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Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven

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Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

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Speaker 2: Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers

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Speaker 2: Audio Networks. Shooler and Matt Williamson with you here for

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Speaker 2: the next two hours on a Friday, final show of January.

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Speaker 3: Here, Matt.

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Speaker 2: Outside of that, this will be our final Friday show

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Speaker 2: for a long time where there is still an NFL

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Speaker 2: game on the horizon.

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: Wait, no, that's a lie, because next Friday will be.

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Speaker 4: One coming up right.

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Speaker 3: Totally stepped in it on that one.

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Speaker 4: Just cut and paste that next week.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right, we'll strike that from the record and

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Speaker 2: just put that one in the back pocket for seven

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Speaker 2: days from now. But there's plenty that we want to

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Speaker 2: get to today, Matt. Mike McCarthy was on the DV

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Speaker 2: Morning Show this morning. We'll play some of his comments

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Speaker 2: and discuss some of that later. We're gonna catch up

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Speaker 2: with Bob Labriola here in a little bit. We'll do

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Speaker 2: some Senior Bowl and some free agency kind of drafting

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Speaker 2: free agency stuff like we've been doing. But I figure,

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Speaker 2: once again, as we will continue to do as long

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Speaker 2: as it is pertinent, just news of the day to

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Speaker 2: get us going here on the.

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Speaker 4: Drive to do something every day nowadays.

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Speaker 2: There there certainly is and a weird story out of

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Speaker 2: Minnesota where the Vikings have fired their general manager. Now

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Speaker 2: I know I'm gonna butcher his name, but I believe

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Speaker 2: it's Quezi Odafo mensa is how he is, how he

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Speaker 2: pronounces it. Four years he's been there, Matt, And I'm

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Speaker 2: not saying the decision to fire him is the weird part,

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Speaker 2: because I think you can look at you know, they

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Speaker 2: took a step back this year after being so good

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Speaker 2: last year, and you know, with some of the personnel decisions,

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Speaker 2: with going with McCarthy over Darnald and some of those

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Speaker 2: things that don't look so great in hindsight.

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Speaker 3: But just the timing is weird.

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Speaker 2: The Viking season ended, yeah, three weeks ago, four weeks ago,

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Speaker 2: and so to just make this decision, now, I don't know,

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Speaker 2: that's bizarre timing to me.

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Speaker 4: Do me a favor and go to drafthistory dot com

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Speaker 4: and pull up the Vikings past five drafts or so

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Speaker 4: or since you've been there.

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Speaker 3: Probably not great, it's not.

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Speaker 4: And that being said, I wanted to address what you

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Speaker 4: said first because I got my phone's acting up. But

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Speaker 4: as soon as I walked in, I got a notification

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Speaker 4: about this, and I'm like, why not do it? Either

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Speaker 4: right after the year or as I found out in

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Speaker 4: the scouting world, their contracts go draft to draft, you know,

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Speaker 4: like when I was since I got my first day

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Speaker 4: with the Browns was the day after they drafted Kellen Winslow.

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Speaker 4: My last day was the day after we drafted Braylen

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Speaker 4: Edwards one exactly one year later. Okay, so I assume

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Speaker 4: GM contracts are same because give a job to do

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Speaker 4: to build a draft board and all those things. Now,

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Speaker 4: I think he's much more of a numbers guy. I

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Speaker 4: don't think he's the white hole of the version, you

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Speaker 4: know what I mean, grind and tape like crazy. He's

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Speaker 4: an analytically based dude. But if you look at the

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Speaker 4: draft history, they made some big swings and really have

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Speaker 4: gotten very little. On Day two. I mean, second and

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Speaker 4: third round picks are so valuable, and they've traded him

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Speaker 4: to move up for McCarthy. They moved back in the

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Speaker 4: first round for Dallas Turner, the defensive end out of Bama.

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Speaker 4: Neither doesn't mean their stories written those two players, but

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Speaker 4: they're two big cuts and he's so far the he's

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Speaker 4: swung and miss on both. And Darnold in the Super

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Speaker 4: Bowl doesn't look so great.

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Speaker 2: No, no, no, it certainly certainly does not.

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Speaker 4: Right, And you know his.

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Speaker 3: First first round draft pick is no longer on the team, like.

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Speaker 4: Who was that was at the safety out of the

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Speaker 4: scene scene, Yes, out of Georgia. Yep. Total waste of

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Speaker 4: a pick basically, right.

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Speaker 3: I mean you look at it. There's a lot of

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Speaker 3: empty chairs in terms in terms of their draft picks.

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Speaker 4: And as you mentioned it, three or four drafts something

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Speaker 4: like that.

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Speaker 2: Four drafts, yes, as you mentioned in twenty twenty three,

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Speaker 2: they had no second round pick. In twenty twenty four,

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Speaker 2: they had no second or third round pick. In twenty

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Speaker 2: twenty five they had no second round pick.

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Speaker 4: Those are starters. And when you are started.

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Speaker 3: When you're trading picks like that, you.

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Speaker 2: Better nail it. You got it, hit you got it. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: absolutely right. When you're when you're trading future second rounders

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Speaker 2: to get into the back half of the first round

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Speaker 2: or your future picks for something like that, it's got to.

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Speaker 4: Work out for somebody you love, which they loved, but

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Speaker 4: they didn't. They're not getting it out.

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Speaker 2: A lot of a lot of a lot of empty

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Speaker 2: chairs in terms of those draft picks.

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Speaker 3: And we know for I mean for for a GM,

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Speaker 3: that's kind of that's.

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Speaker 4: The bottom line, right number one.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, talent and building through the draft.

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Speaker 4: I mean I've watched four drafts of you and what

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Speaker 4: have you brought to the table? Not enough?

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Speaker 3: Not enough?

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Speaker 5: Yeah?

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Speaker 3: Yeah, so that again.

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Speaker 4: You remember this with the Dublin game. Their defense is

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Speaker 4: almost no one is homegrown except for Harrison Smith.

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Speaker 3: And the right Yeah, yeah, exactly right.

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Speaker 4: They don't have any starters that they drafted.

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Speaker 2: No, And so, like I said, the decision not the

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Speaker 2: puzzling part. Uh maybe the times, but as you lay

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Speaker 2: it out with some of the contracts and some of

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Speaker 2: the stuff.

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Speaker 3: There, maybe it was.

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Speaker 1: Yeah.

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Speaker 2: They maybe they were waiting for the floor as stuff

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Speaker 2: to get to get settled, to find out if they

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Speaker 2: were going to have him back or not.

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Speaker 4: And I don't know who like their the director of

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Speaker 4: player valuation is or director of player development is or whatever,

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Speaker 4: but they probably have some tape grinder that's building the draft.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, as most organizations do. No right, right, right,

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Speaker 3: Matt speaking.

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Speaker 4: Of him making the picks, which I get.

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Speaker 3: It's it's a it's a tough spot.

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Speaker 5: It is.

