August 5, 2025 • 41 mins
Labs and Tom talk about today's practice script, the inside linebackers and hear from Patrick Queen. Jon Kolb joins the show
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Iheartradios Live coverage ob about twenty twenty five. Steelers Training
Camp is presented by fadex where Now meets Next and
also brought to you by First National Bank, by Kalucy Chevrolet,
iron Workers Union Number three, by Easy Home Exteriors, by
SNT Bank, Remax Select Realty, by Don's Appliances, the Pittsburgh
(00:28):
Steelers Pro Shop, by Always Safe Flagging and Traffic Control,
and by us Steel, Tom.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Off from It and Bob Labriola back on the Training
Camp reports about fifty minutes or so until the Steelers
take the field for practice today at Saint Vincent College
and Labs. What can the folks expect today if they
are going to practice on campus or we'll be watching
it on Steelers dot Com.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Are the pads going to be back.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
On watching it on Steelers dot com? I don't think, oh.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
You can watch practice Steelers YouTube maybe is where you
go to, but you can watch the practice.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Really yes? Okay, okay, after you know the normal we
start with you know, seven shots, uh, and then there's
tackle football and then a lot of the other kind
of things pass under pressure, seven on seven. It will
end with a team period. The two minute drill. The
(01:30):
offense will be giving the ball on its own forty
yard line, one forty one left on the clock, one
time out left, and that's gonna be five plays, So
it'll you know, it'll be another competitive period offense versus defense.
And I'm interested to see who is on the field
(01:51):
for the offense because you would think, you know, they
put out the first team offense. But since there's a
preseason game coming up, a lot of times what Mike
Tomlin will try to do is get the people who
he figures are going to be in the game at
the end of the first half some practice at that.
(02:16):
So it's gonna be interesting not only for how it
turns out, how it's executed, but also who's on the
field doing it.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
And you know this probably can expect them to have
pads today, no tomorrow, pads Thursday, and then they lead
into Jacksonville. Don't quote me on that. That's just kind
of what my gut's feeling right now. And boy, that's
gonna be a good week of practice that they can
get in with the pads on as they prep for Jacksonville.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Yes, and you know, again, the Jaguars aren't on the
schedule this year, I don't think. I hope I didn't
mess that up. And you know, they're not right, and
they're not a marquee team, they're not a regular opponent.
But still, you know, it's I don't know what the
(03:08):
weather's going to be like down there. Usually it's soupy,
as they say, it feels like you're you know, trying
to breathe soup and play in soup. Because in Jacksonville.
I've been to Jacksonville for some games where you know,
the temperature is only in the you know, maybe low
to mid eighties, but the humidity and you know, just
(03:32):
it's borderline oppressive. So that'll be a test, you know,
in terms of you know, dealing with that kind of thing.
Get to see how the players respond to that. Who
can you know, continue to perform at a high level
without allowing the heat and the humidity to get to them.
Because once again, I'm sure there's gonna be many top
(03:58):
of the depth chart guys who play, and so you know,
if you're a down the line kind of guy, like
a running back for example, you know, I don't know
who it's gonna be. I wouldn't imagine that either, Jalen
Warren or Kenneth Gainwell is going to get a lot
of repetitions. And if you get in the second half
(04:21):
of that game and you're looking to you know, eat
up the snaps, eat up the time, there's gonna be somebody.
Somebody is gonna have to be carrying the ball, and
you know, it might be a good time to make
a name for yourself because even if you're far enough
down the depth chart at running back where you're probably
(04:43):
not gonna make the fifty three meter roster because there
wouldn't be more than four, you know, running backs kept,
you also might be setting yourself up for a practice
squad spot, or you know, running back is a position
that there often are injuries during the preseason. And so
(05:04):
if a guy for the Steelers, whoever it might be
Saturday night against the Jaguars, put some good video out there.
If a team is looking for a running back after
the rosters are cut, maybe your phone rings.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Mike Tomlin will have his press conference before the preseason
game on Thursday, will carry that for you here on
the Steelers' audio network, and that's where you'll get clued
into who's participating, who might have the night off might
be doing a little pseudo coaching on the sideline, So
that's something to look forward to. Later in the week, Labs,
we're gonna hear from inside linebacker Patrick Queen to wrap
(05:38):
up this segment, but I wanted to talk about that
unit for a little bit before we get to him,
And I want to talk about his running mate, Peyton Wilson,
because he seems to be really making some waves in
this training camp, his second training camp.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
He was a rookie last year.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
He had some plays last year that made you go, Okay,
this guy's got a lot of athleticism. This guy's got potential.
Now he's gonna get thrust into more of an advanced
role being that number two inside linebacker. And I've heard
him talk a little bit up at camp, Labs. There's
a lot of confidence exuding from this young man.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
And you know what's what's also happening is, you know
when last season opened, the inside linebackers, the starting inside
linebackers were thought to be, uh, you know, Cole Holcombe
and Patrick Queen. Now you know Cole Holcomb was a
(06:32):
marquee free agent signing not last offseason, but the off
season previous to that. And so you know, Peyton Wilson
Cole will Holcomb now seems to me to be one
hundred percent. I mean, he had that he had that
significant knee injury. It cost him all of last season.
But he looks, you know, every bit as good as
(06:54):
he looked two years ago.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
That's good to hear, because he was impactful before he
went down. Yes, kind of a linebacker one for that
inside linebacker.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Room, yes, And so Peyton Wilson is holding him off
to keep that job as Patrick Queen's running mate. So
his development as an individual, it's kind of twofold. Not
only has he improved his game in a lot of
different ways, but he is also a guy who is
(07:24):
now holding off a veteran you know who, as you mentioned,
might have been ILB one a couple of years ago.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
I'd love to hear that.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
And if someone who was a couple of years ago
is your ILB one, And of course some injury had
something to do with the path that he traveled, but
now he's your ILB three potentially, but still someone that
can contribute and come on the field and make plays
for you. I mean that room is just a lot
better than it was a few short years ago and Labs.
This is something that they've really been trying to figure
(07:58):
out since the unfortunate injury to Ryan and Shazier and
then a couple of years later the retirement of Vince Williams.
Is finding that tandem that was so great like those
two were, and I have a lot of confidence this year.
I've kind of had confidence building in that unit year
after year after year.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
It's kind of been like a slow build.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
We obviously had the excitement of Devin Bush, and that's
a premium draft pick, so we had a lot of
stock in him. Didn't turn out that great, but Queen
is an all pro. He's established. This is now his
second year in Pittsburgh. He's comfortable. Peyton Wilson looks like
he could be a real steal in a mid round
draft pick. And Cole Holcom as you illustrated, was somebody
that was playing significantly for you just a couple of
(08:37):
years ago and looks like he's all the way back.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Yeah, And you know a couple of years ago there
was that rash of injuries where we've talked about this before.
You know, you're signing Blake Martinez, you're getting Miles Jack. Yeah,
Miles jack off off the couch literally, And so you
know this this group right now, you know it looks
(09:00):
to be looks to be four deep. I mean, Malik
Harrison has shown a lot of good things out here
in training camp as well, uh and should be a
big time contributor on special teams. So you know, when
you have four inside linebackers all with NFL experience, who
(09:21):
beyond the experience, you know they are also looking to
be pretty good players right now, not well five years ago,
this guy was pretty good. You know those kinds of situations.
It's it's a pretty good, as you mentioned, a pretty
good group, and you don't want to have injuries. You
hope you're not going to have injuries. But this one
(09:41):
looks a little bit like it might have the potential
to withstand some of those injuries.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Absolutely the potential to a stand the injuries.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
But I think all four of these guys, even if healthy,
could have a say on game day. And I'm glad
you brought up Malik Harrison because I don't want to
leave him out.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
It isn't a trio.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
It truly is that that group of four there at
that inside linebacker spot, and he really plays a lot
like a land In Roberts did, doesn't he. And that's
kind of why the Steelers were comfortable moving on from Roberts.
They could bring in a guy in Malie Harrison from
Baltimore that kind of fits that mold, a run thumper,
hits hard, going to help you on early downs.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Yeah, And you know we were when we had Vince
Williams on a couple of days ago, a few days ago.
You know, I got him to talk a little bit
about how the inside linebacker position has changed. And you know, Vince,
he hasn't been out of the league all that long. Yeah, Yeah,
(10:35):
And so you know that that's a lot of a
lot of change at a particular position because as teams
have offenses have evolved and become more you know, quick throwing.
