January 14, 2026 • 48 mins
On today's Dan Patrick Show, DP and the Danettes discuss Mike Tomlin announcing he's stepping down as head coach of the Steelers. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Gerry Dulac breaks down Mike Tomlin's decision, and gives his thoughts on the potential future of Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. 16-year NFL QB Alex Smith shares what it is like to play under a revolving door of coordinators, and previews Rams-Bears.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Our one on this Wednesday, Dan and the Danet's Dan
Patrick Show wasn't a shock, but they're still an element
of surprise with what happened in Pittsburgh. So now we
have the Cardinals, Falcons, Ravens, Browns, Raiders, Dolphins, Giants, Titans,
Steelers all looking for head coaches.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
We'll talk to.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
The man who's been covering the Steelers for I think
three decades, Jerry Dulac from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. He'll
join us coming up in about twenty minutes from now,
And what he reported on yesterday is Mike Tomlin made
the decision to step down with two years left on
his contract and a contract that was going to pay
him twenty five million dollars a year. I guess if
(00:47):
you're looking at next stop, as we've talked about speculated
the last two years, it was going to be TV
as almost a pit stop maybe a year or two
and then probably get back into code.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
But we'll talk to Jerry. He'll join us coming up.
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
If you're watching on Peacock, thank you for downloading the
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Visit neutrofol dot com, use the code Dan Patrick Poll, question,
play of the Day, stat of the Day, all of
that forthcoming. We've also talked to Alex Smith, former NFL
quarterback now working for the Mothership on NFL Countdown. So
(01:49):
after nineteen years, Mike Tomlin steps down, and if you're
looking at a pattern here, Chuck Nole defensive minded, Bill
Coward defensive minded, Mike Tomlin defensive mind. And is that
next coach going to be defensive minded? Also probably going
to get somebody who is not established, Probably getting somebody
who will be in their mid thirties, maybe late thirties.
(02:12):
That's been the pattern for the Steelers over the last
sixty years.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
All right, eight.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Seven seven three DP show operator Tyler sitting by, He'll
take your phone calls today. Seaton poll question for the
first hour is what.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Well do you want to start with Mike Tomlin or
with Mike Tomlin's replacements.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Let's do Mike Tomlin Mike Tomlin? Is it fair to say?
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Or how do I word this correctly? If Mike Tomlin
stepped down or was stepped down?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Well, Jerry Dulac, who's covering the team, said, according to
his sources, Mike Tomlin made the decision that he was
going to step down.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Yes, Paul was.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
A Mike Tollin decision to step down completely voluntary would
be my question, completely voluntary?
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Does it matter?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
No?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Well, I think it.
Speaker 5 (03:04):
Does a little bit if you compare to what happened
to Harball.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
We no, Harball got fired, right, but I was.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
I'm curious that the Pittsburgh ownership suggested this course of action.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
It's a fair question. Harball wanted to stay.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Tony Dungee told us that when he talked to the
front office ownership, it felt like if Mike wanted to
continue to coach, and he had two years left on
his contract, then he was going to be able to
coach but do I think it's a mutual I don't.
I never believe in a mutual parting where you walk
in and you both say at the same time, I
(03:41):
think that we should break up.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah. What I kind of want to have happened.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
If I had sort of like some type of magical
wish that could make something happen, I would have Lincoln
Riley leave USC and Mike Tomlin take the USC job,
just so five years later we could have that story
be true.
Speaker 6 (04:00):
They'd be like, yeah, see.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Nobody believe me, but see what happened.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
I told you Mike Tomlins taking the USC job.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Okay, Yeah, and you wonder why Mike Tomlin has never
been on this show.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
That was one of those where USC had a list
and I had a source who said, all right, I've
looked at the wish list of who we're going to hire.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Who would we be interested in. They want to hide. Yeah,
they like it's a wish list. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, And Mike Tomlin was on the wish list, that's all.
He wasn't interested, never heard anything. So when I said that, hey,
I have somebody who's seen this wish list and said,
Mike Tomlin is on the wish list.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Is this a joke?
Speaker 2 (04:44):
And then all of a sudden somebody says, yeah, Dan
Patrick said that you know you're interested in the USC job,
which is not how I phrased it. I said they
are interested in Mike.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Wait, you mean a reporter framed a question to a
coach to get a reaction of a press conference.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Get at. I know they're supposed to be journalists in there.
They're professional. They don't do that. No, they don't.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Uh So, Mike tom Lincoln Riley to the Steelers, But
Lincoln Riley could go wherever he wants.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
I just want Mike Tomlin to take the USC job
just so we can have some fun with you.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah, I'm taking receipt Are you taking receipts or dropping receipt?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Receipt keeping receipt? You keep them keeping receipt? Yes?
Speaker 7 (05:28):
To you think Tomlin possibly had a mindset when I'm
about to meet the front office and the owners. If
I don't immediately feel the love and the confidence and
the encouragement that they want me back, anything less than that,
I'm just going to step down.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
I need to hear that right away.
Speaker 7 (05:40):
And maybe he was thinking about going.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
I don't know how they phrased it. I don't know
how you know they did. They pose a question, Mike,
what do you want to do? Or do you say, Mike,
we want you back. What do you want to do?
We talked about this yesterday, but I think Mike Tomlin
probably felt after nineteen years, I need to take a
(06:03):
big deep breath here. I need's fifty three. And I'm
not saying that this is one of those midlife crisis
as much as it is. Okay, I've accomplished this. I've
accomplished a lot. I have total respect around the league.
Networks are going to want to hire me. You get
together with your wife and you say, what do we
(06:25):
want to do? And maybe you want to take that
deep breath and just say, you know what, Maybe I
do TV. And I don't know how good he would
be on TV. I've always found that he's interesting to
look at with his expressions. I don't know how demonstrative
he's going to be with his words. Like when you
(06:45):
see him on the sidelines, you're like, he looks interesting
and it can be fun in press conferences a little prickly,
but I don't know. You put him in studio, you
put him doing a game, like I think of you
would hire Mike Tomlin. I would want him in studio.
I would want to see him and you could control
(07:06):
what he's going to be talking about, as opposed to
in a game. You know, just because you know the game,
you coach the game, you've won a super Bowl, you've
been in the playoffs. That doesn't mean you can do
a broadcast. But if I put you in a studio,
and this is what I would do if I'm INBC,
I would say to Mike Tomlin, we want to hire
(07:28):
you through the postseason, and we have the Super Bowl,
So now I get kind of a head start. Now
do I think CBS is going to reach out because
Matt Ryan is now working with the Falcons, And I
brought that up to Bill Cower yesterday. Hey, I'd bring
in Mike Tomlin this weekend. If I'm CBS, put him
in there with Cower. You know, then you get to
(07:51):
ask him the questions about this. Then you get to
talk to him about you know, the game's coming up,
so you have him do his first interview with you.
Jay Glazer is a great relationship with Mike. I could
see that they haven't replaced Jimmy Johnson. I could see
where you bring in Mike Tomlin, but I don't know
if he's part of the hijinks that you have at
(08:13):
the Fox pregame show, like wacky you know, goofy stuff,
Where's CBS you know a little bit more, you know,
uniformity with that, and you're there with Bill Kauer. That
could be fun as well. But he'll have options. But
if I'm NBC, I bring him in and I say
(08:33):
we would like to have you through the super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
See what he says? All right? So the yes, Ton?
Speaker 6 (08:40):
Is there a standard of coach owners meeting?
Speaker 7 (08:43):
I know, like the players, you know they pack up
their stuff and you meet with the press and all that.
I was just wondering who initiated the conversation, how much
that matter? Did Mike Tomlin say, hey, do you got
a minute to the ownership group? Or did they say, Mike,
come on and let's talk about some stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Well, you always have an exit interview every team, every
coach has.
Speaker 7 (09:00):
I'm just I'd be fascinated to know just how that started.
And you know, not that it'll be aggressive, but who
initiated the what are we doing next year?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
What's our plan? Are we here? We're not here together. Well, no,
you have an exit interview. Season's over.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
You get together, you talk about what short term, long
term plans are. This took on probably a different tone
where you're walking in and you're saying, all right, what
are we doing? We want you back? What are you thinking?
Two years left on your contract? What are you thinking?
That's probably you know how this was sort of the
(09:33):
table was set for this meeting. I can't imagine they'll go, hey, Mike,
come on in, let's talk man. So what do you
want to do at quarterback next year?
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Now? What do you think? You know?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I think this was let's start big picture, keep a
big picture. If he decides he's going to stay, well
now we can have some questions about the roster. And
I didn't think I thought at the beginning of the year,
I thought that this would be the last year for Tomlin,
the last year for Aaron Rodgers. And it looks like
Aaron Rodgers will be done in Pittsburgh as well. I
(10:04):
don't know if there's any other opportunity for him. Somebody
suggested to me yesterday, well what if Minnesota brought him in?
And I thought, okay, maybe this past year. But now
all of a sudden, he's forty three, and he's looking
every bit forty three. You still have a couple of
good receivers on that team. But and I think they
(10:26):
want to open up the competition with AJ McCarthy. But
I don't want to one and done, or you know,
like Pittsburgh, all right, it was one year, you rolled
the dice, you got to the playoffs, and that's it.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
It didn't work out. But I don't know if I see.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
A team like you can't have a team go hey,
let's bring him in and maybe people like the Cleveland Browns. Hey,
maybe somebody will show up to watch Aaron Rodgers play quarterback.
I don't see that. I don't think that there's this
victory tour for him. I don't think he's interested in that.
But with Mike Tomlin, and you're gonna get compensation if
(11:04):
Mike coaches the next two years. That's why I think
he if he takes that TV job, he might take
it for two years.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Now.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
I don't know if you still have to compensate the
Steelers after those two years, because he does have two
years left on his contract. I don't know if that
continues in perpetuity if he takes another head coaching job. Yes, Marvin, do.
Speaker 8 (11:25):
You see him pulling a Bill Kauer or coach Kauer
where you never coach again? Because I coach the Steelers.
What can get better than this?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Well, there was sensitivity involved with Bill Kauer with his wife.
She was sick and he needed to spend more time
three daughters. And so I think that that's the reason
why Bill was not coming back to coaching. And also,
you know, these guys get into TV and they realize
(11:55):
it's not bad. You know, it's not the wear and tear,
the hours, wins, losses, all of that. Well, you wake
up Monday, You're good. You didn't lose. You might have
won a little bit with you know, your performance on TV,
but it rarely lose. And get to go have meals,
(12:18):
get to wear nice clothes, you get to have people
you know put makeup on you. It's not bad, not
bad at all. So I think Mike, he strikes me
as he's a coach and would still want to coach.
