JR SportBrief Hour 1

It is! The JR Sportbrief Show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. I'm coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Super producer and host Ryan Hickey. He's holding it down for us in New York City. And you could be wherever you're at, but thank you for listening. On the free Odyssey app, your local CBS Sports Radio affiliate, Sirius XM Channel 158, and everybody locked in on a smart speaker.

If you got one, all you got to do is ask it to play CBS Sports Radio. This is the beginning of the show. Every single weeknight at 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 Pacific. It's a Thursday. We're two days away from NFL Divisional Round Weekend.

They call it Wild Card Weekend, I can call this one Divisional Weekend, right? We got plenty that we will get into here over the next four hours. Mike Tomlin spoke to the media today. Seemed to be in a little better mood than when he was eliminated on Monday night by the Buffalo Bills. We'll hear from Mike McCarthy momentarily. Mike McCarthy spoke to the media today after, I don't know, just, you know, still sticking around, still got a job as of yesterday. So Mike McCarthy spoke to the media and gave some thoughts about what the Dallas Cowboys are going to do moving forward. We're going to have a conversation with Ryan Wood. A matter of fact, he's going to join us in about 20 minutes. He holds it down, covering the Packers for USA Today.

That'll be a great conversation. We're going to take a look, a real look forward to some of the games this upcoming weekend. I really want to pay attention to a man who we really haven't heard a lot about this season or even this postseason. He hasn't played yet. It's Brock Purdy. The last time we saw Brock Purdy in the postseason, he was one step away from the Super Bowl until Hassan Reddick decided to swipe at his arm and he tore his UCL. We'll talk about Brock Purdy. Todd Bowles was asked one of the dumbest questions that you will ever hear by any reporter.

Speaking of reporters, the head coach for Texas, Rodney Terry, Texas basketball. He decided to let some of the opposition know last night he found some of their actions postgame. There's some of their celebrations to be classless.

He told them to their face with a few expletives. We're going to talk about whether or not some of this taunting is is classless or whether it's just part of the game. DeAndre Ayton couldn't make it to his game yesterday. He wasn't hurt.

It was ice. We're going to talk about the Lions. Detroit is ready for the city.

I don't know if the city is able to afford it. We got the musicians announced for the Super Bowl. I know Usher is going to do halftime. Reba McEntire is going to pop out and Post Malone is going to pop out.

This is a quite eclectic group. We're going to talk about it. So you're here at the right time. If you want to talk to me and or participate in the show, knock yourself out. Feel free. It's eight five five two one two four CBS.

That's eight five five two one two four CBS. You can find me on the Internet. I am at J.R. Sport Brief all over the damn place.

So if you've got social media and you sit around looking at X, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, tick tock, your talk, all talk. I'm on all those places. I am at J.R.

Sport Brief. So go ahead and knock yourself out. Super producer and host Ryan Hickey. How are you doing on this Thursday, man? You hanging in there? I am hanging in doing well today, J.R. Thank you.

Oh, good. Well, what's new, man? What's what's going on? Nothing. It's Thursday. We pulling up closer to the weekend.

What's the good word? What is new? I hate to say my life is pretty boring. So between yesterday and today, honestly, nothing, nothing really new. You didn't see anything on the subway. You didn't run into anybody.

Nothing got sucked out of an airplane went nothing. No, which is, you know, I know rare. So I'll take that as a W. Usually it's right.

You see some. Crackhead, you don't want to be around doing so. I shouldn't be doing. Whoa.

What, like that in the office? No, no, no, no. Oh, oh, oh, subway. Sorry. OK. I didn't know me of New York City.

No crackheads here at CBS Sports Radio. None that we're aware of. OK. Yeah, I don't. Well, I don't. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what people do with their other extra time, Ryan, but I don't ask any questions. They are like so when you're out of the office, you do what you want to do when I'm back up in a New York office. I'll ask and do some investigating. Yeah, it's I think we do need a breakdown here. You know, OK, I know I'm on it. What is it?

