Editing Mark Stepnoski

{{Short description|American football player (born 1967)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Mark Stepnoski
| number      = 70, 53
| position    = [[Center (American football)|Center]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1967|1|20}}
| birth_place = [[Erie, Pennsylvania]], U.S. 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 2
| weight_lb   = 265
| high_school = [[Cathedral Preparatory School|Cathedral]] (Erie)
| college     = [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh]]
| draftyear   = 1989
| draftround  = 3
| draftpick   = 57
| pastteams   =
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|1989|1994}})
* [[Tennessee Titans|Houston / Tennessee Oilers]] ({{NFL Year|1995|1998}})
* Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|1999|2001}})
| highlights  =
* 2× [[Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXVII|XXVII]], [[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]])
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1992 All-Pro Team|1992]])
* 2× Second-team All-Pro ([[1994 All-Pro Team|1994]], [[1996 All-Pro Team|1996]])
* 5× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1992 Pro Bowl|1992]]–[[1996 Pro Bowl|1996]])
* [[NFL 1990s All-Decade Team]]
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1988 College Football All-America Team|1988]])
* 2× First-team All-[[Big East Conference|East]] ([[1986 All-East football team|1986]], [[1988 All-East football team|1988]])
* Second-team All-East ([[1987 All-East football team|1987]])
* Pennsylvania All-Century Team<ref>{{cite web |title=The Pennsylvania Football News All-Century Teams |url=http://www.pafootballnews.com/AllCenturyTeams.htm |website=pafootballnews.com |access-date=December 19, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218053707/http://www.pafootballnews.com/AllCenturyTeams.htm |archive-date=February 18, 2006}}</ref>
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 194
| statlabel2  = Games started
| statvalue2  = 182
| statlabel3  = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue3  = 7
| pfr         = StepMa00 
}}

'''Mark Matthew Stepnoski''' (born January 20, 1967) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was an [[offensive lineman]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He attended [[Cathedral Preparatory School]] in [[Erie, Pennsylvania]], and went on to star at the [[University of Pittsburgh]]. He played 13 seasons in the NFL, with the [[Dallas Cowboys]] from 1989 to 1994, with the [[Tennessee Titans|Houston / Tennessee Oilers]] from 1995 to 1998, and back to the Cowboys for three more seasons. Stepnoski won two [[Super Bowl]]s with the Cowboys and was selected to five consecutive [[Pro Bowl]]s from 1992 to 1996.

==Early life==
Stepnoski, was a highly recruited All-State and [[Parade All-American]] [[offensive tackle]] from Erie [[Cathedral Preparatory School]]. He graduated from the school in 1985.

He signed with the [[University of Pittsburgh]] and became a four-year starter at [[Guard (American football)|offensive guard]], helping clear the way for [[Craig Heyward]] and [[Curvin Richards]] to become two of the leading rushers in the nation.

Stepnoski was a third-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] as a sophomore, a consensus first-team All-American in 1988 and a finalist for the [[Outland Trophy]] as a senior. He was a two-time [[Academic All-America]]n (1986 and 1988). He also played in the [[East–West Shrine Game]].

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 2 3/8
|       weight = 270
|     arm span = 33 3/8
|    hand span = 10 1/8
|     vertical = 29.0
|     broad ft = 8
|     broad in = 5
}}
{{NFL predraft
|         dash = 5.01
|    ten split = 1.68
| twenty split = 2.89
|      shuttle = 4.53
|        bench = 29
}}

All values from NFL Combine<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=25846 |title=Mark Stepnoski, Combine Results, OG - Pittsburgh |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=November 16, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ras.football/2020/01/09/mark-stepnoski-ras/ |title=Mark Stepnoski RAS |website=ras.football |date=January 9, 2020 |access-date=November 16, 2022}}</ref>

===Dallas Cowboys (first stint)===
Stepnoski was selected by the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in the third round of the [[1989 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1989 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1989/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He dropped in the draft because the scouts thought he was undersized for the [[National Football League]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://insidethestar.com/countdown-to-kickoff-mark-stepnoski-takes-center-stage-at-53/ |title=Countdown To Kickoff: Mark Stepnoski Takes "Center" Stage At #53 |date=July 21, 2022 |access-date=November 16, 2022}}</ref>

The Cowboys switched him to [[Center (American football)|center]], although he had never played that position. During his rookie year he was tutored by [[Tom Rafferty]], who was playing his last season in the NFL. He became a starter for the last four games of the season. Stepnoski used his athletic ability, leverage and balance to outmaneuver bigger defensive players and become one of the league's best centers of his era. By the end of the [[1991 Dallas Cowboys season|1991 season]] he was selected to the first of five straight [[Pro Bowl]]s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Eatman |first1=Nick |title=The 53: Stepnoski To Anchor The Middle |url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/the-53-stepnoski-to-anchor-the-middle-286191 |access-date=July 5, 2012 |work=dallascowboys.com |date=July 3, 2012}}</ref> From [[1992 Dallas Cowboys season|1992]] to [[1994 Dallas Cowboys season|1994]], together with [[Erik Williams]], [[Mark Tuinei]], [[Nate Newton]] and [[Kevin Gogan]], he was part of some of the best offensive lines to play in NFL history,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2679032-cowboys-offensive-line-shaping-up-as-perhaps-greatest-in-nfl-history |title=Cowboys Offensive Line Shaping Up as Perhaps Greatest in NFL History |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |access-date=November 16, 2022}}</ref> that also helped pave the way for [[Emmitt Smith]] to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher. In [[1993 Dallas Cowboys season|1993]], he suffered a knee injury that required surgery while playing against the [[Minnesota Vikings]] in the 13th game of the season. He was replaced by [[John Gesek]] and couldn't play during the [[playoffs]] and [[Super Bowl XXVIII]]. He became a [[free agent]] at the end of the season, but the Cowboys could only sign him to a one-year contract ($1.2 million and a $500,000 signing bonus).

