Gerry Dulac: Russell Wilson Will Be The Steelers Starting Quarterback

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LinkedIn, the place to be, to be. This, this, this, this is the Rich Eisen Show, show, show. Sims receives at the five. There goes everybody. Cross to 25.

And what does it mean? One yard more than we would have gotten, but one yard where you hold your breath. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Let's talk about how things are different with your new head coach, Jackson Smith and Jigbo.

I mean, things are, things are totally different, you know. Earlier on the show, NFL Network reporter Steve Weiss, host and comedian Chris Redd, Steve Gums, Steelers Radio Network host Jerry Dulak. And now it's Rich Eisen. Ah, yes, our number three, the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. I'm sitting in my Canton, Ohio hotel room, getting set to finish up this program. And after it finishes up, I'm going to go to the downtown Canton Auditorium and host the jacket dinner for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It is the night where the latest enshrines in the Pro Football Hall of Fame received their gold jackets in front of all the returning gold jackets and all the fans who fill up the Canton Auditorium here at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And the one thing I can promise you about this night is I will not be wearing this t-shirt that I've been wearing for the first two hours of the Rich Eisen Show.

It does say Pro Football Hall of Fame on it, but I'm going to get suited and booted as soon as I'm done with this program. It's been a fun first two hours with me here in Ohio and the guys back in the Los Angeles studios. Chris Redd, the very funny comedian from SNL back in the day, new show Resurrected Rides, kind of a pimp my ride for the 21st century on Netflix available on the Roku portal. We just played back the interview that we recorded with him.

He did the Cowboys win loss game as Stephen A. Smith that was an instant classic. If you miss that, we not only rear on Channel 210 of the Roku Channel, but we also have our YouTube channel go ahead and hit us with a follow right there. Almost 800,000 subscribers and growing on that page may make a real out of it at Rich Eisen Show on Instagram and TikTok and Facebook. And obviously there's our podcast all three hours of it available for you to listen to whenever you darn well, please here on this edition of our program. We had Steve Weich and our number one, spinning some yarns about the days that all of these enshrinies got their knocks on the door to tell them that they were going to be Pro Football Hall of Famers.

He was there for all of them, including the day where Dwight Freeney was on the golf course with Michael Jordan. They stepped off from the clubhouse and found Tony Dungy right there to tell Dwight Freeney that he's in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and he's going to be the first one to speak on Saturday. Lots of fun that we've had already with What's More Likely Friday.

Jerry Dulak of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette will chime in in less than 20 minutes time to tell us what's going on in the Steelers neck of the woods. Good to see you guys over there in our number three of this program. Christopher, how you doing right there? I'm great. I'm great. What's going on?

TJ Jefferson, good to see you and your spot, as always. Still disappointed. I didn't use one of those bathrooms yesterday. Well, I mean, we're talking about the Intuit Dome. People sometimes chime in. They chime in early. They chime in late. And you chimed in nonstop from that tour, TJ Jefferson.

Well done. From the Intuit Dome tour last night, we just revealed everything from the seats to the toilets. So, you know, there's some phone calls. Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to take a phone call here from Ohio. And Chris, you're going to help us out because I think somebody wants to play the win loss game. And let's go to Tracy in Florida. You're here on the Rich Eisen Show.

What's up, Tracy? Hi, I'm so happy to get on the phone with you because I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your support and how gracious you've been to my guy, Joshua at the Dolphins. And I love my baby dogs. And I wanted to just say how awesome you are when you talk about them.

And they've been such a great guy when it comes to him. And I know how James can be. So I just wanted to get that out when I wanted to play the win loss game. All right, so let's do this. Tracy, you sound like you're here. It sounds like this is going to be a sunny disposition version of the win loss game. Let's do this.

Chris, you're going to write this stuff down right over there in Los Angeles, California. All right, here we go. The schedule is up, Tracy.

Let's go. What happens in week one when the Jacksonville Jaguars stroll into town? We win.

OK, then you're then you've got the Buffalo Bills on a Thursday night to kick off the prime video season. We win to an O at the Seattle Seahawks. We win. That's three and O hoping for the Tennessee Titans.

Well, they bummed us flash here, so we're going to beat them. Win. All right.

That's four and O at the New England Patriots. Win. Come on.

All right. That's a five and O going into the bye week. Come out at the Indianapolis Colts. We're going to win. That's six and O home for the Arizona Cardinals. Win. Seven and O, do you sweep the Buffalo Bills?

No, we're going to lose to them. All right, so that's seven and one. Is there champagne popping that's going on in the 72 Dolphins room at the Los Angeles Rams? Seven and one. What happens? We win. Eight and one home for the Vegas Raiders. Win. Nine and one home for the Patriots.

Win. Ten and one at the Packers on Thanksgiving night. That's going to be a tough one.

We're going to lose that guy. Ten and two is going to be a cold night. Then you got the Jets first appearance on your schedule. Ten and two home for the Jets. That's going to be a win. Eleven and two at the Texans. Oh, that's going to be a win. Twelve and two home for the 49ers. That's going to be a loss. Okay, twelve and three at the Cleveland Browns. That's going to be a tough one.

