It's not about whether you have a personal love as much as you respect the person that you're working with.

Chris? I just think that there is a level – of respect for what tomlin did for the steelers for so many years that i think a lot of steelers fans don't understand because they don't see all the things that a head coach needs to do and i think that that's a lot of what you kind of saw from aaron rogers talking about it because like when you there's a story that i was told that um Ike Taylor, who was watching the live broadcast of the Steelers-Bengals, I believe it was a Sunday night game in 2017, the game where Shazier was paralyzed.

And they were getting destroyed, and they were down, I think, maybe like 20 points or something at halftime.

They were being shut out.

The whole stadium was lifeless for the Steelers.

It was full of life for the Bengals because they were in Cincinnati.

But I remember sitting there thinking, like, there's no way they can bounce back from this.

That was fine in the same

Mm-hmm.

Like, you look at their offense.

I mean, Cornell Tate, high pick this year, you're hoping for a lot from him.

But Tony Pollard, I mean, good veteran running back, but are you expecting him to be MVP-like? Calvin Ridley, solid.

You know, Peter Skoronski, a high pick.

You're hoping he can play, but he's your left guard.

I, I get what he's saying here.

Kyle Pitts.

Mm

...

but you gave away multiple high-level picks in years where you were on the cusp.

They had just won a playoff game in Pittsburgh.

That is...

That p- playoff Pittsburgh win is one of two wins they have in the history of the 25-year history of that stadium.

In the twen- in the 25 years, they've won twice, and that, that's the one of them.

Whoa.

Okay.

And that I have appreciated hearing it from it.

And like I got to talk to Will Howard, I think it was yesterday.

And when I was asking him about it and I asked him like, you know, "How does, how does it compare not just learning how to take the right steps and you have the right arm motions, but combine that with how do you process a defense? Where, where, where does your head go here? Where does your head go there? You know, how do you, you know, how do you use your eyes as part of that?" And he, you know, kinda was able to break it down.

And I've, I've seen, we've seen plenty of quarterbacks come through here.

I've talked to plenty of quarterbacks around the NFL and college football, and sometimes that's the easiest thing to get lost in, is all the different things you have to learn all at once.

And that just throws you up in the air, and then you make so many mistakes.

Mm-hmm.

Uh, I, I can guess why, but I'll give you the floor on, on, uh, the first time you met Larry Fitzgerald, and why you have that name of Uncle Chris to Larry.

Well, I wanted him to know that he had a great dad, and I was a guy that grew up without a dad.

So I never try to feel those gaps when, when you're mentoring young people, that, um, when you're in that role, you might be the same age as their father.

The other thing I wanted him to know, too, I wasn't gonna be his friend.

I was there to be a mentor to him, I was there to be able to teach him things that he wasn't gonna be able to get, and I'm there to tell him the truth, and I think that's what he, he alluded to later in the speech.

And I said, "You know, I'm not a brother either.

You know, you got a brother, and I'm gonna be kind of one of those weird type relationships.

Why did you do that back in the day, Chris? Why?

He finally gets paid, and Indie, and Chris, he's been looking like he been asking for money for a couple of years, and they finally had to do something when Bijan Robinson got paid.

Yeah, it put a little pressure on the Colts, especially because Shane Steichen and his staff, they're trying to...

They need to win right now.

They can't, they can't afford to wait much longer in Indianapolis.

Uh, he's had his time.

He's been nine and eight.

He's been eight and nine.

Remember that when he was at-

Camp not competitive, Chris? Is that what I'm hearing? Is that what you're seeing?

It's not that it's not competitive.

It's that it's a lot less competitive.

And what I mean by that is that with Mike McCarthy's practices right now, you're...

Actually, let's, let's start with this.

Mike Mc- Mike Tomlin's practices, you'd start off with your walkthrough, you'd go to your stretches, you do some individual drills, maybe a second round of individual drills, and then you go right into seven shots.

And after seven shots, it's competition, baby.

[laughs]

Got it.

It's gonna be...

I- i- Broderick Jones, if he comes ba- if, like, you know, if he works his way back and practices during training camp, it'll be between him and Dylan Cook for right tackle.

Troy Fumagalli and Mason McCormick are your left tackle and left guard moving forward.

Zach Frazier's your center, and then, you know, I, I think you'll have, uh, Spencer Anderson at right guard, Dylan Cook at right tackle until Broderick Jones is healthy, and then they'll battle it out.

But I do think what you're seeing is you're going to see him and Jennings Dunker work together a lot on the right side for the second and third team offenses.

And, because I think they want those two to develop chemistry.