But I think, I mean, look at the NFL. Look
at all the openings here, and I thought there would
(12:40):
be six, maybe seven openings. I don't even I was
told yesterday by a source. You know, don't rule out
somebody else's team in the playoffs changing coaches. And I'm
thinking how much more? How many candidates are out there,
but you got John Harball at the top of the list.
(13:03):
I don't know if Mike Tomlin would be on that list.
But if I'm a team all of these teams, I'd
be reaching out to Mike Tomlin. What I would want
is an interview with Mike Tomlin, so Tomlin could tell
me about my team. If I'm Arizona, I go, Mike,
We'll turn this over to you. We'll give you twenty
million dollars. You can do whatever you want, total autonomy,
(13:25):
and see if he's interested. He's probably not, Yeah, PAULI
a couple of things on Tomlin. Since the Steelers did
not fire him, they retained the rights to him throughout
the twenty twenty seventh season, so any team that hires
him this coaching cycle or next year's coaching cycle would
owe some type of compensation to that to the Steelers. Also,
the Steelers posted this thirty five minutes ago. Steelers President
(13:46):
Art Runey the Second will speak to the media today
at twelve Eastern and then yesterday posted thank you coach
Tomlin for the hard work, dedication success you brought the
Steelers for over nineteen years.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
A couple things.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So we'll talk to Jerry Doulac, who covers the Steelers
and get his thoughts on how this all came about.
And you know, it felt like one of the worst
kept secrets because people kept saying, man, Tom, I could see.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Him doing TV boy, he'd be good at TV. I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
You're fifty three, You're in the middle of a playoff chase,
you get into the playoffs, you lose in the playoffs.
Now all of a sudden, you step down. So there
was something there and it had been there for a while.
But if you win that game, does he still eventually
(14:40):
step down? Was this a foregone conclusion? Maybe in his
mind and maybe the Steelers. We'll find out next. This
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Speaker 2 (15:38):
Away Cardinals, Falcons, Ravens, Browns, Raiders, Dolphins, Giants, Titans, and
now the Steelers. Jerry Dulac covers the Steelers for the
Pittsburgh Post Gazette and he joins us, Now, how did
we get here?
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Jerry?
Speaker 9 (15:54):
You know, Dan, it's it's been evolving, of course, and
I think the final straw was just another one and
done in the postseason. That's nine times in Mike Thomlins career.
That ties Marty Schottenheimer, who's long remembered for all the
one and done, you know, with that dubious record, and
(16:15):
you know, five times in the playoffs the last six years.
I mean, obviously, you know, people he around here think
the sky is falling because they haven't won a playoff game,
and to them, I understand why, but it's just it's
kind of the same, the same scene every year, get
into postseason and then not only get eliminated, but you know,
they're really I know, the Texans scored two touchdowns in
(16:38):
the last four minutes, but the games are never really competitive.
And you know, I know, you know, Dan, people always
say you don't make change for the sake of change,
and the Steelers didn't make this change. Mike Tomlin decided
to step down, but it was time to make a
change just for the sake of change. You couldn't continue
if your ownership. I don't know how you have just
(17:00):
sat there and watched the same old thing happen again.
And you know, Mike Tomlin made the decision for them.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Do you think it was completely his decision? Here?
Speaker 9 (17:12):
I'm still trying to get to the bottom of that, Dan,
because I don't always think that's the case. But I
will say this, I have been told from the top
that the Steelers retain his rights, and that would mean
that he stepped down, that they didn't fire him, you know,
that would be a different, different scenario. So I'm going
to go on that with the with the idea that
(17:35):
he did step down, and from everybody I heard, including
some of the players, that seems to be the case.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I don't think.
Speaker 9 (17:42):
I don't think they told him, look, we'll let you
what you know, we want you out, but we'll let
you step down. I don't think that's the case. But
I'm still still open to the buzz of Delly.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So what's next for Tomin?
Speaker 6 (17:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (17:57):
You know, Dan, everybody wants to think that, you know,
he's going He's perfect for TV and that's where he's
going to go. Look, you know, he and I don't
sit down and have those discussions.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
But.
Speaker 9 (18:08):
I've never gotten the indication that that's something on his radar,
and I don't know if he wants to continue coaching.
That's what I'm gonna, you know, obviously find out here
in the next couple of days. I don't know what
his plans are because I haven't had a chance to
talk to him, but I you know, Mike, Mike Tommins
(18:28):
a football junkie, and I would almost I would expect
him to you know want to go coach again, but
I guess we're going to find out. Nineteen years in
one place, let's face it, a long time. And I
never got any sense that he was burned out. I
never thought that at all. And I just I think
he looked at kind of the landscape and the environment
(18:50):
of what was going on here, and you know, I'm
not going to sit here and say he stepped down
for the better good of the franchise or maybe the
better good of his reputation. I don't know, but I
think he could feel and sense and see what was
going on, you know, from the fan base to everything else,
and just probably thought, you know, what, time to step away.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
What's next for the Steelers.
Speaker 9 (19:14):
Well, you know, obviously their history of hiring head coaches
has been pretty good, and they haven't had to do
it in a while nineteen years. When you look at
the last three hires, all young, defensive minded coaches, I
would expect the same to happen. Despite what the way
we see the NFL being played these days, I would
imagine they'll follow the same template. I think they'll move quickly.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I'm not going to do it by the end of
the week, but I.
Speaker 9 (19:41):
Would imagine that's the direction they are going to go.
And I will tell you you know, when Bill Kawer
stepped down after the sixth season, the Steelers retained a
number of his assistants from the staff, including Bruce arians,
Dick LeBeau, Keith Butler.
Speaker 6 (19:57):
I don't know if.
Speaker 9 (19:58):
That's going to be the case, but it's one the
rooneys do, you know. They don't They don't let a
coach come in and start picking his entire staff and
his training staff and a medical staff and the secretary's
and a pr staff to Steelers say hey, this is
what you got, and you work around that. And so
we'll see how it plays out. I would expect a
lot of that, you know, to still be the same.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Aaron Rodgers' future.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
I think.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
I think if Mike Tomlin stayed, I think they would
have welcomed him back to a degree. But I will
say this Dan, whether he was coming back or not,
it wasn't going to change what they want to do
intend to do in the draft, And I'm not saying
they will do it because we'll see how it plays out,
but their intention is to find a quarterback that they
(20:44):
can build on for the next ten twelve fifteen years hopefully,
And so whether Aaron Rodgers comes back or not, that
plan doesn't change.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
I know that it falls on Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
But did front office help build a team that could
challenge first Super Bowl?
Speaker 6 (21:02):
I don't think there's any question that.
Speaker 9 (21:05):
You know, the general manager, Omar Khan, was very aggressive
the last two years, even the last three, but especially
the last two in trying to get the pieces to,
you know, to make a potential run. But you know,
the first step was winning a playoff game and that
didn't happen, and so they also brought in a number
of thirty plus veterans and that that didn't work. Then
(21:29):
I don't know that you stick with the with the
same personnel and you start to make some changes again,
and at some point, you know, the Steelers then never
use the word rebuild. And I'm not saying they're going
to do that, but you know, they've done it kind
of piecemeal, and I got a sense this one might
be a little bit of a bigger overhaul.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah, because they're not bad enough to get better by
having that high draft pick, Like you're you're kind of
in the twenties, and that could be no man's land
if you're you know, A nine and eight, ten and seventeen.
Speaker 9 (22:01):
Yeah, when you think of where they've had to draft. Now,
they've traded up a couple of times to get up
to sixteen to get an offensive lineman. But when you
think about where they have had to draft and the
consistent success five times in the postseason in the last
six years, you know, they haven't been able to hit
that home run with a number one pick, And to me,
(22:22):
that's what makes every draft. I think their drafts have
been solid, but they haven't had that Pro Bowl, elite.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Type of player.
Speaker 9 (22:30):
And you know you have to go back to TJ.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Watt to find that guy.
Speaker 9 (22:34):
And I think that's where they need and they know it.
They know those first five picks, first eight picks or
where you first five, especially where you find those elite players.
First eight to ten is where you find maybe the
Pro Bowl players and then you keep your fingers crossed
it maybe you land somebody. But they haven't had that
guy and that's what they need and they know it.
(22:54):
That's what they need to go and try and.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Do anybody untouchable on the roster in your opinion, No.
Speaker 9 (23:01):
No, you know, I don't think I you know, DK
metcalf is, I don't think despite that suspension what some
people want to think, he's coming back. Cam Hayward's going
to be thirty seven. But you know, I will tell you, Dan,
I don't think anybody is untouchable. They're right tackle Troy Fontano,
(23:21):
maybe some of our offensive linemen, but otherwise any of
the other guys.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
No, thanks again, I know you're busy. We appreciate it, Dan.
Speaker 9 (23:29):
Well, always enjoy being with you.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Jerry Doolat covers the Steelers for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette,
also part of the Steelers Radio network. If Mike Tomlin
does not take a job in the next two years,
there's no compensation for the Steelers. He would be a
free agent. And you know, keep in mind the Sean
Payton situation when he left the Saints and he ended
(23:51):
up with the Broncos. The Broncos had to give up
two picks for Sean Payton. Bruce Arians, Herm Edwards, John Ruden,
Bill Belichick, Mike Holme, and Bill Parcells. Those are these
seven head coaches traded in NFL history.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
David in Ohio, Hi, David.
Speaker 10 (24:11):
Hey, David, Dan speaking, Hey, Hey, Dan speaking of Todd
might like this one.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Speaking of Steelers.
Speaker 9 (24:16):
Head coaches, I guess you could say that the.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Steelers chuck a knowle from Mike Tomlins. Thank you. You
can't approve of that, Todd. I can't.
Speaker 7 (24:27):
I want to because he gave me a little shout
and he was trying to do the headline thing.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
But I think he can do better.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Where is Pittsburgh, Dave David Arkansas joints this.
Speaker 10 (24:39):
I'm right here, Dan. I'm the newest member, I gotta
say for a newest member of the d DC. Oh
and almost the newest member of the one I see.
I got hit in the face of the golf ball
and nearly took out on a left eye.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So you were going to join PAULI on the one
good eye club.
Speaker 10 (25:03):
Great to have you almost happened.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Uh but and condolences with the dead dad club there,
But you know, welcome to the club.
Speaker 9 (25:13):
Yes.
Speaker 10 (25:13):
Now, as for Tom and his concerned I just think
the time was right. I do believe this was totally
his decision. There was no forcing of anything from the
front office.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Uh.