I'm going to do win. And then you got the Jets. That's going to be a win. That's 14 and three. Tracey and Florida.

I don't know how they're going to do, but I know how much you love the Jets and everyone I trust you with is my guy. Well done, Tracey and Florida. Thanks so much.

Fourteen. Thanks, Tracey. I love Optimism. When I see Marino tonight, should I tell him about Tracey and Florida?

I assume he'll be here. And happy hour started early. That's I think she woke up happy hour. I love it. Fourteen and three. I know.

Fourteen and three. We just took one win loss call and now there's five people on the line. I love it.

I love it. Adam's getting bombarded. Adam is sitting in the back. The gummy was just kicking in.

Two hours. He's just like, whoa, I'm going to go get Rich's packet over here real quick. So that's right. The gummy was just kicking in for Adam. And now the phone lines are Adam was eating the gummy Friday. Gummy was just like he was eating the gummy. Adam was like, oh, man.

Good. He was like, OK, Tyson. You see the video that NFL NFL Films posted of Caleb Williams announcing, announcing his bonus and it wasn't Tyson. Bajan who was just like, I guess you have to I guess the rookies had to get up.

I think that's the rookies had to get up in front of the veterans, say who they were, what school they went to and what their signing bonus was. And he said, you know, I'm Caleb Williams by way of what, Oklahoma and USC. Oklahoma horns down. USC. Yeah.

Fight on. And then he said, and he said, signing bonus. Twenty five point five million.

I was a major. So I feel like it was Tyson Bajan. It was Bajan who just went. He went into convulsions. I know, like the righteous gemstones, right? That's Adam. Oh, my God. I saw that.

I saw that. So, Jerry, Jerry. Jerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette is going to be joining us shortly.

We'll cover the Rooney's. So to be fair and balanced, let's cover the Maras here and and the Giants. John Mara.

Well, I never I definitely know he doesn't want to be referred to as this, but I'm going to do it anyway. Giants owner, co-owner John Mara, star of Hard Knocks. He was all over Hard Knocks.

OK, but it was great. He was he's he was himself. You could see he was, you know, laying bare concerns. And this is a guy that would, you know, never wanted the Giants on Hard Knocks.

I don't think ever. And so he was laying out his concerns to Joe Shane. And it was all being laid bare for all of us to watch. OK, so now, as we know, Daniel Jones is their quarterback going into the season. And he has been let's let's give it up.

He has been lighting up a lot of those seven on seven, 11 on 11 Twitter videos. And and so, yes, we we we've seen he looks good and he's going to be ready to go, which is great physically. And the Vikings come in week one, he's going to be the starter. And this is kind of like the last chance saloon for him and the Giants together. And that contract that they signed him to a couple seasons ago, instead of franchising him and figuring out, say, Kwame Barkley has led to him still being on the hook or the Giants still being on the hook with him.

And they're being Barkley now in Philadelphia. So John Mayer was asked about Daniel Jones's contract and where his thoughts on his quarterback are. How do you feel about Daniel Jones, that contract and where things stand out quarterback? Yeah, listen, I'm still happy we gave him that contract as I thought he played really well for us in 22. Last year, he got hurt.

And, you know, let's be honest, when he was playing, we weren't blocking anybody. So let's give him a chance with a better offensive line with some weapons around him to see what he can do. I was nervous about giving up too much to go and get a quarterback, but I was prepared to let him do that if that's what they wanted to do. We made a decision to stay with Daniel and add a weapon for him. I think that's going to work out for us. So, you know, we saw that also in in the hard knocks, the number of times they were knocking on the door of the New England Patriots because nobody in Chicago was answering the phone call from anybody. And Washington was only maybe listening just to see if it would be what a Ditka type trade for Ricky Williams.

Let's see, here's your entire draft for second overall. So. And, you know, yes, Daniel Jones won a playoff game for the New York Giants. He did. He did. He looked like Colin Kaepernick in that game in Minnesota. He was done.

Ran all over him. And he threw all over him too. And they gave up a touchdown to start the game. And they had a holding penalty on their first drive offensively after giving up a touchdown. And that's the way you lose playoff games.

You give up an early touchdown on the road, first possession, and then you shoot yourself in the foot as soon as you get the ball in your first possession. And Daniel Jones just didn't care. He just took it out. And it being his entire game package and the Vikings. Right out.

So, yes. And he's in free agency. I guess 40 million a year. That's that's nothing. That's nothing now.

You know what I mean? At the time, we're like, you're giving him 40 million a year and that cost. But that's so crazy. That's two contractual seasons ago, too. That's how quickly things age in the NFL. I mean, he's got more playoff wins than some of the 55 getting our guys.

That's right. He's got more playoff wins than than than Trevor Lawrence. He's got the same as Lawrence, I suppose. Yeah, yeah, I mean, yeah, he's right there. Look, look, I mean, I'm subject to falling victim to these, but he's looked pretty good in the Twitter one-off videos that you're seeing kind of here and there from Giants Camp.

