July 31, 2026 • 48 mins
Rob King and Max Starks hit many topics including the Paris game, the quarterback room, and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Deler's Training Camp on the Steelers Audio Network, presented by
(00:05):
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We build it.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
And thanks you very much for being with us in
the trope at Saint Vincent College for training camp practice
day number three point, as you would say in French
lan de troiss. Because we have not talked about the
game in France. No, we have no, that's right, bag
gets and and Beignet's and berets. Baby, I can't wait,
(01:05):
minus the minus the berets. It's gonna be great. No,
I'm wearing I'm wearing a Are you gonna wear a beret?
Why not? I'm in France?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
When else is it actually justifiable for you to wear
a beret and socially acceptable.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Max, I only in it will be with great pleasure
that I take a picture of yellow. I'm gonna yellow,
send it to everybody and put it out as well.
Everybody's social. Yeah yeah, First of all, I have to
be on social to have any kind of impact. Yeah,
so I guess that's kind of I guess that's kind
of out. By the way, Uh, since we're speaking of
(01:39):
foreign affairs here, I was in Uh. I was in
Rome with my wife in March and made my first
journey to the Steelers bar. Oh you did, I did?
You did?
Speaker 4 (01:52):
How?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
How was that? It was great? It was It was fantastic.
I gotta I gots or anything. No, I got a
T shirt and I ran into some folks. I ran
into this this group where there I think it was
their granddad had played like ten games in a season
for the Steelers back in the late forties or fifties,
I think it was. But it was cool. There's a
(02:13):
lot of Steelers people there, and and you know, there
was a there was a soccer game on then, because
there's obviously no football. That is their football, that is
their football. But it was It was really kind of
a cool experience to know that lots of people go there,
lots of people hang out, and it was it was neat.
(02:34):
It was kind of neat. Giovanni is the guy that
owns it, and fun to chat with him for a
little bit and you know, kind of hear his story
and I don't know, have you ever been there.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I've been to Rome. I've never been to the Steelers
Bar in Rome, but yeah, I've definitely I've walked the
Spanish stairs, you know what, Tivoli fountain or.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
A Trevy Trevy, Travy Trevy fountain, Trevy Fountain. I went
to the spot where you know where Julius Caesar was supposedly,
you know, mutiny assassin and assassinated by by Brutus at
two brute yep, and went to a bunch of like
the what the what's the what's the theater there in
the middle of it, it's like the big Oh yeah,
the Circus Maximus. Yeah, Circus Maximus done the coliseum, done
(03:15):
all that stuff. So yeah, no, we we And you
know how I did it with Willy Cologne, did you?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah, Willie, Willie and and our wives, we all we
all did a did.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
A trip to Rome, and then we did a Mediterranean cruise. Nice.
So yeah, so no, Yeah, we spent a lot of
time in Rome and we walked to say and my
wife was mad by the end of it. Oh, because
it's a lot of walking. It was like thirty eight
thousand steps. Yeah, it was. It was insane.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
The same because because you you're gonna history is literally
every ten feet every.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, ancient footprints are everywhere.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Built on top on top on top on top of
each other, so you have catacombs and trub layers.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I mean, it's just yeah, everywhere. And I'm a huge
history nerd, as we both know. We both share that affinity.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
So it's like I'm sitting there giving like the tour
and my wife like, just shut up and take pictures.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yeah, I tell you, And and we will get back
to France because I'm sure there's gotta be some Steelers
bars in Paris, absolutely, and we're gonna have to check
those out. We will find it, we'll do research. The
coliseum was one of the most It was one of
the one of those moments where you're you're looking around
to make sure you're you're still standing there, Am I
(04:24):
really here? I'm really in the colisseum am I really
standing here and taking in this beautiful stadium. I don't
think it's big, and I don't think it'd be big
enough to have a football field. It was big, I
don't think it would be that. I'm gonna say, maybe
eighty yards long something like. I don't know. Maybe maybe
it was bigger. But it was an overwhelmingly emotional experience.
(04:45):
And the shape of it is just not conducive to
the rectangle, right, because it's a big oval. So but
you think, I think the space is there, it's just
you wouldn't have sidelines, right. You could probably get the
field in there, and that'd be just about it. Yeah,
and you wouldn't have much outside of the end zones. Well,
it was a pretty a barbaric place, really, you know.
I mean if you know, like probably as kids you
(05:09):
would you would ask a question, and maybe even adults,
you know, hey, who'd win between a Bengal tiger and
a lion? Who'd win a fight? Well? The Romans You're like, well,
let's find out. I mean, it's like, hey, we could
go get really man, you know, the Roman Empire extends
that far right, right, Yeah, I mean you know. Anyway,
so we're looking forward to to Paris. It's it's going
to be groundbreaking. So it was groundbreaking at Croke Park.
(05:31):
They put on a just an incredible event. I mean,
if you're on the fence about going, and if it's
anything at all like yes, if it's anything at all
like like Dublin. It was an incredible experience.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And even though we're going to be the away team,
I don't think that's going to take away from because
I think, well, honestly, we'll probably overpower the Saints fans.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, I think I think there will. My guess would be,
you know, as the host team, you're the one that's
putting on all the rallies and doing all all that stuff.
I would guess it's going to be more like you know,
when the students go to Vegas, Man, there are a
ton of Steelers fans, right, yes, I mean either it's
like a takeover out there and then there's Steelers bars
(06:12):
and there there's that kind of thing. I guess it
would be more like that than if the Steelers were
the the host, which just means you know, get there
several days early and like you were, you were going
a week early.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
And you were going entire tour.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
The you toured the entire country. I'm guessing that if
if the Steelers are the home team, you'd probably be
doing something like that. Again, I think as us as
a weight team, I'm still probably going to be doing
stuff like that. I just don't think it'll be to
the same degree. I'm sorry I missed that pronoun, But
what was that. Did you say, I'm going to go
(06:46):
do some of those things? Yea, we we it's French.
We we. It's French, we we, It's French. You know what, Maxell? Well,
I mean we were a well. I just I'd hate
to have you carry the burden of a week in
in France alone, you know, I would just hate that.
Thank you for your sacrifice in advance. I I just
(07:08):
if you're talking to the powers that be you didn't
want to go on a van with me for a
week around the country, I would have been I would
have probably had the show had to carry the show,
probably would have been some golf clubs in there for
me somewhere going around the country. But anyway, it's gonna
be it's gonna be another cool, it's gonna be awesome.
It's gonna be awesome.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
I mean the Eiffel Just think about the backdrop of
the Eiffel Tower, right, I mean you have that, you
have no tre Dame, which is finally you know, back
in order they did end this job there and just
all of the history sham Sally's Arcta Triomph, like the Louver,
like all of these gigantic the obelisks you know that
they brought, you know, I mean, it's gonna be just
(07:49):
an amazing and like I said, us as history nerds,
and I think we can say that affections absolutely. It's
it's an overwhelming Since I've been to Paris, I've been
to Paris three times?
Speaker 2 (07:59):
How many times you've been to twice? Twice? My honeymoon
and then I went with my mother. Okay, there we
go my mom over there. Yeah. Nice.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
So it's just there's never enough time, no matter how
many times you go, Like I know, there's still things
that I missed.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
And you try and hit every museum and every every garden,
every park. There's something there.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
There's a building that's been around for three hundred years
that you didn't know about, you know.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
And then if you take the train out you can
go out and see what what's the what's the something versa.
You can go see the palace at Versa. I did
a segue to her through versus awesome, you know the
thing the thing over there too and uh, just for
if there are any fellow history lovers too. So when
I was there with my mom, I didn't know it
(08:44):
at the time, but my mom was very close to
having a heart attack, like she she had blockages and
she's a very robust woman, you know, like a lot
of energy level, and she was just like, I gotta
I gotta sit down. I'm like, okay. So so she
was sitting down and we were in this so I
she wanted to go to the Mrae district where they
(09:04):
have the shopping and all that other stuff, and I'm like,
of course, I'll take you over there. Then I got
lost instantly because I thought I knew where I was going,
typical guy, and I wind up in the wrong ronde,
s Mom. So we just I'm like, all right, well,
here's a here's the cathedral, let's go in. So all
these cathedrals over there, oh my god, they're just they're spectacular.
On top of momart, yeah, I mean, and they're all.
(09:25):
You know, a lot of them have uh you know,
they've all got tremendous woodwork and stay marble and stained glass,
and a lot of them have have you know, a
lot of them have minor painters. And of course I
couldn't I'm not a painting and fishing out. I can't
tell a minor painter from a major painter. Anyway, I'm
in this I'm in this cathedral. Uh, and a lot
(09:47):
of them have major paintings. I'm in this cathedral and
you know about So she's nodding off, and I'm like, okay,
I'll read the pamphlet. Well, i don't even know what church,
and I'm going to start reading it, and like fourteenth
on the list was there's a Rubens in here, And
I'm like, okay, so just and it's just nailed to
the wall, and I'm like, it's probably worth millions of dollars,
(10:09):
millions of dollars and it's just on the wall. And it's,
by the way, like the fourteenth most important and impressive
thing in this church. I'm like, that's yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
I'm about to say this is millions of dollars upon
the other millions of.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Dollars exactly anyway, go and spend some time gets for
the game, and make sure you order onion soup, not
French onions. Okay, let's not be fully American when we
get over there, yea poem freaks, enjoy the mayonnaise as good.
And and this is this is do as I say,
(10:42):
not as I do, because I'm a ram Ram Ram
ram Ram when I'm on vacation. But just sit at
outdoor a cafe and there's plenty of beverage and just
hang out, you know, and just people watch. I remember
going Lefey Ruby on me. Yeah. I remember going with
my wife when we're on our honeymoon, and we ate
it this little outdoor cafe because I wanted to eat
a little outdoor cafe. And so we did that and
(11:05):
we got there and you know, we're like, okay, let's
get the food here. It's good. And when we sat there,
there were these two guys, older guys, and they had
like pints of beer in front of them, and there
was like a little gone from each one and they
were gabbing, and I don't even think there were more food.
We got there, we ordered our lunch, we did our thing,
we got up to leave and they'd maybe drunk like
(11:27):
another not even a quarter of their beer and they
were still talking. Why because they were just taking their time.
So just go over there and take your time. But
of course that's due as I say, not as I do.
I'm not gonna take your time. We're not gonna do.
I want to see it all.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
I need to see it all, every single visit. And
I don't care how many times I've been to Van Go.
