HR1: Live from Training Camp 2026 Day 8

Ed Troup in for Rob as he and Max discuss practice and the latest from Latrobe.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:50):
Back here at Saint Vincent College in Latroe, Pennsylvania. Day
eight coverage of Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp twenty twenty six
right here on Steelers Nation Radio and the Dealers Audio Network.
I am Ed Troup. We are in the locker room,
but I am not Rob King. You know that voice,
and that's not me, But next to me, I'm summing
in today, by the way, for Rob who has the

(01:10):
Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon against the Milwaukee Brewers. But Max
Stark's in the locker room and Ma's first time working
with you. Man, I'm pumped to be beside you here
and get your thoughts on training camp so.

Speaker 3 (01:22):
Far, looking forward to it, Ed, I mean, this is always,
you know, a fun time when we get to kind
of change up the line up a little bit and
we get to work with our other colleagues across the
different shows. So this this is fun. It's kind of
like a mashup show, you know, we kind of get
a nice little mix here. So now looking forward to
hanging out with you for the next two hours, and
we have live practice to watch. Because no more acclamation,

(01:45):
no more ramp up, no other cliche phrase that lets
you know that they're not allowed to do full things.
We are at full fledged practice. That's why this practice
started at eleven and we'll go to about one fourteen
seventy somewhere in that range. So it's a good day.
It's a good day.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
It has been a good day here from Latrobe. A
lot of different storylines unfolding. We have the initial death
chart out Max that came out late last night beginning
of today, and again you're gonna take with that with
what you will it's something that's required by the NFL
that the Steelers have to do, as Aaron Rodgers across
the middle to Pat Friarmuth in this sequence that we're
seeing with eleven on eleven drills. But the initial death

(02:24):
chart is out there, required by the NFL, required by
the Steelers. But you know, Bob Labriola Labs was on
early this morning with Tom Auferman to kick off our
coverage here today, and he brought up a good point.
You know, when you look at that DK metcalf is
wide receiver number one, no doubt about that. But then
Ben Scronick is listed right behind him on that chart.
And no disrespect this Scronic. I mean, he's great player,

(02:45):
but if DK would go down in the game, Scronic's
probably not your number two that's coming in for him.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
No, he's not. And Jeremy Bernard listed behind Michael Pitt.
I think you're gonna see it a lot of different
amalgamates once get you know, And I said, I said
this on training Camp live on on the Steelers dot
Com show. I said, this is just a template right right,
like you go online the Microsoft word hey click, A
template like this is starting a roster day one template.

(03:11):
Everything can be moved around, everything can be edited. In fact,
we got a we also have a signing today, right,
so we've already seen how the moving parts work with
the team. But you're right, you gotta throw guys somewhere.
And I mean when you look at the list, Am
I putting Ben Skearnic at Perry? Who else is behind him? Uh? Yeah,

(03:33):
Levi Wentz or Jacoby Keeney James who just came here
two days ago. Well I'm picking Vin Scaronic out of
out of that style of guys, right, yes, and you know,
and we'll get to the rest of the lineup and everything,
But yeah, you gotta put them somewhere. But I mean, listen,
Skoronic had in the first touchdown last year. So Ray
Jackson happens.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
He's gotten a lot of work out here at Camp
two from Aaron Rodgers, as has Roman Wilson.

Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
Roman Wilson has been a popular target for Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 3 (04:00):
In this camp, a lot of opportunities, and.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
He's on the deaf chart. He's above Jeremy Bernard, but
I think it's more Jeremy Bernard. He's a rookie in
a crowded wide receiver room. He just hasn't had the
reps yet, but I'm sure that'll start to ramp up
as we go throughout this camp.

Speaker 3 (04:14):
And I think that's the thing that you also have
to remember, right rookies, you're never gonna get in a
right okay, And I've said this across every platform everybody
talked to. The best a rookie can hope for is
a B plus plus because you're not gonna get an
A as a rookie, not this early. Like you gotta
you gotta go put some NFL reps under the proverbial belt, right.

(04:36):
I need you, I need you to need you put
a couple of feathers in the cat before we start
doling out the top of the alphabet. But for what
we've seen so far, Jeremy Bernard is a guy. He's
a guy that's gotten opportunities from Mason Rudolph, Drew Aller
and Will Howard. They've all looked to him, given him opportunities.
And when he has jumped in a few handful of

(04:58):
times with Aaron Rodgers, he's got a couple passes throw
in his way. But you're right, Roman Wilson has been
that number one third option because we know Michael Pittman,
we know Dk metcalf are one and two. But who's
gonna be number three? Right slot slash come in at
x or Z and be that filling guy. That's what
we're really working on. But this is a template. And

(05:18):
right there as we talk about it, Jared O you
I know, runs a shallow drag and turns it up
the sideline. And he's a big body too. You you
don't necessarily put that body type at slot, you know,
like that's an outside receiver. That's an ISO one on
one man coverage fifty to fifty ball receiver. But he
but but Mike McCarthy said, this's got to be a

(05:40):
play all positions.

Speaker 2 (05:40):
That's it.

Speaker 3 (05:42):
I might need you in the slot. Can you get hey?
Can you give me bond? Can you give me the
lefty right? Can you give me a wild thing, like,
give me something a little bit different that we're not
used to. So you have to be able to play everything.
But right there you have nice pitch and catch And
that was from Will Howard.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
That's it, Will Howard.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (05:57):
And now we see Drew All getting getting to work
in and there's another guy that hasn't had as many
reps as Will Howard, Mason, Rudolf and Aaron Rodgers has,
so when he's in there, he has to take advantage.
He goes to uegion another rookie, another rookie. It's the
rookie and that's one thing to Max store in this
camp that we've seen a weeknd from Mike McCarthy. He
has not been shy about this rookie class. They are
getting lots of reps and lots of work so far,

(06:20):
and some are shining, others maybe not as many reps
is as the ones in that upper class that we
were just talking about with Bernard and of course Maxi
Onchor which I'm axes just to get your feedback on.
He's the most popular Pittsburgh Steeler at this camp right now.

Speaker 3 (06:31):
Especially that's right, great name and just having to be
drafted in the first round, so it's like two perfect things.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
But Starks is a lot easier to say than.

