1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. Back 3 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: on the drive here into the phone lines, we go 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: to talk to our buddy Chris Hallick. He's become a 5 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: regular here on our programming throughout the season, of course, 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: covers the Steelers for dk Pittsburgh Sports. Chris, pretty wild 7 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: week plus here since the Steelers regular season ended, a 8 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: lot that we want to get into with you, But 9 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: I want to start actually with just your thoughts on 10 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: Andy Widel interviewing for the Falcons vacant GM job and 11 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: how much of a loss you know that would be 12 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: for the Steelers to lose a guy like that in 13 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: the organization right in the middle of kind of the 14 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: combine and the draft and the free agency process. 15 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: Oh man, that would be I mean, Mike Tomlin is 16 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 2: a significant loss just because you have to hire a 17 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 2: new coach. But what you talk talk about the next 18 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:05,839 Speaker 2: most impactful guy to lose, maybe outside of Omar Kahn, 19 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 2: Andy is right there. And there are some valuable position 20 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 2: coaches by the way that I would put up there 21 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 2: that and it would really like he would suck for 22 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: the Steelers if they if they left but Andy is 23 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 2: like he puts the draft board together, like he he 24 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: is in charge of that. This is kind of the 25 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 2: time of year where Andrew Widel shines. And to lose 26 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 2: him right as you're getting ready to go into like 27 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 2: the Senior bowlas next week, Uh, the combine will be 28 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: here before we know it. It would be a It 29 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 2: would be not just a big loss, but also right 30 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 2: when you're getting ready to go into the draft and 31 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 2: go in with a new head coach who's gonna bring 32 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 2: his own vision for like his own philosophy for how 33 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: the roster is gonna be constructed, how the team's gonna play. Yeah, 34 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 2: it would be it would be a a significant loss. 35 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: But at the same time, if it were to happen, 36 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 2: you at least do have like this new coach coming 37 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 2: in and he might have a new, fresh perspective and 38 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 2: it might help if he has somebody new in that role. 39 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's well said, and we were talking about it 40 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 3: in the first segment, said something along the lines of 41 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 3: Andy's probably going to be a GM someday. It's probably 42 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 3: a matter of when, not if. From Steelers perspective, you 43 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 3: hope it's later than sooner. For his perspective, you hope 44 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 3: it's sooner than later. I'm rooting for him. But he 45 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 3: brought up a good point though about the new coaching 46 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 3: staff too, so Andy included, but also all the scouts, 47 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 3: Like I went through with this in my year in Cleveland. 48 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 3: When there's a coaching change, a lot of the work 49 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 3: you did isn't useless, but it's not the same, you know, 50 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 3: Like Butch Davis, who I worked for, ran a very 51 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 3: strict four to three stack, you know, like the you 52 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 3: you know, they had great athletes, where Romeo Carnell took 53 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 3: over and we basically threw all that stuff away playing 54 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 3: a three to four. We want Will four and Seymour. 55 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 3: You know. So there's a lot of change here that 56 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 3: I hadn't really dug into until you brought that up. 57 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, either way, whether they hire an offensive 58 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 2: coach or defensive coach, you know, whatever it is, they 59 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: are going to bring their own philosophy. And especially if 60 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 2: it is if they continue to go with the molds 61 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 2: that they've gone with with Chuck Noll and Bill Cower 62 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 2: and Mike Tomlin, it would then be a defensive coach 63 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 2: in his thirties with no previous head coach experience, which 64 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: means a different perspective on that side of the ball, which, 65 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 2: like you said, like what happened, So the three four 66 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 2: get completely thrown out? Do they go to a four 67 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 2: to three? Do they go to a situation where is 68 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 2: it going to be now predominantly two high cover four match. 69 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 2: You know, whatever it is, it's going to be different. 70 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 2: And so if there's a time to have a shake 71 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 2: up in the front office, it's when you're changing your 72 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: head coach, because the head coach ultimately has a lot 73 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 2: more power in the NFL than any head coach or 74 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 2: manager and other sports. 75 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: Uh, It's it's a lot to chew on at this point. 