The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller

The Steelers continue to interview candidates to be their next head coach, but whoever is selected will need to find the team's next QB!

1-23 PM Team Full Show

1-23 PM Team 5pm Hour

1-23 PM Team 3pm Hour

1-23 PM Team 2pm Hour

Open Phone Friday

The new music beds are making their presence known. Chris asks if they're AI. I don't believe they are. How should the Steelers change their defense? Should they bring back a majority of their defensive players or completely overhaul the unit?

Mark Kaboly joins the show! Mark says that if the Steelers don't hire a head coach until next week and the Rams win, we know the next Steelers coach is going to be a Rams guy. Kaboly says "not yet" if the Steelers are interested in Sean McDermott as a dark horse. Mark and Chris talk about local establishments representing their youth sports clubs. One of my baseball teams growing up was sponsored by a tavern that went out of business half way through the year, so we represented a defunct business. Mark answers how much Art Rooney II will be leaning on other people to help him make the decision. The Joe Hendry theme song will always irritate Mullsy and we love that. A discussion of old school WWF action figures takes place that unlocks memories I forgot I had. Who will still be on the roster next year for the Steelers?

The Donny Football Debrief: Eight Head Coaches have been traded, four of them have won Super Bowls with their new teams, can Mullsy name the four?

The Sean McDermott comment from Nick peaked Mullsy's interest. He dives a little bit more into the McDermott possibility of getting an interview. Where would McDermott rank in possible Steelers head coaching candidates?

Fair Game with Nick Farabaugh. Is it fair to say that the Steelers will hire one of the Rams coaches as their next head coach? Nick answers the question if the Steelers will have a new head coach this time next week. He says that a dark horse candidate to get an interview that hasn't is Sean McDermott.

A solo Mullsy show today. He starts off with a very simple question: Do fans trust Art Rooney II to make the right call and hire the next Steelers head coach? If Rooney II was willing to keep Mike Tomlin around after another embarrassing playoff performance, should that scare Steelers fans?

PM Team FULL Show 1-22-26

The biggest sleeper candidate for the Steelers head coaching job is Anthony Weaver. He interviews tomorrow in-person. His defenses haven't been great in Miami, but are there some qualities to make him a head coach? John Harbaugh gave a great endorsement of Weaver when he was part of his staff. We heard a few clips of Weaver talking to media in Miami this season. He feels like another guy that can win a press conference. Can Weaver be the rare guy that is a better head coach than coordinator? If he's a good/great CEO coach for a few years, would he get too high on his own supply and give himself too much control? Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray doesn't think the chat with Mike McCarthy was for charity and the veteran HC has a real shot at this job. Does Anthony Weaver have a better chance than a lot of people are giving him credit for? The guys asked Ray about the two candidates from the Rams and if they are the leaders in the clubhouse right now. Ray isn't sure if/when Brian Flores will get back into the head coaching ranks as he signed an extension with the Vikings last night. The guys reacted to the breaking news of Jesse Minter being named head coach of the Ravens. Ray thinks the search will be over sometime next week and thinks it will be one of the Rams' guys. Total Request Thursday.

The guys reacted to speculation that Mario Cristobal could be worked into the mix of Steelers coaching candidates. There's also a report out there from ESPN that some coaches are worried about the Steelers job because Art Rooney II is ‘cheap' and the organization needs to bump up salaries and size of staff. We will find out something when the new coach is hired – if it was a Rooney money thing or a Mike Tomlin thing when it came to staff size. Imagine if someone like Chris Shula said ‘no' to the role because he knew his staff would have limitations. Shouldn't the Steelers have savings from not having to pay Tomlin anymore? Steve Palazzolo from the 33rd Team joined the show. Steve laughed at Mario Cristobal being a name thrown around for the Steelers job – suggesting Curt Cignetti as the only college coach in this cycle he would expect to get looks. Steve talked about a few teams that don't send personnel to events like the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. Steve doesn't understand how Mike McCarthy would make sense with this job. Steve thinks it could be too early for someone like Nate Scheelhaase as a head coach and he wants to see him work as an offensive coordinator first. Steve pointed out some key differences in Fernando Mendoza and Will Howard, the latter called an ‘OK' prospect by Steve. Steve got into the arm talent and strength traits that don't often slip through the cracks if there isn't much more to their game, like Anthony Richardson in comparison to Josh Allen. Should the Steelers call Sean McDermott? Steve said Yes. Donny Football Debrief – NFL awards finalists have been announced.

