Steelers Nation, Unfiltered

The kind of football that makes Pittsburgh feel like Pittsburgh isn’t an accident—it’s a choice. We open the playbook on what defines the Steelers now: the city’s unmatched stadium atmosphere on the North Shore, the legends who set the bar, and the decisions that could turn a short window into a serious run. From the animated Mount Rushmore debate to reliving Polamalu’s chaos and Hines Ward’s grin-through-the-hit toughness, we map the DNA that still drives this team.

Then we get current and honest. Mike McCarthy’s hire lands with mixed energy—some want a long-haul architect, others see a proven leader who understands Pittsburgh’s culture and knows how to assemble a staff. Bridge coach or not, the task is clear: pick a quarterback path and build hard around it. We lean into the Rodgers question—one more year of elite processing and on-field coaching—or hand the keys to Will Howard and commit to development. Either way, the roster must match the vision.

That’s where the draft and free agency come into focus. Wide receiver is priority one: a WR2 who separates, wins late in the route, and stretches safeties. We talk names, traits, and how a true vertical threat reshapes the offense. From there, we zero in on tackle depth to keep the quarterback upright and a secondary upgrade to survive a league engineered for points. And yes, we tackle the TJ Watt question head-on—what loyalty, value, and timing mean when your best players carry big contracts and bigger expectations.

If you love real Steelers talk—stadium lore, coaching nuance, cap realities, and a draft board that actually fits the scheme—you’ll feel at home here. Hit play, ride along, then tell us your Steelers Mount Rushmore and WR1 target. Subscribe, share w

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Transcript

Sponsor, Intros, Icebreaker Chaos

SPEAKER_03 4:48

Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home Rants Podcast. This is, as always, your host, Mike Bono. Got a great episode for us today, but first and foremost, I do need to mention the newest sponsor to the Ride Home Rants podcast, and that is WebWestern. For those who aren't afraid of hard work and no BS work, for those who love to live off the land, go out hunting, fishing, and now golfing too as well. These are hats made for you. Go to webwestern.com. Use the promo code MikeBono and save yourself 10%. Once again, WebWestern.com, promo code MikeBono, save yourself 10%. That being said, we're going to be talking about one of my favorite topics tonight. I have a great group of guests here uh today for us, and we're going to be talking about the All Things Pittsburgh Steelers podcast here. Uh I let Fitty do a Browns one. I cannot have a Browns on here without doing and talking about my Steelers. So it's going to be all things Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm going to let my guests introduce themselves. And guys, you know, we can't get into this intro without having two Fitty questions to start the show. So I need your name. And would you rather be a long haul truck driver or a limo driver for a new career? And would you rather fight 50 Emperor Penguins or one coyote in a racquetball court? And JJ, we're going to start with you.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

Uh JJ Phillips, you know, regular on the show. And I would definitely rather be a limousine driver just because the stories and the crazy people you'll probably meet doing that.

SPEAKER_03 6:27

And um was uh was it how many a coyote and what else? 50 Emperor Penguins or one coyote in a racquetball court.

SPEAKER_02 6:36

Oh man, I guess I'm going with the coyote. At least it's one-on-one. Might be able to figure something out.

SPEAKER_03 6:45

And uh next and last here, right now, we wait those few more people to go, but it's one of one of the great sponsors to the show here in Matt Landowski.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

What's up, everyone? It's Matt Landowski. I'm gonna go with the limo driver just because I think you get some good tips there. And uh I'm gonna go with the coyote keeping it interesting in the racquetball court.

SPEAKER_03 7:09

So yeah, that's that's a tough one, and a tough look to to start out with there. Um for me, um well, we got we got one more guy joining here now as we're getting rolling. And Aaron Fry, you're on mute, my guy, but we're gonna let you introduce yourself here. But you need to have to answer these two questions first and foremost. And would you rather be a long-haul truck driver or a limo driver for a new career? And would you rather fight 50 emperor penguins or one coyote in a racquetball court? I'm definitely a limo driver. And what was the other one?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Would you rather fight 50?

SPEAKER_03 7:54

Yeah, a thousand percent. Uh, would you rather fight 50 emperor penguins or one coyote in a racquetball court? A coyote in a racquetball court, one coyote. Yeah, that that's pretty consistent with what everyone has been saying here to start out with. Um, but yeah, for me, um, definitely limo driver uh for a new career. Uh, like everyone's been saying, just the stories you're gonna you're gonna get with that. Uh just because everyone's saying coyote, I'm just gonna say the hell with it. We're going 50 emperor penguins for me, just to see. Um, one penguins are my favorite animal. Um, so there's that. Um, I feel like I'm I'm not gonna fight them, I'm just gonna take them all home with me, and that's gonna be how I'm gonna win. And they're just gonna become pets. That's my strategy to win uh that one. Uh, but we're not here to talk about penguins or being limo drivers and that. We're here to talk about all things Pittsburgh Steelers here. And Fry, since you were a little bit late here to the show, I'm gonna let you go first here on this one. Um, and that is who is your Steelers Mount Rushmore of four all-time players?