Speaker 10 (25:26):
So you know it's and I look at it as
the next coach might be the last coach. I watch
you know the way they go with coaches. My last
coach that I watch, I wouldn't mind. I mean a
lot of talk has been Brian Flores. You know, do
you make the call to Marcus Freeman? I could see that.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Oh I make the call. Absolutely. I make the call
with Marcus Freeman. I mean, you're the Steelers, you know,
you're one of the blue bloods there. But thank you, Dave,
and once again, welcome to the Dead Dad's Club. Curtis
in Illinois, Hi, Curtis, what's on your mind?
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Morning?
Speaker 3 (26:08):
DP? Just calling it today.
Speaker 11 (26:10):
Everybody's going nuts over who's going to hire John Harbaugh?
And then this if Tomlin decides he wants to coach again,
there'd be probably just as long as a list. But
if you look back at NFL history, there's never been
a coach that has won Super Bowls with multiple teams.
So if you're hiring for a new coach, don't you
just want that younger, hungry coach that has something to gain.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
Out of it?
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I would, because this is what everybody has been saying. Man,
you could bring in John Harbaugh, you could bring in
Mike Tomlin. Well, if they couldn't get their team over
the hump. What makes you think they can get your
team over the hump?
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Yeah, I think if you're following the Steelers' history and
track record, it's probably somebody more like Jesse Minter that
makes the most sense defensive coordination With the Chargers, he's
the defensive coordinator. They like to hire defensive minded head coaches.
And if right now the one thing you can build
around is TJ. Watt, bring in a guy who's in
(27:11):
his early forties that sort of follows a lot of
the same things that the Steelers as an organization really likes.
And Jerry Duleak was just saying, you don't come in
and bring in all of your people, you come in
and assimilate into what is already existing. I don't know,
I think that he probably makes a lot of sense. Yeah,
Jesse Mentor, I think is forty one. Brian Flores probably
(27:33):
is going to get a head coaching job, might be
with the Raiders, maybe it's Pittsburgh. But back to what
I was talking about, where you got John Harbaugh and
Kevin Stefanski and Mike Tomlin. Those are all marquee names,
proven coaches, but there's a reason why they're not coaching
their respective teams, they couldn't.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Get them over the hump. Now it's different for Kevin Stefanski.
He did not have the talent there that these other
two co John Harball had a future Hall of Fame quarterback.
Mike Tomlin didn't have that for the latter part of
his career. They were looking, they're still looking Lamar jack
(28:15):
The Ravens chose Lamar Jackson over John Harbaught feels like
like whoever's coaching is coming in and they're gonna have
to put Lamar Jackson in a better position to win.
But that doesn't mean if you're Atlanta or Arizona, the Giants,
all of these openings, you'd be going, hey, that's an upgrade.
(28:35):
That guy can help us be better. Because if I said, hey,
I'm going to have you hire a guy who's going
to have you in the playoffs for the next ten years,
you gotta have winning record the next ten years, but
you're going to roll the dice and chances are you
won't win a playoff game. If you're Atlanta, would you
sign up for that? If you're the Giants, would you
(28:57):
sign up for that? The Browns would you sign up
for that? Arizona would you Tennessee, Like, there's certain teams
that their expectator. You know, the Steelers, it's about winning championships.
The Patriots, you win championships. Even the Cowboys, who haven't
done anything in thirty years, it's still winning championships. Arizona,
(29:17):
it's just let's be relevant, let's be competitive. The Giants
one of the blue bloods. They have not been good,
not consistent. Atlanta, they've been a mess. So there's certain
teams Tennessee would take that. Hey, ten years winning record,
playoffs every single year, but you're not winning a playoff
(29:37):
game in Pittsburgh. That doesn't fly. In Baltimore, that doesn't fly. Yes, Marv.
Speaker 8 (29:46):
So if you're the Falcons of the Titans, would you say, hey,
let's have a Tom Coffin like career where you only
make the playoffs twice in ten.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Years, but you win Super Bowls? Would you sign up
for that? Yes, everybody would.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
The Steelers would sign up for that, Baltimore would sign
up for that. It's sort of like the Florida Marlins,
you know, like every five to six years, it'd be like,
I'll be damn they won another World Series.
Speaker 8 (30:11):
Yes, Mark, So the year before you win the Super Bowl,
you're on the hot seat. He might get fired, but
let's win a super Bowl instead.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Nick Siriani and they fire their offensive coordinator. I feel
bad for Jalen Hurts. He's had a new offensive coordinator
every single year, and he's going to have another one
next year. And I believe if you look at his
offensive coordinators at Alabama, he had a new one every
single year. Greatness starts with stability. Who is my coach?
(30:44):
Who is my offensive coordinator? Jalen Hurts has not had that.
And maybe we'll see that we haven't seen the best
of Jalen Hurts because maybe there will be consistency there.
But they offensive coordinators, it's it is difficult to play
the position to begin with. Then all of a sudden,
(31:05):
you got somebody else's coming in now, new terminology, maybe
a new mindset. Maybe AJ Brown's not there, Saquon Barkley
a year older. Like you know, you got to start
factoring these things in. And when we talk about the window,
didn't it feel like that Eagles window is wide open,
ready for a couple of Super Bowls, winning a couple
of Super Bowls.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
They got to two with this group.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Now you wonder It's like the Lions because everybody you know,
we have that same approach. Eh, they'll be back. There's
no guarantees, no guarantees. Look at Kansas City, man, you
got Mahomes, you got Kelsey, Andy Reid, until you're not
going to have Mahomes for a little while and you
may not have Kelsey. Now, all of a sudden, Kansas
(31:52):
City third best team in their division.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
That's how quickly it happens.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Baltimore's had a two time probably should have been a
three time MVP at quarterback and have nothing to show
for it.
Speaker 9 (32:07):
Now.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
I can put blame on him, but it just seems
like that game plan always changed when they got.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
To the postseason.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
So as much as we like to say, hey that
window is still open, it might be, but that's where
it's open. But you put your fingers there and that
window comes down on them.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Yes, Marv.
Speaker 8 (32:25):
And the way the NFL is built, there's a new
team every single year that comes out of nowhere and
becomes a contender.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
All out Houston Texans.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Well, there's usually three or four teams. I think we
had all the divisional winners, weren't they They've had a
new divisional winner and I think that's what you have
to factor in. There is hope for your team, but
also if you're a team that is already good, there's
no guarantee that you stay there.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
We'll take a break.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
More phone calls coming up eight seven to seven to
three DP show. We'll talk to the former quarterback Alex
Smith of the ESPN's NFL Countdown and he'll join us
next hour. Back after this with our play of the day.
Thanks for listening to The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday morning nine until
noon eastern six to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,
(33:12):
and you can find us on the iHeartRadio app at
FSR or stream us live on the Peacock app. A me,
Paulie's in my head. We were talking about t Steve Bushatti,
the Ravens owner, and Paulie brought up those cookies, those
Biscotti cookies today when he first took over the team.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
It's like that name's Piscatti. That's kind of cool.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Yeah, So social media reminding me, hey, talking hairdoo, it's Bushati.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Okay, man, I should have brought it up. I should
have read it up. Uh.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
This in from on three this has to do with
ty Simpson. Tennessee, Miami and Ole Miss were offering four
million dollars to the Alabama quarterback. Miami went up to
six and a half million dollars. Miami, they lost out
on Sam Levitt. They came back with a big number.
Old Miss called again and they couldn't match it. So
(34:06):
it looks like Ty Simpson, Alabama quarterback is going pro.
Speaker 5 (34:10):
Yes, Paul, if you were going to say that he
could make more money by staying in college, it's kind
of true. But that one year, for example, if he
was the twenty first pick like Jackson Dart. Jackson Dart
made nine million as a rookie, most of his signing bonus,
but then going forward, Jackson Dart would make one point six,
two point three, three point one.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Alex Smith of the Mothership quarterback for sixteen years and
a Heisman Trophy finalist back in four when he was
at Utah, Good to see you again. I was wondering
about this. I mentioned Jalen Hurts. He's had a different
offensive coordinator every single year in the NFL, every single
year in college. As a former quarterback, do you care
(34:50):
more about who's your head coach or who's your offensive coordinator?
Speaker 6 (34:54):
Well, Dan, it's the best when they're the thing, the
same person most of the time. You know, he usually usually.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
Went an off.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
The coordinator is good enough to become a head coach.
They're pretty good at what they do, you know, I
feel I feel his pain. You know, I had seven
offensive coordinators in my first seven years.
Speaker 3 (35:12):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (35:12):
And to see what Jalen's done in spite of all
that volatility is incredible, right Like. I think at some
point it becomes a strength, Dan, Right Like, there's not
a system you haven't run, there's not an offensive mind
you haven't been around. You get really good at adapting,
You get really good at taking kind of the strengths
of all these people and systems, you know, and combining them.
(35:33):
But no question, is not what you want, right like,
to get to it, to get to high level football.
I mean, this is not the recipe for that. So
I think that obviously Nick has been there again, that
he is an offensive head coach. I think it's the
same system despite different play callers these last several years.
But nonetheless, obviously, you know, when especially the Eagles, as
(35:56):
good as they've been, as good as that roster is
need need far more stability on that side of the ball, But.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
The terminology is probably kind of the same no matter
who your offensive coordinator is.
Speaker 6 (36:06):
I think it's all the same there with Nick No
and I was in a different scenario where you know,
I went from digits to West Coast to all these
different systems. I think the nice thing there with obviously
Nick at the helm is that, by and far this
is the exact same language. It's a different play caller,
it's a little different style obviously putting the plan together
every week.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
All right, Let's look ahead to what Pittsburgh does now
moving forward, given their history young defensive coordinators they bring
them in in today's NFL? Is that the wise thing
to do for Pittsburgh to follow that track record to
stay on the defensive side of the ball, young defense.
You know, they're not going for big ticket items here.
Speaker 6 (36:47):
I mean, they've done such a great job. I mean
I think back to even when they hired Mike Tomlin, right,
like it just they seem to do, you know, like
these interview processes, like you know, as you can imagine
you bring in a guy for an interview, these are
football coaches that you know sometimes are they coming in
in a suit and tie and trying to, you know,
put their best foot forward. So much of this comes
from reference checking, right, your network as an organization, reaching
(37:10):
out and finding who's an actually good football coach who
can create culture. Right, just because you are a great
coordinator doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be a great coach.
