After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 1

It's happening. The husband is starting to talk like me.

He comes in on Thursday afternoon to wake me up and says happy almost Friday. Hey, that's my line. Don't steal my line. Jay's allowed to use that line. I don't know if you're allowed to use that line. I'm not sure you've earned it yet, hubs. But you know what? I'll share.

I'll be generous. Happy almost Friday. And then later in the evening, it's almost your Friday. Again, what's with the copying?

Stop imitating me. Those are my lines. Either way, if they give you joy, I hope that they come out of your mouth a bunch in the next few hours and then on into tomorrow because it is almost Friday. And even more than that, it's one of my favorite weekends of the entire year. Definitely my favorite weekend of the football season.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Thank you for hanging out with us these next four hours. We will usher in the weekend. Not only do we have the latest from the coaching carousel which actually isn't spinning so furiously at this moment. We don't have a lot of new news. We have some old news. We have some coaches talking about the old news. We have speculation. Who doesn't want speculation? And we wait.

We've got an invitation on this Friday eve to wait. Now we generally know the NFL frowns on any breaking news taking place while games are going on. So they don't want news to be usurping talk or usurping the stage, the spotlight from the actual game.

So it's generally quiet on the weekends. On playoff weekends you don't hear a lot about hires or fires because the league wants the attention to be on the games themselves and not on, hey this guy got hired, Bill Belichick has a new job, Mike Vrabel's going here, yah la la la la. But there's still interviews going on throughout these next few hours on into Friday.

Some of the more popular candidates, now they're busy, they've got lots of different interviews to go through. And there are still changes being made and you may have seen the Arizona Cardinals fired a bunch of guys in their front office, more on the business side but the evaluation process is still underway. The other thing that's happening is that as guys get jobs elsewhere, and this is even guys who don't currently have gigs, but as they land in Atlanta, Seattle, Las Vegas, Tennessee, wherever there are job openings, those new coaches are likely to suck in people from other franchises.

Right, so you still have this domino effect where people are constantly moving around. You've even got guys who are currently in the playoffs who are interviewing for other jobs, like Ben Johnson for instance. He's got interviews lined up both Friday and Saturday and then he coaches on Sunday. It's a business, these guys know it's a business, we're talking one or two hours out of a day, theoretically. But yeah, even for guys who are currently getting ready to kick off in the biggest game of their lives in some cases, in Ben Johnson, this is a huge opportunity for him. But first he's got job interviews.

You're talking about some real mental toughness and mental focus and also trust from his coaching staff as well as his players that he will still be ready, willing and able when they kick off against the Bucks. Poll is already up. The after-hours game of the week.

What is it? The cool thing is there's only four games, no one can yell at us, you get to decide. I haven't even retweeted it yet, but I will right now.

On our show Twitter, After Hours CBS and then it's on my Twitter as two, ALawRadio. I don't actually know which one is my choice for After Hours game of the week. There's some incredible storylines. From the Fresh Blood to the young teams with no experience to the we're not even supposed to be here teams.

Now that they're saying that but fan bases might be. To the big dogs and then matchups that have history. Those are always fun too like Chiefs and Bills, Packers, 49ers.

I'm sure Aaron Rodgers is rooting for the Packers as they try to avenge recent losses against the Niners in the postseason. What is the After Hours game of the week? Also on our Facebook page named after the show it's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS 4tradio. Phone number 855-212-4227.

That's 855-212-4CBS. I don't often do this but I think it would be kind of fun. What bold prediction have you got for me? You know me I don't do predictions I think they're educated guesses and actually a lot of the time they're not even educated they're just guesses they're more emotionally driven but I would like to hear your bold predictions. I've seen some crazy ones usually I don't even have to ask so maybe I don't maybe you'll just share them with me because you're generous out of the goodness of your heart I do know that people get a little carried away this time of the year but as much as some fans may talk a big game man there is definite trepidation kind of that pit in your stomach because why well look what happened to the Cowboys last week at home against the Green Bay Packers.

Look what happened to the Philadelphia Eagles the defending NFC champions even if they weren't playing the way that they had a year ago still. It's any given Sunday you all know that or in the case of the NFL Saturday Friday Thursday Monday Tuesday every now and then why don't we throw in a Wednesday urban sprawl I tell you. So coming up at the top of next hour from the Bay Area 49ers insider Tracy Sandler we've actually never met in person but she's been on the show a bunch we're really excited to cross paths in Vegas for the first time meeting. Speaking of Vegas I got this text message from Mark Singleton the VP of Rudolph Foods on Thursday afternoon.