I want to go see van Go again, right, I
don't care how many times I've been to the Louver
and I've been to the Egyptian section. I'm going again,
going to look at the same mummy I've seen three
times already for a fourth time, because maybe there's something
there that I don't But I will say that Angelina's
the best hot chocolate in the world, really, and it's
(12:04):
right there in Paris, is right by the La Maarice,
which is like the only like six diamond hotel like
in all of Europe.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Yeah, they wouldn't let me anywhere near there. Yeah, no,
you want to walk past, Okay, I see have guards.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Okay, but Angelina's Angelina's okay hot chocolate.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
It is magical. Well, when we get into this season
and we start taking phone calls and then we can
dispense what information we have all and could add to that.
My biggest travel tip would be see what you can see,
but do please take an hour or two and just
do nothing. Yeah, just sit to just sit still. Set
(12:38):
the American. Set the American because we're a go go
go country. Set and I didn't do this very well.
Set the American to the side, and just relax because
that's what they like doing over there. I mean, but
go up to Momar and sit there like there's a
big square with all the painters. Yeah, like, just go
sit there and get a painting done, like they'll they'll
do a caricature of you, like like at the boardwalk.
(12:58):
But it's fun, phenomenal. And then there's all these little
restaurants around us. Has to have a table right outside.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Where you can just seep and just sit. It is
one of the most overrated things that we don't do. Yes, right,
But at the same time, in that environment, it's breathtaking
because it is picturesque.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
There is history all around you. If you just sit still,
you can see it.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
You know, you can go to the Mulan roofs that's
a nighttime activity, right.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
You can go and tour the Louver, but sit outside
the gardens like there's all these parks, all of this
amazing infrastrut or just.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Go sit sit below the Eiffel Tower. Yep, grab you
a bag, yet, grab you a little sandwich. You know,
you can get a panini, right and just sit there
with your glass bottle coke and chill. Yes, I do
like the pacing of meals over there. It's one of
the things that I've enjoyed in my you know, like
my wife and I got my Hunt pilot has one
(13:54):
hundred and forty eight thousand miles on it. Yeah, and
I'm not buying a new one as long as I
possible we can, because I'd rather take that money and
go travel. That's what That's what. That's what we do
with our money that we we love to travel. And
but you know, I think about like what what you know,
what the places that I've been fortunate to go to,
Like what do I like about the cultures. I will
tell you this, nobody, nobody does coffee better than America.
(14:20):
I don't want a little rinky dink tiny cup of
espresso or coffee. I want a mug, please, you want
to coffee. I've been places and they bring out a
little tiny caraffe and I and I have to tell them,
you know, and luckily, luckily they haven't gotten mad at me.
But I'm like, I'm an American. I'm gonna need a
(14:41):
lot more coffee than that. Please. Uh so say one
place that will rival that. Okay, Cuban coffee. Well, but
the little tiny one, no, no, that that you're you're
talking about, like the cortados and they dump the sugar in.
There's just a little bit of creepy. But Cuban coffee.
I'm not talking about quality.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
I'm talking about si it's on a mug of coffee
jet fuel and they give you and they give you.
I wouldn't say a full mug is probably two thirds
of the mug size, which is more than like an
espresso or whatever George Clooney pushes for coffee that looks
European and fancy, but still for the value, like you're
getting the same amount of that full mug, You're you're
(15:21):
getting about a mug and a half's worth of.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
A higher power. I don't mind getting the shakes after
a couple of coffee, all right, with that, it will
give you the ship. I'll get me going. Yeah. But
we're just we're just so. That's the one thing I
would say is that they their meals, whether it's to
the cafe or a restaurant, they're slower. Embrace it, enjoy it.
They're talking tables, they're not trying to turn the tables
(15:45):
because they get paid a living wage. Over there, they do.
I literally sat we had three bottles of wine. It
was four of us, three boles of wine.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
We sat there for six hours wow, zero rush Yeah,
Like I felt like the waitress left at one point,
like and she spoke the whole pack of cigarettes outside,
you know what I'm saying, Like, and she did not
check on us once.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
She's like yeah, whatever whatever, you know, Yeah, And she
was like lase fair was truly a true phrasing over there.
And a lot of the places aren't as expensive as
you would think. They're not as expensive. Now Paris will
be expensive if you're going to Paris, A lot of
the places aren't expen It does occur to me like
how are these people? How are the restaurant owners making
me a living? How is this? How are they paying
(16:25):
these waiters and waitresses? The food is fantastic, it's delicious
and it's not that expensive. How is this working? Zerolation
and works. Yeah, I guess that's probably true. That's the
local the local butcher.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Once you own land, they don't pay taxes on land
after after you've bought it. Once it's yours for life.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Really yeah, so, I mean, so it's like a lot
of things that are uniquely inherent here in the US,
Like they don't pay property taxes, they don't pay health insurance,
so you can pay living wages off of that.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
And then also interesting, whatever you're raising on your you're
making pure profit all off of hogs that you sell,
you know, if you're selling cattle, if you're selling produce, right,
you're buying directly from the a lot of these farms.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
So one of us knows a lot more about economics
than the other here in the Urban and Regional Planning
of Sociology degree at work. Baby. So anyway, we we
just got we just got Uh did we talk about football? No,
we're got, Yes, we talked about football. We started with it.
We started with uh, playing about going to Europe, and
(17:28):
then my mentioning that I've been to the to the
to the bar, the Steelers Bar in Rome, which is
very very cool. And then we started talking about Paris,
but then we got off because we're history guber nerds.
We are, and we and we love travel.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Both of them are travel nerds too, so we love
seeing the entire world and we've both been a lot
of places.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
So we will dispense more information as we get closer
to France. But I would say, you know, go if
you have the opportunity. If it's going to be anything
like Dublin. Yes, they speak a different language, be respectful
of that, and you'll find just try. You will find
that the people are a lot nicer than they're purported
(18:08):
to be. If you give it the old college try
bone sure goes a long way. Absolutely, now c goes
a long way. Yes, totally, that's exactly right. So I
to whords. I know.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
My wife took French, I took Spanish, so I'm like
out of my depth and I tried, and they just
appreciated the try that they will stop you and then
they will speak English because they all speak English, but
they would like you to try first.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Yeah, right, exactly. Don't assume so this Travel Advice brought
to you free by Max Starks and Rob King, the
the in the Locker Room Travel Duo. Yes, we're going
to talk more about football, but we're looking forward to that.
So what we've been doing the first three days are
in the locker room and you know, we're in that
acclamation period, so there's not a ton going on in
(18:50):
the on the field, but they are ramping up and
so we're sort of getting you caught up and getting
ourselves back caught up on what went on in the
off season. So we've talked talked about Mike Tomlin retiring,
Mike McCarthy coming in, Aaron Rodgers coming back, the contract extensions,
the guys in the pup list. But that this event
in France, it's a big it's a big off season announcement.
(19:14):
It's a big deal, man, it's going to be really
really cool.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
And back to back years, yes, because remember the last
time they went was what twenty and like fourteen or
something like that. It's been a while, twenty thirteen, maybe
it's been a minute. And to go back to back years,
and you're also opening new markets.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
It's not like we're going to.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Mexico City where we've gone where the NFL goes for
years on years. So we're going to Germany, where the
NFL has already kind of planted this flag. Like we're
taking the flag there and planting it for the NFL. Right,
we planted it in Ireland, we planned it. Now we're
going to plan it in France.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
There's a different atmosphere in fanetic country because it hasn't
been done before, which is a really cool aspect of it. Well,
the ambassador and the you know, the flag football that
he had, he that he started in the backyard of
the Ambassador's residence in beautiful Locks, Dublin. Yeah, I mean, hey,
we got a great launch and this is it's so
like a football field. Let's put a field in there. Man,
(20:07):
come on, come on, Dublin, Come on, Ireland, let's get
let's get up to speed. By the way, I think
you might, I know, but I don't have any insight.
But my guess is that you're gonna be able to
put that Spanish to good use at some point on
a on a Steeler trip. Oh, I think so that'd
be a guess on my part. I mean, you know,
I think there aren't they working on a stadium down there.
They finished it because they finished because it was for
(20:28):
a World Cup. So the stadium's done now. But the
Cardinals are going down to play this year. Okay.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
And because we went to France, I think we would
have been in Mexico City had we not gotten the
France card So I think next year would be our
Mexico City trip.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
We don't know that, but we're just guessing. So you
have an extra home game. Just saying the quarterback position
is going to be a huge topic of conversation. You're
gonna hear from Will Howard. We're gonna tell you what
Mike McCarthy said about the quarterback position as well as
we dive a little less travel and a little more
football when we continue here in the locker room on
(21:02):
the Steer's Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
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Speaker 2 (21:51):
And welcome back in the locker room here the Sere's
audio network from Saint Vincent College in the Trove. Another
beautiful day. Football practice has come and gone already, the
team practicing without helmets today and so they will start
to get the pads on to do some hitting. A
momentous date tomorrow, I think that is tomorrow when that starts.
And then tomorrow also the Students Hall of Honor will
(22:16):
this year's class will be introduced. So that's gonna be exciting.
Lots of fun stuff happening up here tomorrow, but a
lot of stuff happening in this offseason. Kind of getting
you caught up is we're gonna, you know, then be
in locked lockstep with what's going on on the field
and during the practices. But there's just so much happening,
and of course everybody knows, you know, Mike McCarthy comes
in and he's got that reputation of developing young quarterbacks.
(22:39):
He had one that he inherited and Will Howard he
has another one, and Drew Aller who the pirates are
the this Tod's selected with a draft choice this year.
So you got two young quarterbacks trying to develop them.
You know, can you do both? That's been a big question.
How do you play these guys? You know, Will Howard
hasn't played in a while since the National Championship game.
(23:01):
Mike McCarthy was asked about that this morning. What can
you do? You move on and you go. So the
quarterbacks and is there an air apparent to Aaron Rodgers
is going to be a massive story in the preseason.
It's probably going to peak during the preseason because if
all things go well, you're not going to see a
whole lot of either one of these guys during the
(23:22):
regular season. So but let's hear from one of those
guys now, and that is Will Howard talking about his
experience thus far.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
I's going to portfolio pretty good, you know.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Day two.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
We're just you know, taking it day by day, trying
to get better every day and maximize all the reps
that I get.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
What's the competition been.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Like between you guys and the like. Mcarthy's really stressed. Stop.
You've got to make sure you get the started ready.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
To get it again.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Aaron ready, how much between the rest of you guys,
what's the competition been like and how you guys are
making each other.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Day to it.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
I mean, I don't think it's any different than any
other year. You know, you're always competing, and especially in
this league. You know, you're always competing to to keep
a job and to to get on the field, and uh,
you know, every opportunity you get you got to maximize
and uh, you know, I think at the end of
the day, it's you know, we have a great room,
and we we enjoy spending time together and and uh,
you know, it's not a toxic competition or anything.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
You know, it's it's it's.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
All out of love and we're all trying to make
the Pittsburgh Steelers better and make each other better. And
I think at the end of the day, that's that's
what competition brings out of you, is is it brings.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Out the best keep letting up from you.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Yeah, No, he's I mean, we'll talk about one of
the best two minute quarterbacks, uh, to ever play the game.
