Some Random Thoughts

[Steeldrama]

Slow time of year in football world what with the draft in the rear view mirror.

Some Random Thoughts:

• Read a Depot blurb this morning about how Mike McCarthy being MUCH more hands on than his predecessor, Mike Tomlin based on some VERY early observations from the oh-so in the know beat writers. And I quote, “Truth be told, McCarthy probably gave more detailed, nuanced feedback to his quarterback than Mike Tomlin did in my entire time covering the head coach.” Now THAT is saying something (but not telling us anything we didn’t already know).

• Like many of you, I did NOT like the Mike McCarthy hiring. BUT, I am warming up to him AND to the fact that your beloved Steelers have a really good chance of at least being watchable on offense this season for the first time since the prime years of Big Ben.

• Being the Happy Valley Hater that I am, I simply laughed at the drafting of Drew Allar. Knowing it was coming didn’t take the sting out of it like I hoped. So now, I’m going to set aside my disdain for Penn State and their fan snobatorium and root like HELL that my new boy, Fat Mike, can turn this Allar fella into a viable NFL quarterback.

• Weeks back I glanced at another Depot blurb where Darius Slay called the Steelers’ defense “Backwards” calling Tomlin’s reliance on outside leverage, “Weird as Fuck.” Slay didn’t blame Teryl Austin saying the play calling came from “above.” I am so over the moon that Tomlin and his gawd awful rule over a once proud defense are GONE I can’t find the lunchbreak words to even begin to describe it.

• So Pat Graham. This hire screamed Rooney Rule to me since Deuce went Fat White Yinzer for his head coach. But make no mistake this Graham fella is going to either be my FAVORITE hire or the hire that sends me to the golf course on Sunday afternoons.

• Yep, I LOVE golf. I LIKE Aaron R-O-D-G-E-R-S. I’m not going to be upset if he returns because I actually WANT to watch my once beloved Steelers on Sunday afternoons rather than blow hundreds on my anemic golf game.. Anyway, I’m far from a qb guru, but I’m 99.9% certain Will Howard is not any kind of answer and I’m 100% certain Drew Allar is looking at an Aaron Rodgers/Jordan Love like apprenticeship if he has ANY shot at an NFL future.

• “Ohhhh Danny boy, the pipes are calling.” I read yet another Depot blurb, this one about little Danny Rooney. Typical Depot nothing new or insightful, but it gave me hope that a fresh start is near. “Bold men make bold statements.” Massive Genius said that. I’m going to boldly say that this is Deuce’s final season running the show in Pittsburgh ("Dream on, golf boy).

• The Draft? I like it more now than I did 3 weeks ago. Why? The Steelers new affinity for Iowa Hawkeyes that’s why. The nifty little Wetjen kid and the red mullet fella I think are going to really make an impact on this team. The Mt Lebo kid? Under Tomlin? Hell no. Fat Mike might have a clue.

• Ohhh yeah! I almost forgot. Pat Meyer is gone! Dude became the bane of my existence. I know fuck-all about his replacement, but hopefully he doesn’t plug square pegs into round holes. I dig some of the young talent on this unit especially Max lots of letters, our 1st round pick. Get the best 5 on the field dammit. Where y’all putting Fautanu? I don’t want him moved inside to guard. Feels like a waste of a dancing bear.

• For me the “excitement” of the 2026 season all comes down to Tomlin (FINALLY) being gone. That and that alone still has me walking on air. I’m going to give Mike McCarthy a chance. I like what I’m reading so far. Fat Mike knows this is his last chance and I don’t think he blows it.

Go Aaron!
Go Allar!!
Go Fat Mike!!!
Go Skenes!!!!
Goooooo Livvvvy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jobu]

• For me the “excitement” of the 2026 season all comes down to Tomlin (FINALLY) being gone.

Money line, right there!

[Steelafan77]

Just read this morning smurf [Wetjen] is being deployed all over the offense as well as ST’s of course. Encouraging.

As I understand it the ‘speculated plan’ is to keep the right interior line Frazier, McCormick.

Also, as I understand it with the same ‘speculated plan theory’ Anderson and Hoffman are dueling it out for the LG opening.

Finally, the same theory also speculates Fautanu will move to LT and Iheanachor [E-hanna-chore] will pick up the RT spot.

I think this season there is a higher than usual competition for every position which I dig. Trim some of the fat from the roster.