About one hundred, one hundred fifty people in the office in New York. Yeah, around there. So it could take you a little bit. But yeah, if I wanted to listen, investigative journalism is my forte. And I'm going to get on it. But to kind of move on now from the whatever's going on, it's New York. Let's look at Dallas, because I have no idea what the owner of the Dallas Cowboys is doing. But I think he might be on something because we announced it live on the show.

What are we about? Midway through the show, right? When the news came down about Mike McCarthy. Midway, right? I think it's like right at eight o'clock.

So I think smack dab right in the middle of the show, right in the middle of the show. We learned that Mike McCarthy is back. We got this stupid release from Jerry Jones. He said it's not all Mike McCarthy's fault. Mike McCarthy is a winning coach.

And, you know, we believe in continuity here. And Ryan Hickey came up with an excellent point that it's probably more about Jerry Jones. Liking and loving power and having too big of an ego, having a coach around that he can continue to bully. And so whatever the hell he wants, having a coach around that he can kind of threaten on the side and tell people, well, yeah, man, if you ain't winning, we're going to give you the boot. So Mike McCarthy is running into the final season of his contract. And yes, Mike McCarthy has been the most successful coach with via winning percentage in Dallas Cowboys history. That's a number that is a stat that was bandied about by Jerry Jones.

Well, damn it. With a 63 percent win percentage, he's only been a coach for four damn years. He walked in and yet they lost out of six intense season.

That was disastrous. The defense was crap. The worst defense ever in Dallas Cowboys history. And then Mike McCarthy's able to go twelve and five, three consecutive years. But who gives a damn about the winning percentage when you're going into the postseason and you're losing to the forty niners? It seems that every chance and every opportunity in this time, this season, this past Sunday, you got got by the Packers losing 48 to 32.

Oh, yeah. And by the way, about that winning percentage, only four years. There was a guy. His name was Tom Landry. He was around for almost 30 years and he had a win percentage of 60. So spare me on the highest winning percentage, this or that. And oh, yeah, that Landry guy.

He also teamed up with some other dude named Starbuck and ended up with two championships. So the idea that Mike McCarthy is just one and one and one and one and one some more. Spare me. Tell me when Mike McCarthy wins, when it matters.

Damn it. So Mike McCarthy spoke to the media and he had a lot of explaining to do and not even explaining, explaining. That's what the kids say. No, literally like children like explain this. Explain.

It's what someone who might be a little slow says, someone who's, you know, not as quick on the trigger, someone who has to take a little bit more time to come up with a thought. And that's what Mike McCarthy sounded like today. First things first, Mike McCarthy said he had a message to the fans as to why they should believe in him and the team. And this is what he said.

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 buying to us. He believes a championship is coming. He came to Dallas to win a championship. He wants the fans of the Dallas Cowboys and the Metroplex and across America, America's team, this and that.

He wants them to buy into them because they're competing for a championship. Well, so is all the other teams. And for the Dallas Cowboys, every single season and God bless them since he arrived on the scene, their defense has improved. The Dallas Cowboys year after year after year, they throw out one of the best offenses in the game. Their defense is typically one of the best. And when it comes down to scoring, why can't they win?

What's the hold up? Well, unfortunately, I think one of them is the quarterback in Dak Prescott, who kind of shrivels up when the biggest moments come in the lights are the brightest. And the other one is the coach. I don't think Mike McCarthy is ultimately motivating these dudes to do anything. I think the play calling lacks a little bit of balance.

I mean, it shouldn't be. Hey, Dak, we threw all all regular season long. Let's keep on throwing.

I don't think that works. Not for a quarterback ill equipped to do so. Dak is good. I believe still he can be championship good, but he shouldn't be throwing a ball around all the damn time like he is Patrick Mahomes, like he's Tom Brady.

That's not him. The offense needs more balance. Mike McCarthy continued on. He said, yes, we're we're competing for a Super Bowl. That's why you should buy in and that's why you should believe in us. But then he said he has full confidence he can win it all with the Cowboys.

My message would be this. We have established, 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 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 and we will get over that threshold.

You know, I have total confidence and that's why I'm standing here today. What? The first part of what he said. Ryan, did he did he say world champion? Did he say world championship? Is that what he said?

World championship. Let's let's listen to that again. I want to hear the beginning.