How many tickets do you need for the cigar party? As if I'm just supposed to know what he's talking about. Now I do know what he's talking about.

Would you all like to know what he's talking about? Whenever we bring up Rudolph Foods well it's Southern Recipe small batch pork rinds and for those of you who listen on a regular basis you know that Southern Recipe partners with Mike Ditka and the Gridiron Grates and there's another name in there that you're probably familiar with that we don't mention him quite as much but Ron Jaworski the Jaworski Foundation and so Ron and Mike partner every year and this will be the 14th annual VIP cigar party. This year hosted by Brian Urlacher and then Jaws himself exclusive red carpet event featuring premium cigars signature cocktails VIP celebrities and it's at the I'm assuming that's the Mandalay Bay logo I don't actually know because I'm not great with Vegas but is it the M with the slash through it Jay's like sure that sounds good sounds about right well just google it will you please so Jay if today is Thursday January 18th and Jay's all excited even before I read to him the deets of this particular party that comes up in Jerry ready it comes up in just four weeks one two three weeks three weeks from did you say wow I love it are you really excited oh yeah three weeks from tonight now you can't be a fanboy you can't no you can't because no so we jade I've had this conversation before very first time I took him on a press pass to a hockey game oh no yes it was the Islanders and who are they playing the Rangers are you sure yes okay so Isles Rangers yeah yeah that was the first time okay yes and and Jay is a longtime Rangers fan he and his dad share this passion that bubbles up from within and sometimes the way that he expresses himself is is less than professional shall we say and so here we are in the press area now this is in a halo of sorts so it's it's not in an enclosed area it's an open-air press box and it's part of the halo means you're between the fans and also the boxes okay so in a booth right behind us is the broadcast team for the New York Rangers and I and they've got a crowd mic hanging down from their booth to capture the reaction of the fans not the reaction of Jay but the reaction of the fans and so I warn him there will be no f-bombs there will be no cheering that no you'll get us kicked out if you are doing that and I am not gonna stump for you I'm gonna be like hey I'm sorry I don't know him I'm just he's just some dude I picked up on the way in here he didn't know where he was going and I thought okay I'll help you and now he just kind of followed me around so I told Jay no you cannot cheer you cannot gesture you cannot go no emoting and let no fist pumps nothing like that oh it took a while before I could beat it out of Jay and the looks could kill because again there's a crowd mic hanging down right behind us so Jay are you prepared do you feel as though you can attend this party without your jaw dropping open and act like you've been there before in my defense during the Ranger game what happened in that first period there was a hat trick a natural hat trick Andrew Kopp had three goals okay first period doesn't matter that's it's human nature to get excited and not even it was just a little you're not a fan but you're not a no the first couple times it was not a the first couple times the first couple times it was like a little yeah yeah uh-huh right okay so here's the details but you didn't answer my question you are prepared I'm prepared you okay be very very cordial Oh cordials not the question you're friendly you're cordial the question is whether or not you can refrain from appearing to be a fan no drooling I'm hoping you're not drooling over other men that is a good point that are dressed up and smoking cigars that would be weird okay so here we go kick off the biggest football weekend of the year with jaws and Brian Urlacher too bad Urlacher doesn't have a nickname that they'll put here in Las Vegas while supporting two great causes the jaws youth playbook and gridiron greats assistance fund this via wait a minute we have to work later I don't think you're allowed to smoke a cigar either you're just gonna have to suck it up not a big cigar guy okay good all right well they might give you one in the right setting they might give me a cigar I'm not gonna say no no oh Brian Urlacher does okay well let's hope that happens this VIP cigar party features premium cigars single malt scotch also which you're not allowed to partake in because we have to work a few hours later and many football celebrities in attendance throughout the evening general admission tickets oh so fans can buy tickets that's not us entry to the red carpet event where are we going to walk the red carpet I don't think that's a good idea oh shoot I wonder if I have to get a gown huh we're gonna have to figure out their dress code yeah absolutely if I have to get a gown that requires a whole different suitcase okay entry to the red carpet event premium open bar again we are not partaking it doesn't matter we're not partaking in that featuring blah blah blah Don Julio crown royal Johnny Walker Lala food stations oh there we go stations premium outdoor hors d'oeuvres that's us premium hors d'oeuvres I got so excited I couldn't even say it what kind of stations is there specific no no specifics here we go cigars included featuring the industry's top brands you might have to bring a cigar back to your dad does he a cigar person not really oh I have a best friend who loves cigars oh well there you go next birthday gift that's a good opportunity to mix and mingle with celebrities in attendance oh dear indoor outdoor venue smoking is not permitted indoors silent auction with one of a kind sports memorabilia bid now all guests must be 21 or older you can upgrade your experience with a sponsorship package which we're not doing let's see if we got a list of celebrities anywhere hmm oh would you like to know what the tickets cost yeah take a while I guess oh let's see Brian Urlacher mm-hmm 500 yes yeah you nailed it Wow $500 now here's the thing we can only go for an hour so we'd be paying $500 for an hour it's expensive okay so that is a first for both of us now I've been to Super Bowl parties in the past in fact when it was here in New York I went to multiple parties but I've never gone to the Ditka and Jaws Super Bowl VIP cigar party I want to know which celebrities so Mandalay Bay the logo it's like the M kind of looks like a wave a little bit is that the one that we're looking at no there's a line right through the M like which way like diagonally through the M no I don't think so okay let's figure out where this puppy's hosted then all right let's go a while even though what I do M logo Vegas hotel Las Vegas events Vegas events hotels and resorts oh it is the M resort they should not allow us in this party like we should not be allowed to go to this party oh goodness yes it's the M resort spa casino in Las Vegas yeah I feel like this is not something that I should be allowed to attend I'm gonna be pretending for all that I'm worth a boutique hotel spa and casino in Henderson Nevada all right yeah I don't know I guess we're gonna have to get a ride we're gonna have to hitch her oh it's gorgeous though we're gonna have to hitch a ride I only want to look and see what the different rooms cost so anyway if you would like to go there's a ticket with your name on it I didn't ask whether or not we're required to pay the $500 per mm-hmm should I just assume it's a gift I think we'll go with you think just assume it's a gift walking likely