June 17, 2025 • 31 mins
Minkah, JPJ, Darius Slay, and DeShon Elliott with Beanie Bishop as the fifth man might have the biggest question mark when realizing their full potential. Adam Rank lists his five NFL players who are most deserving of being immortalized with a statue outside of their respective teams’ stadium.
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
We're talking about best case scenarios for the Steelers defense
on today's show, talking about the harmon and Benton really
taking a lot off of Hayward's plate while Hayward's still great,
talking about the inside linebackers and Peyton Wilson really emerging
over Patrick Queen. We talked in our first episode about
the safeties because of Elliot getting his contract extension and
Minka Fitzpatrick kind of returning, turning to Minca ball for him.
(00:35):
I don't think that's necessarily my best case scenario though,
for the defensive side of the ball, is Minca returning
to his form. I just realized that I think that
needs to happen, Like I don't think, yeah, it's like,
oh wow, that's that turned out to be, But it's
hard the thing that could have possibly happened for the defense.
I think my best case scenario is that everyone else,
specifically Darius Lay, gives you one season of maybe borderline cornerback,
(01:00):
one type of play. I mean, this is a guy
that has had moments in his NFL career, who wasn't
all pro in Detroit, Like he is a big time
player at different times in his NFL career and from
all accounts, he was very good for the Philadelphia Eagle secondary,
was very impactful for that Eagle secondary that was loaded
last year. If he can come here and have an
(01:21):
impact like that in this Pittsburgh secondary, then I think
that that's going to end up being your best case
scenario and everything's gonna just lurish as far as that's concerned. Now,
like with Minka playing well and having a lot more impact,
and with Joey Porter Junior stepping up and becoming that
true number one corner, I don't want to label that
as best case scenario because that gives the connotation that
(01:43):
I don't expect it to happen, and that if it does,
I'll just be like, oh, I'm pleasantly surprised that Joey
took that step where that Minka started to intercept the
ball again. Now I'm expecting those things to happen, and
I will be actually more sprussed an unpleasant way. If
we're here in week seventeen, wrapping up the season and
it's another kind of Minka didn't have that much picks
(02:05):
and Joey got a lot of holding penalties and was
still pretty grabby, that would be an unpleasant surprise for me.
When I'm thinking best case scenario, I'm thinking ones that
I'm gonna at the end of the year be like,
you know what, boy, that really worked out And I
was kind of a little shaky on it. And I
think Darius Slay is the one person in that secondary
that I'm looking at and I'm like, I want to
(02:26):
trust you, dude. I do, and you got a ton
of talent. It's just I gotta see it play out
before I can finally firmly judge it and maybe put
my doubts to bed. Because when you're that old at
that position, it can just take an off season of
losing a step to being a very serviceable to good
(02:47):
to that time's great corner on a loaded defense for
a Super Bowl winning Philadelphia Eagles team, to a liability
in anybody's secondary, no matter how loaded the guy is
opposite of. You can playing next to Pat certain in
Denver and you could just become that liability because you
missed that half a step or you're losing that half
a step. So it's kind of similar to what we
(03:10):
were talked about with Cam Hayward last year going into
the season and how we had some kind of pessimistic
views sometimes is because like you're that at that age,
at that position, coming off of an injury like you did,
I have to see it first before I really believe it.
And I think that that is fair. Sure maybe from
their perspective to be like, oh, you should just believe it. Anyway,
(03:31):
Come on, Cam Hayward, I'm great. You know I'm gonna
be great. I'm always great. Sometime you're going to drop off.
It just happens to every single person that plays in
this league, that plays any sport in life. You just
you get washed. You can't avoid it. Father Time's undefeated.
So I think it's fair this year going into this
(03:52):
season to look at Darius Slay's age and I know
he's not coming off an injury like Hayward was last year,
but look at his age and have some skepticism about
if he can perform to the level that we even
saw him perform at last year in Philadelphia. And I
won't have that skepticism kind of washed away from me.
I won't start feeling optimism about him until I start
(04:15):
to see week three, week four, week five, week six
come to pass and he's playing really solid to maybe
good to great. So I put the best case scenario
in the secondary on Darius Slay giving us a really,
really good one year here in Pittsburgh and not just
bridging us into maybe that next cornerback two that you
(04:36):
get in the draft or free agency next year, but
providing a really solid effort this season that helps the
team win now, which is obviously the mindset of the
team because you have Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback. No
one gets Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback to plan for
the future, so it is try to win in twenty
twenty five, and I think Slay's got a big, big
(04:57):
hand in that. And if he does so, then I
think the defense takes another like we're talking about here,
takes another firm step in the direction of being a
truly top to bottom elite, undisputed top three defense in
the NFL.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
It just has to come together, though, Like I feel
like my concern here is that of the defensive units,
between the defensive line, the outside linebackers, the inside linebackers.
In the secondary, I think I have the most questions
or maybe not even questions, maybe hesitations to buy into
(05:33):
the secondary just because of what could go wrong. Like
if I know we're talking about best case scenario, But
what if Minka doesn't return to Minca ball? And what
if Darius Slay really slows down at age what thirty five?
And what if Joey Porter Junior has more of the
same of a second season compared to his first season.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
And Deshaun Elliott.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I can't really think of a worst case scenario for
Deshn Elliott unless he just falls off. But I didn't
see that that capability or that potential in him from
his first year in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
But do you know, do you see what I'm getting at?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Like I could, I could see it kind of going
really wrong for the for the secondary across every position,
all four of those guys.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
To varying degrees. Right, going wrong for Joey Port Junior
probably looks different from Darius to Elliott to to Minka.
But I don't know. I I just think that, let's
let's put it this way. What level of the defense
are you feeling the most nervous about?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
The secondary?
Speaker 1 (06:33):
It's the secondary for you?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Ye, Like I just laid out, I just the defensive
line for me, just because if Cam goes down, people
need to step up around.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Even go down and Benton and Harmon can't.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Se goes down even if he's healthy for an entire season.
We illustrated it when he leaves the field, teams run
all over the Steelers Like, I.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Don't know, I guess I just I feel a little bit.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I have a little thing that's fair to have nerves
about both of them. I think, Yeah, I think the
middle level is the only one that you're kind of like,
I'm good on.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I can't like you have to something catastrophically wrong would
have to happen to that metal unit.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yeah, you have two. You have the best tandem of
bad dressers in football, right. And then your second line
is pretty good too with her big and I think
Sawyer is going to be a very And then, like
we laid out in the end of the second episode,
the inside linebackers are maybe as solid as they've been
since the Williams and Shazier time here in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
At least as deep deep.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
They're four deep right now at that spot, So middle
of the defenses is rock solid. Secondary. I don't know.
I think i'd rank defensive line first because I have
more optimism on uh Joey Porter Jr. Than I do.
Maybe a Harmon or a Benton Harmon may be a
little bit unfair to say because we haven't seen him yet,
(07:47):
Benton now entering his third year. I mean, I think
Joey could be a little bit better of a player
in the grand scheme of things than Benton can. And
I like what I saw from Elliott last year. Minka
has been an All Pro before, and Darius he's been
an All Pro before. It's just Cam Hayward, a third
year man in Benton that really needs to get himself
(08:08):
going to get that second contract for him a rookie,
and Harmon and some other guys that have just been
around for a few years, like a Leal, a Dean Lowry,
those type of guys for the Steelers. So I think
it's fair to say either or I'd lean more towards
the D line. You'd lean more towards the secondary. But
(08:29):
we do agree that the middle of the defense is
about as rock solid as it can be. Now, we
mentioned this a little bit last week. The big thing
that people are now shifting their focus towards with the
Steelers is the fact that TJ. Watt missed out on
the mandatory mini camp, and that will be kind of
the saga, if you will, that we discussed from now
(08:51):
until training camp and in training camp is what is
going on with the contract? When will he sign? Now?