SPEAKER_01 9:00

Oh boy. All right, so decorated history, right? So obviously, you gotta start with Joe Green. Um I'm gonna go Ben. I'm gonna go Ben and I'm gonna go. This was disrespectful. A lot of goat. A lot of disrespect. This is a tough one to start. It is, but I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go Jack Lambert. I'm gonna go those four.

SPEAKER_03 9:40

Four solid choices. Lando, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 9:43

Uh I'm gonna go a little 70s and a little early 2000s. Um I'm gonna start with uh Jack Lambert, Terry Bradshaw, Big Ben, and Troy Paul Molly. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

I'm gonna go Bradshaw. I'm gonna go the bus. I'm going to go Heinz Ward. And I'm going to go. Um Joe Green. Green. I'm gonna go green.

North Shore Stadium Experience

SPEAKER_03 10:24

Okay, yeah. I I've been racking my brain about this because yeah, like you said, there's just I mean, you you got you're gonna have to disrespect somebody like on this on this one here. Uh, but I gotta go Bradshaw, Big Ben. Um I was tossing up mean Joe or Paula Molly, but I gotta go Troy and I gotta throw Heinz in there. Uh that that's and I I it was a it was a real close force between the bus and Heinz for me and putting Bettis in there. Um, so yeah, that that's that's a tough one. And that was finny starting the show off with that one. I did not want to leave the show off that way, but it we're guns blazing. We killed we're coming in to fire everybody up off the rip here, being all Steelers fans here. Uh for I both for this one. The Stevens have one of the nicest setups uh on the North Shore uh with their location on the strip and the bars and the restaurants right by the stadium, along with uh stage AE and the Pirate Stadium being right there, PNC Park being right there. Uh, do you like the setup? Uh and do you think there is one better setup in the NFL?

SPEAKER_01 11:36

Um, I mean, my goal is to get around to a lot of the venues. Like um, just for you guys at the show, like Lando knows I'm from where Lando's from. Um, but I now live in like the Philly area, so I got to kind of see their setup on like the Broad Street. I like Pittsburgh setup, and I'm this is me not just being biased, but it kind of gives it like um that gritty blue-collar vibe being down there. Um, it's still a growing area. Um, I mean, I've seen Three Rivers, I've been to Three Rivers as a kid, and I thought it was awesome. Um, but now with the transition with PNC and Hinesfield, like in between there, you like you said, you have a string of bars that's there. Like you have the cigar bar, you have um Southern Tier, uh, you have um what's the uh McFadden's? Um, and then it's like I said, it's still a growing, a growing thing down there. There's uh the casinos down there now, it's getting added to it. And if you go right up the street into like the north side, you have a string of like old school style restaurants. Like one of my favorite restaurants that I feel like don't get talked enough about up there. Um, it's called Pepe's. If you're familiar with there, um, and it's within walking distance of the stadium. So um, yeah, I think it has one of the best setups in the NFL. I I just I it's easy to get in and out of. Um, everybody's there, they treat you like family. Um, nobody's ever fighting with each other, and you know that's that's what I feel like I love most about that place.

SPEAKER_03 13:15

Yeah, I mean that that setup right there on Three Rivers is phenomenal. Um, just the stadium in and of itself. And I I always say this it's all the stadiums. Um, Pittsburgh has one of the best backdrops to any stadium that you're in, whether it's it's always going to be Heinzfield, I don't care what they're calling it now, it's always gonna be Heinzfield to me and PNC Park. Um, I know you're in the igloo uh at PPG Paints Arena, but when you come out and you just see the whole city uh coming through the Fort Pitt tunnels and just seeing the whole city right when you come in, it's a game changer for me. Like that's just that's my two sets on that one. But Landa, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 13:54

I I think it's it it's incredible. Um it's gonna be unbelievable for the draft here this spring. Yeah. Just because like all the restaurants, you got all the stadiums are right there, all the hotels, you know, you got that great view. I mean, the backdrop. Um I I mean, I I just couldn't imagine a better location than down in the North Shore, baby. Little little party atmosphere, you know, stealers getting rowdy, terrible terrible tiles flying. I mean, there's nothing better, man.

SPEAKER_03 14:31

So nothing better than going and watching the blurs down there on North Shore. Uh but for uh JJ, what about you?

SPEAKER_02 14:38

Yeah, I mean, there's no no better place, man. I mean, I'm biased. Uh the people, I mean, people are great. It's like you say, it's a blue collar, gritty. Everybody's just having a good time, showing love. Like, usually when I go to the game, I go in on the um on the boat and just the view of the stadium as you're pulling up coming in. It's just it's just great. There's no better view. I mean, it's just awesome.