You know, just watching the way he operates and uh
and uh, you know the things he does at the
line of scrimmage and and also you know the the
things he.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Does in the huddle.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
You know, I can I can always take some take
some notes from that and always trying to learn from
that guy.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
And how do you assess.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
I mean, obviously didn't finish well before thing?
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Yeah, who you feel that play? Uh?
Speaker 4 (24:56):
The guy picked it off over the middle of the field.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Well as a quarterback, I mean when we heard Mike
talk today about his six pillars of Steelers football, how
much does that have to resonate with you? And how
much do you have to unpape guys and up when
you're running too?
Speaker 5 (25:11):
Yeah, I mean, you know, being a you know, in
the in the quarterback position, you're kind of thrust into
that leadership role.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
You have to be a leader.
Speaker 5 (25:19):
And you know, obviously trying to follow suit with Aaron
and and keep everything the same that the coach McCarthy's saying.
You know, I really love what he's brought and and
love the culture that he's trying to instill in us.
He's really trying to take you know, the blue collar
the grit of the city of Pittsburgh and kind of
instilling that into this team and and you know, the
six pillars all reflect that, and I think just every
day trying to embody that as a as a person
(25:42):
and as a team, and trying to you know, bring
guys along, you know, I think is really important being
a surprised MS from Yeah, no, absolutely, I mean just
sitting in meetings with him, and you know, with Tom
and and Ange and Aaron obviously now you can pick
up something at least every single day, and you know,
(26:03):
I'm just trying to, you know, pick one little thing
up every day, get better every single day, and and
learn as much as I can, because that's this is
a big you know, I know I haven't I haven't
played yet in the NFL, and I still have a
lot to learn, you know, I was obviously I have
you know, one year under my belt, but you know,
I'm just trying to pick up every little thing that
I can.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
You know what with this offense, how do you feel
that it hits your skill set?
Speaker 5 (26:25):
I think it fits it really well. Honestly, it it
kind of reminds me, you know, of of the system
I ran at Ohio State.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
It really does.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
And you know, just the attention to detail and the
footwork and the reads progressions, the different kinds of progressions
and and plays. You know, like when I got to
Ohio State, like coach Day harped on every little thing,
and then you know, getting here last year was you
know a little different, but you know it was still
very detail oriented. But but Mike is you know, even
more like he is to to the you know, the
(26:55):
step and to the you know, he has names for
every step in the drop like it's super detailed. I
just think it fits my play style and it it
really enhances my ability to play from the pocket, you
know better.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
How much you any distigation to get that game action
the first game at Bilt.
Speaker 5 (27:12):
I mean, you know, us football players, it's like you
can you can practice as much as you want and
and practice is huge, and practice is you know, where
the work is done. But you know the real reward
and you know, talks about we play for free on Sundays.
That's that's the fun part, you know. And you know,
for me, I haven't played in a in a real
football game since the National Championship. So you know, I'm
just you know, god willing staying healthy and and getting
(27:35):
myself ready for those preseason games. Because I just can't
wait to get back out there with the live bullets
and and uh, you know, just step into the fire again,
because that's that's why we play this game.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Do you have a moment in a meeting that Champas
played a moment play?
Speaker 4 (27:49):
You know, yeah, yeah, I mean that's a good question.
You know.
Speaker 5 (27:55):
I think it's really cool when especially like when we
come off of you know, we did this last year too,
you know, coming off of a break or coming off
of you know, the off season. Just sitting back and
talking about what we did in the off season and like, hey,
what was your what was your highlight of the off
season and sharing that stuff, and you know, just hearing
hearing about each other's lives outside of football. You know,
I think that just brings us closer together. And you know,
(28:17):
even hearing like Ange and Tom and what they were
doing over the off season, and you know, it just
it just brings a human element into it a lot,
and we have a lot of fun and it's it's
been a good time.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
So uh look, you know, we know that competition. We've
talked about this a lot over the last couple of
days and trying to get other guys better and having
a good attitude about it is good. And just to
hear right off the top of that Will Howard sink
it's not a toxic competition. It's really really important for
a team.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
I mean, I think when you hear that, that's almost
the best thing that you could wish for in a
competitive environment. It's not toxic, right, And what you probably
ask yourself, what do toxic look like in a room
if there's a competition with holding information, not talking, having
side conversations, not being with the group, or being very
(29:12):
tight lipped on information and not being able to have
open dialogue.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Especially when you hear who's in that room.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
I mean, let's just digest that all the names that
he named in there, right, Coach McCarthy's in there, Angelico's
in there, Arth is in there.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
And then it's the fore court. It's seven people in
a quarterback room.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Yeah, right, So the amount of football knowledge that's being
disseminated in that space. And let's not discount what Mason
Rudolph has gone through, right, a guy who's we can
call a journeyman because he's been to more than one
place and he came back and he's won games for
you he's been to the playoffs. Like Aaron's not the
(29:50):
only one that's had that type of experience. He's had
the most success at that experience. But that's a lot
for two young guys essentially starting at square one, and like, well,
Howard was here for a year, but he wasn't an
active participant, and you know, you have him and Aller
looking at these guys, there's a lot to glean And
like you said, as long as I can learn one
(30:11):
little thing better, I could take one thing away from
the day better, it's gonna make me a better player.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
And I think that's the cool thing about it. And
they're open with the conversation. They're open with dialogue. You know,
they even talk about how you know, McCarthy and Aaron
go at each other like an old married couple, right,
because they've got thirteen years of experience together, right.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
So that's something that's really cool to see and you
can see you can project yourself in the future on
how things can go. But I think having all of
that just makes for a better environment for all parties.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
And by the way, you know, Mason Rudolph I think
has gotten big time kudos for being a great teammate.
So not only is he a valuable guy that can
come in and give you an opportunity to win games,
but the kind of guy that'll you know, there are
certain guys who you know can bust on the star player. Yeah,
(31:03):
and most guys can't, and most guys wouldn't dare And
some guys can occasionally do it and pull it off.
Some guys can do it in a bad way, and
then it's like, uh, next thing, you know, you're at
being told to clear out your locker. Other guys can
do it in away. Other guys could do it in
a way that brings everybody together. I don't know how
(31:25):
much Mason does of that, but I do know that
I've just heard he's a really really good teammate and
and keeps everybody in a good headspace. I guess that's
probably the Maybe that's the term that would you know,
without really knowing the ins and outs of what that means,
but keeps you in a good headspace, things loose, right, yeah, yeah,
intense environment.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
You know, he's the guy that's kind of like the mediator,
the go between, right, because he's gonna be eyes and
ears for Aaron from the sidelines, and then he's also
the guy that can disseminate the information to the young guys, right,
you know, because you always say backup quarterbacks to clipboard guy,
right right, you know. And he's the one that's keeping
track of things well, he can relay that information. Plus
he also is going to be talking to the coaches.
(32:06):
He's gonna be right next to the coaches.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
So I think he's a good middleman because he has
that working knowledge, he has experience, but he also knows
what his role is. He's not trying to usurp the
king right right, you know, he's there. He's like, Hey,
I'm good with being in the in the role that
you define for me. I'm really good at that. Another
guy I think was excellent at that during his time
Charlie Batch. Yes, yep, I was thinking of the same thing,
(32:29):
same exact type of deal.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
I'm he's not trying to take Ben's job, but he's
also trying to make job Ben's job easier, right, And
he's the one that if things go awry, you know,
you're not going to want to necessarily talk to a
coach if he hasn't played. I want to talk to
the player that also sees it, but he still can
act like a coach. And that's what Charlie was for
Ben for so many years, and I think that's what
you kind of see developing with Mason. Regardless of whoever
(32:52):
is coming in here. Mason's always kind of been that
number two, that's been the guy who can be the
translator for everybody, right.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
And Charlie of course came up with this starting the
experience with the Lions, and you knew that if you
put him in there, he was going to give you
a chance to win. Which gets me to I think
the topic that everyone's thinking, Well, there's two topics everyone
are everyone's really thinking about as far as this quarterback
position to backup quarterback position. We know who the number
one is and we're gonna get both to both of
(33:19):
those questions while we continue in the locker room here
on this hit, there's audio network.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
This is live coveragep DOT twenty twenty six Steelers Training
Camp on the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
Easy to Drink, Easy to enjoy, and brought to you
in part by Pennsylvania One Call Systems Dial eight one
one before you dig SNT Bank People Forward Banking by
(33:46):
Kalucy Chevrolet serving the Pittsburgh area for over one hundred
and eight years. Clearview Federal Credit Union for every touchdown
the Black and Gold score. In twenty twenty six, Clearview
will donate five hundred dollars to a Light Up Life mission,
they said, CLEARVIEWFCU dot org and by Iron Workers Local
Union number three. We don't go to the office, we
(34:09):
build it.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
So welcome back inside the locker room here at Saint
Vincent College where we're watching the mower working on field
number two. It's very quiet out here now, but the
weather here has been spectacular for the first three days,
remained spectacular today. So we're talking about you just heard
from Will Howard in the last segment, and we've been
talking about, you know, the quarterback position. And again, Mike McCarthy, assay,
(34:40):
are you worried that Will Howard hasn't played since the
Ohio State championship game in a real game. Well, what
do you what do you do about nothing? There's nothing
you can do about that. And you know, Mike McCarthy,
we went through this yesterday about his background as a
quarterback coach, then an offensive coordinator, and then of course
the head coach. You know, he calls it going to
quarterback school. By the way, one of the questions I'm
(35:01):
gonna have to ask him at some point, do you
ever graduate from quarterbacks school? Are you? Are you perpetually
a student in quarterbacks school?
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Apparently twenty one years and Aaron Rodgers is still still
a student, So there is There is no ascension level.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
It's just when you retire, you just stop doing it.
He's he's a he's a very very very good student.
He's probably in the front of the class emeritus. He's
probably a TA. Yeah, he's maybe he's a TA. That's
a good call. Maybe he's a TA. Yeah. So I
think there are two things about this quarterback uh situation.