I guess that if the steel because there's a there's
I think there's an offer on the table here and
TJ clearly doesn't like the offer on the table. If
the Steelers had offered him more money than Miles Garrett
right now, you would think it, yeah, because that's what
(09:14):
he walk qut, because he wants to get paid more
than him and be at the top of the leaderboard
again for however long or short that that might be.
So I think that kind of is walking me down
the path that the Steelers aren't nickel and diming him.
But maybe instead of forty million, we're giving you thirty six, right,
something just a little bit off the top gives us
a little bit more flexibility, you know. Maybe it's a
(09:37):
strategic thing where it's like, well, this money that we
don't give you for the Garrett match, we'll go to
Calvin Austin or something like that, or we'll go to
this guy, or maybe this goes into the kitty for
next year for when we want to get a corner
on the market maybe for a couple of years and
maybe forty or fifty million dollars. We got this that
we can can put towards that. And I think that
that I said on Mark Show when I was hosting
(09:58):
on Friday, like, you know, if I was just do
it already, like just get it done, because like you're
gonna give them more money than Miles Garrett, Like why
go through the song and dance? Why go through the
hold out of mini camp? Why go through the hold in?
If you're going to give them forty million dollars in
a cent more than Miles, good, just do it, Like,
just stop, you know, waiting and dragging it out. And
then as I went into the weekend, I was thinking
about it more. It was like, well, you know, I mean,
(10:21):
if they were really gonna cave and give them the
money anyway, why wouldn't they just do it? Now? Why
go through the song and dance? So I have to
wonder that there's a little bit of a Hey, we're
asking you to give back a little bit here on
this one. We gave you that spot at the top
of the leaderboard last time. You make more money than
anybody in the league highest paid non quarterback great, But
(10:45):
this time now on your third contract, teach, can you
kick back a little bit? Can you kind of give
if you really want to be a hometown guy at
Pittsburgh Steeler for life, can you kind of give us
a little bit of help? Can you maybe, instead of
taking the highest defense or highest paid non quarterback title,
the fifth highest paid non quarterback, the sixth highest paid
(11:05):
non quarterback. That's still a lot of damn money and
a raise that you'll be getting from your last contract
that was at the time the highest paid player that
wasn't a quarterback in the NFL. Now, the interesting thing
is it's not just Miles Garrett that he's got to
get over when it comes to highest paid non quarterbacks
(11:28):
in the NFL and their average annual salary, because if
you remember, that title was passed by Jamar Chase when
he signed his deal with the Bengals. He makes on
average two hundred and fifty thousand dollars more per year
(11:48):
than Miles Garrett. So he rocketed right passed. So you
got to think, like, it's not just Miles Garrett, Like
is it Jamar is it is it a one on
one thing with his position, or is it it's truly
non quarterback, because then you'd have to get more than
Jamar Chase. And that's the mark that you you have
to get forty thousand, three hundred thousand or forty million,
three hundred thousand instead of forty million, two hundred and
(12:08):
fifty thousand.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
And Daniel Hunter will uncomfortable giving him that money.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
I don't know if I would. Daniel Hunter's the third
highest paid non quarterback for Houston. He makes thirty five
point six million dollars per year, So you give him thirty.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Seven Hunter, you give him that much money, You give him.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Thirty six million dollars.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
T J.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Watt, Yeah, it's it's four million less than Chase and
Hunt and Garrett. But you're still the third highest paid
non quarterback in the NFL and you are only exceeded
by Miles Garrett at your position. And that doesn't he
might view it as like an indictment on like you
think Garrett's better than me if you're paying him more money.
That never, That is never how it translates, right, Like
(12:45):
Jared Goff makes more money than a lot of quarterbacks
that I would take in no hesitation over him. Markets
just they they get a little bit of put it
this way, Jamar Chase is making forty million, two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars. He's real good. He's not the
best receiver in football. Now. Justin Jefferson's making thirty five million,
(13:07):
so he's not hurting. But I'm just saying, like the
best player doesn't always make the best money. It's who's
up next, and Jefferson is the best receiver in football.
Do you agree with me? Or do you will you
push back and say Chase is better, No, it's Jefferson.
I think Jefferson's the best receiver.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
I mean, look at what Jefferson's done with Kirk Cousins
would say, dark.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Quarterback, he elevates to level. Yeah, it's just I think
I think if you're gonna have faith in JJ McCarthy,
a lot of it has to do with the other JJ.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Like, imagine Jefferson, Imagine him.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
I'm not saying that Chase would struggle in Minnesota, but
imagine Jefferson in Cincinnati with Burrow.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Right. So I just think that you know, Justin Jefferson
is the better receiver and he doesn't make as much money. Now,
I will say this, this is where if I'm TJ. Watt.
I wouldn't be salty at the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I
would kind of be like, and I think that the
deal that the Steelers probably have offered him that he's
not taking it exceeds this anyway and solves this. But
the one thing that I would kind of just be
(14:00):
like again, not like angry, kick open the door and
be like, how could you just be like, Hey, notice
DK Metcalf makes thirty three million dollars. Now that's most
on the team per year, and hasn't played a snap
for you yet.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
I'm sure he'll get more than.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
That's what I'm saying. I think that the money that
he has now offered to him that he's not accepting
is more than thirty three million dollars a year. He
will become the highest paid Steeler on the roster on
an average annual salary basis. I think it's about getting
to the chase in the Garrett level that is probably
going to be the hold up at this point. So
I'm interested to see if the Steelers hold firm in that,
if the Steelers decide to maybe give a little bit,
(14:36):
maybe match Garrett, maybe exceed both of those guys. I
don't know, But all I do know is that we're
going to talk about it almost on a weekly basis
until it is decided and figured out. We won't hear TJ.
Watt speak even if he goes when he goes to
the training camp, I don't know if you will even
hear him speak if he'll talk to the media and
(14:57):
moving day or on an available session after a practice.
But fully expect him to hold him hold in once
against the Saint Vincent. And I've said it countless times
and I'll keep continuing to believe it. It'll be the
kind of same movie playing out that we saw the
previous time that Wat was going for his contract. The
only twist difference in this one might be that the
(15:18):
Steelers might actually not give him that money that makes
him the highest payton on a quarterback and just makes
him like third highest payton on quarterback. Still hold of
my breath for that though. They might end up just
meeting him above forty point twenty five million, not not
holding out that that's still not an option. But we
will not have TJ. Watt until that contract is is
(15:41):
done and dusted. Do you think that if they do
play chicken and get to the season starting and kickoff week.
What does he hold out at all? Do you see
t J. Watt is the kind of guy that missing.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
I wouldn't because I think like he, like we've talked
about so many times in the show, like he's not
a dumb Like he knows what's.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
At stake here at his career. He wants to win.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Do you think that.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
He knows his best chance at winning right now is
if he's on the field.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
If he's on the field right yeah, yeah, yeah. I
wonder though if maybe just to kind of like to
look like you didn't, like, do you hold out one
game right just to kind of like send a message
like you're gonna have to win this one without me
and then I come back? Do you do Chris Jones?