Is Chuck Noll A Top Coach

SPEAKER_03 15:02

No, no matter where you're at in Pittsburgh, there's no better view. Yeah, my favorite, honestly, is going to night games and coming through the Fort Pitt Tunnel at night and seeing the entire city lit up in black and gold and everything like that. So it's just it's it's a sight to see. Uh JJ, we're gonna start with you on this one. But uh, is legendary coach Chuck Noah top five NFL uh coach in history? And where does he rank in your opinion?

SPEAKER_02 15:31

Top five in history?

SPEAKER_03 15:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:33

He has to be. I mean, I don't I don't know how he's not in your top five. I mean, the man, I mean, he's done things few coaches have ever done in their whole career. So, I mean, not have him in your top five would just be, I don't know, a little bit ridiculous, in my personal opinion.

SPEAKER_03 15:50

Or does he fall in your in in your top five?

SPEAKER_02 15:57

Um I'm going to go. Three. Three? Three.

SPEAKER_03 16:07

I'm gonna go three. I'm gonna go three. I don't hate it. I don't hate it at all. He's he he's two or three with me. Yeah. Um he's up there. He's not five. He's definitely way better than five.

SPEAKER_02 16:18

Yeah, he he he's he's top three.

SPEAKER_03 16:20

Yeah, top three in my opinion. But Lando, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 16:24

Um I'm gonna say that uh I I can't really give a specific number on this one because there's a lot of legendary coaches, but I can't name too many that have won four Super Bowls. So I mean, it's just not it's unheard of, you know, this is not many. So, you know, he is top five, and I'm not gonna say a specific number, but um, he's legendary, man.

SPEAKER_03 16:49

Lando giving the PR answer there for us here, and then I give him a giving a number. Fry, what about you?

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Yeah, I think he is, I think he is top five, but I gotta go five, just thinking about you know, a lot of the legendary coaches. Like, I don't know. I look, I look at all of these lists, like just because I like to see like where they rank, like when Tom Lynn was he basically tired, or he's one ahead of Chuck Noah. Um, but he don't have four Super Bowls, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 17:25

I think he the record-wise, I think he's one ahead of Chuck. I think he just passed Chuck Noel this year.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

Yeah, so but Chuck, I mean, he got four bowls. Um, yeah, I look at guys like Bill Belichick, Andy Reed, um, Vince Lombardi, Tom Landry, like those guys. Um, but I don't, like I said, I think Chuck's at four or five. Um, you know, I don't I just that's where I think he likes it me.

SPEAKER_04 17:54

I got you.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

I'll I'll probably put like uh Belichick and uh Walsh ahead of him.

SPEAKER_03 18:01

I got I got Lombardi and Belichick ahead of him. I mean, the the trophy's named after Lombardi.

SPEAKER_02 18:07

How do you not how do you not have it like I mean Belichick changed the game and Walsh the West Coast offense, man?

Mike McCarthy Hire Reactions

SPEAKER_03 18:14

I mean, where would we be at now without the West Coast offense? Right. Playing Smash Mouse Steelers football and just running it down everybody's throat is what we'd be doing. Exactly what we'd be doing. We'd be playing Pittsburgh football.

SPEAKER_02 18:29

Yeah, you're right, but you know, the NFL made the rule changes to score more points, man.

SPEAKER_03 18:35

I mean, that's what it came down to. I get it, I get that for sure. Um Friday, let's stay with you on this one. And now we're now we're gonna really get into into this here and see how fired up we could all get. And is do you like the Mike McCarthy hire uh as the new head coach? And should they have hired somebody else, if not?

SPEAKER_01 18:59

This is a good one. Um, I mean, I spent a lot of time thinking about this. Um, it took me like a couple days to really know if I was gonna like to hire, but I think his first press conference was the one that kind of drew me in. Like him being a Pittsburgh guy and him knowing what the culture is and him showing the emotion of how much it means to him was like, okay, like we got a guy in here that's really like that's a whole different side of Mike McCarthy that we didn't see in Green Bay, that we didn't see in um Dallas. And then what he's doing as far as putting his staff together, I was like, I like, I like this. I think he's made all of the right moves so far. Um, I think he's I think it's a different route. I mean, he's six for two. Um, so obviously I think he's a bridge coach. Like, who are who are we gonna get or who is he gonna string along to be able to kind of take over? Because he's not gonna, I can only see him, I can only see him giving us like eight to ten years. Um, and I think I think he got a chance to really bring us number seven home. I'll I'll really say that. And that's not me being biased. I think all of the pieces are on play. I think the staff he put together is great. And we have a guy in there I know that knows what Pittsburgh Stiller football is all about.