Actually several things I said too, but that you know,
(35:36):
more of cropped up into my mind as we went
to commercial break. The first thing I want to ask
is just simply, we talked about roster construction yesterday and
went through the roster yesterday. I don't like doing it
quite this early, but you know, because he broke a
story for us a couple of days ago, club reporter
(35:57):
Schaefer King wanted me to go over this steerer's roster
breakdown and what I thought. So I walking the dog
and I got back last So I thinking, okay, let's
go through the fifty three. What is it going to
look like. And you know, we talked about this yesterday,
I think to me, and we'll see two of the
biggest places on the roster where you know, if everybody
stays healthy, we knock on wood again, big people which
(36:21):
are in high demand in the sport. Yeah, good, big
people are going to either you are going to try
to sneak him throw on waivers, or they're just going
to have to be released. I just don't see how
you can keep if everybody stays healthy, the number of
quality big guys they have, can they keep four quarterback?
I just can't see how they can do it. Max,
I don't either. I mean, the reason why they were
(36:43):
able to kind of sneak well Howard throws because they
were able to irm right, That's how you're able to
keep him, because I think if he wasn't injured, you
had to make a decision and you might have lost
him potentially if you put him out there in free agency.
Injuries Really the only way I see that you can
keep four. There's no other way on an active roster,
(37:05):
especially when you talked about it, the largest concentration of
your team for like spots O line, D line, so
the most amount of bodies. Literally you'll have nine offensive
linemen and at least seven to eight defensive linemen that
you're going to keep. Well, that's seventeen guys out of
your fifty three gone, right, and then now we still
(37:27):
haven't gotten into your receivers, your tight ends, your linebackers
inside outside right, your dbs. You need to keep a
lot of dbs too on that roster.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
I'd say dB or defensive backfield and defensive line for
the DEFENSI side is the largest chunk those two groups
right there. Then linebacker kind of fills in in the
middle because you're looking at too deep. But it's two
different specialties, right you're keeping in that group. So it's
a lot of bodies for the big boys. That then
gets asserted. I mean you're taking about a third of
(38:00):
your roster alone in just that little over a third
if ross's just O line and D line, because of
how many positions they take up on a field.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
Again, I just look at their too deep on the
offensive line and think, you know, even if somebody really
impresses in camp, Like, for example, Stephen Jones is back
in camp this year, and he was a guy early
on last year was getting a lot of buzz, kind
of like Dylan Cook had the year before. Hey, this
guy's this guy's got something into and then third preseason
then there was just a fade because these guys, you know,
(38:30):
it's a different environment that then than they're used to,
or whatever the reason may be. But he's a really
intriguing guy. He's back in camp this year now and
then strong too.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
I mean, he was a guy that you would consider
any other circumstance, any other team. He's definitely considered on
your top eight to any other situation.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
You're happy to have him as your ninth guy. Yeah,
you're like, oh crap, okay, Yeah, I would love to
have this guy. He's a good locker room guy. He's strong,
he's physical at that guard, he's smart. But you're weighing
up against draft picks, right, you're winning these veterans you
brought in.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
You also have an ongoing battle for two starting positions.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
On this offensive line, which we can get to next hour. Yes,
because there was more on that yes morning too.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Where do you fit in in that and you're the
odd man out because now we're you usually a top nine,
you're a top twelve guy on this team particularly YEP.
So it's a tough place to meet. Like I said,
we're gonna lose quality guys that are going to go
on to start contribute and play for other teams. Rosers
that we're seeing out here.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
Of the ninety, I.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
Would venture to say we have at least ten to
eleven guys who are going to go elsewhere and play.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
Yeah, we're gonna have to lose. So and again, just
to reiterate, because we talked about this, and we're gonna
talk more about the offensive line on so I don't
want to get too far into the week because I
want to wrap up the quarterback thing. But we talked
about this yesterday. Why are we harping on this. Why
do we care about that twelveth offensive lineman. Well, look
who's competing for a starting right tackle spot this year
in camp? Dylan Cook. He was not among the nine,
(40:00):
he was among the twelve a year ago. He did
not make your roster last year, and now they're talking
about him starting at right tackle this year. So that's
why we look at these things with a great deal
of importance. So I agree with you. I can't see
him caring for Okay, So now comes the next question.
(40:21):
Aaron Rodgers, of course, is a lock.
Speaker 4 (40:24):
To me.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
You've got a team that you're hoping is going to
make the playoffs and make some noise when they get there. Correct.
So let's say Aaron misses a game. He remember he
missed the Bears game last year, misses a game or
two forty two years old, six starting quarterbacks have started
a game at that age in NFL history, seventeen straight. Right,
(40:47):
So if heaven forbid, there's a serious issue that keeps
him out for any length of time. You can say
that with most teams and most quarterbacks, you're done. Season's over. Right.
We look at the Bengals. You lose Joe Burrow, your
season's over, and you had to trade for Joe Flacco.
That's how bad it was. Your season's done, you're finished,
(41:08):
it's over. You lose him for eight or nine, you're
not making the playoffs. That's just the way it is
with most teams. Boy, there's that middle ground where if
you're missing somebody for three or four games, don't you
want a veteran that can come in that started in
the league, that understands what needs to be done taking
(41:29):
your team to the playoffs before and we literally done
it on his resume. We saw Mason Rudolph last year
in Chicago, you know, with the Bears team that has
it turned out was an awfully good Bears team. Give
him every opportunity to win that game. Did they win
the game? No, on the road, they didn't win the game,
but boy, he sure gave him an excellent chance of
winning that game. You know, I think as you look
(41:50):
at the roster right now, you have Will Howard who
hasn't played a game since the National Championship Game two
years ago, Right two years ago. You have Drew Aller,
who's a rookie who they're trying to rebuild from the
ground up. That's what they've talked about doing. And it
was injured last year, right injured last year. So you're
thinking of a bit of a project there. Well, you're
a team going back to the original premise built to
(42:13):
try to have success in the playoffs. Do you need that?
Do you need not choose to need Mason Rudolph in
case that happens, In case somebody misses three or four games,
and I say yes, Aaron, I say yes right now.
As it stands right now, we.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
Haven't played any preseason I understood, So I haven't seen
a single professional throw from Will Howard or Drew Aller
to give me any confidence yet.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
But as it stands right now, you have.
Speaker 3 (42:40):
To keep Will Howard, I mean, I'm sorry, you have
to keep Mason Rudolph right and you got to see
what the potential is of the two for what.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
Future expectations could because like you said, this is more.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Of a win now mode. You don't go Michael Pittman
Junior and Rico o'dowdele, you know, to help bolster Aaron
Rodgers if you don't plan on wanting to win now, right,
you know. Mike Pursua put this question out here on
our show the first day. All the Steelers had to
do from a year ago now this year is answer
the question, how do we get thirteen minutes better? Because
(43:13):
you were still in the game against Houston and the
playoffs a year ago until the last thirteen minutes of
that fourth.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Quarter, it is hard for people to remember that, Yeah,
how quickly and badly it unraveled and it was quick
fastening in a hurry. That game was a tight game,
yep y set for the long and.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
Working into it, and you just needed the last thirteen
minutes of a sixty minute game to go differently. And
you're in the second round. So that's all they're looking
for is thirteen minutes better.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
And it's an interesting way of putting it, right. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
So that's why I say a Mason Rudolph is a
necessity for that as it stands right now, until I
see some fantastic things done in the preseason, I feel
like Mason Rudolph has to be your number two.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
So that is the now, and I agree with you,
that's the now. Now, let's take a step back and
gaze into the middle distance. We're not gonna eat it.
You can never gaze into the future in the NFL. Well, well,
if you're the Browns, that's all you do. You have
to can we trade four years in the future draft picks?
So I think that you're looking at two guys, So
(44:25):
what what is what is the evaluate First of all,
both those guys are going to be evaluated. What's the
evaluation process? If Mason Rudolph right now, from this vantage
point is a lot to make the team for the
reasons we mentioned really good, really good guy in the clubhouse,
really good teammate, and a and a good quarterback that
can help you, like Charlie Batch, you know, get you
(44:47):
two and two with Ben's out for four games. Right.
You know, Charlie was never put in a position where
he had to start ten or twelve games for this Steelers, right,
So we don't know how that would have gone. But
we do know that again, when teams lose starting quarterbacks,
it's usually not for the season. It's usually not a
good thing. So you have Mason Rudolph as a as
a true necessity in one possible scenario. Yeah. By the way,
(45:12):
it reminds me of The Terminator, one of my all
time favorite movies. One possible future. That's one possible future.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
Or if you're younger like me, you go to the
you go to Marvel and you go to Avenger's Infinity
War and you have doctor Strange looking at Tony Starkins
saying there's just one.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Way, Yes, that's why. But in this one there's many ways.
There's many ways. So thank you for reminding me how
much younger you are. Very nice you so I do
love the terminator anyway. So if you're looking into that
middle distance, look at this roster you've built. Look at
this solid roster with two tight ends under contract, nine
(45:53):
to ten offensive linemen you feel good about, many of
whom are under club control. Beyond this, just traded for
Michael Pittman and drafted Jeremy Bernard, thus solidifying your wide
receiver position. So if you just look at it from
the offense perspective, you have Dabble, and you have Warren,
and then you have you know you're gonna fill out
the rest of the running back class. This is a
(46:15):
tremendous situation in which to drop a quarterback. Okay, so
let's just extend this further out. You'd like it to
be either Will Howard or Drew Aller. Yeah, that would
be the ideal scenario because the other scenario is you
gotta trade up to get somebody. Okay, So there goes
this year's coming you twenty twenty sevens, first, twenty twenty
(46:36):
eighths first, probably probably a second round. If the Steelers
finished where we think they're gonna finish, probably a second
round pick, maybe even a player. Thus saying, okay, we're
looking in the middle distance. But this group, that look
that we're talking about now, you know things age quickly
in the NFL, that group better still be good two
years from now because you're not gonna have any other
way to add to that group, right, and then you
(46:59):
know that quarterback is gonna have to grow. So it's
a different if you could have if one of these
two guys can save you from having to go down
that road, that future road. Yeah, well you want to
look at both of those guys. So now we're back
to four quarterbacks again, back to four quarterbacks or you're
saying somebody's on the trade block, and then how do
(47:22):
you ascertain which of those young quarterbacks? If possible, would
you like to look at them for a longer period
of time? Yeah, is one of them? Do you feel
like one of them could be that guy that goes
two and two in a four game stretch for you?
There's just so projecting in this presess it is. It
is just you know, it's a big question. It's bigger.
(47:42):
This year is bigger, and I would say far bigger
than your normal who's going to be the backup quarterback?
