Big Ben talks first week of Training Camp, No Tackling, QB Competition and More! Ep 134

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The Steelers finally have real football again, and training camp already feels like a different world. After years of one steady routine, we’re adjusting to Coach McCarthy’s camp and asking the question every fan in Pittsburgh is thinking: when the vibe changes, does the identity change with it? We start with the big picture shifts fans notice right away, from familiar traditions to the little details that make a team feel like itself.

Then we dig into the headline that sparked the loudest reactions: no tackling in training camp. We break down why that hits a nerve for a franchise built on physical play, and we weigh it against the reality of player safety and the NFL being a season-long game of attrition. We also talk through the nuance, because “no tackling” does not have to mean “no contact.” Wrapping, leverage, thud tempo, and consistent technique can still build a tough defense, but goal-line moments and true accountability are harder to recreate without going to the ground.

From there, the conversation turns to the preseason and the quarterback plan. How much should Aaron Rodgers actually play if he knows the offense, and what do those snaps cost Mason Rudolph and the younger quarterbacks competing for the future? We also hit the early camp buzz: offensive line optimism once pads come on, creative pass rush looks with TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith moving around, secondary updates, and the skill players getting people excited. Listen, share this with a Steelers fan who needs to hear it, and leave us a review with your take: are you buying the no tackling approach or not?

Transcript

Football Returns And Comedy Shoutout

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome back to football with Ben Rothelsberger. We finally have football. Oh man, what's that like? We can talk about some football. Real football. Well, it's training camp, but it's still real football. It's not the preseason, not regular season yet, but it's football. Take them what I can get. You guys don't have to listen to our stories about fires. Fires in the house and all the other stuff that's going on. We get to talk some ball, and it's going, it, it's it's going because obviously with right before camp starts, there is nothing going on in the world of football and sports. And so now all of a sudden it's just like, let's, let's, let's go to a thousand. Yes. Like a thousand, like we're just dialing this thing up. Wait, before we start, I do want to I do want to mention this. Um, because we won't mention it if I don't say it now. Um, we went this last week on Thursday night to see our good friend, friend of the show, Nate Bergazzi, was at PPG. I I know he had a show Thursday and Friday. I heard both shows. Well, we know one show is amazing. We went Thursday. Um, Nate, great job as always. And we got to see another funny comedian uh that opened one of the openers for him, uh, who's on DV all the time. I hear his name. No, he's not the long snapper, but Greg Warren, absolutely hilarious. I mean, all the guys did a great job.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:10

But um, I've heard a lot about Greg Warren and he did great. All those guys were awesome. But Nate, um, awesome job. Kudos. We laughed so hard. I mean, an hour of nonstop, so many relatable things. So if you haven't seen it, if you haven't had a chance, check out Nate. Um, he's awesome. So I didn't want to I didn't want to miss out on that. But did you want to add anything about that show?

SPEAKER_02 1:30

No, no, I you said it's amazing. Yeah, if you haven't seen his stand up, go check it out. If you haven't seen him live, you can take your kids.

SPEAKER_00 1:36

We took all we took the kids. I mean, they had a the kids. I did notice one time he made a uh someone made a joke about perforated paper.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

Yeah, great.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

And the kids were laughing, and I'm like, I don't even know what perforated paper is. Spell that. You don't know either. Come on, man. But anyway, um, it was a great show. So go check it out. Now we can dive into football. Yeah, I love with something else.

Training Camp Starts Under McCarthy

SPEAKER_00 1:54

But training camp is has officially started for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL. Um, they are in it. We are going, we're gonna come back to you guys um late last week and talk, but just didn't work out, didn't feel right. So we're coming at you now. Uh obviously, you guys will get this on Tuesday night, so Tuesday practice will happen. There could be some things happen. We we never know. Something could happen today at practice, and we don't know about it. So sorry if we talk about something that doesn't, you know, whatever. But there's a lot of really interesting things that have happened. Some um, you know, obviously players talking to the media recently. There's been a lot of that. Some that's making its waves, especially the quarterback talking. But we are going to talk football, Lynn, because that's what we do on the show. We talk football and we're gonna try and dissect as much as we can. There's a lot to talk about, but we'll dissect as much as we can when it comes to the team, what we see, what we hear, what we have heard. Um, the newness of Coach McCarthy's camp. Yes. Right? There's no more seven shots, I don't think. I don't think there's any, like, you know, the traditional seven shots full go to be any practice. Um, Coach McCarthy made some comments about no tackling this year at training camp.

SPEAKER_02 3:00

Oh man, we're dy we're diving into it. We're gonna get into it. We're gonna get into it. I think so, as you mentioned, I think the a perfect place to start would just be the difference between um the vibe at camp historically. I know it's been when when you have the the luxury, I will call it, um, of having a coach for 19 years, there's there's not only a system that's in place within the organization, but there's also something that we as the fans and we as a city come to expect when we go to have an experience over at training camp. And so this has been from everything that I've read, I haven't been able to make it down yet. Um, everything I've read, it's it's a completely different vibe, man. I'm curious what have you heard? What have you seen? Um, and uh how do you feel about it?