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Speaker 2: At times you can succeed and not get as much

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Speaker 2: credit as you deserve. At times you can struggle and

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Speaker 2: get more then probably you deserve.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, that's the that's the nature of the beast.

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Speaker 2: Atlanta has hired their next general manager, Matt Falcons are

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Speaker 2: hiring Bear's assistant gm Ian Cunningham as their general manager.

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Speaker 2: So a complete overhaul for the Falcons this offseason. New

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Speaker 2: head coach Kevin Stefanski, new gm Ian Cunningham, and remember

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Speaker 2: new president of football Operations Matty Ice, former MVP and

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Speaker 2: Atlanta Falcon Matt Ryan.

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Speaker 4: And it sounds as though you came out yesterday that

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Speaker 4: I guess they restructured Cousins deal. I think he's set

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Speaker 4: to get released or I don't know if it's a

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Speaker 4: June first that what that sounds like to you is

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Speaker 4: the Yeah, they restructured it a week or two ago,

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Speaker 4: and then Schefter I think reported yesterday that they are

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Speaker 4: going to release.

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Speaker 2: Him, give him somewhere like, well, we'll let you finish

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Speaker 2: your career somewhere where you can be the guy.

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Speaker 4: And yes, I mean maybe he goes to Minnesota and

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Speaker 4: or something like that. I wouldn't have interest in him here.

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Speaker 4: I mean, if you're gonna go old, I just rogers

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Speaker 4: Ze only. Why not even consider but wholesale changes for

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Speaker 4: the Falcons, which I don't have a problem with it all.

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Speaker 4: I mean, they've kind of been spinning their wheels. I

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Speaker 4: just wonder do all these new guys love Penix because

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Speaker 4: none of them drafted them or any to do with

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Speaker 4: a choir. Now Andy's injured.

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Speaker 3: That was the surprising part for me.

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Speaker 6: Yeah.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, they're not tied to him. They're not married to him.

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Speaker 2: They didn't draft him. It's not like he has shown

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Speaker 2: a ton of promise. He worries me, and he's coming

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Speaker 2: off of a significant injury. So right, you would almost

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Speaker 2: if I was like new general manager day one in Atlanta,

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Speaker 2: I almost would be like, yeah, give me Kirk Cousins

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Speaker 2: for a year.

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Speaker 4: And I thought, might it out, yeah, or at least

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Speaker 4: until Pennix is all the way back.

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Speaker 2: But maybe they look at it and we'll sink or

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Speaker 2: swim with Pennix for a year. If it works out, great,

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Speaker 2: If it doesn't, we'll be in position to draft a

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Speaker 2: guy next year.

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Speaker 4: I was thinking that too, because remember they don't have

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Speaker 4: a first round pick either, you know, so maybe sinking

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Speaker 4: isn't all that terrible. They probably all have job security.

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Speaker 2: They're all good, but not everybody looks at this thing

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Speaker 2: like we do from black and gold glasses, where exactly

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Speaker 2: that's never an option on the table.

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Speaker 4: If we get a lot out of Michael Pennis, yay,

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Speaker 4: everybody wins. If we get nothing out of them, we

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Speaker 4: might win too and get an eighth pick in the draft.

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Speaker 2: Exactly right, exactly right. So that's kind of around the

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Speaker 2: league news. We do have a little moving and shaking,

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Speaker 2: nothing concrete, nothing really, nothing different or official from what

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Speaker 2: we discussed yesterday. But it looks like Patrick Graham still

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Speaker 2: has a great chance to be named the defensive coordinator.

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Speaker 2: Looks like Jarry Evans, by all reports, is going to

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Speaker 2: be joining the staff in some capacity, which I think

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Speaker 2: is really exciting in a few different ways. But let's

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Speaker 2: take our first break here, a little bit shorter of

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Speaker 2: an opening segment, Matt, because we have Bob Labriola coming

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Speaker 2: up on the next. Yeah, we haven't talked to Labs

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Speaker 2: in a while, so I want to leave plenty of room.

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Speaker 2: We'll do a few extra minutes with Labs and then

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Speaker 2: maybe finalize some some coaching updates after we talked to

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Speaker 2: the Dina Doom and the Lord of living in her

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Speaker 2: living in his fears. I haven't said that in so long.

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Speaker 2: I'm tripping on my works here, Bob Labriola. On the

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Speaker 2: other side, Matt and I are just getting started on

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Speaker 2: this Friday. It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on

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Speaker 2: the Steelers Audio Network.

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Speaker 1: Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven

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Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.

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Speaker 2: Back on the Drive here on a Friday, into the

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Speaker 2: phone lines we go to catch up with our good

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Speaker 2: buddy Steelers historian, the Dean of Doom, the Lord of

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Speaker 2: living in his Fears, the great Bob Labriola Labs. Thank

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Speaker 2: you for taking the time for us here on this Friday.

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Speaker 2: Plenty that we want to get into with you, so

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Speaker 2: I'll just jump right into it. You know, there's been

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Speaker 2: a ton of speculating in the you know, the week

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Speaker 2: here of the Steelers and hiring Mike McCarthy and going

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Speaker 2: with an offensive mind versus defensive mind, going with an older,

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Speaker 2: more experienced guy versus a younger guy, and all these

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Speaker 2: different what were their priorities, what were their angles, what

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Speaker 2: were their process At the end of the day, I

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Speaker 2: think it's pretty clear they hired Mike McCarthy because they

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Speaker 2: believed that he was the best coach available for the

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Speaker 2: Pittsburgh Steelers to hire this offseason.

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Speaker 6: I agree, And uh, you know, a lot of the

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Speaker 6: lot of the things you mentioned I think contributed to that.

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Speaker 5: You know, I think that there was an interest in.

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Speaker 6: Hiring an offensive minded head coach. You know, the previous

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Speaker 6: three had been you know, defensive coordinators with no head

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Speaker 6: coaching experience in the NFL. So this representative represented a

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Speaker 6: change from the same old, same old. This Mike McCarthy

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Speaker 6: is a offensive minded oach, a uh, someone with a

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Speaker 6: reputation as a developer of quarterbacks, uh and someone who

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Speaker 6: has success as an NFL head coach, a bunch of wins,

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Speaker 6: super Bowl ring, you know, work for a couple of

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Speaker 6: other iconic NFL franchises, so he has an understanding of

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Speaker 6: being in that seat in a in a in a

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Speaker 6: city or a fandom like that. You know, Green Bay

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Speaker 6: and Dallas are both, as I said, iconic NFL franchises.

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Speaker 6: Their fan bases are rabbid. And you know, again I

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Speaker 6: think that when you look at the the pool from

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Speaker 6: which to choose, uh, Mike McCarthy is a proven guy.

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Speaker 6: He addresses an area I think that the Steelers have

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Speaker 6: identified as one that needs help or improvement or you know,

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Speaker 6: whatever word you want to use it, use for it.

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Speaker 6: And this job is important to him. He loves it

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Speaker 6: here and I think that's you cannot underestimate that. Either

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Speaker 6: anyone who either watched his introductory press conference or you know,

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Speaker 6: attended it, which I did, you could see as he

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Speaker 6: was delivering his opening statement and then answering questions, this

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Speaker 6: means a lot to him.