What's your thoughts on that?

I knew where you was

going with it.

But I will say this.

The Steelers don't have the issue on defense about connecting to guys who have carried the torch of great defenses and being great defenders moving forward.

Cam Hayward carried that torch for many years.

He was drafted back in 2011, so he played with Troy Polamalu, with James Harrison, Lamar Woodley, Casey Hampton, James Ferrier, Ike Taylor, all of those guys that made up those Super Bowl rosters the Steelers had in the mid to late 2000s.

So he got to play with them.

Got about a minute.

But this Rams team is kind of between a rock and a hard place to me right now.

Uh, they are.

A- and it just, it baffles me for an organization-That they used a first-round pick on Jared Goff in twenty sixteen.

Their next first-round pick did not come until twenty twenty-four when they took Jared Verse.

And then their next first-round pick was this one in Ty Simpson two years, two years later.

So your two first-round picks on your team right now that are homegrown are Jared Verse and Ty Simpson.

And granted, that's what the, that's what the McVay era has been, right? It's giving away your first-round pick.

What, what's the overall vibe in Pittsburgh right now about how the season could go?

Why Drew Aller, and what do you think Pittsburgh sees in him?

Listen, Drew Aller has traits that you love, cannon of an arm, big 6'5" body, athletic enough to move around, but I, I personally think that this is a very big reach on the part of the Steelers.

I think Drew Aller is a future backup quarterback in the NFL, and they already have two backup quarterbacks right now in Will Howard and Mason Rudolph on the roster.

I still fully anticipate Aaron Rodgers to show up right before mandatory mini camp, sign whatever contract the Steelers put in front of him, and play his season at 43 years old.

Um, I, I, I thought that if the Steelers were gonna get one of those backup quarterbacks, they'd do so in the fifth, sixth, or seventh rounds, uh, because they already have two backup quarterbacks.

And so now you're sitting here and you're wondering, okay, what could you have gotten with that 85th overall pick? Uh, I thought Dominique Orange would've been a great option at nose tackle.

He goes, uh...

Is there anything that you need him to show, maybe in this first year, that you could see him maybe t- being the guy that Pittsburgh turns to long term?

Why Drew Allar, and what do you think Pittsburgh sees in him?

Listen, Drew Allar has traits that you love.

Cannon of an arm, big six-five body, athletic enough to move around.

But I, I personally think that this is a very big reach on the part of the Steelers.

I think Drew Allar is a future backup quarterback in the NFL, and they already have two backup quarterbacks right now in Will Howard and Mason Rudolph on the roster.

I still fully anticipate Aaron Rodgers to show up right before mandatory mini camp, sign whatever contract the Steelers put in front of him, and play his season at 43 years old.

Um, I, I, I thought that if the Steelers were gonna get one of those backup quarterbacks, they'd do so in the fifth, sixth, or seventh rounds, uh, because they already have two backup quarterbacks.

Is there anything that you need him to show, maybe in this first year, that you could see him maybe t- being the guy that Pittsburgh turns to long term?

Now, when you look at Pittsburgh's first two draft picks with Ihana Torre and Bernard, how do you think Pittsburgh improved on offense, and what role do you think both those guys will play in year one? Because I know for Ihana Torre, a little bit more of a project, but still with Broderick Jones, the uncertainty surrounding his injury, let's say there could be some shuffling on that line.

Yeah, it's gonna be really curious to see what happens with Broderick Jones, uh, because I anticipate Broderick Jones, from what I understand, to be back by training camp, and if he's back by training camp, that means it's a training camp battle, and we'll see where Ihana Torre, uh, you know, w-you know, winds up there.

He's a guy with great footwork, really good athleticism, but very raw.

Not g-not the best hand technique.

Needs to get better at that.

So, you know, how quickly does he adapt? But then, after, after Ihana Torre, you get Jeremy Bernard.

I see Jeremy Bernard as a guy that's gonna get a ton of snaps this year alongside DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman.

Is there anything else offensively that you feel like Pittsburgh needs to add? Obviously, the quarterback is the big one, and we know there's already a selection there, but what do you think about the rest of the group on offense? You think they're pretty set, or do you think they need a little more?

Now, when you look at Pittsburgh's first two draft picks with Ihana Torre and Bernard, how do you think Pittsburgh improved on offense, and what role do you think both those guys will play in year one? Because I know Free Ihana Torre, a little bit more of a project, but still with Broderick Jones, the uncertainty surrounding his injury, let's say there could be some shuffling on that line.

Yeah, it's gonna be really curious to see what happens with Broderick Jones, uh, because I anticipate Broderick Jones, from what I understand, to be back by training camp.