Let's hear that. I'll let you know when to stop it. Stop. We've established a championship program, but not the world champion. What is this? Is this football? Is this the NFL or is this boxing? Like I didn't know there were levels to the championship the last time I looked.

There's one. How the hell could you call yourself a championship program? Wake me up when you win one.

Win one win one time, please. The Kansas City Chiefs to me, they look like a championship program. The New England Patriots, they were removed from it by a few years. But for 20 years, they were a championship program. I mean, dare I say and not the Eagles, but maybe a team that even popped up in a Super Bowl. We can call them a championship competing program. We can do better than that, man. Twelve and five every year doesn't make you a championship program.

That ain't it. The Dallas Cowboys are a good program. They're good at a tease. The Dallas Cowboys are good at showing up to the dance and leaving with nobody. They're a disappointment. The Dallas Cowboys are. Well, my my analogy was was better served for my my old slot.

But the Dallas Cowboys are a tease. Let's just put it that way. You think you're getting something. Think you might have something. You wake up. Well, no, you don't wake up, but you don't even go anywhere.

Nothing happens. A tease. You got robbed.

You were invested into someone or something. And you got nothing in return. It looks good. You think it's going good.

You think it's going well. And you get nothing. That ain't no championship program. That's a shame. That's a tease.

But you know what? People show up year after year after year because I guess at some point it has to happen, right? At some point, a broken clock is correct.

You know, twice a day, the Dallas Cowboys are going to strike gold one time, right? It's been since nineteen ninety six. We are pushing. This sounds crazy.

This sounds nuts. I'm going to say it, though. We are pushing 30 years, not 20 anymore. Thirty years. Jerry Jones talks about his own mortality. And we're supposed to believe that Mike McCarthy in his final year as coach, a lame duck coach, no contract extension. He's just coming back.

Got more pressure on his back. Mike McCarthy said, I worry about my final year coaching. 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 going to 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 I'm very confident where I am. Ah, he shouldn't be. I mean, yeah, financially, I'm going to be worried about nothing. But when it comes down to coaching the Dallas Cowboys, oh, man, you should be worried. Your ass was on the line for several days and you got saved because Jerry Jones, he wants someone a little bit more docile that he can control.

But your ass is on the line, man. Mike McCarthy is back. And I got to tell you, his press conference today, there wasn't a word. I think that was going to, you know, turn it into a positive. But the words that came out of his mouth, per Chris Tucker.

They didn't help his cause. Mike McCarthy looks just as ridiculous today. As he looked three, four days ago in the Dallas Cowboys, I told you about that broken clock. I ain't got no confidence that they're going to turn things around. Let's see what they do in the off season. Let's see what big moves they make. Unfortunately, management is still there. Ownership is still there. The coach is still there.

I don't know if there's a big enough splash. It's the J.R. sport we show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. We are just getting warmed up. We're going to take a break when we come back on the other side. We're going to have a conversation about the team that just eliminated the Dallas Cowboys. We're going to talk about the Green Bay Packers.

Yeah, a team still competing in the postseason. Joining us on the other side, Packers reporter for USA Today, Ryan Wood. We're warming up. It's the J.R. sport brief show on CBS Sports Radio. You're listening to the J.R. sport brief on CBS Sports Radio.

It's the J.R. sport brief show here on CBS Sports Radio. Right before we went to break, we talked about Mike McCarthy didn't necessarily have the most encouraging of press conferences. Now that we know he will be returning as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. But right now, I want to talk about the team that eliminated the Dallas Cowboys, gave them a good old ass whooping.

And they're going to be moving on to take on the San Francisco 49ers this Saturday night. Joining us right now representing USA Today is Packers reporter Ryan Wood. Ryan, thank you for taking the time to hop on. Appreciate it.

Absolutely. How's it going? Listen, man, I don't got to complain in the world.

You got anything to complain about? You know, it's really cold up here in the Tundra. So if you want it, you know, we got 16 inches of snow right now.

A lot of shoveling. But otherwise, no, we're good. That's good exercise.

No. Well, I'm just trying to be optimistic here. Well, something everybody in the frozen Tundra is optimistic about is those Green Bay Packers. Ryan, we saw this team start off terribly three and six. They won, I believe, like seven out of their last ten. Now they're on a four game winning streak.

