July 22, 2025 • 24 mins
Labs and Tom set the table for training camp before getting to this weeks questions.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is asked and answered questions with Tom Upferman and
Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
It has arrived.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
The players are going to be moving into Saint Vincent
tomorrow and training camp starts with its first practice of
Thursday of this week.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Labs.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
It's an exciting time of the year, and it's a
stress free time of the year for Steelers fans too,
because of the news we got last week, no hold in,
no drama with number ninety. He has signed that three year,
one hundred and twenty three million dollar contract extension and
he will be there tomorrow moving on into the dorms.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, and but that is certainly good news. You know,
I've always believed in the kind of the business model
of you know, you try and retain your great players,
and TJ. Watt is certainly one of the Steelers great players.
But I almost laughed out loud when you mentioned stress
free environment for Steelers fans. There's no much thing is that.
(01:01):
I'm sure that there will be plenty of things fans
will be, you know, figuring out what to worry about,
and you know, and that's what training camps about too.
But just looking at the first segment, here of training camp.
First practice. First of all, practice is now back in
(01:22):
the afternoon. Right practice starts at one fifty five. They
did that, They tried that morning thing, and while you know,
I kind of liked it for my personal schedule, it
I guess it didn't work enough for the players. Mike
Tomlin didn't like that. The weather wasn't hot enough for him,
(01:44):
and I think he's going to get his wish based
on the forecast I've seen for Latroe. But players move
in tomorrow, will do the conditioning test. Hopefully nobody is
pushing any sleds. First practice padless. Now we've got to
(02:04):
have acclamation days. So the first practice is Thursday at
one fifty five. That will be just helmets. Practice on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday is just in helmets. Also on Saturday,
July the twenty sixth, that's Hall of Honor Day. The
class of twenty twenty five will be announced at noon
(02:28):
at the Rogers Center on campus, and then usually one
of the members of the newest class usually attends the
announcement and Mike Tomlin typically brings that individual two that
day's practice presents them to the crowd. They address the crowd.
(02:51):
You know, it's a little feel good thing there. Saturday
is another acclamation day, then Monday the twenty eighth is
a mandatory day off, and then Tuesday the twenty ninth,
the pads go on and just letting fans know, pads
on Tuesday the twenty ninth, and I would imagine we
(03:13):
would see backs on backers because that's Mike Tomlin's typical way.
The first padded practice, he will have backs on backers.
You'll hear some helmets or pads popping that day. And
then the end of the you know, first segment, Friday
Night Lights is Friday August at Latrobe Stadium and as
(03:42):
you all then, and then the appearances of Tom off
from in a training camp.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I was getting.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
For everyone's for the official.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Entertainment schedule that will be posted, I'm sure in all
the Steelers media platforms, because you know, besides quarterbacks, what
the fans want to know the most is when young
Tom is going to be in Westmoreland County, right.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Of course, and that's right where I was going after
you mentioned all that crap about you know, the actual
schedule and the padded practices. The training camp report from
last year will continue again this year. We're doing it
for a couple of years now, but we are in
a new time slot now. We move from eight to
ten in the mornings to now noon to two. So
we will pick up right after in the locker room
with Rob King and Max Starks, and we will take
(04:29):
you right in to Steelers practice on days that there
are practices. When the Steelers don't practice, we will not
be doing a show. And then, yes, of course those
appearances in west Moreland County. I will be there this
coming weekend, the twenty sixth and the twenty seventh, and
doing shows on August second and August third as well.
I'm too lazy to pull up the schedule right now.
I'm between Sharky's and Dinos between those dates. But it's
(04:49):
like the same areas, you know. I'll just stumble over
to the pier whenever I'm done. But hey, Labs, before
we get into the questions I mentioned in the locker room,
Rob King going to be joining Max Starks this year
on the show, and Max Sark's going to be joining
Rob King in the booth on game days. We got
that news earlier this morning on Tuesday, while we're recording
this podcast. Uh, we obviously love Max, have worked with
(05:10):
him for the past couple of years, and I think
he's going to do great next to Kinger in the booth.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Yeah, Max is Uh, he's really knowledgeable, He's personable.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
And you know what I've come to learn.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
About Max uh in the in the booth and as
a radio personality, analyst, whatever word you like to use.
You know, he's a teammate just like he was as
a player.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
You know, he's not one of those guys who's so
in love with the son of his own voice that
he's always talking over people.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
You know.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
As a just as a radio guy, Max has a
good understanding of soundbites. You know when to when to talk,
when when to let either the play by play guy
or you know something else take president excuse me.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
And.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, it's to me, it's a really good choice. Really
to me, the only choice, because I mean I don't
know college football fans, depending upon where you live and
what networks you might be watching, you may have seen
Max doing college football games.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
So he is, he has accomplished, he's a pro. He
will be good at it.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I just have one question, though you talked about our
new time, does that have anything did they move it
back so that gives you more time to sleep in?
