own locker room and a memorable misunderstanding at a youth football banquet. The conversation also turns deeply personal as Merril opens up about the devastating end of his playing career following serious head trauma and cardiac arrest, the depression that followed, and how a call from Lynn Swann helped point him toward a new chapter in broadcasting. Merril also details his battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the brutal chemotherapy treatments he endured, and why investing in your health matters. He explains the lifelong story behind his “Find a Way” philosophy, a mindset that began with an NFL dream written on his bedroom wall as a kid and carried him through football, cancer and some of the darkest moments of his life. Also, Merril remembers his legendary playoff battles with Houston and Denver, becoming a Steelers fan thousands of miles from Pittsburgh, his memorable NFL Combine experience, and what it meant to share a locker room with some of the greatest names in Steelers history. Sponsored by Henderson Brothers, Rohrich Automotive Group & Zerorez Commercial. Save 15% on Zerorez Commercial services with promo code ONETEAM15. Produced by 1TEAM Media. 00:00 Intro and Merril Hoge’s hilarious rookie stories 08:54 Coming to Pittsburgh and the legendary 1987 Steelers draft class 12:48 Chuck Noll, Art Rooney Sr. and nearly confronting “The Chief” 18:02 Career-ending head trauma, depression and Lynn Swann’s helping hand 29:05 Surviving cancer, brutal chemotherapy and investing in your health 36:05 The origin of Merril Hoge’s “Find a Way” mindset 48:10 Steelers playoff memories, Joe Greene and life inside Three Rivers Stadium Follow us on social media: Instagram:   / larryandbigman   TikTok:   / larryandbigmanshow   X: https://x.com/LarryAndBigMan Facebook:   / thelarryandbigmanshow