Peterman, in his second season with the Dallas Cowboys,
was in Baton Rouge for the opening of his new restaurant – Tigre’s – which
originated in the Mississippi gulf coast town of Pass Christian, near his
hometown of Waveland. Peterman, who is projected to be a starter for the Cowboys
in August, is just bouncing back from a knee injury all the while he and wife
Colleen have just welcomed the birth of their second child Timothy Joseph. Most
Tiger fans recall the Peterman’s first child – Stephen Frederick Jr. – was born
prior to LSU’s national championship season in 2003.
TR: In your rookie season with the Cowboys, you had some
trouble battling the injury bug. What is the status of your injuries and are you
close to 100-perecnt?
Peterman: I started off with a broken finger and when
that started getting better, I hurt my knee. I have gone from not walking to
walking again, to jogging, to running, to working out again so it has been a
long road, but it has taught me a lot and become close to my strength coach and
the guys that rehab my knee. I also got close to several guys that were hurt and
had similar injuries that had surgery. It has been a journey but it is good to
get back in the swing of things.
TR: Word is the way things should out is that you will
be part of the first string offensive line come August.
Peterman: They told me I am going to be running with the
ones. They told me the guy that we signed had to have surgery and he won’t be
ready and they said they wanted to throw me in there, see how I am doing and see
how my knee is holding up.
TR: You had the opportunity to play for one of the top
coaches in college football in Nick Saban at LSU. Could you ever have imagined
to play for an NFL legend like Bill Parcells?
Peterman: It is definitely an honor. He is a great coach
that you respect and you listen to everything he says because he has been there
before. He has won two Super Bowls. It is a great opportunity all around. You
are sort of like in awe of the guys you are around. Being in the huddle with
Eddie George, Vinny Testaverde or Keyshawn Johnson, all these great players that
you see everyday on television commercials or on billboards. It is definitely an
honor, but it is a business as well and overall just a great thing to be a part
of.
TR: The New England Patriots currently have six former
LSU players on their roster. With the addition of Marcus Spears, Dallas now has three. How
nice is that to have some former teammates there in Dallas with
you?
Peterman: Bradie (James) and Marcus are there. It is
good to have some guys that are from back home. Bradie should be starting this
year and Marcus definitely has a chance to contribute. It is good to be back
along side some of the former Tigers I have played with in college.
TR: And there is a new addition to the Peterman
family?
Peterman: We do have a new addition to the family, a new
son Timothy Joseph Peterman. He was born the 26th of last month
(April). We have another little O-lineman.
TR: You see many former athletes, especially at LSU,
invest in business venture such as restaurants and bars. Expound on the details
of your restaurant – Tigre’s – and how it all got
started.
Peterman: It started in Pass Christian, Miss. and Chef Thomas and
Chef Victor are two of my friends that I went to high school with. The three of
us, and my best friend Steve Colson, became partners and thought it would be a
great to bring a restaurant here to Baton Rouge. It is a great city here and have a
lot of great memories here. Me and my wife had our first son here, that year
when we won the national championship, so that makes it even more special. The
friendships we have a developed here, it is good to have something here, like
the restaurant, that will always be a part of this area.