And again, neighbors looks amazing. So I don't know, maybe this Giants team can surprise some people. And again, the Giants couldn't get up to three. They couldn't get up to three if they could get up to three. We wouldn't be talking about Daniel Jones in New York right now, right? Just wouldn't know, although we or or or wait for it. We would be and he would be the starter, you know, sort of like Kurt Warner keeping the seat warm for the for the kid or like Kirk Cousins, you know, in a weird way, I, you know, maybe.

But we'd be talking about it differently because he's going to get a shot. You know, they got they got Malik neighbors for him. I mean, that's a that's the guy when we saw on hard knocks when Joe Shane's phone was blowing up blowing up at the draft when the Jets were knocking on the door and the Colts were knocking on the door.

It was either for a doing say or or neighbors. And the Giants stuck and picked because they couldn't move up and every day you see a Malik neighbors highlight on Twitter. It's ridiculous.

This kid's got it. And it's, you know, can Daniel Jones stay healthy enough and get him the football enough to make a big impact? Especially since they don't have sake one anymore, you know, well, they got they got a guy named motor and and and we watched that all play out on hard knocks. John Marrow was asked about this too. We saw you weren't necessarily on board for plan to let's say one walk.

I'm just curious. Does that raise the stakes at all with Joe making that decision? If it doesn't go well for you guys, not really, you know, I mean every year there's going to be a personnel decision that I'm not 100% in favor of but at the end of the day you let the general manager and the coach particularly if they have a unified conviction make the decisions and then you know to battle later, but that was the decision that they made and no I wasn't crazy battle at the time. I didn't want to lose him but I understood what their philosophy was and you got to let them do their jobs. Hey, you know how I feel about owners who delegate hire the people and let them do their jobs that that's that's the way to do it.

You know what? I mean, like that's the way you do it in the NFL. You don't do it in fantasy football. You know, nobody gets anybody that the jet. That's why the Joneses run the Dallas Cowboys like a fantasy football team.

They're like, we're not we're not hiring anybody else to do our jobs that we want to do for our team putting it together. Saquon and Philadelphia. I mean is absolutely going to put a pressure point on the New York Giants. If the Giants are struggling offensively and he strolls into MetLife in the middle of October and starts crushing for an Eagles team that is now much better and he's a missing piece for Philadelphia. Now, we'll definitely put the pressure on, you know, but Daniel Jones is the key to all of it.

He's the key to all of it. If Daniel Jones can show up like the guy in Minnesota, even though Barkley's not there with everybody else who is there and Dayball is the guy who's dialing up the scheme and all he's got to do is give the Giants what? Two touchdowns a game? With a couple of, you know, field goal like give him 21. Give him 21.

21 to 24. And let the defense that that that Joe Shane is put together with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeau and the rest of them, let them go to work. You know, protect the guy, give just, just give up. Just let's get some, let's get some running game out of the quarterback too.

Let's get, let's use his speed and his ability. Just don't turn it over. Don't give them 21 to 24. Don't take sacks.

Don't turn it over. 21 to 24. Yeah, 20 to 24 points a game. I think the Giants are going to win some games. The offense has a real chance, I think, to be pretty surprised. Shocks some people.

And why is that? Like, what are your neighbors? I mean, Devin Singletary?

Neighbors. I think this guy is a game changer, man. There was a talk before the draft that he that he was the number one wide receiver, that people liked him over Marvin Harrison, which was even just crazy to think about.

But right. Look at the highlights. Just look at the look at some of the catches this dude's making in camp.

I think it could be special. Well, because if it's not Jones, then then that's the question for Mara and Tish to do is, you know, I like Dable a hell of a lot, man. Yeah, you know, and and what he did two years ago with a less than roster. He won coach of the year.

Yep. He won coach of the year. So the question is, is if it doesn't work with Daniel Jones, then who and do you give the current regime the opportunity to do it there? I think the Giants will unless it I mean, Mara and and and and Tish will. Unless it's a total dumpster fire, unless they're like top five or on the periphery of top five again, right? That will be a tough season to sit through, certainly five and twelve. And the Jets are, you know, the opposite, right?

Five or whatever. Then, yeah, big, big changes coming for 2025. But but definitely the plan going into the season was not to go into the season with Daniel Jones. At least that was my understanding at the combined, as I said. And then things were just started breaking in a way to sixth overall being way too low for any of the quarterbacks that the Giants are willing to choose.

And nobody above them willing to let the Giants leapfrog. Yeah. 844-204 rich number to dial phone lines are now lit. You're telling me Jerry Dulag of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette updating us on what's going on with the quarterback front and his viewing of suits.

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Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click Grainger.com, or just stop by one of their local branches. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show Roku channel. And we've got Jerry Dulock going to join us as soon as the radio audience rejoins us. Phone lines are lit again, gents?

What's going on? It's win-loss. We've got Browns, Chargers, Lions from someone in Jordan, the country. Oh, okay.