Uh in a passing attack, you know, you're inside linebackers
have to be able to cover and they have to
be able to you have to be able to leave
(10:58):
them on the field because you don't have time to
you know, get your run stuffing inside linebackers off and
your pass defending inside linebackers on, and teams will find
the weak link.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Robert Splaine is an example of that. To me, he's
a nice story here in Pittsburgh, and he was pretty
good in a lot of different situations, but he was
not a good cover guy. And when he was on
the field, the offense would do things to find him,
(11:35):
either with formations or play calls or both. And so
that's why you know that position has really changed and
you need to be able to tackle Derrick Henry or
helping coverage against Mark Andrews and Blake.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Lively not an easy task.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
The leader of that inside linebacking room is Patrick Queen,
who used to actually play with Mark Andrews in Baltimore.
He's entering his second in season as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Let's hear where Patrick Queen had to say following practice
on Sunday.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
It's deep into some cool You guys have a lot
of energy out there today.
Speaker 5 (12:09):
You're counting the last year or anything.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Seven shuns. You guys won twelve to two total.
Speaker 7 (12:13):
Understand how far along are you guys and meshing and
being together.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
As a unit.
Speaker 8 (12:17):
Yeah, I think we're more working farther ahead than last year.
It's still not where we need to be, and you know,
it's every day ground there, every day battle and then
we got to come in and have a mindset to
get better. We just want to send us maybe you
know those days or some people aint gonna happen and
some day when people gonna have it and days like
a people that haven't got to give it to the
others and just bring them along. So it's a team think.
(12:38):
It's a defensive think. You know, it's a brotherhood. Everybody
got hereybody back, and we're just coming out here and
trying to do that.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Every single day.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Just get down there. Why do you think that is?
You guys are farther ahead at this point that you
were a year ago.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
I think everybody just understands what happens last year or
even don't want to repeat that. And then again, like
I said, when the last time it was, it always
starts at the top and it turns it the way down.
So like I said, we've been getting great detail on
the assignments that we need. Uh women not right through
right now.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
I think you were excited on moving to day about
working with Taint this year. Has he taken that step?
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Like, how is that? Has that been working with him? Yeah,
it's amazing. Uh, just a high energy guy.
Speaker 8 (13:15):
You're gonna get to the ball every single play, always
gonna have you bagging, no matter what's going on in the field,
even when fighting freaking Nick Fraser and stuff. Just it's
a whole bunch of stuff that goes into a great
line background. Everything that I think that goes into the
great line back. And he has he has all of
those traits and that's why always said the guys are
lit him like once he readies threw potential, it's.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
Going to be crazy to see him.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
You may be one hundred, like you playing one percent.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
This year, he's easily out do you guys, Well, you
guys be more aggressive defense this year with a last year.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
I think so. I think so. I think I think
it depends on what you're playing.
Speaker 8 (13:47):
There's risk involved with that, and I think it's just
gotta be smart about who's against and when you get
doing it, what I definite think will get aggressive.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
We get together a couple of good practices, importantly, see
that happen.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
Consistency on two days happen.
Speaker 8 (14:01):
Yeah, I'm kind of prest now right now, can I
have the best part because it wasn't a bad right though,
it wasn't the best seam and it's just you wanna
be consistent because.
Speaker 5 (14:08):
You know that leads in tipic play.
Speaker 8 (14:10):
So it's just like I said, I've constant ground across
the battle every single day. They trying to get one
percent better on So that's one a little TikTok right now.
But then the day I know the offense got good
players up there, it's not gonna be given to me.
Uh So I gotta go out here and Brian every
single day and get better.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
To standards, because you look pretty dimly good out there.
Yeah yeah, yeah, I think, Uh it's just me.
Speaker 8 (14:28):
I'm I'm not gonna show myself in the players that
I should have made, the plays I could have made easier.
Just a whole bunch of stuff that goes into that.
My brain always thinking of mine, never stopped thinking. So
it's just like I said, I want to be great,
but this me offs and that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
What do you think you could have done better?
Speaker 4 (14:44):
Like?
Speaker 5 (14:45):
What are the things that are jumping out?
Speaker 8 (14:46):
Just some run players. I think I could shoot a
little bit faster. I mean, I'm getting back there. It's
just just maybe a step here or there. Uh yeah,
I could get around and get back up in the backfield.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Quicker, nothing crazy, or just in the small stuff small small,
small stuff, better house.
Speaker 7 (15:01):
What do you think you learned the most about yourself
in the first year way from Baltimore with the expectation
you know in years two.
Speaker 8 (15:06):
Here y, yeah, don't take short gusts. I think every
single day you gotta come out here and grind. Like
I said, it's neverna be given to you, suchially on
Sunday when you play against a different team that don't
like you. So I think the biggest thing is just
being able to get one percent better every single day,
every single detail of the defense inside and out, and
just come out and ready to work and like I said,
every single day one percent better. I think that's the
biggest thing that I learned last year.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
How do yougo what to like working with the secondary?
It's cool, it's cool.
Speaker 8 (15:31):
When you got all those guys back there, every single
one of them talked trash, So that's crazy to deal
with trying to get them settled down and getting the
blake out again.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
But it's funny. It's trying. The guys. They're super energetic,
they're super smart, They're gonna make plays.
Speaker 8 (15:43):
It's gonna be a lot of trash talking, So it's
gonna be it's gonna be a lot of powers.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
That's like the most trash job you've had on a defense.
It's up there. It's up there.
Speaker 8 (15:53):
I think probably my last year in Baltimore in this
back game week, it's probably wouldn't want a lot of
defensive and they can lead.
Speaker 7 (16:00):
They're trying to lead on why I wanted they don't.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
You're seeing that keep the linebackers clean is a big
part of a role. That's another kind of more Devens.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
How do you see guys like Flying and Derek take
to that point as far as helping you guys stay
please and be able to reading.
Speaker 8 (16:14):
Process at the time, Yeah, I think it was first
day when we was in otash and they had a
run player and he kind of like held them up
a little bit.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
And I'm able to shooting Like that's how I said,
that's perfect. That's will with me.
Speaker 8 (16:26):
So but not every single day they come out they
get they want the ones that check us on effort,
and that's how.
Speaker 5 (16:31):
You guys were. Every time.
Speaker 8 (16:31):
It's not gonna be perfect, and sometimes they might to
let a god go and I might have to deal
with it, and that's how it supposed to be. I
can tell the one guy so like at the end
of the day, if they make it a play, good,
if I'm making a player with good always not ten
yards on the field with all that for that.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen Following practice on Sunday, when
Labs and I come back, we're gonna get into the
Steelers special teams and we're gonna hear from Miles Killerbrew
who had a conversation with Mike Persuda. Also have John
Colep stopping by the booths to join us before we
end the training camp report today, So keep it right
here on Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy AM and the
Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Iheartradios. Live coverage OB twenty twenty five Steelers Training Camp
is presented by Faedex where Now meets Next and also
brought to you by bud Light, Independence Health System, by
Pennsylvania One Call System, by Live Casino, Calciente Pizza and
Drafthouse by Don's Appliances, South Hills Auto, Laurel, Highlands Visitors Bureau,
(17:37):
Wemax Select Realty, the Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Shop, and by
US steel.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Lads.
Speaker 5 (17:45):
One.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Aspect of football that I think people can take for
granted sometimes is the special teams aspect and it can
really be such a difference maker for teams. And the
Steelers really all around when it comes to their special
teams have built the themselves up quite an elite unit.
And this is a unit that since twenty twenty three
(18:06):
lead the NFL with six block kicks, and if you
go back even further to twenty twenty one, they have eleven.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
You already know what Boswell can do.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
He's a first team All Pro arguably the best kicker
in football. And Danny Smith at the head of all
of these guys in this unit, has just really, like
I said, built that special teams into something that can
change games for the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
Yeah, you know, Danny Smith works works that a lot.
And the kick blocking thing, you know, the Steelers really
kind of cultivate that with the people they put on
the field, with the angles that they take, a lot
of the techniques that they use, you know, it's and
(18:53):
kick blocks. You know, a lot of times I think
fans when they're evaluating special teams often looking at returns.