Are the Steelers really considering hiring Mike McCarthy and bringing back Aaron Rodgers? ESPN talking heads say it would be a disaster, so we aren't alone. One NFL insider says the Steelers are down to McCarthy along with Chris Shula and Brian Flores. The guys are starting to think it's down to McCarthy and the Rams' guys. Some shade being thrown across networks by a former Pitt RB. KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. Pomp is still feeling good about Chris Shula being the next Steelers head coach and hopes he would bring Nate Scheelhaase with him. Bob doesn't understand why Klint Kubiak has never been on their list. Bob doesn't want Mike McCarthy as the head coach, but would like if he's with the team in some capacity. Bob thinks the Steelers always want to be in the position to have a chance even when they don't have a QB of the future. What if the McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers partnership continues in Pittsburgh next season? The guys asked Bob about the argument yesterday about Will Howard and Fernando Mendoza that got Austin up in arms. How would Bob power rank a hangout with the 3 Steelers head coaches since 1969? Pomp said he likes the Broncos getting the points this weekend. Power Rankings – Top 5 guys we THINK will be the next Steelers HC.

Brian Flores signed an extension with the Vikings as their DC, but that does not officially take him out of the Steelers HC search. Or does it? The guys think it's a sign that Flores knows he won't be getting a head job in this cycle. But is anyone upset about this? Can we find anyone that is upset about Brian Flores being virtually removed from the Steelers HC search? Pirates insider Jason Mackey from the PG joined the show. Jason recently had a sit-down with Paul Skenes, so the Pirates ace was the first topic of conversation. Skenes doesn't care about the payroll in Pittsburgh. Jason said Paul doesn't believe the Pirates are deficient on talent and is happy with what has happened this offseason. Jason talked about the Pirates push for making a couple of moves this offseason, which is much different than the usual approach. He talked about the front office grasping where they are as a franchise and having the best pitcher in baseball. Are the Pirates done? Jason thinks a trade for Alec Bohm could be an option, but he would also not be surprised if the team called up Konnor Griffin before Opening Day. Is Eugenio Suarez a pipe dream or a real thing?

Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray doesn't think the chat with Mike McCarthy was for charity and the veteran HC has a real shot at this job. Does Anthony Weaver have a better chance than a lot of people are giving him credit for? The guys asked Ray about the two candidates from the Rams and if they are the leaders in the clubhouse right now. Ray isn't sure if/when Brian Flores will get back into the head coaching ranks as he signed an extension with the Vikings last night. The guys reacted to the breaking news of Jesse Minter being named head coach of the Ravens. Ray thinks the search will be over sometime next week and thinks it will be one of the Rams' guys.

Steve Palazzolo from the 33rd Team joined the show. Steve laughed at Mario Cristobal being a name thrown around for the Steelers job – suggesting Curt Cignetti as the only college coach in this cycle he would expect to get looks. Steve talked about a few teams that don't send personnel to events like the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. Steve doesn't understand how Mike McCarthy would make sense with this job. Steve thinks it could be too early for someone like Nate Scheelhaase as a head coach and he wants to see him work as an offensive coordinator first. Steve pointed out some key differences in Fernando Mendoza and Will Howard, the latter called an ‘OK' prospect by Steve. Steve got into the arm talent and strength traits that don't often slip through the cracks if there isn't much more to their game, like Anthony Richardson in comparison to Josh Allen. Should the Steelers call Sean McDermott? Steve said Yes.

The guys reacted to speculation that Mario Cristobal could be worked into the mix of Steelers coaching candidates. There's also a report out there from ESPN that some coaches are worried about the Steelers job because Art Rooney II is ‘cheap' and the organization needs to bump up salaries and size of staff. We will find out something when the new coach is hired – if it was a Rooney money thing or a Mike Tomlin thing when it came to staff size. Imagine if someone like Chris Shula said ‘no' to the role because he knew his staff would have limitations. Shouldn't the Steelers have savings from not having to pay Tomlin anymore?

KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. Pomp is still feeling good about Chris Shula being the next Steelers head coach and hopes he would bring Nate Scheelhaase with him. Bob doesn't understand why Klint Kubiak has never been on their list. Bob doesn't want Mike McCarthy as the head coach, but would like if he's with the team in some capacity. Bob thinks the Steelers always want to be in the position to have a chance even when they don't have a QB of the future. What if the McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers partnership continues in Pittsburgh next season? The guys asked Bob about the argument yesterday about Will Howard and Fernando Mendoza that got Austin up in arms. How would Bob power rank a hangout with the 3 Steelers head coaches since 1969? Pomp said he likes the Broncos getting the points this weekend.