Do we have a developmental quarterback? Because there's just so
much more at play, so we're gonna continue to dive
into this. We're also gonna talk a little bit about
the offensive line. We are overdue for break, so let's
take one. Now you are in the locker room with
Max Starks and Rob King. We are coming to you
(48:04):
on this ste there's Audio Network
Deler's Training Camp on the Steelers Audio Network, presented by
(00:05):
bud Light, Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy, and brought
to you in part by Pennsylvania One Call Systems Dial
eight one one before You Dig SNT Bank People Forward
Banking by Calucy Chevrolet, serving the Pittsburgh area for over
one hundred and eight years. Clearview Federal Credit Union for
every touchdown the Black and Gold score. In twenty twenty six,
(00:28):
Clearview will donate five hundred dollars to the Light of
Life Mission list in CLEARVIEWFCU dot org and buy Iron
Workers Local Union number three. We don't go to the office,
We build it.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
And thanks you very much for being with us in
the trope at Saint Vincent College for training camp practice
day number three point, as you would say in French
lan de troiss. Because we have not talked about the
game in France. No, we have no, that's right, bag
gets and and Beignet's and berets. Baby, I can't wait,
(01:05):
minus the minus the berets. It's gonna be great. No,
I'm wearing I'm wearing a Are you gonna wear a beret?
Why not? I'm in France?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
When else is it actually justifiable for you to wear
a beret and socially acceptable.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Max, I only in it will be with great pleasure
that I take a picture of yellow. I'm gonna yellow,
send it to everybody and put it out as well.
Everybody's social. Yeah yeah, First of all, I have to
be on social to have any kind of impact. Yeah,
so I guess that's kind of I guess that's kind
of out. By the way, Uh, since we're speaking of
(01:39):
foreign affairs here, I was in Uh. I was in
Rome with my wife in March and made my first
journey to the Steelers bar. Oh you did, I did?
You did?
Speaker 4 (01:52):
How?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
How was that? It was great? It was It was fantastic.
I gotta I gots or anything. No, I got a
T shirt and I ran into some folks. I ran
into this this group where there I think it was
their granddad had played like ten games in a season
for the Steelers back in the late forties or fifties,
I think it was. But it was cool. There's a
(02:13):
lot of Steelers people there, and and you know, there
was a there was a soccer game on then, because
there's obviously no football. That is their football, that is
their football. But it was It was really kind of
a cool experience to know that lots of people go there,
lots of people hang out, and it was it was neat.
(02:34):
It was kind of neat. Giovanni is the guy that
owns it, and fun to chat with him for a
little bit and you know, kind of hear his story
and I don't know, have you ever been there.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I've been to Rome. I've never been to the Steelers
Bar in Rome, but yeah, I've definitely I've walked the
Spanish stairs, you know what, Tivoli fountain or.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
A Trevy Trevy, Travy Trevy fountain, Trevy Fountain. I went
to the spot where you know where Julius Caesar was supposedly,
you know, mutiny assassin and assassinated by by Brutus at
two brute yep, and went to a bunch of like
the what the what's the what's the theater there in
the middle of it, it's like the big Oh yeah,
the Circus Maximus. Yeah, Circus Maximus done the coliseum, done
(03:15):
all that stuff. So yeah, no, we we And you
know how I did it with Willy Cologne, did you?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah, Willie, Willie and and our wives, we all we
all did a did.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
A trip to Rome, and then we did a Mediterranean cruise. Nice.
So yeah, so no, Yeah, we spent a lot of
time in Rome and we walked to say and my
wife was mad by the end of it. Oh, because
it's a lot of walking. It was like thirty eight
thousand steps. Yeah, it was. It was insane.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
The same because because you you're gonna history is literally
every ten feet every.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, ancient footprints are everywhere.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Built on top on top on top on top of
each other, so you have catacombs and trub layers.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I mean, it's just yeah, everywhere. And I'm a huge
history nerd, as we both know. We both share that affinity.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
So it's like I'm sitting there giving like the tour
and my wife like, just shut up and take pictures.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yeah, I tell you, And and we will get back
to France because I'm sure there's gotta be some Steelers
bars in Paris, absolutely, and we're gonna have to check
those out. We will find it, we'll do research. The
coliseum was one of the most It was one of
the one of those moments where you're you're looking around
to make sure you're you're still standing there, Am I
(04:24):
really here? I'm really in the colisseum am I really
standing here and taking in this beautiful stadium. I don't
think it's big, and I don't think it'd be big
enough to have a football field. It was big, I
don't think it would be that. I'm gonna say, maybe
eighty yards long something like. I don't know. Maybe maybe
it was bigger. But it was an overwhelmingly emotional experience.
(04:45):
And the shape of it is just not conducive to
the rectangle, right, because it's a big oval. So but
you think, I think the space is there, it's just
you wouldn't have sidelines, right. You could probably get the
field in there, and that'd be just about it. Yeah,
and you wouldn't have much outside of the end zones. Well,
it was a pretty a barbaric place, really, you know.
I mean if you know, like probably as kids you
(05:09):
would you would ask a question, and maybe even adults,
you know, hey, who'd win between a Bengal tiger and
a lion? Who'd win a fight? Well? The Romans You're like, well,
let's find out. I mean, it's like, hey, we could
go get really man, you know, the Roman Empire extends
that far right, right, Yeah, I mean you know. Anyway,
so we're looking forward to to Paris. It's it's going
to be groundbreaking. So it was groundbreaking at Croke Park.
(05:31):
They put on a just an incredible event. I mean,
if you're on the fence about going, and if it's
anything at all like yes, if it's anything at all
like like Dublin. It was an incredible experience.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And even though we're going to be the away team,
I don't think that's going to take away from because
I think, well, honestly, we'll probably overpower the Saints fans.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, I think I think there will. My guess would be,
you know, as the host team, you're the one that's
putting on all the rallies and doing all all that stuff.
I would guess it's going to be more like you know,
when the students go to Vegas, Man, there are a
ton of Steelers fans, right, yes, I mean either it's
like a takeover out there and then there's Steelers bars
(06:12):
and there there's that kind of thing. I guess it
would be more like that than if the Steelers were
the the host, which just means you know, get there
several days early and like you were, you were going
a week early.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
And you were going entire tour.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
The you toured the entire country. I'm guessing that if
if the Steelers are the home team, you'd probably be
doing something like that. Again, I think as us as
a weight team, I'm still probably going to be doing
stuff like that. I just don't think it'll be to
the same degree. I'm sorry I missed that pronoun, But
what was that. Did you say, I'm going to go
(06:46):
do some of those things? Yea, we we it's French.
We we. It's French, we we, It's French. You know what, Maxell? Well,
I mean we were a well. I just I'd hate
to have you carry the burden of a week in
in France alone, you know, I would just hate that.
Thank you for your sacrifice in advance. I I just
(07:08):
if you're talking to the powers that be you didn't
want to go on a van with me for a
week around the country, I would have been I would
have probably had the show had to carry the show,
probably would have been some golf clubs in there for
me somewhere going around the country. But anyway, it's gonna
be it's gonna be another cool, it's gonna be awesome.
It's gonna be awesome.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
I mean the Eiffel Just think about the backdrop of
the Eiffel Tower, right, I mean you have that, you
have no tre Dame, which is finally you know, back
in order they did end this job there and just
all of the history sham Sally's Arcta Triomph, like the Louver,
like all of these gigantic the obelisks you know that
they brought, you know, I mean, it's gonna be just
(07:49):
an amazing and like I said, us as history nerds,
and I think we can say that affections absolutely. It's
it's an overwhelming Since I've been to Paris, I've been
to Paris three times?
Speaker 2 (07:59):
How many times you've been to twice? Twice? My honeymoon
and then I went with my mother. Okay, there we
go my mom over there. Yeah. Nice.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
So it's just there's never enough time, no matter how
many times you go, Like I know, there's still things
that I missed.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
And you try and hit every museum and every every garden,
every park. There's something there.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
There's a building that's been around for three hundred years
that you didn't know about, you know.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
And then if you take the train out you can
go out and see what what's the what's the something versa.
You can go see the palace at Versa. I did
a segue to her through versus awesome, you know the
thing the thing over there too and uh, just for
if there are any fellow history lovers too. So when
I was there with my mom, I didn't know it
(08:44):
at the time, but my mom was very close to
having a heart attack, like she she had blockages and
she's a very robust woman, you know, like a lot
of energy level, and she was just like, I gotta
I gotta sit down. I'm like, okay. So so she
was sitting down and we were in this so I
she wanted to go to the Mrae district where they
(09:04):
have the shopping and all that other stuff, and I'm like,
of course, I'll take you over there. Then I got
lost instantly because I thought I knew where I was going,
typical guy, and I wind up in the wrong ronde,
s Mom. So we just I'm like, all right, well,
here's a here's the cathedral, let's go in. So all
these cathedrals over there, oh my god, they're just they're spectacular.
On top of momart, yeah, I mean, and they're all.
(09:25):
You know, a lot of them have uh you know,
they've all got tremendous woodwork and stay marble and stained glass,
and a lot of them have have you know, a
lot of them have minor painters. And of course I
couldn't I'm not a painting and fishing out. I can't
tell a minor painter from a major painter. Anyway, I'm
in this I'm in this cathedral. Uh, and a lot
(09:47):
of them have major paintings. I'm in this cathedral and
you know about So she's nodding off, and I'm like, okay,
I'll read the pamphlet. Well, i don't even know what church,
and I'm going to start reading it, and like fourteenth
on the list was there's a Rubens in here, And
I'm like, okay, so just and it's just nailed to
the wall, and I'm like, it's probably worth millions of dollars,
(10:09):
millions of dollars and it's just on the wall. And it's,
by the way, like the fourteenth most important and impressive
thing in this church. I'm like, that's yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
I'm about to say this is millions of dollars upon
the other millions of.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Dollars exactly anyway, go and spend some time gets for
the game, and make sure you order onion soup, not
French onions. Okay, let's not be fully American when we
get over there, yea poem freaks, enjoy the mayonnaise as good.
And and this is this is do as I say,
(10:42):
not as I do, because I'm a ram Ram Ram
ram Ram when I'm on vacation. But just sit at
outdoor a cafe and there's plenty of beverage and just
hang out, you know, and just people watch. I remember
going Lefey Ruby on me. Yeah. I remember going with
my wife when we're on our honeymoon, and we ate
it this little outdoor cafe because I wanted to eat
a little outdoor cafe. And so we did that and
(11:05):
we got there and you know, we're like, okay, let's
get the food here. It's good. And when we sat there,
there were these two guys, older guys, and they had
like pints of beer in front of them, and there
was like a little gone from each one and they
were gabbing, and I don't even think there were more food.
We got there, we ordered our lunch, we did our thing,
we got up to leave and they'd maybe drunk like
(11:27):
another not even a quarter of their beer and they
were still talking. Why because they were just taking their time.