Bengals, Falcons, Dolphins. Wow, so all... Someone from Altoona. TJ, do you know a Tony? Tony? I mean, there's a lot of Tonys in here.

Tony! Tony from Altoona. How far is Altoona from here in Canton? Oh, from Canton? Well, we're two hours from Pittsburgh, and then however far... That's a few hours from there, so that's four hours, yeah.

Oh, okay. It's 200 miles. 200 miles to Altoona. How about Jerry Dulock is trying to say it's about an hour and a half Altoona from here, so... Or it's an hour and a half to Pittsburgh, I guess.

Yeah. I don't know, I just... From here in Canton, so I could just... 200 miles. I don't know if at any time they kill, I could just go visit the East Coast. Yup, I was just gonna say, we're gonna take a trip to the East Coast.

No longer, you feel me? Is it closer from Canton to Altoona or Altoona to the beach? I can't believe you have a made-for-New-England t-shirt.

I got this sent to me by one of my buddies who lives in Boston. By the way, you know what that looks like? It looks like those... Remember the Batman TV show where they would just have the guy's name across the chest? Yes, the bad guy! That's what that looks like, you know? The bad guy would just be across the chest like George. They just had the name of the bad guy across the chest. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Adam West fan, that's what that looks like. Made for New England. That's it, that's exactly what that looks like. Meanwhile, Aquaman was freaking out.

George didn't survive the fight. Yeah, ghosts of Mac Jones. Back on the Rich Eisen Show radio network, I'm sitting at the Rich Eisen Show desk, furnished by Grainger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Grainger has the right product for you.

Call clickrainger.com or just stop by. We've been chatting with this man about the Steelers quarterback situation all calendar year long, and now the calendar has reached August in its training camp season, and the pads are on for the Pittsburgh Steelers, which means it's time to revisit a chat with our friend Jerry Dulak, Steelers radio network host, and so much more. Good to see you, Jerry. How are you, sir? Well, Rich, I am fine. You know, I think the last time I was on with you, Rich, you said you recognized the background of the room I was in instantly at the Steelers offices. I recognized that background that you were in. It's a hotel room, which I spend many a night in too many of them.

You are correct. This is a hotel room, for sure. And it took me about 16 tries to get the blackout curtains with the plastic rods to actually overlap over each other so there was no seam of light coming in from behind me, Jerry. So you know that. Yeah, I was going to say I love what they've done with the curtains. It's amazing.

You should see what they've done with the place. So where does the quarterback situation of the Steelers stand at the top of August, Jerry? Well, you know, nothing has changed, Rich, from this standpoint. Their plan is still that Russell Wilson is going to be their quarterback. He's going to be their starting quarterback. But what has changed a little bit, of course, is that Justin Fields has had ample time now to take plenty of snaps with the first-team offense. They've had a lot of time here to evaluate them with the first-team offense. Arthur Smith has wanted Tim to be aggressive throwing the ball because they want to see what he has. And of course we know his skill set with his feet. Where Justin Fields shines is where you would expect him.

One-on-one down the sideline or first read slant route. Where he struggles is when he drops back and has to maybe go through his progression. So we've seen the good and the bad of Justin Fields. But the fact that he's gotten so many reps with the first team, I really think, Rich, this has never been Mike Tomlin's M.O. Mike Tomlin has never really believed in taking his starting quarterback out of the game.

Now of course I say that, and for most of his career he had Ben Roethlisberger, so you can understand it. So he's not one to kind of just insert special packages into the offense. But I think with Justin Fields, to me, one, they'd be kind of stupid to not do that.

And two, Arthur Smith kind of hinted at that yesterday. Maybe on a goal line, maybe in the two-point conversion, things like that. But because as Arthur Smith said, he said he's dangerous with the football in his hands. And if you feel that way, I can't imagine they'll just let him sit on the bench as the backup quarterback. Unless of course something happens to Russell Wilson.

But that's the plan. Russell Wilson is going to be the starting quarterback. And we'll see what or if they might work in with Justin Fields. And the amount of time that Fields has gotten with the ones born out of Russell Wilson being unable to, right? Like that's why it happened for Fields recently? Right. And yeah, you know, both Russell Wilson's people and the Steelers have told me, you know, his injury is not serious at all.

They're just being ultra-cautious with it. And he has participated in individual drills. When you watch him do his pocket movement drills, he goes back and forward with no problems whatsoever. He's gotten in on seven-on-seven in team drills here, more so the last couple days. But it gives them an opportunity to evaluate Justin Fields.

Russell Wilson is fine. He always says if he had to practice full, he could. But, you know, he tweaked it on the first day of conditioning. And, Rich, in all my years and why this happened, I have no clue why the new training staff would want Russell Wilson or any quarterback, but especially a 36-year-old quarterback, pushing a heavy sled as part of conditioning. And that's how he tweaked his calf muscle. Is that so, right? That's how it happened.