Jordan Love has elevated himself into being one of the top quarterbacks in the damn game. What happened? What switch flipped? How did we get here? It's a great question because it's not so much stunning how far they've come. They've come a far way. I want you to picture that offense that dropped over 40 points on the Cowboys last week. What you saw there, there was a time this season, J.R., this offense went five straight games without scoring a touchdown in the first half. Same offense, same season. But that's not the stunning part.

What's stunning, this all changed overnight. You go back to a mid-November loss in Pittsburgh and it was another defeat. It looked like their season was over. Matt Leflore felt like they saw something. He ended his press conference saying, I promise we stick to the process.

We're going to come out on the other side of this thing. Their next three games were Justin Herbert, a road game on Thanksgiving to Detroit, and then Patrick Mahomes in their own place. It looked like that was 0-3. There's no chance they're winning one of these games.

They win all three. There was no warning for that. There was no real, OK, there's something to be... From the outside, it happened overnight and it's just been a night and day difference to where they're at now, where they're dropping 40-plus points on the Dallas Cowboys, a good defense at home. It's pretty stunning to see. And when it comes down to Jordan Love specifically, I know you've paid great attention and detail to how he's evolved as a passer and a quarterback.

What have you noticed? Just take this past game for an example. The big issue in Jordan Love's game, especially early in the season, was throwing the football downfield.

Anything in the short and intermediate, you could see the talent. He knew the offense well, very quick with his progressions, he got it to the right guy. But the deep ball just wasn't there. The last game, targeting 20-plus yards past the line of scrimmage, Jordan Love was 4-5 against the Cowboys for 126 yards, two touchdowns, and a perfect 158.3 rating. Part of that, too, is when you've got these longer developing routes, when you've got to hold on to the ball a little bit more, you're going to get rushed more, you're going to get hit, you're going to get hurried. For a young quarterback, that could be a big learning hurdle to get past. Against the Cowboys, Jordan Love, in a dirty pocket, he's hit or hurried, he was 8-9 for 174 yards, two touchdowns.

That's a 158.3 rating. So we're talking about astronomical growth here. It's week after week, his development has been exponential.

And when you look at him and the team as a whole, and this is the youngest roster in the NFL, we don't know how good they are actually right now. Because of that exponential growth week after week, there might be another level that we haven't even seen yet. Or there might not be. We don't know. There's no crystal ball to see what's next. But if you look at the way that this team's been trending the last two months, it's been straight north.

So we'll have to see. This is going to be a formidable test obviously in San Francisco. As Matt LaFleur said this week, the 49ers are the class of the NFC, this is an elite team in the NFL, both sides of the ball, but that defense is fierce, it's nasty. But the Packers and Jordan Love, they've been handling good defenses in the case of Dallas, dropping over 40 points on their head.

So it's been pretty stunning. Ryan Wood is joining us. Packers reporter for USA Today is the JR Sport Reshow on CBS Sports Radio. When you talk about that matchup against the Niners, we know about the defense, we know about all of the talented weapons that they have on offense. What does Green Bay need to do to be competitive to try to surprise everybody and win this game as well? They need to start fast. Matt LaFleur, one of the things that he's done to adjust to this offense and get them to start fast, when he's won the coin toss, he started to take the ball. No deferring to the second half.

We want the ball and go try to score. They did that last week. They had their first drive ate up more than half the first quarter. They start with a 7-0 lead against the Cowboys. This is going to be a really interesting first quarter because time and time again, not just Packers and 49ers, but you see this almost every year. That team that has the one seed wrapped up and maybe shuts down their starters the last week of the regular season, comes off the bye against a team that has been in playoff mode not just when the playoffs start, but to get into the playoffs. The Packers don't win down in Carolina on Christmas Eve. Their season ends then.

They don't get here. They've won four straight games and they've had to win all four of those games. They've been in this playoff mode for a month now. And if they get a fast start, all of a sudden the Packers defense, it doesn't quite nullify the running game, but it's a lot different being up 7-0 against Christian McCaffrey than being down 7-0 against Christian McCaffrey. Just what they can do, and the Packers know full well that this Kyle Shanahan offense, you give them a lead, they'll run it all day. 2019 NFC Championship game, Jimmy Garoppolo throws eight passes.