SPEAKER_03 20:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 20:23

Lando, what about you? The funny story, um, when Tom one stepped down, um, I get a text message like a couple minutes later from Fitty. Yeah. And he says he says, hire someone, I forget the name, and Tom one stepped down. I said, I texted him back and said, hire McCarthy. And he's laughing, you know. I said, I freaking love it, man. So a couple weeks later, McCarthy gets hired, you know. I mean, he's a Pittsburgh guy. Um like probably said, you know, he knows what Pittsburgh football is all about, he knows what it means to this town. Um, you're probably only gonna get five to eight years with him, but it's gonna be a solid good five to eight years. So I think we're gonna we're gonna do a lot of good things these next couple years.

SPEAKER_03 21:19

I got you.

SPEAKER_02 21:20

JJ, what about you? I totally don't like it. Like um I'm gonna give him a chance, but when he first got hired, I really wasn't excited about it. And then I seen the press conference and he loves Pittsburgh, he knows what the city wants, he knows Pittsburgh football. Then why are you crying at the press conference? That's not Pittsburgh football or tough or you know what I'm saying? You shit and tear I I don't know. And he's I wanted a younger guy, I wanted a high-energy, younger guy to be there for like 20, 30 years. We got a bridge coach, and I I feel like we're just gonna he's gonna try to get the band back together. We're gonna bring Rogers back to try to bring back the Green Bay from 10 years ago, and I don't know. I don't know how I feel about it yet. I'm gonna wait till offseason goes through and see what moves are made in the draft and stuff, but I'm not overly excited.

SPEAKER_03 22:23

I I wasn't excited at first. Um he's growing on me. Um, but he's definitely a bridge coach. Like, I mean, if anybody says he's not a bridge coach, you don't know football at all. I swear every time I freaking record my one cat hassle, just absolutely just start bitching. Like, I don't know if you guys can hear that in the background. Uh what the hell's going on, like right now. Of course he stops, of course. All right. Um, but anyways, that just threw me all off. But yeah, I mean, he's growing on me. I think he will help develop Will Howard and all these experts saying that, like, oh, Pittsburgh needs a quarterback. Um, we have one in the name of Will Howard that we drafted last year. Um, yeah, he was hurt for most of the beginning of the season. We didn't get to see too much of him. I think I think Aaron comes back one more year with McCarthy. I hate to say it. I think he should retire. Uh, but uh with Mc the McCarthy hired, that was the one thing I really didn't like about it. It's like, well, Aaron's coming back at least one more year. For sure he's coming back one more year to see if he can do it with McCarthy. Uh, but I think that'll be good for Howard and letting him learn under a future Hall of Famer and Rodgers for one more year, and actually getting to participate and not just holding a clipboard uh and practice being hurt. I think that will help him. Um, and that kind of led me right into to the next one. And you know, obviously, we'll say my thoughts is I think Rodgers is coming back for one more season. Uh, but Fry, what about you? You think he's coming back one more year?

Will Aaron Rodgers Return

SPEAKER_01 24:05

Yeah, I think he is. I think all stars are aligning for him to come back, um, just based off the hires that we made. And I thought Aaron had a good, I thought he had a decent year. Um, I think he showed like leadership. Like, how many other quarterbacks out there that 42 would play with a broken wrist? You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 24:25

Like there's not a bunch of 22 that would play with a broken wrist. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 24:29

They want to they want to get their money, you know what I mean? So business didn't matter to Aaron Rodgers and it and it showed. Um, I was very impressed with that, especially after like a lot of the rumors came out saying like, you know, he throws his teammates under the bus, he does this, he does that.

SPEAKER_03 24:46

And see, I with that, I mean, he's been there, done that, and I think if Toma would have just let him go at the end of the season and just let him call the plays from the field and run the hurdle. Like, look how good we looked running the hurry up with him at the and running the two-minute offense with Rogers calling the plays. We moved the ball up the field and we score every time.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

And it's like it's like having another coach on the field, basically. Like, because he's to me, like based off of like what I've seen all of my years being around football, like he's the best at at drawing 12 men on the field. Yeah, like I haven't really seen too many quarterbacks do that. Um, but he impressed me. I wouldn't mind if he came back. I think we have a line that can keep him upright and clean for the most part. Um, and I think that's really like that might be a deal breaker for him. Like, we're not in a rebuild mode. Um, we do need some pieces, like we definitely need a wide receiver, and I hope we can talk about the draft a little bit. But we're gonna get there.

