The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller

The Steelers are in a tight race for the division lead with Baltimore with a big game in Chicago this weekend. Will Rodgers play and continue to dominate the Bears? Or, will the Steelers 30-year drought in Chicago continue?

11-21 PM Team Full Show

11-21 PM Team 5pm Hour: Mike Tomlin speaks again, Open Phone Friday, and The Other Side

The Otherside: Mark Carman joins the show to give the perspective of the Bears. He thinks he is losing the Carman war between himself and Ken Carman. His appearance on The PM Team is the pinnacle of his week, he says. The Bears defense is banged up, even if Rodgers is not healthy, how big of a deal is that?

We listen to what Mike Tomlin said after he was requested by the media to talk about Aaron Rodgers.

Mark Kaboly joins The PM Team in studio to preview the Steelers-Bears

11-21 PM Team 3pm Hour: AFC standings, Bryant McFadden, and the Donny Football Debrief

What are the weirdest injuries in sports history?

Steelers Super Bowl Champion Bryant McFadden joins the show. Who would he like to see start: Healthy Rudolph or Injured Rodgers? Can the Steelers create some separation in the AFC North?

Looking at the bigger picture in the AFC. With Buffalo losing to Houston last night, are there any clear favorites in the conference? The parity in the conference is the closest it has been in a while. Kansas City is 5-5 while Buffalo is 7-4. Do the Steelers have a chance to make a run in the AFC?

11-21 PM Team 2pm hour: Show open, phone calls, and Fair Game with Nick Farabaugh

Fair Game with Nick Farabaugh. Who does Nick think will start for the Steelers this Sunday? Nick says that it would take a lot for Rodgers not to play and would not have that short of a leash. If he was to have a short leash, Farabaugh says that they would just make him inactive. There seems to be concern about the status of Cam Heyward.

Mike Tomlin spoke moments before the guys took the air and said that "we will see how it goes" when it comes to Aaron Rodgers' health for the game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Rodgers is still listed as 'questionable'. Who will start on Sunday: Rodgers or Mason Rudolph? Both Poni and Mueller say that they think Rodgers will play.

PM Team FULL Show 11-20-25

The Bills and Texans kick off Week 12 of the NFL season tonight – 2 teams that were projected to win their division in the AFC. In fact, none of the preseason favorites to win their division are currently leading in the AFC. Is the AFC there for the taking? Poni doesn't think any of the typical conference powers are as scary this season. There's a real chance the Chiefs miss the playoffs completely. The guys think Mike Tomlin would be comfortable playing any team in the AFC right now. Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray said it's a ‘better than 50% chance' that Aaron Rodgers plays on Sunday. The guys asked Ray if Rodgers would be pushing to play if they weren't in Chicago this weekend. How much of a gap exists between Rodgers and Mason Rudolph right now? Ray said Rudolph has been ‘money' since that rough patch he hit in his second season back in 2019. Ray thinks there is a realistic chance Rudolph is the Week 1 starter in 2026. Ray said the coaches are really confident in James Pierre after his last few games, so the leash on Darius Slay won't be too long, assuming he gets the start. Is Jonnu Smith getting more snaps because he's a favorite of Arthur Smith? Ray thinks Roman Wilson is slowly gaining the trust of Rodgers and the coaching staff. Ray wouldn't be stunned if Kenneth Gainwell gets more touches than Jaylen Warren on Sunday. How does Ray think the Steelers stack up with the rest of the AFC right now? Ray has a feeling the Steelers win. Total Request Thursday.

Austin's Answers – What did Teryl Austin say to the media today? Steve Palazzolo from the 33rd Team joined the show. Steve said he would rate Aaron Rodgers a 5.5/10 right now and Mason Rudolph a 4.5/10 – answering the same question Poni asked Pomp in the 3 pm hour. Steve isn't convinced Rodgers is playing better football than Ben Roethlisberger did in his last couple years. Steve described Rodgers as ‘a tick off' in his last few games. How good has the Steelers offensive line been in protection of Rodgers? Steve isn't sure why Darius Slay would go right back into the Steelers lineup. Does Steve think the Steelers should have regret trading George Pickens? The guys asked Steve how good Darnell Washington has been and what kind of potential he has at over 300 pounds. Steve picked the Steelers to beat the Bears, sighting how lucky Chicago has been. Donny Football Debrief – Why did CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens get disciplined on MNF?

Smith's Sayings – What did Arthur Smith say to the media today? KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. Did the Steelers make a mistake trading George Pickens? Bob said they are still chasing their WR2 spot. When is the last time Bob did a shot? Bob gives Aaron Rodgers a 6.5/10 right now, with Mason Rudolph right behind at 6/10. Is TJ Watt playing up to his contract so far? Bob is afraid about what Caleb Williams can bring to the table on Sunday, but expects a one-score game. Power Rankings – Top 5 SNL cast members.