That's all he needs to throw. When they go to the soup bowl, they blow out the Packers by running the ball. This Packers team is very aware of what can happen if they don't start fast, but the circumstances align for them to maybe get a fast start, and that kind of changed the tone of this game a little bit.

Ryan Wood is here with us from USA Today. You talk about this being the youngest squad in the NFL. We all know about Jordan Love. Are there other players of note on the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side of the ball that we should really pay attention to as they get ready to take on these Niners? Yeah, that's a great point, because you look at the supporting cast around Jordan Love, not a single receiver has been in this league for more than two years. This is not just a first-year starting quarterback.

It's the youngest roster in the NFL. That means the supporting cast, Jayden Reed, their rookie second-round pick, the slot receiver, who's kind of like a rookie Deebo Samuel. I asked Jayden Reed today if Deebo Samuel is a guy that he's molded his game off of at all, and he's like, yeah, I've been watching film, studying film of Deebo Samuel since college, because he's the type of guy that not only the routes that he runs out of the slot, the middle-of-the-field production, but he can take a handoff and he can take it to the house. He can do a lot of different things for Jayden Reed, but his production this season, it's been statistically the finest rookie year of any Packers receiver in their history, and that's saying something, because they've had some guys come through this organization at that position. He broke Sterling Sharp's rookie receptions record set in 1988.

Matt Leflore calls him a war daddy. He's got that toughness, not the biggest guy, but plays bigger than his size, and his production this season has been really good. But the Packers went the first 15 games this season without a 100-yard receiver. They've had a 100-yard receiver each of the past three weeks, and it's been a different receiver each of the past three weeks. It was Bo Melton in Minnesota. It was Jayden Reed against Chicago. Last week, Romeo Dobbs drops 151 yards on the Cowboys.

The depth that Jordan Love has in his skill set, it's as deep as I've seen here. Well, Ryan, is it too late for me to get in on the action? I don't got no catches. I'm pretty young.

Is it too late for me to get down? You know, the thing about Jordan Love, he doesn't care who he throws it to. He runs the offense as is, which is a bit of a departure here than what the Packers and this coaching staff had in the past.

There's no going off script. It is Matt Leflore's offense. Jordan Love runs the offense. If you're open, you're getting the ball.

It doesn't matter who you are. You get the ball if you're open, and that's been a big part of their success this season. You know, Ryan, let me ask you this.

You talk about how there's an even distribution of the ball. I get a lot of callers from Wisconsin who are also thrilled at the lack of distractions surrounding this team. How far in the rearview mirror is that guy named Aaron Rodgers?

Let's just put it this way. When you can get elite quarterback play, which is what they've gotten from Jordan Love in the second half of the season, his last eight or nine games, 21 touchdowns, one pick, that's as good as it gets. Without the elite quarterback headaches, that's a good thing.

Jordan Love, he's operated almost like a rookie. He doesn't say much. He can be kind of boring sometimes, but that's a relief. He's boring in the best way, because there's not those off-field, what our quarterbacks say on the Pat McAfee show again this week, right?

No darkness retreats. You get that elite quarterback play without the headaches that come from elite quarterback play, that's a good thing. Without a shadow of a doubt, what are your ultimate thoughts on this game this upcoming Saturday night? You know, the 49ers should be favored. They're the better team on paper. And again, Matt Lefler's absolutely right when he says this is the class at the NFC. Both sides of the ball, that's a juggernaut of a team.

I've seen this type of matchup. It was the same thing two years ago when the Packers were the number one seed in Lambeau Field, and they're hosting the 49ers who are coming off a wild-card win in Dallas. And their season ends there, because they had to shake off this rust. The 49ers had been at the sixth seed in that playoff. I think, what's the line now? I know it opened at 10 points.