76 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 3: Certainly it sounds like you need a right fielder, you know, 77 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 3: you need to and this linebacker needs to be able 78 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 3: to do this, this and that, you know, right. 79 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: Key, key pillar of the organization. Absolutely, and Chris obviously 80 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: this is all going on while the Steelers are looking 81 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: for a head coach. There continues to seem to be 82 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 1: more and more momentum, more and more kind of you know, 83 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: where there's smoke, there's fire around. Mike McCarthy, who will 84 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: have a formal interview I think it is today actually, 85 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: what's your kind of you know, your heat check, your 86 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: your your pulse of that. Does Mike McCarthy really feel 87 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: like he's a viable candidate? Is he kind of on 88 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 1: that short list of guys that you would say have 89 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: a real shot of landing this job? 90 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:52,359 Speaker 3: And Chris, if you were to land a job, what 91 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,159 Speaker 3: would your thoughts be on him? 92 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 2: Well, my initial thoughts on him are he is the 93 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: antithesives of what they would normally hire. A Chuck Noble, 94 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 2: Bill Kawer, Mike Tommins were all hired in their thirties. 95 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 2: They were all defensive coaches, and all of them had 96 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 2: no previous NFL head coach experience. Mike McCarthy is an 97 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 2: offensive coach. He's sixty two years old, and he has 98 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: eighteen seasons of experience as an NFL head coach. He 99 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 2: is the exact opposite of the mold that they've had 100 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 2: for the last fifty seven seasons. So I think that 101 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 2: would be a drastic change. My reservation on it is 102 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 2: I feel like he would be a little shortsighted, especially 103 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 2: if it came with a reunion with Aaron Rodgers. Now 104 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 2: not saying that they shouldn't try to bring back Aaron Rodgers. 105 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: But I know for a fact that Omar, for a 106 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 2: long time, predating this head coaching search, has made a 107 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 2: long term option at quarterback a priority, a top priority 108 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 2: for the organization. To me, that has to become the 109 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 2: priority right now. Now. You might not get that guy 110 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,679 Speaker 2: right now, like you might not be able to draft 111 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 2: that guy in the first round, but you have to 112 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 2: start putting the plan in place for how that guy 113 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 2: is eventually going to be chosen, whether it's there's a 114 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 2: draft acquired via trade whatever it is, or signed via 115 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 2: free agency, whatever it is. I don't know that Mike 116 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 2: McCarthy is going to be that guy now. I understand 117 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 2: that there's some reports out there saying that there's that 118 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 2: he's a strong candidate and all this stuff. I also 119 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 2: am wary of where those reports come from and how 120 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 2: those reports are usually fed, and they're usually been through agents, 121 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: and so, I you know, it could just be Michae 122 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 2: McCarthy's the agent really puffing him up. I don't know. 123 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 2: I don't feel like it's gonna be the move that 124 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 2: they make. I just don't now. I could be wrong 125 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: on this. I just don't feel like I felt more 126 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 2: along the lines of Chris Shula, Anthony Weaver, something along 127 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 2: those lines, maybe even Brian Flores. I just don't think 128 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 2: McCarthy is going to be that guy. And if he is, 129 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 2: what's the plan moving forward? Because I highly doubt that 130 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 2: he would coach the next nineteen seasons. If he is 131 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 2: the next coach, I feel like it's a little short sighted. 132 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think it's a little crazy. I'm 133 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 3: not giving you a hard time, but like, does everyone 134 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 3: really expect the next guy to coach for two decades? 135 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 3: Like I just think that that shouldn't even be in 136 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 3: the parameters because it just doesn't happen in the league, 137 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 3: although it has happened here three times. 138 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 2: I get it well. I understand, like when when you 139 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 2: look at the situations with with what Bill Cowherd inherited 140 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 2: and with what Mike Tomlin inherited. More so, with Mike 141 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 2: Tomlin's success was expected pretty quickly, especially like I said, 142 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 2: especially with Tomlin, he was inheriting Ben Roethlisberger in a 143 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: defense that was two years removed from winning a Super Bowl, 144 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 2: Like the expectations were pretty high right away. Not so 145 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 2: much with Bill Cower because he didn't have that quarterback 146 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 2: right away and so on and so forth. But I 147 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: understand that. But what I want to see, I guess 148 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: from the Steelers is listen. We've talked about it on 149 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 2: the show, and I know Matt, Matt and I have 150 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 2: talked about this elsewhere. There needs to be a refreshment 151 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 2: in terms of how the Steelers operate, both on and 152 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 2: off the field. More so on the field. I feel 153 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: like the x's and o's have been a little bit behind, 154 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 2: a little bit lacking in terms of big trends and 155 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 2: stuff like that, and I feel like a younger head 156 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: coach would be able to bring a fresh perspective there. 