(16:32):
Remember Chris Jones held out a couple of games for
the Kansas City Chiefs early getting in their season, and
then they ended up making him do a new deal.
But here's the problem. If that happens, Steels would have
to break protocol to income do a new deal, like
if he does Chris Jones.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Because they don't usually do those end season I.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Don't think they ever really have. I think maybe a
quarterback has gotten it. I think I want to say
that Maddox got his extension in the middle of a season.
I'm not sure about that though, but yeah, It's just
that would have to be a breaking of protocol for
the Pittsburgh Seelers if they were to get that done.
All right, let's end today's episode on a later note.
(17:09):
On a fun note, Adam Rank of NFL dot Com
ranked five candidates that he think right now are deserving
of statues outside of their team's respective stadiums. Here is
the list. Uh, Marshawn Lynch for the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Oh so this isn't just current guys.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
No, none of these guys are currently These are all
guys gonna be like a guy who has the potential
because obvious answer would be.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Like my homes.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
We could do that if you want, like.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
The current after this, Yeah, let's get through this.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Marshn Lynch from the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Now, we've always said that the biggest moment in Seahawks history.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
That's what he was talking. Battle it after beast quake.
Maybe you do the whole mountain on the you don't
want to do that one.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
How else do you get I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Well, you remember Mario statue outside of console has two
Minnesota Stars in it, So maybe you have two Saints
like Tracy Porter getting bounced.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Off of it.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Maybe. I think if you did the whole everybody would know.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Exactly that's crazy to do that.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
I think if Marshawn hekay son, let me take you
to do your first NFL game at age five, look
at this statue here.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
It's not he needs to learn, Hey dad, what is
he doing?
Speaker 1 (18:20):
He needs to learn eventually. I think Marshawn would vote
for that to be the statue.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Oh for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Do you do something like almost fictional where like he's
running and like the ground is like breaking underneath him,
a quake is happening underneath him, you know what I mean?
Like you kind of you make it a little bit fictitious,
lean into the beast quake. Name another thing that you
could do though, for the Seahawks, it's kind of a
group statue of the Legion of Boom right, like.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Ear that it's just you're immortalizing four guys. But it's
the Lea statues. No, they're a group statues, the Legion
of Boom. See the only thing that comes to mind
is that group Bobblehead between Ryan Dumitt, Duke and uh,
you know what's what I'm talking for, the pirates, Chris Duffy,
Chris Duffy. It was the three d's right, it would.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Be the four members of the Legion of Boomstacks.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
It's Sherman cam Chancellor. I'm forgetting the other two. Camp
Chancellor named one, So did you? Yeah, Earl Thomas, Earl Thomas,
and then who's the fourth? Oh, come on, I'm just
blanket high. It's like Richard Earl Thomas Chancellor. You think
(19:34):
he's an ageless wonder. Oh oh oh, Bobby would be right,
and he's not in the secondary.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
The Legion of Boom goes into Bobby was Okay, who
else was in the secondary?
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Like?
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Who else was? I thought there was a fourth guy?
Speaker 1 (19:48):
I mean there obviously was.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Michael Bennett was really good when he was there.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
His shoulder pads.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Yeah, I'm trying to think. I thought there was a
fourth guy, all.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Right, Uh, number four on the list Fitzgerald.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Brandon Browner was the fourth guy. But that I don't know.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Larry Fitzgerald, you gotta put it's gotta be you can't
have a statue of four guys and Brandon Browner be
the fourth guy, even if it is technically correct, right,
Larry Fitzgerald, I mean, I think this is a given
for like who.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
The best Arizona Cardinal? I mean franchise history by far.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
You have a great tribute to Pat Tillman outside of
the stadium. As they pointed out, that's for a different
right together, but this is first contributions on the field
in that Cardinal.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
And I also think, like we were talking about Russ
versus the Legion of Boom versus Marshawn Lynch, like it's
Larry Fitzgerald and then it's everyone else.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Plus Larry didn't get a ring, right, so I'd like
to give him all the accolades possible.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
And just like you know, Richard Sherman left, Marshawn left,
Earl Thomas chan Chancellor. I think I think cam Chanceller retired.
I was waiting for Russ at the end because he
left on really bad terms. But they all on and
off the field. Larry Fitzgerald was the prime candidate for
just how you should carry yourself.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Yeah, so Fits I think is an easy choice. Yeah, absolutely,
He's a class act too like you're not what I'm saying,
Like on and off the field, you're not gonna get
any pushback from anybody.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
And and had the greatest individual postseason by a wide
receiver ever.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Yep, he won the Walter Painton Man of the Year.
He's second in receiving yards behind only Jerry Rice and
that's an unbreakable record. Pretty much that Jerry it's nearly
fits is basically the modern day leader as far as
receiving yards is concerned. He was going to win Superowl
MVP right, like, sure, no doubt. I think Larry Fitzgerald
(21:38):
is a given.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
I think that's I don't even know who else is left,
but I think that's the best candidate.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
JJ Watt outside of Houston.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
It's a pretty good one, I guess.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
But he was Cardinal too, and like.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Three time MVP or three times.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Pretty that's pretty freaking only guy.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
To ever get twenty sacks in more than one season.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Plus, if you're looking like sometimes teams are looking for that,
I know that you can't just get a statue for
statue's sake, because it's like, we need a statue outside
of our stadium.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Houston has nothing else, nothing else, yeah, they're.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
The youngest franchise in the NFL. I know the Oilers
were a thing, but this isn't the Oilers. This is expansion,
the latest expansion team. He is the face of their
franchise still, yeah right, I mean Deshaun Watson had a chance,
but that was bluately flushed down the toilet. DeAndre Hopkins
is a pretty big face.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Of the fan.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
He left left and didn't Yeah, not nearly, sorry, JJ Watt,
like is the reason they won like eleven games in
a season, Like, got to the playoffs for the first
time as a franchise.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Right, he was the best that he could have won
MVP a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Oh, I don't know how.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
I mean, I know why because the league is so
quarterback slurping, but he absolutely deserved it a couple of
those seasons.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
He'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer too, So yeah,
I think what probably does deserve something nice outside of
the stadium there.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
But again, like, I think I might go Larry in
terms of franchise by franchise, Like Larry deserves it more over.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
JJ Aaron Donald for the l A. Rams. This is
the other one on the list. He's a three time
Defensive Player of the Year. Yeah he is, and he's
a super Bowl champion.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
He's a super Bowl champion, and he's one of the greatest.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
I mean, so it was ja They both are two
of the greatest defensive players to ever play the game.
But again, I might I might go fits over both
of them in terms of do you deserve and to
be immortalized in your city like these are all future
Hall of famers.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Marshawn hall of Famer. I think he's borderline, that's the thing.
So he's a borderline guy.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
These three guys, Donald Donald, Donald Donald, what it fits,
they're all lots. Isn't fits in and already has he
been out of the league for five years yet I'm
not huh, because that's the only thing that would be
holding him back is the five years eligibility.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
I don't think he's in yet, although did he just
get I think he's I think he's this year. I
think Fitzgerald's going to get in this season. He's not
Hall of Famer just well.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
The only reason he's not the only reason.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
He retired in twenty twenty, the year for fifty.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
The only reason any of these guys aren't in right now.