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Speaker 5: And so.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, I just think that there were a lot of

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Speaker 6: things that came together that made him the best candidate.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, and the two things I think that stand out

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Speaker 4: compared to the other candidates labs to me with him.

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Speaker 4: Are you touched on both of them? Number one, the

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Speaker 4: ability to identify and develop the next quarterback whenever that is,

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Speaker 4: whoever that is. We don't have to get into those names.

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Speaker 4: And then part two is this team won the division

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Speaker 4: last year. I mean, obviously the Steelers, mister Rooney is

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Speaker 4: always going to want to be as competitive year to

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Speaker 4: year as possible. And I think McCarthy brings both those

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Speaker 4: to the table.

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Speaker 5: Yeah.

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Speaker 6: And you know another thing that I thought was a

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Speaker 6: feather in his cap, let me put it that way.

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Speaker 6: And I remember this with Mike Tomlin too. You know,

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Speaker 6: Mike Tomlin when he was hired, he came from a

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Speaker 6: Tampa two Tony Dungeon defense. He stayed with the Dick

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Speaker 6: Labow zone blitz. And I remember talking to him about

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Speaker 6: that early in the two thousand and eight season, which

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Speaker 6: was his second, and you know, he explained it to me.

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Speaker 6: He said, you know that he used to do studies

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Speaker 6: off season studies, deep dives into you know, different things

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Speaker 6: that were going around the league, research projects kind of.

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Speaker 6: And he said, so he was very familiar with the

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Speaker 6: zone blitz, you know, Dick Lebow's version of it, the

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Speaker 6: Steelers personnel, and he said, you know, why would I

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Speaker 6: want to change something that was successful and beyond that,

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Speaker 6: the selfless look at it.

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Speaker 5: You know.

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Speaker 6: He also said, if you want to change over your

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Speaker 6: personnel from three four to four three, it's going to

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Speaker 6: take you four years maybe five to do it. And

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Speaker 6: you know, Mike McCarthy was said something similar on when

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Speaker 6: when he was introduced that he was going to stick

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Speaker 6: with the three four you know, because you looked at

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Speaker 6: the Steelers personnel and that's what it was geared towards.

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Speaker 6: And that that kind of attitude by a candidate who

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Speaker 6: then that you higher, I think is a very good

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Speaker 6: quality to have.

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Speaker 5: Uh.

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Speaker 6: You don't necessarily want somebody who's just going to come

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Speaker 6: in and tear things down just to show you who's

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Speaker 6: in charge. So again, that that was another quality of

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Speaker 6: his I think that I like personally, and I would

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Speaker 6: believe that it was an asset for him in his interviews.

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Speaker 5: Uh. And you know that.

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Speaker 6: And and why would you, as Art Rooney said, uh,

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Speaker 6: when at the Mike Tomlin press conference, why would you

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Speaker 6: want to waste a year when you weren't trying to compete?

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Speaker 5: Ah.

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Speaker 6: So again, as I said, I I understand, well, let

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Speaker 6: me let me take that back. I don't understand a

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Speaker 6: lot of the pushback criticism of this hire. Let me

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Speaker 6: just say this. You didn't ask me this, but I'm

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Speaker 6: gonna kind of go there anyway. You know, a lot

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Speaker 6: of the names that Steelers fans seem to want, and

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Speaker 6: a lot of media maybe wanted as well. They didn't

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Speaker 6: get hired these guys for such slam dunk Locke candidates

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Speaker 6: for these head coaching jobs. Look at all the head coaches,

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Speaker 6: They're all guys who were had other jobs, recycled guys,

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Speaker 6: if you want to use that word, veteran guys. You know,

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Speaker 6: all these hot coordinators. You know that Ben Johnson and

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Speaker 6: those people there weren't They didn't exist in this hiring cycle.

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Speaker 5: And so you know, a lot of times I think the.

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Speaker 6: NFL decides and the fact that Chris Shula, and I

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Speaker 6: hate to, you know, point to him, but he seemed

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Speaker 6: to be the big hot name there for a while.

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Speaker 5: The Dolphins didn't even hire him, and so I don't know.

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Speaker 6: Why, But if he was such a slam dunk candidate,

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Speaker 6: I think that that's a legitimate question to ask. Why

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Speaker 6: would the team that his grandfather, why would the franchise.

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Speaker 5: Let's let's be clear on that.

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Speaker 6: Because Don Schule's association with the Miami Dolphins came very

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Speaker 6: early in their franchise history. Why would the franchise that

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Speaker 6: Don Shula turned into whatever it was, and it's on

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Speaker 6: its best in its best era, won't have nothing to

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Speaker 6: do with him. So, again, as I said, I'm not

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Speaker 6: here to run down Chris Shula, but I think that

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Speaker 6: if he was the slam that such a slam dunk candidate,

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Speaker 6: there would have been more interest in him, and maybe

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Speaker 6: he would have a job by now.

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Speaker 2: As Matt likes to say, a lot the the league

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Speaker 2: will tell you how they feel about personnel, and certainly

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Speaker 2: I think we can we can absolutely deduce something from that, Labs.

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Speaker 2: I think that's a fair point to bring up here, Labs.

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Speaker 2: Is it fair to deduce?

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Speaker 3: I don't even know. That's a bad transition.

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Speaker 2: But does it as we're sitting here right now, it

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Speaker 2: is the end of January. It is a long time

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Speaker 2: even until training camp and certainly until September when the

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Speaker 2: Steelers will play their first regular season game. But does

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Speaker 2: it feel like as we sit here today, there is

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Speaker 2: a pretty substantial chance that Aaron Rodgers will be under

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Speaker 2: center starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers once again in the

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Speaker 2: fall of twenty twenty six.

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Speaker 5: Truly, I don't know how to handicap that. I don't

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Speaker 5: you know.

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Speaker 6: It's gonna come down to, does Aaron Rodgers want to play?

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Speaker 4: And I think there's interest from the Steelers though, question.

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Speaker 5: Mark, I think they are not opposed.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah, because.

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Speaker 6: You know, as Art said, you know, we all have

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Speaker 6: to sit down and see if it makes sense for everyone. Okay,

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Speaker 6: and that means does Aaron Rodgers want to play? Does

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Speaker 6: he does he want to play at all? Does he

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Speaker 6: want to play for Mike McCarthy and the Steelers more specifically?

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Speaker 6: And you know, what are his demands because he's a

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Speaker 6: free agent? Does he want forty million dollars? Is he

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Speaker 6: willing to, you know, do some sort of team friendly thing.

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Speaker 6: You know, again, I don't know the answers to any

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Speaker 6: of these things, but I think these are the issues

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Speaker 6: that have to be hammered out or at least aired.

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Speaker 6: And you know, one of the let me just say

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Speaker 6: this too, the whole narrative about if the Steelers want

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Speaker 6: and want to end up doing business with Aaron Rodgers again,

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Speaker 6: they're going to.