You know that if you were out the night before.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
The What we're supposed to say out loud is that,
you know, this gives more time for people to you know,
wake up and kind of realize that we're on and
get more ears on us. But the behind the scenes
reason is, yeah, I mean I'm tired, man, I got
a kid at home.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
Good morning, and come on really yeah, I mean like
five anyway, So yeah, I was going to say, pretty
soon the kid would say, hey, Dad, leave me alone.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Pretty soon You're you know, right now you're having trouble
keeping them asleep. Pretty soon you're gonna have trouble getting
them up, no doubt. As I remember how my childhood went,
and I'm sure you weren't exactly an early riser once
you hit the you know, I won't say your adolescent
pre adolescent years. Let's put it that way.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Early rising would be like Nune.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Yes, right, Let's get to.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
This week's backs batch of questions or first one today
comes from Sam McCall from Bethesda, Maryland. Now that Aaron
Rodgers assigned, what are your thoughts about how Arthur Smith
will design the offense.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Well, you know, I don't think that there's gonna be
a rigid situation there. You know, Aaron Rodgers is new
to the Steelers, certainly not new to the NFL, and
you know, new to this group of personnel that he's
going to be working with, and I just think it's
gonna be a thing that evolves. I mean, I don't know,
(08:05):
Like if we would pin down Arthur Smith tomorrow and say,
you know, what's the offense going to look like, I'm
sure he'll have an answer. But I mean, I believe
the truth is they don't know yet. I mean, you've
got to see how, you know, the players fit together,
(08:25):
what the strengths and the weaknesses are, what they like
and don't like. And so I don't even know if
there's gonna be a rigid design to the offense when
the regular season opens. Certainly there are some things I
think that are obvious. They're gonna want to run the ball.
I think that's important, you know, to open up the
(08:46):
passing game and also to you know, take pressure off
the offensive line in the sense that you don't want
to be in a situation where the opposing defense knows
that you're going to be throwing the ball forty five
or fifty times a game every game, because then that
allows that defense to tee off on a quarterback who's
(09:08):
in his early forties. So, you know, those kinds of
general things I think are obvious, But in terms of
any specifics, I don't know that it's it's gonna be
set in stone, and I think it's going to be
maybe something that's evolving throughout the course of the whole season.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Stephen Pasaki from Wilmington, Delaware. Bill Belichick was okay with
a sixth round pick Tom Brady to back up Drew Bletsoe.
Andy Reid had enough confidence in his first round pick
Patrick Mahomes to trade away Alex Smith. Closer to home,
Bill Cower was good with his rookie at Ben Roethlisberger
taking over for and injured to Tommy Maddox. With all
(09:46):
the current hype about Will Howard, do the Steelers have
adequate evaluators in place to decide whether or not he
may be the future of the quarterback position.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
So here we go, camp has any even started yet,
and we have Will Howard being compared to Tom Brady, Patrick
Mahomes and Ben Roethlisberg.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I mean, don't you want to see how number eight
throws the ball a little bit first and get excited
about the current or.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
I'm not even talking about that. I mean, can can
we back off a little bit?
Speaker 4 (10:19):
And no?
Speaker 1 (10:19):
And let Will Howard get his feet wet a little bit,
you know. I mean, I'm not saying I'm not trying
to disparage him or what he might be, or his
town or any of that stuff. But I mean, seriously,
I mean, Ben and Mahomes were number one picks. Tom Brady.
(10:41):
You know he has eight Super Bowl rings? Isn't it
something like that? Seven? Okay, he doesn't need that, Okay,
but I mean I quit counting after a while, So
I mean yeah, So I mean, I don't know. I
just I'm not going there with Will Howard in terms
(11:04):
of the three names that were in that question. Okay,
and let me say this too. Belichick and the Patriots
were lucky with the Brady pick because if they had
any inkling that Tom Brady was going to be Tom Brady,
they're not waiting until the sixth round and hoping that
he's still there.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
The Chiefs traded up to get Mahomes you know, Ben
was an eleventh overall pick. You know, it's it's just
being comfortable with putting Mahomes in or Ben in is
a whole lot different than putting in a player who
was a sixth round pick. So seriously, I'm not going there.
(11:51):
I wish fans wouldn't. We can't stop them from going there.