If you're not returning the ball, well, you know, your
special teams aren't very good, or you know, if you
know a punter has a bad day, or you know,
those kinds of things. But a lot of times there
(19:15):
are you know, nuances within some of these categories. And uh,
you know the Steelers blocked a punt last year. It's again,
and you really can't underestimate the impact of a lot
of these things. You know, blocking a punt in a
(19:36):
game almost always leads to a win for the team
that does it or a loss for the team that
allows it.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
At the NFL level, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Yes, you know, getting a hand on a field goal,
you know, Minka blocking an extra point one time to
send a game into overtime.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Beat the Bengals Week one, Right, So, you know.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
A lot of these things kind of slip through the
cracks of you know, being recognized or you know, over
the course of time being appreciated. You know Rick Goslin,
a long time NFL writer who I don't know. He's
he's on the Hall of Fame Board of selections. I mean,
(20:17):
he is this guy. He knows, he knows football, and
he's known for a long time. He always does a
annual special teams ranking where he uses all the categories
you know, returns coverage, how your field goal kicker, does
your punter, things like touchbacks versus inside the twenty, you know,
(20:39):
blocking kicks and stuff. And according to his rankings, you know,
the Steelers were among the top teams in the NFL
in overall special teams played last year. And you know,
Miles Killerbrew is a guy who went to the Pro Bowl.
I think he was voted first team All Pro. Yeah, okay,
and I think that there's only one of those guys.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I know every year a special teamer.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
Yeah, yes, So you know it's important and to the Steelers,
and they show it by the practice time that they
put into it, the way they formulate their roster who
they keep, and so yeah, it's I've learned. I may
(21:24):
like not pay attention when they're practicing special teams out here,
but when it's during a game, you got to pay
attention because before you know it, you might be asking
yourself who got a hand on that field goal? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
I think it's you know, this special team's for the
Steelers allows you to kind of be that superstar if
you will, like Miles Killerbrew labs. I mean, this is
somebody who doesn't threaten playing time really in the normal defense. Ever,
if they have to dip into the depth, yeah, he's
capable of going out there. But his name is known
amongst all of Steeler Nation because of what he does
to special teams. They seem to find these players under
(22:00):
Danny Smith's tenure. Tyler Mattackkaviridge was another one in years past,
like guys that probably would look at and say, you
know what, you're really kind of a fringe nfler, But
you've been elevated to being so much more important to
that to this roster because of what you bring to
that side of things.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Right, and a lot of times too, there's a lot
of somewhat intricate teamwork involved in blocking kicks. For example,
you know Cam Hayward is known as someone who is
able to get off the ball and drive the whoever
(22:34):
he's blocking backwards. Now, sometimes that can translate directly into
a block kick if you push your guy back, raise
your hand and you get your hand on it. But
there's also, you know, some teamwork involved in that. One
guy can create a situation for another guy to get
through and get a chance to block a kick, and
(22:57):
that involves you know, timing and technique repetition, and so yeah,
it's not it's not happenstance when it happens.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Well, Miles Killerbrew caught up Yester or excuse me Sunday
with Mike Persuda.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Let's listen into that conversation.
Speaker 9 (23:12):
Miles, is it going pretty spirited ending the practice? First
live goal line drill? Right, I'm looking at my chart.
They got it in once and they had to throw
to do it.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
That's right, you know, throw it up to Big eighty.
I mean, he's like he's like a human cheat code
out there, you know, you line him up and run
a fade ball to him. I think it's a hell
of a play. I hope we get to see a
lot of that this year.
Speaker 9 (23:31):
Is there a way to stop that on the receiving
end or do you almost have to sack the guy
to prevent that from happening?
Speaker 7 (23:37):
No, I mean we try to be physical at the
catch point. You know, obviously, when it's good on good,
you try to be as physical as you can with
the right spirit of the fact that we're playing against teammates.
But we got to rely on a perfect balance of
Russian covers to get anything done on defense.
Speaker 9 (23:52):
Your goal on defense spotless against the run. Just kind
of clue me in on the process, how it's going,
how far along you guys are, and what the expectations are.
Speaker 7 (24:01):
Well, that's a point of emphasis the coach Tomlin has
for our defense in general. You know, when we get
down there, he does not want anyone to be able
to run it in on us. You know, it's a
matter of pride for our defense, and so we take
it on us from the interior all the way out
to the corner. We want to make sure that teams
aren't running the ball in, and then from there we
have to play lockdown defense.
Speaker 9 (24:20):
Saw some of the young guys in there maybe getting
a taste of it. Derek Harmon why black Jack Sawyer
talk a little bit about the progress if you can
at your draft choices.
Speaker 7 (24:29):
Oh, it's fun to see those guys in there getting
after it. They're hungry and they have some good vets
to learn from. I love what I saw, just you know,
from my humble perspective, I think the defense is coming
together well and I'm really excited to see how we
mess together as a unit.
Speaker 9 (24:44):
Last thing for you, Miles, we had the officials in
visiting the last couple of days. They got us up
to speed on the new procedures. Is the kickoff change
a really big deal or just something you guys will
adjust to because you have to.
Speaker 7 (24:57):
We always adjust, you know. That's something that we take
pride in and being, you know, this Special Team's unit
in particular. We adjust on the fly and we just
try to bring a level of professionalism that can't be
matched by our opponents. And so that's something we're gonna do.
I think we always have the advantage just because we
approach it with the right spirit, and so I'm excited
to see how we go out.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
There and do it a lot.
Speaker 9 (25:17):
About the last question, think, could you guys really block
multiple kicks again this year?
Speaker 7 (25:26):
We can do anything we want to do, but it
comes down to practice. It comes down to doing all
these little routine things every single day. I think if
we do the little things right, the big, big moments
will come. And if anyone is capable of having multiple
blocks this year, it's this unit. I love the heart,
I love the resolve, and coach Danny Smith always puts
us in the right spot.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Steeler Special Team or Miles Killerbrew. He also plays safety
of course. Talking to Mike Persuda following Sunday's practice. Great
conversation there and good to hear the belief in his
voice that this unit can accomplish great things again this
coming sea. And when LABS and I come back, we're
gonna be joined by John Colb. Excited for that. We'll
close things out talking to him. It's the Training Camp
Report on Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy AM and the
(26:08):
Steelers Audio.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Network, Iheartradios Live coverage 'b dot twenty twenty five Steelers
Training Camp. He's presented by Fadex where now meets Next
and also brought to you by First National Bank, by
(26:32):
Kalucy Chevrolet, iron Workers Union Number three, by Easy Home Exteriors,
by S and T Bank, Wemax Select Realty, by Tom's Appliances,
the Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Shop, by Always Safe Flagging and
Traffic Control, and by US Steel.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Tom off from It and Bob Labriola back on the
Training Camp Report, waiting on John Colb, the four time
Super Bowl champion, to join us LABS. While we're waiting
on John, he played offensive line and did it spectacularly
throughout the seventies for the Steelers. So let's kind of
start or talk about this current group of offensive linemen,
and it had a little bit of injury turbulence at
the start of this camp, but now it seems like
(27:12):
the Ciamalo and Roger Jones have been able to work
themselves fully back into things. And I hope that health
is a theme for this unit throughout the rest of
the preseason period before Week one. I want to see
them get as much reps and as much time to
gel under their belts as possible.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Yeah, you know, it was a few seasons ago. I
remember the starting five Steelers offensive linemen not only started
every game, but all of them played virtually one hundred
percent of the snack.
Speaker 5 (27:48):
Right.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
It was crazy over the course of the season. And
you know, that is just that's like seeing a unicorn.
I don't know, for real. Yeah, it just it is
so rare.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
And I'm not saying that the Steelers were spoiled by that,
but certainly that's something that you cannot count on even close.
I mean, uh, for a team to be able to
to have five offensive linemen available for every game of
a regular season, let alone be able to start and
(28:24):
play the whole thing is really rare. And so you know,
That's why at that position you really need to have
some depth. I think it. You know, whenever we're talking
about the depth chart, like we did, you know earlier
in the show, that's always one of the areas that
I look at, who are who are the backup offensive linemen?
(28:44):
Because so often those guys are gonna end up playing
I won't say a significant role, but maybe you know
a significant number of snaps in a few games and
so yeah, and you know, if you if you'd shoot
me up with sodium pentathol and ask me, you know,
what do I think the key to this season is?
(29:07):
I might point to left tackle, you know, Broughderick Jones.
The Steelers need him to perform. He's a former number
one pick that they traded up to get. Uh. This
is a season that they need to find out about him. Uh.