With that I mean I’m hoping to see the younger players see more actual field time based on merit.

I think this approach with a new staff is warranted and will be a very welcome change from the status quo’s of the last staff.

Saw yesterday an article claiming Charlie Batch is hoping to open the season in Cheatland. Early test for the season is his logic.

Hmmm….

[.Kodiak]

McCarthy is a mediocre coach who failed downwards, vs. Teflon Tomlin failing upwards.

McCarthy also will not be gifted a HOF jacket for 20 years of consistent mediocrity. Last chance is right - he may not have the goods, but I'm guessing he aspires to more than winning a single playoff game by the skin of his teeth.

[lifelongsteel]

The beauty of McCarthy in this role is that he's an absolute known entity. He's a B- coach. We are absolutely going to get a read on Tomlin's particular set of skills "and" lack of skills (thanks Peter Griffin) when the season rolls around.

I too saw that Slay comment, coupled it with the myriad comments from Edelman over the years, spliced it with my own eyes, merged it with the confused look of the steelers defenders over the years, and finally drew the obvious conclusion that Tomlin had obviously zero clue what he was doing but absolute certainty that he did. (btw that's the longest sentence i've ever written. grammar probably doesn't pan out but fuck it).

McCarthy has a chance to be a hero with Steelers nation simply by giving Rodgers a true deadline. it's performative anyway, but i think he would standout as the one person in the FO with balls if he laid it on the line.

I'm not a Burgh guy so I don't really understand the Allar hate. Find it kind of funny actually. They got a guy with A++ arm talent in the 3rd. Yeah - he can't read defenses. At least not yet. Yeah - he got shitty coaching in college. Yeah - he didn't win many big games in college. Not to compare him, but could Ben read defenses coming out? Was his college coaching good? Did he win anything? Seems like two prototypical big dudes with cannons. 1 played in obscurity against second rate talent and I guess succeeded (nobody knows). 1 played against the best in the country and thrived until the lights got too bright. I guess we'll see.

[Charles Demarr]

Good stuff as always Drama.

[langer]

I think Fat MIke will be a godsend to this team.

They had ZERO actual coaching for years, a lazy ass overpaid entitled megalomaniac was "running" things, and that piece of shit is gone.

It's coming out in drips who he actually was, and it's not looking good.

He's not like Father Saint Dungy, Tony wasn't a shifty con artist bullshitter. It's probably worse than we know. Those Slay comments were telling.

Looking forward to what Fat Mike cooks up.

[Jobu]

He's not like Father Saint Dungy, Tony wasn't a shifty con artist bullshitter. It's probably worse than we know. Those Slay comments were telling.

Like I have said before…everyone wanted to play for Mike Tomlin, until they actually played for Mike Tomlin.

[CoolShades]

Like I have said before…everyone wanted to play for Mike Tomlin, until they actually played for Mike Tomlin.

Except those two massive ball lickers, Low Watt and sCam

I think the team gets better immediately if they get those two overrated cancers off the team. They helped mediocre Mike every chance they got in the court of public opinion and they both got their bags for their loyalty to Coach Rooney Rule.

Time to turn the page and jettison those two entitled, underachieving losers into the sun.

[Steelafan77]

Already a good start trimming the fat….

Steelers have waived CB Cory Trice with a failed physical, per the transactions wire
https://x.com/bepryor/status/2054332674823561514

[CoolShades]

Already a good start trimming the fat….

Steelers have waived CB Cory Trice with a failed physical, per the transactions wire
https://x.com/bepryor/status/2054332674823561514

That’s a shame, but he is made of glass. He was a good roll of the dice for a 7th rounder.

Now, trade Watt and cut Cam!

[langer]

Fat Mike isn't into reclamation projects or keeping people around that should be moving on with their live's work?

What is this?

Tip of the cap to Trice though, he flim-flammed the team into paying him a lot of cash for nothing.

Wonder what FM would have done with Tuitt after he took off a few years because his cousin died.

New Sheriff in town. Coach T goin have a lot of splainin to do.

[gojira5150]

Like I have said before…everyone wanted to play for Mike Tomlin, until they actually played for Mike Tomlin.

Except those two massive ball lickers, Low Watt and sCam

I think the team gets better immediately if they get those two overrated cancers off the team. They helped mediocre Mike every chance they got in the court of public opinion and they both got their bags for their loyalty to Coach Rooney Rule.