Are the Steelers really considering hiring Mike McCarthy and bringing back Aaron Rodgers? ESPN talking heads say it would be a disaster, so we aren't alone. One NFL insider says the Steelers are down to McCarthy along with Chris Shula and Brian Flores. The guys are starting to think it's down to McCarthy and the Rams' guys. Some shade being thrown across networks by a former Pitt RB.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey from the PG joined the show. Jason recently had a sit-down with Paul Skenes, so the Pirates ace was the first topic of conversation. Skenes doesn't care about the payroll in Pittsburgh. Jason said Paul doesn't believe the Pirates are deficient on talent and is happy with what has happened this offseason. Jason talked about the Pirates push for making a couple of moves this offseason, which is much different than the usual approach. He talked about the front office grasping where they are as a franchise and having the best pitcher in baseball. Are the Pirates done? Jason thinks a trade for Alec Bohm could be an option, but he would also not be surprised if the team called up Konnor Griffin before Opening Day. Is Eugenio Suarez a pipe dream or a real thing?

Brian Flores signed an extension with the Vikings as their DC, but that does not officially take him out of the Steelers HC search. Or does it? The guys think it's a sign that Flores knows he won't be getting a head job in this cycle. But is anyone upset about this?

PM Team FULL Show 1-21-26

Would there be this much love for Mike McCarthy if he wasn't from Pittsburgh? Ben Roethlisberger brought up McCarthy knowing the ‘Steelers Way' because he is from here. That seems like it's a pretty made-up narrative. 93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Jeff said the Mike McCarthy interview is more serious than just a courtesy chat. Jeff thinks the Steelers will go through all of their interviews before deciding. Why haven't any other teams had McCarthy high on their list? The guys said Chris Shula better skip a generation of greatness because his dad and uncle were terrible head coaches while his grandpa is an all-time great. Jeff said he is not surprised that Nate Scheelhaase popped in his interview with the Steelers. How much of a shot does Anthony Weaver have? Do the Steelers consider if a candidate has ties to an AFC North rival? Jeff said he has ‘heard too much' about Shula when it comes to being the next Steelers head coach. Will the Steelers add to their coaching staff and will they modernize a little bit more to the active game?

Nate Scheelhaase reportedly gave off ‘Mike Tomlin' vibes in his first interview with the Steelers. If you want Scheelhaase, that should be music to your ears. Tomlin won over the Steelers two decades ago in the interview process when the whole world thought it would be Russ Grimm. Are there hold ups and reasons to worry about Scheelhaase? Would a coach like that want to go somewhere tough like Vegas or Cleveland for his first job? ALL ACCESS w/ Aditi – Aditi talked about the details of a coaching search and why the interviews should go both ways. Aditi talked about the operations with different teams and how the staffs can be drastically different around the league. Did Mike Tomlin ‘mask' a lot of bad things going on with the Steelers? Aditi said she isn't surprised by the lack of offensive minds getting interviews, which expanded to the lack of chance for both Klint Kubiak and Klay Kubiak in this process. Aditi doesn't think offensive minded coaches have a clear advantage over defensive guys because there are plenty of defensive examples shining in today's game. When does a CEO style coach work? Aditi said her two favorites for the job would still be Jesse Minter and Brian Flores. Donny Football Debrief – Per John Lynch, Brandon Aiyuk has played his final game with the 49ers.

Do the Steelers have to shoot for an offensive minded guy in this hiring process? The only two guys they have interviewed that fall under that umbrella are Mike McCarthy and Klay Kubiak. It's not as good of a cycle as last year was with offensive brainpower, but there needs to be a plan to build the offense and have an idea at QB. Is there a concern that if the Steelers go with a defensive leader they are left looking for OCs every few seasons? Would Mike McCarthy be an F-hire? Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. Mike said it's not your father's (or grandfather's) Steelers in reaction to Mike McCarthy being among the favorites for the Steelers job. Mike thinks the Steelers should pivot to an offensive guy because of the way the game has changed. Mike doesn't agree with the belief that a McCarthy hire would mean an Aaron Rodgers return to Pittsburgh. Mike brought up an interesting postgame comment made by McCarthy following a playoff loss a few years ago in Dallas. He said there are some attention-to-detail things McCarthy falls short in. Mike thinks Brian Flores would return to Minnesota if he doesn't get a head coaching job. Mike talked about the projection there is when hiring someone like Nate Scheelhaase, who has never been a coordinator before, let alone head coach. Mike still believes Chris Shula makes the most sense for the Steelers. Mike said the Steelers are only competing with the Ravens and the Bills, and those teams could be going in opposite directions at head coach.

Is Mike McCarthy the new favorite to be the next head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers? That feeling is starting to rise up. Is that the best option for the Steelers? If he can develop a QB, it can be very beneficial, but he doesn't have the long-term game left in him. Poni said he would take McCarthy over Brian Flores at this point. Is anyone starting to come around on this? A caller asked if a McCarthy hire would result in an Aaron Rodgers return. Calls on the idea of Mike McCarthy as next head coach. Former Penguin Tyler Kennedy joined the show. Should the Penguins go for it and make some moves at this trade deadline while they sit in a playoff spot? TK said Kyle Dubas should keep looking for young talent to help out this current team. Tyler thinks the Olympics have played a big factor in Sidney Crosby continuing to play at such a high level. He described Sid as a ‘complete freak' and said he's enjoying all of this in the later years of his career. TK ranked his favorite western Canadian cities.