I mean, you know, in all sports, Rich, they have, you know, specific training exercises for whatever the sport might be or whatever the position might be. And you ever know when's the last time you saw a quarterback pushing the heavy sled? I haven't. It's the same thing. Exactly. Nor would you really, I guess, outside of the tush-push or any of that, you wouldn't see any practical usage of such a thing, right, in any way, shape, or form on a football field. What's your reporting on Russell Wilson's culture fit in the culture of the Steelers?

You know, Rich, I don't want to say everybody, but a lot of people ask me that. And because of, I guess, obviously, of what we heard about what went on in Denver, I guess, talking to some people in Denver, they kind of explained to me what they thought it was. It wasn't disruptive in any form. You know, but to me, what I've seen is Russ is a pros pro, and he goes out of his way to be accommodating to everybody so far. So, so far, I see no evidence of what other people have said happens or has happened with him.

But, you know, when you look at him and what he does, one of the first ones out to practice, stays after practice, works with the guys individually. You know, so I haven't seen any evidence of that. Maybe we'll see what happens during the season. I don't know that that's going to change. But so far, like I said, I mean, you could see he's a pros pro and why he is who he is.

But, you know, all the other stuff, I need to see it first before I'm going to sit here and say that's the case. Long time Steelers reporter Jerry Duluck here on the Richard Eisen Show. So all health being equal, there is no sense of Justin Fields balls out in preseason games two and three and suddenly causes Mike Tomlin to bring Arthur Smith in his office. And they have and there's a big powwow about who's starting week one, right? Like this is Ross week one in Atlanta. This is going to happen is what you're saying. Yeah, correct. I don't think there's any question unless Russ Russell Wilson would somehow be injured.

But like I said, I think they what we've seen, what they've seen. Justin Fields has maybe picked their curiosity a little bit more than maybe they thought they it would have at this point. And a package for him would not be on this new kickoff for special teams, right? As we as John and Warren dropped in a podcast earlier in the spring that led to a headline or two, right?

Yeah, you left out a word there ridiculously dropped in a podcast. I mean, that's never going to put his backup quarterback on special teams. That's never going to happen. So seeing the rest of the offense with Arthur Smith. What's your opinion of this since this is exactly what Steelers fans have been bellowing for, quite frankly, is an outside the Mike Tomlin construct offensive coordinator coming in and putting his newfangled stamp on things and remaking what the Steelers have been on offense.

What have you seen on that so far? You know, Rich, I have thought all along that Arthur Smith was a was a perfect fit for the Steelers and their style of football. You know, having talked to Ken Whisenhunt, Mike Malarkey coaches who employed Arthur Smith when he was with the Titans. You know, you look at Arthur Smith.

He lasted through four regimes. Mike Mike Munchak hired him and three other coaches kept him, retained him on their staff, which tells you what they must think of Arthur Smith. And then Mike Grable, of course, eventually promoting him to offensive coordinator. But he's a he's a guy who loves physical football. He's power running. And the Steelers have the perfect to me, the perfect type of backfield for an Arthur Smith offense, because let's face it, Najee Harris is the closest thing to Derrick Henry as there is in the NFL. Now, I'm not going to sit here and call him Derrick Henry, but, you know, you've seen him. You know what he's like. So if anybody was a perfect fit for an Arthur Smith offense, what we saw those two years in Tennessee, you have to think it's Najee Harris and the Steelers, of course, love Jalen Warren.

You know, for the first year and a half, it was it was number one and number two. But after the way Jalen Warren played last year, it's one in one eight. They really like Jalen Warren. And they're curious to see how good a fit he is in this offense, too. You know, he had three times as many catches, three times as many receiving yards as Najee Harris. So he's more effective doing that.

But he had seven hundred fifty yards rushing an average a yard and a half more than than Najee Harris last year. So they like this guy and they think he'd be a great fit as well. So that's the biggest thing I think that is going to happen with the Steeler offense. And of course, you know, the attention they paid to the offensive line the last two years to number one picks, you know, three of their top five picks this past year were offensive linemen. That that's what they want to do.

They want to run the football and they want to run it down your throat. I love it. I love it. I can't wait to watch it.

It's going to be so much fun. And obviously, you know, Arthur back in in Atlanta, week one in Atlanta, unveiling Kirk Cousins and everything that they have going for them with a new coach who obviously, Mike Tomlin knows very well from back in the day. That is a fascinating week one matchup. What's going on defensively on that side of the ball that I should know about for this deal? Well, you know, I'm not sure what which was the biggest acquisition. Anytime you get a nine time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl winning quarterback who probably should have won two. That's a monster acquisition. But I'm not so sure the signing Patrick Queen and free agency wasn't bigger. Certainly it's as big in terms of what he will mean for that defense, you know, putting him on the inside where that's been a revolving door, Rich, since Ryan Chazier's career ending injury. And so and then, you know, they they really like the Landon Roberts from last year. And then they then they draft Peyton Wilson in the fourth round, who to me could be the steal of the draft and not just the Steelers draft.