But I just hope that Will Howard has given a
little bit of a chance to develop and mature at
his own pace.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Abby kind of from aka La Flora. Have the Steelers
improved their offense because during the draft I heard a
lot of defensive players being selected. Just curious about our
offense because they're going to need to protect Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Okay, you know, in this past draft, the Steelers did
use a couple of premium picks on their defensive line,
which was necessary. I don't think that there could be
or should be any argument about the defensive line needed
an injection of young talent, and the Steelers did address that. However,
(12:43):
they also got Caleb Johnson in the third round, and
I think that he's going to be a nice addition
to that spot on the depth chart and also to
what I was just saying, earlier about wanting to run
the ball. You know, he's gonna pair with Jalen Warren
(13:03):
and Kenneth Gainwell, I think, and I don't know how
that division of labor is going to shake out, but
I think those are the top three guys on the
depth chart at running back. Okay, so let's not though,
also forget that they did sign this guy named DK
Metcalf who's a pretty good player, uh, pretty prominent free
agent signing. And they acquired John hus Smith, so who
(13:27):
is a I guess he's going to be listed as
a tight end, but he's much more of a receiving type,
you know, than a blocker. And you know, we're going
to see I don't know that this is going to
be a situation where the roster, the ninety man roster
that we see today is going to be the one
(13:48):
that the Steelers you know, carry to the end of
the preseason. I mean, there's certainly enough cap space if
they want to go get a receiver or you know,
do some more things. That's possible. That's you know, Omark Cohn.
The GM did a nice job of structuring the deal
so that the TJ. Watt deal didn't really bankrupt the
(14:11):
team from the salary caps standpoint, So there is some
potential for some more flexibility. So let's see what happens.
But I kind of like some of the moves that
the Steelers have made this offseason, and you know, let's
go to camp and watch and have a little fun
watching it develop.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Keith Miller from Campton, North Carolina. In how many games
has Chris Boswell kicked a winning field goal in the
fourth quarter or in overtime?
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Okay, Chris Boswell has a franchise record ten career game
winning field goals, and that game winning definition qualifies as
the last five minutes in the fourth quarter or in overtime.
Boswell also has made eighteen of twenty one career field goals,
which works out to eighty five point seven percent, and
(15:00):
that's in the final two minutes of regulation and overtime,
including the playoffs. So you know, a clutch kicker money
in the bank. I think both of those terms apply
to Chris Boswell.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Joe Werner from West Henrietta, New York. When the replacement
players were brought in for the strike games in nineteen
eighty seven, did the Steelers or other teams for that matter,
face a challenge in coming up with enough equipment to
outfit an entire team of different players.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
You know, this is the NFL. This isn't you know,
high school or you know, some lower level college program.
They're not going to run out of shoulder pads. Yeah,
I mean, that's just that doesn't happen, even though it was,
you know, the the eighties. You know, all the replacement
(15:57):
players were equipped with you know, what was the standard
of equipment in the NFL in the late eighties. They
weren't sharing helmets or you know, exchanging shoulder pads or
at halftime or anything. I mean, it's the big leagues.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
They weren't hurting for money in the eighties.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Right, I mean, you know it's not like it is now,
certainly with the explosion of the media contracts, you know,
the broadcasting revenue and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
But I mean, come on, they.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Can scratch some helmets and pads together.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yeah again.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
And it wasn't like they were taking helmets that had
been worn by the quote unquote real players and giving
them to the replacement players and then they had to
take them back from the replacement players and give them to.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
The real players on the strike ended. I mean, it's
it's not like.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
That, Joseph Parham junior from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Have the Steelers
ever worn their road white uniforms at home? We didn't
mention that in the open labs and Steelers unveiled their
new alternate jersey paying homage to nineteen thirty three for
this upcoming season.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yeah, and it's it was. It's a version of the
you know, the NFL's very first fora into throwbacks, which
was in conjunction with the NFL's seventy fifth anniversary season
in nineteen ninety four. But anyway, you know, these have
(17:33):
the Steelers ever you know, these ever questions. This is
a franchise, as you mentioned, found that in nineteen thirty three.
So ever is a very very long time, spans a
lot of decades, a lot of eras in the not
only in sports, but you know the country.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
You know, there was there was a World War.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Fought, you know, while the NFL was in operation in
this an NFL that the Steelers were a part of.