Those are those are very different things, and so how
do you identify them? And clearly this organization seems to
have that down. I do anticipate that their track record, yeah,
has been they're going to go young, right, They're they're
going to go for a young coach that they believe in,
(37:31):
that they're going to support, that they're going to build with,
and it's going to be there for the next twenty
twenty five years. Yeah. Whether or not that's on the
defensive side of the ball, I think remains to be seen.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Do you think that Mike Tomlin had read the room,
had the wherewithal to say, I got two years left
on my contract, I'm stepping down, or do you think
that there was maybe nudging on the Steelers' part.
Speaker 6 (37:55):
No, I don't think there is any nudging. I don't
think so. I mean, my listen and I knowingly.
Speaker 3 (38:00):
With two years left on his contract. He's Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 6 (38:03):
I know, That's my point. Like, I think in the media,
this has been talked about a lot, right we heard
the chance this year. I think behind closed doors, I mean,
teams would be lining up to hire him, lining up, right, Like,
I mean, this guy's that well respected, and it's just
so rare to have done it for nineteen years in
one place, right, Like I do wonder just being a
(38:25):
head coach for nineteen years, right man, these are these
are dog years. It is a lot of pressure. It
demands a commitment level, right, like if you just have
to sacrifice so much your life, like I don't, I
mean clearly obviously, who knows that the you know here
for him to step down, right Like, I think something
on that front. I don't think it had anything to
do with getting nudged out. Again. I think this guy's
(38:47):
one of the most sought after, if not the most
sought after.
Speaker 3 (38:50):
Guy in the.
Speaker 6 (38:51):
Market and would have been uh And there's a lot
of demand there and I think he knew that despite
some of these conversations that go on on the media side.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Yeah, but the Ravens had no problem announcing they fired
John Harball, similar career track record, super Bowl, same thing.
Speaker 6 (39:08):
Yeah, similar, similar. I would argue this, right, like, look
at those two rosters this year.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Oh I know, I.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Mean, I think you can make an argument one of
them overachieved and the other one from this year. I'm
not talking. I'm obviously John Harbaugh's eighteen years are incredible, right,
like potential Hall of Fame head coach. But this year
I think they greatly underachieved. Right, that roster, that many
All pros, that many Pro Bowlers, You've got an MVP.
I mean, Lamar just came off arguably, arguably maybe the
(39:36):
greatest season of quarterback ever. And I know he was
injured this year and missed some time, but like that,
you can't be a fan of football look at that
team and say it didn't underachieve, especially the way the
division was this year, right, one of the worst divisions
in football.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
I'm talking to Alex Smith ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown. What
is it about certain quarterbacks when they get to the postseason, Like,
there's certain quarterbacks who were great regular season quarterback, but
then you get to the postseason, So what is that
that factor that somebody just plays better than the lights
(40:09):
of the brightest.
Speaker 6 (40:10):
I mean, I think a lot has to go right
in this scenario. Like I'm thinking about Justin Herbert when
you said that, And I know he's zero for three
in the playoffs and people are talking about this and that,
but like, I mean, he didn't have it. He was
overmatched in that game, right, and against the Patriots, and
as beat up as the Chargers were limping into the playoffs,
(40:31):
you know, I know they were hoping to be more
competitive in that game, but going across the country on
the road, like and we're just going to pin that
all on him, you know, I think in some ways, again,
when you step back and look at the job he did,
like for them to even be in that position, I
think was you know, in some ways remarkable, Right, I
think that was a positive. But you know, it's the
nature of the quarterback position, you know this, right, Like
(40:52):
we get in these big moments, these winner take all
one game scenarios, right, Quarterbacks obviously think when you when
your team wins and you play well, this is where
you become legendary, right, Like, this is where that that
kind of stuff happens. And so what goes into that, right,
Like what I think again, the ten guys in the huddle,
(41:12):
the matchup, the system, right, Like, the position you're put
in has a huge part of that. And again and
so but then obviously the guy's got to go out
there and and and and make the plays. I At
the same time, I think about Josh Allen, right, like,
incredible playoff numbers, just absolutely incredible playoff numbers. But you know,
(41:33):
up until now, it's the guy that can't get it
done right like that, that's the stuff you hear right like,
he can't get there? And which is that because of Josh?
Right that that's insane to say when you actually go
look at the play like that, there's not much else
he could do, and yet we want to pin that
on the quarterback. So sometimes I think that that kind
of narrative is is pretty unfair.
Speaker 3 (41:55):
How would you defend Josh Allen if you're paying good luck?
Speaker 6 (41:58):
It's tough. It's really tough, listen. I mean, I think
you know, when you look at them from an offensive
standpoint and you think about the weapons and who you
need to shut down. Obviously, it's the best run game
in football, and a lot of it starts up front
with that, right James Cook obviously had a phenomenal year.
Josh is a big part of that run game. From there,
you kind of move to their tight ends, right, Like,
they're pretty dynamic, both those tight ends, Kim Kaid and knocks.
(42:21):
So much of what they do is tied into the
run game with play action, pass right and over the middle.
And so how are you going to take those guys away?
You know, they don't have big contributors on the outside, right, Like,
they kind of piece it together on the outside, right,
And I know they just lost a couple guys to injury,
and so you're gonna be piecing it together even more.
Speaker 7 (42:42):
So.
Speaker 6 (42:43):
It's interesting when you got a guy like Patrick's Artan, right, Like,
who's he going to go take away? They don't necessarily
these aren't feature guys for them that play outside, And
then your instinct would be to play some man right
certainly because you're not necessarily afraid of some of these
matchups I just talked about in coverage. However, I think
Josh is kind of the guy that would really deter
(43:03):
you from that, right, Like, you don't want a lot
of backs turned running in coverage with this guy and
the ball in his hands, right, He can really make
some big plays with his legs. He can really extend plays.
It's hard to cover that long. So he's the biggest
deterrent against that. And I do think you're going to
see a heavy dose. You're going to see them spy
him a lot in this game, right this, Let's not
(43:24):
let him get going again. Think about last year's playoff
game against the Denver Broncos. On that fourth down he
runs around for eight seconds and you know that's what
the running back in the back of the end zone
for that phenomenal play, right, like any of you the Broncos, like,
we're not letting that happen again. Right, We've gotta have
some eyes on him. We've got to have some defenders
tracking him down.
Speaker 2 (43:42):
I know that you're working with a company we're looking
at concussions.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
You know.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
I go back to that what twenty twelve game when
you suffered a concussion and then Kaepernick came in.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Yep, did you know you were concussed?
Speaker 6 (43:55):
Oh yeah, yeah, immediately, Dan, And it's funny, you know
they this is and we've learned this, like, concussions very
much are obviously a spectrum now, right, Like I remember everything,
I was very present, like it wasn't one of those
things where I was like, you know, you're out for me.
It was a vision deal, you know, and it was
a it was a game. It was at Candlestick and
(44:16):
vision for me and one o'clock kickoff and all of
a sudden having trouble with my vision right again. And
I say it because it was it was an incredible
day of Candlestick really sunny, really bright, and for me
having trouble focusing my eyes, having trouble with my vision,
certainly having trouble with the brightness, and I remember, it's
(44:36):
one of those things where you're you know, you're you're
trying to blink it off right, You're trying to like
work through it, and it's not working right, like it's
not getting better, and you know in that game is
specifically I remember, I mean, I continue to play. In fact,
I threw a touchdown pass as my last play I think,
and finally got to the sideline. It was like a miracle.
I remember thinking like, I don't know how that just happened,
(44:57):
right like this kept thinking it would get better and
and finally obviously getting out, you know, getting myself out
of the game in the sense that I wasn't going
to help us out there not being able to see,
and so it's scary. It's scary stuff, right. I think
it's for all football players. It's kind of the looming
scary thing, right, And like we don't we're learning more,
(45:19):
We don't know a whole lot about concussions. What's the
company you're working? Yeah, I'm I'm with Oxyo, Oxya Biopharma,
o x Eia. And listen, I think that the number
one thing for all of us is there are no
approved treatments and right, like there are no approved tests
for concussions. Like when it comes to treatment of concussions,
it's the same as it was twenty forty fifty one
(45:40):
hundred years ago, right, Like we're still kind of in
the stone age. It's just hey, rest up, how do
you feel?
Speaker 2 (45:46):
You know?
Speaker 6 (45:46):
And again still learning the consequences of some of these things,
and so just pumped to partner with Oxya and to
try to be a solution, right, to try to find
some answers to try to figure this out.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
And how well are you tested? Like do do a yearly?
Speaker 6 (46:03):
Well, there are no tests there. I mean obviously there's
these baseline tests where you can kind of take they're
cognitive right in that sense, they're you know, processing, but
they don't they can't definitively define whether or not you've
had a concussion.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Nothing can but MRI cat scan, none of that will
show up.
Speaker 6 (46:22):
Like those help. Those help, and they certainly help, I
think with more severe ones, But the vast majority that
happened on the football field, the vast majority I think
that happened for people in their lives. Like I can't
tell you how many parents come up to me constantly,
right and like, hey, my my child had a concussion
doing something, and like what can I do for them?
Speaker 1 (46:39):
Right?
Speaker 6 (46:39):
Like what what can help? And again there's just there's
just nothing there right in the NFL is taking steps,
We've seen changes in the kickoff rule right to make
it safer, We've seen helmets try to get better, but
there still is nothing here on the treatment side. And
again I think just just pumped a partner with Oxya
in the sense that if somebody trying to do something right,
someone trying and finally trying to change that narrative. And
(47:03):
for anybody that wants to go learn more, go to
Oxia Biopharma dot com, you know company again, I think
that is onto something, but really trying to trying to
make a difference.
Speaker 2 (47:15):
Are you One record is saying the Rams could put
up fifty on the Bears.
Speaker 6 (47:20):
You know, listen, hey Kay got me on and it
was like, hey, first thing, that is going to be
a high scoring game. I haven't checked the weather. That's
always like a part of this when you're playing at
Chicago in January. But I'm just that defense, Chicago's defense,
the way they're playing. I know they've feasted on turnovers
all year, but especially against this system like they just
(47:43):
went to They just went to San Francisco played the
Niners and I think they got forty eight put up
on them. It's the exact same system, and you could argue,
you know, the group they have in LA with the
Rams is maybe more dynamic.
Speaker 3 (47:59):
Weather is going to be thirteen degrees.
Speaker 6 (48:01):
All right, Well, listen again, I think it's going to
be high scoring whether or not they actually get the
fifty burger, but I think they're going to put up
some points. I don't think there's a whole lot of
love loss between these coaching staffs either.
Speaker 3 (48:14):
Great to talk to you again. I hope you're doing
well and thanks for.
Speaker 2 (48:17):
Sharing same damn thanks for having me Alex Smith joining
us on the program. I go back to when he
was a Heisman Trophy finalist at utah DA. That was
an incredible run that year and sixteen years in the NFL.