Speaker 3 (06:41):
Correct, especially when you look at it and you didn't
know how to say it at first. That's right, Yeah,
I I I I in core like chorus knows not
so yeah, you're absolutely right. But I think that's one
of the things that you love about this is that
you have guys who fill a multitude of roles. And look, oh, Kateen,

(07:03):
we just got a throw attempted at Oh wait a second,
we gotta we gotta camp fight, Yes, finally gotta fight
fisticuffs a little not not quite bench clearing. But I
love when a good scrape up.

Speaker 2 (07:15):
You said, this isn't a physical camp, Max, right, exactly.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
I mean, listen, it's it's a collision sport. So you know,
this is the collision attitude and feelings. I think that
was Ryan McCollum in the middle of the dust up. Uh,
And I couldn't see who the defensive guy was, but
I'm sure. Oh look Derek Harmon. Well it was not
harmonious there between Harmon and mc collumn. But yeah, you

(07:39):
know you need, yeah, you need a little bit of that,
you know, listen, just a little injection, you know, of
some emotion. Not that there's not plenty of testosterone to
go around down on the football field at any given moment,
but sometimes you like to see the physical application of
said frustration.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
It seems. And you know, I was, I was an
old offensive lineman, not to your level, Max, but I
could speak a little O line with you. But as
an offensive line, you're it's usually in the trenches where
you see those camp fights happening with an offensive lineman
maybe holding up that block a little bit longer than
maybe they should, or a defensive line and maybe pushing
them back, and except.

Speaker 3 (08:17):
I would say more so on their side, right that
the tug a little extra like little move at the
end when the whistles, and you're just like, you didn't
need to You didn't need to tug me there, didn't
didn't need to do it. I mean, heck, I mean
I can't tell you you know, I've broken my prominent
middle finger on my right hand because of O line,
D line.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (08:36):
You know relations out there, DK Metcalf nice nice little
route up the seam there, Aaron through that one, but
nice seam route. I mean, the relationship that DK and
Aaron has built has carried over from last year this
year and only deepening now this year. You can see
they're getting on the same page and they understand each

(08:58):
other's strengths and and to release the football because Aaron
likes nice timing routes, right like, once I get the
break that I'm looking for, you give me the cue
to break the inside outside boom balls in the air,
and then now it's for you to locate it and
just know it's gonna where it's supposed to be, so
you don't have to look around. Crazy. But they're developing
a nice relationship. Like you said, he's building his encyclopedia

(09:20):
on Roman Wilson getting a lot of opportunities, and also
Michael Pittman like it's almost like he picks and chooses
his segments where he wants to really go after certain guys.
Another throw there to Rome Wilson, a little bit of
an overthrow. Nice coverage there defensively by Denico Slaughter, Ye
in coverage Roman and the kind of got twisted at

(09:41):
the top of the route brisker of course in coverage
is a deep safety, but wasn't a great read by Roman.
Roman kind of broke it to the inside and kind
of got stuck in the mud trying to come back out,
trying to run a double move on on Slaughter. But
that's the thing. You're you're testing each other out. Hey,
how fast are you recognition wise? How do you get
off of things? How do you get the breaks right

(10:02):
at the beginning Aaron's taking in all this information as well,
so that he knows when he goes into games, I know,
depending on whatever it is. Here's where I'm looking first.
I want to be able to make a quick decision.
Get the ball up because miche Car's talking about two
point three seconds. Two point three seconds not allowed speed dating,
Yeah it is, it is, And you might not even
get a birth date out in that time, you know.
But I need to know your birth date ahead of time.

(10:24):
So that's why we have practice out here. Another another
mistime read that was Jeremy Bernard this time. So, like
I said, we just saw two guys fighting for that
number three spot. Each guy just got an equal shot
and both guys kind of went the wrong way or
Aaron overthrew it for whatever reasons based on the coverageman.
Who's just getting the ball out. But this is what
camp's all about. This's about figuring out how it is.
And like you said, to go back to this depth

(10:46):
chart template not commandments. And when I say stone, yes,
is not in stone. It is not written. It didn't
come down from the mount. You know. This is just
the starting point because we still have three preseason games
to really flesh out how this is really going to
show itself. So this is just an initial I gotta

(11:07):
do it what I talked about all over the years.
Mike tomins like, I'd rather not do it, but here's
something for you guys. I'm just gonna put them together
and throw it out there. But I think Mike McCarthy
probably was a little bit more intentful than Mike Tomlin
was in this. But it's also there's no surprises.

Speaker 2 (11:21):
On here for someone that's been on the air since
ten thirty this morning. We welcome it because it gives
us something to talk about.

Speaker 3 (11:27):
Max, Yeah, it does.

Speaker 2 (11:28):
It does a deep shot by Mason Rudolph, but there
was a procedure call up front. The officials are out
here as they have been every single practice.

Speaker 3 (11:35):
I really don't appreciate it. Called it on somebody on
our side.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
It's on the offensive side. Max. You know, you mentioned
DK Metcalf too, and you know we were talking camp
standouts earlier on our shows and maxi Onior being at
the top of that list. But DK, Brian Becko on
our show mentioned DK, and you just did as well.
The superstar playmakers in the NFL at training camp, maybe
not as many reps as they as other players would

(12:02):
get and maybe not needed, right, they don't need them.
But DK up here in this camp one weekend. I
don't know about you, but man, I feel like DK
is getting a big workload. And maybe that's the timing
that you spoke of with Aaron Rodgers. Not that it
was bad last season, it was their first year together.
You got a veteran quarterback, future Hall of Famer in
Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf. They got to be on
the same page. And boy they have They been on

(12:23):
the same page here at camp so far.

Speaker 3 (12:24):
They've been on the same page. And also think about this,
Aaron Rodgers has not gotten off day yet, No, none,
we have been up here this entire time.

Speaker 2 (12:31):
Cam Hayward an off day today, but I think he's
the first VET that's had that.

Speaker 3 (12:34):
Yeah. TJ. Watt hasn't had an off day yet. No.
And you know, well, so there's not that many old
guys up there, so this roster would from really old
the year ago, it's getting young, so pretty young this time.
Ad obviously not like the youngest by any stretch. Yeah,
when you're talking about probably average age probably around twenty
seven to twenty eight years old, right, but last year
it was like thirty second it was. It was ancient.

(12:54):
So you know, Aaron hasn't gotten a break yet, TJ
hasn't gotten a break. Obviously, none of the offensive line
are going to get a break really because they're all young.
They're all young. I don't even think you know, and
you know, if we're going by toddler ages in years,
I think they're barely at the walking and eating solid
food face, you know, an offensive line. So you know,

(13:15):
I think that's kind of how you look at it
and say, Okay, there's a lot of work to be done,
and they get a lot of reps in, they get
a lie I know, they just bleue practice in and
if you guys heard that horn faintly in the background.
Practices officially ended today but started at eleven, ended at
one seventeen. So you're looking at a two hours you
know to what two hours in?

Speaker 2 (13:36):
Just about two hours and ten minutes closing in.

Speaker 3 (13:38):
I think, I see, yeah, seventeen minutes a little bit over,
but I think you get a plus or minus of
six what it is that you get to carry, That's
what it would be. And also the clock. Here's another
little trick to the trade. Here here, here's how the
sausage is made. That first early part of practice. When
they get down here, if the coaches aren't present, the
clock doesn't start.

Speaker 2 (13:57):
That's interesting.

Speaker 3 (13:58):
So if the coaches kind of me and a little
bit after eleven, they get down eleven oh four, that
clock doesn't start till all the coaches are on the field.
So all that individual work that you would do, that's
free house money there.

Speaker 2 (14:11):
So just just to go along with that, because we've
been here for our show. Right at the beginning of
practice every.

Speaker 3 (14:16):
Day it's not over. They're running it looks like they're
running a couple of last minute drills.

Speaker 2 (14:22):
Okay, well maybe the last three more minutes left on
the clock is then moments. Oh, this is what we've
been building up for.

Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, there we go. So yeah, so we've got Franco moment.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
We'll explain no, no, But you explained it because you
clarify when you came in. I said the max. I
said that the Franco moment that McCarthy spoke of in
his press conference, they quick change mojo moment, as he
referred to it. Yeah, surprise, I said, goal line drill.
But you you said, no, no, look Franco, it wasn't
at the goal line.

Speaker 3 (14:47):
You're right.

Speaker 2 (14:48):
This is situational football.

Speaker 3 (14:50):
Right, yeah, these are These are not hail Mary's but
gotta have it because you're not just throwing the deep
bomb to the end zone. These are plays where you're
in a situation what can you do to be creative
last second based off of what the drill is. So
right now we have Drew Aller taking the snaps here
in this drill in this moment, so not the number ones,

(15:12):
and this gotta have it moment was a run play
and that looked like who was that was? It was that?
Oh Travis Homer in with him, And so they're going
like almost like a two minute drill type of situation
right now on the board, and they're just gonna try
and matriculate as fast as they can down the field.
Up ball was out. Who was a potential receiver was.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
That Wentz product plan?

Speaker 3 (15:37):
First of all, why is a receiver wearing I think.

Speaker 2 (15:39):
I'm with you, man. Every time i've seen twenty eight,
I'm thinking it's a running back exactly.

Speaker 3 (15:43):
That's a running back number. But okay, you know it's
now a wide receiver number. Levi Wentz. Okay, so that's him.
It looks like we have Drew aller Odenwegien in the
slot as well. Yep. On that and leave wins.

Speaker 2 (16:01):
This is almost like your third fourth team.

Speaker 3 (16:04):
Yeah, these are the guys that are actually going to
be in in these moments in the preseason and fourth quarter.
So more realistic than you'd want to see. And that
was Jukuan Davis, right, yep, uh das Joaquin Davis like
Joaquin Phoenix the same way.

Speaker 2 (16:21):
And they got They had a minute thirty, so about
ninety seconds left on the clock when this started. Now
they're down to a minute three, so it looks like
they're stopping it. But the big clock off to the left, bax,
that might be our that's left in.

Speaker 3 (16:31):
The practice that's your practice clock.

Speaker 2 (16:33):
Okay, so that's three minutes. But the Steelers are no
rush here.

Speaker 3 (16:36):
So it might be oh and they're and oh they
got a procedural penalty. So they got a penalty. So
now they're backing up on this next week. They need
to get in.

Speaker 2 (16:44):
Quite I was going to say that they're under three
minutes left for the I think what's allowed. Mike McCarthy
with a chuckle. So obviously trying to set his offense
up here Max, but one oh three and they're going
to start that. Let's see from their own forty seven
this yard line we'll call it, and that is Drew
from Penn States. So well, just let's just walk you
through here. Let's see what Aler does with this two

(17:04):
minute offense and tries to find Wigion but too high.

Speaker 3 (17:07):
Yeah, tried to climb the staircase. Did not have it.
Carson Brunner in coverage on that one, and so once
again little zone coverage there by the defense kind of
disguising it. So you're not going, man, Kayden Wegien, we
know it's very slippery fast. I mean I had a
bunch of his Iowa games back back over the last
couple of years, and I'm talking about six house calls
between punts did and kickoff returns. That's why out here

(17:29):
a depth chart. That's why he's your number one.

Speaker 2 (17:31):
Part returner and kick returner.

Speaker 3 (17:33):
Yeah, he's on the kick return so that's why he's
your number one guy. But also you want to see
what he can do offensively, because if you're getting a hat,
you don't know what's gonna happen. Receiver goes down, you
gotta jump in. You have so you have to be
able to be multi position flexible.

Speaker 2 (17:47):
Next man up, Drew Aller here just under two minutes
left on the practice clock and the game clock that
stopped for this sequence of a real game event fifty
eight seconds and going Aller, nice pass off to the left,
but just a bit too low.

Speaker 3 (18:00):
For ruision and Weison was running across. And that was
old Darnell Savage, New Rashan Jackins twenty seven.

Speaker 2 (18:08):
Take a name and we got another one. Yeah, I
mean you know Israel Mukuamu.

Speaker 3 (18:12):
Yeah, Mcuamu comes in Vet. He was obviously a guy
that was with Mike McCarthy in Dallas. Drafted in the
sixth round there, I think in twenty one. Now now
you won't mistake him on the field. He's six four
to two fifteen wow, a defensive as a defensive backslash safety,
big nickel. He's pretty much a defensive secondary piece and
also a core four special guys UH special team's candidate

(18:35):
as well. But it's it's chock full and now practice
officially over that they called it a minute twenty six early,
so trying to bank some of that extra time that
you might need later in camp, because that's another thing
they can kind of bank time. Like I said, there's
a sliding scale about six minutes extra.

Speaker 2 (18:50):
And it's interesting when you said about the coaches coming down,
because I think I'm starting to go into and we
got distracted with what was going on the field. But
Travis Homer has been the first Steeler down every day
since we started last week with heat acclamations, the work,
the jugs machine in the right end zone. But he's
down here, including today, like twenty five minutes before anyone
else is down. So as you said, that doesn't count

(19:11):
towards their their clock for this practice because no coaches,
no coaches.

Speaker 3 (19:15):
Are down here, so it's extra credit, so to speak.
This is like going to study hall before class starts
and trying to get just a little extra work in
finish your homework from the night before. Maybe who knows,
And those moments matter, and these environments people are watching
even when or not just talk about you. Guys have
noticed it. You blogged him as the number one guy
down here that matters, and coaches talk and people talk personnel, guys,

(19:38):
we could stand up top and we can see the
field ahead of time. I mean, fans get in here,
you know, thirty forty five minutes before, so they could
jock for their position down there, you know, on the
hill or you know, whether you're in the bleachers in
front of us here in the press box. But all
those things matter. People see that and they resonate that,
and the work is the work got to put it.

(20:00):
And that's why guys stay after after practice to get
a little extra, you know, in their groups, or you
pull a guy from the opposite side to have a
quick little chit chat with him. Obviously, if you haven't
gotten into a fight with him, it's going to be
better to talk to that guy. You know. I don't
think Ryan mccollin's gonna go ask Derek Harmon for anything
after he not right raw, Yeah, yeah, yeah, we could
talk tomorrow. You know, maybe if we're in the lunch

(20:22):
line we can have a conversation, but it definitely won't
be on the field. But that's what that's what this
environment is. So now it's done, guys are taking pads off,
but you see everybody starting to separate into their little
groups and just do some extra work. Like right here,
we got Mason McCormick, Zach Frasier, Troy Fatanu, and Spencer
Anderson walking to have a little corner. Dylan mccor Dylan
Cook trailing behind McCollum, and uh, I can't tell because

(20:44):
once again, curled up numbers always makes that a fun
process to figure out. Looks like it might be a
Greg Crippen rookie from Michigan also meandering over there on
the sidelines. So you know, Broderick having a talk with
coach jar Evans, which anytime you get to talk with
a Hall of Fame caliber offensive lineman, that is always

(21:06):
a good thing to talk to. Now, Jarry was a guard,
but he's talking to talking about tackle stuff.

Speaker 2 (21:10):
So well, I'm going to continue to pick the brain
of an old offense. I'm not gonna say old, hold
on for a minute, hold on.

Speaker 3 (21:21):
Former, Now here's the thing. We used to do this
all the time. Ractice that extra work, right, hey, endurance,
because once again, we are the ironman. We are the
Marine Corps of this football. If we're going in the
military terms up front, and and we are expected to
play the entire time like there's no like, hey, we're
to call in support. Now. A year ago we would

(21:43):
have called it in Spencer Anderson's six offensive line to
run the footall that's a whole different story. But you
have to be able to run and you need the
requisite endurance that's necessary. Now, Zach Spence and Troy Tale
of the tape, they ran a true half gasser. The
rest of the offense line literally ran across two fields.

Speaker 2 (22:02):
They went all the way down.

Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, they went all the way straight. So that is uh,
that's about one hundred and one hundred and seventeen yards.
Yea one way across. I do like the change the
direction aspect of it, but listen long distance, however, you
can get the work. You get the work. I mean
we're running, we're moving. That's the most important thing. And
that's more Mason and that's Mason McCormick led and Max.

Speaker 2 (22:26):
This is this is the players volunteering this right, I
mean after practice.

Speaker 3 (22:30):
Nobody coaches them to do anything.

Speaker 2 (22:32):
This is the extra workers.

Speaker 3 (22:34):
This is the extra work that that's required. And like
I said, as an offensive line, and it started my
rookie year, Jeff Harding's Allen Fanica, you know, Marvel Smith,
Oliver Ross Keydrick, Vincent, Kendall, Simmons, Barrett Brooks, Chucky at Kobe, like,
those are the guys. I was a rookie with all
these veterans and I and you know, I definitely wasn't

(22:56):
maxianature where I had like a Jennings Duncan. I did
have a bow Lacey bow was. Bo was my buddy.
We were the two linemen that were drafted that year.
Bo was a sixth rounder. And then we brought in
a guy by the name of Josh Parrish and Drew Taylor,
where another two guys actually Drew was also drafted. So
three linemen. But but yeah, we were led by vets.

(23:17):
So Alan Fanica wanted to run half gassers and Jeff
Hardys wanted to red half gas. I guess what, we
all ran half gas. I'm not gonna do anything different.
This guy has Pro Bowls and All Pro honors and
the other guy is a first round draft pick and
Jeff Hardings that came over from Detroit, all Pro Bowl caliber,
all Pro caliber guys. I'm gonna follow them because obviously
they know what it takes to stay on a team.
So so yeah, so you followed them, and good to

(23:39):
see the leaders. Like I said, Zach Troy Mason and
McCollum all out there leading the charge on getting some
extra condition. It was anything basic. I mean we just
saw it two half gassers or one over and back
on the field at a good pace. But just something extra.
This has already been a too iro intimate in practice
as long as they've done so far. But get a
little bit extra, little bit extra.

Speaker 2 (24:01):
We'll take a quick break. When we come back, we'll
get more here in the locker room with Max Starks.
We're glad you could check out our continuing coverage of
Day number eight of Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp twenty twenty
six right here on Steelers Nation Radio in the Steelers
Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (24:17):
This is live coverage out the twenty twenty six Steelers
Training Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by pod Light,
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(24:41):
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Visit Remax Select Pittsburgh dot com, the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania.
Visit go Laurel Highlands dot com, the Steelers Pro Shop,
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(25:05):
draft House.

Speaker 2 (25:15):
Back here in Latroe, Saint Vincent College, Unity Township, beautiful
Westmoreland County, as we like to say, it's day eight
coverage of Pittsburgh Steelers training Camp twenty twenty six right
here on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.
We're in the locker room with Max Starks. I am
subbing in for Rob King. This is ED Troop along
with you here at SNR. We're with you up until

(25:35):
three o'clock when our good friend Wes Jeweler and Matt
Williamson will go with the drive to get you through
the rest here on day number eight, Max practice has
wrapped up here for the day and day number eight
we were talking earlier today about you know, Day one
was the first day in pads. It was a ramp
up period on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday a bit more
physical than what we saw on day one. We were

(25:58):
not here yesterday because the practice was not open to
the public. I would imagine Mike McCarthy in his soft game.
They did a mock game. Okay, there you.

Speaker 3 (26:05):
Go, that's what that is the official title of it,
but as a walk through practice and then yeah, because
he doesn't want to go three days in a row,
so he wants to go two quote unquote hard practices.
One day's a review kind of day. They kind of
take a breath and kind of do a cumulative review
of what we've learned thus far. So he likes to
do that just to make sure that the recall is

(26:26):
strong and that they're not really installing because they're throwing.
The entire playbook was open since day one, so now
there's a chance to kind of go back over things
at a slower pace, but get still a lot of reps.
I mean they had I think, I want to say,
I think the average was like seventy reps and they
have both fields going at the same time, so you're
getting one hundred and forty reps that so long we
would not get in a practice environment out here. But

(26:49):
like you said, you also don't want to show everybody
how the sausage is made from a day to day purpose.
And the fans got to see one of the mock
games but this is now more strategic, more high level
and getting ready for game preps. So you know, no
eyes here so in case you have some some Belichick
alumni an audience.

Speaker 2 (27:07):
So there's a rhyme and reasons. That's why that announcement's made.

Speaker 3 (27:10):
Do not yeah, don't show up on campus. You will
be turned away.

Speaker 2 (27:15):
Imagine that. So there's a rhyme and reason to coach
McCarthy for the Wednesday not open to the public. It's
a review day to get you ready for the rest
of the week. That makes sense. Today Thursday definitely a
bit more physical than we saw earlier in the week.
We didn't have the individual battles a little bit down
here with the offensive line and defensive line.

Speaker 3 (27:34):
I still did their O line, D line, and they
did some combination blocks in the run game today, which
was which was an addition. I guess because you have
more time, you can now start to integrate more of
the run game combination battles. And this is what Mike
McCarthy kind of talked about, what's the best one to
two punch combinations on the offensive line. Set of worrying
about who's that individual positions, it's what do the best

(27:56):
two and three man combinations look like. So this was
a first preview of the run gain side of that.
We'll obviously see some pass protection side of that come
later in camp, where you'll see double combos working twist
games against the defensive line. How do they communicate, how
do they bump off leveling so to speak, when a
guy makes the loop versus the guy that makes the penetration.

(28:17):
So there's so many different elements you have to watch,
and this is where it starts to get a little
bit more high level watching the offensive because I feel
like that's the only we and Rob and I talked
about this, that's only two true battles here in camp.
Everybody else you kind of know who's going to be
the starter, you kind of know who's going to be
in the rotation for wide receiver, you know, quarterback, running back,
and everything else. But there's two open jobs on the

(28:39):
right side that are available, right tackle and right guard.

Speaker 2 (28:42):
That's a good segue to this again with this initial
depth chart that came out, Spencer Anderson's you're starting right guard,
Dylan Cooks, you're starting right tackle. Now, that's pretty much
in line what we've seen so far here in camp.
Correct the number ones. They're the two on the right
side have lined up, Roger Jones listed as number two
tackle behind Troy Fontanu on the left side, Maxianachur, the

(29:03):
first round draft pick, on the right side behind Dylan Cook.

Speaker 3 (29:06):
So far, Yeah, so far, that's how it's looked. I think,
going into this first game, that's what you're probably gonna get.
I agree, and I think it's fair assessment, especially since
you know that Aaron's actually going to be playing in
these preseason games. That's already been been charted and talked about.
So first real access in twenty eighteen. Yeah for all
aa Ron jumping in there and of course against two

(29:26):
of his former teams in the preseason, right, getting the
Packers and yeah, first two So Bills is like, ah,
you weren't a Bill, so we could just sit you out.
This is another part of New York you didn't. He
didn't have to be in trip there too often.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
Well, it's funny because we had Louis Lipp's former Pittsburgh
stewer wide receiver on our show with the Alumni. I
hear this morning and we talked to him about preseason
games and he said, back then, Chuck Nole was going
to win, although they played like five or six preseason
games at one time. He went after the starters played
because he wanted to win the preseason games even though
it didn't matter a little bit different today, But at

(29:58):
least for our purposes, as you said, it sounds like
at least number eight is going to get some action
as well as some of the other starters here in
the next couple weeks.

Speaker 3 (30:04):
Yeah, I think. I mean, if there's a guy that
I think is not going to play or two, I
should say they'd be on the defense side of the ball.
And number ninety in your playbooks, number one in your
hearts and jersey sales here for the Pittsburgh area, and
then number ninety seven, Right, Papa Bear is not going
to play in there, and I don't need him to.
He's got fourteen prior years of preseason experience as we

(30:26):
can lean on. I think he can do that. But
I think for Aaron this is a good exercise him
because once again he's readjusting himself to a system that
he already knows. Right, he ran in this system under
Mike McCarthy for thirteen years, but he also hasn't ran
in seven years, so it's been a minute. Let's go
get some live action rep so that Week one against

(30:46):
the Falcons is not the first time we've all done
this drill before. And as we know, Mike McCarthy very
detailed oriented, just like Aaron Rodgers twenty one years and
still going to quarterback school. Hasn't quite got his post
secondary degree yet, so still working on some extra credits there.
You know, maybe he'll graduate, you know at the end
of this year, maybe Finger's crossed a spring graduate finally

(31:07):
with seventeen degrees by then. But you know, that's the process,
and I think I think that's the right thing to do.
Like you just you got to move the body right,
You've got to have a little bit of a live
game time feeling. Back when I played, that's what we did.
We had four preseason games. Your starters were gonna ramp
up into that we're gonna get a series or two
in the first preseason game, second game, get a quarter.