on the place so I obviously got a ticket for you because mark said to me in the text how many tickets so I was thinking well of course Jada are going and then I thought okay do I take the hubs I think Bob would like to go okay so Bob is also getting a ticket this could be the last time he ever goes to an event with me where we weird again there's no jaws a game worried about mouths agape well he probably won't know who's even there so so there I'm not worried about him really cuz he'll just kind of be quiet and escort me around who's that guy that's Brian or lacquer I'm what are the chances you and I don't even recognize the people who are there I know that this party is frequently attended by Hall of Famers so that's kind of the deal is Mike Ditka he and jaws attract quite the celebrities from the football world so there will be a lot of Hall of Famers there marks told me stories before where they walk her out of their gold jackets ooh so that'll be fun that's pretty cool so that'll be our last night before we do the show we'll have three shows from Las Vegas Tuesday night Wednesday night Thursday night we will be there hosting the show from our Vegas affiliate though we will be on radio road during the daytime and one of these four teams from the AFC will be there the Bills the Chiefs the Texans the Ravens one of these four teams the Packers the Niners the Buccaneers the Lions will be there from the NFC you guys we're getting so close down to the nitty gritty if you have any recommendations for Jay and I as we pretend to rub elbows with celebrities without losing our marbles or looking like dodos that would be certainly welcome I mean I figure if I can interview Troy Aikman and have people standing in a huge circle around us staring at us and taking photos I can handle this I think so except Mike get Mike Ditka is amazing I know jaws cuz I worked with him in my previous network I don't know Ditka so this will be fun are you excited I can't wait I don't know any of them so yeah are you gonna walk up and introduce yourself I almost say hi my name is Jay hi I wait are you gonna go with Jay or James oh gosh probably Jay you think we'll see how formal it is hmm if it's just like a really classy I might have to go with James just for like the setting should I introduce the hubs as Bob just just so just so it we stick with the with the incognito would he like that no well I don't I think he would laugh but it doesn't it doesn't matter no those people are gonna have any idea who I am Mark Singleton you Bob and jaws will be the only people who have any idea who I am so it's okay we get to blend and be flies on the wall the proverbial flies on the wall are you gonna snap photos in your phone and and like hold your phone down near you know no I'm gonna do that you know I'm not going only because I'm not good at it I've tried that's sneaky so are you gonna take photos then if the opportunity presents yeah all right with people are of people with preferably a little less creepy but I don't do well with asking people for photos I love them but I'm not I'm not good I get very intimidated by asking people for anything other than an interview right and actually Mark said that if we wanted to we could set up there and do interviews that's cool oh that would be cool but do you really want to work though hmm depends on the the vibe the room oh okay there's like a big buzz maybe it'd be like a cool setting for like one or two but we just do our show from there let's do the whole thing why not at midnight they'll kick us out we'll be like okay show's over yeah you guys can go we're we've got a couple hours left all right on Twitter a law radio I've got any advice for walking the red carpet I've done it one time in my life that was in an award show this is completely different I think I'm gonna skip that part I want to make Jay walk Oh Jay walk what a great you'd walk the red carpet yeah by yourself sure or with Bob Bob wants to join me even better you and Bob give me besties I'm sure we're gonna hit it off yeah why you absolutely are you absolutely are this is gonna be great okay so we got to get ready for this three weeks from tonight we have to pretend to be really cool we do yeah it's we're gonna work on that we're gonna start that right now pretend but then I was like yeah we do it's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on see every year one thing is always predictable postage costs go up stamps calm gives you crazy discounts of up to 89% off USPS and UPS services so your business will barely notice the change stamps calm has been indispensable for over 1 million businesses just like yours it's like your own personal post office no lines no traffic no waiting sign up with promo code program for a four-week trial plus free postage and a free digital scale no long-term commitments or contracts that stamps calm code program psport radio you are listening to the after-hours podcast feel like you've done a tremendous job you know you know everything that you know I guess all things you know in consideration it's kind of hard a lot of you know media people against you all outside noise and I think you did a really good job I mean he helped me a lot you know with my career and I feel like you know I learned a lot with them I've had the season that I've had because of him with this team's had the success that they've had because of him and I understand it's about winning the Super Bowl and and that that's the standard of the league and damn sure the standard of this place this is after-hours with Amy Lawrence the voices of Jordan Lewis and then Jack Prescott endorsing Mike McCarthy to remain as the head coach of the Cowboys and that's exactly what Jerry Jones chose to do and he released a statement on Wednesday evening we haven't heard his voice yet but we now have heard from Mike McCarthy about what was an extensive meeting with Jones following their we'll call it embarrassing lost the Packers last weekend long meeting I think we went probably a little bit past three hours we talked about a number of topics I mean the first topic was obviously the disappointment of the ending of the season you know went through all the layers of that then we talked about pretty much everything in a football program okay but what we really want to know is how much was about the disappointment and how much was about what happens next we went to the whole course you know I went back through you know things that we felt may have factored and like I said the disappointment component had a lot of layers to it so we went through all those layers and then we talked about personnel and coaches and everything involved so business affairs so like I said it was a it was a long productive conversation I know there are a lot of Cowboys fans who are disappointed who believe that Mike McCarthy is not the best man for the job that in the biggest games now remember he's a Super Bowl winning head coach people point to Bill Belichick who obviously has six no one has more than that people point to Mike Vrabel younger fresh blood what about a Jim Harbaugh blah blah blah on and on but the team is thriving under McCarthy they just have not performed well for the most part in the postseason so then with the backing of Jerry Jones and that job security how does he feel emotionally is there some relief this is what I do you know it's tough no no doubt about it I think when you have the opportunity sit down and talk to every player every coach that's what Monday Tuesday and Wednesday was and then really shifted from the player exit interviews right up to you know the conversation with Jerry so yeah I mean