Is because you have to wait at least five seasons
to become eligible.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Right. As soon as they're all eligible, they're all wait, right, I.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Would think so obviously that depends on the class sometimes,
but I.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Mean, these I can't imagine any of these.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Three twenty two, so we got a few years for him.
Aaron Donald just retired a couple of years ago, so.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
We got I can't imagine any any of these guys
being second ballot.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Was shocked.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Marshall should be Marshall should be available.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I think he's been like nominated. I don't know that's
the right term.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Twenty nineteen, so yeah, last year was yeah, first year
that he was allowed.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
He could get like.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
It wouldn't pissed me off if you got in, Like
I said, like, has the most iconic moment for a
franchise ever, has a Super Bowl ring to boot with
the Rams.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Aaron Donald the best player in Rams history, I guess.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
I guess.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
He points out Adam Ranked Deacon Jones doesn't have a statue,
and he's pretty damn big deal for the Rams. Kurt
Warner is a pretty big deal for the Rams.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Two. I mean, Marshall Falk huge deal.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
How can I forget. I think he might be the
best Ram ever Marshall Fulkmer Donald, Yeah, I think it's
it's one or the other. But I mean on a VP,
Kurt Warner's got just the like the folklore aspect to him.
Though the guy was stuck in grocery shlves and shouldn't
have made it in the NFL at all. And then
he comes in and he's the best quarterback in the
league all of a sudden right with an ability to
(25:38):
lead Bruce.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
And here's the thing to here's the thing holding Donald back.
Deserves Hall of Fame recognition. But in terms of a statue,
like there are other guys that we're talking about saying
probably more important to the franchise.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I think the Rams should just build a couple of
statues like I think they just have them.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
It's hard to convince the team to build like. Statues
are important.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
And the Rams have the history for it, so I
mean they wanted to. But here's the thing with the Rams,
though they don't always have that permanent home for it.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
That's a great point. Donald Donald started his career in St.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Louis. They moved stadiums in Los Angeles, like and the
Number one on this list is obvious Thomas Edward Brady.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
See you say it's obvious, Like I thought, maybe Peyton
Peyton has a statue, doesn't realize.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Yeah, Peyton has a statue and he has a tribute
outside of Miles Highfield for for Denver. So he's got
That's what I was gonna ask he puts the Tampa
Bay buccaneer on this.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
List because Brady deserves a statue in New England, but
he probably deserves a plaque or a tribute like Peyton
has in Denver.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
There is a statue in Tampa. You this is funny.
It came around like this. You were like, there's a
statue in Tampa of like Derek Brooks, John Gruden and
Warren sapp A.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
That. Yeah, because the defense was that defense had three
pick six there are three touchdowns or defensive plays returned
for a touchdown.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
They blew out the Raiders.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Yeah, so I could see Tom Brady getting maybe like
a small thing, maybe like a like a like a pillow,
like like he puts it there. There's a pillar that
bears the likeness of Peyton Manning at in power Field.
So it's not like a statue.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
But his face is on like you'll never you'll never
decline to Super Bowl. But I think people in Tampa,
and I'm sure they love that Tom Brady chose to
come to Tampa and won them a super Bowl in
his first year there. But I bet you they remember more. Finally,
that three Gruden, Warren Sap, Derek Brooks, Rondez Barber season
championship team. You never forget your first He did it
(27:38):
as a team. It wasn't like, hey, you won the lottery,
you got Tom Brady.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
I know what you're saying. They had a great team
with Tom. They did.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
They did Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Leonnette. Sure.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
I was refusing to acknowledge him, but like yeah, he's like, yeah,
they had they had a great, great defense.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
I think Brady should get statues or at least commemoration
outside of both. I think he's I mean, he's got
to get something outside of right.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
He isn't enoup to Bob, So Bob has no problem
with Brady, So like does Belichick never get a statue
because Bobchick Bob and Belichick are the ones I'm saying.
I think Brady will get one because Robert Kraft is
his guy. But I don't think Belichick will get one
as as it was, even though he deserves one.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
He deserves one.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Belichick wanted to go with funny thing is too, rober
Craft told him, no, We're keeping Tom Brady.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
So the funny thing too is if Belichick gets one,
does Jordan Jordan Hudson the girlfriend chime in and say like, well,
I want a statue too.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
That's that'll be it North Carolina, that statue up. When
they win nine games this year in North Carolina, they'll
throw that statue up all right. That'll do current players
real quick. I guess Mahomes is.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
My home for sure. Lamar probably two time MVP.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
He keeps going this way and stays in Baltimore forever.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Like if he gets one more MVP, Like, how.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Do you not they have ray Lewis right, I don't know,
Lewis you sure they have it? They gotta ed Rey
too out there.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
It's because no one except for Franco. And it's not
even a statue in art. It's not even a statue
in the art.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
We have art art. Rooney, the Chief, there's the Chief,
you're kidding me? The Chief smoking the cigar outside of
the stadium.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Oh right, right right when you're walking into like that
the near end zone, the open end zone. But it's frank,
does Franco have a statue at the stadium or is
it just out there?
Speaker 1 (29:24):
There's like there's a statue at the airport and that's
not even like a bronze.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
That's not statue. It's a figurine.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
And then there is the commemoration of where the catch happened,
like when you're sure down the street. But that's it.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
It's hard. It's hard for when you're a really good
historic franchise to have status.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Rogers get a statue outside of Green Bay. I don't
know if I don't know, I don't know if they
do statues like Pittsburgh. I'm trying, Like Mahomes is the
only real obvious one unless you go with Russ and
count him as an active player and go outside of Seattle.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Okay, the saguan one in Philly.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
No, not yet, no.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
You're kind of a joke, Like.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
That's what I'm saying, Like it's hard to give out statues.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Everybody a statue unless you just.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Give him all out, like yeah, like your Oprah given.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Out a car, like you win a Super Bowl, you
get a statue. Is that how we're doing it.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I'm trying to think if there's any let me like
Josh Allen doesn't deserve one yet, right he got his
MVP when.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
I don't think I mean Buffalo's had Kelly and OJ.
They don't do statues. I don't think they're either, Bruce Thomas.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
I'm looking around the league. I think Mahomes is the
only guy. Only guy, I mean, like as much as
we love him, like Cam and TJ, like don't deserve
one yet and we don't do statues, and we don't
do statues.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
I think the only other guy is Rogers is green Bay? Indeed,
if green Bay.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Were to do that, and I don't know if they would,
Lamar I said, if he if he went to Super Bowl,
start the bronze machine now, like put in the steel
mill right now, Bro Cincinnati needs.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
Oh, he hasn't won anything.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
He's won more than anybody in since he has, or
as much as anybody and since he has, but.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Like, do you agree if Lamar wins a Super Bowl?
I think more so than an MVP. If he wins
a Super Bowl this year, load up the statue and
load up the Hall of Fame. Yeah, yeah, trophy case.
He was already in this Hall of Fame, so you
think so, Yeah, for sure. He's two time MVP, he's
defining the position.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yeah, it's never been done before. He's the best rushing
quarterback ever.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
But it's unquestionable first ballot, one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
If he gets our super Bowl already, but yeah, if he.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Gets that super Bowl, it's it's a done deal.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
We can put him in the Super Hall of Fame. Sure, yeah, right,
all right, let's do it for us today. We'll be
back again later this week on the Steelers Standard and
Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.