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Yeah, I mean, obviously, uh like you, I've not been there. So everything that we are gonna talk about are things that we've heard, read about, seen on the on the intranet. Yes. Um, those kind of things. So we can't speak on first hand, and I I am not a participant in his camp, so I can't speak on that. But um obviously when you're when you're a guy that's been there for a long time, you think about some of the veterans on the team, you know, the TJ Watts, um, obviously Aaron is was is a veteran, but he was only in he was only there last year, and he probably knows the McCarthy camp better than than most. Uh Alex Highsmith, guys like that that have kind of gotten into a routine of of St. Vincent, it's all of a sudden it's gonna be like, oh, well, this is like what am I expecting? Like before when you were going to training camp, you were like, okay, here's where I'm parking, here's where I'm unloading my my car, here's where here's I knew my room was the same room, like the you know, the veteran guys had the same room every year. Kind of knew where you're going. Like, is it is that the same? Maybe, maybe some of that stuff is not changing. Maybe some of it is, maybe everybody's having a roommate now. Maybe nobody has room. There's a lot of things we don't know. Um, but uh, you know, when you were going there, you you had the familiarity of, okay, I know exactly where I'm going for this. I know where my meeting, this quarterback meeting room's right here, I know this is there. And again, it might be the same, but there's got to be some questions going into it. Like, what if what if it's not the same? Yeah. What if my meetings over here now? Or my offensive meetings here, defense is over here, team meeting was always right here. Coach Tom always stood right there at the front. You know, you had Mr. Rooney come in, you had Bert come in, you had the equipment people come in, and well, what if what if McCarthy Santa like over here and everyone has to flip now? Like just all the different things, it's

No Tackling Policy Sparks Debate

SPEAKER_00 5:20

just the smallest nuanced things could be different. So um, you know, I know that there was some, obviously, we talked about the no-tackling thing, um, which, you know, is is an interesting thing. Because I think that was what one of the things that Tomlin really prided himself on is we're gonna be a physical football team, we're gonna get after it. Yeah, we're doing seven shots before every practice. Um, and that was about as live as it as it got, you know. And then and then Friday Night Lights, that that practice, which you went to last year, the the the backs on backers was always a huge thing. The goal line drill. You know, it's always that's full go live. Now it'll be interesting to see if he does that, but if he's saying no tackling, then I would think they're not. But that was always a fan favorite.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Does that make it right or wrong to do it and not do it? It's just different. Yeah. Right? Different doesn't mean right or wrong.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

It doesn't mean good or bad either. And I think, and I think that's probably the the argument I'm seeing the most. It's like, hey man, what are we doing? We're the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is a physical team. One thing I'd be curious about is um how do you maintain a elite level of physicality without practicing it? Or is it at this level in the NFL, it's like, hey man, we don't need to be, we don't need to be spending this juice in training camp because just because you're tackling in August doesn't make you better at tackling in November.

SPEAKER_00 6:33

Right. No, that's a good, that's a good point. I know someone that was that was here at the house the other day uh who is not happy with the no tackling. Oh yeah, he's gonna he might still be angry. I think he's you know he speaks for a lot of the the the Pittsburghers because he's like, wait, we're not, we're not, we're not tackling, just like you said. We're Pittsburgh. That's what we do. We get physical, we we want to hit. And I know the first missed tackle in the regular season, people are gonna be in an uproar. But you know what? A missed tackle is gonna happen even if you're hitting in training camp. But you know, I thought James Harrison said it said it really well, and who wouldn't, you know, I can argue with James. He he he said, you know what? You don't have to go to the ground. You can thud, you can hit, you can wrap, you can hold, you don't have to lift and put guys on the ground, you don't have to pile on people. So um there's definitely something to it. There's a, you know, and and maybe there's maybe it'll maybe it makes you better. I I don't know how you know, maybe like the wrapping, you know, since I'm not I'm not just thudding with shoulder pads. You know, so many times we saw in the past um guys, and Coach Tom would always call stop thudding guys, where like in games they would want to just shoulder and hopefully like like decleat somebody, lift them off the ground. But you got to bring your arms. So maybe there's something to that in camp where it's like, okay, listen, I don't want tag offs, I want to wrap up. So so therefore when the season comes, you're just it's just muscle memory, right? I'm wrapping, I'm wrapping, I'm wrapping. Um, and you don't have to go to the ground, you don't have to do all that. So, you know, I'm I'm kind of I think there's a certain part to it, but again, I think there is a nuance to like short yardage goal line. Like there's something to that. When a back meets a guy in the hole, you know, you you there's something to being able to stop him and not just holding him up. Like which way we falling? Tom and always said, which way is the pile falling? Is it falling forward or is it falling backwards? On offense, you want the pile to fall forward. On defense, you want the pile to fall this way.

SPEAKER_02 8:17

So they're not that's the rule then at training camp is you can wrap up, you're just not taking time. I'm guessing.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

I'm guessing it's I'm I I think that you can get away with that, like thud with what we call thudding. And that's what that's what James was saying. I'm just commenting on what James Harrison said. And listen, there's no one more physical than him.

SPEAKER_02 8:30

Yeah. He might he might be tackling somebody right now.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

Right now, just for practice, just for fun. Probably his kids. Um, but but it's um, you know, I so I think you can get away with with still being physical. It's just a different kind of physicality. Yeah, you're just not um, yeah, but but again, it helps you with technique. Listen, I'll I'll use the example of this. Ike Taylor, great cornerback, very physical cornerback, one of the better ones we've had around here. Ike broke his hand one year. And so he he basically wore like a box, like I mean, it was a it was a cast. Most DBs couldn't keep playing because like you need to have your hands, like we talk about all the time. There's DBs grab, they grab, they hold, that's just what they do. How how much can you get away with, right? As a DB. When Ike hurt his hand, he couldn't grab at all. And I would argue that it it made him a better, now he couldn't really catch either with the club as well with his club and his hand, but it made him and I think he would I I I've had a conversation with him, so I know what he would say, but like I know that he would say it made me better with my feet, with my eyes, with my body, because I lost a sense. You know, don't they say when you like if you lose your your like sight, it makes your other senses go better, or if you lose your hearing.

SPEAKER_02 9:35

I mean, that checks out, yeah. You know, your other senses improve.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

Yeah, you you might and so if I can't use my hand as a DB to grab, well, I gotta, okay, my feet gotta get better. So maybe there's something to it in in terms of the tackling. Like, I can't take you to the ground, so therefore I need to get better at getting in front of you, rapping, shoulder, you know, like all the extra stuff. So, so we'll we'll just I mean, only time's gonna time will tell, and honestly, is there really gonna be are we really gonna be able to look into the season at in week four of this season? Okay, let's be honest. In week four, are we gonna look back and be like, man, this team I bet you didn't tackle in training camp? Right. Like really, boy, I hope not. No, well, and that's I think Or this team tackled more than this team.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

No, yeah, well, I think that's my argument when I think about it at this level of things. It's like, I know when they start changing the rules on how you can tackle, you probably need to dial in technique. It's like, hey, when like they got rid of the hip drop, and then when you're where do you put your head?