it's yeah I mean to say it's not emotional would of course it is I think it's being kept an obvious but yeah the family part of it is the only the only part that I did concerns me everything else is I have great confidence and you know who I am as a man and you know who I am as a coach but the personal part of it is a challenge heading into his fifth season he's got a year left on his contract and of course similar to say Mike Tomlin he was asked about that final year and how you approach it when you're lame duck now that that was the phrase that they used but I characterize it like that I think the biggest thing is you know and I've been asked this for 20 years or however long those questions pretend I've never talked about a player's contract coach's contract I mean I'm not gonna start today but I will say I am very confident in the direct direction and I like where we are you know as far as moving forward so I'm very confident where I am he and Mike Tomlin said a lot of the same things not so much from Tomlin about the team is poised on the edge we've got all the tools we need which is something that we heard from McCarthy we're there we just have to put it together Tomlin not speaking in those particular terms but also speaking about how confident he is as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers it's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio certainly disappointment over the way that the Cowboys finished and he said the same thing Mike Tomlin used the word sucks a bunch of times so you'll hear from him coming up but what gives McCarthy any sense that these Cowboys have more in them we have established a you know a championship program it's just not the world championship yet we know how to win we know how to train to win we have the we have the right people but we have not crossed the threshold winning playoff games and it's extremely disappointing to be sitting here talking about it but you know I know how to win and we will get over that threshold I have total confidence in it and that's why I'm standing here today so that was his way of putting it the confidence listen to Mike Tomlin because he just has a different way about his press conferences communications 51 years of life. I mentioned that I think in this setting earlier I'm not lacking confidence in my ability to do the job while at the same time there's frustration because I want that confetti for this group and so whatever we got to do to do it whatever changes need to be made I'm open to it such a difference between men and women I'm 51 years old he just out and says it I'm 51 years old I've lived a lot of life I got a lot of confidence in myself alright then let's get that off the table you'll hear more from Mike Tomlin coming up but one more from Mike McCarthy because he was asked why should fans trust him moving forward I believe that the direction you know the leadership everything is in place and I'm not very comfortable talking about myself but I came here to win a championship I didn't come here to get another contract or anything other than that I came to Dallas to win the World Championship and that's why I'm standing here and buy into us buy into us that's a good drop hopefully the hearts of Cowboys fans did not drop buy into us we haven't officially heard anything from Philadelphia but I don't expect any type of a change I just the reaction from the players themselves in their exit interviews now Jay seems to differ on this fact because he kind of felt like with the Cowboys the longer there was silence the more that meant that McCarthy could get the axe Marco Belletti is here in studio what do you think about Philadelphia since we now have Dallas question answered I still feel like they will probably give Sirianni another year I think they're still trying to figure it out though because it's a little bit different Dallas was a bitter disappointment but it was in one fell swoop it was like a punch in the face this Philly thing has been going on for a long time so if they didn't realize wait what's been going on for a long time they have I mean they've lost six out of seven and you can see the train rolling off the track you mean the last month and a half yeah and it wasn't an accident like it wasn't where you were watching the Bucks game and you were stunned I think a lot of us were stunned when we saw the Cowboys getting beat up by the Packers because you thought I mean that was a game that they should have won the Eagles walked into that Monday night playoff game with I don't know maybe they can get it back so I think that it was a little bit longer so I feel like the conversation should have been had by now and I feel like they should have known what they wanted to do the Jerry Jones thing was more of a again punched in the face where another disappointment what are we doing and it was a conversation they had to have that day as opposed to for the last six weeks yeah I think that we get so emotional after playoff losses and as you point out it wasn't a massive surprise maybe more how lopsided it was and the fact that the Buccaneers were able to score relatively easily so that part sure the Eagles didn't show yeah but not the Eagles losing I mean they weren't even the home team in that game so that part I get the part that I think as you point out that surprising is how quickly they went from ten and one to out to OUT you're out right and again but it's not a surprise that they lost to the game because of the way the last couple of months have been but in reality when you step back and you go the Eagles lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs that should be an alarm because you are uber talented compared to what the Bucks have and they didn't just beat you poor Baker they don't really care dominated you did that game was over it felt like two series in you could see the Philly was looking around they had that look on their face for the last six seven weeks what the hell is wrong that's the problem it's not that you lost sometimes it's not well you go hockey queen every game I know but it's how you lose it's how you perform it's how you're unprepared for the moment that was the problem for the Eagles so we're waiting on Philadelphia I don't expect to change some people still are clamoring it for for it to happen but at the very least we know Dallas and we know Pittsburgh again much of the chagrin of a vocal segment of Steelers nation that is desperate for a change but it's not on this day. What is the after hours game of the week Marco I'm going Packers and Niners though this is my favorite weekend of football and I've already warned the hubs date nights Friday don't mess with Saturday or Sunday in a manner of speaking you can watch football with me though if you like I think the game that I'm the most intrigued I think is the bills and the Chiefs just to see if the bills could get over the hump the game that is the sneaky best game for me and the one that I'm looking forward to the most Texans in Baltimore. I'm all in on Houston I am completely all in and I'm a little concerned with Baltimore getting this team it's going to walk in with zero pressure you know it's a playoffs and so they know that they're on house money and they know that they got a ton of confidence and CJ Stroud is not only that good he's also young enough that he doesn't get it. And Baltimore has all the pressure in the world and they're off the bye week it's great to heal up but it also maybe takes you a couple seconds to get going and if you get going and the Texans are jump all over you that home crowd turns against you and it becomes anxious and it's different.