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Speaker 5: Be held hostage all rub the offseason.

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Speaker 6: Number One, that wouldn't happen. And number two, it didn't

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Speaker 6: happen last year either, just because it wasn't announced, just

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Speaker 6: because you know, social media didn't new didn't know. Just

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Speaker 6: because a lot of radio talk show hosts weren't informed,

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Speaker 6: doesn't mean that Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers, and Art Rooney

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Speaker 6: the second hadn't come to some understanding of what was

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Speaker 6: going to end up happening in June. You know, the

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Speaker 6: whole thought that it wasn't until Aaron Rodgers showed up

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Speaker 6: at the upmc rooney Sports Complex on the South Side

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Speaker 6: and put pen to paper. The Steelers weren't aware or

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Speaker 6: sure that he was going to be the quarterback in

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Speaker 6: twenty twenty five.

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Speaker 5: I mean, that's that's just that's just stupid.

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Speaker 4: It just is.

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Speaker 5: And so, you know, so let me just throw that

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Speaker 5: out there too.

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Speaker 4: So Andy Whidel was involved with the Falcons GM search.

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Speaker 4: It looks like they're going to go another direction. That's

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Speaker 4: not official yet, but or is it that I think the.

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Speaker 2: Chef they're reporting that they hired the Bears yet still

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Speaker 2: a credible one, but still still a report.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, So labs, especially with a new coaching staff, new schemes,

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Speaker 4: I think keeping your basically your head scout is super important.

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Speaker 4: And I wish the best for Andy. I'm sure it'll

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Speaker 4: be a GM someday, but keeping him around, I think

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Speaker 4: is pretty important.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, And you know, Andy Widel is certainly a significant

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Speaker 6: contributor in this whole process. My experience is that a

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Speaker 6: lot of times these guys who are looking for GM jobs,

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Speaker 6: they've got to go through a hiring cycle. Yeah right, Yeah,

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Speaker 6: I mean he's learning still the people who are hiring

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Speaker 6: or learning about him as well and learning about know

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Speaker 6: what they're looking for in this uh kind of a job, sert.

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Speaker 6: So I wouldn't I wouldn't make any giant leaps to

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Speaker 6: Andy Widel being not hired, I want to say passed over,

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Speaker 6: because that's mean not hired by the Falcons is some

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Speaker 6: sort of testament to his fitness for this.

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Speaker 5: Kind of job.

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Speaker 6: So yeah, and I think it's a good thing for

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Speaker 6: this team, the Steelers. I mean, in the situation that

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Speaker 6: they're in, you know, new head coach that you know

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Speaker 6: your your personnel department is not also going undergoing an

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Speaker 6: upheaval and uh you know the O Mark khn Andy

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Speaker 6: Widel uh tandem dynamic, however you want to describe it.

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Speaker 5: I think, you know, it's.

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Speaker 6: They're starting to gain their footing two and get better

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Speaker 6: at you know, what they're.

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Speaker 5: Doing, and you know those kind of things.

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Speaker 6: And so yeah, that's a I think that's a positive

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Speaker 6: development for.

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Speaker 4: The Steelers Labs.

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Speaker 2: Something you mentioned earlier that I wanted to follow up on.

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Speaker 2: You with and it is Bob Labriola, Steelers historian with

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Speaker 2: us here on the Drive on this Friday, mentioning McCarthy's

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Speaker 2: time with Green Bay and Dallas, two other storied franchises,

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Speaker 2: big rabid fan bases with high expectations. How much do

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Speaker 2: you think that that is really going to be a

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Speaker 2: benefit for him as he starts another NFL you know,

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Speaker 2: cornerstone franchise head coaching job with a fan base that

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Speaker 2: expects to win and be successful and be in contention

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Speaker 2: every year. I mean, like, we don't have to be naive, right.

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Speaker 2: It's different coaching the I guess, managing the Red Sox

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Speaker 2: than it is the Pirates. It's different coaching Pitt basketball

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Speaker 2: than it is Duke or Kentucky or Kansas. Mike McCarthy

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Speaker 2: having been there, done that with two of the other

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Speaker 2: big time cornerstone franchise, storied NFL franchises, I think that

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Speaker 2: certainly has to help him maybe just you know, know

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Speaker 2: what he's getting into as he as he you know,

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Speaker 2: maybe now the the third piece of that that big

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Speaker 2: three set in the NFL.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, and you know, beyond knowing what he's getting into,

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Speaker 6: he knows how to react to it. To the things

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Speaker 6: that come with that job, that job, the head coaching job.

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Speaker 6: First of all, being a head coach in the NFL

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Speaker 6: is unique, there's one of thirty two jobs on the earth.

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Speaker 6: But then doing it in that kind of crucible is

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Speaker 6: also unique within the uniqueness of the fraternity. And so

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Speaker 6: you know, Mike McCarthy has walked into his office every

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Speaker 6: day many years knowing that all eyes are on him.

441
00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,639
Speaker 6: You know, he is going to be asked to, uh,

442
00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:08,840
Speaker 6: not only perform, but he is going to be subject to,

443
00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:13,439
Speaker 6: you know, the things, the visibility and the pressures and

444
00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,080
Speaker 6: the spotlight that comes with those jobs. Let me throw

445
00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:19,080
Speaker 6: this out at you. You know, forget Green Bay, let's

446
00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:22,919
Speaker 6: talk about Dallas. After every game Mike McCarthy coached for

447
00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:27,080
Speaker 6: the Cowboys, he went into his postgame presser having had

448
00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:34,120
Speaker 6: the owner already talked to the media. Right, that's that's

449
00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:39,360
Speaker 6: a reality. So you know he has handled that kind

450
00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:42,600
Speaker 6: of thing. They went twelve and five what three times

451
00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,560
Speaker 6: that he was there, So there was a lot of

452
00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,000
Speaker 6: winning and he was able to foster a lot of

453
00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:51,000
Speaker 6: winning and and the things that you need to foster

454
00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,560
Speaker 6: to have that kind of winning under a situation where

455
00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,000
Speaker 6: the owner could be thrown you under the bus if

456
00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,840
Speaker 6: you lost the game before you even and you don't

457
00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:04,680
Speaker 6: even know that it happened, because then you go into

458
00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:06,720
Speaker 6: your you go into your press conference. I mean, I

459
00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:10,240
Speaker 6: have seen these things where the question would would start

460
00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:14,280
Speaker 6: with Mike, Jerry Jones just said this about that.

461
00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,240
Speaker 5: How do you respond to that?

462
00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:20,080
Speaker 4: Plus Jerry has like radio shows throughout the week, and.

463
00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:24,600
Speaker 5: There you go. Jerry Jones is not someone you can

464
00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:25,360
Speaker 5: if you're.

465
00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:28,200
Speaker 6: The head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, whatever you think

466
00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:33,800
Speaker 6: of him, forget that. You can't just kiss him off

467
00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,840
Speaker 6: because he is completely and totally in control there.