So ever is you know, a very long time. What
I can say though, is that there was a time
throughout the NFL when teams often wore their white jerseys
at home. This is in the early years of the NFL,
(18:17):
when the NFL was fighting, you know, for the sports
marketplace with Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Baseball
teams were white at home. So the NFL, you know,
in a lot of ways, we're trying to copy Major
League Baseball because of the success of that league.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
So yes, there was a time when teams.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
NFL teams traditionally wore their white jerseys at home, but
once three River Stadium opened in nineteen seventy, Dan Rooney
was big on black jerseys. He thought they looked that
was the way to go. If intimidating is the right
word to use, but it certainly, you know, it was
(19:01):
the black kind of exemplified the characteristic he wanted of
the team at that time. And so the Steelers have
worn black jerseys at home ever since.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Dave Hyslip from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Now that Aaron Rodgers has
become a member of the Steelers, will training can't be
a quarterback competition or is the job going to be
handed to Rogers with it being his to lose?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
I didn't mean to chuck a little bit there, but
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yeah, well, I mean, I'm glad you did so I
didn't have to. You know, the Steelers did not bring
Aaron Rodgers in to be part of a you know,
three headed or four headed quarterback competition. I mean, to
paraphrase Tom Donaho, you know, they didn't bring him in
to lead the band at halftime. So yeah, I don't
(19:48):
know that handed the job. You know, sounds a little
bit drastic, but I mean, certainly Aaron Rodgers will. I
think the term used with Russell Wilson was pole position.
I don't know what is more secure than pole position
than that, but I think Aaron Rodgers has it. I
(20:12):
think everyone on the team understands that. Everyone on the
quarterback depth chart understands that that's the way it's going
to be.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Robert Lemiller from Pocatello, Idaho, who has the most picked
sixes in Steelers history.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Rod Woodson and Will Gay tied at the top of
the franchise's all time list with five touchdowns apiece off
intercepted passes. Chad Scott and Jack Butler are tied for
third with four piece. Troy Polamalo, de Shay Townsend, Carnell Lake,
Dwayne Woodruff, and Tony Tony Compagno, are all are tied
(20:52):
then for fifth with three apiece?
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Yes, they don't call him big play Willie Gay for nothing.
You don't just earn that nickname for no reason, right.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
And being tied with Rod Woodson at the top of
any franchises all time list is pretty pretty rarefight air there,
all right.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Our last question comes from William Palach from Claremont, Florida.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
I had recently I read.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Recently that Chase Claypool is trying to come back to
the NFL. Do you know if there's any interest in
him by the Steelers or vice versa. I just like
to jump in before you answer and just say I
really hope not.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Well, you know, the Steelers don't trade away players often
during the course of a regular season. On November one,
twenty twenty two, they were two and six when they
traded Trace Claypool to the Bears for a second round pick.
(21:53):
After the trade was made, they went seven and two. Now,
I'm not saying that that switch was totally because of
getting rid of Chase Claypool, but you know, that's a
pretty significant turnaround if you know the guy was someone
who was indispensable or valuable to the point that you
(22:17):
might want to bring him back.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
So I don't.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
I really, I would be shocked if there was any
interest in a reunion there. And I'm sure that you know,
when either Mike Tomlin or Olmore Cohen calls you for
your opinion, you know, you'll you'll know, and that'll be
the end of it.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Yes, exactly, That'll be the end of this podcast as well,
and labs, since we have the training Camp report coming
up in Training Camp in general, this podcast will be
going on a little bit of a hiatus for the
next couple of weeks, as we do the previous couple
of years, so good chance for people to get some
questions in and kind of you know, restock the coffers
(22:58):
a little bit before the season starts.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Right absolutely, And yeah, I I but there's still be there,
still will be the print version I've asked and answered
on Tuesdays and Thursdays on Steelers dot Com. So well,
I mean, you know, I wouldn't want anyone showing up
(23:20):
at the Ford du Cane Bridge, you know, climbing over
the railing or anything, of course, because they you know,
weren't able to voice their quarterback questions.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Of course, not we wouldn't want that to happen, and
you can still get your healthy dosage, actually a more
healthy dosage of myself and LABS because, like I said,
every practice that the Steelers have at camp, we will
be giving you a training camp report from noon to
two on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Network, and those will be podcasted as well.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
So you will have plenty of us over these next
couple of weeks, even though we won't be doing Asked
and Answered. The audio version Labs is going to move
into Saint Vincent later today and then we're off and running.
I can't believe it's here already, but like I said,
it's exciting, Yeah it is.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
And I really think that that the off season that
the Steelers have put together is going to make some
is going to make for some interesting days on the
campus of Saint Vincent College, on the field Chuck Nolefield
and the adjoining fields down there.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
It shouldn't it should not be boring. It should not.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Be and we will get it underway on Thursday, July
twenty fourth of this week for.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Bob Labriola, I'm Tom Offerman.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Thanks for giving us a listen, and this has been
asked and answered on Steelers Nation Radio and Steelers Audio Network.