SPEAKER_00 10:27

Right, practicing that stuff.

SPEAKER_02 10:28

Like, I I understand that, but at in the NFL, like at the pro level, like I don't know that you need to practice tackling a, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, probably not. How much it and as I'm arguing it and debating it in my head, because when I first heard it, I was like, what? I was like, brother, that that's that's the whole like why are you putting why put the pads on? Like, don't have padded practice, you know, and then as I'm going back and forth trying to understand the viewpoints, I'm like, dude, from a player safety, which Coach McCarthy came out and says, like, dude, it's just a player safety. Like, listen, we're trying this is a game of attrition, we're not trying to spend it all before we even get out there, you know. And I and I can agree with that sentiment. And I'm like, yeah, man, that makes sense, especially knowing a lot of these guys. I'm like, hey, yeah, you guys, I remember when you were still playing, bro. Your last year, we would sit down here and we had conversations, and the level of brute, like the nobody will ever know how much of your real estate on your body was bruised up. Yeah. You know, and I'm like, and you you were not in the trenches. You I mean those guys were chasing, but do you think about these guys that are tagging somebody in every play? I'm like, yeah, I get it, maybe not do it now, especially at when you're at a um efficiency level or a pro

Technique Versus Tradition In Pittsburgh

SPEAKER_02 11:36

level where you're like, yeah, we don't need to practice taking guys to the ground.

SPEAKER_00 11:39

Well, so I wanted this too just popped in my head too, because I was thinking not that defensive guys aren't sore after games because they're hitting. Yeah, but you're doing when you're doing the tackling compared to getting tackled, you're gonna usually be more sore if you're getting tackled.

SPEAKER_02 11:51

Yeah, that's how you're gonna.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

And so I'm like, I'm sitting here thinking as we're talking, like, man, McCarthy's an offensive coach. Maybe he doesn't want his offensive guys to be hurting as bad.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

Which where you got Tomlin, Cow, or defensive coach, like, man, let's just let's bury everybody. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's like, huh, I wonder if it's an offensive-minded thing where it's like, I don't want my receivers, my running backs to be hurt. Right. So let's like, let's avoid some of that. And and honestly, I was thinking too, like, you brought up with a hip drop. Sometimes when you go to take someone to the ground, like, even though the hip drop is illegal last year, some people still did it because it's just like uh instinct. Yeah. Well, if you're not tackling a camp, there should there shouldn't be any of that. So you're you're avoiding some of those potentials. But I'm I'm wondering if it isn't has to do with an offensive thing. Like maybe he doesn't want his offensive guys getting hurt or hurting.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

I I wouldn't want anybody getting hurt, but yeah, I yeah, I wouldn't want my offensive guys. I mean, they're the ones primarily responsible for you scoring points, man. I would want them, you know. So that is an interesting point with the differentiation between offensive-minded and defensive, because the so as again, as I'm debating this, like, is it a good thing, is it a bad thing? Um, I wonder how much of that is frustrating for the fan base, just because we like to watch it. You know what I mean? Oh, yeah. And so, and I think about these young guys, primarily what it comes who comes to mind was um Jalen. Jalen Warren, like when when you get a guy who kind of makes a name for himself through his physicality and practice, might get you a couple uh a couple more reps with the wheel.

SPEAKER_00 13:18

Listen, I'm with you. I I didn't I didn't, you know, I guess there's ways to show that you deserve to make a team besides tackling, but you know, then you you if you're not tackling, you start getting that debate of where defensive guys are like, I would have had you. Office guys, oh no, you wouldn't have. I I just sacked you as a quarterback. No, you didn't. I I got you know, there's all the debate. Well, sometimes the best way to to eliminate that debate is like, let's play ball. Yeah. Right? I mean, other than like tackling the quarterback, but when you that's why seven shots or the goal line drill.

SPEAKER_02 13:47

The back's on backers, bro.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

Not like the the goal line drill was no throwing, so so the quarterback's taking out a play anyway. Yeah. And it's like it's full go. It's it's well, you're either scoring or you're not scoring, and there's no debate. You're in or you're not in. And and if you're a running back that wants to run someone over and in a non-tackling situation, I would run you over, and I would attack with you. I prove it. Yeah, there's nothing, and so when you have that situation, as a young guy, a bubble guy, a borderline guy on both sides of the ball, right? Both sides. Say you've got a linebacker coming downhill on a goal line situation, and and Jalen Warren or or any run, you know, name or running back is is coming there, and you're not allowed to tackle. Now you can stop him and wrap him up, but you're gonna stop your momentum a little, you're gonna slow your momentum down a little bit. And maybe we need to have James in here or a defensive guy to clarify this. But my point in saying this is both sides of the ball in a bubble, like have an opportunity to maybe make a team by making a splash play, a backs on back, there's a goal line situation on Friday night. All of a sudden, if a linebacker or a safety flies downhill, fills the fills a hole, comes off the edge and lights a uh running back up and stops him on the one-yard line before he can get in, that's gonna that's gonna turn some heads. That's gonna make some people go crazy. Now all of a sudden, if he runs by and does one of these taps that we do when they they just like tap him on the on the side. Yeah. How how how are you showing? You showed coach you were there, but did you show coach that you that you as Coach Tom would say that you put your face in the fire? Did you put your face in the fire, both sides of the ball? We're not gonna be able to see that, I don't think, as well. I guess maybe he's just saying, listen, show me on the field. Sure. In training in a preseason.