So just go over there and take your time. But
of course that's due as I say, not as I do.
I'm not gonna take your time. We're not gonna do.
I want to see it all.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
I need to see it all, every single visit. And
I don't care how many times I've been to Van Go.
I want to go see van Go again, right, I
don't care how many times I've been to the Louver
and I've been to the Egyptian section. I'm going again,
going to look at the same mummy I've seen three
times already for a fourth time, because maybe there's something
there that I don't But I will say that Angelina's
the best hot chocolate in the world, really, and it's
(12:04):
right there in Paris, is right by the La Maarice,
which is like the only like six diamond hotel like
in all of Europe.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Yeah, they wouldn't let me anywhere near there. Yeah, no,
you want to walk past, Okay, I see have guards.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Okay, but Angelina's Angelina's okay hot chocolate.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
It is magical. Well, when we get into this season
and we start taking phone calls and then we can
dispense what information we have all and could add to that.
My biggest travel tip would be see what you can see,
but do please take an hour or two and just
do nothing. Yeah, just sit to just sit still. Set
(12:38):
the American. Set the American because we're a go go
go country. Set and I didn't do this very well.
Set the American to the side, and just relax because
that's what they like doing over there. I mean, but
go up to Momar and sit there like there's a
big square with all the painters. Yeah, like, just go
sit there and get a painting done, like they'll they'll
do a caricature of you, like like at the boardwalk.
(12:58):
But it's fun, phenomenal. And then there's all these little
restaurants around us. Has to have a table right outside.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Where you can just seep and just sit. It is
one of the most overrated things that we don't do. Yes, right,
But at the same time, in that environment, it's breathtaking
because it is picturesque.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
There is history all around you. If you just sit still,
you can see it.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
You know, you can go to the Mulan roofs that's
a nighttime activity, right.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
You can go and tour the Louver, but sit outside
the gardens like there's all these parks, all of this
amazing infrastrut or just.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Go sit sit below the Eiffel Tower. Yep, grab you
a bag, yet, grab you a little sandwich. You know,
you can get a panini, right and just sit there
with your glass bottle coke and chill. Yes, I do
like the pacing of meals over there. It's one of
the things that I've enjoyed in my you know, like
my wife and I got my Hunt pilot has one
(13:54):
hundred and forty eight thousand miles on it. Yeah, and
I'm not buying a new one as long as I
possible we can, because I'd rather take that money and
go travel. That's what That's what. That's what we do
with our money that we we love to travel. And
but you know, I think about like what what you know,
what the places that I've been fortunate to go to,
Like what do I like about the cultures. I will
tell you this, nobody, nobody does coffee better than America.
(14:20):
I don't want a little rinky dink tiny cup of
espresso or coffee. I want a mug, please, you want
to coffee. I've been places and they bring out a
little tiny caraffe and I and I have to tell them,
you know, and luckily, luckily they haven't gotten mad at me.
But I'm like, I'm an American. I'm gonna need a
(14:41):
lot more coffee than that. Please. Uh so say one
place that will rival that. Okay, Cuban coffee. Well, but
the little tiny one, no, no, that that you're you're
talking about, like the cortados and they dump the sugar in.
There's just a little bit of creepy. But Cuban coffee.
I'm not talking about quality.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
I'm talking about si it's on a mug of coffee
jet fuel and they give you and they give you.
I wouldn't say a full mug is probably two thirds
of the mug size, which is more than like an
espresso or whatever George Clooney pushes for coffee that looks
European and fancy, but still for the value, like you're
getting the same amount of that full mug, You're you're
(15:21):
getting about a mug and a half's worth of.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
A higher power. I don't mind getting the shakes after
a couple of coffee, all right, with that, it will
give you the ship. I'll get me going. Yeah. But
we're just we're just so. That's the one thing I
would say is that they their meals, whether it's to
the cafe or a restaurant, they're slower. Embrace it, enjoy it.
They're talking tables, they're not trying to turn the tables
(15:45):
because they get paid a living wage. Over there, they do.
I literally sat we had three bottles of wine. It
was four of us, three boles of wine.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
We sat there for six hours wow, zero rush Yeah,
Like I felt like the waitress left at one point,
like and she spoke the whole pack of cigarettes outside,
you know what I'm saying, Like, and she did not
check on us once.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
She's like yeah, whatever whatever, you know, Yeah, And she
was like lase fair was truly a true phrasing over there.
And a lot of the places aren't as expensive as
you would think. They're not as expensive. Now Paris will
be expensive if you're going to Paris, A lot of
the places aren't expen It does occur to me like
how are these people? How are the restaurant owners making
me a living? How is this? How are they paying
(16:25):
these waiters and waitresses? The food is fantastic, it's delicious
and it's not that expensive. How is this working? Zerolation
and works. Yeah, I guess that's probably true. That's the
local the local butcher.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Once you own land, they don't pay taxes on land
after after you've bought it. Once it's yours for life.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Really yeah, so, I mean, so it's like a lot
of things that are uniquely inherent here in the US,
Like they don't pay property taxes, they don't pay health insurance,
so you can pay living wages off of that.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
And then also interesting, whatever you're raising on your you're
making pure profit all off of hogs that you sell,
you know, if you're selling cattle, if you're selling produce, right,
you're buying directly from the a lot of these farms.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
So one of us knows a lot more about economics
than the other here in the Urban and Regional Planning
of Sociology degree at work. Baby. So anyway, we we
just got we just got Uh did we talk about football? No,
we're got, Yes, we talked about football. We started with it.
We started with uh, playing about going to Europe, and
(17:28):
then my mentioning that I've been to the to the
to the bar, the Steelers Bar in Rome, which is
very very cool. And then we started talking about Paris,
but then we got off because we're history guber nerds.
We are, and we and we love travel.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Both of them are travel nerds too, so we love
seeing the entire world and we've both been a lot
of places.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
So we will dispense more information as we get closer
to France. But I would say, you know, go if
you have the opportunity. If it's going to be anything
like Dublin. Yes, they speak a different language, be respectful
of that, and you'll find just try. You will find
that the people are a lot nicer than they're purported
(18:08):
to be. If you give it the old college try
bone sure goes a long way. Absolutely, now c goes
a long way. Yes, totally, that's exactly right. So I
to whords. I know.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
My wife took French, I took Spanish, so I'm like
out of my depth and I tried, and they just
appreciated the try that they will stop you and then
they will speak English because they all speak English, but
they would like you to try first.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Yeah, right, exactly. Don't assume so this Travel Advice brought
to you free by Max Starks and Rob King, the
the in the Locker Room Travel Duo. Yes, we're going
to talk more about football, but we're looking forward to that.
So what we've been doing the first three days are
in the locker room and you know, we're in that
acclamation period, so there's not a ton going on in
(18:50):
the on the field, but they are ramping up and
so we're sort of getting you caught up and getting
ourselves back caught up on what went on in the
off season. So we've talked talked about Mike Tomlin retiring,
Mike McCarthy coming in, Aaron Rodgers coming back, the contract extensions,
the guys in the pup list. But that this event
in France, it's a big it's a big off season announcement.
(19:14):
It's a big deal, man, it's going to be really
really cool.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
And back to back years, yes, because remember the last
time they went was what twenty and like fourteen or
something like that. It's been a while, twenty thirteen, maybe
it's been a minute. And to go back to back years,
and you're also opening new markets.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
It's not like we're going to.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Mexico City where we've gone where the NFL goes for
years on years. So we're going to Germany, where the
NFL has already kind of planted this flag. Like we're
taking the flag there and planting it for the NFL. Right,
we planted it in Ireland, we planned it. Now we're
going to plan it in France.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
There's a different atmosphere in fanetic country because it hasn't
been done before, which is a really cool aspect of it. Well,
the ambassador and the you know, the flag football that
he had, he that he started in the backyard of
the Ambassador's residence in beautiful Locks, Dublin. Yeah, I mean, hey,
we got a great launch and this is it's so
like a football field. Let's put a field in there. Man,
(20:07):
come on, come on, Dublin, Come on, Ireland, let's get
let's get up to speed. By the way, I think
you might, I know, but I don't have any insight.
But my guess is that you're gonna be able to
put that Spanish to good use at some point on
a on a Steeler trip. Oh, I think so that'd
be a guess on my part. I mean, you know,
I think there aren't they working on a stadium down there.
They finished it because they finished because it was for
(20:28):
a World Cup. So the stadium's done now. But the
Cardinals are going down to play this year. Okay.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
And because we went to France, I think we would
have been in Mexico City had we not gotten the
France card So I think next year would be our
Mexico City trip.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
We don't know that, but we're just guessing. So you
have an extra home game. Just saying the quarterback position
is going to be a huge topic of conversation. You're
gonna hear from Will Howard. We're gonna tell you what
Mike McCarthy said about the quarterback position as well as
we dive a little less travel and a little more
football when we continue here in the locker room on
(21:02):
the Steer's Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
This is live coverage of twenty twenty six Steelers Training
Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
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(21:26):
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Speaker 2 (21:51):
And welcome back in the locker room here the Sere's
audio network from Saint Vincent College in the Trove. Another
beautiful day. Football practice has come and gone already, the
team practicing without helmets today and so they will start
to get the pads on to do some hitting. A
momentous date tomorrow, I think that is tomorrow when that starts.
And then tomorrow also the Students Hall of Honor will
(22:16):
this year's class will be introduced. So that's gonna be exciting.
Lots of fun stuff happening up here tomorrow, but a
lot of stuff happening in this offseason. Kind of getting
you caught up is we're gonna, you know, then be
in locked lockstep with what's going on on the field
and during the practices. But there's just so much happening,
and of course everybody knows, you know, Mike McCarthy comes
in and he's got that reputation of developing young quarterbacks.
(22:39):
He had one that he inherited and Will Howard he
has another one, and Drew Aller who the pirates are
the this Tod's selected with a draft choice this year.
So you got two young quarterbacks trying to develop them.
You know, can you do both? That's been a big question.
How do you play these guys? You know, Will Howard
hasn't played in a while since the National Championship game.
(23:01):
Mike McCarthy was asked about that this morning. What can
you do? You move on and you go. So the
quarterbacks and is there an air apparent to Aaron Rodgers
is going to be a massive story in the preseason.
It's probably going to peak during the preseason because if
all things go well, you're not going to see a
whole lot of either one of these guys during the
(23:22):
regular season. So but let's hear from one of those
guys now, and that is Will Howard talking about his
experience thus far.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
I's going to portfolio pretty good, you know.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Day two.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
We're just you know, taking it day by day, trying
to get better every day and maximize all the reps
that I get.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
What's the competition been.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Like between you guys and the like. Mcarthy's really stressed. Stop.