And I think that I won't say for better or
for worse, you know, it's gonna be him at that
spot all year. But there there is no I don't know,
(29:31):
magic potion or anything that you can go to if
it doesn't work out with him. So, you know, for
better or for worse, I think the Steelers are and
Broderick Jones, Broderick Jones is married to that position, to
left tackle, and the Steelers are kind of married to
him as a guy that they need to perform well
(29:52):
and consistently throughout this season.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
And Mike Tomlin was asked over the Weekend Labs about Hey,
because you were saying, you know, they really don't have
anything behind Broderick Jones. What about moving Fatano over to
left tackle if Broderick Jones is struggling or if an
injury happens. And Mike Tomlin basically took that completely off
the table. They want Fontana to be the right tackle
and just focus on that this year.
Speaker 4 (30:13):
Yeah, and you know that's why I think Calvin Anderson
is a guy who could loom large over the course
of this season. He is the backup left tackle. And
I think that, by the way, Yes, but it's not
as bad of a situation as maybe was originally feared.
(30:33):
And you know, because there's also been some speculation that, oh,
let's move Darnell Washington to tackle from tight end. You know,
the Steelers did it in the seventies with Larry Brown.
You know, that's the.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Best way of your magic wand to do that overnight.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
Yeah, I mean, that's a nice idea and Darnell Washington
when when he was asked about it, you know, he's
he said, you know, he's pretty much up for anything.
But I don't think it would be fair to try
and take a guy, you know, who is just now
coming into his zone here, he comes here, coming into
his own as a tight end, and then to think
(31:13):
that he is gonna switch right over and play left tackle.
John Cole is joining us now. John Cole is going
to join us now, and we'll, uh, well, at least
you don't have to go one on one with him.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Getting John cold the headset on right now.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Four time Super Bowl champion with the Steelers, has a
lot of knowledge when it comes to the offensive line.
Was a great offensive lineman for the Steelers through the seventh.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
A couple of minutes to commisserate with c J. Wolf.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
He's a popular So see.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
John, thank you this thing as well. CJ. So I
wanted to you know, a lot of people might not
know that you started your career here as a center
with the Steelers first two years, right, that's correct? Yeah,
So how did that switch go?
Speaker 6 (32:13):
I thought I was cut because right up there in
Bonaventure Hall is my second year and so people would
say after the first year, what what what position are you?
And I say l one and they look at me
l one. Yeah, I'm l one on the kickoff because
(32:33):
Ray Mansfield was the center. And so then I come
to training camp and uh, you know, Chuck didn't say
a lot. So first day of practice, I'm down. And
but he would always in training camp he'd have the
roster up on the thing, and so I look up
there on the roster. Ray Mansfield was the first center.
(32:55):
Jim Klack was the second center, another guy from somewhere
in Californi another third. My name's not up there. And
I went, oh my gosh, I'm cut. And he forgot
to tell me. This is really embarrassing, and I think, Okay,
don't get up now, because you make a scene. Wait
(33:16):
for everybody to run out, wait for everybody to run
out on the field, and then you can just go
quietly and take your clothes. I had a nineteen seventy
no fifty five or so plymouth. You can drive that
Plymouth back to Oklahoma. And so I'm sitting there kind
(33:36):
of sliding down on the seat because I didn't want
Chuck to.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
Say, what are you doing?
Speaker 6 (33:40):
In here, you're cut and so and so I keep
looking up there, and then I went over and I
saw my name at tackle, and I went, oh, I'm
a tackle. I never even had a I'm never even
I don't even know what a stance is because I
was a center in high school, I was a center
in college. And now I got to come out here
(34:01):
and line up in ten minutes without a football in front.
And so I'm left handed, so I I'm on, and
they put me on the left side. So I kind
of first hand my right hand down the first play
and the second play my left hand down.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
And I did.
Speaker 6 (34:17):
I took the first practice just trying to figure out
how to get into a stance, and and that's just
from there, UH learned to play tackle.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
So one of your were one of the offensive line
coaches in that era, Dan Radakovich. Yes, bad Rad. I'd
they call him bad Rat.
Speaker 6 (34:40):
Because he loved to do stuff like mirror across the field.
And so the width of the football field, I believe,
as I recall, is fifty three yards. So he would
go get Mail Blunt or Lynn Swan or John Starwarth
or somebody, and they would they would start running the
(35:04):
width of the field and they'd run three steps back
up for run five steps back up two and you
had to mirror them. You had to stay in front
of them. If you do that fifty three yards the
width of the field, your legs are on fire.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
Your legs feel like you ran.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
Up one of these mountains up here. Uh. And so
we would do that after practice. And and but it
is a great drill. It teaches you know, how, it
teaches you how to move efficiently laterally. And and I
think that's one of the things that and then and
(35:41):
then the other part was the hand part.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
And when when you.
Speaker 6 (35:46):
First if you look at pictures of people playing, you know,
prior to Joe Green and I came in that year, Joe,
Terry Hanratt, Email Blunt, and Terry Bradshaw came in the
next year. Uh, they always had the lineman grabbing their jerseys.
And so that year they said, you don't have to
grab your jerseys. You can actually punch out and keep
(36:09):
the defensive lineman away. But nobody, really, no coaches had
ever thought sat down and say, okay, how do we
teach these this to players? But Chuck and Dan Radikovich
did so when we came to training camp. Uh, Dan
Radikovich would have these shields and you had to mirror
(36:33):
him or somebody like Stalworth or Swan across the field
and they would have that bang and you had to
punch him, punch him, punch them and had to be
a quick punch. And so you learned to time up
all of that. And I'm pretty sure somebody can check
that out.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (36:51):
But uh, and then this is.
Speaker 6 (36:52):
Political and I shouldn't say it, but people go, oh,
what do you think about the guy's bigger, stronger, and faster. Well,
I'll tell you what they are bigger, but check it out.
That year through that we won the first Super Bowl.
We gave up fourteen sacks that season offensive line. Check
check that out. Fourteen sacks in fourteen regular season games.
(37:18):
So no wonder Joe Gillim and Terry Bradshaw were throwing
the football all over the place because they were standing up.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
So we'll get you out here on this. You mentioned
some of the practices here, so as an offensive lineman
you got to go against some pretty good defensive linemen
on a regular basis. You mentioned Joe green Elsie Greenwood
was a part of your draft class. Then there was
Dwight White and Ernie Holmes. What were some of those
(37:46):
drills like days, like battles like against those guys.
Speaker 6 (37:49):
I that's the real memory of everything. I told people,
you know, they said, well, what do you you know
what's in Then I said, well, I had three games
a week and a practice on Sunday because I had
a game against Joe, Ernie and Dwight White on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
(38:12):
and then on Sunday I had a practice because except
for Harvey Martin, Elvin Bethea Houston, I wasn't going to
see anybody on the field that came close to Joe Green,
Ernie Holme, Ernie Holmes. Ernie Holmes would break your helmet.
(38:35):
He would break your helmet. I'll never forget. We're playing
the Jets and we have a chapel service before the game,
and we came down for the chapel service and Ernie
was down there, so the chapel service for the pregame meal,
and he's down there and he's kind of in this
kind of this. It's a chapel service, so he's kind
(38:58):
of benn over, like maybe he was praying okay, but
then they do the chapel service and we get ready
to go for the pregame meal and Ernie doesn't move.
So we're standing at the back of the room saying,
do you want to go wake him up? No, I
don't want to wake him up. I don't want to
wake Ernie Holmes up. And so finally they said, John,
(39:22):
you go wake him up. So I go walk in
and I tap Ernie on the shoulders and he wakes
up and he looks at me and he says, I
just dreamt I bit Joe Namas head off. So we
(39:42):
got to the pregame meal and I think he did
bite Joe Namas head off that day because he was
Ernie Holmes. There was never I mean, he could come off.
The ball he had in those days at the club
was legal. He would hit you with that club and
you were looking out the year hold of your helmet
(40:03):
if you were if it wasn't completely on backwards, and
I just, uh, I'm not.
Speaker 4 (40:09):
You know.
Speaker 6 (40:10):
You take that group of Dwight White and L. C.
Greenwooded ends. Could they come up the field well, Elsie
ran a four six forty, Dwight ran a four to seven.