And if he's back by training camp, that means there's a training camp battle, and we'll see where Ihana Torre, uh, yo, w- yo, winds up there.

He's a guy with great footwork, really good athleticism, but very raw.

Not g- not the best hand technique, needs to get better at that.

So, you know, how quickly does he adapt? But then, after, after Ihana Torre, you get Jeremy Bernard.

I see Jeremy Bernard as a guy that's gonna get a ton of snaps this year alongside DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman.

Is there anything else offensively that you feel like Pittsburgh needs to add? Obviously, the quarterback is the big one, and we know there's already a selection there, but what do you think about the rest of the group on offense? You think they're pretty set, or do you think they need a little more?

Now, Pittsburgh the city may be loving the draft, but does Pittsburgh the fan base and does our Locked On host for Steelers love the pick of Max Ahonatuar at 21?

I think Max Ahonatuar has a very high ceiling at the offensive tackle position.

I think he's a very good athlete.

I think he has great footwork and, and a lot of high potential to work to, but I think he's a very raw prospect.

But I think what's the bigger story about this pick is the player the Steelers didn't get, it was Mekhi Lemon, who they had every intention of taking with the 21st overall pick until the Eagles traded up to 20th overall.

Per Adam Schefter, he said the Steelers were literally on the phone talking to Mekhi Lemon when the Eagles traded ahead of them with their division rival, the Cowboys, to get the pick ahead of them and take Lemon because they knew the Steelers wanted him.

Lemon was the last player that I'd had a first-round grade on that the Steelers brought in for a pre-draft visit, and for the last 20-plus years, I have not seen the Steelers select a player in the first round who wasn't one of their pre-draft visitors that they hosted at their facility.

What are some of the things that you actually like about what he brings, but what are the things that you're concerned about, especially when we know this offensive line, the trenches for the, the Steelers have been a bit up and down the last couple years?

Now Pittsburgh the city may be loving the draft, but does Pittsburgh the fan base and does our Locked On host for Steelers love the pick of Max Ahanachor at 21?

I think Max Ahanachor has a very high ceiling at the offensive tackle position.

I think he's a very good athlete.

I think he has great footwork and, uh, a lot of high potential to work to, but I think he's a very raw prospect.

But I think what's the bigger story about this pick is the player the Steelers didn't get.

It was Mekhi Lemon, who they had every intention of taking with the 21st overall pick until the Eagles traded up to 20th overall.

Per Adam Schefter, he said the Steelers were literally on the phone talking to Mekhi Lemon when the Eagles traded ahead of them with their division rival, the Cowboys, to get the pick ahead of them and take Lemon because they knew the Steelers wanted him.

What are some of the things that you actually like about what he brings, but what are the things that you're concerned about, especially when we know this offensive line, the trenches for the, the Steelers have been a bit up and down the last couple years?

And what does Jacksonville need to get out of next week's draft?

The three things the Jaguars need to come away with in the draft.

Chris Carter of Locked On Steelers sorts through some of the biggest names.

We're gonna go through the entire list, and I'm gonna rank them for you to show where this list kind of focuses certain attentions and how we can read this because remember, this is a new coaching staff.

So this could be a new strategy for how the Steelers use their, their pre-draft visits.

Uh, now a reminder, the rules of how this works, and we'll also get to this a little bit in the second segment because one of you asked a really good question on the strategies of using top 30 visitors, but the Steelers and every NFL team gets a, the cha- gets up to, uh, a maximum of 30 pre-draft visitors they can invite to their facility to interview them, get n- get them, you know, more personal time with them and get a closer look at some of the, the, uh, NFL draft prospects that are out there.

You can also bring in local visitors, people that are from your, uh, from your, uh, the city that you work in or, uh, you know, or played, played, uh, you know, their college ball there.

So for the Steelers, if you played high school football in or in or around Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, or if you played football at Pitt, you were in that, uh, that, that list there as far as being a local prospect.

Yeah.

There's probably some silent agreement going on, and lo and behold, that's what happened.

I would not, I would not be shocked if that's exactly what's going on, and maybe a bit in reverse this time around where Aaron Rodgers went on the Pat McAfee Show and said, "It takes two to tango," and, you know, "I'd love to be there," and, and, uh, hyped up the new coaching staff.

Um, but I imagine the Steelers are like, "Hey, we waited for you last year.

Wait for us as we sort through free agency and see what options are out there.

Um, but, you know, our priority, our priority, our plan is to bring you back in." Um, and, and again, like the trade for Michael Pittman, it wasn't a big trade.