SPEAKER_03 25:48

We're getting there. Don't jump ahead of me, Fry.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

But yeah, Aaron, I I'm gonna prep I like Aaron Rodgers. I think Aaron Rodgers can still get it done. Um, as long as we have the pieces around him that he feels like he can win a title. I got you. Lando, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 26:05

Um, my motto is play as long as you can, yeah um, as long as the game allows you to, and you know, your body and everything. So I think Rogers coming back one-one, maybe two more years isn't a bad thing. Two, especially, I mean, a leadership. He said two years. This is a leadership aspect because he's gonna be the one who mentors Will Howard, and it's the same thing that happened with in Green Bay with uh Ford, you know. So but uh two.

SPEAKER_03 26:41

I mean, if you break it down, my man in football age is 176 years old with the way his body. Has been uh used. You forget he played for the Jets for what three years with zero line?

SPEAKER_00 26:54

We'll stick with one for we'll play it by by year.

SPEAKER_03 26:57

That's one year. I think I think he's got half a year left with his body not breaking down on him, if you ask me.

SPEAKER_02 27:07

I mean, that says it all.

unknown 27:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:12

Just I don't I yeah. Two is two is just like, all right, now we're now we're really trying to be Brett Favre. Like, hang him up. You should have you should have hung him up a couple years ago. Like you just unless you're being a backup just to mentor somebody, no.

SPEAKER_02 27:28

You don't you don't you don't want Bounty Gate to get you out of there like you got rid of Brett Farr?

SPEAKER_03 27:32

Yeah, that's just uh that's a whole other show that we can get into on that one. JJ, I think I already know your thoughts on this one, but what do you got?

SPEAKER_02 27:41

Oh, I mean, do I want him to come back? No, but is the diva coming back? Yes, and he's gonna make us wait till right before like after training camp before he decides to come back. He's not gonna have he's not gonna have any what McCarthy.

SPEAKER_03 27:57

I I heard uh I heard today on the Rich Ison show, McCarthy has put a time limit on it. He has to have an answer a week before training camp starts, if he's coming back or not. If he doesn't hear from him, he's out.

SPEAKER_02 28:11

So so you put a time limit on it, he put a time limit on it, yeah. Okay, okay, that's what I like to hear. But honestly, I just wish we would have gone with Howard, see what he has. I um either he's gonna be the guy or he's not gonna be a guy. I'm a Michigan fan, so I'm not really big on Ohio State quarterbacks because in the league, most of them usually aren't too great. But I mean we drafted him. We we drafted him, so let's see what he got. I mean, let him get the let him get the reps, let him get all take all the reps, let him see what we got. Like Aaron Rodgers is only gonna get us so far. We're gonna have another eight and eight, uh nine, whatever season, and we're gonna get bounced in the first round again.

SPEAKER_03 28:55

I see it coming already again. With with Rogers, I I see that for sure.

SPEAKER_02 29:00

Yes, yes. Um, I mean, but we have Howard, we either have our quarterback or we don't, and we know for sure.

SPEAKER_03 29:07

Will Howard is the only Ohio State quarterback that I'm like okay with in the NFL because zero of them have produced in the NFL. Zero Ohio State quarterbacks have really produced in the NFL uh as of late. Uh justin Fields, you can get you can make an argument there, but he's trying to make the argument for is I mean, he's starting to come up, but he's hit or miss. He's not consistent that you want to see in an NFL quarterback. But in that there's just they don't run a pro style offense at Columbus and Ohio State. So like these guys just aren't ready. Uh, with the transfer portal, it's helped. There's been some guys that have finished at Ohio State because they know they can go there and dominate in the Big Ten and win a win a national.

SPEAKER_02 29:55

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

SPEAKER_03 29:57

Guys got guys coming from the SEC and that, like coming from all there.

SPEAKER_02 30:03

No, no, no, no. We all know it's it's it's go blue. It's a go blue. It's go blue. That's that's what we're talking about.

SPEAKER_03 30:12

That's I'm not a fan of either squad here. I um I'm a Mountaineer fan through and through. So you know I just let I just let them disappoint me every every season.

SPEAKER_02 30:20

So get get well soon.

SPEAKER_03 30:22

Get well soon, dude. It's just a constant it just being a Mountaineer fan, they just disappoint me every year. Every year it's like, oh, today this is gonna be our year. No, it's not. Like, we're just it's just they can go to a 64 team playoff, but somehow we'd find a way to miss the playoff. You know what I mean? Like, that's how that's how much my Mountaineers disappoint me every year.

SPEAKER_02 30:41

They tease you every year, every year.

SPEAKER_03 30:43

They give you every hope.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

Every year, they give you hope and then they crush you.

TJ Watt Trade Talk

SPEAKER_03 30:46

Yep, absolutely. That's it's that's that's the Mountaineer fan in a nutshell, right there. Uh, but with that one, JJ, we're gonna stay with you here. And this one, uh, this one's gonna raise some eyebrows, and I think I know where we're all staying on most of this. But uh, should the Steelers trade away TJ Watts for a quarterback and or draft picks?

SPEAKER_02 31:06

We should have traded him three years ago and got a boatload for him. Now we're just kind of stuck with him. Nobody's gonna trade for him for that big contract. I mean, he's injury prone, he doesn't show up in big games. I love TJ, but we should have got rid of trading him three years ago when his value was at his highest, and we could have got a boatload of picks for him, and we probably would have been in a better position right now than what we are. But we're stuck with him now, so we gotta make the best of it, and that's just what it is.

SPEAKER_00 31:35

I get it. Atlando, what about you? I think I think now's the time you if you're gonna trade him, you gotta trade him. Um just because we got Jack Sawyer. I like Jack Sawyer.

SPEAKER_02 31:50

Another Ohio State guy, what is going on? I mean Jack Sawyer, he's okay. He has some work to do.

SPEAKER_00 32:00

Yeah, he he's a tough, he's a tough dude, man. He's a tough dude. So he he he makes plays and uh I I I I don't see I I just can't see it's hurting too bad without TJ right now. So yeah, I I I ain't gonna say I'm gonna miss him or anything.

SPEAKER_01 32:20

So Brian, what about you? I mean, I just want to go on record to say, like, I think last year what we did in the draft was like we went super Big Ten heavy. Like, I think our first four picks were Big Ten. Yeah. So I was like, I think I see what they're trying to do here, you know what I mean. Um but I mean, I'm a big, I'm a big fan of talent. Um, you know, I thought we did well. Like, I'm I love Michigan too, but when it comes to just talent, like Jack Sawyer, I think he's a leader, I think he's a blue-collar guy, I think he fits the the Steeler way. I don't think he's a TJ Watt caliber player, though. So but you look at like you know, Nick Herbig, I think he's he's had a good year. Highsmith has been up and down with injuries, it's been tough. Um, but TJ has been too. You know, it's a hard, it's a hard position to stay healthy in. But if we do, if we do trade him, I don't know really if what we'll get in return for him, because I think he's what 32 now, 31, 32? He's in his 30s. Yeah, so I think that the way the Steelers always done business was, you know, we're gonna we're gonna treat you. Well, we want you to be in one uniform your whole career. Um, you've done good for the city, but I also think that it would be TJ's decision to be like, man, do I want to stay or do I want to leave? Um, and I think we'll do right by him. Uh, I mean, he hasn't, he has never been an issue to us. He's been a leader. And I still think he can get us, you know, 17, 18 sacks a year on that side of the ball. Um, but yeah, I don't think we trade him. I can't really see us trading him. And if we do, then I see it being draft day or draft night. But right now, I don't see it.

SPEAKER_03 34:11

I I can't see it either, just for what he's he's done at Pittsburgh. Yeah, his plays declined, he's injury prone. No one's gonna take that big contract. Um, so I don't there's not a lot of value with him right now. And I'm a TJ guy. I I I like TJ. Um, but yeah, I don't I don't see him having too much longer to left. I think this this contract is his his last hurrah in the NFL. Um, I like Jack Sawyer. I I do. He's a gritty, tough-nosed guy. Shake your head at me, JJ. I can see you shaking your head. Don't you be shaking your head at me?

SPEAKER_02 34:52

I like Jack Sawyer. Don't get it wrong. I like him. I just think he needs a little more polishing.

SPEAKER_03 34:57

Well, he does. I mean, this is gonna be a second year. Obviously, he needs a little bit more polishing. Just take out the fact that he played for Ohio State, and then how do you feel about it? If you didn't know where the hell he played. Let's say he played for Michigan. What would you be saying about that then?

SPEAKER_02 35:10

I I'll I'll be saying the same thing. He he he's he's he needs some more polishing, but I can see him turning into like uh I don't want to, I don't want to say this, and um it's kind of reaching. I can see him turn to like a James Harrison type player, like he's just an enforcer out there, big hits, gritty, tough as tough as all hell. I can see that. I'd I'd be okay with that.

SPEAKER_03 35:34

I'd be okay with that in Pittsburgh. We need a bully on defense again. Like we just need that guy that I mean, yeah, his stats aren't gonna get him into the Hall of Fame, but he's gonna be a difference maker just from his attitude. No one's gonna run a run near him or run at him. We need that back at Pittsburgh on the defense to get back to the steel curtain way. That being said, um who's your favorite Stevens player of all time, JJ?

SPEAKER_02 36:04

Too fast Willie Parker.

SPEAKER_03 36:05

No, I mean um we were gonna fight so hard. We were gonna fight if you said fast Willie Parker and were serious about that.

SPEAKER_02 36:16

Oh man. I'm gonna alright. I mean, I mean, me growing up watching, I mean, it's tough. It's between Heinz Ward and Palomarlo. I'm gonna just go go with Palomarlo. I'm gonna go with Palomarlo. Okay, land up, what about you?