All right, we'll take a break. We'll update our poll
results here and more of your phone calls right after
(48:39):
this
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Our one on this Wednesday, Dan and the Danet's Dan
Patrick Show wasn't a shock, but they're still an element
of surprise with what happened in Pittsburgh. So now we
have the Cardinals, Falcons, Ravens, Browns, Raiders, Dolphins, Giants, Titans,
Steelers all looking for head coaches.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
We'll talk to.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
The man who's been covering the Steelers for I think
three decades, Jerry Dulac from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. He'll
join us coming up in about twenty minutes from now,
And what he reported on yesterday is Mike Tomlin made
the decision to step down with two years left on
his contract and a contract that was going to pay
him twenty five million dollars a year. I guess if
(00:47):
you're looking at next stop, as we've talked about speculated
the last two years, it was going to be TV
as almost a pit stop maybe a year or two
and then probably get back into code.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
But we'll talk to Jerry. He'll join us coming up.
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
If you're watching on Peacock, thank you for downloading the
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Visit neutrofol dot com, use the code Dan Patrick Poll, question,
play of the Day, stat of the Day, all of
that forthcoming. We've also talked to Alex Smith, former NFL
quarterback now working for the Mothership on NFL Countdown. So
(01:49):
after nineteen years, Mike Tomlin steps down, and if you're
looking at a pattern here, Chuck Nole defensive minded, Bill
Coward defensive minded, Mike Tomlin defensive mind. And is that
next coach going to be defensive minded? Also probably going
to get somebody who is not established, Probably getting somebody
who will be in their mid thirties, maybe late thirties.
(02:12):
That's been the pattern for the Steelers over the last
sixty years.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
All right, eight.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Seven seven three DP show operator Tyler sitting by, He'll
take your phone calls today. Seaton poll question for the
first hour is what.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Well do you want to start with Mike Tomlin or
with Mike Tomlin's replacements.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Let's do Mike Tomlin Mike Tomlin? Is it fair to say?
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Or how do I word this correctly? If Mike Tomlin
stepped down or was stepped down?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Well, Jerry Dulac, who's covering the team, said, according to
his sources, Mike Tomlin made the decision that he was
going to step down.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Yes, Paul was.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
A Mike Tollin decision to step down completely voluntary would
be my question, completely voluntary?
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Does it matter?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
No?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Well, I think it.
Speaker 5 (03:04):
Does a little bit if you compare to what happened
to Harball.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
We no, Harball got fired, right, but I was.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
I'm curious that the Pittsburgh ownership suggested this course of action.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
It's a fair question. Harball wanted to stay.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Tony Dungee told us that when he talked to the
front office ownership, it felt like if Mike wanted to
continue to coach, and he had two years left on
his contract, then he was going to be able to
coach but do I think it's a mutual I don't.
I never believe in a mutual parting where you walk
in and you both say at the same time, I
(03:41):
think that we should break up.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah. What I kind of want to have happened.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
If I had sort of like some type of magical
wish that could make something happen, I would have Lincoln
Riley leave USC and Mike Tomlin take the USC job,
just so five years later we could have that story
be true.
Speaker 6 (04:00):
They'd be like, yeah, see.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Nobody believe me, but see what happened.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
I told you Mike Tomlins taking the USC job.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Okay, Yeah, and you wonder why Mike Tomlin has never
been on this show.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
That was one of those where USC had a list
and I had a source who said, all right, I've
looked at the wish list of who we're going to hire.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Who would we be interested in. They want to hide. Yeah,
they like it's a wish list. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, And Mike Tomlin was on the wish list, that's all.
He wasn't interested, never heard anything. So when I said that, hey,
I have somebody who's seen this wish list and said,
Mike Tomlin is on the wish list.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Is this a joke?
Speaker 2 (04:44):
And then all of a sudden somebody says, yeah, Dan
Patrick said that you know you're interested in the USC job,
which is not how I phrased it. I said they
are interested in Mike.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Wait, you mean a reporter framed a question to a
coach to get a reaction of a press conference.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Get at. I know they're supposed to be journalists in there.
They're professional. They don't do that. No, they don't.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Uh So, Mike tom Lincoln Riley to the Steelers, But
Lincoln Riley could go wherever he wants.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
I just want Mike Tomlin to take the USC job
just so we can have some fun with you.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah, I'm taking receipt Are you taking receipts or dropping receipt?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Receipt keeping receipt? You keep them keeping receipt? Yes?
Speaker 7 (05:28):
To you think Tomlin possibly had a mindset when I'm
about to meet the front office and the owners. If
I don't immediately feel the love and the confidence and
the encouragement that they want me back, anything less than that,
I'm just going to step down.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
I need to hear that right away.
Speaker 7 (05:40):
And maybe he was thinking about going.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
I don't know how they phrased it. I don't know
how you know they did. They pose a question, Mike,
what do you want to do? Or do you say, Mike,
we want you back. What do you want to do?
We talked about this yesterday, but I think Mike Tomlin
probably felt after nineteen years, I need to take a
(06:03):
big deep breath here. I need's fifty three. And I'm
not saying that this is one of those midlife crisis
as much as it is. Okay, I've accomplished this. I've
accomplished a lot. I have total respect around the league.
Networks are going to want to hire me. You get
together with your wife and you say, what do we
(06:25):
want to do? And maybe you want to take that
deep breath and just say, you know what, Maybe I
do TV. And I don't know how good he would
be on TV. I've always found that he's interesting to
look at with his expressions. I don't know how demonstrative
he's going to be with his words. Like when you
(06:45):
see him on the sidelines, you're like, he looks interesting
and it can be fun in press conferences a little prickly,
but I don't know. You put him in studio, you
put him doing a game, like I think of you
would hire Mike Tomlin. I would want him in studio.
I would want to see him and you could control
(07:06):
what he's going to be talking about, as opposed to
in a game. You know, just because you know the game,
you coach the game, you've won a super Bowl, you've
been in the playoffs. That doesn't mean you can do
a broadcast. But if I put you in a studio,
and this is what I would do if I'm INBC,
I would say to Mike Tomlin, we want to hire
(07:28):
you through the postseason, and we have the Super Bowl,
So now I get kind of a head start. Now
do I think CBS is going to reach out because
Matt Ryan is now working with the Falcons, And I
brought that up to Bill Cower yesterday. Hey, I'd bring
in Mike Tomlin this weekend. If I'm CBS, put him
in there with Cower. You know, then you get to
(07:51):
ask him the questions about this. Then you get to
talk to him about you know, the game's coming up,
so you have him do his first interview with you.
Jay Glazer is a great relationship with Mike. I could
see that they haven't replaced Jimmy Johnson. I could see
where you bring in Mike Tomlin, but I don't know
if he's part of the hijinks that you have at
(08:13):
the Fox pregame show, like wacky you know, goofy stuff,
Where's CBS you know a little bit more, you know,
uniformity with that, and you're there with Bill Kauer. That
could be fun as well. But he'll have options. But
if I'm NBC, I bring him in and I say
(08:33):
we would like to have you through the super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
See what he says? All right? So the yes, Ton?
Speaker 6 (08:40):
Is there a standard of coach owners meeting?
Speaker 7 (08:43):
I know, like the players, you know they pack up
their stuff and you meet with the press and all that.
I was just wondering who initiated the conversation, how much
that matter? Did Mike Tomlin say, hey, do you got
a minute to the ownership group? Or did they say, Mike,
come on and let's talk about some stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Well, you always have an exit interview every team, every
coach has.
Speaker 7 (09:00):
I'm just I'd be fascinated to know just how that started.
And you know, not that it'll be aggressive, but who
initiated the what are we doing next year?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
What's our plan? Are we here? We're not here together. Well, no,
you have an exit interview. Season's over.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
You get together, you talk about what short term, long
term plans are. This took on probably a different tone
where you're walking in and you're saying, all right, what
are we doing? We want you back? What are you thinking?
Two years left on your contract? What are you thinking?
That's probably you know how this was sort of the
(09:33):
table was set for this meeting. I can't imagine they'll go, hey, Mike,
come on in, let's talk man. So what do you
want to do at quarterback next year?
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Now? What do you think? You know?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I think this was let's start big picture, keep a
big picture. If he decides he's going to stay, well
now we can have some questions about the roster. And
I didn't think I thought at the beginning of the year,
I thought that this would be the last year for Tomlin,
the last year for Aaron Rodgers. And it looks like
Aaron Rodgers will be done in Pittsburgh as well. I
(10:04):
don't know if there's any other opportunity for him. Somebody
suggested to me yesterday, well what if Minnesota brought him in?
And I thought, okay, maybe this past year. But now
all of a sudden, he's forty three, and he's looking
every bit forty three. You still have a couple of
good receivers on that team. But and I think they
(10:26):
want to open up the competition with AJ McCarthy. But
I don't want to one and done, or you know,
like Pittsburgh, all right, it was one year, you rolled
the dice, you got to the playoffs, and that's it.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
It didn't work out. But I don't know if I see.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
A team like you can't have a team go hey,
let's bring him in and maybe people like the Cleveland Browns. Hey,
maybe somebody will show up to watch Aaron Rodgers play quarterback.
I don't see that. I don't think that there's this
victory tour for him. I don't think he's interested in that.
But with Mike Tomlin, and you're gonna get compensation if
(11:04):
Mike coaches the next two years. That's why I think
he if he takes that TV job, he might take
it for two years.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Now.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
I don't know if you still have to compensate the
Steelers after those two years, because he does have two
years left on his contract. I don't know if that
continues in perpetuity if he takes another head coaching job. Yes, Marvin, do.
Speaker 8 (11:25):
You see him pulling a Bill Kauer or coach Kauer
where you never coach again? Because I coach the Steelers.
What can get better than this?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Well, there was sensitivity involved with Bill Kauer with his wife.
She was sick and he needed to spend more time
three daughters. And so I think that that's the reason
why Bill was not coming back to coaching. And also,
you know, these guys get into TV and they realize
(11:55):
it's not bad. You know, it's not the wear and tear,
the hours, wins, losses, all of that. Well, you wake
up Monday, You're good. You didn't lose. You might have
won a little bit with you know, your performance on TV,
but it rarely lose. And get to go have meals,
(12:18):
get to wear nice clothes, you get to have people
you know put makeup on you. It's not bad, not
bad at all. So I think Mike, he strikes me
as he's a coach and would still want to coach.
But I think, I mean, look at the NFL. Look
at all the openings here, and I thought there would
(12:40):
be six, maybe seven openings. I don't even I was
told yesterday by a source. You know, don't rule out
somebody else's team in the playoffs changing coaches. And I'm
thinking how much more? How many candidates are out there,
but you got John Harball at the top of the list.