SPEAKER_02 15:25

Yeah, and it's just the assumption that, like, listen, you're a pro. I'm gonna assume you know how to do your job. I'm protecting your safety. Which again, I appreciate I'm torn on it, man, because I appreciate that sentiment because it's like in a game of attrition, you can win in December just because you're healthy.

SPEAKER_00 15:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:38

You can beat a better team just because you're healthy.

SPEAKER_00 15:41

Yeah, I but I yeah, I just don't know.

SPEAKER_02 15:43

But there's something to this physicality. I remember Naj's first year. I remember being there watching practice, and he went through three or four linebackers because Coach T just let kept him in there on the backs and backers and just kept him in there. And he was just bodying people. And I'm like, and there is that moment, I think, um, and that practice his first year where it's like, okay, there we might have a problem back there. Yeah as far as uh, you know, he obviously he's big, but to see what he can do. And I just think it does something for the culture. I think it's obviously it's entertaining as a fan, but there is a um I how do you get that? How do you get that without the that level of physicality? Or is that is that happening in other ways? Um, I don't know. Let us know. Pillow fights and stuff, or yeah, you know, like the pill, like the camp, you know your camp pillow fight that you guys have? Yeah. After S'mores Night. You guys have S'more's night? You guys do stuff like that at camp?

SPEAKER_00 16:33

We used to have some like home and derbies and fun things like that.

SPEAKER_02 16:36

Yeah, we do not you guys are they doing any home run derbies anymore?

SPEAKER_00 16:39

Not anymore. No. No, I don't know. But no fun. No, nothing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:42

Well, what do you let us know what you guys think? Like, are you guys a fan of Coach McCarthy trying to preserve the health of the players? Do you want to see the physicality? If you've been at camp, have you seen it? Yeah, that's what I was wondering. Is it obvious? Yeah, yeah. Have you seen it like not really affecting it? I guess we'll see when we get into the preseason. That's gonna be something we can probably jump into next.

Preseason Physicality And Bubble Players

SPEAKER_02 17:03

That'd be interesting as you get into the preseason. Like, you know, you're you're going against a lot of times these hungry guys that are in the twos or threes. That not only is that live ammo, but these guys a lot of times are going above and beyond trying to earn a spot. What's that gonna look like? What and so yeah, maybe comment on the physicality of the preseason playing against uh you know twos and threes and how that is is is different um than playing against your ones who know their job's secure. And what have you heard so so far uh um what the preseason might look like on our side? So the first thing was you I thought you were asking me a question.

SPEAKER_00 17:42

That was the question. Because I lost the question.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

Yeah, maybe comments. What do I think?

SPEAKER_00 17:46

What do I think they have?

SPEAKER_02 17:47

Yeah, so what do I think about sports? Sports. Uh no, the uh so what is the preseason what's the preseason gonna look like on our side? Yeah, but also like when that when those live ammo, those live rounds start coming, do you think we'll maybe have that buffer of the code? Well, yeah, that too.

SPEAKER_00 18:03

I mean that might be I mean we don't know. I uh I don't know what's gonna happen. I don't it's it'll be interesting to see.

SPEAKER_02 18:09

But is that you think the preseason is enough buffer buffer physically to maybe yeah again every coach is has a method to their madness.

SPEAKER_00 18:17

Yeah, is he trying to preserve? I don't know. It'll be it'll be interesting to see.

SPEAKER_02 18:21

What if uh what if this is like the cheat code and all Pittsburgh's upset and then it we just perceived as ever been as the healthiest ever been can't tackle, but we're healthy. Yeah. We're missing tackles, but um, yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 18:35

I don't know. We'll see. I mean, there's um you know you talk about preseason, and obviously I think the biggest thing for the preseason and the news that that kind of one of the things that came out was the quarterback

Quarterback Depth Chart And Rotation Ideas

SPEAKER_00 18:44

situation, right? We've talked about on this show um how should guys get reps. Obviously, right now it seems that Aaron is the one, Mason's the two, and the um Drew and Will are splitting the threes. Okay. Uh obviously there may be some time that when Aaron gets a break, that probably puts Mason up, and then the other guys get, you know, so as as practices keep going and and guys get more breaks and time off, you'll start. I assume you'll start seeing guys rotate in. You know, hey, let's put let's put Mason with the ones just because let's put uh obviously you never see Aaron with the twos, but let's put Mason in with the ones for a for a couple plays, a series. Let's let's put Will with the ones, let's put Drew with the ones, let's put them with what the two, let's just let's start moving combinations. I would assume you would start seeing that. I think that would be the smartest and prudent thing to do, to keep letting these guys build up um uh reps with different guys, you know, so you're not always putting handicapping certain guys, which we've talked about here. If you're always having one guy play with this three line or whatever, like let's put him up here and see what he can do with the with the stud receivers that you have as well, right? So we'll start we I think you're gonna start seeing some of that if you haven't already. Um you know, word out of camp is that obviously Aaron is is Aaron, he's doing Aaron-like things and you know looking pretty spectacular. So I think that and I think what you're seeing is exactly what I said is I think you're seeing the comfortability of an offense that he knows. Right. And and so I think you're gonna continue to see him um evolve the other guys, involve and evolve with the other guys, bringing them into what he already knows and the nuances of the offense that he knows. Um I I I haven't I I've heard that that both Will and Drew are doing okay. I've I've I think I've heard more about Drew, whether that's because he's the most he's the newest shiny toy, or no, I don't know. But it seems like he's the one that really is uh even people talking about boy, his release looks like this and and he's looking really well, the two-minute drill, whatever it may be. So to me, it seems like we've got um uh you know two guys back there on the back end that are battling it out, which is exactly what you want. You want that that competition, and um, you know, obviously it's gonna come down to whatever McCarthy wants in terms of which guy is gonna get which reps. I think the interesting thing that

How Much Rodgers Should Play

SPEAKER_00 21:01

I would like to kind of talk about for a second is um when you talk about preseason, you know, I think McCarthy has said or Aaron said, I don't I don't want to mess this up, but but one somehow it's like, hey, Aaron's probably gonna be they they want Aaron to play McCarthy wants Aaron to play in the preseason.