We're talking about best case scenarios for the Steelers defense
on today's show, talking about the harmon and Benton really
taking a lot off of Hayward's plate while Hayward's still great,
talking about the inside linebackers and Peyton Wilson really emerging
over Patrick Queen. We talked in our first episode about
the safeties because of Elliot getting his contract extension and
Minka Fitzpatrick kind of returning, turning to Minca ball for him.
(00:35):
I don't think that's necessarily my best case scenario though,
for the defensive side of the ball, is Minca returning
to his form. I just realized that I think that
needs to happen, Like I don't think, yeah, it's like,
oh wow, that's that turned out to be, But it's
hard the thing that could have possibly happened for the defense.
I think my best case scenario is that everyone else,
specifically Darius Lay, gives you one season of maybe borderline cornerback,
(01:00):
one type of play. I mean, this is a guy
that has had moments in his NFL career, who wasn't
all pro in Detroit, Like he is a big time
player at different times in his NFL career and from
all accounts, he was very good for the Philadelphia Eagle secondary,
was very impactful for that Eagle secondary that was loaded
last year. If he can come here and have an
(01:21):
impact like that in this Pittsburgh secondary, then I think
that that's going to end up being your best case
scenario and everything's gonna just lurish as far as that's concerned. Now,
like with Minka playing well and having a lot more impact,
and with Joey Porter Junior stepping up and becoming that
true number one corner, I don't want to label that
as best case scenario because that gives the connotation that
(01:43):
I don't expect it to happen, and that if it does,
I'll just be like, oh, I'm pleasantly surprised that Joey
took that step where that Minka started to intercept the
ball again. Now I'm expecting those things to happen, and
I will be actually more sprussed an unpleasant way. If
we're here in week seventeen, wrapping up the season and
it's another kind of Minka didn't have that much picks
(02:05):
and Joey got a lot of holding penalties and was
still pretty grabby, that would be an unpleasant surprise for me.
When I'm thinking best case scenario, I'm thinking ones that
I'm gonna at the end of the year be like,
you know what, boy, that really worked out And I
was kind of a little shaky on it. And I
think Darius Slay is the one person in that secondary
that I'm looking at and I'm like, I want to
(02:26):
trust you, dude. I do, and you got a ton
of talent. It's just I gotta see it play out
before I can finally firmly judge it and maybe put
my doubts to bed. Because when you're that old at
that position, it can just take an off season of
losing a step to being a very serviceable to good
(02:47):
to that time's great corner on a loaded defense for
a Super Bowl winning Philadelphia Eagles team, to a liability
in anybody's secondary, no matter how loaded the guy is
opposite of. You can playing next to Pat certain in
Denver and you could just become that liability because you
missed that half a step or you're losing that half
a step. So it's kind of similar to what we
(03:10):
were talked about with Cam Hayward last year going into
the season and how we had some kind of pessimistic
views sometimes is because like you're that at that age,
at that position, coming off of an injury like you did,
I have to see it first before I really believe it.
And I think that that is fair. Sure maybe from
their perspective to be like, oh, you should just believe it. Anyway,
(03:31):
Come on, Cam Hayward, I'm great. You know I'm gonna
be great. I'm always great. Sometime you're going to drop off.
It just happens to every single person that plays in
this league, that plays any sport in life. You just
you get washed. You can't avoid it. Father Time's undefeated.
So I think it's fair this year going into this
(03:52):
season to look at Darius Slay's age and I know
he's not coming off an injury like Hayward was last year,
but look at his age and have some skepticism about
if he can perform to the level that we even
saw him perform at last year in Philadelphia. And I
won't have that skepticism kind of washed away from me.
I won't start feeling optimism about him until I start
(04:15):
to see week three, week four, week five, week six
come to pass and he's playing really solid to maybe
good to great. So I put the best case scenario
in the secondary on Darius Slay giving us a really,
really good one year here in Pittsburgh and not just
bridging us into maybe that next cornerback two that you
(04:36):
get in the draft or free agency next year, but
providing a really solid effort this season that helps the
team win now, which is obviously the mindset of the
team because you have Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback. No
one gets Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback to plan for
the future, so it is try to win in twenty
twenty five, and I think Slay's got a big, big
(04:57):
hand in that. And if he does so, then I
think the defense takes another like we're talking about here,
takes another firm step in the direction of being a
truly top to bottom elite, undisputed top three defense in
the NFL.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
It just has to come together, though, Like I feel
like my concern here is that of the defensive units,
between the defensive line, the outside linebackers, the inside linebackers.
In the secondary, I think I have the most questions
or maybe not even questions, maybe hesitations to buy into
(05:33):
the secondary just because of what could go wrong. Like
if I know we're talking about best case scenario, But
what if Minka doesn't return to Minca ball? And what
if Darius Slay really slows down at age what thirty five?
And what if Joey Porter Junior has more of the
same of a second season compared to his first season.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
And Deshaun Elliott.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I can't really think of a worst case scenario for
Deshn Elliott unless he just falls off. But I didn't
see that that capability or that potential in him from
his first year in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
But do you know, do you see what I'm getting at?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Like I could, I could see it kind of going
really wrong for the for the secondary across every position,
all four of those guys.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
To varying degrees. Right, going wrong for Joey Port Junior
probably looks different from Darius to Elliott to to Minka.
But I don't know. I I just think that, let's
let's put it this way. What level of the defense
are you feeling the most nervous about?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
The secondary?
Speaker 1 (06:33):
It's the secondary for you?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Ye, Like I just laid out, I just the defensive
line for me, just because if Cam goes down, people
need to step up around.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Even go down and Benton and Harmon can't.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Se goes down even if he's healthy for an entire season.
We illustrated it when he leaves the field, teams run
all over the Steelers Like, I.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Don't know, I guess I just I feel a little bit.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I have a little thing that's fair to have nerves
about both of them. I think, Yeah, I think the
middle level is the only one that you're kind of like,
I'm good on.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I can't like you have to something catastrophically wrong would
have to happen to that metal unit.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yeah, you have two. You have the best tandem of
bad dressers in football, right. And then your second line
is pretty good too with her big and I think
Sawyer is going to be a very And then, like
we laid out in the end of the second episode,
the inside linebackers are maybe as solid as they've been
since the Williams and Shazier time here in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
At least as deep deep.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
They're four deep right now at that spot, So middle
of the defenses is rock solid. Secondary. I don't know.
I think i'd rank defensive line first because I have
more optimism on uh Joey Porter Jr. Than I do.
Maybe a Harmon or a Benton Harmon may be a
little bit unfair to say because we haven't seen him yet,
(07:47):
Benton now entering his third year. I mean, I think
Joey could be a little bit better of a player
in the grand scheme of things than Benton can. And
I like what I saw from Elliott last year. Minka
has been an All Pro before, and Darius he's been
an All Pro before. It's just Cam Hayward, a third
year man in Benton that really needs to get himself
(08:08):
going to get that second contract for him a rookie,
and Harmon and some other guys that have just been
around for a few years, like a Leal, a Dean Lowry,
those type of guys for the Steelers. So I think
it's fair to say either or I'd lean more towards
the D line. You'd lean more towards the secondary. But
(08:29):
we do agree that the middle of the defense is
about as rock solid as it can be. Now, we
mentioned this a little bit last week. The big thing
that people are now shifting their focus towards with the
Steelers is the fact that TJ. Watt missed out on
the mandatory mini camp, and that will be kind of
the saga, if you will, that we discussed from now
(08:51):
until training camp and in training camp is what is
going on with the contract? When will he sign? Now?