That's crazy to me. I love the Packers on the points. I think this is going to be a close game. And it's not, because of the rust versus that playoff mindset, it's not a great matchup for the 49ers. I think it's going to be very interesting if the 49ers start well, okay, they put the Packers in the rear view. But if the Packers do start well, there's some rust early in this game. I think it's going to be very interesting for four quarters.

Okay. Well, we're certainly going to be intently watching and paying attention. Ryan Wood joining us from USA Today. Where can people keep up with you and all of your coverage with the NFL and the Packers?

Hey, everything is on packardews.com, and then make sure you check me out on Twitter, at byryanwood. Hey, Ryan, thank you for taking the time to hop on, and don't shovel too much, okay? Just let it pile up for a little while longer. Yeah, keep that back nice and fresh, right?

Use your legs, it'll get done eventually. I hear that. Listen, be safe and be cool, all right? Thank you, Ryan.

All right, take care. No doubt about it. That Ryan Wood, once again, Packers reporter for USA Today. Yeah, the 49ers are going to be favorite. And they've been just relatively quiet, or not they've been, let me not put it that way. When you're at the top, like there's an expectation that you just go out there and win. There's an expectation that, you know, you go through the regular season, you beat up on people, but what are you going to do come playoff time? And when you end up with the number one overall seed, and you're missing in wildcard action, and you go through the regular season without controversy, without major injury, people pay attention at the end. They're going to be expected to go out there and beat the Packers, who have been talked about a lot, especially after beating the Dallas Cowboys, and being hot right now. Four straight victories with a quarterback who's getting his first full run as an NFL quarterback, and apparently, and already is, one of the best in the game.

He is certainly one of the best playing right now, and that's Jordan Love. J.R. Sportbrief Show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. We're going to spend more time talking about these quiet Niners at the top of the hour.

How did they get here? And this dude, he's been real quiet. You don't hear a lot about or from him. I guess he still is Mr.

Irrelevant. It's Brock Purdy. 855-212-4CBS, that's 855-212-4CBS. On the other side of the break, we heard from Mike McCarthy to start the show. We're going to end this first hour by listening to the Steelers head coach, because Mike Tomlin, maybe he evoked a little bit more positivity from his press conference, or maybe he was a comedian. We'll hear Mike Tomlin on the other side. You're listening to the J.R. Sportbrief on CBS Sports Radio.

It's the J.R. Sportbrief Show here on CBS Sports Radio. Well, you love the show, and I love you back. It's as simple as that. I'm not afraid to say I love you back.

We could all use a little bit more love. It's easy. 855-212-4CBS, thank you so much to Ryan Wood. Joining us on the other side of the break represents USA Today covers all things Green Bay Packers. Reminding that the Packers, who have now won four straight games, they are the youngest team in the NFL. Jordan Love has elevated himself into being one of the best passers in the game, and that they will not go out there and just be a stepping stone, or just turn over, roll over for the San Francisco 49ers. So this should be a damn good watch come Saturday night.

I will be paying attention. We open by talking about Mike McCarthy. He held his press conference earlier today. He didn't evoke too much positivity. He didn't evoke too much confidence, if you have to ask me. A lot of, well, we're a championship organization.

We just haven't won a world championship. I'm like, oh my God. I know the PR person was just rolling their eyes going. Did he just say that? Is that what he told Jerry Jones? Hey, Ryan, what the hell did Mike McCarthy tell Jerry Jones to keep his job?

What did he say? That's a great question. I mean, hey, I won't steal the spotlight from you.

The show is still about you, Jerry. Oh, possibly. I don't know, did he say bring him Egg McMuffins? Probably, he probably said that too, right? Get your coffee and breakfast every single morning just the way you like it. No one else knows how to get your order the way you like it more than me.

Yeah, coffee, breakfast, Egg McMuffins. Maybe he's given Jerry Jones a foot rub. I have no idea. Whatever it takes to keep the job. Anyway, I don't know if this dude is handing out foot rubs. I don't know if he's kissing ass. He also said today that he has a great relationship with ownership and not a shock. I'm talking about Mike Tomlin.

We know that it was an entire crap show after he and the Steelers lost to the Buffalo Bills. He had that question where he was asked about his contract. He didn't answer, didn't say anything.