Poni had a question for everyone to start today's show – where did the Mason Rudolph love come from? How much of the heavy lifting does the end of the 2023 season do? Chris said people love a comeback story going back to biblical days. Did he get a raw deal? People haven't seen him play bad football in Pittsburgh for a little while. Where does the love for Mason Rudolph come from? One caller, missing the point, wondered why the guys were ‘praising' Duck Hodges in 2019. Pirates/Penguins reporter Jason Mackey from the PG joined the show. Jason confirmed that the Pirates did offer Josh Naylor a contract, but doesn't think Naylor was close to leaving Seattle. Jason thinks they will spend some money this off-season, but players like Naylor and Kyle Schwarber are probably too rich. Jason questioned why a free agent worth $30M/year would come to Pittsburgh. Jason believes it's ‘very possible' that Konnor Griffin begins the 2026 season on the Pirates roster as their starting shortstop. Jason thinks the Pirates payroll will be right around $100M, but doubts it gets any higher than that. Jason thinks Eugenio Suarez could be the big move of the off-season, coming off a 49 HR season.

Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray said it's a ‘better than 50% chance' that Aaron Rodgers plays on Sunday. The guys asked Ray if Rodgers would be pushing to play if they weren't in Chicago this weekend. How much of a gap exists between Rodgers and Mason Rudolph right now? Ray said Rudolph has been ‘money' since that rough patch he hit in his second season back in 2019. Ray thinks there is a realistic chance Rudolph is the Week 1 starter in 2026. Ray said the coaches are really confident in James Pierre after his last few games, so the leash on Darius Slay won't be too long, assuming he gets the start. Is Jonnu Smith getting more snaps because he's a favorite of Arthur Smith? Ray thinks Roman Wilson is slowly gaining the trust of Rodgers and the coaching staff. Ray wouldn't be stunned if Kenneth Gainwell gets more touches than Jaylen Warren on Sunday. How does Ray think the Steelers stack up with the rest of the AFC right now? Ray has a feeling the Steelers win.

Steve Palazzolo from the 33rd Team joined the show. Steve said he would rate Aaron Rodgers a 5.5/10 right now and Mason Rudolph a 4.5/10 – answering the same question Poni asked Pomp in the 3 pm hour. Steve isn't convinced Rodgers is playing better football than Ben Roethlisberger did in his last couple years. Steve described Rodgers as ‘a tick off' in his last few games. How good has the Steelers offensive line been in protection of Rodgers? Steve isn't sure why Darius Slay would go right back into the Steelers lineup. Does Steve think the Steelers should have regret trading George Pickens? The guys asked Steve how good Darnell Washington has been and what kind of potential he has at over 300 pounds. Steve picked the Steelers to beat the Bears, sighting how lucky Chicago has been.

PM Team Picks Week 12

KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. Did the Steelers make a mistake trading George Pickens? Bob said they are still chasing their WR2 spot. When is the last time Bob did a shot? Bob gives Aaron Rodgers a 6.5/10 right now, with Mason Rudolph right behind at 6/10. Is TJ Watt playing up to his contract so far? Bob is afraid about what Caleb Williams can bring to the table on Sunday, but expects a one-score game.

Pirates/Penguins reporter Jason Mackey from the PG joined the show. Jason confirmed that the Pirates did offer Josh Naylor a contract, but doesn't think Naylor was close to leaving Seattle. Jason thinks they will spend some money this off-season, but players like Naylor and Kyle Schwarber are probably too rich. Jason questioned why a free agent worth $30M/year would come to Pittsburgh. Jason believes it's ‘very possible' that Konnor Griffin begins the 2026 season on the Pirates roster as their starting shortstop. Jason thinks the Pirates payroll will be right around $100M, but doubts it gets any higher than that. Jason thinks Eugenio Suarez could be the big move of the off-season, coming off a 49 HR season.

Poni had a question for everyone to start today's show – where did the Mason Rudolph love come from? How much of the heavy lifting does the end of the 2023 season do? Chris said people love a comeback story going back to biblical days. Did he get a raw deal? People haven't seen him play bad football in Pittsburgh for a little while.

PM Team FULL Show 11-19-25

Rodgers Rebuttals – What did Aaron Rodgers say to the media earlier today? Steelers insider Brian Batko from the PG joined the show. Brian feels like Aaron Rodgers will play on Sunday. What type of limitations will he have? Brian talked about the glow up for Mason Rudolph with the fans. If Darius Slay plays on Sunday, how much leeway will he get with James Pierre playing so well? Brian doesn't know why people bring up the ‘football' side of George Pickens because there was never a doubt of his ability. Brian thinks the Steelers lose in Chicago. Judge Donny – Will Penn State hire a coach better than James Franklin?