157 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 2: I don't know what McCarthy would bring. It's not like 158 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 2: he's like Kurt Signetti sixty four years old. But his approach, 159 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 2: not just in Indiana, but a James Madison another stocks 160 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 2: has been very very new school. I don't get that 161 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 2: McCarthy would be a new school type guy if he 162 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 2: were the higher That's just kind of my perspective on it, 163 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 2: and I'd be I'm I'm I know this that if 164 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 2: they hire McCarthy, I am very curious to see, Like 165 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 2: I'll be carried. I'm always tuned in when I'm on 166 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 2: the job, but I'll probably be even more tuned in 167 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 2: as like as much as I possibly can, like maybe 168 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 2: even like override a little bit to see everything that 169 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 2: he has to say in that introductory press conference, because 170 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 2: I would want to know what the future of the 171 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 2: organization would be, because after the head coach is hired, 172 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 2: the next priority has to be getting that long term 173 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 2: franchise quarterback, because you're not gonna win if you don't 174 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:30,719 Speaker 2: have one. 175 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 3: You would hope he would then in turn hire a 176 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 3: young staff, or at least mostly a. 177 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 2: Young staff, Right, Yeah, that's that's what I would I 178 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 2: would think. Now, I don't know what Ell is gonna 179 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 2: be out there. You could, you could try to lure 180 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 2: a Nate Shieldhouse away from the Rams, but I don't 181 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 2: know if that'll happen, you know, if he's not going 182 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 2: to be taking a head coach position. Kyle Shanahan has 183 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 2: already said he's not gonna let somebody else hire Klay 184 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 2: Kubiak to be an offensive coordinator. Like the only move, 185 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: the only time he's gonna let him leave is that 186 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 2: he's taking out like taking out promotion. I had coach position, 187 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 2: So I don't know what the staff would even look. 188 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 3: Like under. 189 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: Chris last one I've got for you, buddy. We're gonna 190 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: spend the next hour of the show talking fifth year 191 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: options around the National Football League, and we'll obviously we'll 192 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 1: cover all thirty two, but we're gonna spend the most 193 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: time on Broderick Jones. That decision is coming down the 194 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: pipeline for the Steelers. What would you do with Broderick Jones' 195 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: fifth year option? 196 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 2: I don't know how you can pick it up with 197 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 2: with his play over the first three seasons. Now he's 198 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 2: coming off of a neck injury that that ended his season. 199 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 2: Like sometimes these stinger injuries and I'm not saying that 200 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 2: like I don't like I'm not saying I know anything 201 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 2: when it comes to the nature of the injury or 202 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 2: or anything like that. But we've seen guys not be 203 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 2: able to play again after this, So not only the 204 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 2: quality of play and inconsistency there, but then also on 205 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 2: top of the like I want to make sure the 206 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 2: next is okay before anything, and if there's any kind 207 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 2: of vesitation on that at all, Like there's no way 208 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 2: because it's not just the sact that you're committing another year, 209 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 2: but it's how expensive that fifty year option is it's 210 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 2: sure an offensive liman and that's you're talking twenty plus 211 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 2: million dollars like that's that's outrageously expensive when you're gonna 212 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 2: have Dylan Cook still on the roster on a dime, 213 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 2: like thinking fairly over a million dollars. So I don't 214 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 2: know how you can pick up the fifth year option. 215 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: Great stuff, great conversation as always with our buddy, Chris 216 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: Halleck of dk Pittsburgh Sports. Chris, buddy, thank you for 217 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: taking the time. Good luck in this crazy coaching carousel 218 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: world with all your coverage, and we'll talk to you soon. 219 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:45,679 Speaker 2: All right, Thanks for having me, guys, I appreciate it. 220 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:46,839 Speaker 1: There he goes.