He decided to just walk off. And so in addressing the media today, Mike Tomlin, one of the first things that he pretty much said was, hey, we can talk about the contract stuff right now. He sounded like he was in a good mood.

Listen to this. Good afternoon. I'm in a little better mood today.

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. On game day, I doubt any of us are in that mindset.

Certainly I am not. Oh, OK. Yeah, that makes that makes sense. This is kind of like that reporter asking LeBron James about Ricky Rubio's retirement after LeBron James and his team just got the asses whooped. There's a time and there's a place. Look, reporters got questions. They want answers. They want stories. They want quotes.

They want the juice. Sometimes you got to wait. Mike Tomlin didn't give a response. I don't think the woman who asked that question was surprised by his response. Mike Tomlin continued on knowing that he is now entering into the final year of his contract, finishing up his 17th season, knowing that he has never had a losing season, knowing that overall he has the most regular season wins by a coach in NFL history.

I'll say that again. He has the ninth most wins by a coach in NFL history. Mike Tomlin says when it comes down to my contract. Yeah, I expect some things to happen this offseason.

Yes, I expect to be back. And I would imagine that those contract things are 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. Yeah. Wow. Well, that puts a bet, at least for now.

Right. All the conversations about how Mike Tomlin might step away and Mike Tomlin is a lame duck. Mike Tomlin is going to leave and it's time for Mike Tomlin to get fired. I guess everybody in Pittsburgh, well, at least the folks who want to get rid of Mike Tomlin.

They can pipe down for a little while. It doesn't appear that he's going anywhere. And if I would have told you that any coach would have had the success and the numbers that I just told you about. Seventeen seasons, never having a losing season. If I told you about the ninth most wins in NFL history.

I mean, this is somebody you want to give the boot. Fastest coach to win a Super Bowl in Steelers history. Youngest head coach at the time to win the Super Bowl.

He did it at age thirty six. And I know the NFL is a what have you done for me lately. But Mike Tomlin, to borrow a term, Conda Sorda from Tom Brady's ex-wife. My husband cannot throw and catch the ball. Mike Tomlin cannot coach the team and throw the rock. He can't. They need a quarterback. Kenny Pickett is not the guy. Mason is not the dude. And so Mike Tomlin was asked about the future and whether or not they're going to have a quarterback competition.

And this is what he said. He will, but obviously 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. That him he's referring to is Kenny Pickett. Kenny Pickett, who did not talk to the media to close out the season the next time anybody will hear from Kenny Pickett, presumably will be at OTAs.

And what is there to say? Kenny Pickett is just as likely to throw an interception as he is a touchdown. Kenny Pickett came back from his injury to his ankle after surgery. Kenny Pickett was available to play.

They didn't play him. I think Kenny Pickett also understands, yeah, that he's on notice and that he has to elevate his game because the experience of the Steelers. It really boils down to this and not everything that Mike Tomlin said that he was most direct when he talked about how this season ended.

He just said losing. Well, it sucks. It all sucks. It does. It's not degrees of suck.

It all sucks. OK. Ryan, you learn something new every day. There's there's no degrees. To be an ass, you just if you suck, you suck this.

There's no levels to it. I like that. There's no we're close.

It's you suck or you don't. No gray area. A little bit different from Mike McCarthy. Right.

And Mike McCarthy say we're a championship organization, but we haven't won the world. And that what he said? Yes. Try to dress it up like that. So just a little bit different.

It's a little different. Maybe maybe Mike McCarthy needs to listen to what Mike Tomlin said. There's no degrees to this.

You just suck. I hope he's playing that on loop in his in his office. Mike McCarthy.

I doubt it, though. It's probably busy giving Jerry Jones that foot rub. It's the J.R. Sportbree show here with you on CBS Sports Radio eight five five two one two four CBS.

It's eight five five two one two four. CBS on the other side of the break. We're going to talk about this team in action on Saturday night, getting ready to host these Green Bay Packers. We're going to talk about the forty niners and we're going to talk about this dude specifically because he's good. Nobody talks about him. It's Brock. Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant. Is he still irrelevant? We'll talk about it. It's the J.R. Sportbree show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. Let's pay some bills and we'll be right on back.