(13:03):
I don't know if Mike Tomlin would be on that list.
But if I'm a team all of these teams, I'd
be reaching out to Mike Tomlin. What I would want
is an interview with Mike Tomlin, so Tomlin could tell
me about my team. If I'm Arizona, I go, Mike,
We'll turn this over to you. We'll give you twenty
million dollars. You can do whatever you want, total autonomy,
(13:25):
and see if he's interested. He's probably not, Yeah, PAULI
a couple of things on Tomlin. Since the Steelers did
not fire him, they retained the rights to him throughout
the twenty twenty seventh season, so any team that hires
him this coaching cycle or next year's coaching cycle would
owe some type of compensation to that to the Steelers. Also,
the Steelers posted this thirty five minutes ago. Steelers President
(13:46):
Art Runey the Second will speak to the media today
at twelve Eastern and then yesterday posted thank you coach
Tomlin for the hard work, dedication success you brought the
Steelers for over nineteen years.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
A couple things.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So we'll talk to Jerry Doulac, who covers the Steelers
and get his thoughts on how this all came about.
And you know, it felt like one of the worst
kept secrets because people kept saying, man, Tom, I could see.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Him doing TV boy, he'd be good at TV. I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
You're fifty three, You're in the middle of a playoff chase,
you get into the playoffs, you lose in the playoffs.
Now all of a sudden, you step down. So there
was something there and it had been there for a while.
But if you win that game, does he still eventually
(14:40):
step down? Was this a foregone conclusion? Maybe in his
mind and maybe the Steelers. We'll find out next. This
is The Dan Patrick Show. Thanks for listening to The
Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live
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Speaker 2 (15:38):
Away Cardinals, Falcons, Ravens, Browns, Raiders, Dolphins, Giants, Titans, and
now the Steelers. Jerry Dulac covers the Steelers for the
Pittsburgh Post Gazette and he joins us, Now, how did
we get here?
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Jerry?
Speaker 9 (15:54):
You know, Dan, it's it's been evolving, of course, and
I think the final straw was just another one and
done in the postseason. That's nine times in Mike Thomlins career.
That ties Marty Schottenheimer, who's long remembered for all the
one and done, you know, with that dubious record, and
(16:15):
you know, five times in the playoffs the last six years.
I mean, obviously, you know, people he around here think
the sky is falling because they haven't won a playoff game,
and to them, I understand why, but it's just it's
kind of the same, the same scene every year, get
into postseason and then not only get eliminated, but you know,
they're really I know, the Texans scored two touchdowns in
(16:38):
the last four minutes, but the games are never really competitive.
And you know, I know, you know, Dan, people always
say you don't make change for the sake of change,
and the Steelers didn't make this change. Mike Tomlin decided
to step down, but it was time to make a
change just for the sake of change. You couldn't continue
if your ownership. I don't know how you have just
(17:00):
sat there and watched the same old thing happen again.
And you know, Mike Tomlin made the decision for them.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Do you think it was completely his decision? Here?
Speaker 9 (17:12):
I'm still trying to get to the bottom of that, Dan,
because I don't always think that's the case. But I
will say this, I have been told from the top
that the Steelers retain his rights, and that would mean
that he stepped down, that they didn't fire him, you know,
that would be a different, different scenario. So I'm going
to go on that with the with the idea that
(17:35):
he did step down, and from everybody I heard, including
some of the players, that seems to be the case.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I don't think.
Speaker 9 (17:42):
I don't think they told him, look, we'll let you
what you know, we want you out, but we'll let
you step down. I don't think that's the case. But
I'm still still open to the buzz of Delly.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So what's next for Tomin?
Speaker 6 (17:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (17:57):
You know, Dan, everybody wants to think that, you know,
he's going He's perfect for TV and that's where he's
going to go. Look, you know, he and I don't
sit down and have those discussions.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
But.
Speaker 9 (18:08):
I've never gotten the indication that that's something on his radar,
and I don't know if he wants to continue coaching.
That's what I'm gonna, you know, obviously find out here
in the next couple of days. I don't know what
his plans are because I haven't had a chance to
talk to him, but I you know, Mike, Mike Tommins
(18:28):
a football junkie, and I would almost I would expect
him to you know want to go coach again, but
I guess we're going to find out. Nineteen years in
one place, let's face it, a long time. And I
never got any sense that he was burned out. I
never thought that at all. And I just I think
he looked at kind of the landscape and the environment
(18:50):
of what was going on here, and you know, I'm
not going to sit here and say he stepped down
for the better good of the franchise or maybe the
better good of his reputation. I don't know, but I
think he could feel and sense and see what was
going on, you know, from the fan base to everything else,
and just probably thought, you know, what, time to step away.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
What's next for the Steelers.
Speaker 9 (19:14):
Well, you know, obviously their history of hiring head coaches
has been pretty good, and they haven't had to do
it in a while nineteen years. When you look at
the last three hires, all young, defensive minded coaches, I
would expect the same to happen. Despite what the way
we see the NFL being played these days, I would
imagine they'll follow the same template. I think they'll move quickly.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I'm not going to do it by the end of
the week, but I.
Speaker 9 (19:41):
Would imagine that's the direction they are going to go.
And I will tell you you know, when Bill Kawer
stepped down after the sixth season, the Steelers retained a
number of his assistants from the staff, including Bruce arians,
Dick LeBeau, Keith Butler.
Speaker 6 (19:57):
I don't know if.
Speaker 9 (19:58):
That's going to be the case, but it's one the
rooneys do, you know. They don't They don't let a
coach come in and start picking his entire staff and
his training staff and a medical staff and the secretary's
and a pr staff to Steelers say hey, this is
what you got, and you work around that. And so
we'll see how it plays out. I would expect a
lot of that, you know, to still be the same.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Aaron Rodgers' future.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
I think.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
I think if Mike Tomlin stayed, I think they would
have welcomed him back to a degree. But I will
say this Dan, whether he was coming back or not,
it wasn't going to change what they want to do
intend to do in the draft, And I'm not saying
they will do it because we'll see how it plays out,
but their intention is to find a quarterback that they
(20:44):
can build on for the next ten twelve fifteen years hopefully,
And so whether Aaron Rodgers comes back or not, that
plan doesn't change.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
I know that it falls on Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
But did front office help build a team that could
challenge first Super Bowl?
Speaker 6 (21:02):
I don't think there's any question that.
Speaker 9 (21:05):
You know, the general manager, Omar Khan, was very aggressive
the last two years, even the last three, but especially
the last two in trying to get the pieces to,
you know, to make a potential run. But you know,
the first step was winning a playoff game and that
didn't happen, and so they also brought in a number
of thirty plus veterans and that that didn't work. Then
(21:29):
I don't know that you stick with the with the
same personnel and you start to make some changes again,
and at some point, you know, the Steelers then never
use the word rebuild. And I'm not saying they're going
to do that, but you know, they've done it kind
of piecemeal, and I got a sense this one might
be a little bit of a bigger overhaul.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah, because they're not bad enough to get better by
having that high draft pick, Like you're you're kind of
in the twenties, and that could be no man's land
if you're you know, A nine and eight, ten and seventeen.
Speaker 9 (22:01):
Yeah, when you think of where they've had to draft. Now,
they've traded up a couple of times to get up
to sixteen to get an offensive lineman. But when you
think about where they have had to draft and the
consistent success five times in the postseason in the last
six years, you know, they haven't been able to hit
that home run with a number one pick, And to me,
(22:22):
that's what makes every draft. I think their drafts have
been solid, but they haven't had that Pro Bowl, elite.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Type of player.
Speaker 9 (22:30):
And you know you have to go back to TJ.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Watt to find that guy.
Speaker 9 (22:34):
And I think that's where they need and they know it.
They know those first five picks, first eight picks or
where you first five, especially where you find those elite players.
First eight to ten is where you find maybe the
Pro Bowl players and then you keep your fingers crossed
it maybe you land somebody. But they haven't had that
guy and that's what they need and they know it.
(22:54):
That's what they need to go and try and.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Do anybody untouchable on the roster in your opinion, No.
Speaker 9 (23:01):
No, you know, I don't think I you know, DK
metcalf is, I don't think despite that suspension what some
people want to think, he's coming back. Cam Hayward's going
to be thirty seven. But you know, I will tell you, Dan,
I don't think anybody is untouchable. They're right tackle Troy Fontano,
(23:21):
maybe some of our offensive linemen, but otherwise any of
the other guys.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
No, thanks again, I know you're busy. We appreciate it, Dan.
Speaker 9 (23:29):
Well, always enjoy being with you.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Jerry Doolat covers the Steelers for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette,
also part of the Steelers Radio network. If Mike Tomlin
does not take a job in the next two years,
there's no compensation for the Steelers. He would be a
free agent. And you know, keep in mind the Sean
Payton situation when he left the Saints and he ended
(23:51):
up with the Broncos. The Broncos had to give up
two picks for Sean Payton. Bruce Arians, Herm Edwards, John Ruden,
Bill Belichick, Mike Holme, and Bill Parcells. Those are these
seven head coaches traded in NFL history.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
David in Ohio, Hi, David.
Speaker 10 (24:11):
Hey, David, Dan speaking, Hey, Hey, Dan speaking of Todd
might like this one.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Speaking of Steelers.
Speaker 9 (24:16):
Head coaches, I guess you could say that the.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Steelers chuck a knowle from Mike Tomlins. Thank you. You
can't approve of that, Todd. I can't.
Speaker 7 (24:27):
I want to because he gave me a little shout
and he was trying to do the headline thing.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
But I think he can do better.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Where is Pittsburgh, Dave David Arkansas joints this.
Speaker 10 (24:39):
I'm right here, Dan. I'm the newest member, I gotta
say for a newest member of the d DC. Oh
and almost the newest member of the one I see.
I got hit in the face of the golf ball
and nearly took out on a left eye.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So you were going to join PAULI on the one
good eye club.
Speaker 10 (25:03):
Great to have you almost happened.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Uh but and condolences with the dead dad club there,
But you know, welcome to the club.
Speaker 9 (25:13):
Yes.
Speaker 10 (25:13):
Now, as for Tom and his concerned I just think
the time was right. I do believe this was totally
his decision. There was no forcing of anything from the
front office.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Uh.