Time to turn the page and jettison those two entitled, underachieving losers into the sun.

Here, Here. I concur 100%

[Steelafan77]

This just in…..

Wow: The Steelers are "uninstalling" everything Drew Allar learned about playing QB at Penn State, per
@bepryor

Pittsburgh is re-loading its own fundamentals and mechanics onto him.

He currently has a 2% chance of being the ROTY on Polymarket.

McCarthy is taking Allar under his wing

https://x.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/2054592557607178676

Thoughts?!

[jebrick]

This just in…..

Wow: The Steelers are "uninstalling" everything Drew Allar learned about playing QB at Penn State, per
@bepryor

Pittsburgh is re-loading its own fundamentals and mechanics onto him.

He currently has a 2% chance of being the ROTY on Polymarket.

McCarthy is taking Allar under his wing

https://x.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/2054592557607178676

Thoughts?!

Must not have been much to unload

[Steelafan77]

This just in…..

Wow: The Steelers are "uninstalling" everything Drew Allar learned about playing QB at Penn State, per
@bepryor

Pittsburgh is re-loading its own fundamentals and mechanics onto him.

He currently has a 2% chance of being the ROTY on Polymarket.

McCarthy is taking Allar under his wing

https://x.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/2054592557607178676

Thoughts?!

Must not have been much to unload

Classic jebrick

[.Kodiak]

What exactly makes McCarthy a "QB whisperer"? He inherited Favre. Then Rodgers, like Ben, was a generational talent. Prescott was already a finished product when McCarthy got to DAL.

No other QB in his history as a QB coach or OC that wasn't forgettable.

[bradshaw2ben]

What exactly makes McCarthy a "QB whisperer"? He inherited Favre. Then Rodgers, like Ben, was a generational talent. Prescott was already a finished product when McCarthy got to DAL.

No other QB in his history as a QB coach or OC that wasn't forgettable.

Uh, Joe Montana was forgettable?

[.Kodiak]

What exactly makes McCarthy a "QB whisperer"? He inherited Favre. Then Rodgers, like Ben, was a generational talent. Prescott was already a finished product when McCarthy got to DAL.

No other QB in his history as a QB coach or OC that wasn't forgettable.

Uh, Joe Montana was forgettable?

Did McCarthy develop Montana, or was Montana already a HOFer when McCarthy got him? And Montana was pretty washed at that point.

And what was McCarthy's role at KC? Offensive quality control assistant.

[bradshaw2ben]

What exactly makes McCarthy a "QB whisperer"? He inherited Favre. Then Rodgers, like Ben, was a generational talent. Prescott was already a finished product when McCarthy got to DAL.

No other QB in his history as a QB coach or OC that wasn't forgettable.

Uh, Joe Montana was forgettable?

Did McCarthy develop Montana, or was Montana already a HOFer when McCarthy got him? And Montana was pretty washed at that point.

And what was McCarthy's role at KC? Offensive quality control assistant.

Oh I agree totally with your point... was just piinting out he did work with an already-great Montana as his first NFL job.

[Steeldrama]

Like I have said before…everyone wanted to play for Mike Tomlin, until they actually played for Mike Tomlin.

Except those two massive ball lickers, Low Watt and sCam

I think the team gets better immediately if they get those two overrated cancers off the team. They helped mediocre Mike every chance they got in the court of public opinion and they both got their bags for their loyalty to Coach Rooney Rule.

Time to turn the page and jettison those two entitled, underachieving losers into the sun.

For me, all my vitriol toward TWatt and SCam goes away if this Pat Graham fella can undo the many flaws of Tomlin’s dogshit defense.

Both of the Tomlin bootlickers are past their prime “obviously” but let’s see what they can do if the “x’s and o’s” of the defense are sound.

Anyway

The errors of Tomlin’s ways are many.

One that stands out to me is not handing his defense over to Brian Flores.

Would that have lead to the ever elusive playoff win?

Perhaps not with the offense beyond inept, but at least Tomlin could’ve assumed his natural potted plant role leaving a once proud defense in the hands of a professional.

Again…

…and this can’t be overstated…

…Tomlin is GONE and I’m elated.

Rodgers or no Rodgers (Rodgers), McCarthy SHOULD give the Steelers a respectable NFL caliber offense.

Graham?

Poor bastard has a lot to unfuck, but his cupboard isn’t nearly as bare as the Raiduhs.

