January 5, 2026 • 15 mins
Steelers play-by-play voice Rob King joins Matt and Wes to discuss his thoughts on last night's AFC North clinching victory over the Ravens.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Your tuns about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Rogers fitson snap four man rush coming Rogers back lofting
left hasn't been wide open touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
What fifty five second dramatic Calvin Austin's game winning touchdown?
There brought to you by the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers,
Rob King. He joins us Now, King or thank you
for taking the time on a busy, on a low
sleep reaction Monday here. You've been covering high level sports
(00:46):
for a long time, NFL, MLB, NHL. I know you've
done some college basketball and things like that before. I'm
sure you've been a part of some pretty epic, some
pretty wild endings and games and things like that, Kinger.
I also imagine last night's finish and how it all
played out is towards the top of your list all
(01:06):
time time capsule stuff at Akroshar Stadium last night.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, it's funny you ask it and ask it that way,
like I haven't articulated to myself like hey, where does
this rank? You know?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
And maybe maybe I will at some point.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
I will just tell you this that you know, having
been around me for the last couple of years, you
know that, like usually I'm right into the next game, right, like,
let's go, here we go, let's let's get on with it.
That was great, that was fun. And now let's start
the fun of getting ready for the next opponent. Cause
that part's fun too, right.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
I just have been.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
What is that region between Spain and France, I've been
in Basque Country. I've just been basking.
Speaker 5 (01:50):
I've just enjoyed it, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I I don't want to think about the Houston Texans.
I don't want to think about them till tomorrow. I'm
sure when we go to dive into them, all of
us we're going to be excited about it. But right now,
it's just it's just a warm glow. It's a great
feeling too to have been there and to see that
great atmosphere and to see what an awesome you.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Know, first of it was just a great game.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
And the awesome you know, feeling that fans had, and
and you know, to be able to in my own
small way to be part of that was.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Just it was phenomenal.
Speaker 6 (02:28):
I definitely want to get into the game with you,
Rob and some of the things that happened and all
those things, but I certainly got the impression and just
real West touched on it briefly in the first segment
that the fans themselves were a plus.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Huh, it was an incredible crowd, Yeah, Matt, I mean
it's you know, so I've been doing the games for
a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Prior to that, you.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Know, I was doing the postgame show with with you know,
Charlie Batch, and then obviously prior to that, I've covered it.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
And so I mean.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I've been to every home game the last four years
and then a lot of mobvious prior to that, some
of the playoff games.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
I can't tell you.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
When the last time was that I thought a crowd.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
Was that good. But you could feel it.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Right from the beginning.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I mean they were standing up and cheering from the
moment the Ravens.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
Got the ball.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
They were looking for reasons to cheer, they wanted to cheer.
There were terrible towels all over the place. I mean,
I don't know, I can't remember the last time. And look,
I'm not saying it's never happened. I'm just saying I
can't off the top of my mind, remember a crowd
that's been that good and quite some time. I just
thought it was. You know, it's always good. It's always knowledgeable.
(03:39):
You know, they know when to cheers. They I wanted
to be quiet, you know, I just thought it was.
But I just thought it was, like you said, A plus,
I thought it was a sensational crowd last night, right
from the jump and by the way, right from the anthem, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
The crowd went nuts for the anthems singer.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Then she she came as she was.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
All black and she waved, the waved the terrible talents,
so she had the black and gold thing going.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
One of the great things about Pittsburgh, there's so many
great things about One of the things I love about
the people of Pittsburgh is that they are in it
with the anthem singer.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
You know they are.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
They are hanging on every word and cheering when they
hit a good note. I mean, it's hilarious.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Actually, I can't think of another place that's really liked
that sensational crowd last night, Absolutely sensational.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
No doubt. From from the anthem to the loop miss
it was.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It was.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
It was pandemonium. It was one of the best.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Atmosphere, Wes, they didn't want to leave, that's just hanging around.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
They just yet.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
They just so many fans, Sure some of them filed that,
but so many fans, several thousand, They just wanted to be.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
They didn't want to leave because it was like a
little globe of magic, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And I'm still feeling that, going back to West's original question,
I'm still feeling that globe of magic today. They just
wanted to be there where the magic happened. And that's
kind of where That's where my head'space is right now.