SPEAKER_01 21:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

I think Aaron was kind of like, uh, I mean, okay, if you if you want me to, I will, type thing. But I don't really, and I'm I'm with Aaron on this one. I don't think Aaron needs to play, especially with an offense he knows. Last year was a smart shirt, new offense, new team. Now he's got like this is his like offense. He knows this, right? He doesn't need to be out there in the preseason. I guess if you want some continuity, I I'd put him out there for I know I think they said something between like thirty and sixty plays, right? I mean, yeah, for the whole preseason. I don't know if that's how many games or whatever, but that that you're talking maybe twenty plays a game. That's a lot.

SPEAKER_02 21:52

Yeah. I got one I got this right here. It says, um hopes he uh McCarthy hopes he used Rogers for thirty to forty total plays across the opening of two Exhibition ex exhibition matches, excuse me.

SPEAKER_00 22:02

So okay, so he's gonna play roughly 20 snaps a game. Yeah, that's cool. That's a lot.

unknown 22:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:06

And that's that and not only is it a lot for your friend for your quarterback, the the your Hall of Fame guy that really you're you're you built this team around. Yeah. But what it also does, more importantly, is I think it it it takes that's that's how many reps away from the other guys. Yeah, yeah. That's true. Like if you want to have Aaron go one series, and whether that's a three and out series, which I don't think I would love to know Aaron's stats on three and out. I don't think it happens very often, right?

SPEAKER_01 22:33

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Let him have let him go one series, whatever that entails, pull him out. And then I would go right to whoever's next, whether that's Mason, Will, Drew, however you want to rotate guys in. Don't take reps away from those other guys for a Hall of Fame guy that knows the offense. Yeah. That's where I would that that would be my argument, or where I'm like, man, I don't like let's get reps for the other guys. That's what this preseason is for. And so that's what it'll be interesting to see if he ends up sticking with that philosophy. Now listen, if Aaron comes out in the first preseason game, first series, and and does Aaron things, that might be the last we see of him. Sure. So maybe it's not set in stone, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 23:09

Yeah, and I'd be curious two things. One, what are you looking for?

SPEAKER_00 23:13

From Aaron? Yeah. I I would say just a little bit like all I'm looking for is for him to go. I mean, obviously, what you're looking for as that coach is you want to see him go out, control the offense, take him down the field and score.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

Right, but that's what you want to see. Are we worried that he can't get it?

SPEAKER_00 23:27

No, you're not worried, but but if you're but if he goes three and out, I'm not worried about that either because I'm like, this is what you have. You know what you have in this guy. You've got us, you've got Aaron. Right. I'm the only other good thing as a quarterback or as a as a coach, I would want to see from a quarterback is just the speed is a little bit faster than practices. Sure, sure. You have to protect yourself. In practice, you're not getting hit. Right in games, you don't want to get hit either. But you know what? If a guy like I throw and he takes he takes a step and hits me, some of that you want because I I didn't mind getting hit in the preseason just like I didn't want to get blindsided or knocked out, but just that little like a guy can put his shoulder into you, you start to feel a little bit. There's something to that because you're not getting tackled. It can't get, you know, following the guys following you a little bit, like just to kind of, I guess, knock the cobwebs off. Right, wake you up a little bit. That I think that's all you want to see.

SPEAKER_02 24:13

But I get that's another, I'll go back to the first one. Are you worried he can't turn that up? It's Aaron Rodgers. It's not like like there's just an echelon where it's like Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

No, I'm not worried he couldn't do it. I just it's just something about like, okay, this is like get yourself jump started.

SPEAKER_02 24:27

Yeah, I'm saying, like, are you uh what do we look what do we need 30 to 40? No, I don't understand to to see. And then two, don't understand that the other thing is like the preseason is the Packers and the Jets.

SPEAKER_00 24:40

Maybe that's why. You know what I mean? I don't know. Again, every coach has their own philosophy, and and to each their own, whatever McCarthy wants to do, that's fine. I'm just saying if I was the head coach, I'm I'm not taking reps away from other guys because Aaron's got one more year here. You need to find out if you have because here's what I'm trying to figure out. Okay, when Aaron's gone after this year, yeah,

Planning For Life After Rodgers

SPEAKER_00 25:04

and as a franchise, as a team, as the head coach, okay, here I got my head coach hat on.

SPEAKER_01 25:09

Nice hat. There you go.

SPEAKER_00 25:11

Um I know I'm not trying to say, okay, I'm I'm I'm looking forward to next year. I'm I'm I'm I'm not moving forward, but when you know your quarterback is gone, and it's the most important position of sports, what do I have next year? Like, are we going to get somebody? Is is someone like Baker Mayfield like that didn't sign a deal? Like, like, is there are we going back out into the free agency market, or do we have our future in-house? You would think, yes. How do you find that out if you don't give them as many reps as possible? You would think this would be a that's me as again. This is just me and my head coach.

SPEAKER_02 25:47

Yeah. Do you think that's the plan? I mean, do you think if you're gonna give Aaron, I understand it's new everything, right? So you got to get live reps. I don't you think Air using Aaron that many times is an indicator that what they want to do in the future could be fine in an outside guy?

SPEAKER_00 26:05

Sure. Yeah, I don't I wouldn't, yeah, I wouldn't, I would if you were to say, hey, listen, here's you know, you this you're a total outsider. Here's the city, here's a scenario, here's a situation. Do you think this could mean this? I'd say, yeah, that's a good point. Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_02 26:20

Plus one does equal two sometimes.

SPEAKER_00 26:21

Yeah, that could be that could be accurate.

SPEAKER_02 26:23

That's very interesting. Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong, dude. I I mean, I think we're all waiting to see good football. Obviously, you know, if we get to watch Aaron Rodgers play football, I'm a big fan of that.