Speaker 10 (25:26):
So you know it's and I look at it as
the next coach might be the last coach. I watch
you know the way they go with coaches. My last
coach that I watch, I wouldn't mind. I mean a
lot of talk has been Brian Flores. You know, do
you make the call to Marcus Freeman? I could see that.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Oh I make the call. Absolutely. I make the call
with Marcus Freeman. I mean, you're the Steelers, you know,
you're one of the blue bloods there. But thank you, Dave,
and once again, welcome to the Dead Dad's Club. Curtis
in Illinois, Hi, Curtis, what's on your mind?
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Morning?
Speaker 3 (26:08):
DP? Just calling it today.
Speaker 11 (26:10):
Everybody's going nuts over who's going to hire John Harbaugh?
And then this if Tomlin decides he wants to coach again,
there'd be probably just as long as a list. But
if you look back at NFL history, there's never been
a coach that has won Super Bowls with multiple teams.
So if you're hiring for a new coach, don't you
just want that younger, hungry coach that has something to gain.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
Out of it?
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I would, because this is what everybody has been saying. Man,
you could bring in John Harbaugh, you could bring in
Mike Tomlin. Well, if they couldn't get their team over
the hump. What makes you think they can get your
team over the hump?
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Yeah, I think if you're following the Steelers' history and
track record, it's probably somebody more like Jesse Minter that
makes the most sense defensive coordination With the Chargers, he's
the defensive coordinator. They like to hire defensive minded head coaches.
And if right now the one thing you can build
around is TJ. Watt, bring in a guy who's in
(27:11):
his early forties that sort of follows a lot of
the same things that the Steelers as an organization really likes.
And Jerry Duleak was just saying, you don't come in
and bring in all of your people, you come in
and assimilate into what is already existing. I don't know,
I think that he probably makes a lot of sense. Yeah,
Jesse Mentor, I think is forty one. Brian Flores probably
(27:33):
is going to get a head coaching job, might be
with the Raiders, maybe it's Pittsburgh. But back to what
I was talking about, where you got John Harbaugh and
Kevin Stefanski and Mike Tomlin. Those are all marquee names,
proven coaches, but there's a reason why they're not coaching
their respective teams, they couldn't.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Get them over the hump. Now it's different for Kevin Stefanski.
He did not have the talent there that these other
two co John Harball had a future Hall of Fame quarterback.
Mike Tomlin didn't have that for the latter part of
his career. They were looking, they're still looking Lamar jack
(28:15):
The Ravens chose Lamar Jackson over John Harbaught feels like
like whoever's coaching is coming in and they're gonna have
to put Lamar Jackson in a better position to win.
But that doesn't mean if you're Atlanta or Arizona, the Giants,
all of these openings, you'd be going, hey, that's an upgrade.
(28:35):
That guy can help us be better. Because if I said, hey,
I'm going to have you hire a guy who's going
to have you in the playoffs for the next ten years,
you gotta have winning record the next ten years, but
you're going to roll the dice and chances are you
won't win a playoff game. If you're Atlanta, would you
sign up for that? If you're the Giants, would you
(28:57):
sign up for that? The Browns would you sign up
for that? Arizona would you Tennessee, Like, there's certain teams
that their expectator. You know, the Steelers, it's about winning championships.
The Patriots, you win championships. Even the Cowboys, who haven't
done anything in thirty years, it's still winning championships. Arizona,
(29:17):
it's just let's be relevant, let's be competitive. The Giants
one of the blue bloods. They have not been good,
not consistent. Atlanta, they've been a mess. So there's certain
teams Tennessee would take that. Hey, ten years winning record,
playoffs every single year, but you're not winning a playoff
(29:37):
game in Pittsburgh. That doesn't fly. In Baltimore, that doesn't fly. Yes, Marv.
Speaker 8 (29:46):
So if you're the Falcons of the Titans, would you say, hey,
let's have a Tom Coffin like career where you only
make the playoffs twice in ten.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Years, but you win Super Bowls? Would you sign up
for that? Yes, everybody would.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
The Steelers would sign up for that, Baltimore would sign
up for that. It's sort of like the Florida Marlins,
you know, like every five to six years, it'd be like,
I'll be damn they won another World Series.
Speaker 8 (30:11):
Yes, Mark, So the year before you win the Super Bowl,
you're on the hot seat. He might get fired, but
let's win a super Bowl instead.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Nick Siriani and they fire their offensive coordinator. I feel
bad for Jalen Hurts. He's had a new offensive coordinator
every single year, and he's going to have another one
next year. And I believe if you look at his
offensive coordinators at Alabama, he had a new one every
single year. Greatness starts with stability. Who is my coach?
(30:44):
Who is my offensive coordinator? Jalen Hurts has not had that.
And maybe we'll see that we haven't seen the best
of Jalen Hurts because maybe there will be consistency there.
But they offensive coordinators, it's it is difficult to play
the position to begin with. Then all of a sudden,
(31:05):
you got somebody else's coming in now, new terminology, maybe
a new mindset. Maybe AJ Brown's not there, Saquon Barkley
a year older. Like you know, you got to start
factoring these things in. And when we talk about the window,
didn't it feel like that Eagles window is wide open,
ready for a couple of Super Bowls, winning a couple
of Super Bowls.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
They got to two with this group.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Now you wonder It's like the Lions because everybody you know,
we have that same approach. Eh, they'll be back. There's
no guarantees, no guarantees. Look at Kansas City, man, you
got Mahomes, you got Kelsey, Andy Reid, until you're not
going to have Mahomes for a little while and you
may not have Kelsey. Now, all of a sudden, Kansas
(31:52):
City third best team in their division.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
That's how quickly it happens.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Baltimore's had a two time probably should have been a
three time MVP at quarterback and have nothing to show
for it.
Speaker 9 (32:07):
Now.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
I can put blame on him, but it just seems
like that game plan always changed when they got.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
To the postseason.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
So as much as we like to say, hey that
window is still open, it might be, but that's where
it's open. But you put your fingers there and that
window comes down on them.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Yes, Marv.
Speaker 8 (32:25):
And the way the NFL is built, there's a new
team every single year that comes out of nowhere and
becomes a contender.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
All out Houston Texans.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Well, there's usually three or four teams. I think we
had all the divisional winners, weren't they They've had a
new divisional winner and I think that's what you have
to factor in. There is hope for your team, but
also if you're a team that is already good, there's
no guarantee that you stay there.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
We'll take a break.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
More phone calls coming up eight seven to seven to
three DP show. We'll talk to the former quarterback Alex
Smith of the ESPN's NFL Countdown and he'll join us
next hour. Back after this with our play of the day.
Thanks for listening to The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday morning nine until
noon eastern six to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,
(33:12):
and you can find us on the iHeartRadio app at
FSR or stream us live on the Peacock app. A me,
Paulie's in my head. We were talking about t Steve Bushatti,
the Ravens owner, and Paulie brought up those cookies, those
Biscotti cookies today when he first took over the team.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
It's like that name's Piscatti. That's kind of cool.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Yeah, So social media reminding me, hey, talking hairdoo, it's Bushati.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Okay, man, I should have brought it up. I should
have read it up. Uh.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
This in from on three this has to do with
ty Simpson. Tennessee, Miami and Ole Miss were offering four
million dollars to the Alabama quarterback. Miami went up to
six and a half million dollars. Miami, they lost out
on Sam Levitt. They came back with a big number.
Old Miss called again and they couldn't match it. So
(34:06):
it looks like Ty Simpson, Alabama quarterback is going pro.
Speaker 5 (34:10):
Yes, Paul, if you were going to say that he
could make more money by staying in college, it's kind
of true. But that one year, for example, if he
was the twenty first pick like Jackson Dart. Jackson Dart
made nine million as a rookie, most of his signing bonus,
but then going forward, Jackson Dart would make one point six,
two point three, three point one.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Alex Smith of the Mothership quarterback for sixteen years and
a Heisman Trophy finalist back in four when he was
at Utah, Good to see you again. I was wondering
about this. I mentioned Jalen Hurts. He's had a different
offensive coordinator every single year in the NFL, every single
year in college. As a former quarterback, do you care
(34:50):
more about who's your head coach or who's your offensive coordinator?
Speaker 6 (34:54):
Well, Dan, it's the best when they're the thing, the
same person most of the time. You know, he usually usually.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
Went an off.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
The coordinator is good enough to become a head coach.
They're pretty good at what they do, you know, I
feel I feel his pain. You know, I had seven
offensive coordinators in my first seven years.
Speaker 3 (35:12):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (35:12):
And to see what Jalen's done in spite of all
that volatility is incredible, right Like. I think at some
point it becomes a strength, Dan, Right Like, there's not
a system you haven't run, there's not an offensive mind
you haven't been around. You get really good at adapting,
You get really good at taking kind of the strengths
of all these people and systems, you know, and combining them.
(35:33):
But no question, is not what you want, right like,
to get to it, to get to high level football.
I mean, this is not the recipe for that. So
I think that obviously Nick has been there again, that
he is an offensive head coach. I think it's the
same system despite different play callers these last several years.
But nonetheless, obviously, you know, when especially the Eagles, as
(35:56):
good as they've been, as good as that roster is
need need far more stability on that side of the ball, But.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
The terminology is probably kind of the same no matter
who your offensive coordinator is.
Speaker 6 (36:06):
I think it's all the same there with Nick No
and I was in a different scenario where you know,
I went from digits to West Coast to all these
different systems. I think the nice thing there with obviously
Nick at the helm is that, by and far this
is the exact same language. It's a different play caller,
it's a little different style obviously putting the plan together
every week.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
All right, Let's look ahead to what Pittsburgh does now
moving forward, given their history young defensive coordinators they bring
them in in today's NFL? Is that the wise thing
to do for Pittsburgh to follow that track record to
stay on the defensive side of the ball, young defense.
You know, they're not going for big ticket items here.
Speaker 6 (36:47):
I mean, they've done such a great job. I mean
I think back to even when they hired Mike Tomlin, right,
like it just they seem to do, you know, like
these interview processes, like you know, as you can imagine
you bring in a guy for an interview, these are
football coaches that you know sometimes are they coming in
in a suit and tie and trying to, you know,
put their best foot forward. So much of this comes
from reference checking, right, your network as an organization, reaching
(37:10):
out and finding who's an actually good football coach who
can create culture. Right, just because you are a great
coordinator doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be a great coach.
Those are those are very different things, and so how
do you identify them? And clearly this organization seems to
have that down. I do anticipate that their track record, yeah,
has been they're going to go young, right, They're they're
going to go for a young coach that they believe in,
(37:31):
that they're going to support, that they're going to build with,
and it's going to be there for the next twenty
twenty five years. Yeah. Whether or not that's on the
defensive side of the ball, I think remains to be seen.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Do you think that Mike Tomlin had read the room,
had the wherewithal to say, I got two years left
on my contract, I'm stepping down, or do you think
that there was maybe nudging on the Steelers' part.