So I'm really looking forward to that game. Alright that's the first one actually Texans Ravens kicks off on Saturday at 4.30 Eastern time which is 4.30 Baltimore time so 3.30 for Houston fans and then it's Packers Niners that comes up in the second half of that doubleheader. We've got the poll up on Twitter after hours CBS the healthy poll already lots of early votes coming in also on our Facebook page and top of the hour Tracy Sandler from the Bay Area to talk about the Niners coming off of their bye week but Mike Tomlin I suck it sucks we all suck we didn't quite say it like that but there was a lot of sucks in his press conference and some humor because he's cool.

You are listening to the after hours podcast. I want to play for Mike Tio is using my contract boxes. I don't want to play for anybody other than Mike T. This is after hours with Amy Lawrence. The voice of TJ Watt said this on last night's show and that's obviously a ringing endorsement from TJ one of the best players in the NFL forget offense or defense. If you're the Rooney family and TJ Watt says to you hey I don't want to play for anyone other than Mike T. and during exit interviews whether or not the front office and the ownership. Takes into account or takes the advice of or listens to the players about who they want to coach or or doesn't want to coach. Still the input is there and that's what exit interviews are all about to try to get the pulse and the temperature of a locker room from the players and so if you hear a TJ Watt saying, Oh yeah, I love Mike T. That was part of the reason that I signed a contract.