(31:29):
Third game was really like our first half or dress rehearsal,
dress rehearsal game. And then you maybe came out if
we had the ball first offense, you're going starting to
start the second half and then boom, bring it back
and then last game that that's the bottom of the roster,
trying to see who's gonna get cut or not. So
your starters maybe get a series in there, but your
starting quarterback will probably sit out. So you get your

(31:50):
rep with your number two just in case he has
to come in, get live game reps, and then boom done,
ready for the season. Max.

Speaker 2 (31:56):
I have to ask you about Maxionichory, the Steelers number
one draft pick. And I know you and Rob have
probably talked about this, but you haven't talked about it
with me.

Speaker 3 (32:03):
That's true.

Speaker 2 (32:04):
And the especially this week, you know, in the last
twenty four to forty eight hours, if if you turn
on social media and look around, he is the hot
topic right now here at Pittsburgh Sewers training camp of
how well he's done, specifically to the reps that he
did on Tuesday when he had to go up against
the likes of TJ. Watt and Alex high Smith and
Nick Herbig. He won. If you want to call win

(32:27):
or lose depending on how you wanted to find.

Speaker 3 (32:29):
An objective there with that one, I'm going to call
them victories not because I'm an offensive lineman, because I'm biased.

Speaker 2 (32:34):
And well, you should be my friend. But that was
the communication. That was the feedback that the number one
draft pick held his own and if not just holding
his own, won a lot of those battles.

Speaker 3 (32:45):
Yeah, I mean he played well and I would say
easily probably had the most consistent performances across the offensive
line in those drills. I agree. So he got he
got a B plus plus from me day one.

Speaker 2 (32:57):
There you go, do creating scale.

Speaker 3 (32:59):
Yeah, then you got a beat plus plus plus on
day two. So he will never get an A until
we've seen a preseason game and he's put it all
together in a competitive environment driving the football. But for
camp purposes, that's the highest he's gonna get. So he's
graded out the highest thus far. Guys have looked solid though.
I mean Mason McCormick and Zach Frazier. We know what

(33:21):
we're getting with them. We know what we're getting with
those two. They're solid, still steadily rising. I still want
to see a little bit of a bigger jump instead
of a step with them. Troy Fautanu, you know, had
really good reps and then got beat a couple times,
which you know, adjusting to the left full speed, that's
gonna happen. He played all right tackle a year ago.
Still has to get the body in the right position

(33:42):
with the legs, so the biomechanics has to kick in there.
Roger Jones had a couple of good snaps and then
had a couple of bad ones. You know, he's and
he's swinging left and right on his responsibilities. Looks, of
course as good as I expect on the left side.
Solid right side was a little shaky. So when you're
thinking about out battling for the right tackle job, you're
also battling for that swing tackle job as well. So

(34:04):
there's two positions up at play at the tackle position
at the same time, just the same as the interior.
You're gonna have your starting right guard. Then you're gonna
have your swing interior guard who can play all three
in the middle. And so right now you have brock
Hoffman's lotted. It is that guy that because he has
center experience as well, that could also do that, just
like Spencer Anderson. So there's four jobs technically on the line.

(34:27):
You got one, you got you got right tackle, right guard,
but you also got number six, number seven linemen.

Speaker 2 (34:31):
You know, Max, I know, I know You're you're biased,
So I'm gonna tee this one up for you, but
I'm gonna be biased with you on what I'm about
to say next. I was driving up this morning. I
was looking and thinking to myself. I wasn't looking while
I was driving, but I was thinking to my No, no, we.

Speaker 3 (34:44):
Never drive distracted, and we want you out there listening
on cars. The only due you will do is listening
and driving.

Speaker 2 (34:51):
Okay, exactly, yes, But I was thinking about the Steelers'
offensive rooms, uh, and specifically the offense, the quarterback room,
the running back room, receivers, tight ends, and then the
offensive line group. I feel that this is the first
time in a long time that the strongest room right
now on this roster is the offensive line room. They're young,
they're strong. You have Zach Fraser, who's poised to become

(35:14):
maybe the best center, if not the second or third
best center in the National Football League this season. McCormick,
Strong Fontano as you just spoke to on the left side.
They got this right side that they're trying to figure
out right now. But they have great options with Spencer Anderson,
Dylan Cook, maxionichor brock Hoffman. As you said, Roger Jones
still in the mix on both sides if you want
to plug him in there, if you have to. This

(35:36):
group is really strong right now and poised to maybe
maybe be one of the best, if not, you know,
one of the top five offensive linemen linemen in the
National football.

Speaker 3 (35:46):
And we still got to think about Ryan McCollum, who's
been a long time backup and a good guy that's
come in and filled in when Zach Frazer got injured
a couple of years ago, so he's still in that mix.
And then you got Jennings Dunker. Of course, the flaming
hot Cheeto himself coming in here. Took Pittsburgh I storm when
he got drafted. Still love that guy. Best hair in football.
Yeah you got I mean, you got those guys. You
got Jack driscoll that's in the mix. You got a

(36:07):
couple other rookies. So there's a lot of talent and depth,
and you're right, I think it's the deepest room we
have talent wise, because there's untapped and there's also proven talent,
and that's when you're talking about having a football team.
You need that mix constantly. And it's also a lot
of that's home grown outside of brou k Hoffman. All
these guys were handpicked by the Steelers, whether it's draft picks,

(36:29):
are undrafted free agents. So that's a good place to be,
and that's what you want to be. You don't want
to be in the mercenary business where you're just picking
up free agents to plug and play every single year.
Ala Cleveland, Alla, Houston, Texas. Anyways, I'm not gonna get
buy it that, but that's that's where you're at because
you're bringing guys into you know, already fit your culture,
and you're not trying to retro fit guys and also
unlearning them to what they are, what they've known, and

(36:52):
then reinstitute new policies in these guys are growing up
in the culture as NFL athletes.

Speaker 2 (36:57):
And it was not that case for aut here. Yeah,
up front, I mean there were a lot of moving parts,
some injuries, guys coming in coming out. You know, each year,
I felt like each week, I'm sure when you rub
and prior to rob, you know, when you guys, yeah
with Wolf, when you guys would sit down and look
at this offensive line, you'd have to piece together, what's
it gonna look like?