Stepnoski was one of the team's first big-name players to leave the Cowboys following the 1994 season via [[free agent|unrestricted free agency]], leaving with three Pro Bowls and back-to-back [[Super Bowl]] victories.

===Houston / Tennessee Oilers===
Stepnoski signed with the [[Houston Oilers]] in 1995. During his first two seasons with the Oilers he increased his streak of Pro Bowl selections to five. Stepnoski played two more seasons with the team upon their relocation to [[Nashville]].

===Dallas Cowboys (second stint)===
The Cowboys signed Stepnoski as a free agent in [[1999 Dallas Cowboys season|1999]], where he finished his career with three more years, retiring after the [[2001 Dallas Cowboys season|2001 season]].

===Career achievements===
Stepnoski played 13 seasons in the National Football League, which included five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (1992–1996) and a place on the [[National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team|National Football League 1990s All-Decade second team]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Mark Stepnoski |url=https://eriesportshalloffame.org/inductee/mark-stepnoski/ |website=Erie Sports Hall of Fame |access-date=March 9, 2019}}</ref> He won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys ([[Super Bowl XXVII|XXVII]] and [[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]]) and was a nominee for the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] class of 2007.<ref>{{cite news |title=Preliminary nominees for Class of 07 |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/preliminary-nominees-for-class-of-07/ |access-date=March 9, 2019 |work=profootballhof.com |date=October 27, 2006}}</ref>

==Cannabis advocacy==
{{See also|Cannabis and sports}}
During the early 2000s, Stepnoski served as president of the [[Texas NORML|Texas chapter]] of the [[National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws]] (NORML).<ref name="observer">{{cite news |last1=Donald |first1=Mark |title=Steppin' Out |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/steppin-out-6389457 |access-date=March 9, 2019 |work=Dallas Observer |date=October 31, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Armentano |first1=Paul |title=Lineman for Liberty |url=https://reason.com/2003/04/10/lineman-for-liberty/ |access-date=August 9, 2021 |work=Reason |date=April 10, 2003}}</ref> He became a lifetime member of NORML in 1998 when he contributed $2000 to the organization.<ref name="grenner">{{cite news |last1=McKenna |first1=Dave |title=The Grass Is Sometimes Greener |url=https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/theater/article/13027967/the-grass-is-sometimes-greener |access-date=March 9, 2019 |work=Washington City Paper |date=November 21, 2003}}</ref> He kept private his views as an active player though, not wanting to create a distraction for his team.<ref name="observer" /> As an active player, Stepnoski says he occasionally used cannabis for pain relief.<ref name="fired up">{{cite news |last1=Hruby |first1=Patrick |title=Fired up |url=http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n097/a02.html |access-date=August 9, 2021 |work=The Washington Times |date=January 21, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809031421/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2003/jan/21/20030121-010424-5656r/ |archive-date=August 9, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Outside the Lines: Marijuana in Sports |url=http://www.espn.com/page2/tvlistings/show152transcript.html |access-date=August 9, 2021 |publisher=ESPN |date=February 23, 2003}}</ref>

Stepnoski's advocacy caused his high school alma mater, [[Cathedral Preparatory School]], to cancel his induction into the school's athletic hall of fame.<ref name="grenner" /><ref name="dudley">{{cite news |last1=Dudley |first1=John |title=Q&A; with Mark Stepnoski |url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20071104%2FFOOTBALL04%2F711040515%2F-1%2FFOOTBALL |work=Erie Times-News |date=November 4, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224042044/http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20071104%2FFOOTBALL04%2F711040515%2F-1%2FFOOTBALL |archive-date=December 24, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> His efforts also drew the ire of the [[Office of National Drug Control Policy]] under President [[George W. Bush]].<ref name="fired up" /> A spokesperson stated: "It's really kind of sad that someone who could use his role as a role model for young children chooses not to use it constructively, but to use it for something that has caused devastation for families throughout this country."<ref>{{cite news |last1=McFarland |first1=John |title=Former Cowboy Stepnoski now advocating marijuana legalization |url=https://www.myplainview.com/news/article/Former-Cowboy-Stepnoski-now-advocating-marijuana-9064397.php |access-date=August 9, 2021 |work=Plainview Herald |agency=Associated Press |date=February 21, 2003}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Stepnoski moved to [[Vancouver|Vancouver, British Columbia]], in 2003. He has a son.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Townsend |first1=Brad |title=What the Dallas Cowboys think about marijuana |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2016/09/22/what-the-dallas-cowboys-think-about-marijuana/ |access-date=August 9, 2021 |work=The Dallas Morning News |date=September 22, 2016}}</ref>

In a 2007 interview, Stepnoski expressed support for the [[9/11 truth movement]].<ref name="dudley" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Super Bowl XXVII}}
{{Super Bowl XXVIII}}
{{1988 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Cowboys1989DraftPicks}}
{{NFL1990s}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stepnoski, Mark}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football centers]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players]]
[[Category:Houston Oilers players]]
[[Category:Tennessee Oilers players]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Erie, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Panthers football players]]
[[Category:American cannabis activists]]