468
00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:41,320
Speaker 5: Yeah. So you know, I just.

469
00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:45,480
Speaker 6: Think that that kind of experience for Mike McCarthy, I

470
00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:49,080
Speaker 6: can't imagine a realistic scenario where that whatever happen in Pittsburgh,

471
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,320
Speaker 6: but I think that has thickened his skin a little bit.

472
00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,480
Speaker 6: I don't think that it has also given him the

473
00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:57,800
Speaker 6: kind of experience that.

474
00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,879
Speaker 5: You know, it should just help him. You know.

475
00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:10,960
Speaker 6: When Art Rooney talked to me about why the decision

476
00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:15,080
Speaker 6: was made to hire Mike McCarthy, and one of the

477
00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,000
Speaker 6: things we got around to was I asked him about

478
00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,320
Speaker 6: the reaction to it, which at the time was largely negative.

479
00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:26,200
Speaker 6: I don't know that it's improved a lot, but there

480
00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:30,639
Speaker 6: is there was still some disappointment slash negativity about the hire.

481
00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:32,959
Speaker 6: And one of the things Art said was, you know,

482
00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,480
Speaker 6: we're not looking to win the initial press conference. You know,

483
00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,760
Speaker 6: we want the best coach for us to compete for

484
00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,000
Speaker 6: a championship. Well, let me tell you, I was at

485
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:46,000
Speaker 6: that initial press conference, and they won that. Mike McCarthy

486
00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:50,960
Speaker 6: won that press conference. There's still maybe people who don't

487
00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,440
Speaker 6: like the move. There's still maybe people that wanted something

488
00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,720
Speaker 6: else to happen. But anybody who was in that room

489
00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,120
Speaker 6: or watched it, who was in the business will tell

490
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,080
Speaker 6: you he won the press conference. And so I think

491
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:06,520
Speaker 6: that that was some of what I was just talking about.

492
00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:11,240
Speaker 6: His experience with being in the spotlight, with looking down

493
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:15,960
Speaker 6: quote unquote the barrel of the media attention, he could

494
00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,360
Speaker 6: handle and he.

495
00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,440
Speaker 5: Was genuine, he was sincere.

496
00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:27,680
Speaker 6: And you know, as I said, I we'll find out

497
00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:31,159
Speaker 6: what happens, because it really doesn't matter until the games start,

498
00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:33,520
Speaker 6: and then he's going to be judged on what he

499
00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,320
Speaker 6: does one way or the other, and that's really what's

500
00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:37,960
Speaker 6: going to count.

501
00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:42,360
Speaker 5: But so far, so good in my opinion.

502
00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:46,680
Speaker 4: Sobs kind of an exis and O's. You know, McCarthy's

503
00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:52,920
Speaker 4: offense is predominantly three wide receivers quarterback aside. Do you

504
00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:58,479
Speaker 4: think wide receivers the biggest offseason need on the team.

505
00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:00,920
Speaker 5: Well, I mean, I think that you're going.

506
00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:06,840
Speaker 6: Looking at and this is I mean that's both in

507
00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:11,280
Speaker 6: free agency and the draft. I don't know what's available

508
00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,960
Speaker 6: in free agency in terms of wide receivers. I do

509
00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,360
Speaker 6: not believe beyond Aaron Rodgers that there is a whole

510
00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:23,400
Speaker 6: lot of realistic quarterbacks that you can acquire, you know,

511
00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:29,880
Speaker 6: as unrestricted free agents trades. I think I believe the

512
00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:34,719
Speaker 6: Steelers would rather spend draft capital, significant draft capital if

513
00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:38,440
Speaker 6: they're using it on a quarterback, on someone they draft

514
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:42,480
Speaker 6: and can develop from the beginning, as opposed to a

515
00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:48,720
Speaker 6: recycled guy. So, you know, I do believe by the

516
00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:52,880
Speaker 6: end of April, when the draft comes, that the Steelers

517
00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:57,640
Speaker 6: will have some idea what their quarterback situation is going

518
00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,800
Speaker 6: to be number one in terms of free agents, and

519
00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:05,040
Speaker 6: also they will have a better idea of what the

520
00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:10,680
Speaker 6: class of quarterbacks in the draft looks like, what who

521
00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:14,520
Speaker 6: they like, where they have them In terms of where

522
00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,240
Speaker 6: you would have to pick them, et cetera. Okay, once

523
00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:22,000
Speaker 6: that's all figured out, I do believe that adding weapons

524
00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:29,160
Speaker 6: is something that is it has to be done. And

525
00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:33,160
Speaker 6: I don't know that they necessarily have to be wide receivers,

526
00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:35,960
Speaker 6: but certainly the two games they had to play without

527
00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:42,360
Speaker 6: DK Metcalf kind of emphasize that that there were not

528
00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:49,959
Speaker 6: enough weapons as eligibles that you know could due to

529
00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:53,200
Speaker 6: a stress of defense the way that you know you

530
00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:58,120
Speaker 6: need to stress one to win important games, late season

531
00:30:58,160 --> 00:30:59,480
Speaker 6: games against good teams.

532
00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:02,640
Speaker 5: So is that the number.

533
00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:06,680
Speaker 6: One uh, you know, to answer your question, could be

534
00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:15,320
Speaker 6: wide receiver or again, if there's if there, if there

535
00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:18,800
Speaker 6: is a quarterback there that they really like round one

536
00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:24,000
Speaker 6: and McCarthy likes him and there's agreement on that, I

537
00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,640
Speaker 6: could definitely see it being a quarterback. What I cannot

538
00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:34,200
Speaker 6: see is the one of the ongoing fan narratives. Let's

539
00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:36,440
Speaker 6: just go with Will Howard and see what he can do.

540
00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:40,240
Speaker 6: There's a path for Will Howard to win that job,

541
00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,120
Speaker 6: but he's not going to be anointed.

542
00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,520
Speaker 4: He's not even annointed the number two job yet, right.

543
00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:51,680
Speaker 5: I mean, so.

544
00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:58,640
Speaker 6: Again, you know I say this, I wish I had

545
00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:02,480
Speaker 6: a nickel for every time I have said on these

546
00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:06,480
Speaker 6: on your airwaves, on your show. You know, I'm not

547
00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:09,040
Speaker 6: here to run down Will Howard, but he's not going

548
00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,920
Speaker 6: to get annoying it. Then I probably wouldn't have to

549
00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:14,640
Speaker 6: do these shows anymore, and i'd be calling you. You'd

550
00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:21,040
Speaker 6: have to be calling me in Bermuda Beach. But I

551
00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:28,880
Speaker 6: mean it's again, he's maybe. Mike McCarthy has said he's

552
00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:31,560
Speaker 6: excited about working with him. He sees a lot of

553
00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:34,280
Speaker 6: potential in him, you know, all that kind of stuff.

554
00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,720
Speaker 6: But anybody thinks that the Steelers are going to training

555
00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:45,760
Speaker 6: camp with Will Howard annoying it as a starter, I.