Answers, Answers, Answers!

Going to be a few more months until we get 'em

Shitty time of year on the football calendar

Thank goodness my transplant hometown Braves are off to a historic start to help pass the time until training camp.

[SteelerDayTrader]

This just in…..

Wow: The Steelers are "uninstalling" everything Drew Allar learned about playing QB at Penn State, per
@bepryor

Pittsburgh is re-loading its own fundamentals and mechanics onto him.

He currently has a 2% chance of being the ROTY on Polymarket.

McCarthy is taking Allar under his wing

https://x.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/2054592557607178676

Thoughts?!

[jebrick]

This just in…..

Wow: The Steelers are "uninstalling" everything Drew Allar learned about playing QB at Penn State, per
@bepryor

Pittsburgh is re-loading its own fundamentals and mechanics onto him.

He currently has a 2% chance of being the ROTY on Polymarket.

McCarthy is taking Allar under his wing

https://x.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/2054592557607178676

Thoughts?!

Lots of things for people to point at. Mahomes had a crazy throwing motion and sat for a year behind Alex Smith. Josh Allen, although playing, also had to fix his mechanics. That took about 3 seasons. ARod had a funky throwing motion coming out of college but sat behind Farve for 3 years,

All great success stories. My problem with Allar is not primarily his mechanics ( which need work to become consistent). It is in his head. None of the QBs above had any issue with grit or processing. It was all mechanics.

When Allar lifts that Lombardi, feel free to make fun of me.

[shellwagnerblount]

Slow time of year in football world what with the draft in the rear view mirror.

Some Random Thoughts:

• Read a Depot blurb this morning about how Mike McCarthy being MUCH more hands on than his predecessor, Mike Tomlin based on some VERY early observations from the oh-so in the know beat writers. And I quote, “Truth be told, McCarthy probably gave more detailed, nuanced feedback to his quarterback than Mike Tomlin did in my entire time covering the head coach.” Now THAT is saying something (but not telling us anything we didn’t already know).

Drama bringing the truth..
I read it and didn't have a thing to add..

If I can watch a game and think "we lost but we were trying the right things" instead of losing and listening to ex Patriots laughing their assess off at our lack of invention and total predictabilty, I am going to be overjoyed. It's a low bar but Mikey T set it there..lol

[bradshaw2ben]

Slow time of year in football world what with the draft in the rear view mirror.

Some Random Thoughts:

• Read a Depot blurb this morning about how Mike McCarthy being MUCH more hands on than his predecessor, Mike Tomlin based on some VERY early observations from the oh-so in the know beat writers. And I quote, “Truth be told, McCarthy probably gave more detailed, nuanced feedback to his quarterback than Mike Tomlin did in my entire time covering the head coach.” Now THAT is saying something (but not telling us anything we didn’t already know).

Drama bringing the truth..
I read it and didn't have a thing to add..

If I can watch a game and think "we lost but we were trying the right things" instead of losing and listening to ex Patriots laughing their assess off at our lack of invention and total predictabilty, I am going to be overjoyed. It's a low bar but Mikey T set it there..lol

Which is why I hated the McCarthy hire so much. The LAST thing he's known for is his invention and lack of predictability. The number one criticism of him was that he was stale and his offense was totally predictable.

[JackLambert58]

He's not like Father Saint Dungy, Tony wasn't a shifty con artist bullshitter. It's probably worse than we know. Those Slay comments were telling.

Like I have said before…everyone wanted to play for Mike Tomlin, until they actually played for Mike Tomlin.

Money quote

[Steeldrama]

Slow time of year in football world what with the draft in the rear view mirror.

Some Random Thoughts:

• Read a Depot blurb this morning about how Mike McCarthy being MUCH more hands on than his predecessor, Mike Tomlin based on some VERY early observations from the oh-so in the know beat writers. And I quote, “Truth be told, McCarthy probably gave more detailed, nuanced feedback to his quarterback than Mike Tomlin did in my entire time covering the head coach.” Now THAT is saying something (but not telling us anything we didn’t already know).

Drama bringing the truth..
I read it and didn't have a thing to add..

If I can watch a game and think "we lost but we were trying the right things" instead of losing and listening to ex Patriots laughing their assess off at our lack of invention and total predictabilty, I am going to be overjoyed. It's a low bar but Mikey T set it there..lol

Which is why I hated the McCarthy hire so much. The LAST thing he's known for is his invention and lack of predictability. The number one criticism of him was that he was stale and his offense was totally predictable.