I just I just want to bask in the in
the magic.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
Uh No, no doubt. And that's a great call, King
or two on the end, because I hadn't We talked
a little bit about the atmosphere. But yeah, that that
part of the end kind of reminded me of like collegiate,
like no one wants to leave, you know, like the bands.
The band's playing and we're singing along and celebrating, and
you know, all I gotta do is just walk back
to my apartment across campus. I'm in no hurry to
get out of here. Yeah, all time time capsule stuff
(05:32):
and Kinger so much of that centered around the performance
of Aaron Rodgers. I think, listen, I'll be the first one,
I'll admit it, but I'm sure I'm not alone. If
you guys would have told me Friday, Eric, or if
you even told me yesterday before kickoff, Aaron Rodgers is
going to throw the ball forty seven times?
Speaker 6 (05:48):
Yeah, that run past ratio.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
I would have said what that means. The Steelers were
probably trailing the whole second half and playing from behind,
and things didn't go their way, And that's not the thing.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
Game didn't anything.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
That's not the outcome that we're looking for. Man Toby Keith,
rob King, I ain't as good as I once was,
but I'm as good once as I ever was. Aaron Rodgers,
I think, especially in the second half, just exactly what
this team needed. And who saw Aaron Rodgers out rushing
Lamar Jackson by double.
Speaker 5 (06:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I mean, look, you know, and we talk about numbers
like I was saying this last week, like if you
told me, hey, the Steers ran for one thirty one,
they won the turnover battle against the Browns, Aaron Rodgers
wasn't sacked. I'm like, okay, they must have won the
AFC Nord title in Cleveland, but that didn't happen. And
you're right, there's some statistical anomalies in this game, some
(06:41):
things that happened that maybe you wouldn't expect to happen,
whatever the case may be. But Aaron Rodgers is and look,
I would have liked to see them run the ball more.
I'd like to see them run the ball more against Cleveland.
Probably if they ran the ball seventy four times and
threw it once, I'd be like, I wish they'd run
the ball more. So, you know, because I think their
(07:02):
running game is trending in the right direction. I think
it's a real weapon. I think Warren and game Well
are both phenomenal players.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
But Aaron Rodgers is he is, you know, And I.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Don't want to just say mentally, because physically he still has.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
A lot left.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I mean, we've seen the arm strength and he still
has the arm talent. He's forty two years old. Is
he twenty eight? No, But he's still a phenomenal talent.
He still has great athleticism as we saw on the run,
and the way he thinks the game.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I just think more and more, I think a big
part of.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And Matt and I discussed this also wes about the
things that are trending in the right direction for this yelers. Yea,
the team, you know, hopping on the trolley with Aaron Rodgers,
you know, in the same mental space and kind of
getting with where he wants them to be is a
big part of the reason why the team is succeeding.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Yeah, and I wanted to keep talking about that even more,
that his command is showing up even more week to week,
you know. And I think it's not because he's changed.
I think it's those around him have started to embrace
it have changed more from what I heard, I of
course listened to the radio broadcast, but on the television broadcast,
(08:21):
they mentioned that they've never met with a quarterback or
team that gets together more often in their own time,
like at nights at Aaron's house three nights a week,
four nights a week. And I think everybody always bought
into the guy, but now they're used a great example
on our other show that like he's throwing down the
(08:42):
line from the top of the mountain and just bringing
everybody up with them, you know, they're climbing up the ice,
you know, and it shows on the field over and
over with his command.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yeah, that's exactly what I was trying to articulate. Matt
absolutely And you know when you you know, just in
the postgame comment last night, he's like, yeah, I was
talking to Pat back in La trobe. I'm like, what
you know, and uh, hey, I'm you know, in the huddle,
I'm asking Calvin, Hey, what do you what do you
want to run on the backside? And then I took
a peek over there and his defender fell down to what.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
I mean, who does that?
Speaker 5 (09:15):
You know?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (09:15):
And the answer is not many, if any, you know.
And I do think that the fact that they're all
in the same page with Aaron and that they know.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
What he wants and that they respect what he wants.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Right, they know, you know, he talked last night about
the team collective and you know, the leadership and and
you know, there are a lot of people that thought that, oh,
these are violatile personalities, and their people predicting this.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Steelers are going to fall apart.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
And I read one prognostication before the season, this is
where it all collapses on the Steelers and they get
that high draft pick and get you know, get a draft,
get a quarterback. And you know they thought these these
personalities Jalen Ramsey, you know, DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers,
it was going to be oil and water, and no,
that hasn't been the case at all. And he was
(10:07):
talking last night about the collective and Mike Brigida was
telling us about that that John Smith, sure he wants
the ball more, but he's leaning into the collective, as
is Pat fryermo as is Calvin Austen. As are both
running backs who are unbelievably supportive of each other. I mean,
Kenny Gambell has a big game and the first thing
the words out of Jaalen Warren's mouth, that's my guy,
(10:30):
you know, not boy. I wish those carries went to me.
I wish I was the guy sweeping around right end
into the end zone. By the way, I would love
to see him on some of those short yarded situations,
meaning Jalen Warren.
Speaker 5 (10:41):
I digress.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
But I just think the fact that they're all in
it together. That's a powerful force. When you have a
group of people, whether you're in a corporation or whether
you are on a football team, When everybody's pulling together
and everybody is in it together and in it to
win it. That's a huge factor to me, a huge
(11:04):
tangible and tangible.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
On how you define it.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
But I think it's a big thing for the Steelers,
and it's again part of the reason why to me,
this thing is just building and building and good at
end on Monday night against the red hot Houston team.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Sure, but I wouldn't I wouldn't bet on it.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
You know. I love the way the Steelers are trending
right now.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
And king a kind of piggybacking off of that at
the at the forefront of this collective. With all due
respect to Aaron Rodgers and TJ. Watt is cam Hayward. Yeah,
my goodness, did he I was about to say, did
he look like a guy who had some playoff incentives
in his contract on the line last night? But to
be fair, he's looked like that for the last handful
(11:44):
of weeks. Uh, quite literally. The fine wine aging Matt
and I both said Rob cam Hayward was probably the
best player on the field last night, and man did
they need him to be?
Speaker 6 (11:57):
Yeah, and expand on that, like, obviously Rob has a
rare combination of leadership and on the field ability, but
Cam's as good an example as there is.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
You know. Yeah, by the way, I thought you were
gonna say, Mike Tomlin when you talk about the leadership,
just tied Chuck Knowle.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
Uh yeah, the you know, for I.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Think it's ninth for the most regular season wins of
all time, fitting that he would tie a Steelers legend
in a legendary matchup against the Ravens in the legendary
game in the chapter uh the of that own book.
You know that that Ravens Steelers matchup, you know, Cam Hayward.
Speaker 6 (12:32):
But real quick, Rob, I mean, obviously coach Tomlin has
a ton to do with tying all those personalities together
that you mentioned Ramsey Metcalf Rogers. Guys, what do you
warn't you with the team last year?
Speaker 2 (12:42):
You know, right, like the Browns just fired the two
time coach of the year, right, the Mike Tomlin is
a no time Coach of the Year winner because they
just keep winning. You know, you almost have to be
bad in order to win Coach of the year, you know.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Uh, it's been too successful for one.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yeah, us hear your success counts against you. So I
think that you know again, to win the AFC North title,
verst is twenty twenty. So many people the credit. I
think the front office, you know, doing a great job
of continuing. If I think about how you know, there
there's gonna be gnashing of teeth and whaling in Baltimore
(13:19):
if Kyle Hamilton.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
Hadn't been hurt.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Okay, well, you know the Steelers are out there relying
on players who began the season other practice squad, right,
James Pierre, Dylan Cook and those guys playing at a high,
high level as is.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
By the way, to.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Get back to the original statement, Cam Hayward, I just
want to quickly say I think Alex Highsmith has been
incredible to and I mean Cam Hayward dominated that game.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
I thought he was playing you.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Know, solid good, solid football throughout the first.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Half the season, kind of had the Holden thing with
the contract in camp, and but over the last you know,
five or six weeks or so, he has just been
incredible to me. I don't want to compare him to
vintage Camp, but I, you know, whatever, maybe this is
vintage Cam.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I don't know. I mean he was awfully good last
year too, you know, did a great.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Year last year. Uh, he is just playing at an
unbelievable high level, unbelievably high level.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
In the leadership.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
I just think I agree, guy, he has been incredible, tremendous.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
He sure has, and uh hopefully he will continue to
do the same. Monday Night Football a little over a
week from now, when the Steelers host the Texans for
a wild we.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
Get that extra day that we don't have to look
forward because they play Monday Night. That's feel a little
bit better about it. We can bask for a little bit,
as you said, you know.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
We can bag get your passport out basking.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
We're in Basque country and you know what for once
it's the Steelers will getting the extra day arrest, right,
that's been a problem with the schedule down down the line,
and Mike Thomason after the game last night, they could
use it as you usually can come out of a
rave game. So we'll take it. The Steelers will take it,
and I can't wait to you know, in the next
couple of days dig into this, this great matchup against
(15:08):
the Texas.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
We'll be excited to hear you on the call next
Monday Night. Of course, King or thank you for taking
the time here today to recap an instant.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Classic with us, Thanks guys.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
There he goes Rob King, voice of the Steelers on
the Steelers Audio Network,
Your tuns about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Rogers fitson snap four man rush coming Rogers back lofting
left hasn't been wide open touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
What fifty five second dramatic Calvin Austin's game winning touchdown?
There brought to you by the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers,
Rob King. He joins us Now, King or thank you
for taking the time on a busy, on a low
sleep reaction Monday here. You've been covering high level sports
(00:46):
for a long time, NFL, MLB, NHL. I know you've
done some college basketball and things like that before. I'm
sure you've been a part of some pretty epic, some
pretty wild endings and games and things like that, Kinger.
I also imagine last night's finish and how it all
played out is towards the top of your list all
(01:06):
time time capsule stuff at Akroshar Stadium last night.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, it's funny you ask it and ask it that way,
like I haven't articulated to myself like hey, where does
this rank? You know?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
And maybe maybe I will at some point.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
I will just tell you this that you know, having
been around me for the last couple of years, you
know that, like usually I'm right into the next game, right, like,
let's go, here we go, let's let's get on with it.
That was great, that was fun. And now let's start
the fun of getting ready for the next opponent. Cause
that part's fun too, right.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
I just have been.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
What is that region between Spain and France, I've been
in Basque Country. I've just been basking.
Speaker 5 (01:50):
I've just enjoyed it, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I I don't want to think about the Houston Texans.
I don't want to think about them till tomorrow. I'm
sure when we go to dive into them, all of
us we're going to be excited about it. But right now,
it's just it's just a warm glow. It's a great
feeling too to have been there and to see that
great atmosphere and to see what an awesome you.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Know, first of it was just a great game.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
And the awesome you know, feeling that fans had, and
and you know, to be able to in my own
small way to be part of that was.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Just it was phenomenal.
Speaker 6 (02:28):
I definitely want to get into the game with you,
Rob and some of the things that happened and all
those things, but I certainly got the impression and just
real West touched on it briefly in the first segment
that the fans themselves were a plus.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Huh, it was an incredible crowd, Yeah, Matt, I mean
it's you know, so I've been doing the games for
a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Prior to that, you.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Know, I was doing the postgame show with with you know,
Charlie Batch, and then obviously prior to that, I've covered it.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
And so I mean.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I've been to every home game the last four years
and then a lot of mobvious prior to that, some
of the playoff games.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
I can't tell you.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
When the last time was that I thought a crowd.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
Was that good. But you could feel it.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Right from the beginning.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I mean they were standing up and cheering from the
moment the Ravens.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
Got the ball.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
They were looking for reasons to cheer, they wanted to cheer.
There were terrible towels all over the place. I mean,
I don't know, I can't remember the last time. And look,
I'm not saying it's never happened. I'm just saying I
can't off the top of my mind, remember a crowd
that's been that good and quite some time. I just
thought it was. You know, it's always good. It's always knowledgeable.
(03:39):
You know, they know when to cheers. They I wanted
to be quiet, you know, I just thought it was.
But I just thought it was, like you said, A plus,
I thought it was a sensational crowd last night, right
from the jump and by the way, right from the anthem, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
The crowd went nuts for the anthems singer.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Then she she came as she was.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
All black and she waved, the waved the terrible talents,
so she had the black and gold thing going.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
One of the great things about Pittsburgh, there's so many
great things about One of the things I love about
the people of Pittsburgh is that they are in it
with the anthem singer.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
You know they are.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
They are hanging on every word and cheering when they
hit a good note. I mean, it's hilarious.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Actually, I can't think of another place that's really liked
that sensational crowd last night, Absolutely sensational.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
No doubt. From from the anthem to the loop miss
it was.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It was.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
It was pandemonium. It was one of the best.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Atmosphere, Wes, they didn't want to leave, that's just hanging around.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
They just yet.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
They just so many fans, Sure some of them filed that,
but so many fans, several thousand, They just wanted to be.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
They didn't want to leave because it was like a
little globe of magic, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And I'm still feeling that, going back to West's original question,
I'm still feeling that globe of magic today. They just
wanted to be there where the magic happened. And that's
kind of where That's where my head'space is right now.
I just I just want to bask in the in
the magic.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
Uh No, no doubt. And that's a great call, King
or two on the end, because I hadn't We talked
a little bit about the atmosphere. But yeah, that that
part of the end kind of reminded me of like collegiate,
like no one wants to leave, you know, like the bands.
The band's playing and we're singing along and celebrating, and
you know, all I gotta do is just walk back
to my apartment across campus. I'm in no hurry to
get out of here. Yeah, all time time capsule stuff
(05:32):
and Kinger so much of that centered around the performance
of Aaron Rodgers. I think, listen, I'll be the first one,
I'll admit it, but I'm sure I'm not alone. If
you guys would have told me Friday, Eric, or if
you even told me yesterday before kickoff, Aaron Rodgers is
going to throw the ball forty seven times?
Speaker 6 (05:48):
Yeah, that run past ratio.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
I would have said what that means. The Steelers were
probably trailing the whole second half and playing from behind,
and things didn't go their way, And that's not the thing.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
Game didn't anything.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
That's not the outcome that we're looking for. Man Toby Keith,
rob King, I ain't as good as I once was,
but I'm as good once as I ever was. Aaron Rodgers,
I think, especially in the second half, just exactly what
this team needed. And who saw Aaron Rodgers out rushing
Lamar Jackson by double.
Speaker 5 (06:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I mean, look, you know, and we talk about numbers
like I was saying this last week, like if you
told me, hey, the Steers ran for one thirty one,
they won the turnover battle against the Browns, Aaron Rodgers
wasn't sacked. I'm like, okay, they must have won the
AFC Nord title in Cleveland, but that didn't happen. And
you're right, there's some statistical anomalies in this game, some
(06:41):
things that happened that maybe you wouldn't expect to happen,
whatever the case may be. But Aaron Rodgers is and look,
I would have liked to see them run the ball more.
I'd like to see them run the ball more against Cleveland.
Probably if they ran the ball seventy four times and
threw it once, I'd be like, I wish they'd run
the ball more. So, you know, because I think their
(07:02):
running game is trending in the right direction. I think
it's a real weapon. I think Warren and game Well
are both phenomenal players.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
But Aaron Rodgers is he is, you know, And I.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Don't want to just say mentally, because physically he still has.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
A lot left.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I mean, we've seen the arm strength and he still
has the arm talent. He's forty two years old. Is
he twenty eight? No, But he's still a phenomenal talent.
He still has great athleticism as we saw on the run,
and the way he thinks the game.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I just think more and more, I think a big
part of.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And Matt and I discussed this also wes about the
things that are trending in the right direction for this yelers. Yea,
the team, you know, hopping on the trolley with Aaron Rodgers,
you know, in the same mental space and kind of
getting with where he wants them to be is a
big part of the reason why the team is succeeding.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Yeah, and I wanted to keep talking about that even more,
that his command is showing up even more week to week,
you know. And I think it's not because he's changed.
I think it's those around him have started to embrace
it have changed more from what I heard, I of
course listened to the radio broadcast, but on the television broadcast,
(08:21):
they mentioned that they've never met with a quarterback or
team that gets together more often in their own time,
like at nights at Aaron's house three nights a week,
four nights a week. And I think everybody always bought
into the guy, but now they're used a great example
on our other show that like he's throwing down the
(08:42):
line from the top of the mountain and just bringing
everybody up with them, you know, they're climbing up the ice,
you know, and it shows on the field over and
over with his command.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yeah, that's exactly what I was trying to articulate. Matt
absolutely And you know when you you know, just in
the postgame comment last night, he's like, yeah, I was
talking to Pat back in La trobe. I'm like, what
you know, and uh, hey, I'm you know, in the huddle,
I'm asking Calvin, Hey, what do you what do you
want to run on the backside? And then I took
a peek over there and his defender fell down to what.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
I mean, who does that?
Speaker 5 (09:15):
You know?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (09:15):
And the answer is not many, if any, you know.
And I do think that the fact that they're all
in the same page with Aaron and that they know.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
What he wants and that they respect what he wants.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Right, they know, you know, he talked last night about
the team collective and you know, the leadership and and
you know, there are a lot of people that thought that, oh,
these are violatile personalities, and their people predicting this.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Steelers are going to fall apart.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
And I read one prognostication before the season, this is
where it all collapses on the Steelers and they get
that high draft pick and get you know, get a draft,
get a quarterback. And you know they thought these these
personalities Jalen Ramsey, you know, DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers,
it was going to be oil and water, and no,
that hasn't been the case at all. And he was
(10:07):
talking last night about the collective and Mike Brigida was
telling us about that that John Smith, sure he wants
the ball more, but he's leaning into the collective, as
is Pat fryermo as is Calvin Austen. As are both
running backs who are unbelievably supportive of each other. I mean,
Kenny Gambell has a big game and the first thing
the words out of Jaalen Warren's mouth, that's my guy,
(10:30):
you know, not boy. I wish those carries went to me.
I wish I was the guy sweeping around right end
into the end zone. By the way, I would love
to see him on some of those short yarded situations,
meaning Jalen Warren.
Speaker 5 (10:41):
I digress.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
But I just think the fact that they're all in
it together. That's a powerful force. When you have a
group of people, whether you're in a corporation or whether
you are on a football team, When everybody's pulling together
and everybody is in it together and in it to
win it. That's a huge factor to me, a huge
(11:04):
tangible and tangible.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
On how you define it.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
But I think it's a big thing for the Steelers,
and it's again part of the reason why to me,
this thing is just building and building and good at
end on Monday night against the red hot Houston team.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Sure, but I wouldn't I wouldn't bet on it.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
You know. I love the way the Steelers are trending
right now.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
And king a kind of piggybacking off of that at
the at the forefront of this collective. With all due
respect to Aaron Rodgers and TJ. Watt is cam Hayward. Yeah,
my goodness, did he I was about to say, did
he look like a guy who had some playoff incentives
in his contract on the line last night? But to
be fair, he's looked like that for the last handful
(11:44):
of weeks. Uh, quite literally. The fine wine aging Matt
and I both said Rob cam Hayward was probably the
best player on the field last night, and man did
they need him to be?
Speaker 6 (11:57):
Yeah, and expand on that, like, obviously Rob has a
rare combination of leadership and on the field ability, but
Cam's as good an example as there is.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
You know. Yeah, by the way, I thought you were
gonna say, Mike Tomlin when you talk about the leadership,
just tied Chuck Knowle.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
Uh yeah, the you know, for I.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Think it's ninth for the most regular season wins of
all time, fitting that he would tie a Steelers legend
in a legendary matchup against the Ravens in the legendary
game in the chapter uh the of that own book.
You know that that Ravens Steelers matchup, you know, Cam Hayward.
Speaker 6 (12:32):
But real quick, Rob, I mean, obviously coach Tomlin has
a ton to do with tying all those personalities together
that you mentioned Ramsey Metcalf Rogers. Guys, what do you
warn't you with the team last year?
Speaker 2 (12:42):
You know, right, like the Browns just fired the two
time coach of the year, right, the Mike Tomlin is
a no time Coach of the Year winner because they
just keep winning. You know, you almost have to be
bad in order to win Coach of the year, you know.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Uh, it's been too successful for one.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yeah, us hear your success counts against you. So I
think that you know again, to win the AFC North title,
verst is twenty twenty. So many people the credit. I
think the front office, you know, doing a great job
of continuing. If I think about how you know, there
there's gonna be gnashing of teeth and whaling in Baltimore
(13:19):
if Kyle Hamilton.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
Hadn't been hurt.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Okay, well, you know the Steelers are out there relying
on players who began the season other practice squad, right,
James Pierre, Dylan Cook and those guys playing at a high,
high level as is.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
By the way, to.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Get back to the original statement, Cam Hayward, I just
want to quickly say I think Alex Highsmith has been
incredible to and I mean Cam Hayward dominated that game.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
I thought he was playing you.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Know, solid good, solid football throughout the first.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Half the season, kind of had the Holden thing with
the contract in camp, and but over the last you know,
five or six weeks or so, he has just been
incredible to me. I don't want to compare him to
vintage Camp, but I, you know, whatever, maybe this is
vintage Cam.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I don't know. I mean he was awfully good last
year too, you know, did a great.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Year last year. Uh, he is just playing at an
unbelievable high level, unbelievably high level.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
In the leadership.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
I just think I agree, guy, he has been incredible, tremendous.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
He sure has, and uh hopefully he will continue to
do the same. Monday Night Football a little over a
week from now, when the Steelers host the Texans for
a wild we.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
Get that extra day that we don't have to look
forward because they play Monday Night. That's feel a little
bit better about it. We can bask for a little bit,
as you said, you know.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
We can bag get your passport out basking.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
We're in Basque country and you know what for once
it's the Steelers will getting the extra day arrest, right,
that's been a problem with the schedule down down the line,
and Mike Thomason after the game last night, they could
use it as you usually can come out of a
rave game. So we'll take it. The Steelers will take it,
and I can't wait to you know, in the next
couple of days dig into this, this great matchup against
(15:08):
the Texas.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
We'll be excited to hear you on the call next
Monday Night. Of course, King or thank you for taking
the time here today to recap an instant.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Classic with us, Thanks guys.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
There he goes Rob King, voice of the Steelers on
the Steelers Audio Network,
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