I guess that if the steel because there's a there's
I think there's an offer on the table here and
TJ clearly doesn't like the offer on the table. If
the Steelers had offered him more money than Miles Garrett
right now, you would think it, yeah, because that's what
(09:14):
he walk qut, because he wants to get paid more
than him and be at the top of the leaderboard
again for however long or short that that might be.
So I think that kind of is walking me down
the path that the Steelers aren't nickel and diming him.
But maybe instead of forty million, we're giving you thirty six, right,
something just a little bit off the top gives us
a little bit more flexibility, you know. Maybe it's a
(09:37):
strategic thing where it's like, well, this money that we
don't give you for the Garrett match, we'll go to
Calvin Austin or something like that, or we'll go to
this guy, or maybe this goes into the kitty for
next year for when we want to get a corner
on the market maybe for a couple of years and
maybe forty or fifty million dollars. We got this that
we can can put towards that. And I think that
that I said on Mark Show when I was hosting
(09:58):
on Friday, like, you know, if I was just do
it already, like just get it done, because like you're
gonna give them more money than Miles Garrett, Like why
go through the song and dance? Why go through the
hold out of mini camp? Why go through the hold in?
If you're going to give them forty million dollars in
a cent more than Miles, good, just do it, Like,
just stop, you know, waiting and dragging it out. And
then as I went into the weekend, I was thinking
about it more. It was like, well, you know, I mean,
(10:21):
if they were really gonna cave and give them the
money anyway, why wouldn't they just do it? Now? Why
go through the song and dance? So I have to
wonder that there's a little bit of a Hey, we're
asking you to give back a little bit here on
this one. We gave you that spot at the top
of the leaderboard last time. You make more money than
anybody in the league highest paid non quarterback great, But
(10:45):
this time now on your third contract, teach, can you
kick back a little bit? Can you kind of give
if you really want to be a hometown guy at
Pittsburgh Steeler for life, can you kind of give us
a little bit of help? Can you maybe, instead of
taking the highest defense or highest paid non quarterback title,
the fifth highest paid non quarterback, the sixth highest paid
(11:05):
non quarterback. That's still a lot of damn money and
a raise that you'll be getting from your last contract
that was at the time the highest paid player that
wasn't a quarterback in the NFL. Now, the interesting thing
is it's not just Miles Garrett that he's got to
get over when it comes to highest paid non quarterbacks
(11:28):
in the NFL and their average annual salary, because if
you remember, that title was passed by Jamar Chase when
he signed his deal with the Bengals. He makes on
average two hundred and fifty thousand dollars more per year
(11:48):
than Miles Garrett. So he rocketed right passed. So you
got to think, like, it's not just Miles Garrett, Like
is it Jamar is it is it a one on
one thing with his position, or is it it's truly
non quarterback, because then you'd have to get more than
Jamar Chase. And that's the mark that you you have
to get forty thousand, three hundred thousand or forty million,
three hundred thousand instead of forty million, two hundred and
(12:08):
fifty thousand.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
And Daniel Hunter will uncomfortable giving him that money.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
I don't know if I would. Daniel Hunter's the third
highest paid non quarterback for Houston. He makes thirty five
point six million dollars per year, So you give him thirty.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Seven Hunter, you give him that much money, You give him.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Thirty six million dollars.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
T J.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Watt, Yeah, it's it's four million less than Chase and
Hunt and Garrett. But you're still the third highest paid
non quarterback in the NFL and you are only exceeded
by Miles Garrett at your position. And that doesn't he
might view it as like an indictment on like you
think Garrett's better than me if you're paying him more money.
That never, That is never how it translates, right, Like
(12:45):
Jared Goff makes more money than a lot of quarterbacks
that I would take in no hesitation over him. Markets
just they they get a little bit of put it
this way, Jamar Chase is making forty million, two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars. He's real good. He's not the
best receiver in football. Now. Justin Jefferson's making thirty five million,
(13:07):
so he's not hurting. But I'm just saying, like the
best player doesn't always make the best money. It's who's
up next, and Jefferson is the best receiver in football.
Do you agree with me? Or do you will you
push back and say Chase is better, No, it's Jefferson.
I think Jefferson's the best receiver.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
I mean, look at what Jefferson's done with Kirk Cousins
would say, dark.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Quarterback, he elevates to level. Yeah, it's just I think
I think if you're gonna have faith in JJ McCarthy,
a lot of it has to do with the other JJ.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Like, imagine Jefferson, Imagine him.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
I'm not saying that Chase would struggle in Minnesota, but
imagine Jefferson in Cincinnati with Burrow.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Right. So I just think that you know, Justin Jefferson
is the better receiver and he doesn't make as much money. Now,
I will say this, this is where if I'm TJ. Watt.
I wouldn't be salty at the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I
would kind of be like, and I think that the
deal that the Steelers probably have offered him that he's
not taking it exceeds this anyway and solves this. But
the one thing that I would kind of just be
(14:00):
like again, not like angry, kick open the door and
be like, how could you just be like, Hey, notice
DK Metcalf makes thirty three million dollars. Now that's most
on the team per year, and hasn't played a snap
for you yet.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
I'm sure he'll get more than.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
That's what I'm saying. I think that the money that
he has now offered to him that he's not accepting
is more than thirty three million dollars a year. He
will become the highest paid Steeler on the roster on
an average annual salary basis. I think it's about getting
to the chase in the Garrett level that is probably
going to be the hold up at this point. So
I'm interested to see if the Steelers hold firm in that,
if the Steelers decide to maybe give a little bit,
(14:36):
maybe match Garrett, maybe exceed both of those guys. I
don't know, But all I do know is that we're
going to talk about it almost on a weekly basis
until it is decided and figured out. We won't hear TJ.
Watt speak even if he goes when he goes to
the training camp, I don't know if you will even
hear him speak if he'll talk to the media and
(14:57):
moving day or on an available session after a practice.
But fully expect him to hold him hold in once
against the Saint Vincent. And I've said it countless times
and I'll keep continuing to believe it. It'll be the
kind of same movie playing out that we saw the
previous time that Wat was going for his contract. The
only twist difference in this one might be that the
(15:18):
Steelers might actually not give him that money that makes
him the highest payton on a quarterback and just makes
him like third highest payton on quarterback. Still hold of
my breath for that though. They might end up just
meeting him above forty point twenty five million, not not
holding out that that's still not an option. But we
will not have TJ. Watt until that contract is is
(15:41):
done and dusted. Do you think that if they do
play chicken and get to the season starting and kickoff week.
What does he hold out at all? Do you see
t J. Watt is the kind of guy that missing.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
I wouldn't because I think like he, like we've talked
about so many times in the show, like he's not
a dumb Like he knows what's.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
At stake here at his career. He wants to win.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Do you think that.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
He knows his best chance at winning right now is
if he's on the field.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
If he's on the field right yeah, yeah, yeah. I
wonder though if maybe just to kind of like to
look like you didn't, like, do you hold out one
game right just to kind of like send a message
like you're gonna have to win this one without me
and then I come back? Do you do Chris Jones?