556
00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:46,760
Speaker 5: Don't think right.

557
00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:50,720
Speaker 6: I don't think they understand how the NFL works in general,

558
00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:53,000
Speaker 6: or how the Pittsburgh Steelers work in particular.

559
00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:55,560
Speaker 2: Yeah, if you think that's the case, I've got a

560
00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:58,560
Speaker 2: beach to sell you on Greenfield Avenue, where you can

561
00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:03,040
Speaker 2: where you can hang out there in Mike McCarthy's hometown. Labs,

562
00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,320
Speaker 2: thank you so much. Bob Labriola, Steeler's historian of course,

563
00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,080
Speaker 2: the Dean of Doom and the Lord of living in

564
00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,680
Speaker 2: his fears, kind enough to give us his time here

565
00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:13,160
Speaker 2: on a Friday, Labs. We appreciate it, Take care, have

566
00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:14,560
Speaker 2: a good weekend, and we'll talk to you soon.

567
00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:16,480
Speaker 5: Yeah, you guys do the same.

568
00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,400
Speaker 3: There he goes, Bob Labriola, great stuff.

569
00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:22,040
Speaker 2: Make sure you're reading all his coverage on Steelers dot

570
00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,400
Speaker 2: com and good to catch up with him after a yeah,

571
00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:27,600
Speaker 2: a few weeks hiatus. I don't know if we'll have

572
00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,400
Speaker 2: him on every week throughout the off season, but we'll

573
00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,520
Speaker 2: stay and we'll stay in touch, stay and stay, stay

574
00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:32,320
Speaker 2: in the loop with labs.

575
00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:33,480
Speaker 3: As we roll along here.

576
00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,200
Speaker 4: I'm going to recycle that little nugget about all the

577
00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,239
Speaker 4: ones everybody wanted didn't get hired. More or less, it's

578
00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:41,400
Speaker 4: a good point, you know what I mean.

579
00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:45,360
Speaker 2: It is as much as it felt like Shula and

580
00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:50,480
Speaker 2: sheel Hass steel Hass were the two kind of yeah,

581
00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:53,320
Speaker 2: you know, top models, they were the prettiest girls at

582
00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:55,479
Speaker 2: the prom that everybody wanted to get on the dance floor.

583
00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,120
Speaker 2: There head coaches as we speak, They are not head

584
00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:00,000
Speaker 2: coaches as we speak. And if you listen to report

585
00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,480
Speaker 2: out of Vegas and Arizona, it doesn't sound like either

586
00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:06,600
Speaker 2: of those organizations are or you know, zeroed in on

587
00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:09,120
Speaker 2: either of those two that also at the same time

588
00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:10,640
Speaker 2: doesn't mean that those two are shlubs.

589
00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:12,120
Speaker 4: No, that's awesome, right.

590
00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:13,520
Speaker 3: And everybody completely missed the mark.

591
00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,200
Speaker 2: And but just a lot of times you have to

592
00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,120
Speaker 2: be careful with the perception matching the reality and vice.

593
00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:19,359
Speaker 5: Sure.

594
00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:21,520
Speaker 4: Sure, we don't know how interviews went and all those things.

595
00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:23,839
Speaker 2: You know, Matt, you want to talk some free agent

596
00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:26,160
Speaker 2: wide receivers on the other side, Yeah, yeah, let's do

597
00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:28,200
Speaker 2: that when we come back here to close down the

598
00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:30,239
Speaker 2: first hour, kind of piggyback off of what we were

599
00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:32,799
Speaker 2: just talking about there with labs and something that Matt

600
00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:34,680
Speaker 2: and I have discussed a few times over the course

601
00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:36,440
Speaker 2: of the week. We'll do that to wrap up the

602
00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,320
Speaker 2: first hour of the Drive when we return E'ler Williamson

603
00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,640
Speaker 2: Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio.

604
00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:51,160
Speaker 1: Network, your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to

605
00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:54,640
Speaker 1: seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

606
00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:16,239
Speaker 2: Down the home stretch here on the first hour of

607
00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:21,000
Speaker 2: the Drive on this Friday afternoon about to roll into

608
00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:21,560
Speaker 2: the evening.

609
00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:23,840
Speaker 3: In Matt, you want to talk some free agent wide receivers.

610
00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,319
Speaker 4: Absolutely, So we did touch on this I think a

611
00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:29,840
Speaker 4: week ago that there could be a lot of veteran

612
00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:33,800
Speaker 4: receivers on the move. We didn't specifically hit the free agents,

613
00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:38,120
Speaker 4: but we did talk like AJ Brown, Tyreek Hill, Brandon Ayuk.

614
00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:41,319
Speaker 4: I mean, there's some big name tradeable guys that I

615
00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:45,000
Speaker 4: think could move, DJ Moore and then I know we'll

616
00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,080
Speaker 4: talk draft here a lot in the coming weeks and

617
00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:49,960
Speaker 4: probably in the second hour a little bit too. Holy Cal.

618
00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:54,280
Speaker 4: The wide receiver draft has gotten really deep and really good,

619
00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,120
Speaker 4: and everyone thought, oh, it's gonna be a down year there.

620
00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:59,680
Speaker 4: Maybe there isn't a Jamar Chase, you know, a No

621
00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:03,160
Speaker 4: Rainer top guy, but excus wen't getting that guy anyways, right.

622
00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:04,480
Speaker 5: You know what I mean.

623
00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:06,759
Speaker 4: But there's a lot to pick from. So I'm just

624
00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:09,239
Speaker 4: kind of giving out the supply and demand situation here,

625
00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:09,719
Speaker 4: You're right.

626
00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:12,040
Speaker 2: And in fact, earlier today when I was kind of like,

627
00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:15,040
Speaker 2: you know, putting together a rundown for the show, I

628
00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,319
Speaker 2: was looking at some mock drafts on NFL, you.

629
00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,040
Speaker 3: Know, Daniel Yeah, yeah, yeah, Rickey Brooks and all those guys.

630
00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:23,560
Speaker 2: Their top fifty, about the TOPI in their box, and

631
00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:27,239
Speaker 2: almost every mark that I've seen over today and just

632
00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,839
Speaker 2: the last few days, you got five or six wide

633
00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:32,319
Speaker 2: receivers going in the first round. In every single one. Yeah,

634
00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:34,800
Speaker 2: it doesn't matter where you're looking, who's putting it together.

635
00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,000
Speaker 4: If it's a quality one is still sitting there at

636
00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:37,840
Speaker 4: twenty one exactly.

637
00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:40,960
Speaker 3: Yeah, there's usually one or two that are drafted after twenty.

638
00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:43,200
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah, which the nice place to sit for

639
00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:44,040
Speaker 4: this this draft?

640
00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:45,880
Speaker 3: It certainly is. It certainly is.

