Mike Tomlin FIRES BACK at critics on Rodgers, predicts Steelers’ Super Bowl run – Chris Canty
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The way that this is set up without her here then leads us into saying, “Hey, it’s unsports.” We’ll be unsportsman. Unsportsman. Yeah, cuz she’s the like. Yeah, unsportsman. You know what I was doing? That actually works though. Unsportsman. I was looking at the Twitter. It’s unsports ESPN. So, I’m thinking unsport. No, it’s unsportsman. That’s a horrible name. I got to be honest. It’s a bad name. Unsportsman. Unsportsman. No, it doesn’t work. I don’t know. Sportsman feels like we’re fishing. I don’t know why. We’re not that. No. So, unsportsman. Unsportsman. Yeah. I don’t know. Terrible. Yeah. Terrible. Yeah. Unportsman. But it works for this week because everybody knows that we’re missing Michelle Smallman. That’s right. Who we know and love. That’s right. Um, so we talk about Shadore and how great he was. And who was your number one? It’s a rough It’s a rough crowd for the quote Shadore went in the fifth round because of his talent crowd today, isn’t it? Yeah. Rough day for him, ain’t it? And by the way, by the way, sorry, Mad Dog. I I am I am not sorry. I am very um happy with myself. As a matter of fact, I may go Barry Harowitz and pat myself on the back. The old school jobber in the WWE. I didn’t realize you were that flexible, especially in a blazer. So, here’s why I’m patting myself on the back. Last week, I said fourth string’s a good thing for him. I was thrilled that he’s fourth string cuz it meant they believed in him. And people were like, “Why? What are you talking about?” And I just could tell there was something there of like, no, no, no, no. He’s going to go through the ringer here cuz we know he’s good and we’re handing him nothing and he’s going to prove himself every step of the way and watch him do it, which he’s already started to do. But the number one team on your list of teams that you thought made a mistake in passing on him, which team was that? Pittsburgh Steelers. their head coach, Mike Tomlin, spoke to the Pivot podcast with our very own Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, Channing Crowder, and had this to say about uh what gives him the belief that Aaron Rogers is the right quarterback. His why. You know, this dude been doing it 21 years, man. Um four-time MVP, all of that stuff. Like, like I just wanted to know why. Why does the fire still burn? What is his agenda? Those are some of the conversations that we had in the spring, man. And I just got real comfortable with with his why, man. like all he wants to do is win. All he wants to do is have fun within the game. He want to be a a component of the process of development for young players. Like everything that we talked about through our conversations in the spring, I’m watching him live out right now in this training camp setting. I believed him when he said it, but it’s fun to watch it play out. I think that’s why I’m excited. I think that’s why I was comfortable. Okay, there’s more from Tomlin, but let’s stop there. You have been respectfully critical of Rogers. You were critical of the Steelers for not drafting Shadore. Mhm. And you also believe that Mike Telman as a first ballot should be unanimous Hall of Famer. No doubt. How do all of those three things mesh with those comments? Well, they don’t. I I mean, you’re you’re asking me to have confidence in the Steelers plan to make Aaron Rogers QB1 unchallenged going into 2025. And how can you feel good about that based on the version of Rogers that we’ve gotten the last 3 years? I don’t care that he’s been in the league 21 years. I don’t care that he’s a four-time MVP. I don’t care that he’s won a Super Bowl. The version of him that you’re getting is none of those things. The New York Jets were better off without Aaron Rogers than with him. The Green Bay Packers over the last three seasons have been better off with Jordan Love versus Aaron Rodgers. So why would we think the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be better off with this version of Aaron Rogers in comparison to what we saw from Russell Wilson and Justin Fields last year? So I don’t I don’t disagree with you, but just play devil’s advocate for a second. The reason that maybe we should feel different as in you and I is because of who the head coach is and the fact that he’s the one that signed off on this. I mean, desperation makes for interesting bedfellows. So, I don’t put much stock in that. The Pittsburgh Steelers are in