Favorite Steelers Of All Time

SPEAKER_00 36:35

Um I'm gonna go with uh I'm gonna I'm gonna pick an offensive guy and a defensive guy. So I'm gonna go with Hines Ward on offense. I mean, some of those hits that he took were absolutely brutal. He came up smiling, you know, and then on defense, I'm going Ryan Clark. He uh, I mean, that hit he had that hit he had an AFC championship game in 2008 on Willis McGahee was both himself and McGahee out. Top two hits I've ever seen, and my maybe the hardest hit I've ever seen in my life. I mean, Willis McGahey is no slouch. He knocked out an animal and and he knocked himself out. Yeah, I mean it was unbelievable. I I just jumped out of my chair and I remember where I was at down school, and yeah, that was nuts, man. Uh I never seen anything like it. So the explosion was just insane. Man, some Raven Steelers games back then. Yeah, just that that era of Steelers football was that rivalry in all sports, man.

SPEAKER_03 37:44

Ever, ever. Man, right.

SPEAKER_01 37:47

What about you? Who's your favorite stealer? I'm gonna go. It's it's a lot, man. There's definitely a lot. Um, so you know, if I was to go on the offensive side of the ball, like Jerome Bettis would be my guy, uh for sure. But on my defensive side, without a doubt, Troy. I mean, Troy was I mean, we're talking about a top three safety of all time, you know what I mean? The battles with him and Ed Reed, like, you know, that's always the argument. Yeah. But I mean, I love Ed Reed too. Like, we got to see that, we got to see the Steelers Ravens play sometimes, like, three times a year. You know what I mean? Like, that won't really happen too often. So, but definitely Troy's definitely my favorite stiller of all time.

SPEAKER_03 38:37

Yeah, this this is a tough one. Um, because I'm a bus guy. I like Bettis, I like the way he ran the ball. Uh, being a former wide receiver, I like Heinz Ward getting up smiling after taking all those hits and delivering hits himself, too, as well. Like he wasn't no slouch blocking either. Like, he was gonna lay the lumber on you, too, as well. Um defensive side of the ball. I mean, it's Troy all day. It's it's hard to, I mean, RC's up there, but Troy definitely takes the cake that it's just the hair going and just being a Tasmanian devil out there and just all over the place and not listening to one of the coaches. Let's just say that it will just call it as is. There's been so many former steelers who're like, Yeah, he just did what he wanted to do, and Cower and Tomlin just let him do it.

SPEAKER_02 39:25

Yeah, just let him do it. Do what you do.

Draft And Free Agency Priorities

SPEAKER_03 39:27

Because he made plays, and you know, his his excuse for that was you know, he's a very religious man, and God told him to do it, so he did it, and it was right every time. I don't know how, like, but you know, it's it I don't know how on the defensive side of the ball you don't say Troy. Uh, but offense, I I gotta go Heinz, the the wide receiver in me. I can't not go with Hines on that one. Um, but we're running down here, and I know this one's gonna take a lot, so I'm gonna I'm gonna jump ahead and Fry, who was trying to jump a jump ahead on me here. Uh the draft. I mean, what are the Steelers going for? You know, this draft and free agency. How do we improve the team? What you're looking like for the draft.

SPEAKER_01 40:13

Um man, I think it's been tough. Me going back on. I think I really just started my analysis with like the draft. And so obviously, the we need to address the receiver room for sure. I don't think there's like any free agents out there that will get looked at and be like, this guy's gonna come in and really be the wide receiver, too. So are we saying who we are are we saying who we want to? Is that like is that a thing on the show? Sure, why not do it?

SPEAKER_03 40:46

I don't do I ever tell y'all like no, don't do that on this show. It's show that's called has range in the name of it. Don't rant on this range show.

SPEAKER_04 40:56

Don't be random on the ride home hands, man.

SPEAKER_01 41:01

I looked at all right, so I looked at I was talking to my uncle about this. I was like, all right, let's let's check, let's check it out. So we'll probably go receiver like with the first round. So I looked at a guy like Makai Lemon from USC. Um the dream. The Jay's gonna hate me for this one, but the dream is Cornell T. I mean that guy, he's good, he's really good. And the last time we got an Ohio State guy was Antonio Holmes. And he he did it, yeah, it worked out great. It worked out really good. So, but but he's gonna be gone. I can't see him getting out of the top 10 and even falling to 21. But Makai Lemon from USC, I'm really impressed with what he did at USC. Um, and then I think we got to address the secondary. Um, you know, I think we gotta go safety. Uh, I was looking at the kid from Penn State. I think he get, I think he got a lot of um, he got great size. I think he can run really well. Um, and then I think we get a bridge quarterback, another one. I think like the guy who I was thinking about would be Drew Aller from Penn State because he's a project. Um, I thought he played well up until he got hurt, and obviously Penn State kind of fell up. Well, they I say they fell apart and battled, then they brought it back together. So shout out to Coach Terry Smith for really bringing it back together. So that was cool to see. Um, because he's a Western PA guy. Um, but yeah, that's that's that's how I think. I think we need to address, oh, and then another position. I think we depending on Broderick Jones, I really think we might go after another tackle. So that's kind of like my outlook right now.