This is asked and answered questions with Tom Upferman and
Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
It has arrived.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
The players are going to be moving into Saint Vincent
tomorrow and training camp starts with its first practice of
Thursday of this week.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Labs.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
It's an exciting time of the year, and it's a
stress free time of the year for Steelers fans too,
because of the news we got last week, no hold in,
no drama with number ninety. He has signed that three year,
one hundred and twenty three million dollar contract extension and
he will be there tomorrow moving on into the dorms.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, and but that is certainly good news. You know,
I've always believed in the kind of the business model
of you know, you try and retain your great players,
and TJ. Watt is certainly one of the Steelers great players.
But I almost laughed out loud when you mentioned stress
free environment for Steelers fans. There's no much thing is that.
(01:01):
I'm sure that there will be plenty of things fans
will be, you know, figuring out what to worry about,
and you know, and that's what training camps about too.
But just looking at the first segment, here of training camp.
First practice. First of all, practice is now back in
(01:22):
the afternoon. Right practice starts at one fifty five. They
did that, They tried that morning thing, and while you know,
I kind of liked it for my personal schedule, it
I guess it didn't work enough for the players. Mike
Tomlin didn't like that. The weather wasn't hot enough for him,
(01:44):
and I think he's going to get his wish based
on the forecast I've seen for Latroe. But players move
in tomorrow, will do the conditioning test. Hopefully nobody is
pushing any sleds. First practice padless. Now we've got to
(02:04):
have acclamation days. So the first practice is Thursday at
one fifty five. That will be just helmets. Practice on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday is just in helmets. Also on Saturday,
July the twenty sixth, that's Hall of Honor Day. The
class of twenty twenty five will be announced at noon
(02:28):
at the Rogers Center on campus, and then usually one
of the members of the newest class usually attends the
announcement and Mike Tomlin typically brings that individual two that
day's practice presents them to the crowd. They address the crowd.
(02:51):
You know, it's a little feel good thing there. Saturday
is another acclamation day, then Monday the twenty eighth is
a mandatory day off, and then Tuesday the twenty ninth,
the pads go on and just letting fans know, pads
on Tuesday the twenty ninth, and I would imagine we
(03:13):
would see backs on backers because that's Mike Tomlin's typical way.
The first padded practice, he will have backs on backers.
You'll hear some helmets or pads popping that day. And
then the end of the you know, first segment, Friday
Night Lights is Friday August at Latrobe Stadium and as
(03:42):
you all then, and then the appearances of Tom off
from in a training camp.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I was getting.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
For everyone's for the official.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Entertainment schedule that will be posted, I'm sure in all
the Steelers media platforms, because you know, besides quarterbacks, what
the fans want to know the most is when young
Tom is going to be in Westmoreland County, right.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Of course, and that's right where I was going after
you mentioned all that crap about you know, the actual
schedule and the padded practices. The training camp report from
last year will continue again this year. We're doing it
for a couple of years now, but we are in
a new time slot now. We move from eight to
ten in the mornings to now noon to two. So
we will pick up right after in the locker room
with Rob King and Max Starks, and we will take
(04:29):
you right in to Steelers practice on days that there
are practices. When the Steelers don't practice, we will not
be doing a show. And then, yes, of course those
appearances in west Moreland County. I will be there this
coming weekend, the twenty sixth and the twenty seventh, and
doing shows on August second and August third as well.
I'm too lazy to pull up the schedule right now.
I'm between Sharky's and Dinos between those dates. But it's
(04:49):
like the same areas, you know. I'll just stumble over
to the pier whenever I'm done. But hey, Labs, before
we get into the questions I mentioned in the locker room,
Rob King going to be joining Max Starks this year
on the show, and Max Sark's going to be joining
Rob King in the booth on game days. We got
that news earlier this morning on Tuesday, while we're recording
this podcast. Uh, we obviously love Max, have worked with
(05:10):
him for the past couple of years, and I think
he's going to do great next to Kinger in the booth.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Yeah, Max is Uh, he's really knowledgeable, He's personable.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
And you know what I've come to learn.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
About Max uh in the in the booth and as
a radio personality, analyst, whatever word you like to use.
You know, he's a teammate just like he was as
a player.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
You know, he's not one of those guys who's so
in love with the son of his own voice that
he's always talking over people.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
You know.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
As a just as a radio guy, Max has a
good understanding of soundbites. You know when to when to talk,
when when to let either the play by play guy
or you know something else take president excuse me.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
And.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, it's to me, it's a really good choice. Really
to me, the only choice, because I mean I don't
know college football fans, depending upon where you live and
what networks you might be watching, you may have seen
Max doing college football games.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
So he is, he has accomplished, he's a pro. He
will be good at it.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I just have one question, though you talked about our
new time, does that have anything did they move it
back so that gives you more time to sleep in?