I don't want to play for anyone other than Mike T. Well that goes a long way with the Rooney family. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Now the last we saw of Mike Tomlin before Thursday was the side of his head as a reporter brought up his contract and he walked off the podium. Good afternoon. I'm in a little better mood today man.

Anybody got any contract questions? I'll say this. I certainly could have handled that situation better than I did, but I'll also say this. I just believe there's a time and place for everything and postgame press conferences are probably not the place to address contract issues and things of that nature.

It's just a very individual thing and on game day I doubt any of us are in that mindset. Certainly I am not. I'm in a better mood today, but we need that as a drop.

Producer J. Good afternoon. I'm in a better mood today. He did have a smile on his face too if you haven't seen it. Just kind of a sly, little bit playful, mischievous smile on the face of Mike Tomlin.

But don't for a second think that means he's over the loss or he's fine with the fact that the Steelers were ousted by Buffalo. It all sucks. It does. There's not degrees of suck. It all sucks. I'd rather be working. The thought of going to Mobile turns my stomach. Not that I dislike Mobile, but I know what it's like when you're working and you're not in Mobile.

It's a really good feeling to be in that tournament as the road gets narrow and to be living out the things that you aspire to live out over the last 12 months. And so it's not us. And it sucks.

I told you he used that word a bunch. Turns my stomach. It all sucks. So he went from good afternoon. I'm in a much better mood today. Well, why'd you have to bring that up? It all sucks.

And it sucks. I can understand as much as the pain might not be quite so fresh. The wound might not be so open and exposed. And there is some closure, if you want to use that word, to having this whole contract talk, contract question be addressed and hopefully put behind him. At the same time, he's standing there in front of a microphone, not talking about a game, but talking about his future.

As in the offseason has already arrived. But yeah, he's got no qualms, nor does he have any, it seems like, any room for doubt about his tenure in Pittsburgh. Yes, I expect to be back. And I would imagine that those contract things are going to run their course, man. Art and I have a really good, transparent relationship.

We communicate continually often. I don't imagine it's going to be an issue. And I imagine it's going to get done in a timely manner at the appropriate time. But, you know, my mindset is to coach this football team, certainly. And the reports are that in addition to him coaching out or coaching into the final year of his contract, that they should be working on a contract extension. Not that you would expect to hear that from him.

Do you know something that dawned on me recently? I heard someone else mention it. I was like, Yeah, we have no idea how much money he makes as the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's how much they keep it under wraps. Same thing with Belichick and the Patriots. They never talked about that.

We didn't even know he signed a contract extension last year. Okay, so here are the questions, though, about quarterback. Can he pick it? There will be competition. There's always competition in this thing.

We don't anoint anyone. Man, I'm appreciative of his efforts and where he is and excited about continuing to work with him. But certainly, he will be challenged from a competition perspective moving forward. Competition brings the best out in all of us.

All right. Well, what does that mean about Mason Rudolph, who obviously is facing his own uncertain future, as he told us? He is a free agent and it is free agency. And so we'll see where that leads us.

He is a free agent and it is free agency. I love that. You know what? He doesn't bother to mince words. Good afternoon.

Well, that's not true. Sometimes he does, in fact, use the flowery language. We're so appreciative. Sometimes we get flowery Mike Tomlin. But yesterday, not so much. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio.