Gerry Dulac: Aaron Rodgers Is Who Mike Tomlin Wanted

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy. Just drop in some details about yourself and see if you're eligible to save money when you bundle your home and auto policies. The process only takes minutes, and it could mean hundreds more in your pocket. Visit progressive.com after this episode to see if you could save.

Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. With a Venmo debit card, you can Venmo more than just your friends.

You can use your balance in so many ways. You can Venmo everything. Need gas? You can Venmo this. How about snacks? You can Venmo that. Your favorite band's merch? You can Venmo this.

Or their next show? You can Venmo that. Visit venmo.me slash debit to learn more. You can Venmo this. Or you can Venmo that. You can Venmo this. Or you can Venmo that. You can Venmo that. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank in a pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated. Card may be used everywhere MasterCard is accepted.

Venmo purchase restrictions apply. This is the Rich Eisen Show. We're gonna go back in time. So then let's talk about the fit of Rogers and the Steelers, Jerry. How is Rogers a fit?

Rich, I really don't think he is. From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Rogers, he's gonna be a Pittsburgh Steeler.

And to that I say, awesome. Earlier on the show, ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Villas. Coming up, Steelers Radio Network host Jerry Dulak. Senior writer for the MMQB, Albert Breer. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Our number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Jerry Dulak of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and Steelers Radio will be joining us in 20 minutes time to tell us all that he knows about what's going on in Steelers camp now that Aaron Rodgers is in. Albert Breer will give us the rest of whatever Jerry might not be able to shed light on.

And everything else going on in the NFL. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial here on the program. Man, lots to talk about today. We'll take your phone calls in a second.

844-204 Rich is the number to dial here. It is a Monday. Let's get right to it, Chris Brockman. Oh, let's get right to it.

Let's go. Yeah, I know. Normally I don't get right to it, but I'll get right to it.

What? Because he's not gonna get right to it. Because he's gonna do a thing that's gonna, you know, we never just get right to anything. Well, he's my point.

I know that, but we've got to, you know, get everything prepared. Hit it. Hit it. That was terrible. That was crap.

That was garbage. This place sucks. Overreaction Mondays, Monday. On a Monday.

What do you got over there, Chris? You're so proud of yourself for the on a Monday. I'm very proud.

I'm a prideful man. How are you guys doing? Good? We're great. Good. Good. Jay Felleg. Great job bowling this weekend. Thank you.

My dad fell down. You're talking about all the time how the NFC North is gonna be, you know, historically great. You'll love this division.

Yes. Toughest division in football. I think it's great of the division that it's ever been. NFC North is the greatest it's ever been. I'm not gonna tell you which team. I will say, though, the NFC champion is gonna come from the North division this year.

I don't think that's an exaggeration or an overreaction at all either. I don't. I'm just the one thing I am concerned about is Detroit having lost their coordinators, having lost Frank Ragnow. I'm I'm but I do believe in Dan Campbell. I do believe in this offense in in terms of who's on it. We need to see how this is without Ben Johnson, obviously, how the defense looks without Aaron Glenn. But I will proffer to say they won't lose 90 people on defense to injured reserve this year. You know, they were they were just running. They were just running out of humans to keep running out there on the defensive side of the ball. So I'm concerned about that. And they were the class of the division last year.

J.J. McCarthy's first run at it. Let's see if that does affect Minnesota's wins and losses. Green Bay should even be better.

How does that sound? I think so, too. You know, they let go of Jair Alexander today and that kind of frees out some cap space. Are they going to be in on maybe Trey Hendrickson? And Chicago should be better. And the way I just laid it out there. Does that mean one of these teams will be so significantly great to unseat Philadelphia to zoom past Washington to take care of the Rams, who I think got better?

That's a tall order. But to say this is an overreaction is wrong. There should be somebody out of the NFC North, whoever wins that division, who is good enough to take down the whole damn conference. So you're talking about the Lions. Another team last year lost their coordinators and their center retired and they won the Super Bowl.

That's correct. So let's hope for the Lions that they've got some Eagles in them. What else, Chris? Rich, I'm thinking about even looking ahead for fantasy wide receiver position this year, guys, is going to be absolutely insane. There are so many stud wide, maybe the top 12, just outstanding guys, Hall of Fame projections.

But one just really stands out. I think about Jamar Chase and what he's doing so far to start his career being teamed up with Joe Burrow. I think when it's all said and done, guys, Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase will be on the Mount Rushmore of quarterback wide receiver duos, if not the greatest overall.

Oh, my goodness. I mean, I'll I'll just call this an overreaction right now, just because we're talking about Mount Rushmore, greatest to ever do it at the end of the day. Joe Burrow has said he doesn't want these guys. Who's on there? Give me an example.

Who is already on? You're talking about the greatest touchdown to Montana Rice. You're talking about no Steve Young to Jerry Rice is even better than Montana Rice. You're talking about Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison, Dan Marino to Mark Clayton.

You're talking about that type of company. And I think these guys look first four years, Jamar Chase has 46 touchdowns. He's only 25 years old, so he is just now entering his prime and he's already at that 50 touchdown mark. Now, you mentioned Marino to Clayton or, you know, obviously Marino to Duper and whatever you consider that one of the greats. A Super Bowl ring is not required to be on Mount Rushmore.

Not required. Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne, that type of situation. I think these guys have that ability. Brady to Gronk. Not a wide receiver. But I mean, sure. Kelsey and Mahomes.

I'm talking about these. This duo could be even better. And that's just the tallest of only 25. Think about how good wide receivers play now.

Jerry Rice played till he was 40. Are we are we are we because, you know, I think you know where I'm going with this factoring in the bottom line of this, which is winning, because if you're going to factor winning and then you've got to put Aikman and Irvin in there for three championships, they didn't pass the way these other teams did statistically because we had a running back. But oh, I thought you meant bottom line in terms of boroughs going to make 60 million a year at some point in time. And I just got paid. But I meant bottom line.

No, no, no. Because at some point in time, you're going to have to keep these guys paid enough to keep them together. That was never an issue with Young and Rice or Marino and fill in the blank or, you know, Manning and Marvin. Like you're talking about Chase making some of the most dollars of anybody that's not a quarterback in the league. And then you've got a quarterback that's only going to get paid even more.

And this is a franchise that, you know, kudos to them for getting it done with their Velcro wallets. I'll just call that an overreaction for the moment. And it's not because there you go. Well, I mean, Trey Hendrickson is like, is that me?

Is that for me? Sorry, Trey. That was wrong, bro. That was wrong.

Got Trey all excited. No, but it's just case in point. Things to think of. Just that alone. It's not their talent.

It's not their talent. I think the fact that I'm even pondering it means that they've already been to a Super Bowl, by the way. I'll just, you know, good. Good June 8th fodder, sir. Throwing that out there. Or ninth. Just thinking about it already. What else? Richard 6-9.

Thank you, sir. Nick Chubb, by the way, talking a lot about him. Speaking of Gronk.

This offseason. Nick Chubb is going to go to Houston, guys. He's going to be a nice piece to that offensive puzzle down there with Joe Mixon. I think Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon, they're going to be the best running back duo in the AFC this year. I can't argue with that. When I thought about who else is there, you know, that could be a running back duo just off the top of my head.

I thought when this signing hit that if Chubb is Nick, like he's going to be 30. I mean, the workout videos look good. I got it. I got it. But you know what this reminds me of? And again, I mean, but Mixon is a physical guy, too.

And he's not as fast as the guy I'm about to compare. This kind of feels like, to me, the Texans looking at what the Lions did and say, let's get our own Sonic and Knuckles. Let's get our own Thunder and Lightning.

Let's go. And so like Mixon was a touchdown maker, as you know, they kept giving him the ball to him inside the 10. But this is definitely a step up with all due respect to Damian Pierce. I mean, this is this is a this is a.

This is a really significant act. But if this got I mean, you don't think he could be a David Montgomery, give him the ball inside the five yard line type and go for it. I think both of those could be a Montgomery type, but neither one of them is a Jamar Gibbs type. I understand that Gibbs is one of the fastest out there and he's a touch.

He's he's a long run. He's different. But Jamar Gibbs is different. And and Mixon's a different.

I'm just thinking to myself, two stylistic guys that can be complimenting one another. Who else is there? AFC duos. Looking at maybe a couple of rookies involved. Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris. Ramondre Stevenson, if he's back to form and Trevion Henderson, maybe in New England. Just looking at the AFC.

It's not I don't think it's an overreaction, though. What else you got over there? That was kind of fun. Just get C.J. Stroud healthy and protected. Yeah, that line's got to.

Yes, very much so. Stay healthy in the wide receiver group as well. Our new friend Jared versus the Rams, who was here last month. We really enjoyed him. He was defensive rookie of the year.

Yes. He said he left at least 10 sacks on the field last year. I love it. And I was reading that thinking, my God, this guy left that many heat. He feels Jerry versus going to be a defensive player of the year finalist this year.

I love it. You know, you're talking my language now. You're talking my language.

Anything Rams? You're talking my language. Friends of the show.

Friends of the show. I'm I'm people that we like. I do not deny it. He was a absolute game wrecker in the playoffs last year.

You sit here and say he can't or he won't get out here. A lot of great defensive players. I am aware of that. Great edge rushers. Well, Zach Bond made the finalist last year.

And if you had told me in the middle of this month, last year at this time, smash cut to one year ago now. Hey, Zach Bonds can be a finalist for defensive player of the year in the NFC. He's like, who? What? Really? That guy from New Orleans? Vic Fangio is going to turn him into that? OK. Well, defensive back won it last year, which I don't think any of us would have predicted.

In the in the American football conference. I'm with you. Sold.

Sold. OK. Yeah. But defensive player of the year finalist in terms of, you know, the the entire. You know, old kit and kaboodle. Old kit and kaboodle. Yeah.

Defensive back won it. I'll go with Jared first. All right. I'm with you. Love it. Big season incoming.

Yes, sir. Let's switch gears, talk a little hoops, guys. I watched the game yesterday and I'm thinking to myself, it's over.

The Thunder is going to win the next three games. NBA title, five gentlemen sweep. The Pacers pulled a Sixers overreaction 25 years ago. Overreaction. That's kind of it. Now, the Pacers are going to show that they deserve to win the Eastern Conference.

And they're going to they're going to win at least one of the next three. How does that sound? I'm not I'm not buying it. I'm not buying it. I don't like I don't like that.

Like Halliburton does have all these amazing, great moments. But then he's just kind of ho hum in other games. T.J., you know, I mean, like he doesn't he hasn't. When it comes to the is he a star thing, right? He had seventeen, six and three last night. He hasn't been able to put those back to back games together. I don't know, man.

Just think it's just let me ask you this question. Are they better than the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Pacers? Oh, man, better than the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Indiana Pacers. I mean, based upon where we're at. Yeah, they made the finals, but star power. No, as good as good. OK.

They're about the same. Well, Minnesota, as you know, in the Western Conference finals, lost two significant games to start that campaign in Oklahoma City and then beat the Thunder by forty two in game three. And the yada yada yada, they lost the next two. But I'm just saying, yeah, Indiana has won a piece.

And if they I don't know, man, I wouldn't be surprised if they win game three. How does that sound? This is an overreaction. You got another one? I like it.

Yeah, I got a couple more. U.S. Open week at Oakmont this this week. We're going to talk to Jerry Duluck, who's there soon. It's going to be diabolical.

Have you seen any of the clips? The greens run at a sixteen eight inch rough, but par three to eighty nine. It's major season.

And that means big dogs only. Someone who's already run multiple majors is going to win the U.S. Open. OK, I'm with you. I'm with you.

Bryson, Rory, Scotty. Yeah, it's going to be a usual suspect. I'm with you. Yeah, I'm with you.

That's not an overreaction. OK, well, here's one you might be interested. OK, sure. From Sunday yesterday until the rest of the season. Hear me out, TJ. OK. The Red Sox are going to have a better record than the Yankees. I'm calling it right now.

Calling my shot. OK. We know who the better team is when they face off head to head. We're not afraid of them. Oh, they got MVPs. We got heart. We got great. We got the Wally helmet and the mask and the mascot face. We hit home runs. You see, has that ball landed yet that Raphael Devers just hit?

Honestly, when do they officially sign over ownership? OK. It's kind of crazy. Do you do you have the one more? I have an actual one. OK, then then actually, let's get to it. I'm not even going to dignify this to the response.

One more. I did not know. She's saying he's he's overreacting is what I say.

Look, sometimes the truth hurts and you're unable to accept it. Rich, honestly, you watch the rest of the you watch the French Open yesterday. Right. That was phenomenal.

In no way could you score a single point on Alcaraz. What are we talking about? All right. Can we put this to bed once and for all? Take the music down. Take the music down.

Take the music down. Let me tell you something, please. What I saw in Roland Garros, that five setter is truly one of the greatest tennis matches I have ever seen of my entire life ever. It is truly that good.

And everybody should seek out whatever highlights there can be. And it is just a testament to fortitude, athleticism, you know, Sinner versus. Alcaraz. Alcaraz was down. In this match. Down to three championship points. Sinner had three championship points on Alcaraz in this match. And the odds of him winning were down to two percent, which, by the way, I'm kind of stunned. That seems high because it was the third. He was down in this match. Two sets to one and Sinner had three championship points.

He was up 40 love on his serve, on his racket, up five three in the fourth set. And I saw that and I thought to myself, OK, this is it. Not a single soul thought to themselves. Oh, this is a turning point. Except Carlos Alcaraz. And all I thought to myself was I now have something in common with Yannick Skinner.

Can I get a single point off this guy? Certainly when I was watching him in the tiebreak in the fifth set that Alcaraz got the first seven points in and wound up having seven championship points himself. A testament to his greatness that he could go from having three against him to an hour and forty five minutes later, having seven of those on his side. And I thought to myself, this man's vulnerable. All I got to do, all I got to do is last five and a half hours. That's right.

And even then, he might not be gassed. So, yeah, overreaction. How dare you? I dare.

I just won't play on Clay. I mean, I'm not a moron. No, no, I think thank you.

Eight, four, four, two or four rich number. Jerry Dulac is kind enough to zoom in from the media center of the United States Open in western P.A. to tell us a few things about what he knows about the Steelers.

That's next. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today.

Smart choice. Progressive loves to help people make smart choices. That's why they offer a tool called Auto Quote Explorer that allows you to compare your progressive car insurance quote with rates from other companies. So you save time on the research and can enjoy savings when you choose the best rate for you. Give it a try after this episode at Progressive dot com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations.

Prices vary based on how you buy. This episode is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union. With rising housing prices and steeper mortgage rates, we know home ownership may seem too expensive to be achievable. But that's why we offer a homebuyers choice loan that can open the door to affordable home ownership. Our homebuyers choice loan has no down payment options available, which means you don't need to wait years to save money. And with our no refi rate drop, you may be able to lower your rate in the future without refinancing. Plus, while most lenders require borrowers to purchase private mortgage insurance unless they can make a 20 percent down payment.

We don't require PMI. Finally, we offer fixed payments so your monthly payment will always be the same. So if you're looking for your first home or your next home, you can open the door with a Navy Federal homebuyers choice loan. Visit Navy Federal dot org to learn how you can achieve home ownership. Navy Federal Credit Union. Our members are the mission. Terms and conditions apply. Equal housing lender loan subject to approval and eligibility requirements.

Learn more at Navy Federal dot org. Let's talk about coffee, people. If you're like me, your day cannot begin until you've had your first cup.

Whether you're gearing up for back to back meetings, shuttling kids back and forth to activities, tackling an endless to do list. Your morning sets the tone for it all. And the perfect cup of coffee sets that tone. Crafted just for you.

Enter Trade. Trade is my number one U.S. coffee destination, bringing you fresh coffee from over 50 of the country's top roasters. Trade's experts have taste tested thousands of coffees to curate over 450 amazing roasts. Just take their quiz and under a minute, they'll match you with your perfect coffee. If that first bag isn't quite right, Trade will replace it for free until they nail it. And if you're headed out on summer vacation with Trade's subscription flexibility, you can pause or shift delivery while you're away and resume when you're home, ensuring you'll come home to great coffee.

Iced coffee, too. So right now, Trade is exclusively offering our listeners 50 percent off your one month trial at Drink Trade dot com slash Eizen. That's Drink Trade, T-R-A-D-E dot com slash Eizen for 50 percent off your one month trial.

Drink Trade dot com slash Eizen. Back here, everybody, just a stone's throw. I did this.

I just mapped it out. Fourteen miles up Route 28 from Acresher Stadium is beautiful Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, where Jerry Dulac joins us here, Steelers Radio Network host and Pittsburgh Post Gazette writer. Good to see you, Jerry. How are you, sir? Rich, I am fine. There's only two things that could take me away from the U.S. Open and the other one is you.

Do I do I ask a follow up or just let that one line? Jerry, I apologize for my backdrop backdrop. It's not my usual mahogany wood office setting. I'm trading it in for my radio booth here at the U.S. Open, but it's the best I got.

I love it, man. I've seen the conditions look treacherous, sir, to say the least. Yeah, it's going to be it's a brutal setup. You know, it always is.

I mean, it's the way the members love it. But the U.S. takes control of the golf course and it's nasty rough. Yesterday they had the green speeds at an unheard of 16 feet.

You know, for the tournament, they said it'll be fourteen and a half to fourteen nine. And that is, you know, almost unheard of. You know, they're known as the fastest greens of the world.

And trust me, Richard, they are. Have you walked the course, Jerry? Have you walked it? I've walked it many times over the years. I bet I have it. I have it yet. But I will get out tomorrow. But I'll I'll walk more of it.

You know, once Thursday comes. But, you know, I played it a couple of weeks ago, so I'm well aware of what it's like. I imagine that they had yet to cut the rough when you played, right? They were probably still growing it out.

No, no, no, no. They had it just they had it just as high. In fact, because they're not cutting it down, if anything, they will level it off at five inches when the tournament starts. So it's conceivable and it was even that day that it could be a little bit higher, but they'll cut it down to five inches. They won't let it grow up. It's already up that high. It has been that high.

Five inches. You could find your ball just by stepping on it. Unbelievable.

Miraculously rich. When I played a couple of weeks ago, I played with the same ball. Jerry Dulock played.

Hold a minute. Jerry Dulock joining us here from Oakmont Country Club before we get into the Steelers stuff. You played Oakmont two weeks ago. Didn't lose your golf ball. Not a single time. That is correct. And that is usually the case out here because of the caddies.

They're like eagle eyes. OK. But I did. I played with the same golf ball, which is yes. And with that rough is really surprising accomplishment. I'll clap for you, man. Yeah. I don't know if it's a badge of honor or just sheer luck, but whatever it was, we found my ball whenever it went nice. OK, so do you want to give us your score or no?

No, I prefer not because then people think I've been playing too much and not working hard enough. But you know the answer to that. OK, Jerry.

All right. I will tell you. I will tell you this, Rich.

I made 12 pars that day. So I'll tell you. Oh, Jerry, do like joining us here on the Rich Eisen show from Jerry's handicap from the media center at the United States Open at Oakmont Country Club.

All right. Let's talk about what's happening down Route 28 down in Steelers country. What what happened to bring Aaron Rodgers into the fold finally? You know, Rich, I've told you all along that it was a one year deal. My understanding was it was for less than 20 million dollars.

The total package and of course, with all the incentives, the potential incentives, it comes in just under 20 million. You know, it's obviously a very affordable deal, but this is what they believed all along that Aaron Rodgers told him he was going to take his time. He did. The Steelers all along have believed he would be here to be their starting quarterback. And he is. So while they took a lot of arrows and darts about Aaron Rodgers playing them and using them and it not being not being the Steeler way to sit and wait for a guy who's 41. And who has a, you know, let's face it, a questionable history of strange behavior. This is what you know, this is what Mike Tomlin wanted. Art Rooney had gone along with it. And here they are. They believe that this would happen for the longest time.

And and so it is. And now the question is, what will we see from Aaron Rodgers? Anything that you could share that you would know as to why Rodgers waited until now to come in?

Yeah, nothing I know personally, Rich, to be perfectly honest. We know what he said on a national broadcast about, you know, family, some issues and friends and whatnot. He's going to address the media tomorrow here and maybe he'll be more enlightening. But as far as the Steelers go, again, all I was ever told is that they told him he's going to take his time. And for whatever reason that was, that's exactly what he did.

And it seemed a little ridiculous at times. But, you know, for the people who thought the Steelers were sitting there hoping and praying and twiddling their thumbs. Is he coming? Is he not? That was never the case. They had always believed that he was coming now. I guess he could have always said, look, I think I might I might want to retire. But apparently they were they were fairly confident, if not more than confident, he would be their quarterback. Well, I mean, and thankfully for for many reasons, Jerry. I mean, first of all, for somebody with this neck up ability and hopefully for him and the Steelers, still the neck down ability here.

This is dirt cheap. This is less money than what the Jets gave Justin Fields. You know, and and then on on top of it, the relevance factor, if that's even a care in the world. I know it's not to Tomlin, but I mean, the number of times the Steelers will be talked about, the Steelers will be discussed. The Steelers will be hopefully front for them, not flexed out because they're so good front and center in front of the whole country. I mean, this is this is what you're looking for if you're an NFL franchise.

Jerry, you know, Rich, I was talking with Jim Nance the other day. He actually came on my golf radio show, but we were talking off the air and he said, you know, that the CBS is some of their national broadcast with him and Tony Romo were contingent on the Steelers. They were relying on the Steelers being successful this year. And Aaron Rodgers was a part of that.

And it starts right from week one in New York against the Jets. So, you know, we'll see which Aaron Rodgers this is the one who won only five games last year with three better receivers and a better running back than the Steelers had. Or can he somehow with a, you know, in a new environment, a certainly a different culture and certainly with a more stable, more successful head coach, maybe you get a glimpse of a four time NFL MVP. I think all the naysayers and people complaining, the Steelers fans were upset at the feeling that the Steelers are being held up by this guy. I would be willing to bet that half of them now have converted into having some sense of excitement that Aaron Rodgers, let's face it. Rich, he's as big as it gets among quarterbacks in the NFL, even though I know he's past his prime days. But that's the reason you and everybody else want to talk about Aaron Rodgers, whether he signed with the Steelers or whether he didn't.

He's as big as it gets, let's face it. Jerry Dulock joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show. So how does it work? I know you had concerns last we spoke that he's not even a fit in Pittsburgh. What do you think?

How does this work? Yeah, Rich, I don't know that he was so much as a schematic fit. That remains to be seen. It's just that the whole situation did not seem to fit with the Steeler way, the Steeler culture, if you will. I'm curious to see how it meshes with, you know, with Arthur Smith, their coordinator. Now, I will tell you, when Aaron Rodgers was here a month or five weeks ago, came in for a visit. Arthur Smith had a really good meeting with him.

He was very encouraged and he was excited about him potentially coming. So, but, you know, Arthur Smith had some philosophical differences with Russell Wilson toward the end of the year. The way Russell Wilson wanted to play and the way, you know, Arthur Smith wanted him to play. A lot of that having to do with changing plays, wanting to go down the field more. And I go back to an old Terry Bradshaw line, Rich, where in his final game at Shea Stadium, he comes in off the bench.

He'd been hurt all year with that elbow injury. He comes in, zing, zing, zing, down the field, touchdown, back out, zing, zing, zing, down the field, touchdown. Tuncheok and my late dear friend goes over to Bradshaw on the sideline. He says, hey, Brad, I thought the game plan was to run the ball.

He says, Tuncheo boy, I'm a gunslinger, not a mailman. And so I think that's what you're dealing with with Aaron Rodgers. This guy at the line of scrimmage, Rich, I've been told, is the best at reading, is the best at the line of scrimmage of reading defenses. And so if he gets at the line of scrimmage and sees something he doesn't like or something he feels is better, then he's going to do what he feels he needs to do. Now, does that mean he's going to circumvent Arthur Smith's offense? No, but he's Aaron Rodgers.

And so you have to let him be Aaron Rodgers, you know, with a certain amount of rain on him, that's for sure. And I don't think there's any question he and Tauman are going to mesh, right? There's no question. I mean, because Mike Tauman is the person behind this whole thing. He's the guy who won them. Obviously, Art Rooney II, if he didn't want to do this, he wouldn't have done it. But this was all Mike Tauman's idea. And this is what he wanted and he pushed for it and he got him.

Okay. Speaking of Terry Bradshaw, I noticed Rodgers isn't going to wear his 12. You know, he's wearing eight, right?

Yeah, yeah. There's a couple numbers of Steelers haven't retired. And Terry Bradshaw's is one of them that they just don't give out.

They don't give out. There's several others. You know, they just retired Franco Harris's jersey, you know, to go with Joe Green's. But they never, you know, put his out there and they haven't given number 47 to anyone other than Donald Trump. So that's why he's going to wear number eight. I don't think Tommy Maddox minds that they're Rodgers is going to wear number eight.

Bringing the noise right here. So I guess I'm just mentioning, was this part of the bark chewing business? Like Terry, Terry did not hold back about his two cents on Rodgers and Rodgers making the Steelers wait or at least not coming in immediately. And I mean, is that just what was your two cents on on Terry's response?

One, you know, he he, you know, he called it a joke. And that's the way a lot of people, Steeler fans viewed it, maybe not on Steeler fans viewed it. But I've learned since he was a player that I take everything Terry Bradshaw says with a grain of salt. I mean, I like the guy, but he says one thing and then another day he says something else totally opposite.

So anything he usually says, I, I kind of basically, Rich, let go in one ear and out the other. So what's your concern? What's the level of concern for the Steelers right now? Or what do you think needs to be worked on or approved or for this team to get over the hump? Which is, I can't believe I'm saying this about the Steelers, but such is the case, making the playoffs and winning a game. Yeah, well, right forward.

What do you think? Yeah, winning the game is the big thing, Rich. You know, they've made a postseason for the last five years, so it's not a it's not a franchise in disarray or where the sky is falling. Are they a better team at this time now than they were at this time last year?

I personally don't think so, because when you lose 10 of 22 starters, it's difficult to say without many major changes. One, of course, DK Metcalf. But you lose a guy with George Pickens.

Now, DK Metcalf is a step step above George Pickens, no question. But you're kind of right back to where you were last year, where you have a number one receiver. And then who's number two? They have a lot of high hopes for Roman Wilson, their third round pick last year, who missed the entire season. But I still believe that they will go out and get some other type of number two. They've brought in Robert Woods. I don't think he's that guy.

He's he's a step above Van Jefferson, but he's at this point in his career. He's not the number two you're looking for. Maybe, maybe, you know, there's a couple of Aaron Rodgers receivers out there. I don't look for any blockbuster trade or anything like that, but I would not be surprised if they added another wide receiver to help out Aaron Rodgers. OK. Are you going to be at the Rodgers press conference Tuesday, leave the U.S. Open, or are you staying put? Rich, unfortunately, or fortunately, I will be here at the U.S. Open.

I did I did all my work leading up to delivering them, and now the rest of them can talk to them. I got plenty of time all year to talk to Aaron Rodgers. OK, so then lastly, what do you want to hear? What do you want to get out of the Rodgers press conference Tuesday? I think I say I don't want to say his level of commitment because I don't know that that's question, but, you know, sometimes it is with him. And I think it's more, you know, what he feels he is entering here in terms of the players he has to work with. And, you know, how committed are the Steelers to putting those pieces together? I will tell you, they are very committed. Now, where they go from here, we shall see. But I'm just curious to hear what he has to say.

I don't know that there was one thing in particular Rich I needed to hear him say, but I am curious to hear what he does have to say. OK. You want to make your call on who's winning the U.S. Open? Jerry? Mike, you know, look, it's easy for me to say Scottie Scheffler. I really like the way Bryson DeChambeau has been up on major boards.

You know, Rory is struggling with the driver. My pick is Jon Rahm. OK. Jerry Dulac says Jon Rahm will take it home in Oakmont. Thanks for the time, Jerry. Appreciate it. Rich, any time for you, you know. Thanks, pal.

Appreciate it. That's Jerry Dulac, Steelers Radio Network host and a man who knows everything about the Steelers joining us here live from Oakmont Country Club. Again, I think what you're going to hear from Rogers Tuesday is I am committed. I love playing this game.

I'm not ready to quit it. You know, I bet you he might equate playing in Pittsburgh with playing in Green Bay. Fan bases, right? Rabid fan bases.

Rich history, passionate fan base. Right. Yeah. Right. Tomlin always is appreciated.

Tomlin, right. I bet you he's going to he's going to say that even though it's not a small town, that he feels he feels as well physically as ever, which is a reason why he he decided to to play again. Might make a broad side here or there to the media writ large. But other than that, I think whoever might have turned a corner just because he showed up, as Jerry said, that they are now excited. I think he's going to stoke that a little bit more tomorrow. I don't think there's going to be anything that you glean from tomorrow saying, oh, he's really not all in or oh, he's not really there or all. He's going to look great. He's going to sound great.

And but when a push comes to shove, man. And if they can't protect him, he's still 40. He's going to be pushing 42.

But I think he's going to love being teammates with Cam Hayward. Right. Even last year with the Jets towards the end of his stay and in in Green Bay, he was he was the old man. Right.

The O.G., everyone had kind of cycled out. He's going to have some serious veterans in this building. That I think he's going to relate to in a way that he didn't have around there with the Jets and he didn't have that around there at the end of Green Bay.

I think he's going to kind of dig that. You think. I'm just an optimist. I see things happen. You are definitely an optimist.

I know I am. Miles Garrett hasn't beaten it completely out of me. But you always say that teammates, former teammates pretty much never have anything bad to say about them. So there's that there is a media perception, but we don't go to work with them every day.

So, you know, I could just tell you how feller is daily. I can't tell you about that. You know, true.

Not here every day. OK, that's a good point. I remain highly skeptical. Why is it because of his age, the way he's played the last couple of years, the way he's played. And I just their schedule is too difficult.

Dude, I'll be straight up, dude. Just take a look at everybody's schedule and you could make the case. This is one of the toughest schedule years for anybody. I just think you look at Pittsburgh schedule and where do you see more than seven wins? I know you're so down. You had them where you had them down. I mean, I had them at the bottom. I think not just at the bottom.

You had them and you had five in the bottom on five ten. They need they need to bottom out and reset this franchise. They're they're getting Aaron Rodgers is not brother. Their talent, if healthy, is not bottom five in the NFL. And I think you know that. Well, we've seen teams with good talent have have bad years. It just happens.

But you know what doesn't happen no matter what. They still have a decent year. You could I don't see it, sir. You could make the case. They put about one more time. You could make a case if you put their schedule at one more time. You could make a case. They start for now.

You know him gone. I think they'll be two and two at best. I think they could. I think they could beat the Jets in in New Jersey one hundred percent. They usually do beat the Jets when they play each other. You know, all you got to do is just, you know, go up. Rodgers just shows up and he just starts going up 14 points on him. And then all of a sudden it gets real quiet in there and you get the you get the the wrong buzz in the crowd. That's one to know.

All right. And then they can go home and beat Seattle. Two and oh, they can easily go to New England and beat New England, Christopher.

I mean, and then they can go to Ireland in front of. I mean, that's going to be a home game for a man. Going to Ireland and taking on Minnesota. I mean, in all honesty, his first four quarterbacks he's going up against is Justin Fields, Sam.

Darnold, you know, your guy in year two who, you know, Drake May could be a massive step up, but that's still a year two guy and then J.J. McCarthy in his fourth career start. Those are four winnable games for him. They come off a buy their home against Cleveland, Cleveland. I mean. You guys are saying they're going to start five and oh, I'm not saying that, but I just made a case about how it can start in a way that you're not seeing. I think that's very rosy.

How he just gave you a very understandable breakdown. Like you think they can't beat the Jets where they they can't beat the Browns. No, I guess it's part of the last six weeks of the year. They were not a good football. I can see how this doesn't work out for them in the manner in which Steeler fans are hoping and Rogers is hoping.

I can understand what you're saying. But bottom five of the NFL that they're in the lowest five. That's a. That is not their talent level and that's not their coaching level, that's not that's not their talent level. The Jets were a really talented team last year and they won five games. Man, that's a fact.

Don't you get all man, all you want. That's just the fact. Let me ask you this. That's a fact. Let me just let me just ask this question. That's a fact. Hold on a second.

Let's forget about all that stuff. Put the schedule up. Let's see it. So can you see if the Steelers start maybe two and one, right? Let's just give me give me the two and one. Right.

OK. Give me the two and one. OK. And then after the fourth game, they have such a poor. Offensive showing art Rooney calls everybody in and says we should bench Aaron Rodgers.

Do you think that's going to happen? Do you think if they then lose their fifth game, they're going to fire Mike Tomlin? This is the stuff that was going on behind the scenes with the Jets.

We have that will absolutely not happen in Pittsburgh. It is not dysfunctional. It is a functional organization. Now, you could sit here and say their results have been.

Non-functional, but dysfunction ain't happening. And Rodgers had to have been here in like a. And again, we'll talk to Breer in our three part of his report in the MMB is they did their research on his relationships with the Jets.

And they found out that he wasn't like on an island, that he did have some solid relationships. Interestingly enough, with Woody's brother, Christopher, another one that was mentioned that Rodgers was tight with Salah. So Salah is getting called on the carpet for falling to two and two and then gets bounced after five weeks.

That ain't happening. So it wasn't all Rodgers. Part of it was definitely maybe Rodgers being a 41 year old coming off of an Achilles. Part of it might have been offensive line. Part of it might have been play column. Part of it might have been a whole mosh pit of reasons why. Rodgers was definitely, you know, part of it.

There are fingers. There is dust for prints on how the Jets season when you find Rodgers's prints. But not on the night they won on on Halloween night where he was dropping dimes and throwing away. They went against Jacksonville in Miami. Trust me. I wish the Jets lost all of those games and have Travis Hunter to show for it, but didn't.

They're playing against backup quarterbacks. I hear you. OK, I hear you. But the bottom five, I don't see.

I see a glass more half full, but that might just be my glasses are not rose colored. But I did put them on, which I know makes people entertained out there from people watching our television show. Even the safest drivers still encounter unsafe conditions, so it's important they do it in a safe vehicle. And Hyundai's offer available class executive advanced safety features to help keep you protected against the many challenges the road throws your way. Basically, in a Hyundai, you can drive as safely as possible and enjoy your journey in confidence and style. When you change lanes, signal check for traffic and enjoy the added safety of Hyundai's available blind spot view monitor. Constantly scan for dangers and take advantage of Hyundai's standard forward collision avoidance assist to help prevent accidents by alerting you of imminent collisions and automatically applying the brakes. Stay alert at all times and be thankful that Hyundai's standard driver attention warning system monitors your attention levels and can bring your focus back on the road. Safety is all about making the right decisions on the road and when selecting a vehicle. Learn more at HyundaiUSA.com.

Call 562-314-4603 for details. Summer's here and Nordstrom has everything you need for your best dress season ever. From beach days and weddings to weekend getaways and your everyday wardrobe. Discover stylish options under $100 from tons of your favorite brands like Mango, Skims, Princess Polly and Madewell. It's easy too with free shipping and free returns, in-store order pickup and more.

Shop today in stores online at Nordstrom.com or download the Nordstrom app. I just love the game and I love having a ball in my hands and I love making plays and I don't know I just it's just the game man like that feeling when you when everybody knows and I can't stop it. It's just it's an indescribable feeling man and that's just speaking for like us as a team and you know I just I just love the game.

I know you're smiling you're just smiling as you're saying this it is just it must be an amazing feeling to have that ability. Derrick Henry here on the Rich Eisen Show. Did you hear what Earl Thomas said before the divisional playoff game in Baltimore saying that the Patriots didn't want to tackle you but they were going to have a different approach. Oh yeah I seen it everywhere.

Everybody was sending it to me everybody was showing it to me. Okay so now later on you're in Baltimore you get the ball you're on the edge. Did you know that was Earl Thomas that was coming for you? Did you give him a second shove because it was Earl Thomas?

Yes. I was wondering because you gave him you gave him one in the front and you gave him one slightly unnecessary one in the back. But what's so funny about that is I also focused on giving him another shove that I ran myself out of bounds. So the first time he kind of turned around and I could have turned up field but I also focused on this like giving him a shove that I ran myself out of bounds but yeah but yeah I definitely did that because of that. So then the last question is was it worth it to run yourself out of bounds?

I think it was. Derrick Henry you're on the Rich Eisen Show. Yes I thought so too that you were in the moment like okay I remember this I see who's coming at me and again I love Earl Thomas I think he's gonna have a bust in the Hall of Fame one day. Yeah me too.

But everybody's you're an equal opportunity everybody gets some type runner. Exactly. The great Derrick Henry appearing in our show at the Super Bowl was that like on the fifth floor of a parking garage remember that in Miami? We were hearing all the sirens and the buses go past us.

It was fun. Drinking all the cafecitos. Yo that cafecito had us lit. What did they call them Cuban coffees is that what they were called?

Yes it's a Cuban coffee. My god. I literally felt that Chris you don't drink coffee. I didn't I didn't I didn't partake. But I could really. He did not. I could feel that cafecito jolting through my body and Rick start giggling at one point. I know.

He just started giggling. You don't have sodas? You don't have any caffeine? No no I. Are you caffeine free?

Not sort of very few and far between. So why don't you like coffee the taste? He's never had coffee.

Never had it I have no idea. You've never had coffee? Never. You've never had a cup of coffee in your life?

Never in my life. Never once in your life have you had a coffee cup? The only thing coffee I've had is coffee ice cream.

So you like the taste? I mean I've had it a couple times. I just don't drink it.

That's a shame. Never had it. I never drank coffee until I met Suze.

And then she has coffee all the time and so I started drinking it. I'm like I missed out. I was missing out.

I have no idea what I'm missing so I don't feel like I'm missing out. Okay. Try it.

I'm 44 years old. Did you think me mentioning that I started drinking coffee around Suze was a personality mention of her? Is that what you thought for a split second? Yes.

Or you felt like you needed it to keep up or something? No, no, no. She just enlightened me. Suze is heading right now. She's heading east to Boston. She is delivering the commencement address at the all-girls school that she went to. I didn't say that. That's right.

They asked her to deliver the commencement address. How about that? That's exciting. It's big time. Well that's Suze. That's your wife.

So she's delivering a, you know, welcome back Suze. How about that? It's awesome.

It's happening. That's pretty dope. I've been dying to get asked by my high school. What would you deliver? Pizza. An address. The commencement address. What would you tell these kids? Oh man.

I'd channel my inner Ronnie Dangerfield. Which is what? Call me when you have no class? It's rough out there, you know?

I'll tell you about right now, but that's what I got. Look out for number one, but don't step in number two. You know what I mean? And another thing, Vonnegut. There you go.

That's from back to school as a matter of fact. I think I would give a great address. I flew out here from California to drink coffee. Would you talk about, you'd have like a Jordan settling scores speech, wouldn't you? You know? Remember when I was here? I was very well-liked in my high school. But Jordan wasn't well-liked? I believe.

Yeah, but he brought like the dude who made the team in front of him to his hall of fame address. That's crazy. He's a psychopath.

I think we actually have a video of what your commencement speech would look like. I've just been told. Hold on. What do we got here?

Actually, it's not, it looks as dumb as it looks as dumb as it does on an actual major league baseball player. That's so funny. What a stupid, stupid way of doing it. We'll stop them from hitting home runs. That would be your commencement address, huh?

No, I would just tell them what life is like. Okay. That's what I do. I know things. Nice. Thank you. Tyrion Lannister.

Tyrion Lannister. I survived. Yeah. So that's what Suze is doing right now. That's dope.

Yeah. At this point tomorrow, I think she will be delivering. She'll be done. Did she run it by you? What she's going to hit on or?

She did not. It's in bullet point form. I am instructed.

Bullet point. Okay. I think she's actually- Semi-winging it? No, she's not semi-winging it.

Oh. She is not. She has come up with exactly what she's going to say. She likes doing things. She's like her and Bill O'Reilly.

That's the only similarities between the two of them. She's supposed to do it live. They're going to do it live. Although she's not saying eff it. We'll do it live.

Maybe she will. You know? To play us out- Impressurable young minds. To play us out.

Eff it. So no, but she's putting finishing touches on the flight right now. She nervous? No. I don't think she's nervous.

She's excited. Okay. You remember I, back in the day, delivered a commencement address to the athletes. Remember the athletic department flew me out to speak to the Michigan grads? And I thought to myself, I got this.

And I did write it out word for word. But before delivering it, I'm like, oh my God, I have to actually say something that leaves an impression. Yeah, they're listening to you.

They're locked in. I know. And I'm like, you know what? Why don't I feel this way every single day in front of the microphone? I'm not concerned about leaving an impression.

I just know I'm impressionable. That's what I know. That's exciting. Yeah, it is. Yeah, it is exciting.

I think it's cool. Can we watch it anywhere? Yes. There will be a link.

I will give you the link. I don't know. I like that. I'm like, are they going to put you in a cap and gown? I don't think she... I don't know if she's... I don't think... Is she getting an honorary doctorate or something? No, she's not getting that. She's not getting that. Hour three coming up. I have so many more questions.

Are any of her former teachers still there? I don't know. Okay. I don't know.

What is that? Why would that even be a concern? I don't know. What are they going to... Ask for the missing homework assignment? Maybe they were...

It's like a bad dream for me. Maybe they were mentors to her and she looked up to them and she'd be a little nervous if they were there. No, I don't know the answer to it. But I know she's... I could just ask her all these questions.

You could. Unlike you, she gets Wi-Fi the first second she can on the plane. I don't like that misrepresentation of me that I don't splurge for the Wi-Fi.

I get it when it's free on the plane. It's a fact. That's the same. Once upon a time...

I don't know. Oh, God. This is one of my favorite Chris Brockman stories.

I don't like this story. Once upon a time, Chris Brockman, when we were flying to New York to do a Rich Eisen show there, you had major, major weather-related traffic issues. We were very delayed.

You were... In the air. Like you may not get there in time. We were almost to New York, and then we flew back to Pittsburgh because we were gonna land in Pittsburgh and stay the night.

But then halfway to Pittsburgh, we circled back because it cleared up to fly to New York. And you started informing us what was going on in real time from 30-some-odd thousand feet. And I remember thinking to myself, oh, God, this is so serious. Chris actually got Wi-Fi to deliver this because it's so out of character for you to spend the what, 12 bucks, 14 bucks, whatever. It was more than that. No, it's definitely not more than that. At any rate, long story short is I'm like, wow, you even got Wi-Fi for this.

You're like, no, I'm borrowing the phone of the girl next to me to do this. Wow. He actually... This is pre-Sara.

Pre-Sara. Correct. You're chit-chatting with the young lass to your right, say, would you mind if I use your Wi-Fi? Can I use your phone real quick to text? You wanted to be my late tech salesman. Look at you now, man. Look at you now. Well, I thought that was... You've got a family now. You won't do this now. I was thinking on my feet.

I was using the resources around me at the time. Do you get Wi-Fi on planes now? Yes or no?

Yeah, but only if it's included in my status. This guy over there. You're like putty. You're like putty. You stare into space. You get in the flight.

You just stare into space. You want a book? No. No.

Weirdo. Just watching the flight track. Listen, you can text her. She's no doubt on Wi-Fi right now. Wish her good luck. I am. I'm going to. I'm very curious. That's how she's going to show up.

She's going to deliver a speech this way because it's very serious. What a moron. So many home runs. If you're a lineman in charge of keeping the lights on, Grainger understands that you go to great lengths and sometimes heights to ensure the power is always flowing, which is why you can count on Grainger for professional-grade products and next-day delivery so you have everything you need to get the job done. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by. Grainger for the ones who get it done.