641
00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:48,799
Speaker 4: So let's just some drafts like, man, there's fifteen really

642
00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:51,799
Speaker 4: good players and you're sitting there just outside this one

643
00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:54,600
Speaker 4: just isn't that top loaded. So I don't think the

644
00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:58,920
Speaker 4: difference between three and twenty one is as great as

645
00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:03,359
Speaker 4: usual most like in most most years. Yeah, that makes sense, Matt.

646
00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,240
Speaker 3: Let's talk some free agent wide receivers.

647
00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:07,480
Speaker 2: What's funny is on all these lists, George Pickens is

648
00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:08,759
Speaker 2: at the top of these lists.

649
00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:09,360
Speaker 4: Yeah.

650
00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:11,120
Speaker 3: I think he's gonna en up staying in Dallas.

651
00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:15,360
Speaker 4: I bet he gets franchised. I think he's end or Yeah.

652
00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:17,960
Speaker 2: And it might get ug like I kind of use

653
00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:19,839
Speaker 2: that in air quotess like it might it might get

654
00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:20,839
Speaker 2: ugly at some point.

655
00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:23,040
Speaker 4: But I don't know how they let him walk out

656
00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:24,919
Speaker 4: the door though. That's and we know he's not coming

657
00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:25,239
Speaker 4: back here.

658
00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:26,960
Speaker 2: That's the best way to put it. Yes, both of

659
00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:31,279
Speaker 2: those things the seconds. Certainly true, he's not coming back here. Uh,

660
00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:33,680
Speaker 2: And I just I don't see anyway where the Cowboys

661
00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:37,640
Speaker 2: let him walk after kind of clearly still being all

662
00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:40,479
Speaker 2: in on this iteration of their roster and their team.

663
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,200
Speaker 4: Now, it wouldn't shock me if they regret a year

664
00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:46,480
Speaker 4: or so from now what that contract is. But it

665
00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:50,080
Speaker 4: was so successful for them this season, and really their

666
00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:54,000
Speaker 4: window with all the moves after the Parsons trade is

667
00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,480
Speaker 4: to win next year. I mean they're set up pretty

668
00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:58,839
Speaker 4: well to win next year with Dak and you know

669
00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,360
Speaker 4: where they're there out as a team.

670
00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:06,200
Speaker 3: Alec Pierce, Matt Via this Yeah, just this is you know.

671
00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:07,880
Speaker 2: I think I got a couple lists pulled up here

672
00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:11,040
Speaker 2: of top free agents and breakdowns by position, and Alex No,

673
00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:13,479
Speaker 2: I think he's probably not Alec Pierce number two.

674
00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:15,359
Speaker 3: This is on the ESPN list.

675
00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:18,720
Speaker 4: Now, these guys are gonna be pricey, and we've already

676
00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:23,720
Speaker 4: talked about this. I expect somebody we talk about today

677
00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:27,799
Speaker 4: will be a Steeler in free agency. You get one

678
00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:32,400
Speaker 4: day two of free agency, maybe not to break the

679
00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:35,000
Speaker 4: bank guy, but somebody we're going to talk about in

680
00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:37,640
Speaker 4: this segment, and then you still go into the draft

681
00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:39,839
Speaker 4: with a serious need and maybe the twenty first pick

682
00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:40,400
Speaker 4: is also.

683
00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:43,880
Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's the blueprint as we sit here today. Yes,

684
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,359
Speaker 2: now a lot can change, but that's as we sit

685
00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:46,880
Speaker 2: here today.

686
00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:52,520
Speaker 4: Pierce to me is very interesting. I hate and the

687
00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:55,240
Speaker 4: Steelers don't usually do this, and I think it's good business.

688
00:38:56,040 --> 00:39:00,600
Speaker 4: You're probably buying at the expensive I mean, the worst

689
00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,040
Speaker 4: part of the market because he's going to be really

690
00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,480
Speaker 4: sowd after and he's a really he's been an underrated

691
00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:09,880
Speaker 4: player for years, but quickly you can become an overrated

692
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:12,040
Speaker 4: player when it's like, wow, he signed a twenty eight

693
00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:14,920
Speaker 4: million dollar deal. You know, like oh, he's a nice story,

694
00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:18,000
Speaker 4: you know all those things, but when the dollars come around,

695
00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:20,200
Speaker 4: he might be like wow. I mean, he's not that guy.

696
00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:21,279
Speaker 3: It's a lot for him.

697
00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:25,200
Speaker 4: But he's a good player. He's tall, he's got to

698
00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:28,520
Speaker 4: I always bring up his volleyball background because he plays

699
00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:30,160
Speaker 4: that way. You can see a six, you can see

700
00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:32,560
Speaker 4: him spiking. He had like a great vertical. He's six'.

701
00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:36,880
Speaker 4: Four he's real long and linear. Fast but this last

702
00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:40,960
Speaker 4: year he became way more of a well rounded. Player

703
00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:44,080
Speaker 4: he was very much a one trick, pony run down

704
00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:49,040
Speaker 4: the sideline, depots that kind of. Thing but he's breaking off.

705
00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:51,680
Speaker 4: ROUTES i, mean he's much more of an every, down

706
00:39:52,239 --> 00:39:54,480
Speaker 4: do it all type. Player so he's ascending at the right.

707
00:39:54,520 --> 00:39:57,399
Speaker 3: Time you like the, player but just probably not the price.

708
00:39:57,440 --> 00:40:00,319
Speaker 4: Tag that's my. HUNCH i, mean there's so many people

709
00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:02,040
Speaker 4: that could use, them tell me teams that could use,

710
00:40:02,120 --> 00:40:06,280
Speaker 4: them and he's. Ascending, yeah, yeah, yeah.

711
00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:08,000
Speaker 3: Get him a little Extra Mike.

712
00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:11,279
Speaker 4: Evans maybe he's box or.

713
00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:14,319
Speaker 3: Bust MAYBE i could be hard to see him playing

714
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:14,680
Speaker 3: for another.

715
00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:16,720
Speaker 4: Team, yeah really. WOULD i mean that's.

716
00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:18,400
Speaker 3: Like Cam hayward playing for another.

717
00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:21,440
Speaker 4: Team but if he, WOULD i don't think The steelers

718
00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:24,000
Speaker 4: are quite in this. MOLD i would assume it's like

719
00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:29,960
Speaker 4: for The bills or The chiefs or you, KNOW i,

720
00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:35,680
Speaker 4: mean a true contender one more. Year, yeah, yeah, yeah.

721
00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:40,840
Speaker 4: YEAH i can't imagine him going to a non Obvious

722
00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:44,239
Speaker 4: Super bowl. Contender that makes it if he's in to

723
00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:44,840
Speaker 4: Leave tampa at.

724
00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:47,440
Speaker 2: All guy that you, MENTIONED i can't remember if it

725
00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:50,560
Speaker 2: was yesterday Or. Wednesday matt At Romeo dobbs another.

726
00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:53,840
Speaker 4: ONE i was not real high On dobbs compared to

727
00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:56,759
Speaker 4: especially all the Green baby receivers BECAUSE i don't think

728
00:40:56,760 --> 00:40:58,600
Speaker 4: they'll bring him. Back same With Indy. Andy he's got

729
00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:00,560
Speaker 4: a lot of receivers. NOW i don't know That peerce

730
00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:02,000
Speaker 4: will be back with.

731
00:41:02,040 --> 00:41:04,400
Speaker 3: Them, hey, EVERYBODY i.

732
00:41:04,520 --> 00:41:07,680
Speaker 4: Kind of Thought dobbs was their fourth best, guy but

733
00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:11,000
Speaker 4: he Liked. Pierce he really got better this year. Too

734
00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:14,040
Speaker 4: he did do one year With Aaron. Rodgers not that

735
00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:16,239
Speaker 4: that one hundred percent, matters but we mentioned him at

736
00:41:16,239 --> 00:41:18,400
Speaker 4: the trade deadline and things like that, too that they

737
00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:22,319
Speaker 4: at least have been on the same team. Together reliable route.

738
00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:26,120
Speaker 4: RUNNER i thought he was kind of a monotone route,

739
00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:27,479
Speaker 4: runner AND i don't mean that in a good. Way

740
00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:30,560
Speaker 4: but this year he's stretching the field a lot. MORE i,

741
00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:32,399
Speaker 4: mean you're allowed to get, Better, Dane AND i said

742
00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:34,640
Speaker 4: that a thousand times with these. Dudes and there used

743
00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:37,640
Speaker 4: to be this thing with third year receiver. BREAKOUT i

744
00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:40,640
Speaker 4: mean that's kind of like an afterthought, now but in

745
00:41:40,680 --> 00:41:44,040
Speaker 4: his fourth year he started to really break. Out he

746
00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:48,040
Speaker 4: might be the perfect guy if the dollars add up.

747
00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:52,879
Speaker 7: In terms of just, quality tube an awesome three yea

748
00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:56,279
Speaker 7: role that he would fit into in terms of metcalfs

749
00:41:56,320 --> 00:42:00,319
Speaker 7: different and your first round pick wouldn't have to play

750
00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:04,000
Speaker 7: right now every, snap and, boy the three of them

751
00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:04,800
Speaker 7: could be something.

752
00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:05,440
Speaker 4: Together you.

753
00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:10,239
Speaker 3: Know Rashid, shaheed he's another ONE i like a. Lot

754
00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:11,680
Speaker 3: he's going to be playing On Super Bowl.

755
00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:14,800
Speaker 4: Sunday, yes and, Boy i've gotten a lot of. Tweets

756
00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,239
Speaker 4: Man steeers missed the boat not trading for him at

757
00:42:18,239 --> 00:42:23,200
Speaker 4: the trade, deadline and say, What Jacobe myers AND i understand,

758
00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:26,839
Speaker 4: that but the prices for those guys were pretty, high

759
00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:31,160
Speaker 4: AND i don't believe that if they would traded For

760
00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:36,040
Speaker 4: shahied they would be playing this Upcoming. SUNDAY i don't

761
00:42:36,040 --> 00:42:38,880
Speaker 4: think that was enough to throw you over. There and

762
00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:40,840
Speaker 4: he's a free. Agent you would have thrown away some

763
00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:43,839
Speaker 4: mid round picks and not got anything out of. Them

764
00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:47,480
Speaker 4: he's a field stretcher, though so side notes one of

765
00:42:47,560 --> 00:42:50,879
Speaker 4: mention this too when we talked steeler, NEEDS i don't

766
00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:54,160
Speaker 4: want to FORGET i think they need a. Returner, yeah

767
00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:56,440
Speaker 4: the returners are more important than. Ever and he's a

768
00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:59,560
Speaker 4: very good kickoff. Returner and this new these new, rules

769
00:43:00,200 --> 00:43:03,480
Speaker 4: that's that's a lot of hidden the. Yardage. Now he

770
00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:09,880
Speaker 4: also would be a quality, two awesome. Three you, know field,

771
00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:11,800
Speaker 4: stretcher one of the faster. Players in the league and

772
00:43:11,840 --> 00:43:15,120
Speaker 4: plays that. Way him And dobbs would be a hard

773
00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:18,480
Speaker 4: choice IF i if they are the equal contracts sitting

774
00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:19,719
Speaker 4: here and you get to pick one of the, two

775
00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:21,719
Speaker 4: who do you. Take i'm not sure.

776
00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:25,080
Speaker 2: How you feel about let's stay out there in the

777
00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:25,720
Speaker 2: THE Nfc.

778
00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:27,959
Speaker 3: West how do you feel About Juwan?

779
00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:35,440
Speaker 4: Jennings, interesting real chain, mover tough, guy, blocks that's A shanahan.

780
00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:41,000
Speaker 4: Thing third and, six he gets you, seven not real,

781
00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:43,880
Speaker 4: dynamic bigger, body, dude.

782
00:43:45,440 --> 00:43:45,520
Speaker 5: Be.

783
00:43:45,560 --> 00:43:48,640
Speaker 4: FINE i know that there were some contract stuff with

784
00:43:48,719 --> 00:43:51,640
Speaker 4: him that they threw him like an extra million or

785
00:43:51,640 --> 00:43:53,960
Speaker 4: two this year basically to shut him, up and you,

786
00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:56,440
Speaker 4: know but they didn't extend, him, gotcha you, know.

787
00:43:56,760 --> 00:43:59,520
Speaker 2: Gotcha and they are another one that has they got

788
00:43:59,520 --> 00:44:01,120
Speaker 2: a lot of them out the feed on that offense

789
00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:03,759
Speaker 2: and some contracts coming down the, line and they've got

790
00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:09,240
Speaker 2: a lot Of, yeah they are going to LOSE. Auk,

791
00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:11,080
Speaker 2: YEAH i mean he was willing to throw away what

792
00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:15,200
Speaker 2: twenty twenty million dollars guaranteed to not play for them.

793
00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:18,239
Speaker 3: Anymore, yeah he's. Injured, YEAH i THINK i think that's

794
00:44:18,239 --> 00:44:18,760
Speaker 3: a foregone.

795
00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:23,799
Speaker 2: Conclusion, Certainly, matt let's uh, finish finish this up on

796
00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:26,279
Speaker 2: the other side to start a number more some more

797
00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:30,080
Speaker 2: free agency wide receiver and just free agency in general

798
00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:31,319
Speaker 2: CONVERSATION i want to have with.

799
00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:32,279
Speaker 3: You let's do.

800
00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:34,959
Speaker 2: That we'll talk some senior, ball we'll play a little

801
00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:38,319
Speaker 2: bit Of mike McCarthy's comments on THE dv morning show this.

802
00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:41,840
Speaker 2: Morning plenty to get into in our number two halfway

803
00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:45,480
Speaker 2: home here on the drive on A, Friday West Shooler Matt.

804
00:44:45,520 --> 00:44:48,440
Speaker 2: Williamson it Is Steelers Nation radio on The Steelers Audio.

805
00:44:48,480 --> 00:44:48,880
Speaker 3: Network