If McCarthy’s offenses are stale and predictable what does that make Canada and Uncle Artie’s “offenses?”

McCarthy’s offenses in Dallas ranked #1 in scoring two of his four seasons there.

I'll take that kind of "stale" and "predictable" all day long.

Sure Fat Mike had a viable starting NFL QB and Kellen Moore as an OC, but who’s to say this Brian Angelico fella isn’t the next hot name in offense?

He did learn the Shanny/McVay system during his stints with the Vikings and Packers.

I’m all for seeing if he brings any bright ideas to the table before I conclude the offense will be “stale” and “predictable."

Nope

I’m not going all gloom and doom on my boy Fat Mike until he gives me a reason to do so.

Furthermore

This isn’t even McCarthy’s team yet

Those expecting a juggernaut in year 1 ain’t seein the bigger picture (I.E. acquiring talent to fit the scheme).

Even if this currently quarterbackless offense finishes in the middle of the pack MAN what a fucking accomplishment!

YOU SUCK, Canada (not the country. Good times had up there)!
YOU SUCK, Artie!!
YOU SUCK, Deuce!!!
YOU FOREVER SUCK, Tomlin!!!!

[bradshaw2ben]

Drama bringing the truth..
I read it and didn't have a thing to add..

If I can watch a game and think "we lost but we were trying the right things" instead of losing and listening to ex Patriots laughing their assess off at our lack of invention and total predictabilty, I am going to be overjoyed. It's a low bar but Mikey T set it there..lol

Which is why I hated the McCarthy hire so much. The LAST thing he's known for is his invention and lack of predictability. The number one criticism of him was that he was stale and his offense was totally predictable.

If McCarthy’s offenses are stale and predictable what does that make Canada and Uncle Artie’s “offenses?”

McCarthy’s offenses in Dallas ranked #1 in scoring two of his four seasons there.

I'll take that kind of "stale" and "predictable" all day long.

Sure Fat Mike had a viable starting NFL QB and Kellen Moore as an OC, but who’s to say this Brian Angelico fella isn’t the next hot name in offense?

He did learn the Shanny/McVay system during his stints with the Vikings and Packers.

I’m all for seeing if he brings any bright ideas to the table before I conclude the offense will be “stale” and “predictable."

Nope

I’m not going all gloom and doom on my boy Fat Mike until he gives me a reason to do so.

Furthermore

This isn’t even McCarthy’s team yet

Those expecting a juggernaut in year 1 ain’t seein the bigger picture (I.E. acquiring talent to fit the scheme).

Even if this currently quarterbackless offense finishes in the middle of the pack MAN what a fucking accomplishment!

YOU SUCK, Canada (not the country. Good times had up there)!
YOU SUCK, Artie!!
YOU SUCK, Deuce!!!
YOU FOREVER SUCK, Tomlin!!!!

Yeah, well, Canada, Fitchner, & Tomlin is a low bar.

What McCarthy did as a head coach when he was younger, newer to coaching, and closer to his mentors seems to have deviated quite a bit from there the less talent he had at QB and the long he was a HC in the league and became more and more risk-averse.

A risk-averse HC coming to a team owned by AR2 and slave to the mentality of "Steelers Football" is the part that scares me. I am fully expecting them to not change a whole lot. Heck, the description of Arthur Smith offense before he started as OC sounds an awful lot like Big Mike's offense. In their idealized versions, both have had good offensive schemes. In Pittsburgh with an old HC it might not look like what we imagine.

I'm not down on it, just trying to set realistic expectations.

[.Kodiak]

Heck, the description of Arthur Smith offense before he started as OC sounds an awful lot like Big Mike's offense. In their idealized versions, both have had good offensive schemes.

I'm not saying Arthur Smith is or would have been good, but like his predecessors he was boxed in 12 ways to Sunday by Tomlin.

Tomlin was always just trying to keep the game close until Q4, and then pray a TJ or Ben would make a play to win the game. He really was a complete imbecile on offense, which is inexplicable for a guy that was HC for 20 years.

[Steelafan77]

A very plausible explanation post draft humiliation....

Wondering does this post draft explanation seem contrived?

Thoughts?

Steelers Explored Trade With Bucs To Take Makai Lemon At No. 15
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2026/ ... 5#ref=home