SPEAKER_00 26:35

But at the same time, some stud receivers in an offense that that he knows and loves and isn't designed on three and four tight ends and running the ball. Like, there's there's a good chance that we're gonna see 30 plus points every game this year.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

Hold on. Let me let me do this so all the people that clip this show um don't have to edit me out.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

Let me say that again. There is a good chance that we will see 30 plus points every game this year. Sheesh.

SPEAKER_01 26:59

You believe that?

SPEAKER_00 27:00

I do. I with with with Aaron with this offense, an offensive-minded coach that wants to outscore you. Now, listen, every every coach wants to he'll take a 2-0 win.

SPEAKER_01 27:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:10

Every coach just wants to win. But some coaches want to like outscore you and do that. I think Sean McVeigh, I think I think of like a McVay. That's a great point. Uh a Shanahan, um, you know, Ben Johnson. You start going through some of these guys. I mean, I'll I'll miss some guys, but you think of these offensive-minded guys. McCarthy maybe has a little bit older school where he's like, I still want to have a really good defense and dominate you that way too. Pittsburgh blood, you know. But and and having Aaron in an offense that he knows, you've given him weapons that are to die for.

SPEAKER_03 27:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:43

Um, you know, the line is a year better. You've added, you've added depth there. I mean, man.

SPEAKER_02 27:49

Well, that was the next question because I heard some

Pads On Offensive Line Reality Check

SPEAKER_02 27:52

uh some very high praising reports from our first round draft pick, man.

SPEAKER_00 27:58

But here's what I'll say. Okay, I'm glad you asked that question. I'm glad you asked that question or talked about that. Because here's what I'll say. Because I believe today is the first day in pads, or was that yesterday? Yesterday, yesterday's the first day in pads, okay? So that's good. Um, because you can fool a lot of people until you get pads on. You can look really good without pads. Football's play with pads. Yeah. Linemen, D defensive stuff, like until you start getting pads on, then we can start talking. And so now they have that. Like, let's let's keep an eye on the next, like what today brings. Obviously, we won't we won't know because we'll be gone. But like, I've heard the same thing. I've heard that the line is, man, it's really coming together. It's gelling, that first rounder's looking good. But again, till you get pads on, let's see. Yeah, you know who I haven't heard anything about Dunker Jennings. Last I saw, he was in the running with the threes for no reason other than I I don't think any particular reason. I think they from what I from what I uh uh story that I read or heard was like um Is that I said they were they were pleased, yeah. They were pleased with him, doing great things, but he's just on the like that's just where he's falling right now. Yeah, hey man. The key for someone like that is like how many positions can you play? Can you play all five spots? Can you can you play all of them? And then you just I remember a guy named Trey Essex, could play all of them and kept him around for a long time.

SPEAKER_02 29:16

How how challenging is that for somebody who's played their entire college or career and one maybe they're a tackle and they're like, hey, no, now you're a guard in the NFL. Good luck.

SPEAKER_00 29:23

Can be very tough. Uh even go from right tackle to left tackle. Yeah. I mean, you've you've heard Max talk about it. Your s your sets are different. Yep. Rushing, you know, you've heard both James Harrison and TJ Watt

Defense Experiments And Secondary Updates

SPEAKER_00 29:34

on this show talk about how difficult it is to rush from the other side. Alex Heismith, same thing. It's difficult to rush from one side and then the other.

SPEAKER_02 29:39

Well, it's an interesting fact that you would bring that up because that's exactly what the defense is doing. I mean, you got what Patrick Graham's got these boys all over the place. I had a report here the other uh yesterday saying TJ's rushing from the other side and was and got got back there. So why would you not?

SPEAKER_00 29:56

I would, I I we've talked about that in the past. Why would you not put your best you you see it, you see it with Miles Garrett, you've seen it with um you know different defensive guys in the past. Why I'm I'm trying to think of the top of my head, different guys like that, but like why not put your best pass rusher against their weakest lineman, interior, exterior, whatever. Like if their left tackle is a little suspect, rookie, whatever, man, put your best guy over there. Yeah, and that's nothing against Alex. And sometimes the nice thing about doing it and flip-flopping Alex and TJ, both stud rushers, is they have different moves. So if a left tackle is used to Alex and his move or two moves, and all of a sudden TJ comes over there, you're like, man, okay, it doesn't get it's not getting easier. Yeah. But now, wait, what are his moves? Like, he's got different moves too, so I got to prepare for those. So now instead of preparing for two moves, I can prepare for four moves, yeah, two different people, same thing on the other side, you know? So it's just up, down, down, left, right, left, right.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

I think it's very smart. Yeah, and then not to mention even Herbig's floating around, he's gonna get in there.

SPEAKER_00 30:51

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 30:52

I mean, that three-headed monster, dude. I think if we can we can figure out how to move those guys around to maximize that on every snap.

SPEAKER_00 30:59

I mean, this has I haven't heard much about Sawyer yet. I don't know if that's good or bad.

SPEAKER_02 31:02

Yeah, me neither. Me neither.

SPEAKER_00 31:04

Because I think having all four of those guys are huge. I've heard I have heard a lot about Queen.

unknown 31:08

Mr.

SPEAKER_00 31:08

Queen. Mr. Queen, but I've heard he I think he intercepted Aaron at the end of a drill the other day. Um I think that he's had a couple pass breakups, maybe a couple interceptions. So I think that he's I think as a I know there, he's kind of been one of the players that I've heard fans kind of gripe a little bit about. Um, so maybe this is the year that he feels free to kind of do his thing and and maybe he'll have a big year.

SPEAKER_02 31:31

Yeah, I think one area of concern as of right now, unfortunately, is um our free safety.

SPEAKER_00 31:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 31:37

I think uh we're we're maybe well we just signed somebody, didn't we?

SPEAKER_00 31:42

We brought in two veterans. I don't know if they're free safeties or safeties, brought in two veterans.