(16:32):
Remember Chris Jones held out a couple of games for
the Kansas City Chiefs early getting in their season, and
then they ended up making him do a new deal.
But here's the problem. If that happens, Steels would have
to break protocol to income do a new deal, like
if he does Chris Jones.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Because they don't usually do those end season I.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Don't think they ever really have. I think maybe a
quarterback has gotten it. I think I want to say
that Maddox got his extension in the middle of a season.
I'm not sure about that though, but yeah, It's just
that would have to be a breaking of protocol for
the Pittsburgh Seelers if they were to get that done.
All right, let's end today's episode on a later note.
(17:09):
On a fun note, Adam Rank of NFL dot Com
ranked five candidates that he think right now are deserving
of statues outside of their team's respective stadiums. Here is
the list. Uh, Marshawn Lynch for the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Oh so this isn't just current guys.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
No, none of these guys are currently These are all
guys gonna be like a guy who has the potential
because obvious answer would be.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Like my homes.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
We could do that if you want, like.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
The current after this, Yeah, let's get through this.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Marshn Lynch from the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Now, we've always said that the biggest moment in Seahawks history.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
That's what he was talking. Battle it after beast quake.
Maybe you do the whole mountain on the you don't
want to do that one.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
How else do you get I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Well, you remember Mario statue outside of console has two
Minnesota Stars in it, So maybe you have two Saints
like Tracy Porter getting bounced.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Off of it.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Maybe. I think if you did the whole everybody would know.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Exactly that's crazy to do that.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
I think if Marshawn hekay son, let me take you
to do your first NFL game at age five, look
at this statue here.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
It's not he needs to learn, Hey dad, what is
he doing?
Speaker 1 (18:20):
He needs to learn eventually. I think Marshawn would vote
for that to be the statue.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Oh for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Do you do something like almost fictional where like he's
running and like the ground is like breaking underneath him,
a quake is happening underneath him, you know what I mean?
Like you kind of you make it a little bit fictitious,
lean into the beast quake. Name another thing that you
could do though, for the Seahawks, it's kind of a
group statue of the Legion of Boom right, like.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Ear that it's just you're immortalizing four guys. But it's
the Lea statues. No, they're a group statues, the Legion
of Boom. See the only thing that comes to mind
is that group Bobblehead between Ryan Dumitt, Duke and uh,
you know what's what I'm talking for, the pirates, Chris Duffy,
Chris Duffy. It was the three d's right, it would.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Be the four members of the Legion of Boomstacks.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
It's Sherman cam Chancellor. I'm forgetting the other two. Camp
Chancellor named one, So did you? Yeah, Earl Thomas, Earl Thomas,
and then who's the fourth? Oh, come on, I'm just
blanket high. It's like Richard Earl Thomas Chancellor. You think
(19:34):
he's an ageless wonder. Oh oh oh, Bobby would be right,
and he's not in the secondary.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
The Legion of Boom goes into Bobby was Okay, who
else was in the secondary?
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Like?
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Who else was? I thought there was a fourth guy?
Speaker 1 (19:48):
I mean there obviously was.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Michael Bennett was really good when he was there.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
His shoulder pads.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Yeah, I'm trying to think. I thought there was a
fourth guy, all.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Right, Uh, number four on the list Fitzgerald.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Brandon Browner was the fourth guy. But that I don't know.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Larry Fitzgerald, you gotta put it's gotta be you can't
have a statue of four guys and Brandon Browner be
the fourth guy, even if it is technically correct, right,
Larry Fitzgerald, I mean, I think this is a given
for like who.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
The best Arizona Cardinal? I mean franchise history by far.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
You have a great tribute to Pat Tillman outside of
the stadium. As they pointed out, that's for a different
right together, but this is first contributions on the field
in that Cardinal.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
And I also think, like we were talking about Russ
versus the Legion of Boom versus Marshawn Lynch, like it's
Larry Fitzgerald and then it's everyone else.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Plus Larry didn't get a ring, right, so I'd like
to give him all the accolades possible.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
And just like you know, Richard Sherman left, Marshawn left,
Earl Thomas chan Chancellor. I think I think cam Chanceller retired.
I was waiting for Russ at the end because he
left on really bad terms. But they all on and
off the field. Larry Fitzgerald was the prime candidate for
just how you should carry yourself.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Yeah, so Fits I think is an easy choice. Yeah, absolutely,
He's a class act too like you're not what I'm saying,
Like on and off the field, you're not gonna get
any pushback from anybody.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
And and had the greatest individual postseason by a wide
receiver ever.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Yep, he won the Walter Painton Man of the Year.
He's second in receiving yards behind only Jerry Rice and
that's an unbreakable record. Pretty much that Jerry it's nearly
fits is basically the modern day leader as far as
receiving yards is concerned. He was going to win Superowl
MVP right, like, sure, no doubt. I think Larry Fitzgerald
(21:38):
is a given.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
I think that's I don't even know who else is left,
but I think that's the best candidate.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
JJ Watt outside of Houston.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
It's a pretty good one, I guess.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
But he was Cardinal too, and like.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Three time MVP or three times.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Pretty that's pretty freaking only guy.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
To ever get twenty sacks in more than one season.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Plus, if you're looking like sometimes teams are looking for that,
I know that you can't just get a statue for
statue's sake, because it's like, we need a statue outside
of our stadium.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Houston has nothing else, nothing else, yeah, they're.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
The youngest franchise in the NFL. I know the Oilers
were a thing, but this isn't the Oilers. This is expansion,
the latest expansion team. He is the face of their
franchise still, yeah right, I mean Deshaun Watson had a chance,
but that was bluately flushed down the toilet. DeAndre Hopkins
is a pretty big face.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Of the fan.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
He left left and didn't Yeah, not nearly, sorry, JJ Watt,
like is the reason they won like eleven games in
a season, Like, got to the playoffs for the first
time as a franchise.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Right, he was the best that he could have won
MVP a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Oh, I don't know how.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
I mean, I know why because the league is so
quarterback slurping, but he absolutely deserved it a couple of
those seasons.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
He'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer too, So yeah,
I think what probably does deserve something nice outside of
the stadium there.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
But again, like, I think I might go Larry in
terms of franchise by franchise, Like Larry deserves it more over.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
JJ Aaron Donald for the l A. Rams. This is
the other one on the list. He's a three time
Defensive Player of the Year. Yeah he is, and he's
a super Bowl champion.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
He's a super Bowl champion, and he's one of the greatest.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
I mean, so it was ja They both are two
of the greatest defensive players to ever play the game.
But again, I might I might go fits over both
of them in terms of do you deserve and to
be immortalized in your city like these are all future
Hall of famers.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Marshawn hall of Famer. I think he's borderline, that's the thing.
So he's a borderline guy.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
These three guys, Donald Donald, Donald Donald, what it fits,
they're all lots. Isn't fits in and already has he
been out of the league for five years yet I'm
not huh, because that's the only thing that would be
holding him back is the five years eligibility.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
I don't think he's in yet, although did he just
get I think he's I think he's this year. I
think Fitzgerald's going to get in this season. He's not
Hall of Famer just well.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
The only reason he's not the only reason.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
He retired in twenty twenty, the year for fifty.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
The only reason any of these guys aren't in right now.