Maybe the NFL draft. This is a two hundred forty four, two hundred forty two pound guy who runs a four for three. And, you know, he's a guy who can cover. So if you have three guys now on the inside that that and it's led by Patrick Queen. To me, that really bolsters a position that has struggled for, well, since 2013, excuse me, 16. To be perfectly honest, you know, the cornerback position, they traded Deontay Johnson, they brought in Dontay Jackson.

That gives him a capable starter. I think where the biggest question on defense, Rich, to me is the one area they really did little if nothing to improve themselves in the offseason as a defensive line. They're counting on Cam Hayward at age thirty five, bouncing back from an injury plague season. They really like Keanu Benton, the rookie from last year. They expect a big jump from him in year two.

He is and really can be and a disruptive player. But beyond that, they you know, they signed Dean Lowry in free agency. But that's depth. They drafted Logan lead on a lead on the sixth round. That's depth. They really did nothing to improve the defensive line.

They're just kind of counter all they are. They're counting on Cam Hayward bouncing back and Keanu Benton. Yeah, they have Larry Ogunjobi, but they always keep their fingers crossed with him because of nagging injuries in his career.

So that to me, I don't want to call it a question mark, but in that in that defense, to me, that's the biggest question mark. I just kind of find it interesting how the Steelers stepped out of their, for the lack of better phrase, comfort zone in the quarterback room and on offense. You know, I mean, obviously they, you know, gave a contract extension to Mike Tomlin. And you know how I what I think about him and how, you know, much blowback I get when I kind of cape for Coach Tomlin. And you just hear from Steeler fans that it's been too long since they, you know, won a playoff game. They don't care about finishing above five hundred and just making it as the sixth or now seventh seed if they're going to get, you know, their brains beaten in and not even have a sense of of being in the same realm as Super Bowl contenders. But I'm just wondering if if if the way you've just laid everything out, Jerry Dulac, with stepping out of the usual way, they would approach the quarterback room and and their offensive playbook and just stay in the course. Steeler way, Tomlin way and other ways that this team is, in your estimation, better equipped to end that playoff win drought.

Jerry. Oh, yeah. And it's been seven years, as you know, rich. And that's what that's what angers the fan base here. To your point about all the winning records. But then they go in and they get exited from the playoffs in the first round. You know, they've lost their last five postseason games.

But I don't think there's any question, Rich. You know, they were 10 and 17 last year and Mason Rudolph came in and basically saved their season those last three games. But I don't think there's any question with what they've done with the quarterback room, bringing in Arthur Smith, continuing to address the offensive line, the move to bring in Patrick Queen.

I mean, they made big time moves, and that includes trading for Justin Fields. I don't think there's any question they're better than 10 and seven, which is what they were last year, of course. So, you know, am I going to call him a Super Bowl team?

No. But I think, you know, you could start at eleven and six with this football team barring any significant injuries. And, you know, I think being maybe being capable of winning a playoff game, which would at least be a step in the right direction. But we heard Art Rooney, the second team president after the season, you know, basically saying he's getting impatient. It's time to win playoff games, he said.

And that's what that's what precipitated all these moves. Well, I mean, winning a playoff game, eleven and six would, I would think, put you in the in the conversation to win the division. You know, I mean, I don't think eleven wins wins this division. I think there's just too too good of a team. Whoever wins this division is going to be too damn good of a team. You know, the Ravens wound up being the one seed last year, a lot of good it did him. You know, I think it would have to be that that would be their best chance, clearly, obviously, rather than being an eleven win team that winds up in the home of the the division winner with the worst record, you know, on a wildcard weekend. That's just the way I look at it.

Yeah. And, you know, it's it's the strongest division in football. They showed that last year.

Probably the same will occur again this year. But you look at the Steelers record in the division five and one last year, three and three the year before their eight and four in the division the last two years. Mike Tomlin places so much emphasis on those division games, and that's why they've been successful in the division. So if they can be successful again in a division, I think, you know, again, am I going to sit here and say they're going to win the division?

No, but I think, you know, eleven and six and I think with a couple breaks, good breaks, maybe twelve and five. And then you're then you're talking about possible division championship. So, again, I'm not going to predict it.

But as I've learned over the years, nothing surprises me. Yeah. To win the division, they got to finish up strong if we just pop the schedule up real quick before we let Jerry go on with his day. Their first division game is week 11 home for Baltimore. They play Baltimore weeks 11 and 16. They play Cleveland 12 and 14 wrapped around their first game against Cincinnati, who they finish up against after. I mean, look at the finish right there from week 11 on. It's home for Baltimore at Cleveland at Cincy, home for Cleveland at Philly at Baltimore, home for Kansas City on Christmas and then Cincinnati.

I mean, that is you better make some hay early on. And it's not like they got some easy ones either. You know, at Atlanta, the Chargers should be better, despite what we're hearing about the foot of Justin Herbert right now would be a concern. You got Dallas, the Jets, we assume will be better. I mean, that's a heck of a schedule, Jerry, right there. Yeah.