SPEAKER_02 31:46

Yeah, I think um, well, because uh Jalen Ramsey. Well Ramsey's still in the pup.

SPEAKER_00 31:50

But but uh someone said that he was running around the other day, so he might be coming off the pup list pretty soon. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 31:54

Well, was JPJ in there too?

SPEAKER_00 31:56

Well, he's not participating. Okay. Um I think holding in maybe. Okay. But but in his absence, Asante Samuel Jr. is supposedly shining brightly, which is which is good for Steeler Nations, probably not good for JPJ. Sure. Um, but you know, he he'll get his, he's a good player. So, but but it's great to have that those options on in the secondary for us. Uh I think that that's gonna be again, I don't know our this new defensive coordinator's philosophy, but if we want to be physical and put hands on and and and play some man and and and really let those guys up front get after it, man, you're getting some work in and Asante Samuel Jr.'s guy you're gonna want out there being healthy.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

Yeah, man. This is uh dude. I'm just here here's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying not to get the preseason

Camp Buzz Around Skill Players

SPEAKER_02 32:44

hype. Uh right.

SPEAKER_00 32:46

I understand that because I feel like right now we're going Super Bowl undefeated.

SPEAKER_02 32:49

Yeah. We're kind of super yeah, that's but dude, that's how it starts sound. It starts feeling like that. You know, I'm not keeping tabs on any other teams training camp.

SPEAKER_00 32:58

The boss is killing it as usual. Yeah, yeah. We have no right now, we have no holes. Yeah, no weaknesses. None. It's like me on the driving range. I have no weaknesses. I am a plus three, four, five, or six. And the second I get on the golf course, they all come out.

SPEAKER_02 33:12

Yeah, it's easy. It's easy, bro. Yeah, that's because you ain't tackling on the golf course. You're not tackling in the range, you need to be tackling.

SPEAKER_00 33:20

I need to do something, but yeah, but you're right. No, it does. It feels right now like that we are a full functioning team that has no issues.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

Which uh it's probably better than the alternative, right? I mean, if you feel like that early, yeah, you don't want it to be like, oh, dude, this is a soup sandwich. We're gonna have our work cut out for us. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:38

Well, the other thing I think I saw too was that uh Warren might not be the starting running back.

SPEAKER_02 33:42

I saw that. Well, I saw Rico was apparently crushing it. Right. Which like here we go. Which, if if you got somebody outperforming Jalen Warren, like we're gonna be all right. Because that guy's the animal. Jalen Warren is an absolute animal. I agree. And it wouldn't even matter if you were tackling him up because all you're gonna be able to do is wrap him up. Yeah, you know what I mean? You're gonna he's he's breaking that first tackle.

SPEAKER_00 34:02

And I heard Friarmouth is having a huge camp, not just saving babies, he's literally saving babies, saving passes from the ground. He's just he's out there. He's maybe being maybe the newly married dad is just on fire.

SPEAKER_02 34:15

The the the the wettering is it's like uh the infinity gauntlet. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 34:20

He's um no, but it's but it but I I have heard that. I've heard that I've heard that he's having a great camp. Roman Wilson.

SPEAKER_02 34:26

That's another one we're gonna do. We're hearing a lot about Roman.

SPEAKER_00 34:28

Finally, and which is what I think that this is what I think he's I think Roman's probably like finally.

SPEAKER_01 34:34

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:35

Uh you know, finally get to be a part of an offense that throws to receivers and not just tight ends.

SPEAKER_01 34:38

Wait a second. You can throw to those. You're allowed to, I'm pretty sure. Fast ones on the side.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

Really good hands, fast guys.

SPEAKER_01 34:44

You can throw the ball to them.

SPEAKER_00 34:45

Um, and in in the slot, obviously, we know that Aaron loves that to have multiple options and he has them. And um that's what I'm saying. I just think that that that he's that this is I know that there was I felt like there were some fans last year that were like, man, we Roman just like like we don't need like sure. Like he did what's he done? He hasn't done anything. Yeah, we also hadn't gotten a chance.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:05

He's getting a chance now, and you're seeing what he can do. And I mean, he he's outperforming the second round wide receiver, um, the young man, uh Jeremy Bernard. Jeremy Bernard. Yeah. Which I'm I'm still big on Jeremy Bernard. Oh man, I'm not down on him. Uh-uh. I'm just I'm just more saying, listen, this is this is great. The more problems you have in terms of like the more guys that can catch the ball, that are pushing each other, that are really good players, those are good problems to have. And right now we've got a lot of good problems on offense. Sheesh. That's why we're going undefeated.

SPEAKER_02 35:37

Undefeated. All right. Super Bowl. Super Bowl. I don't even know all of our schedule, but they all gonna lose. It's it's we could be playing the monsters from the original Space Jam, and it wouldn't matter.

Saturday Night Lights And Preseason Dates

SPEAKER_02 35:47

Undefeated. Undefeated. So yeah, I so um you got for me? Is this is this this Saturday is Saturday night lights? Is that it?

SPEAKER_00 35:56

They do Saturday nights instead of Friday nights now? Not Friday, dog. See, what are we doing? What are we doing, Mike? Do you hate that? What are we doing, McCarthy? Yeah, do you doing?

SPEAKER_02 36:04

And it has no impact other than the fact that Friday night lights is like a staple.

SPEAKER_00 36:07

Yeah, yeah. I'm sure we're probably not gonna have fireworks in after so now now we're probably not having uh Zambelli fireworks can't come now? Now probably not having popcorn in a band. What are we doing? Did you guys like that?

SPEAKER_02 36:19

Like getting it.

SPEAKER_00 36:20

Smelling that. I mean, getting a school bus. I mean, it was like what a five-minute ride. So it wasn't a big deal. Smell the popcorn and the bands playing made you think it took you back to Friday Night Lights. I mean, that was the whole thing.