SPEAKER_04 42:52

All right, Lando.

SPEAKER_00 42:53

What about you? Yeah, I think we need some offensive linemen because uh uh I think we're a little down there. Uh we Rogers are gonna definitely need more than two seconds to pass a football. So after what I saw in that uh playoff game, that was such a disappointment. But uh yeah, man, I think uh I think we gotta get some offensive linemen and uh go from there, man.

SPEAKER_02 43:18

Alright. JJ, what about you? Well, I'm thinking, you know, of course receiver start out. Um and then uh I would probably say defense, second, secondary, like you were saying. Uh I would like, but since we're keeping Aaron Rodgers, don't matter. They were talking about that quarterback from uh LSU dropping, and that was been a good battle for him and Will Howard to go go at it in the offseason. But we got the diva coming back, so that doesn't really fly. So uh um I mean our old line is young, so they might get better, but it doesn't hurt to add to that. But I mean, today's NFL, you gotta draft young athletic players on defense and spend all your money on offense if you want to win. Because your defense got to bend but don't break. Your offense gotta be able to score at least 21 to 35 points a game. I mean, that's just the way it is.

SPEAKER_03 44:19

Yeah, and we definitely I think receiver are no line for sure. I mean Rogers was on his ass more than he was standing upright, and he wants to throw the ball down the field, and he can't do that in two seconds. You know, he can't.

SPEAKER_02 44:34

And please, and please re-sign uh what's his name? Um Gainwell. Please resign this guy.

SPEAKER_04 44:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:41

Because he he played his ass off this year, and uh he he was a big part of the offense. Spread him out, hand it off. You know, he was and we let him walk, like we're just I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 44:53

I don't know what we're doing if we let him walk. I think him and Warren are gonna be like Najee and Warren were. Uh Warren's gonna be the bruiser like Najee was, and Gainwell's gonna be the Warren uh when Najee was there, and be flashy, out wide, split out and making all the plays.

Closing Thanks And CTA

SPEAKER_02 45:15

I mean, him and Rogers had a good rapport. Him and Rogers did have a good rapport. Like they uh they he trusted them and they played well and he spread them out. I mean, sometimes he would just tell them to run a route, it wasn't even in the play, and he would just run it and be for a big gain or a touchdown.

SPEAKER_03 45:32

No, yeah, absolutely. I mean, it it was shown and I think what was it the I don't think it was a playoff game, it was the Ravens game, I think, where he just literally screamed out, go out there, run a go. Yeah, and like he did it and it worked. Like, that's that's that's just how how it needs to be, and like, yeah, they definitely need to resign him for sure.

SPEAKER_01 45:53

I wanna I want to add two names though to this list for receivers.

SPEAKER_03 45:57

Okay, so if it's more Ohio State guys, I can't have JJ freaking out again if it's more Ohio State guys.

SPEAKER_01 46:06

No, there's this kid from Louisville, his name is Chris Bell. He's pretty good, he's pretty good, and then a guy that I look is like he's like a hybrid. Like John W. Smith didn't impress me this year at all. So, like, you know, if he you obviously with the clipper Rogers, like I know we all heard him swear, John Who, I think it was the Detroit game, if I'm not mistaken. Um, but uh a guy that I feel like could come in and really make a splash right away with um uh Washington would be his name is Michael Trig. He's from uh Baylor. And just go check him out. Okay, he's really good. That's all I'm saying. He's really good. I think he could come in.

SPEAKER_02 46:48

We don't even need a draft for receiver. We got one of the best receivers on the team we don't play. His name is Wilson, he's from Michigan. There it is.

SPEAKER_03 46:57

I was playing time, right? I I was really waiting for JJ to be like, we need to get this guy from Michigan, this guy from Michigan when we get the entire Michigan O-line. Like, that's kidding he's already on the rock, he's already on the team.

SPEAKER_02 47:12

We just need to give him the ball, that's all.

SPEAKER_03 47:17

I love it, I love it, I love it. Uh I can't I can't say much about that. So um that being said, that's actually gonna do it for this week's episode of the Ride Home Rants podcast. I want to thank all of my guests here, uh, Fry, JJ, and Lando for joining and talking to all things Pittsburgh Stillers. And as always, if you guys enjoyed the show, be a friend. Tell a friend. If you didn't, tell them anyways. They might like it just because you didn't. That's gonna do it for me, and I will see y'all next week.