Ernie and Joe could just run over and break your helmet,
and they were there, you know they were the steel Curtain.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
John, Thanks so much for hanging out with us in
these past ten minutes. This was awesome stuff and enjoy
your time up at practice today. Thank you Strong called
four time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Great
stuff from him there, and that's all there is for
Labs in me today. We'll be back again tomorrow at
noon for the training camp report. Practice is just about
to start for your Steelers. Matt Williamson and Wes Euler
(40:55):
will take over with the drive. Next, it's Fox Sports
Pittsburgh nine seventy am and the Steelers audio work
Iheartradios Live coverage ob about twenty twenty five. Steelers Training
Camp is presented by fadex where Now meets Next and
also brought to you by First National Bank, by Kalucy Chevrolet,
iron Workers Union Number three, by Easy Home Exteriors, by
SNT Bank, Remax Select Realty, by Don's Appliances, the Pittsburgh
(00:28):
Steelers Pro Shop, by Always Safe Flagging and Traffic Control,
and by us Steel, Tom.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Off from It and Bob Labriola back on the Training
Camp reports about fifty minutes or so until the Steelers
take the field for practice today at Saint Vincent College
and Labs. What can the folks expect today if they
are going to practice on campus or we'll be watching
it on Steelers dot Com.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Are the pads going to be back.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
On watching it on Steelers dot com? I don't think, oh.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
You can watch practice Steelers YouTube maybe is where you
go to, but you can watch the practice.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Really yes? Okay, okay, after you know the normal we
start with you know, seven shots, uh, and then there's
tackle football and then a lot of the other kind
of things pass under pressure, seven on seven. It will
end with a team period. The two minute drill. The
(01:30):
offense will be giving the ball on its own forty
yard line, one forty one left on the clock, one
time out left, and that's gonna be five plays, So
it'll you know, it'll be another competitive period offense versus defense.
And I'm interested to see who is on the field
(01:51):
for the offense because you would think, you know, they
put out the first team offense. But since there's a
preseason game coming up, a lot of times what Mike
Tomlin will try to do is get the people who
he figures are going to be in the game at
the end of the first half some practice at that.
(02:16):
So it's gonna be interesting not only for how it
turns out, how it's executed, but also who's on the
field doing it.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
And you know this probably can expect them to have
pads today, no tomorrow, pads Thursday, and then they lead
into Jacksonville. Don't quote me on that. That's just kind
of what my gut's feeling right now. And boy, that's
gonna be a good week of practice that they can
get in with the pads on as they prep for Jacksonville.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Yes, and you know, again, the Jaguars aren't on the
schedule this year, I don't think. I hope I didn't
mess that up. And you know, they're not right, and
they're not a marquee team, they're not a regular opponent.
But still, you know, it's I don't know what the
(03:08):
weather's going to be like down there. Usually it's soupy,
as they say, it feels like you're you know, trying
to breathe soup and play in soup. Because in Jacksonville.
I've been to Jacksonville for some games where you know,
the temperature is only in the you know, maybe low
to mid eighties, but the humidity and you know, just
(03:32):
it's borderline oppressive. So that'll be a test, you know,
in terms of you know, dealing with that kind of thing.
Get to see how the players respond to that. Who
can you know, continue to perform at a high level
without allowing the heat and the humidity to get to them.
Because once again, I'm sure there's gonna be many top
(03:58):
of the depth chart guys who play, and so you know,
if you're a down the line kind of guy, like
a running back for example, you know, I don't know
who it's gonna be. I wouldn't imagine that either, Jalen
Warren or Kenneth Gainwell is going to get a lot
of repetitions. And if you get in the second half
(04:21):
of that game and you're looking to you know, eat
up the snaps, eat up the time, there's gonna be somebody.
Somebody is gonna have to be carrying the ball, and
you know, it might be a good time to make
a name for yourself because even if you're far enough
down the depth chart at running back where you're probably
(04:43):
not gonna make the fifty three meter roster because there
wouldn't be more than four, you know, running backs kept,
you also might be setting yourself up for a practice
squad spot, or you know, running back is a position
that there often are injuries during the preseason. And so
(05:04):
if a guy for the Steelers, whoever it might be
Saturday night against the Jaguars, put some good video out there.
If a team is looking for a running back after
the rosters are cut, maybe your phone rings.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Mike Tomlin will have his press conference before the preseason
game on Thursday, will carry that for you here on
the Steelers' audio network, and that's where you'll get clued
into who's participating, who might have the night off might
be doing a little pseudo coaching on the sideline, So
that's something to look forward to. Later in the week, Labs,
we're gonna hear from inside linebacker Patrick Queen to wrap
(05:38):
up this segment, but I wanted to talk about that
unit for a little bit before we get to him,
And I want to talk about his running mate, Peyton Wilson,
because he seems to be really making some waves in
this training camp, his second training camp.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
He was a rookie last year.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
He had some plays last year that made you go, Okay,
this guy's got a lot of athleticism. This guy's got potential.
Now he's gonna get thrust into more of an advanced
role being that number two inside linebacker. And I've heard
him talk a little bit up at camp, Labs. There's
a lot of confidence exuding from this young man.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
And you know what's what's also happening is, you know
when last season opened, the inside linebackers, the starting inside
linebackers were thought to be, uh, you know, Cole Holcombe
and Patrick Queen. Now you know Cole Holcomb was a
(06:32):
marquee free agent signing not last offseason, but the off
season previous to that. And so you know, Peyton Wilson
Cole will Holcomb now seems to me to be one
hundred percent. I mean, he had that he had that
significant knee injury. It cost him all of last season.
But he looks, you know, every bit as good as
(06:54):
he looked two years ago.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
That's good to hear, because he was impactful before he
went down. Yes, kind of a linebacker one for that
inside linebacker.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Room, yes, And so Peyton Wilson is holding him off
to keep that job as Patrick Queen's running mate. So
his development as an individual, it's kind of twofold. Not
only has he improved his game in a lot of
different ways, but he is also a guy who is
(07:24):
now holding off a veteran you know who, as you mentioned,
might have been ILB one a couple of years ago.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
I'd love to hear that.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
And if someone who was a couple of years ago
is your ILB one, And of course some injury had
something to do with the path that he traveled, but
now he's your ILB three potentially, but still someone that
can contribute and come on the field and make plays
for you. I mean that room is just a lot
better than it was a few short years ago and Labs.
This is something that they've really been trying to figure
(07:58):
out since the unfortunate injury to Ryan and Shazier and
then a couple of years later the retirement of Vince Williams.
Is finding that tandem that was so great like those
two were, and I have a lot of confidence this year.
I've kind of had confidence building in that unit year
after year after year.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
It's kind of been like a slow build.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
We obviously had the excitement of Devin Bush, and that's
a premium draft pick, so we had a lot of
stock in him. Didn't turn out that great, but Queen
is an all pro. He's established. This is now his
second year in Pittsburgh. He's comfortable. Peyton Wilson looks like
he could be a real steal in a mid round
draft pick. And Cole Holcom as you illustrated, was somebody
that was playing significantly for you just a couple of
(08:37):
years ago and looks like he's all the way back.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Yeah, And you know a couple of years ago there
was that rash of injuries where we've talked about this before.
You know, you're signing Blake Martinez, you're getting Miles Jack. Yeah,
Miles jack off off the couch literally, And so you
know this this group right now, you know it looks
(09:00):
to be looks to be four deep. I mean, Malik
Harrison has shown a lot of good things out here
in training camp as well, uh and should be a
big time contributor on special teams. So you know, when
you have four inside linebackers all with NFL experience, who
(09:21):
beyond the experience, you know they are also looking to
be pretty good players right now, not well five years ago,
this guy was pretty good. You know those kinds of situations.
It's it's a pretty good, as you mentioned, a pretty
good group, and you don't want to have injuries. You
hope you're not going to have injuries. But this one
(09:41):
looks a little bit like it might have the potential
to withstand some of those injuries.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Absolutely the potential to a stand the injuries.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
But I think all four of these guys, even if healthy,
could have a say on game day. And I'm glad
you brought up Malik Harrison because I don't want to
leave him out.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
It isn't a trio.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
It truly is that that group of four there at
that inside linebacker spot, and he really plays a lot
like a land In Roberts did, doesn't he. And that's
kind of why the Steelers were comfortable moving on from Roberts.
They could bring in a guy in Malie Harrison from
Baltimore that kind of fits that mold, a run thumper,
hits hard, going to help you on early downs.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Yeah, And you know we were when we had Vince
Williams on a couple of days ago, a few days ago.
You know, I got him to talk a little bit
about how the inside linebacker position has changed. And you know, Vince,
he hasn't been out of the league all that long. Yeah, Yeah,
(10:35):
And so you know that that's a lot of a
lot of change at a particular position because as teams
have offenses have evolved and become more you know, quick throwing.