Speaker 3 (37:16):
He see Cole James Daniels. I want to see a malu. Now. Granted,
some of those guys fit better than others, but still
a lot of turnover and figuring out. Kendrick Green was
a former d lineman that was learning to be an
offensive lineman. So you're right, you didn't get professional linemen
out of the way that were drafted here. A lot
of those guys had to be supplemented through free agency

(37:36):
and through you know, signings throughout the off season or trades.
So now you're actually, this is this is what it's
supposed to look like. Right, it's supposed to look like
draft pic, draftic, draftic, draft pick, draftick, undrafted, free agent, signed,
has been here his entire career. All those are kind
of how you have to look at an offensive line
room because it also is the largest concentration of your

(37:57):
team resources. So of the fifty three of available, eight
to nine of those guys are in the offensive line room.

Speaker 2 (38:04):
Including three first round draft picks in the last four years.

Speaker 3 (38:08):
Right, yes, three of your first first rounders.

Speaker 2 (38:10):
Yep, And uh, they're in a good spot, that's for sure.
And again, it's a good problem to have when you're
sitting here having a debate in August about Spencer Anderson,
Dylan Cook, Maxiona Chore, gonna throw brock Hoffmin in there,
who I think is nasty. I thought that was a
great free agent pickup that the Steelers added into this
room in the off season.

Speaker 3 (38:27):
Yeah, you need you need the vet, you need the
adult in the room. So now, granted, the guys are
gaining a lot of experience and they're becoming more adult like,
but like I said, I mean, if we're talking about
toddler years, they're just eating solid foods. So they're still
a very young group.

Speaker 2 (38:39):
There still more to do.

Speaker 3 (38:41):
Yeah, still more to do, and Isaac Ciamala was that
voice to kind of stabilize that for a number of years. Now,
insert brock Hoffman as kind of that vet in the room.
That's gonna, that's gonna, that's gonna round things out and
allow this group to really grow. But also know that
you have a steady vet in there. And he also
he's he's a he's a Mike McCarthy alumnus, So.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
Mike Mike McCarthy and offensive minded head coach for sure.
And with this offensive line, he wants them to protect
a veteran quarterback and Aaron Rodgers that they're gonna have
to and a running game in which they're looking to
get more out of with Jalen Warren and now Rico Donald.

Speaker 3 (39:13):
Yeah, I mean that backfield, you know, and you know
having Rico come in here, and you know he's one
of those guys we talk about. He's as advertised, you know,
a guy who comes versatile, three slash four down back.
As Mike pursuita to try to correct me, I'm like,
fourth down, I'm picking Cam Johnson in the backfield that
Rico Dowell. Okay, unless like fourth and one, fourth and two,
but its fourth and six. Bring Cam in, punt the

(39:34):
ball and he's gonna punt it a mile, So I
trust I trust his leg better in that. But a
three down back one that Mike McCarthy talked about a
couple of days ago in his press conference, I don't
want to have to think about who's in the backfield
on third down. I'm worried about calling the right play,
and that's what I need these backs to be able
to do. Three down versatile. So, like you said, Jalen Warren,
we know, we know that he's going to be a

(39:56):
three down back. Rico Dawdle showing us all signs in
his as, I says, three down back. Now, who's that
third guy? Is it Caleb Johnson? Is it Lou Nichols?
Is it Travis Homer? Is it Eli heiden Reich? And
we know Riley Milkowski is just he's a He's a fullback.
That's what he's built for, That's what God intended him
to be. He's a guy, yeah, and he looks at
every part of it. A lot of muscle there. So

(40:19):
that's your rotation. So who's gonna be number three? Can
Caleb Johnson, you know, rebound from last year he was
in the doghouse with Arthur Smith. But new coach, new staff,
new opportunity. Can he go and take that third running
back position.

Speaker 2 (40:31):
We talked a bit about Caleb Johnson during our broadcast
here earlier today Max with Brian Becko and Chris Adamski,
and uh, you know, he hasn't done anything to hurt himself,
I think so far. But the same time, he hasn't
done anything where we go, wow, Caleb Johnson's back. I
don't know if that's a good thing, right. He needs
those wild moments in this training camp. He hasn't gotten

(40:52):
him yet. But in his defense, it's a tough for
room to get those reps. It's been a lot of
Jalen Warren, ric O'Donnell. But one thing I think that
was telling today was when they went for that third look,
it was Travis Homer who was getting a lot of
those looks, not Caleb Johnson.

Speaker 3 (41:04):
And we talked about in that two minute drill, the
Franco moment session the most session. Yeah, it was Travis Homer, right,
and he and he actually got to pass in the middle.
So yeah, Caleb Johnsons gonna have to fight a lot
because like you said, uh, this is a very packed room.
I mean, Lou Nichols look good a year ago in camp.

Speaker 2 (41:23):
And the preseason.

Speaker 3 (41:24):
So it's like, so there's a guy who has something
to prove and he got another shot, another bite at
the apple. So what is he gonna do? And like
you said, Travis Homer getting some early looks here with
Drew Aller and Will Howard, they're throwing the football. So
Caleb Johnson, you got you gotta you gotta come along.
But that running back room, I feel good about it
because there's versatility back there. Once again, another deep group,

(41:45):
not as deep as the old line. But this is
what we're talking about, Like, there's no real thin groups
here at camp where it has been in years past.
You're like, ah, we go past the starters. I don't.
I don't know here. I feel comfortable. We could run
two full lines and you've got quality guys across the board,
your TV.

Speaker 2 (42:01):
And it's a weird conversation to have when your team
MVP and Kenny Gamewell leaves via free agency. But yeah,
you still feel good about that room. And in fact,
I'm gonna whisper this Max when I say this, but
I don't even feel a little bit better with this
room this year than I did a year ago. And
no disrespect to Kenny g Hey, look he got paid,
he moved on. But when you lose your team MVP

(42:22):
at that position, you're thinking yourself, where do we go
from here? But I feel good about this group.