You've got to make sure you get the started ready.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
To get it again.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Aaron ready, how much between the rest of you guys,
what's the competition been like and how you guys are
making each other.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Day to it.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
I mean, I don't think it's any different than any
other year. You know, you're always competing, and especially in
this league. You know, you're always competing to to keep
a job and to to get on the field, and uh,
you know, every opportunity you get you got to maximize
and uh, you know, I think at the end of
the day, it's you know, we have a great room,
and we we enjoy spending time together and and uh,
you know, it's not a toxic competition or anything.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
You know, it's it's it's.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
All out of love and we're all trying to make
the Pittsburgh Steelers better and make each other better. And
I think at the end of the day, that's that's
what competition brings out of you, is is it brings.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Out the best keep letting up from you.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Yeah, No, he's I mean, we'll talk about one of
the best two minute quarterbacks, uh, to ever play the game.
You know, just watching the way he operates and uh
and uh, you know the things he does at the
line of scrimmage and and also you know the the
things he.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Does in the huddle.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
You know, I can I can always take some take
some notes from that and always trying to learn from
that guy.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
And how do you assess.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
I mean, obviously didn't finish well before thing?
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Yeah, who you feel that play? Uh?
Speaker 4 (24:56):
The guy picked it off over the middle of the field.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Well as a quarterback, I mean when we heard Mike
talk today about his six pillars of Steelers football, how
much does that have to resonate with you? And how
much do you have to unpape guys and up when
you're running too?
Speaker 5 (25:11):
Yeah, I mean, you know, being a you know, in
the in the quarterback position, you're kind of thrust into
that leadership role.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
You have to be a leader.
Speaker 5 (25:19):
And you know, obviously trying to follow suit with Aaron
and and keep everything the same that the coach McCarthy's saying.
You know, I really love what he's brought and and
love the culture that he's trying to instill in us.
He's really trying to take you know, the blue collar
the grit of the city of Pittsburgh and kind of
instilling that into this team and and you know, the
six pillars all reflect that, and I think just every
day trying to embody that as a as a person
(25:42):
and as a team, and trying to you know, bring
guys along, you know, I think is really important being
a surprised MS from Yeah, no, absolutely, I mean just
sitting in meetings with him, and you know, with Tom
and and Ange and Aaron obviously now you can pick
up something at least every single day, and you know,
(26:03):
I'm just trying to, you know, pick one little thing
up every day, get better every single day, and and
learn as much as I can, because that's this is
a big you know, I know I haven't I haven't
played yet in the NFL, and I still have a
lot to learn, you know, I was obviously I have
you know, one year under my belt, but you know,
I'm just trying to pick up every little thing that
I can.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
You know what with this offense, how do you feel
that it hits your skill set?
Speaker 5 (26:25):
I think it fits it really well. Honestly, it it
kind of reminds me, you know, of of the system
I ran at Ohio State.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
It really does.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
And you know, just the attention to detail and the
footwork and the reads progressions, the different kinds of progressions
and and plays. You know, like when I got to
Ohio State, like coach Day harped on every little thing,
and then you know, getting here last year was you
know a little different, but you know it was still
very detail oriented. But but Mike is you know, even
more like he is to to the you know, the
(26:55):
step and to the you know, he has names for
every step in the drop like it's super detailed. I
just think it fits my play style and it it
really enhances my ability to play from the pocket, you
know better.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
How much you any distigation to get that game action
the first game at Bilt.
Speaker 5 (27:12):
I mean, you know, us football players, it's like you
can you can practice as much as you want and
and practice is huge, and practice is you know, where
the work is done. But you know the real reward
and you know, talks about we play for free on Sundays.
That's that's the fun part, you know. And you know,
for me, I haven't played in a in a real
football game since the National Championship. So you know, I'm
just you know, god willing staying healthy and and getting
(27:35):
myself ready for those preseason games. Because I just can't
wait to get back out there with the live bullets
and and uh, you know, just step into the fire again,
because that's that's why we play this game.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Do you have a moment in a meeting that Champas
played a moment play?
Speaker 4 (27:49):
You know, yeah, yeah, I mean that's a good question.
You know.
Speaker 5 (27:55):
I think it's really cool when especially like when we
come off of you know, we did this last year too,
you know, coming off of a break or coming off
of you know, the off season. Just sitting back and
talking about what we did in the off season and like, hey,
what was your what was your highlight of the off
season and sharing that stuff, and you know, just hearing
hearing about each other's lives outside of football. You know,
I think that just brings us closer together. And you know,
(28:17):
even hearing like Ange and Tom and what they were
doing over the off season, and you know, it just
it just brings a human element into it a lot,
and we have a lot of fun and it's it's
been a good time.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
So uh look, you know, we know that competition. We've
talked about this a lot over the last couple of
days and trying to get other guys better and having
a good attitude about it is good. And just to
hear right off the top of that Will Howard sink
it's not a toxic competition. It's really really important for
a team.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
I mean, I think when you hear that, that's almost
the best thing that you could wish for in a
competitive environment. It's not toxic, right, And what you probably
ask yourself, what do toxic look like in a room
if there's a competition with holding information, not talking, having
side conversations, not being with the group, or being very
(29:12):
tight lipped on information and not being able to have
open dialogue.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Especially when you hear who's in that room.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
I mean, let's just digest that all the names that
he named in there, right, Coach McCarthy's in there, Angelico's
in there, Arth is in there.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
And then it's the fore court. It's seven people in
a quarterback room.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Yeah, right, So the amount of football knowledge that's being
disseminated in that space. And let's not discount what Mason
Rudolph has gone through, right, a guy who's we can
call a journeyman because he's been to more than one
place and he came back and he's won games for
you he's been to the playoffs. Like Aaron's not the
(29:50):
only one that's had that type of experience. He's had
the most success at that experience. But that's a lot
for two young guys essentially starting at square one, and like, well,
Howard was here for a year, but he wasn't an
active participant, and you know, you have him and Aller
looking at these guys, there's a lot to glean And
like you said, as long as I can learn one
(30:11):
little thing better, I could take one thing away from
the day better, it's gonna make me a better player.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
And I think that's the cool thing about it. And
they're open with the conversation. They're open with dialogue. You know,
they even talk about how you know, McCarthy and Aaron
go at each other like an old married couple, right,
because they've got thirteen years of experience together, right.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
So that's something that's really cool to see and you
can see you can project yourself in the future on
how things can go. But I think having all of
that just makes for a better environment for all parties.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
And by the way, you know, Mason Rudolph I think
has gotten big time kudos for being a great teammate.
So not only is he a valuable guy that can
come in and give you an opportunity to win games,
but the kind of guy that'll you know, there are
certain guys who you know can bust on the star player. Yeah,
(31:03):
and most guys can't, and most guys wouldn't dare And
some guys can occasionally do it and pull it off.
Some guys can do it in a bad way, and
then it's like, uh, next thing, you know, you're at
being told to clear out your locker. Other guys can
do it in away. Other guys could do it in
a way that brings everybody together. I don't know how
(31:25):
much Mason does of that, but I do know that
I've just heard he's a really really good teammate and
and keeps everybody in a good headspace. I guess that's
probably the Maybe that's the term that would you know,
without really knowing the ins and outs of what that means,
but keeps you in a good headspace, things loose, right, yeah, yeah,
intense environment.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
You know, he's the guy that's kind of like the mediator,
the go between, right, because he's gonna be eyes and
ears for Aaron from the sidelines, and then he's also
the guy that can disseminate the information to the young guys, right,
you know, because you always say backup quarterbacks to clipboard guy,
right right, you know. And he's the one that's keeping
track of things well, he can relay that information. Plus
he also is going to be talking to the coaches.
(32:06):
He's gonna be right next to the coaches.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
So I think he's a good middleman because he has
that working knowledge, he has experience, but he also knows
what his role is. He's not trying to usurp the
king right right, you know, he's there. He's like, Hey,
I'm good with being in the in the role that
you define for me. I'm really good at that. Another
guy I think was excellent at that during his time
Charlie Batch. Yes, yep, I was thinking of the same thing,
(32:29):
same exact type of deal.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
I'm he's not trying to take Ben's job, but he's
also trying to make job Ben's job easier, right, And
he's the one that if things go awry, you know,
you're not going to want to necessarily talk to a
coach if he hasn't played. I want to talk to
the player that also sees it, but he still can
act like a coach. And that's what Charlie was for
Ben for so many years, and I think that's what
you kind of see developing with Mason. Regardless of whoever
(32:52):
is coming in here. Mason's always kind of been that
number two, that's been the guy who can be the
translator for everybody, right.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
And Charlie of course came up with this starting the
experience with the Lions, and you knew that if you
put him in there, he was going to give you
a chance to win. Which gets me to I think
the topic that everyone's thinking, Well, there's two topics everyone
are everyone's really thinking about as far as this quarterback
position to backup quarterback position. We know who the number
one is and we're gonna get both to both of
(33:19):
those questions while we continue in the locker room here
on this hit, there's audio network.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
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Camp on the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
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(33:46):
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(34:09):
build it.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
So welcome back inside the locker room here at Saint
Vincent College where we're watching the mower working on field
number two. It's very quiet out here now, but the
weather here has been spectacular for the first three days,
remained spectacular today. So we're talking about you just heard
from Will Howard in the last segment, and we've been
talking about, you know, the quarterback position. And again, Mike McCarthy, assay,
(34:40):
are you worried that Will Howard hasn't played since the
Ohio State championship game in a real game. Well, what
do you what do you do about nothing? There's nothing
you can do about that. And you know, Mike McCarthy,
we went through this yesterday about his background as a
quarterback coach, then an offensive coordinator, and then of course
the head coach. You know, he calls it going to
quarterback school. By the way, one of the questions I'm
(35:01):
gonna have to ask him at some point, do you
ever graduate from quarterbacks school? Are you? Are you perpetually
a student in quarterbacks school?
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Apparently twenty one years and Aaron Rodgers is still still
a student, So there is There is no ascension level.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
It's just when you retire, you just stop doing it.
He's he's a he's a very very very good student.
He's probably in the front of the class emeritus. He's
probably a TA. Yeah, he's maybe he's a TA. That's
a good call. Maybe he's a TA. Yeah. So I
think there are two things about this quarterback uh situation.