Uh in a passing attack, you know, you're inside linebackers
have to be able to cover and they have to
be able to you have to be able to leave
(10:58):
them on the field because you don't have time to
you know, get your run stuffing inside linebackers off and
your pass defending inside linebackers on, and teams will find
the weak link.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Robert Splaine is an example of that. To me, he's
a nice story here in Pittsburgh, and he was pretty
good in a lot of different situations, but he was
not a good cover guy. And when he was on
the field, the offense would do things to find him,
(11:35):
either with formations or play calls or both. And so
that's why you know that position has really changed and
you need to be able to tackle Derrick Henry or
helping coverage against Mark Andrews and Blake.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Lively not an easy task.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
The leader of that inside linebacking room is Patrick Queen,
who used to actually play with Mark Andrews in Baltimore.
He's entering his second in season as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Let's hear where Patrick Queen had to say following practice
on Sunday.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
It's deep into some cool You guys have a lot
of energy out there today.
Speaker 5 (12:09):
You're counting the last year or anything.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Seven shuns. You guys won twelve to two total.
Speaker 7 (12:13):
Understand how far along are you guys and meshing and
being together.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
As a unit.
Speaker 8 (12:17):
Yeah, I think we're more working farther ahead than last year.
It's still not where we need to be, and you know,
it's every day ground there, every day battle and then
we got to come in and have a mindset to
get better. We just want to send us maybe you
know those days or some people aint gonna happen and
some day when people gonna have it and days like
a people that haven't got to give it to the
others and just bring them along. So it's a team think.
(12:38):
It's a defensive think. You know, it's a brotherhood. Everybody
got hereybody back, and we're just coming out here and
trying to do that.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Every single day.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Just get down there. Why do you think that is?
You guys are farther ahead at this point that you
were a year ago.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
I think everybody just understands what happens last year or
even don't want to repeat that. And then again, like
I said, when the last time it was, it always
starts at the top and it turns it the way down.
So like I said, we've been getting great detail on
the assignments that we need. Uh women not right through
right now.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
I think you were excited on moving to day about
working with Taint this year. Has he taken that step?
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Like, how is that? Has that been working with him? Yeah,
it's amazing. Uh, just a high energy guy.
Speaker 8 (13:15):
You're gonna get to the ball every single play, always
gonna have you bagging, no matter what's going on in the field,
even when fighting freaking Nick Fraser and stuff. Just it's
a whole bunch of stuff that goes into a great
line background. Everything that I think that goes into the
great line back. And he has he has all of
those traits and that's why always said the guys are
lit him like once he readies threw potential, it's.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
Going to be crazy to see him.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
You may be one hundred, like you playing one percent.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
This year, he's easily out do you guys, Well, you
guys be more aggressive defense this year with a last year.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
I think so. I think so. I think I think
it depends on what you're playing.
Speaker 8 (13:47):
There's risk involved with that, and I think it's just
gotta be smart about who's against and when you get
doing it, what I definite think will get aggressive.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
We get together a couple of good practices, importantly, see
that happen.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
Consistency on two days happen.
Speaker 8 (14:01):
Yeah, I'm kind of prest now right now, can I
have the best part because it wasn't a bad right though,
it wasn't the best seam and it's just you wanna
be consistent because.
Speaker 5 (14:08):
You know that leads in tipic play.
Speaker 8 (14:10):
So it's just like I said, I've constant ground across
the battle every single day. They trying to get one
percent better on So that's one a little TikTok right now.
But then the day I know the offense got good
players up there, it's not gonna be given to me.
Uh So I gotta go out here and Brian every
single day and get better.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
To standards, because you look pretty dimly good out there.
Yeah yeah, yeah, I think, Uh it's just me.
Speaker 8 (14:28):
I'm I'm not gonna show myself in the players that
I should have made, the plays I could have made easier.
Just a whole bunch of stuff that goes into that.
My brain always thinking of mine, never stopped thinking. So
it's just like I said, I want to be great,
but this me offs and that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
What do you think you could have done better?
Speaker 4 (14:44):
Like?
Speaker 5 (14:45):
What are the things that are jumping out?
Speaker 8 (14:46):
Just some run players. I think I could shoot a
little bit faster. I mean, I'm getting back there. It's
just just maybe a step here or there. Uh yeah,
I could get around and get back up in the backfield.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Quicker, nothing crazy, or just in the small stuff small small,
small stuff, better house.
Speaker 7 (15:01):
What do you think you learned the most about yourself
in the first year way from Baltimore with the expectation
you know in years two.
Speaker 8 (15:06):
Here y, yeah, don't take short gusts. I think every
single day you gotta come out here and grind. Like
I said, it's neverna be given to you, suchially on
Sunday when you play against a different team that don't
like you. So I think the biggest thing is just
being able to get one percent better every single day,
every single detail of the defense inside and out, and
just come out and ready to work and like I said,
every single day one percent better. I think that's the
biggest thing that I learned last year.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
How do yougo what to like working with the secondary?
It's cool, it's cool.
Speaker 8 (15:31):
When you got all those guys back there, every single
one of them talked trash, So that's crazy to deal
with trying to get them settled down and getting the
blake out again.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
But it's funny. It's trying. The guys. They're super energetic,
they're super smart, They're gonna make plays.
Speaker 8 (15:43):
It's gonna be a lot of trash talking, So it's
gonna be it's gonna be a lot of powers.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
That's like the most trash job you've had on a defense.
It's up there. It's up there.
Speaker 8 (15:53):
I think probably my last year in Baltimore in this
back game week, it's probably wouldn't want a lot of
defensive and they can lead.
Speaker 7 (16:00):
They're trying to lead on why I wanted they don't.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
You're seeing that keep the linebackers clean is a big
part of a role. That's another kind of more Devens.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
How do you see guys like Flying and Derek take
to that point as far as helping you guys stay
please and be able to reading.
Speaker 8 (16:14):
Process at the time, Yeah, I think it was first
day when we was in otash and they had a
run player and he kind of like held them up
a little bit.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
And I'm able to shooting Like that's how I said,
that's perfect. That's will with me.
Speaker 8 (16:26):
So but not every single day they come out they
get they want the ones that check us on effort,
and that's how.
Speaker 5 (16:31):
You guys were. Every time.
Speaker 8 (16:31):
It's not gonna be perfect, and sometimes they might to
let a god go and I might have to deal
with it, and that's how it supposed to be. I
can tell the one guy so like at the end
of the day, if they make it a play, good,
if I'm making a player with good always not ten
yards on the field with all that for that.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen Following practice on Sunday, when
Labs and I come back, we're gonna get into the
Steelers special teams and we're gonna hear from Miles Killerbrew
who had a conversation with Mike Persuda. Also have John
Colep stopping by the booths to join us before we
end the training camp report today, So keep it right
here on Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy AM and the
Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Iheartradios. Live coverage OB twenty twenty five Steelers Training Camp
is presented by Faedex where Now meets Next and also
brought to you by bud Light, Independence Health System, by
Pennsylvania One Call System, by Live Casino, Calciente Pizza and
Drafthouse by Don's Appliances, South Hills Auto, Laurel, Highlands Visitors Bureau,
(17:37):
Wemax Select Realty, the Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Shop, and by
US steel.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Lads.
Speaker 5 (17:45):
One.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Aspect of football that I think people can take for
granted sometimes is the special teams aspect and it can
really be such a difference maker for teams. And the
Steelers really all around when it comes to their special
teams have built the themselves up quite an elite unit.
And this is a unit that since twenty twenty three
(18:06):
lead the NFL with six block kicks, and if you
go back even further to twenty twenty one, they have eleven.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
You already know what Boswell can do.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
He's a first team All Pro arguably the best kicker
in football. And Danny Smith at the head of all
of these guys in this unit, has just really, like
I said, built that special teams into something that can
change games for the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
Yeah, you know, Danny Smith works works that a lot.
And the kick blocking thing, you know, the Steelers really
kind of cultivate that with the people they put on
the field, with the angles that they take, a lot
of the techniques that they use, you know, it's and
(18:53):
kick blocks. You know, a lot of times I think
fans when they're evaluating special teams often looking at returns.