Speaker 3 (42:26):
Yeah, I mean, look at Seattle lost Kenneth Walker, who
was a Super Bowl Super Bowl VP, not just TV,
was m VP of the biggest game of the year,
and he was able to walk in Seattle hasn't missed
a beat either, So you know, I think that's what
it comes to. But that's also trusting that in that
group up top the scouting department, your management, Omar Khan
at the head, at the head of that triangle of

(42:48):
of of of individuals. He is the head of that.
Andy Whidel is a support guy. And they knew they
could go in free agency and replace that skill set
and still give this team an opportunity. Hints insert Rico
into the conversation. And as we've seen in camp, look
good three down backs. Mike McCarthy doesn't have to change
who's in there and try and insert them into the offense.

(43:10):
And I think you're right when you talk about Kenny Gainwell,
where did Canwell make his hey third down? He was
a third down back out of the backfield, and he
was a change up to Jalen Warren. And Caleb Johnson
was just kind of a plugger and chugger. You know,
we're we're gonna see him first and second down. But
that's what Caleb Johnson now gets the opportunity to do
is do you have the hands out of the backfield?
Can you be a three down back? Can you be

(43:32):
that guy that can come over and blitz pick up
and pick up that back or that's blitzing off off
the blind side that the quarterback doesn't see. You're the
hot guy and you gotta make the quarterback right. Those
are the little things they're gonna see, and so great
opportunity there is. There's a lot of open battles, but
they're just not frontline starting positions, and they're right there.
Third running back is the question that we're looking at

(43:53):
in camp. Who's gonna be number three? We know who
the top two are. Who's gonna be number three that
can round out that room?

Speaker 2 (44:00):
You'd have to think it's Travis Homer out in front
of Caleb Johnson and Loud Nichols, but still more to come,
and maybe Caleb Johnson, as you said, with a new
coaching staff, works his way back into good graces with
that room. Whenever we come back, we'll talk some defense
with Max Starks here in the locker room. We've talked
to all offense here in our number one, but now
our number two, let's talk Pittsburgh Steelers defense. That what

(44:22):
we've seen so far a week now here into training camp.
Along with Max Starks in the locker room. I'm at TRUP.
I'm subbing in for Rob King this afternoon right here,
continuing coverage of Day eight coverage of Pittsburgh Steelers training
Camp twenty twenty six right here on Steelers Nation Radio
and the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (44:39):
This is live coverage OP Dot twenty twenty six Steelers
Training Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
Easy to Drink, easy to enjoy, and brought to you
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(45:01):
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Speaker 2 (45:23):
Back at Saint Vincent College and Latroe, Pennsylvania. Day eight
continuing coverage of Pittsburgh Steelers' training Camp twenty twenty six
right here on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.
We are in the locker room with Max Starks and
Rob King Rob Off this afternoon. So I'm at troop
and I'm subming in for Rob Max. You know, right now,

(45:44):
practice just let up for the first practice of two
for today. This is the first one with pads. There's
a walkthrough later on this afternoon that the team usually
does here from Saint Vincent College. It is not open
to the public or us here in the media. But
what do you do during this time? Do you do
you grab some lunch? Do you go take a nap?
Do you watch film? Is it a little bit of
everything here going into the early afternoon hours.

Speaker 3 (46:06):
Uh so, mindset for myself here as I was in
the two to one two era and that's not an
area code. That was two days, two practices a day
to one practice a day and then back to two
and kind of did that shower, shower, go eat, no eat,
got to refill the tank listen. You know, as ye
Black has coined his uh training camp look free the gut, Well,

(46:31):
you got to feed the gut too, So feed the
gut first and then kind of get off your feet
for a couple because then they go into meetings now
with the new ruling since the new CBA, no two
a days. But you can't have a quote unquote walk through,
and they usually do that in the gym or the
or the indoor facilities. Sometimes they come out here on
the field and do a detailed scripted walkthrough, so you

(46:54):
just want to get off your feet, don't don't want
to nap just yet, and then there's plenty of meetings
in between. You'll kind of get the first re action
from practice film. You know, coaches will and then here
here's the thing, so coaches what they'll do quick lunch
and then they go straight to film and then they're
ready for the next film session and then they walk
through so they're kind of getting getting their barriers, and

(47:14):
then you get a little break after that dinner time
you can kind of meander a little bit more and
take your time off, get get off your feet. Then
you have evening meetings, night meetings, and then you break
down for the night. You have team snack at the end,
and then it's it's rinse and repeat for the next day.
Because that's how the schedule is dictated now the new
collective bargaining agreement maximize the off time, so maximize off

(47:38):
the feet time. But you definitely can't take a nap.
The nap time is gone. It usually was in the
mornings before the one pm practices with Mike Taiban, but
now with that eleven am you got a seven am
wake up call and you're you're at it early morning meetings,
walkthroughs in the gym, then you get a break to
grab like your lift in. And also I'll also say this,

(47:59):
if you didn't get your lift in in the morning,
which a lot of vet's usually like to get their
lift ins in the morning, you then come in the
afternoon after practice, get a quick little thirty minute lift,
then go eat, then get a little off time, and
then go to meetings quickly.

Speaker 2 (48:11):
What did you prefer when it came to the lifting,
Lifting in the morning or.

Speaker 3 (48:14):
Get it out the way. Yeah, I get it out
the way. I don't. I don't want to think about
it now. Now it's a different story. It's whenever I'm
literally feeling language is almost never. But but yeah, back
in the day, it was get the early morning lift
because I want to. I wanted that out of the way,
cause especially on two days, like I don't want to
have to try and lift in between padded practices, Like
that's just a recipe for disaster. Some guys love that
James Harrison couldn't get them out of the gym, But me, no,

(48:37):
get it in the morning, get get it done. Yeah,
I'm with you.

Speaker 2 (48:40):
I'm a morning person too, you get your work, and
Mike McCarthy's a morning person too. That's why they start
seven thirty in the morning for a lot of their
team meetings before they get into their practices here at
eleven o'clock. As he said at the beginning of this camp,
I like to get my work in early and then
ease out as the day goes on. So I'm with
you there as well more whenever we come back here
in the locker room with Max Stark's am Ed Troop

(49:02):
and for Rob King, It's day eight, continuing coverage of
Pittsburgh Steelers training Camp twenty twenty six right here on
Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.