It was a sixth for a seventh round pick.

Washington's trying to make some moves, man, and change some things up for Dan Quinn's defense.

Ooh

... with his legal problems.

But, um, you look at that and then you say, "Wait, wait a minute." Basically, you traded away that, got a higher pick, and now you're getting for the, for the lower pick that you would naturally have, you went and got a star defensive back in...

which is a key weakness in their defense right now.

Something that, you know, I, I was, I, I was...

I've been saying they're gonna draft Jermaine McCoy out of Tennessee with that 13th overall pick to boost it.

Now that this opens the door, maybe they don't need to.

How do you think about Jordan Davis getting that type of money when usually nose tackles don't get that type of money?

Yeah.

But he did something that could alter his life and his family's life, his kids' life, the legacy of it forever, just by engaging a fan.

I expect fans to say negative things about me.

I expect that.

If I go over, I'm gonna engage only in words.

Man, like, how do I win by reaching up and grabbing one of the fans? Like, that's the reason why we make all this money, the reason why we do podcasts like this, because these people cannot consume enough of the content, so we can't have guys like that.

Hall of Famers, we was like: "Listen, man, don't get arrested this off-season.

The fans wanna know, what are your thoughts on quarterback Shedeur Sanders' first season in the NFL?

Absolutely.

...

he hasn't gotten a whole lot of targets this year.

In fact, he's fourth on the, on the t- I think he's like actually fourth or fifth on the Steelers targets, total targets on the year.

And I have been pounding the table for months that they need to get this guy more involved.

And whenever they do, he makes some big plays.

He did so against the Ravens, five targets, three catches for like 50-some yards.

You went to that game?

So Lou DiBiasi of Locked On Eagles and David Harrison of Locked On Commanders talk about what each team has to do to pick up a win in week 18.

All right, final crossover Thursday of the regular season for Locked On Eagles and Locked On Commanders.

Uh, David, if the Commanders do spoil the Eagles' chances of a two seed, and again, it's not just...

The Eagles don't control their destiny here with that number two spot in the NFC.

They would also need the Chicago Bears to lose to the Lions, but if that happened, Detroit played upset and Philadelphia won, they would be the two seed.

So if the Commanders are gonna stop that from happening, what are the keys to victory on the Commander side to end the season on a high note?

Yeah.

... actually that Chargers loss is where things started, and then the Raiders game, the k- the first Commander's game in DC, the under center run and play action passing game did start to work.

But, um, you know, I, I think for the, for the Browns, um, a l- a lot of this has to start with, uh, I think a lot of this does start with like whether or not DK Metcalf is p- is playing or not and whether or not they, um, you know, can stop this, the, the, the Steelers' run game that's been so effective, especially in recent weeks.

Yeah, I, I think a lot of this is going to depend on, on that if the Steelers, if the Steelers' run game gets loose, um, it's going to make it really hard for Miles Garrett to co- to have an impact on the game.

If the, uh, if the Steelers' run game i- is going, it's also gonna, I think it's gonna be right where the Steelers want.

They're gonna...

This, this, this, this is the team that honestly I think they've wanted to be able to be all season, but they, they, they, they knew that there was, this is going to be a bumpy road this season.

They knew that the offensive line was going to take time.

And we said this all season long on the Locked On Steelers podcast that the, the big thing for this, for this season was can this offensive line take a step up this year? Can you get to the end of the season feeling like, hey, this is not just, uh, a, a unit trying to find its way anymore.

Yeah.

(laughs)

...

I think it was, they beat them and it, it officially, like, mathematically eliminated them from playoff, or from the, the AFC West title.

So we knew that it was going to be somebody other than the Chiefs.

And that was what we were, we were reveling in this back in 2023.

Everybody's like, "Why did Sean Payton take this job in the same division as Mahomes and same division as Herbert?" Right? "Why would he take this job? Why would he come back to go coach in the AFC West?" Russell Wilson, he's past his prime.

He's got a 90 million dead cap hit.

All right, Cris, how do the Steelers win this game? What do they have to do to get it done on Sunday?

Who can win those matchups? Who can win with the ball in their hands? Can you force missed tackles? And wh- when teams have done that against Miami, that's usually when they've had some of their best work.

Hmm.

That's interesting.

I, I do think it's gonna be, uh, the, the Steelers caught the Ravens off-guard last week with the deep ball.

The, the Ravens looked like they were coming in to say, "We're gonna stop the, the, the, the short ga- short passing game.

We're gonna stop the run." And they did stop the run.

I don't think they really stopped the short passing game.

Mm-hmm.