If you're not returning the ball, well, you know, your
special teams aren't very good, or you know, if you
know a punter has a bad day, or you know,
those kinds of things. But a lot of times there
(19:15):
are you know, nuances within some of these categories. And uh,
you know the Steelers blocked a punt last year. It's again,
and you really can't underestimate the impact of a lot
of these things. You know, blocking a punt in a
(19:36):
game almost always leads to a win for the team
that does it or a loss for the team that
allows it.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
At the NFL level, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Yes, you know, getting a hand on a field goal,
you know, Minka blocking an extra point one time to
send a game into overtime.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Beat the Bengals Week one, Right, So, you know.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
A lot of these things kind of slip through the
cracks of you know, being recognized or you know, over
the course of time being appreciated. You know Rick Goslin,
a long time NFL writer who I don't know. He's
he's on the Hall of Fame Board of selections. I mean,
(20:17):
he is this guy. He knows, he knows football, and
he's known for a long time. He always does a
annual special teams ranking where he uses all the categories
you know, returns coverage, how your field goal kicker, does
your punter, things like touchbacks versus inside the twenty, you know,
(20:39):
blocking kicks and stuff. And according to his rankings, you know,
the Steelers were among the top teams in the NFL
in overall special teams played last year. And you know,
Miles Killerbrew is a guy who went to the Pro Bowl.
I think he was voted first team All Pro. Yeah, okay,
and I think that there's only one of those guys.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I know every year a special teamer.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
Yeah, yes, So you know it's important and to the Steelers,
and they show it by the practice time that they
put into it, the way they formulate their roster who
they keep, and so yeah, it's I've learned. I may
(21:24):
like not pay attention when they're practicing special teams out here,
but when it's during a game, you got to pay
attention because before you know it, you might be asking
yourself who got a hand on that field goal? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
I think it's you know, this special team's for the
Steelers allows you to kind of be that superstar if
you will, like Miles Killerbrew labs. I mean, this is
somebody who doesn't threaten playing time really in the normal defense. Ever,
if they have to dip into the depth, yeah, he's
capable of going out there. But his name is known
amongst all of Steeler Nation because of what he does
to special teams. They seem to find these players under
(22:00):
Danny Smith's tenure. Tyler Mattackkaviridge was another one in years past,
like guys that probably would look at and say, you
know what, you're really kind of a fringe nfler, But
you've been elevated to being so much more important to
that to this roster because of what you bring to
that side of things.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Right, and a lot of times too, there's a lot
of somewhat intricate teamwork involved in blocking kicks. For example,
you know Cam Hayward is known as someone who is
able to get off the ball and drive the whoever
(22:34):
he's blocking backwards. Now, sometimes that can translate directly into
a block kick if you push your guy back, raise
your hand and you get your hand on it. But
there's also, you know, some teamwork involved in that. One
guy can create a situation for another guy to get
through and get a chance to block a kick, and
(22:57):
that involves you know, timing and technique repetition, and so yeah,
it's not it's not happenstance when it happens.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Well, Miles Killerbrew caught up Yester or excuse me Sunday
with Mike Persuda.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Let's listen into that conversation.
Speaker 9 (23:12):
Miles, is it going pretty spirited ending the practice? First
live goal line drill? Right, I'm looking at my chart.
They got it in once and they had to throw
to do it.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
That's right, you know, throw it up to Big eighty.
I mean, he's like he's like a human cheat code
out there, you know, you line him up and run
a fade ball to him. I think it's a hell
of a play. I hope we get to see a
lot of that this year.
Speaker 9 (23:31):
Is there a way to stop that on the receiving
end or do you almost have to sack the guy
to prevent that from happening?
Speaker 7 (23:37):
No, I mean we try to be physical at the
catch point. You know, obviously, when it's good on good,
you try to be as physical as you can with
the right spirit of the fact that we're playing against teammates.
But we got to rely on a perfect balance of
Russian covers to get anything done on defense.
Speaker 9 (23:52):
Your goal on defense spotless against the run. Just kind
of clue me in on the process, how it's going,
how far along you guys are, and what the expectations are.
Speaker 7 (24:01):
Well, that's a point of emphasis the coach Tomlin has
for our defense in general. You know, when we get
down there, he does not want anyone to be able
to run it in on us. You know, it's a
matter of pride for our defense, and so we take
it on us from the interior all the way out
to the corner. We want to make sure that teams
aren't running the ball in, and then from there we
have to play lockdown defense.
Speaker 9 (24:20):
Saw some of the young guys in there maybe getting
a taste of it. Derek Harmon why black Jack Sawyer
talk a little bit about the progress if you can
at your draft choices.
Speaker 7 (24:29):
Oh, it's fun to see those guys in there getting
after it. They're hungry and they have some good vets
to learn from. I love what I saw, just you know,
from my humble perspective, I think the defense is coming
together well and I'm really excited to see how we
mess together as a unit.
Speaker 9 (24:44):
Last thing for you, Miles, we had the officials in
visiting the last couple of days. They got us up
to speed on the new procedures. Is the kickoff change
a really big deal or just something you guys will
adjust to because you have to.
Speaker 7 (24:57):
We always adjust, you know. That's something that we take
pride in and being, you know, this Special Team's unit
in particular. We adjust on the fly and we just
try to bring a level of professionalism that can't be
matched by our opponents. And so that's something we're gonna do.
I think we always have the advantage just because we
approach it with the right spirit, and so I'm excited
to see how we go out.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
There and do it a lot.
Speaker 9 (25:17):
About the last question, think, could you guys really block
multiple kicks again this year?
Speaker 7 (25:26):
We can do anything we want to do, but it
comes down to practice. It comes down to doing all
these little routine things every single day. I think if
we do the little things right, the big, big moments
will come. And if anyone is capable of having multiple
blocks this year, it's this unit. I love the heart,
I love the resolve, and coach Danny Smith always puts
us in the right spot.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Steeler Special Team or Miles Killerbrew. He also plays safety
of course. Talking to Mike Persuda following Sunday's practice. Great
conversation there and good to hear the belief in his
voice that this unit can accomplish great things again this
coming sea. And when LABS and I come back, we're
gonna be joined by John Colb. Excited for that. We'll
close things out talking to him. It's the Training Camp
Report on Fox Sports Pittsburgh nine seventy AM and the
(26:08):
Steelers Audio.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Network, Iheartradios Live coverage 'b dot twenty twenty five Steelers
Training Camp. He's presented by Fadex where now meets Next
and also brought to you by First National Bank, by
(26:32):
Kalucy Chevrolet, iron Workers Union Number three, by Easy Home Exteriors,
by S and T Bank, Wemax Select Realty, by Tom's Appliances,
the Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Shop, by Always Safe Flagging and
Traffic Control, and by US Steel.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Tom off from It and Bob Labriola back on the
Training Camp Report, waiting on John Colb, the four time
Super Bowl champion, to join us LABS. While we're waiting
on John, he played offensive line and did it spectacularly
throughout the seventies for the Steelers. So let's kind of
start or talk about this current group of offensive linemen,
and it had a little bit of injury turbulence at
the start of this camp, but now it seems like
(27:12):
the Ciamalo and Roger Jones have been able to work
themselves fully back into things. And I hope that health
is a theme for this unit throughout the rest of
the preseason period before Week one. I want to see
them get as much reps and as much time to
gel under their belts as possible.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Yeah, you know, it was a few seasons ago. I
remember the starting five Steelers offensive linemen not only started
every game, but all of them played virtually one hundred
percent of the snack.
Speaker 5 (27:48):
Right.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
It was crazy over the course of the season. And
you know, that is just that's like seeing a unicorn.
I don't know, for real. Yeah, it just it is
so rare.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
And I'm not saying that the Steelers were spoiled by that,
but certainly that's something that you cannot count on even close.
I mean, uh, for a team to be able to
to have five offensive linemen available for every game of
a regular season, let alone be able to start and
(28:24):
play the whole thing is really rare. And so you know,
That's why at that position you really need to have
some depth. I think it. You know, whenever we're talking
about the depth chart, like we did, you know earlier
in the show, that's always one of the areas that
I look at, who are who are the backup offensive linemen?
(28:44):
Because so often those guys are gonna end up playing
I won't say a significant role, but maybe you know
a significant number of snaps in a few games and
so yeah, and you know, if you if you'd shoot
me up with sodium pentathol and ask me, you know,
what do I think the key to this season is?
(29:07):
I might point to left tackle, you know, Broughderick Jones.
The Steelers need him to perform. He's a former number
one pick that they traded up to get. Uh. This
is a season that they need to find out about him. Uh.