And the finish, as you point out, Rich, is the big thing. And I believe because it's been a while since I looked this up, but I believe it's the latest that they begin division play. I think since the merger, that's how far back you have to go to see them go get into the second and third week in November before they play a division game.

We just haven't seen that. Usually they have one right away the first three or four games. So, yeah, it seems strange to wait that long to get into the meat of the division matchups. But that finishing stretch and then you have Kansas City on Christmas Day and at Philadelphia, we'll see what the Eagles are this year as opposed to what happened last year.

But, yeah, that finishing stretch is going to be a big time for them. And especially, again, because of how strong that the AFC North is. I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you your favorite Hall of Fame memory with the Steelers, you know, having tons of people in that bus gallery room downtown here. Rich, I think, yeah, I think I've seen most of them be inducted. I'm trying to think, you know, strange as it is, I don't think I was there for Troy's induction. But I go back to the days, Rich, when you sat on the steps of the Hall of Fame and it's a whole lot different now.

It's more detached. So my memories are being right up there on the steps of the Hall of Fame, watching that up close and personal. You know, Terry Bradshaw's speech still to me brings down the house, you know, but to see even Chuck Knoll and, you know, all the others go in.

I mean, I think I've seen just about every one of them. So I have many, but I would have to say it was Terry Bradshaw, you know, one pointing up to the sky to the chief, Art Rooney, and then saying how he wished he could take put his hands under Mike Webster's butt one more time and take another snap. Sitting right there in front of all that, I think is what I remember the most.

And of course, because you're so close to Pittsburgh, the number of Steeler fans that came out for those induction ceremonies. Yeah, and then he in fact did it, right? Then he said, I would love to do it one more time. And Mike Webster came out, he got a football and he did it. Well, I think that was when Webby got inducted, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, I think that's when Webster went in and then Bradshaw did that, I think. Yeah, because that was a classic. Well, there's no doubt.

Well, that'll be part of our NFL Network coverage on Saturday. Jerry, always great chatting with you. Appreciate it. Look for more of my calls, as always. Hey, Rich. Thanks, man. Good to be with you, as always. That's Jerry Dulak right here giving us the scoop, as only he can, on one of the more popular teams on planet Earth, the Pittsburgh Steelers, right here on the Rich Eisen Show.

We'll take a break and wrap up this show from Canton, Ohio, in just a moment. You want to sleep cooler while they like to feel warm? Sleep Number does that, too.

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Savings partners subject to change. What was going through your head when David Baker appeared all of a sudden, Bill? You know, I had absolutely no idea.

And the ironic part of it was that I sat down that morning with my wife, Veronica. You know, I talked about it. I said, I don't think I'm going to get in and I'm OK with it. I almost put some closure on it. And that was OK. You know, when I came in, no one really said anything.

We weren't discussing. I thought, well, that's pretty professional. I appreciated them kind of like giving me my space from it all. And I was getting ready to do an iVision with Phil Stens and talking about Lamar Jackson. And next thing I turn around, I see David Baker.

We all know what he stands for. And and it just was a lot of things to try to process at the time. It's kind of why I thought this isn't this is the way I thought this was going to be. I thought I was going to get a call and say, you know, you're close, but you can't get in.

And we don't find out on Tuesday night or something because it's going to air on Wednesday. And, yeah, it was almost surreal. And it's so funny. I sat back and watched Jimmy Johnson.

Same thing happened to him on the halftime of the second game on Sunday at home. And I know exactly what it was. You know, that matter of fact, I had to put out a tweet. And I first thought about, you know, did Adam Stanley really know that he had two future Hall of Fame players watching Bobby Buscea in the water? And Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy Johnson and I were down there. And I remember Jimmy and I think this is like nineteen ninety seven, ninety eight, whatever was. And Adam, actually, I think it's since then retweeted, I said, but we're talking about Booby Boos, Bobby Buscea. And he said he's saying Zach Taylor.

I don't know. He's like Greg Lloyd. He goes, whatever. So it's going to be really, really kind of fun to kind of be united with Jimmy over that little one. That's fantastic, Bill.

I mean, that is just great. Bill Cowher frequently here every year since he's gone to the Hall of Fame tonight, hopefully back on the Rich Eisen Show, wrapping things up in Canton, Ohio. So, of course, let's take a call from Jordan, the country, Modi and Jordan. You're here on the Rich Eisen Show. What's going on? Hey, Rich, how's it going? I hope everything's going well. Hopefully things are going well where you are. You're calling in from the Middle East.

Is that what you're calling in right now? Yes, sir. I'm a little tense, but everything is good. We'll survive. Everyone is going to survive.

We always did. Thanks for saying. What's on your mind? Well, we were just sitting on the balcony, my family and I, listening to your show.

I have been pulling a hookah donchit and then I thought maybe I can say hi. We can say hi and then talk a little bit about the Lions. Detroit Lions, huh? Why are you a Detroit Lion fan? Are you from the state of Michigan originally?

No, I'm actually from Jordan, but I'm currently living in Southeast Michigan. OK. All right. Terrific.