We have more of an answer on why the Steelers traded George Pickens. It wasn't the front office being at its wits end with him – it was his teammates. Poni thought Joe brought up a good point earlier today, questioning why any of these guys have the grounds to decide who is/isn't on the team since they haven't won a damn thing? How much of a say did Aaron Rodgers have in this (who wasn't on the roster when they made the trade)? ALL ACCESS w/ Aditi – Aditi doesn't believe the George Pickens trade will go down as the ‘worst' in Steelers history and sometimes a player just needs that change of scenery. Aditi referenced Baker Mayfield going through the same thing in Cleveland. Is it a smarter move for the Steelers to play Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph on Sunday? She said Rodgers is the starter for a reason and an opponent like the Bears probably gets his juices flowing a little bit more. Donny Football Debrief – It's a little early for mock drafts, but this one got us a little excited.

Aaron Rodgers talked to the media today and the guys think that is a telltale sign that he will play on Sunday. Usually, a QB won't talk to the reporters if he isn't going to play a few days later. Poni posed the question – is Mason Rudolph the best backup QB in team history? He has more wins than Charlie Batch in backup duty. We looked back at some backup QBs in Steelers lore. Poni thinks Rudolph pulling Mike Tomlin and his team out of the ground in 2023 is something that could win him some tiebreakers. Does Tommy Maddox deserve any consideration? Former MLB pitcher Matt Clement joined the show. The guys asked Matt about the Pirates off-season rumors and if the team has any shot to make a mark. Matt went through some names the Pirates should truly pursue. He thinks, even though the staff is already strong, the Pirates should look into pitchers like Ranger Suarez if his market isn't as strong as expected. Matt said the Pirates can't wait too long with Paul Skenes on their roster and they need to show urgency. Is it a good idea for the Pirates to start Konnor Griffin out of the gate in 2026? Matt insisted the Pirates will bolster their starting rotation and could make other splashes, to a smaller degree. Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. The guys asked Mike about his card collecting days and he explained why 1976 was a big year. Mike also gave quite an interesting take on an ice cream topping. Once the talk got to football, it turned to Aaron Rodgers and if he would play in Chicago on Sunday. Mike expects Rodgers to play and that he will do everything in his power to play against the Bears one more time. Mike thinks Rodgers is aware that this could be his final season, which could make it more difficult to keep him out of games. The guys asked Mike about the tussle between Ja'Marr Chase and Jalen Ramsey on Sunday, which resulted in Ramsey's ejection and Chase's suspension. How do officials walk the fine line of punches in games?

Are you starting to get excited, Pirates fans? The report from Jeff Passan the other day had us wondering if the Pirates would actually follow up on their lofty off-season expectations. The mood was pretty dire – questioning if it would be any different than the off-season's we are used to. Poni said he has heard it will be the ‘best off-season under Bob Nutting.' Well, we'll see about that. The Fan vs The Fans. Former Penguin Tyler Kennedy joined the show. The guys asked TK why he doesn't go on the Morning Show, but he's present on the others. Tyler said the weirdest guy he played hockey with was Brent Burns – sighting the extensive reptile collection and the quirky things he'd do. How many players are more superstitious than Sidney Crosby? There are reports that Evgeni Malkin will have a sit-down with Kyle Dubas to discuss future options, which could mean more Geno in a Penguins uniform.

Steelers insider Brian Batko from the PG joined the show. Brian feels like Aaron Rodgers will play on Sunday. What type of limitations will he have? Brian talked about the glow up for Mason Rudolph with the fans. If Darius Slay plays on Sunday, how much leeway will he get with James Pierre playing so well? Brian doesn't know why people bring up the ‘football' side of George Pickens because there was never a doubt of his ability. Brian thinks the Steelers lose in Chicago.

ALL ACCESS w/ Aditi – Aditi doesn't believe the George Pickens trade will go down as the ‘worst' in Steelers history and sometimes a player just needs that change of scenery. Aditi referenced Baker Mayfield going through the same thing in Cleveland. Is it a smarter move for the Steelers to play Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph on Sunday? She said Rodgers is the starter for a reason and an opponent like the Bears probably gets his juices flowing a little bit more.

We have more of an answer on why the Steelers traded George Pickens. It wasn't the front office being at its wits end with him – it was his teammates. Poni thought Joe brought up a good point earlier today, questioning why any of these guys have the grounds to decide who is/isn't on the team since they haven't won a damn thing? How much of a say did Aaron Rodgers have in this (who wasn't on the roster when they made the trade)?

Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. The guys asked Mike about his card collecting days and he explained why 1976 was a big year. Mike also gave quite an interesting take on an ice cream topping. Once the talk got to football, it turned to Aaron Rodgers and if he would play in Chicago on Sunday. Mike expects Rodgers to play and that he will do everything in his power to play against the Bears one more time. Mike thinks Rodgers is aware that this could be his final season, which could make it more difficult to keep him out of games. The guys asked Mike about the tussle between Ja'Marr Chase and Jalen Ramsey on Sunday, which resulted in Ramsey's ejection and Chase's suspension. How do officials walk the fine line of punches in games?

Former MLB pitcher Matt Clement joined the show. The guys asked Matt about the Pirates off-season rumors and if the team has any shot to make a mark. Matt went through some names the Pirates should truly pursue. He thinks, even though the staff is already strong, the Pirates should look into pitchers like Ranger Suarez if his market isn't as strong as expected. Matt said the Pirates can't wait too long with Paul Skenes on their roster and they need to show urgency. Is it a good idea for the Pirates to start Konnor Griffin out of the gate in 2026? Matt insisted the Pirates will bolster their starting rotation and could make other splashes, to a smaller degree.

Former Penguin Tyler Kennedy joined the show. The guys asked TK why he doesn't go on the Morning Show, but he's present on the others. Tyler said the weirdest guy he played hockey with was Brent Burns – sighting the extensive reptile collection and the quirky things he'd do. How many players are more superstitious than Sidney Crosby? There are reports that Evgeni Malkin will have a sit-down with Kyle Dubas to discuss future options, which could mean more Geno in a Penguins uniform.

Are you starting to get excited, Pirates fans? The report from Jeff Passan the other day had us wondering if the Pirates would actually follow up on their lofty off-season expectations. The mood was pretty dire – questioning if it would be any different than the off-season's we are used to. Poni said he has heard it will be the ‘best off-season under Bob Nutting.' Well, we'll see about that.

PM Team FULL Show 11-18-25

Tomlin Takes – What else did Mike Tomlin say to the media today? 93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. The guys asked Jeff what a current Mike Tomlin press conference is like and how his mood changes over the course of the year. Jeff said veterans tend to get their jobs back and that's why Tomlin proclaimed Darius Slay a starter once he is healthy. Jeff painted the picture of how questions go down at the presser every week. Jeff explained why there is sometimes a lack of ‘tough' questions. Name Game.

The insiders are getting the cold shoulder from Aaron Rodgers after leaking his injury news on Sunday night. Poni said he thinks the Rodgers honeymoon is over. He feels like the performance against the Chargers was enough to sour fans on the old man QB. Poni specified that this is the honeymoon with the fans, not with the organization. They compared it to a new-car smell and that the fans don't have that anymore with Rodgers. There is a sense that is why Mason Rudolph is getting a hero's welcome from fans. Calls on Aaron Rodgers and George Pickens. Donny Football Debrief – How would you rank the CFB announce pairings? Awful Announcing has a surprising #1 team.

George Pickens had another big night as the Cowboys rolled to a win in Las Vegas. Is a lot of the fanbase starting to look wrong about that trade? Pickens is mostly behaving with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott. His coach actually disciplined him a little bit to begin the game. Chris isn't walking it back and said it was a trade the Steelers needed to make. Prescott probably deserves the brunt of the credit because he is far and away the best QB Pickens has ever played with. Would DK Metcalf have better numbers if Pickens was still here? Even though it's fair, a lot is being assumed about what Pickens in Pittsburgh in 2025 would have been like. Should the Steelers regret trading George Pickens for a 3rd round pick? Tomlin Tidbit – It sounds like Mike Tomlin is ready to give Darius Slay his job back once he's healthy.

Another Tomlin Tuesday had us reacting to the news that Aaron Rodgers does have a fracture in his left wrist, but has not been ruled out for Sunday. Is that the smart move against the Bears? Poni is coming around on playing Mason Rudolph on Sunday, noting how good he has been in his last few appearances with the Steelers. Does Rodgers make the Steelers chances of winning ‘much' better? Chris thinks if Mike Tomlin is going to play Rudolph then he should declare it right now and not leave the team guessing. Which QB are the Steelers preparing to start on Sunday? Bucco Minute – Baseball's biggest insider is reporting that the Pirates offered a big contract to Josh Naylor, are going to be players in free agency, and they may give Konnor Griffin a shot to be their Opening Day shortstop

93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. The guys asked Jeff what a current Mike Tomlin press conference is like and how his mood changes over the course of the year. Jeff said veterans tend to get their jobs back and that's why Tomlin proclaimed Darius Slay a starter once he is healthy. Jeff painted the picture of how questions go down at the presser every week. Jeff explained why there is sometimes a lack of ‘tough' questions.