Actually several things I said too, but that you know,
(35:36):
more of cropped up into my mind as we went
to commercial break. The first thing I want to ask
is just simply, we talked about roster construction yesterday and
went through the roster yesterday. I don't like doing it
quite this early, but you know, because he broke a
story for us a couple of days ago, club reporter
(35:57):
Schaefer King wanted me to go over this steerer's roster
breakdown and what I thought. So I walking the dog
and I got back last So I thinking, okay, let's
go through the fifty three. What is it going to
look like. And you know, we talked about this yesterday,
I think to me, and we'll see two of the
biggest places on the roster where you know, if everybody
stays healthy, we knock on wood again, big people which
(36:21):
are in high demand in the sport. Yeah, good, big
people are going to either you are going to try
to sneak him throw on waivers, or they're just going
to have to be released. I just don't see how
you can keep if everybody stays healthy, the number of
quality big guys they have, can they keep four quarterback?
I just can't see how they can do it. Max,
I don't either. I mean, the reason why they were
(36:43):
able to kind of sneak well Howard throws because they
were able to irm right, That's how you're able to
keep him, because I think if he wasn't injured, you
had to make a decision and you might have lost
him potentially if you put him out there in free agency.
Injuries Really the only way I see that you can
keep four. There's no other way on an active roster,
(37:05):
especially when you talked about it, the largest concentration of
your team for like spots O line, D line, so
the most amount of bodies. Literally you'll have nine offensive
linemen and at least seven to eight defensive linemen that
you're going to keep. Well, that's seventeen guys out of
your fifty three gone, right, and then now we still
(37:27):
haven't gotten into your receivers, your tight ends, your linebackers
inside outside right, your dbs. You need to keep a
lot of dbs too on that roster.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
I'd say dB or defensive backfield and defensive line for
the DEFENSI side is the largest chunk those two groups
right there. Then linebacker kind of fills in in the
middle because you're looking at too deep. But it's two
different specialties, right you're keeping in that group. So it's
a lot of bodies for the big boys. That then
gets asserted. I mean you're taking about a third of
(38:00):
your roster alone in just that little over a third
if ross's just O line and D line, because of
how many positions they take up on a field.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
Again, I just look at their too deep on the
offensive line and think, you know, even if somebody really
impresses in camp, Like, for example, Stephen Jones is back
in camp this year, and he was a guy early
on last year was getting a lot of buzz, kind
of like Dylan Cook had the year before. Hey, this
guy's this guy's got something into and then third preseason
then there was just a fade because these guys, you know,
(38:30):
it's a different environment that then than they're used to,
or whatever the reason may be. But he's a really
intriguing guy. He's back in camp this year now and
then strong too.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
I mean, he was a guy that you would consider
any other circumstance, any other team. He's definitely considered on
your top eight to any other situation.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
You're happy to have him as your ninth guy. Yeah,
you're like, oh crap, okay, Yeah, I would love to
have this guy. He's a good locker room guy. He's strong,
he's physical at that guard, he's smart. But you're weighing
up against draft picks, right, you're winning these veterans you
brought in.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
You also have an ongoing battle for two starting positions.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
On this offensive line, which we can get to next hour. Yes,
because there was more on that yes morning too.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Where do you fit in in that and you're the
odd man out because now we're you usually a top nine,
you're a top twelve guy on this team particularly YEP.
So it's a tough place to meet. Like I said,
we're gonna lose quality guys that are going to go
on to start contribute and play for other teams. Rosers
that we're seeing out here.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
Of the ninety, I.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
Would venture to say we have at least ten to
eleven guys who are going to go elsewhere and play.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
Yeah, we're gonna have to lose. So and again, just
to reiterate, because we talked about this, and we're gonna
talk more about the offensive line on so I don't
want to get too far into the week because I
want to wrap up the quarterback thing. But we talked
about this yesterday. Why are we harping on this. Why
do we care about that twelveth offensive lineman. Well, look
who's competing for a starting right tackle spot this year
in camp? Dylan Cook. He was not among the nine,
(40:00):
he was among the twelve a year ago. He did
not make your roster last year, and now they're talking
about him starting at right tackle this year. So that's
why we look at these things with a great deal
of importance. So I agree with you. I can't see
him caring for Okay, So now comes the next question.
(40:21):
Aaron Rodgers, of course, is a lock.
Speaker 4 (40:24):
To me.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
You've got a team that you're hoping is going to
make the playoffs and make some noise when they get there. Correct.
So let's say Aaron misses a game. He remember he
missed the Bears game last year, misses a game or
two forty two years old, six starting quarterbacks have started
a game at that age in NFL history, seventeen straight. Right,
(40:47):
So if heaven forbid, there's a serious issue that keeps
him out for any length of time. You can say
that with most teams and most quarterbacks, you're done. Season's over. Right.
We look at the Bengals. You lose Joe Burrow, your
season's over, and you had to trade for Joe Flacco.
That's how bad it was. Your season's done, you're finished,
(41:08):
it's over. You lose him for eight or nine, you're
not making the playoffs. That's just the way it is
with most teams. Boy, there's that middle ground where if
you're missing somebody for three or four games, don't you
want a veteran that can come in that started in
the league, that understands what needs to be done taking
(41:29):
your team to the playoffs before and we literally done
it on his resume. We saw Mason Rudolph last year
in Chicago, you know, with the Bears team that has
it turned out was an awfully good Bears team. Give
him every opportunity to win that game. Did they win
the game? No, on the road, they didn't win the game,
but boy, he sure gave him an excellent chance of
winning that game. You know, I think as you look
(41:50):
at the roster right now, you have Will Howard who
hasn't played a game since the National Championship Game two
years ago, Right two years ago. You have Drew Aller,
who's a rookie who they're trying to rebuild from the
ground up. That's what they've talked about doing. And it
was injured last year, right injured last year. So you're
thinking of a bit of a project there. Well, you're
a team going back to the original premise built to
(42:13):
try to have success in the playoffs. Do you need that?
Do you need not choose to need Mason Rudolph in
case that happens, In case somebody misses three or four games,
and I say yes, Aaron, I say yes right now.
As it stands right now, we.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
Haven't played any preseason I understood, So I haven't seen
a single professional throw from Will Howard or Drew Aller
to give me any confidence yet.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
But as it stands right now, you have.
Speaker 3 (42:40):
To keep Will Howard, I mean, I'm sorry, you have
to keep Mason Rudolph right and you got to see
what the potential is of the two for what.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
Future expectations could because like you said, this is more.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Of a win now mode. You don't go Michael Pittman
Junior and Rico o'dowdele, you know, to help bolster Aaron
Rodgers if you don't plan on wanting to win now, right,
you know. Mike Pursua put this question out here on
our show the first day. All the Steelers had to
do from a year ago now this year is answer
the question, how do we get thirteen minutes better? Because
(43:13):
you were still in the game against Houston and the
playoffs a year ago until the last thirteen minutes of
that fourth.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Quarter, it is hard for people to remember that, Yeah,
how quickly and badly it unraveled and it was quick
fastening in a hurry. That game was a tight game,
yep y set for the long and.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
Working into it, and you just needed the last thirteen
minutes of a sixty minute game to go differently. And
you're in the second round. So that's all they're looking
for is thirteen minutes better.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
And it's an interesting way of putting it, right. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
So that's why I say a Mason Rudolph is a
necessity for that as it stands right now, until I
see some fantastic things done in the preseason, I feel
like Mason Rudolph has to be your number two.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
So that is the now, and I agree with you,
that's the now. Now, let's take a step back and
gaze into the middle distance. We're not gonna eat it.
You can never gaze into the future in the NFL. Well, well,
if you're the Browns, that's all you do. You have
to can we trade four years in the future draft picks?
So I think that you're looking at two guys, So
(44:25):
what what is what is the evaluate First of all,
both those guys are going to be evaluated. What's the
evaluation process? If Mason Rudolph right now, from this vantage
point is a lot to make the team for the
reasons we mentioned really good, really good guy in the clubhouse,
really good teammate, and a and a good quarterback that
can help you, like Charlie Batch, you know, get you
(44:47):
two and two with Ben's out for four games. Right.
You know, Charlie was never put in a position where
he had to start ten or twelve games for this Steelers, right,
So we don't know how that would have gone. But
we do know that again, when teams lose starting quarterbacks,
it's usually not for the season. It's usually not a
good thing. So you have Mason Rudolph as a as
a true necessity in one possible scenario. Yeah. By the way,
(45:12):
it reminds me of The Terminator, one of my all
time favorite movies. One possible future. That's one possible future.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
Or if you're younger like me, you go to the
you go to Marvel and you go to Avenger's Infinity
War and you have doctor Strange looking at Tony Starkins
saying there's just one.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Way, Yes, that's why. But in this one there's many ways.
There's many ways. So thank you for reminding me how
much younger you are. Very nice you so I do
love the terminator anyway. So if you're looking into that
middle distance, look at this roster you've built. Look at
this solid roster with two tight ends under contract, nine
(45:53):
to ten offensive linemen you feel good about, many of
whom are under club control. Beyond this, just traded for
Michael Pittman and drafted Jeremy Bernard, thus solidifying your wide
receiver position. So if you just look at it from
the offense perspective, you have Dabble, and you have Warren,
and then you have you know you're gonna fill out
the rest of the running back class. This is a
(46:15):
tremendous situation in which to drop a quarterback. Okay, so
let's just extend this further out. You'd like it to
be either Will Howard or Drew Aller. Yeah, that would
be the ideal scenario because the other scenario is you
gotta trade up to get somebody. Okay, So there goes
this year's coming you twenty twenty sevens, first, twenty twenty
(46:36):
eighths first, probably probably a second round. If the Steelers
finished where we think they're gonna finish, probably a second
round pick, maybe even a player. Thus saying, okay, we're
looking in the middle distance. But this group, that look
that we're talking about now, you know things age quickly
in the NFL, that group better still be good two
years from now because you're not gonna have any other
way to add to that group, right, and then you
(46:59):
know that quarterback is gonna have to grow. So it's
a different if you could have if one of these
two guys can save you from having to go down
that road, that future road. Yeah, well you want to
look at both of those guys. So now we're back
to four quarterbacks again, back to four quarterbacks or you're
saying somebody's on the trade block, and then how do
(47:22):
you ascertain which of those young quarterbacks? If possible, would
you like to look at them for a longer period
of time? Yeah, is one of them? Do you feel
like one of them could be that guy that goes
two and two in a four game stretch for you?
There's just so projecting in this presess it is. It
is just you know, it's a big question. It's bigger.
(47:42):
This year is bigger, and I would say far bigger
than your normal who's going to be the backup quarterback?
Do we have a developmental quarterback? Because there's just so
much more at play, so we're gonna continue to dive
into this. We're also gonna talk a little bit about
the offensive line. We are overdue for break, so let's
take one. Now you are in the locker room with
Max Starks and Rob King. We are coming to you
(48:04):
on this ste there's Audio Network
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