You know that if you were out the night before.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
The What we're supposed to say out loud is that,
you know, this gives more time for people to you know,
wake up and kind of realize that we're on and
get more ears on us. But the behind the scenes
reason is, yeah, I mean I'm tired, man, I got
a kid at home.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
Good morning, and come on really yeah, I mean like
five anyway, So yeah, I was going to say, pretty
soon the kid would say, hey, Dad, leave me alone.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Pretty soon You're you know, right now you're having trouble
keeping them asleep. Pretty soon you're gonna have trouble getting
them up, no doubt. As I remember how my childhood went,
and I'm sure you weren't exactly an early riser once
you hit the you know, I won't say your adolescent
pre adolescent years. Let's put it that way.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Early rising would be like Nune.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Yes, right, Let's get to.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
This week's backs batch of questions or first one today
comes from Sam McCall from Bethesda, Maryland. Now that Aaron
Rodgers assigned, what are your thoughts about how Arthur Smith
will design the offense.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Well, you know, I don't think that there's gonna be
a rigid situation there. You know, Aaron Rodgers is new
to the Steelers, certainly not new to the NFL, and
you know, new to this group of personnel that he's
going to be working with, and I just think it's
gonna be a thing that evolves. I mean, I don't know,
(08:05):
Like if we would pin down Arthur Smith tomorrow and say,
you know, what's the offense going to look like, I'm
sure he'll have an answer. But I mean, I believe
the truth is they don't know yet. I mean, you've
got to see how, you know, the players fit together,
(08:25):
what the strengths and the weaknesses are, what they like
and don't like. And so I don't even know if
there's gonna be a rigid design to the offense when
the regular season opens. Certainly there are some things I
think that are obvious. They're gonna want to run the ball.
I think that's important, you know, to open up the
(08:46):
passing game and also to you know, take pressure off
the offensive line in the sense that you don't want
to be in a situation where the opposing defense knows
that you're going to be throwing the ball forty five
or fifty times a game every game, because then that
allows that defense to tee off on a quarterback who's
(09:08):
in his early forties. So, you know, those kinds of
general things I think are obvious, But in terms of
any specifics, I don't know that it's it's gonna be
set in stone, and I think it's going to be
maybe something that's evolving throughout the course of the whole season.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Stephen Pasaki from Wilmington, Delaware. Bill Belichick was okay with
a sixth round pick Tom Brady to back up Drew Bletsoe.
Andy Reid had enough confidence in his first round pick
Patrick Mahomes to trade away Alex Smith. Closer to home,
Bill Cower was good with his rookie at Ben Roethlisberger
taking over for and injured to Tommy Maddox. With all
(09:46):
the current hype about Will Howard, do the Steelers have
adequate evaluators in place to decide whether or not he
may be the future of the quarterback position.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
So here we go, camp has any even started yet,
and we have Will Howard being compared to Tom Brady, Patrick
Mahomes and Ben Roethlisberg.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I mean, don't you want to see how number eight
throws the ball a little bit first and get excited
about the current or.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
I'm not even talking about that. I mean, can can
we back off a little bit?
Speaker 4 (10:19):
And no?
Speaker 1 (10:19):
And let Will Howard get his feet wet a little bit,
you know. I mean, I'm not saying I'm not trying
to disparage him or what he might be, or his
town or any of that stuff. But I mean, seriously,
I mean, Ben and Mahomes were number one picks. Tom Brady.
(10:41):
You know he has eight Super Bowl rings? Isn't it
something like that? Seven? Okay, he doesn't need that, Okay,
but I mean I quit counting after a while, So
I mean yeah, So I mean, I don't know. I
just I'm not going there with Will Howard in terms
(11:04):
of the three names that were in that question. Okay,
and let me say this too. Belichick and the Patriots
were lucky with the Brady pick because if they had
any inkling that Tom Brady was going to be Tom Brady,
they're not waiting until the sixth round and hoping that
he's still there.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
The Chiefs traded up to get Mahomes you know, Ben
was an eleventh overall pick. You know, it's it's just
being comfortable with putting Mahomes in or Ben in is
a whole lot different than putting in a player who
was a sixth round pick. So seriously, I'm not going there.
(11:51):
I wish fans wouldn't. We can't stop them from going there.