And I think that I won't say for better or
for worse, you know, it's gonna be him at that
spot all year. But there there is no I don't know,
(29:31):
magic potion or anything that you can go to if
it doesn't work out with him. So, you know, for
better or for worse, I think the Steelers are and
Broderick Jones, Broderick Jones is married to that position, to
left tackle, and the Steelers are kind of married to
him as a guy that they need to perform well
(29:52):
and consistently throughout this season.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
And Mike Tomlin was asked over the Weekend Labs about Hey,
because you were saying, you know, they really don't have
anything behind Broderick Jones. What about moving Fatano over to
left tackle if Broderick Jones is struggling or if an
injury happens. And Mike Tomlin basically took that completely off
the table. They want Fontana to be the right tackle
and just focus on that this year.
Speaker 4 (30:13):
Yeah, and you know that's why I think Calvin Anderson
is a guy who could loom large over the course
of this season. He is the backup left tackle. And
I think that, by the way, Yes, but it's not
as bad of a situation as maybe was originally feared.
(30:33):
And you know, because there's also been some speculation that, oh,
let's move Darnell Washington to tackle from tight end. You know,
the Steelers did it in the seventies with Larry Brown.
You know, that's the.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Best way of your magic wand to do that overnight.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
Yeah, I mean, that's a nice idea and Darnell Washington
when when he was asked about it, you know, he's
he said, you know, he's pretty much up for anything.
But I don't think it would be fair to try
and take a guy, you know, who is just now
coming into his zone here, he comes here, coming into
his own as a tight end, and then to think
(31:13):
that he is gonna switch right over and play left tackle.
John Cole is joining us now. John Cole is going
to join us now, and we'll, uh, well, at least
you don't have to go one on one with him.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Getting John cold the headset on right now.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Four time Super Bowl champion with the Steelers, has a
lot of knowledge when it comes to the offensive line.
Was a great offensive lineman for the Steelers through the seventh.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
A couple of minutes to commisserate with c J. Wolf.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
He's a popular So see.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
John, thank you this thing as well. CJ. So I
wanted to you know, a lot of people might not
know that you started your career here as a center
with the Steelers first two years, right, that's correct? Yeah,
So how did that switch go?
Speaker 6 (32:13):
I thought I was cut because right up there in
Bonaventure Hall is my second year and so people would
say after the first year, what what what position are you?
And I say l one and they look at me
l one. Yeah, I'm l one on the kickoff because
(32:33):
Ray Mansfield was the center. And so then I come
to training camp and uh, you know, Chuck didn't say
a lot. So first day of practice, I'm down. And
but he would always in training camp he'd have the
roster up on the thing, and so I look up
there on the roster. Ray Mansfield was the first center.
(32:55):
Jim Klack was the second center, another guy from somewhere
in Californi another third. My name's not up there. And
I went, oh my gosh, I'm cut. And he forgot
to tell me. This is really embarrassing, and I think, Okay,
don't get up now, because you make a scene. Wait
(33:16):
for everybody to run out, wait for everybody to run
out on the field, and then you can just go
quietly and take your clothes. I had a nineteen seventy
no fifty five or so plymouth. You can drive that
Plymouth back to Oklahoma. And so I'm sitting there kind
(33:36):
of sliding down on the seat because I didn't want
Chuck to.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
Say, what are you doing?
Speaker 6 (33:40):
In here, you're cut and so and so I keep
looking up there, and then I went over and I
saw my name at tackle, and I went, oh, I'm
a tackle. I never even had a I'm never even
I don't even know what a stance is because I
was a center in high school, I was a center
in college. And now I got to come out here
(34:01):
and line up in ten minutes without a football in front.
And so I'm left handed, so I I'm on, and
they put me on the left side. So I kind
of first hand my right hand down the first play
and the second play my left hand down.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
And I did.
Speaker 6 (34:17):
I took the first practice just trying to figure out
how to get into a stance, and and that's just
from there, UH learned to play tackle.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
So one of your were one of the offensive line
coaches in that era, Dan Radakovich. Yes, bad Rad. I'd
they call him bad Rat.
Speaker 6 (34:40):
Because he loved to do stuff like mirror across the field.
And so the width of the football field, I believe,
as I recall, is fifty three yards. So he would
go get Mail Blunt or Lynn Swan or John Starwarth
or somebody, and they would they would start running the
(35:04):
width of the field and they'd run three steps back
up for run five steps back up two and you
had to mirror them. You had to stay in front
of them. If you do that fifty three yards the
width of the field, your legs are on fire.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
Your legs feel like you ran.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
Up one of these mountains up here. Uh. And so
we would do that after practice. And and but it
is a great drill. It teaches you know, how, it
teaches you how to move efficiently laterally. And and I
think that's one of the things that and then and
(35:41):
then the other part was the hand part.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
And when when you.
Speaker 6 (35:46):
First if you look at pictures of people playing, you know,
prior to Joe Green and I came in that year, Joe,
Terry Hanratt, Email Blunt, and Terry Bradshaw came in the
next year. Uh, they always had the lineman grabbing their jerseys.
And so that year they said, you don't have to
grab your jerseys. You can actually punch out and keep
(36:09):
the defensive lineman away. But nobody, really, no coaches had
ever thought sat down and say, okay, how do we
teach these this to players? But Chuck and Dan Radikovich
did so when we came to training camp. Uh, Dan
Radikovich would have these shields and you had to mirror
(36:33):
him or somebody like Stalworth or Swan across the field
and they would have that bang and you had to
punch him, punch him, punch them and had to be
a quick punch. And so you learned to time up
all of that. And I'm pretty sure somebody can check
that out.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (36:51):
But uh, and then this is.
Speaker 6 (36:52):
Political and I shouldn't say it, but people go, oh,
what do you think about the guy's bigger, stronger, and faster. Well,
I'll tell you what they are bigger, but check it out.
That year through that we won the first Super Bowl.
We gave up fourteen sacks that season offensive line. Check
check that out. Fourteen sacks in fourteen regular season games.
(37:18):
So no wonder Joe Gillim and Terry Bradshaw were throwing
the football all over the place because they were standing up.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
So we'll get you out here on this. You mentioned
some of the practices here, so as an offensive lineman
you got to go against some pretty good defensive linemen
on a regular basis. You mentioned Joe green Elsie Greenwood
was a part of your draft class. Then there was
Dwight White and Ernie Holmes. What were some of those
(37:46):
drills like days, like battles like against those guys.
Speaker 6 (37:49):
I that's the real memory of everything. I told people,
you know, they said, well, what do you you know
what's in Then I said, well, I had three games
a week and a practice on Sunday because I had
a game against Joe, Ernie and Dwight White on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
(38:12):
and then on Sunday I had a practice because except
for Harvey Martin, Elvin Bethea Houston, I wasn't going to
see anybody on the field that came close to Joe Green,
Ernie Holme, Ernie Holmes. Ernie Holmes would break your helmet.
(38:35):
He would break your helmet. I'll never forget. We're playing
the Jets and we have a chapel service before the game,
and we came down for the chapel service and Ernie
was down there, so the chapel service for the pregame meal,
and he's down there and he's kind of in this
kind of this. It's a chapel service, so he's kind
(38:58):
of benn over, like maybe he was praying okay, but
then they do the chapel service and we get ready
to go for the pregame meal and Ernie doesn't move.
So we're standing at the back of the room saying,
do you want to go wake him up? No, I
don't want to wake him up. I don't want to
wake Ernie Holmes up. And so finally they said, John,
(39:22):
you go wake him up. So I go walk in
and I tap Ernie on the shoulders and he wakes
up and he looks at me and he says, I
just dreamt I bit Joe Namas head off. So we
(39:42):
got to the pregame meal and I think he did
bite Joe Namas head off that day because he was
Ernie Holmes. There was never I mean, he could come off.
The ball he had in those days at the club
was legal. He would hit you with that club and
you were looking out the year hold of your helmet
(40:03):
if you were if it wasn't completely on backwards, and
I just, uh, I'm not.
Speaker 4 (40:09):
You know.
Speaker 6 (40:10):
You take that group of Dwight White and L. C.
Greenwooded ends. Could they come up the field well, Elsie
ran a four six forty, Dwight ran a four to seven.
Ernie and Joe could just run over and break your helmet,
and they were there, you know they were the steel Curtain.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
John, Thanks so much for hanging out with us in
these past ten minutes. This was awesome stuff and enjoy
your time up at practice today. Thank you Strong called
four time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Great
stuff from him there, and that's all there is for
Labs in me today. We'll be back again tomorrow at
noon for the training camp report. Practice is just about
to start for your Steelers. Matt Williamson and Wes Euler
(40:55):
will take over with the drive. Next, it's Fox Sports
Pittsburgh nine seventy am and the Steelers audio work
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!