quarterback hell. They they they are desert thirsty for a quarterback. And so, they were grasping at straws when they missed out on Justin Fields, when they jettisoned Russell Wilson. They didn’t have any options. But the unfortunate part for Mike Tomlin is that he’s about to find out what the other 31 teams in the NFL already know, which is Aaron Rogers is washed. And so I hate to see him go through it. And I know that there are very few men at from a coaching standpoint that have more credibility than him, but credibility from the head coach isn’t going to allow you to overcome what you’re getting from the quarterback. Quarterbacks shouldn’t be an impediment or an obstacle for your team’s success in an upcoming season, but it feels like that’s what the Steelers are signing up for, and I just don’t understand why. So, here is what Tomlin had to say to the Pivot podcast. Ryan Clark, um, Janet Crowder, Fred Taylor over the weekend about the playoff drought, right? Like in terms of the desperation, that’s why there’s desperation. They have winning seasons, but they haven’t won a playoff game. Here’s what Tomlin had to say about the playoff drought. I say nothing. You know, we got resumes. We all do. And uh we got to stand on that. I live a life, man, where I don’t seek comfort. I don’t make excuses. You know, engaging in that discussion to me is is is excuses cuz I don’t live that life, man. Like, I pour everything I got into what I do, man. And when the dust settles, it settles and I keep it moving. And so, you know, I don’t care a whole lot about what people have to say. I do. Um I don’t like respectfully. I don’t. Some people, you know, some people talk, some people watch, some people do. I’m glad I’m a doer. I’m glad I live in that world. Um, I love the kitchen. Um, I love competition. I love it when it’s hot. I love the challenges that our business presents. Like, that’s just the life I choose to live. And I understand the things that come with it, man. Uh, and I’m okay with it. Some people talk, some people watch, some people do. Interesting. in combination with Aaron Rogers over the last couple of years. He’s done more. He’s done more talking and watching than doing than doing. Now, previous all-time great doer. Yeah. I mean, listen, Aaron Rogers is the first Ballot Hall of Famer. Nobody can take that away from him, but I’m sorry. I I I got to bring this up. Yesterday’s wins don’t help you beat tomorrow’s opponents. And it feels like that’s what the Steelers are relying on. Oh, we’ve got experience from Aaron Rogers. Yeah, he’s experienced, but he can’t go out there and do the damn job. And he’s shown that repeatedly over the last 3 years. Why would you expect that you’re going to get something different? Quarterbacks don’t get better, don’t get healthier as they get older. Nobody is Tom Brady. Literally, he’s the only quarterback in NFL history to start and win a playoff game in his age 42 season or later. Nobody else has done it. Kevin, why would we think Aaron Rodgers is going to be that outlier? My only I don’t but my only answer keeps coming back to Tomlin. Tomlin Tomlin Tomlin Tomlin don’t play. I but I have no other answer. Why would he be so much better? Mike Tomlin is not going to put on a Steelers helmet and shoulder pads and go out there and make tackles, make catches, run the ball, score a touchdown. He’s not doing that. And they have a good roster. They have a good roster around quarterback, but most people thought the Jets had a good roster around quarterback. The Jets had an outstanding roster. Outstanding roster. Joe Douglas put together a ton of talent. That foundation was built off of the Jamal Adams trade and he did a phenomenal job. Congratulations. They had a great roster. And what did Aaron Rogers do? Literally detonated the franchise. And it feels like he’s in line. He’s in line to do it again in Pittsburgh. And unfortunately the collateral damage will be Mike Tomlin. So you believe after the end of this year that’s it for Tomlin and Pittsburgh and that’s it for Rogers in the NFL. The latter absolutely. The former strong chance. This is a strong chance that this is Mike Tomlin’s last year. It has a last dance feel around it, but to use your phrasiology, it’s before the first dance. Yeah. They’ve got a last dance before the first dance and it could end up being a situation where Mike Tomlin is no longer the guy in Pittsburgh. Coming up, one number one overall pick in the NFL draft did not get the job done over the weekend because he wasn’t tasked with doing the job. [Music] [Music]