SPEAKER_02 36:30

Yeah, so the first year I went. No, we were there the first year I went, we were there. Um and we were on the field and we had um the lights go out. It was Kenny, Kenny was still there, and we were sitting there, we were chopping it up afterwards, and then like the fans came in, and then the lights, all the lights went out, and they were just flashlights. Bert was not a flashlight, getting people back to the butt it was mayhem.

SPEAKER_00 36:57

Sounds awesome.

SPEAKER_02 36:58

Yeah, it was great.

SPEAKER_00 36:59

I don't know. McCarthy's probably taking Sharpies away too from no no autographs. Um yeah, Saturday Night Lights. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:06

Well, I was gonna try to take the family to that.

SPEAKER_00 37:08

But it's Saturday, so you can't take your family now.

SPEAKER_02 37:11

Um we only do it on Friday.

SPEAKER_00 37:13

Yeah. Uh yeah, so anyway, I don't know. You know, we knew there were gonna be changes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:18

Um, but you guys you love that as players. You that you look forward to that game. I thought it was fun, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

I mean Yeah. Yeah, August 8th. It's it's fun. So that's this Saturday. And our first preseason game is um Do we have that? That's gotta be coming up. I don't even know what today's date is. Steelers preseason.

SPEAKER_02 37:39

Yeah, it's the 13th.

SPEAKER_00 37:41

Oh, Thursday. Green Bay Packers. So a little over a week and a week and a couple days.

SPEAKER_02 37:45

Dang, is that that really?

SPEAKER_00 37:47

A little over a week, so got plenty of plenty of time. You gonna try to go to any of those?

SPEAKER_02 37:54

Packers at Steelers preseason? No. Yeah, we get we get we get Packers, Jets here, and then we're in Buffalo. Is that the new the the Bills? Is the is it open yet? I don't know. Um I saw some they have a big

Stadium Domes And Weather Advantage

SPEAKER_02 38:06

looks gonna be cool. They have a big broken table in there. Like a yeah, like a like entryway. It looks so dope. Everybody getting these billion dollar stadiums, bro. And the Browns trying to do one?

SPEAKER_00 38:16

Well, the Browns got it.

SPEAKER_02 38:17

I don't even know what they do.

SPEAKER_00 38:18

You see Kansas City, what they're trying to do? What do they do? They're trying to build a um a stadium, but the whole top is like glass or like plex, like some like clear, like it's like a yeah, that would I feel like you'd be ants under a like a magnifying glass. I don't know again. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 38:35

It'd be like a greenhouse.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:37

I get that.

SPEAKER_00 38:38

But I'm sure I'm sure there's a ways to keep I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 38:41

I already know what you're gonna say on this because of the era of football you came through. I understand that from a NFL team owner that when you close it in, you you maximize your revenue options. But they're talking about putting a dome in in Cleveland. Those people are not happy. How it that's half that's a that's that's a player on the team.

SPEAKER_00 39:02

That the weather is is the is a 12 man. So that's the their best chance of winning is the weather. Let's be honest. I'm dead serious. The the the game I lost there was because the weather was horrific. Like that's the best chance you have of winning in Cleveland is the weather. But they love it. It's their 12th, 13th, and 14th player on defense.

SPEAKER_02 39:21

They can't they can't be stoked about that, right?

SPEAKER_00 39:24

I I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 39:26

The same way in Buffalo. Like, I know do they have a dome in Buffalo now? Like, does the new one have like God?

SPEAKER_00 39:31

I have no idea. It seems like everybody's going for domes. Whoa, half of half of Kansas City said all I heard them say was as long as it's still the loudest stadium. That's all I'm doing.

SPEAKER_02 39:39

Well, you can you can talk to the Colts about that. Yeah, just pump it in. Just pump it in. Yeah. I just I feel like, especially in Buffalo, like that part of the joy is going down and helping shovel.

SPEAKER_00 39:49

Yes. Now they're gonna be sitting in during in a in a December game in shorts and t-shirts and flower shirts.

SPEAKER_02 39:55

They're gonna be, hey dude, we're gonna make all these northern teams fanfan. Come on, JK. Like JK, how are we allowing this? Sheesh. Well, how long until we get one here? How long until it's the It seems like it's happening.

SPEAKER_00 40:08

It seems like everyone gets that. The North Shore starts looking at it. I feel like it'd be an eyesore on the North Shore. You come to that tunnel and you see the stadium, it looks beautiful. If you came through there and saw this monstrosity dome.

SPEAKER_02 40:18

Part of me is like, bro, you can't be the Steelers while you play in an air conditioning. Well, recently, I don't know. We can't. You know what I mean? You gotta be out there, you gotta be out. I don't know. You know, I don't know. You gotta get them, you gotta get grass stains out there. You know what I mean? Yeah. So, all right. Well, all right. That's the one. Anything else? That's it. Anything else any other questions? I don't know. We have we'll let the people ask. This is what um as far as when we shoot

Listener Questions And Closing Thoughts

SPEAKER_02 40:44

these, I think we're gearing up to do them weekly.

SPEAKER_00 40:46

Yeah. I think that's gonna so getting back into it.

SPEAKER_02 40:49

Um you're tuning in here today. Go ahead, leave. Questions you want uh you're curious, Ben's input on. We'll start taking some uh questions and topics uh from the football and family, incorporate them into the show, see if we can get some uh Ben's input on it.

SPEAKER_00 41:03

Yeah, let us know. Ask some questions. Yeah. Uh anything we talk about today or things she wants to talk about, we can figure it out. So, well, um everybody goes up to camp, stay safe, stop fighting each other uh for autographs, smashing little kids. Yes, um, but no, thanks for joining us. We appreciate y'all. Give you guys as much insight as we can. Um, and again, what you hear, what you hear here, what you hear here, what you hear, here, here, here. Where's your drink? What you hear on this show? It's just our opinions. Pretty good opinions, or they're just our opinions. They're they're usually right. Until next time, when we give you all the right opinions, we'll see you later.