Is because you have to wait at least five seasons
to become eligible.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Right. As soon as they're all eligible, they're all wait, right, I.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Would think so obviously that depends on the class sometimes,
but I.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Mean, these I can't imagine any of these.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Three twenty two, so we got a few years for him.
Aaron Donald just retired a couple of years ago, so.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
We got I can't imagine any any of these guys
being second ballot.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Was shocked.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Marshall should be Marshall should be available.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I think he's been like nominated. I don't know that's
the right term.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Twenty nineteen, so yeah, last year was yeah, first year
that he was allowed.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
He could get like.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
It wouldn't pissed me off if you got in, Like
I said, like, has the most iconic moment for a
franchise ever, has a Super Bowl ring to boot with
the Rams.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Aaron Donald the best player in Rams history, I guess.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
I guess.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
He points out Adam Ranked Deacon Jones doesn't have a statue,
and he's pretty damn big deal for the Rams. Kurt
Warner is a pretty big deal for the Rams.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Two. I mean, Marshall Falk huge deal.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
How can I forget. I think he might be the
best Ram ever Marshall Fulkmer Donald, Yeah, I think it's
it's one or the other. But I mean on a VP,
Kurt Warner's got just the like the folklore aspect to him.
Though the guy was stuck in grocery shlves and shouldn't
have made it in the NFL at all. And then
he comes in and he's the best quarterback in the
league all of a sudden right with an ability to
(25:38):
lead Bruce.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
And here's the thing to here's the thing holding Donald back.
Deserves Hall of Fame recognition. But in terms of a statue,
like there are other guys that we're talking about saying
probably more important to the franchise.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I think the Rams should just build a couple of
statues like I think they just have them.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
It's hard to convince the team to build like. Statues
are important.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
And the Rams have the history for it, so I
mean they wanted to. But here's the thing with the Rams,
though they don't always have that permanent home for it.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
That's a great point. Donald Donald started his career in St.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Louis. They moved stadiums in Los Angeles, like and the
Number one on this list is obvious Thomas Edward Brady.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
See you say it's obvious, Like I thought, maybe Peyton
Peyton has a statue, doesn't realize.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Yeah, Peyton has a statue and he has a tribute
outside of Miles Highfield for for Denver. So he's got
That's what I was gonna ask he puts the Tampa
Bay buccaneer on this.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
List because Brady deserves a statue in New England, but
he probably deserves a plaque or a tribute like Peyton
has in Denver.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
There is a statue in Tampa. You this is funny.
It came around like this. You were like, there's a
statue in Tampa of like Derek Brooks, John Gruden and
Warren sapp A.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
That. Yeah, because the defense was that defense had three
pick six there are three touchdowns or defensive plays returned
for a touchdown.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
They blew out the Raiders.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Yeah, so I could see Tom Brady getting maybe like
a small thing, maybe like a like a like a pillow,
like like he puts it there. There's a pillar that
bears the likeness of Peyton Manning at in power Field.
So it's not like a statue.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
But his face is on like you'll never you'll never
decline to Super Bowl. But I think people in Tampa,
and I'm sure they love that Tom Brady chose to
come to Tampa and won them a super Bowl in
his first year there. But I bet you they remember more. Finally,
that three Gruden, Warren Sap, Derek Brooks, Rondez Barber season
championship team. You never forget your first He did it
(27:38):
as a team. It wasn't like, hey, you won the lottery,
you got Tom Brady.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
I know what you're saying. They had a great team
with Tom. They did.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
They did Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Leonnette. Sure.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
I was refusing to acknowledge him, but like yeah, he's like, yeah,
they had they had a great, great defense.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
I think Brady should get statues or at least commemoration
outside of both. I think he's I mean, he's got
to get something outside of right.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
He isn't enoup to Bob, So Bob has no problem
with Brady, So like does Belichick never get a statue
because Bobchick Bob and Belichick are the ones I'm saying.
I think Brady will get one because Robert Kraft is
his guy. But I don't think Belichick will get one
as as it was, even though he deserves one.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
He deserves one.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Belichick wanted to go with funny thing is too, rober
Craft told him, no, We're keeping Tom Brady.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
So the funny thing too is if Belichick gets one,
does Jordan Jordan Hudson the girlfriend chime in and say like, well,
I want a statue too.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
That's that'll be it North Carolina, that statue up. When
they win nine games this year in North Carolina, they'll
throw that statue up all right. That'll do current players
real quick. I guess Mahomes is.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
My home for sure. Lamar probably two time MVP.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
He keeps going this way and stays in Baltimore forever.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Like if he gets one more MVP, Like, how.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Do you not they have ray Lewis right, I don't know,
Lewis you sure they have it? They gotta ed Rey
too out there.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
It's because no one except for Franco. And it's not
even a statue in art. It's not even a statue
in the art.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
We have art art. Rooney, the Chief, there's the Chief,
you're kidding me? The Chief smoking the cigar outside of
the stadium.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Oh right, right right when you're walking into like that
the near end zone, the open end zone. But it's frank,
does Franco have a statue at the stadium or is
it just out there?
Speaker 1 (29:24):
There's like there's a statue at the airport and that's
not even like a bronze.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
That's not statue. It's a figurine.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
And then there is the commemoration of where the catch happened,
like when you're sure down the street. But that's it.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
It's hard. It's hard for when you're a really good
historic franchise to have status.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Rogers get a statue outside of Green Bay. I don't
know if I don't know, I don't know if they
do statues like Pittsburgh. I'm trying, Like Mahomes is the
only real obvious one unless you go with Russ and
count him as an active player and go outside of Seattle.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Okay, the saguan one in Philly.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
No, not yet, no.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
You're kind of a joke, Like.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
That's what I'm saying, Like it's hard to give out statues.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Everybody a statue unless you just.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Give him all out, like yeah, like your Oprah given.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Out a car, like you win a Super Bowl, you
get a statue. Is that how we're doing it.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I'm trying to think if there's any let me like
Josh Allen doesn't deserve one yet, right he got his
MVP when.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
I don't think I mean Buffalo's had Kelly and OJ.
They don't do statues. I don't think they're either, Bruce Thomas.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
I'm looking around the league. I think Mahomes is the
only guy. Only guy, I mean, like as much as
we love him, like Cam and TJ, like don't deserve
one yet and we don't do statues, and we don't
do statues.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
I think the only other guy is Rogers is green Bay? Indeed,
if green Bay.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Were to do that, and I don't know if they would,
Lamar I said, if he if he went to Super Bowl,
start the bronze machine now, like put in the steel
mill right now, Bro Cincinnati needs.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
Oh, he hasn't won anything.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
He's won more than anybody in since he has, or
as much as anybody and since he has, but.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Like, do you agree if Lamar wins a Super Bowl?
I think more so than an MVP. If he wins
a Super Bowl this year, load up the statue and
load up the Hall of Fame. Yeah, yeah, trophy case.
He was already in this Hall of Fame, so you
think so, Yeah, for sure. He's two time MVP, he's
defining the position.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yeah, it's never been done before. He's the best rushing
quarterback ever.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
But it's unquestionable first ballot, one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
If he gets our super Bowl already, but yeah, if he.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Gets that super Bowl, it's it's a done deal.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
We can put him in the Super Hall of Fame. Sure, yeah, right,
all right, let's do it for us today. We'll be
back again later this week on the Steelers Standard and
Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.
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