But I just hope that Will Howard has given a
little bit of a chance to develop and mature at
his own pace.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Abby kind of from aka La Flora. Have the Steelers
improved their offense because during the draft I heard a
lot of defensive players being selected. Just curious about our
offense because they're going to need to protect Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Okay, you know, in this past draft, the Steelers did
use a couple of premium picks on their defensive line,
which was necessary. I don't think that there could be
or should be any argument about the defensive line needed
an injection of young talent, and the Steelers did address that. However,
(12:43):
they also got Caleb Johnson in the third round, and
I think that he's going to be a nice addition
to that spot on the depth chart and also to
what I was just saying, earlier about wanting to run
the ball. You know, he's gonna pair with Jalen Warren
(13:03):
and Kenneth Gainwell, I think, and I don't know how
that division of labor is going to shake out, but
I think those are the top three guys on the
depth chart at running back. Okay, so let's not though,
also forget that they did sign this guy named DK
Metcalf who's a pretty good player, uh, pretty prominent free
agent signing. And they acquired John hus Smith, so who
(13:27):
is a I guess he's going to be listed as
a tight end, but he's much more of a receiving type,
you know, than a blocker. And you know, we're going
to see I don't know that this is going to
be a situation where the roster, the ninety man roster
that we see today is going to be the one
(13:48):
that the Steelers you know, carry to the end of
the preseason. I mean, there's certainly enough cap space if
they want to go get a receiver or you know,
do some more things. That's possible. That's you know, Omark Cohn.
The GM did a nice job of structuring the deal
so that the TJ. Watt deal didn't really bankrupt the
(14:11):
team from the salary caps standpoint, So there is some
potential for some more flexibility. So let's see what happens.
But I kind of like some of the moves that
the Steelers have made this offseason, and you know, let's
go to camp and watch and have a little fun
watching it develop.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Keith Miller from Campton, North Carolina. In how many games
has Chris Boswell kicked a winning field goal in the
fourth quarter or in overtime?
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Okay, Chris Boswell has a franchise record ten career game
winning field goals, and that game winning definition qualifies as
the last five minutes in the fourth quarter or in overtime.
Boswell also has made eighteen of twenty one career field goals,
which works out to eighty five point seven percent, and
(15:00):
that's in the final two minutes of regulation and overtime,
including the playoffs. So you know, a clutch kicker money
in the bank. I think both of those terms apply
to Chris Boswell.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Joe Werner from West Henrietta, New York. When the replacement
players were brought in for the strike games in nineteen
eighty seven, did the Steelers or other teams for that matter,
face a challenge in coming up with enough equipment to
outfit an entire team of different players.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
You know, this is the NFL. This isn't you know,
high school or you know, some lower level college program.
They're not going to run out of shoulder pads. Yeah,
I mean, that's just that doesn't happen, even though it was,
you know, the the eighties. You know, all the replacement
(15:57):
players were equipped with you know, what was the standard
of equipment in the NFL in the late eighties. They
weren't sharing helmets or you know, exchanging shoulder pads or
at halftime or anything. I mean, it's the big leagues.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
They weren't hurting for money in the eighties.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Right, I mean, you know it's not like it is now,
certainly with the explosion of the media contracts, you know,
the broadcasting revenue and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
But I mean, come on, they.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Can scratch some helmets and pads together.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yeah again.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
And it wasn't like they were taking helmets that had
been worn by the quote unquote real players and giving
them to the replacement players and then they had to
take them back from the replacement players and give them to.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
The real players on the strike ended. I mean, it's
it's not like.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
That, Joseph Parham junior from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Have the Steelers
ever worn their road white uniforms at home? We didn't
mention that in the open labs and Steelers unveiled their
new alternate jersey paying homage to nineteen thirty three for
this upcoming season.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yeah, and it's it was. It's a version of the
you know, the NFL's very first fora into throwbacks, which
was in conjunction with the NFL's seventy fifth anniversary season
in nineteen ninety four. But anyway, you know, these have
(17:33):
the Steelers ever you know, these ever questions. This is
a franchise, as you mentioned, found that in nineteen thirty three.
So ever is a very very long time, spans a
lot of decades, a lot of eras in the not
only in sports, but you know the country.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
You know, there was there was a World War.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Fought, you know, while the NFL was in operation in
this an NFL that the Steelers were a part of.