Listen, man. The last three shows, every single expert we have had on will say they think the Lions have improved. They were a team that were half away from the Super Bowl last year. And might darn be NFC favorites when it's all said and done. Yeah.

And that's that's what I think, too. They've been working a lot on their secondary. They resigned a lot of their key pieces. I mean, every everyone on their schedule has improved.

That's going to make it a little bit more difficult. But I do not think that they're going to go any any less than the divisional round. And hopefully they can make it to the Super Bowl. And you should have seen, like everyone in Michigan, how excited everyone was throughout the season and during the draft as well.

Well, thanks for the call, Modi. And say hi to your family for us out there in Jordan. That's pretty cool. I mean, and hey, you know, we were we were at the draft in Detroit. We saw seven hundred thousand fans there.

Pretty much everybody wearing Honolulu blue. That's fun. Talk about technology. I'm sitting in a hotel room in Canton talking to a guy on a porch in Jordan. Well, they're, you know, amazing. You know what I mean? I'm zooming into a show as it's getting streamed around the planet.

I can't get enough of it. All right. T.J., do you want to say hi to Tony in your hometown? Do you want to bring in Tony and Altoona? T.J., Tony.

Well, man, Tony from the A.L.T. Hey, what's going on? What's up, man? Long time fan.

Second time caller, baby. I was just in Altoona this weekend, Tony. Oh, I had your hot dog, by the way. Oh, you did get the hot dog? OK. Yes, I did. You know what? I didn't get the chili, though.

My stomach doesn't need any incentive. Chris, Chris, Chris. Chris, should they get a room? Should Tony and T.J. get a room here?

I love it. I'm the one getting a room. I have a room. Come on, Rich. Don't be mad cause I'm a fan or two out there.

Let's go. By the way, we are three and a half hours from Delaware, an hour and 20 minutes from Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, and about four and a half hours from the actual shoreline on the East Coast. Yeah, it's East Coast, Tony. I can't tell you guys, man.

That is not the East Coast. We finally have gotten the information we've been looking for. We've been looking for this information forever. Well done, Tony. Tony, these guys don't know anything about Canoe Creek, though, man. You know, they all know that there's a body of water right there.

A lake doesn't mean you're near the ocean and you're on the snow water, bro. I come from Long Island, T.J. We have no beach. We're at Long Island? No, I come from Long Island, jet country. We have Jones Beach, boardwalk, we have waves.

There's nothing out of Canoe Creek. By the way, didn't Anthony in Pennsylvania, he's the one who did the Jets win-loss record with a tough loss, Rich, right? I mean, Tony and Altoona. I mean, this is great.

I'm loving this. You've got a lot of transplants everywhere, Tony. Tony, I actually used to live in Long Beach, Long Island.

I want to help the kids out. Say that again, Tony. I'm sorry, I talked over there. What was that? I've got three quick questions for Rich, and I want to help the kids out. Okay, go for it. We only have a couple minutes left, Tony. What do you got?

All right. Where were you for Game 6 of the 86th World Series? I was in Game 6 in the 86th World Series. It was in my dorm in Mary Markley dorm in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and I was hating on everything. I wanted every pitch to be a strike or an out or a home run because I wanted both teams to be hurt. It was one of the worst World Series of my entire life, watching the Red Sox and the Mets play each other.

I wanted them both to implode, and in Game 6, it pretty much did. That's question one. What about question two? We were on the way on the Long Island Railroad coming home from a Journey concert. Journey. All right, don't stop believing. What else?

All right. What's the favorite hockey game you've been to as a fan? Hockey game? Yeah, hockey. Oh, my gosh. I don't know.

I guess any Michigan hockey game that I went to in college or the first one I went to in Hartford, where I watched Yager and I think Yager and Lemieux both scored twice. But I've got to let you go, Tony. We're up against the end of the hour, but I appreciate the call, Tony.

You be well. Thanks, Tony. That's Tony and Altoona. By the way, by the same metrics that you call Altoona in East Coast City, Vegas is a West Coast town. Yeah, that sounds right to me. Four hundred miles. My goodness gracious.

Out there on the West Coast. I love it. I love it.

All right, guys. Great fun show. Fun show here from Canton. I'll be at the Jack at dinner tonight and then I'll be doing the Hall of Fame tomorrow. It'll be on like Donkey Kong.

And then I'll be back on the on the show Monday and I'm doing something Sunday as well. Can you ask Roger Goodell? OK, go live on Instagram and hand the phone to Roger and have him record your intro tonight. So turn Roger Goodell into my own personal videographer. Yes, it's 100 percent your Instagram boyfriend live.

When you're about to start to. Hey, Roger, hold on a second. I'm going live.

Can you record this and then go live and then so everyone can see how you light it up tonight? Two words for that. Two words.

Yeah, no. All right. That'll wrap it up for us. Thank you for that suggestion. We'll wrap it up on the Roku channel in a second. But for the radio audience, see you Monday. The Sean Ryan Show on YouTube or wherever you listen.