Speaker 6 (37:55):
No, I don't think there is any nudging. I don't
think so. I mean, my listen and I knowingly.
Speaker 3 (38:00):
With two years left on his contract. He's Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 6 (38:03):
I know, That's my point. Like, I think in the media,
this has been talked about a lot, right we heard
the chance this year. I think behind closed doors, I mean,
teams would be lining up to hire him, lining up, right, Like,
I mean, this guy's that well respected, and it's just
so rare to have done it for nineteen years in
one place, right, Like I do wonder just being a
(38:25):
head coach for nineteen years, right man, these are these
are dog years. It is a lot of pressure. It
demands a commitment level, right, like if you just have
to sacrifice so much your life, like I don't, I
mean clearly obviously, who knows that the you know here
for him to step down, right Like, I think something
on that front. I don't think it had anything to
do with getting nudged out. Again. I think this guy's
(38:47):
one of the most sought after, if not the most
sought after.
Speaker 3 (38:50):
Guy in the.
Speaker 6 (38:51):
Market and would have been uh And there's a lot
of demand there and I think he knew that despite
some of these conversations that go on on the media side.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Yeah, but the Ravens had no problem announcing they fired
John Harball, similar career track record, super Bowl, same thing.
Speaker 6 (39:08):
Yeah, similar, similar. I would argue this, right, like, look
at those two rosters this year.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Oh I know, I.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Mean, I think you can make an argument one of
them overachieved and the other one from this year. I'm
not talking. I'm obviously John Harbaugh's eighteen years are incredible, right,
like potential Hall of Fame head coach. But this year
I think they greatly underachieved. Right, that roster, that many
All pros, that many Pro Bowlers, You've got an MVP.
I mean, Lamar just came off arguably, arguably maybe the
(39:36):
greatest season of quarterback ever. And I know he was
injured this year and missed some time, but like that,
you can't be a fan of football look at that
team and say it didn't underachieve, especially the way the
division was this year, right, one of the worst divisions
in football.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
I'm talking to Alex Smith ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown. What
is it about certain quarterbacks when they get to the postseason, Like,
there's certain quarterbacks who were great regular season quarterback, but
then you get to the postseason, So what is that
that factor that somebody just plays better than the lights
(40:09):
of the brightest.
Speaker 6 (40:10):
I mean, I think a lot has to go right
in this scenario. Like I'm thinking about Justin Herbert when
you said that, And I know he's zero for three
in the playoffs and people are talking about this and that,
but like, I mean, he didn't have it. He was
overmatched in that game, right, and against the Patriots, and
as beat up as the Chargers were limping into the playoffs,
(40:31):
you know, I know they were hoping to be more
competitive in that game, but going across the country on
the road, like and we're just going to pin that
all on him, you know, I think in some ways, again,
when you step back and look at the job he did,
like for them to even be in that position, I
think was you know, in some ways remarkable, Right, I
think that was a positive. But you know, it's the
nature of the quarterback position, you know this, right, Like
(40:52):
we get in these big moments, these winner take all
one game scenarios, right, Quarterbacks obviously think when you when
your team wins and you play well, this is where
you become legendary, right, Like, this is where that that
kind of stuff happens. And so what goes into that, right,
Like what I think again, the ten guys in the huddle,
(41:12):
the matchup, the system, right, Like, the position you're put
in has a huge part of that. And again and
so but then obviously the guy's got to go out
there and and and and make the plays. I At
the same time, I think about Josh Allen, right, like,
incredible playoff numbers, just absolutely incredible playoff numbers. But you know,
(41:33):
up until now, it's the guy that can't get it
done right like that, that's the stuff you hear right like,
he can't get there? And which is that because of Josh?
Right that that's insane to say when you actually go
look at the play like that, there's not much else
he could do, and yet we want to pin that
on the quarterback. So sometimes I think that that kind
of narrative is is pretty unfair.
Speaker 3 (41:55):
How would you defend Josh Allen if you're paying good luck?
Speaker 6 (41:58):
It's tough. It's really tough, listen. I mean, I think
you know, when you look at them from an offensive
standpoint and you think about the weapons and who you
need to shut down. Obviously, it's the best run game
in football, and a lot of it starts up front
with that, right James Cook obviously had a phenomenal year.
Josh is a big part of that run game. From there,
you kind of move to their tight ends, right, Like,
they're pretty dynamic, both those tight ends, Kim Kaid and knocks.
(42:21):
So much of what they do is tied into the
run game with play action, pass right and over the middle.
And so how are you going to take those guys away?
You know, they don't have big contributors on the outside, right, Like,
they kind of piece it together on the outside, right,
And I know they just lost a couple guys to injury,
and so you're gonna be piecing it together even more.
Speaker 7 (42:42):
So.
Speaker 6 (42:43):
It's interesting when you got a guy like Patrick's Artan, right, Like,
who's he going to go take away? They don't necessarily
these aren't feature guys for them that play outside, And
then your instinct would be to play some man right
certainly because you're not necessarily afraid of some of these
matchups I just talked about in coverage. However, I think
Josh is kind of the guy that would really deter
(43:03):
you from that, right, Like, you don't want a lot
of backs turned running in coverage with this guy and
the ball in his hands, right, He can really make
some big plays with his legs. He can really extend plays.
It's hard to cover that long. So he's the biggest
deterrent against that. And I do think you're going to
see a heavy dose. You're going to see them spy
him a lot in this game, right this, Let's not
(43:24):
let him get going again. Think about last year's playoff
game against the Denver Broncos. On that fourth down he
runs around for eight seconds and you know that's what
the running back in the back of the end zone
for that phenomenal play, right, like any of you the Broncos, like,
we're not letting that happen again. Right, We've gotta have
some eyes on him. We've got to have some defenders
tracking him down.
Speaker 2 (43:42):
I know that you're working with a company we're looking
at concussions.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
You know.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
I go back to that what twenty twelve game when
you suffered a concussion and then Kaepernick came in.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Yep, did you know you were concussed?
Speaker 6 (43:55):
Oh yeah, yeah, immediately, Dan, And it's funny, you know
they this is and we've learned this, like, concussions very
much are obviously a spectrum now, right, Like I remember everything,
I was very present, like it wasn't one of those
things where I was like, you know, you're out for me.
It was a vision deal, you know, and it was
a it was a game. It was at Candlestick and
(44:16):
vision for me and one o'clock kickoff and all of
a sudden having trouble with my vision right again. And
I say it because it was it was an incredible
day of Candlestick really sunny, really bright, and for me
having trouble focusing my eyes, having trouble with my vision,
certainly having trouble with the brightness, and I remember, it's
(44:36):
one of those things where you're you know, you're you're
trying to blink it off right, You're trying to like
work through it, and it's not working right, like it's
not getting better, and you know in that game is
specifically I remember, I mean, I continue to play. In fact,
I threw a touchdown pass as my last play I think,
and finally got to the sideline. It was like a miracle.
I remember thinking like, I don't know how that just happened,
(44:57):
right like this kept thinking it would get better and
and finally obviously getting out, you know, getting myself out
of the game in the sense that I wasn't going
to help us out there not being able to see,
and so it's scary. It's scary stuff, right. I think
it's for all football players. It's kind of the looming
scary thing, right, And like we don't we're learning more,
(45:19):
We don't know a whole lot about concussions. What's the
company you're working? Yeah, I'm I'm with Oxyo, Oxya Biopharma,
o x Eia. And listen, I think that the number
one thing for all of us is there are no
approved treatments and right, like there are no approved tests
for concussions. Like when it comes to treatment of concussions,
it's the same as it was twenty forty fifty one
(45:40):
hundred years ago, right, Like we're still kind of in
the stone age. It's just hey, rest up, how do
you feel?
Speaker 2 (45:46):
You know?
Speaker 6 (45:46):
And again still learning the consequences of some of these things,
and so just pumped to partner with Oxya and to
try to be a solution, right, to try to find
some answers to try to figure this out.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
And how well are you tested? Like do do a yearly?
Speaker 6 (46:03):
Well, there are no tests there. I mean obviously there's
these baseline tests where you can kind of take they're
cognitive right in that sense, they're you know, processing, but
they don't they can't definitively define whether or not you've
had a concussion.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Nothing can but MRI cat scan, none of that will
show up.
Speaker 6 (46:22):
Like those help. Those help, and they certainly help, I
think with more severe ones, But the vast majority that
happened on the football field, the vast majority I think
that happened for people in their lives. Like I can't
tell you how many parents come up to me constantly,
right and like, hey, my my child had a concussion
doing something, and like what can I do for them?
Speaker 1 (46:39):
Right?
Speaker 6 (46:39):
Like what what can help? And again there's just there's
just nothing there right in the NFL is taking steps,
We've seen changes in the kickoff rule right to make
it safer, We've seen helmets try to get better, but
there still is nothing here on the treatment side. And
again I think just just pumped a partner with Oxya
in the sense that if somebody trying to do something right,
someone trying and finally trying to change that narrative. And
(47:03):
for anybody that wants to go learn more, go to
Oxia Biopharma dot com, you know company again, I think
that is onto something, but really trying to trying to
make a difference.
Speaker 2 (47:15):
Are you One record is saying the Rams could put
up fifty on the Bears.
Speaker 6 (47:20):
You know, listen, hey Kay got me on and it
was like, hey, first thing, that is going to be
a high scoring game. I haven't checked the weather. That's
always like a part of this when you're playing at
Chicago in January. But I'm just that defense, Chicago's defense,
the way they're playing. I know they've feasted on turnovers
all year, but especially against this system like they just
(47:43):
went to They just went to San Francisco played the
Niners and I think they got forty eight put up
on them. It's the exact same system, and you could argue,
you know, the group they have in LA with the
Rams is maybe more dynamic.
Speaker 3 (47:59):
Weather is going to be thirteen degrees.
Speaker 6 (48:01):
All right, Well, listen again, I think it's going to
be high scoring whether or not they actually get the
fifty burger, but I think they're going to put up
some points. I don't think there's a whole lot of
love loss between these coaching staffs either.
Speaker 3 (48:14):
Great to talk to you again. I hope you're doing
well and thanks for.
Speaker 2 (48:17):
Sharing same damn thanks for having me Alex Smith joining
us on the program. I go back to when he
was a Heisman Trophy finalist at utah DA. That was
an incredible run that year and sixteen years in the NFL.
All right, we'll take a break. We'll update our poll
results here and more of your phone calls right after
(48:39):
this
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Dan Patrick
Patrick "Seton" O'Connor
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