So ever is you know, a very long time. What
I can say though, is that there was a time
throughout the NFL when teams often wore their white jerseys
at home. This is in the early years of the NFL,
(18:17):
when the NFL was fighting, you know, for the sports
marketplace with Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Baseball
teams were white at home. So the NFL, you know,
in a lot of ways, we're trying to copy Major
League Baseball because of the success of that league.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
So yes, there was a time when teams.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
NFL teams traditionally wore their white jerseys at home, but
once three River Stadium opened in nineteen seventy, Dan Rooney
was big on black jerseys. He thought they looked that
was the way to go. If intimidating is the right
word to use, but it certainly, you know, it was
(19:01):
the black kind of exemplified the characteristic he wanted of
the team at that time. And so the Steelers have
worn black jerseys at home ever since.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Dave Hyslip from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Now that Aaron Rodgers has
become a member of the Steelers, will training can't be
a quarterback competition or is the job going to be
handed to Rogers with it being his to lose?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
I didn't mean to chuck a little bit there, but
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yeah, well, I mean, I'm glad you did so I
didn't have to. You know, the Steelers did not bring
Aaron Rodgers in to be part of a you know,
three headed or four headed quarterback competition. I mean, to
paraphrase Tom Donaho, you know, they didn't bring him in
to lead the band at halftime. So yeah, I don't
(19:48):
know that handed the job. You know, sounds a little
bit drastic, but I mean, certainly Aaron Rodgers will. I
think the term used with Russell Wilson was pole position.
I don't know what is more secure than pole position
than that, but I think Aaron Rodgers has it. I
(20:12):
think everyone on the team understands that. Everyone on the
quarterback depth chart understands that that's the way it's going
to be.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Robert Lemiller from Pocatello, Idaho, who has the most picked
sixes in Steelers history.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Rod Woodson and Will Gay tied at the top of
the franchise's all time list with five touchdowns apiece off
intercepted passes. Chad Scott and Jack Butler are tied for
third with four piece. Troy Polamalo, de Shay Townsend, Carnell Lake,
Dwayne Woodruff, and Tony Tony Compagno, are all are tied
(20:52):
then for fifth with three apiece?
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Yes, they don't call him big play Willie Gay for nothing.
You don't just earn that nickname for no reason, right.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
And being tied with Rod Woodson at the top of
any franchises all time list is pretty pretty rarefight air there,
all right.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Our last question comes from William Palach from Claremont, Florida.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
I had recently I read.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Recently that Chase Claypool is trying to come back to
the NFL. Do you know if there's any interest in
him by the Steelers or vice versa. I just like
to jump in before you answer and just say I
really hope not.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Well, you know, the Steelers don't trade away players often
during the course of a regular season. On November one,
twenty twenty two, they were two and six when they
traded Trace Claypool to the Bears for a second round pick.
(21:53):
After the trade was made, they went seven and two. Now,
I'm not saying that that switch was totally because of
getting rid of Chase Claypool, but you know, that's a
pretty significant turnaround if you know the guy was someone
who was indispensable or valuable to the point that you
(22:17):
might want to bring him back.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
So I don't.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
I really, I would be shocked if there was any
interest in a reunion there. And I'm sure that you know,
when either Mike Tomlin or Olmore Cohen calls you for
your opinion, you know, you'll you'll know, and that'll be
the end of it.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Yes, exactly, That'll be the end of this podcast as well,
and labs, since we have the training Camp report coming
up in Training Camp in general, this podcast will be
going on a little bit of a hiatus for the
next couple of weeks, as we do the previous couple
of years, so good chance for people to get some
questions in and kind of you know, restock the coffers
(22:58):
a little bit before the season starts.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Right absolutely, And yeah, I I but there's still be there,
still will be the print version I've asked and answered
on Tuesdays and Thursdays on Steelers dot Com. So well,
I mean, you know, I wouldn't want anyone showing up
(23:20):
at the Ford du Cane Bridge, you know, climbing over
the railing or anything, of course, because they you know,
weren't able to voice their quarterback questions.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Of course, not we wouldn't want that to happen, and
you can still get your healthy dosage, actually a more
healthy dosage of myself and LABS because, like I said,
every practice that the Steelers have at camp, we will
be giving you a training camp report from noon to
two on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Network, and those will be podcasted as well.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
So you will have plenty of us over these next
couple of weeks, even though we won't be doing Asked
and Answered. The audio version Labs is going to move
into Saint Vincent later today and then we're off and running.
I can't believe it's here already, but like I said,
it's exciting, Yeah it is.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
And I really think that that the off season that
the Steelers have put together is going to make some
is going to make for some interesting days on the
campus of Saint Vincent College, on the field Chuck Nolefield
and the adjoining fields down there.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
It shouldn't it should not be boring. It should not.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Be and we will get it underway on Thursday, July
twenty fourth of this week for.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Bob Labriola, I'm Tom Offerman.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Thanks for giving us a listen, and this has been
asked and answered on Steelers Nation Radio and Steelers Audio Network.
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