93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Jeff said the Mike McCarthy interview is more serious than just a courtesy chat. Jeff thinks the Steelers will go through all of their interviews before deciding. Why haven't any other teams had McCarthy high on their list? The guys said Chris Shula better skip a generation of greatness because his dad and uncle were terrible head coaches while his grandpa is an all-time great. Jeff said he is not surprised that Nate Scheelhaase popped in his interview with the Steelers. How much of a shot does Anthony Weaver have? Do the Steelers consider if a candidate has ties to an AFC North rival? Jeff said he has ‘heard too much' about Shula when it comes to being the next Steelers head coach. Will the Steelers add to their coaching staff and will they modernize a little bit more to the active game?

ALL ACCESS w/ Aditi – Aditi talked about the details of a coaching search and why the interviews should go both ways. Aditi talked about the operations with different teams and how the staffs can be drastically different around the league. Did Mike Tomlin ‘mask' a lot of bad things going on with the Steelers? Aditi said she isn't surprised by the lack of offensive minds getting interviews, which expanded to the lack of chance for both Klint Kubiak and Klay Kubiak in this process. Aditi doesn't think offensive minded coaches have a clear advantage over defensive guys because there are plenty of defensive examples shining in today's game. When does a CEO style coach work? Aditi said her two favorites for the job would still be Jesse Minter and Brian Flores.

Nate Scheelhaase reportedly gave off ‘Mike Tomlin' vibes in his first interview with the Steelers. If you want Scheelhaase, that should be music to your ears. Tomlin won over the Steelers two decades ago in the interview process when the whole world thought it would be Russ Grimm. Are there hold ups and reasons to worry about Scheelhaase? Would a coach like that want to go somewhere tough like Vegas or Cleveland for his first job?

Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. Mike said it's not your father's (or grandfather's) Steelers in reaction to Mike McCarthy being among the favorites for the Steelers job. Mike thinks the Steelers should pivot to an offensive guy because of the way the game has changed. Mike doesn't agree with the belief that a McCarthy hire would mean an Aaron Rodgers return to Pittsburgh. Mike brought up an interesting postgame comment made by McCarthy following a playoff loss a few years ago in Dallas. He said there are some attention-to-detail things McCarthy falls short in. Mike thinks Brian Flores would return to Minnesota if he doesn't get a head coaching job. Mike talked about the projection there is when hiring someone like Nate Scheelhaase, who has never been a coordinator before, let alone head coach. Mike still believes Chris Shula makes the most sense for the Steelers. Mike said the Steelers are only competing with the Ravens and the Bills, and those teams could be going in opposite directions at head coach.

Do the Steelers have to shoot for an offensive minded guy in this hiring process? The only two guys they have interviewed that fall under that umbrella are Mike McCarthy and Klay Kubiak. It's not as good of a cycle as last year was with offensive brainpower, but there needs to be a plan to build the offense and have an idea at QB. Is there a concern that if the Steelers go with a defensive leader they are left looking for OCs every few seasons?

Former Penguin Tyler Kennedy joined the show. Should the Penguins go for it and make some moves at this trade deadline while they sit in a playoff spot? TK said Kyle Dubas should keep looking for young talent to help out this current team. Tyler thinks the Olympics have played a big factor in Sidney Crosby continuing to play at such a high level. He described Sid as a ‘complete freak' and said he's enjoying all of this in the later years of his career. TK ranked his favorite western Canadian cities.

Is Mike McCarthy the new favorite to be the next head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers? That feeling is starting to rise up. Is that the best option for the Steelers? If he can develop a QB, it can be very beneficial, but he doesn't have the long-term game left in him. Poni said he would take McCarthy over Brian Flores at this point. Is anyone starting to come around on this? A caller asked if a McCarthy hire would result in an Aaron Rodgers return.

PM Team FULL Show 1-20-26

Wait a minute… Art Rooney II scheduled a vacation during divisional round weekend? What is the latest on the Steelers interview schedule? Poni isn't very excited over the list of guys that have gotten second interviews. Is it time to worry about what the current list looks like? Where does the Steelers' job rank as of right now? John Harbaugh had his opening press conference in New York as he takes over the Giants. Should the top targets still be Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase?

The biggest Mike Tomlin fan in the media thinks MT is ‘done' with coaching. Jay Glazer, after doing his best to defend Tomlin, told FS1 that Tomlin is done with coaching, at least for now. The belief when Bill Cowher resigned is that he would take a year off then return to coaching, but that time never came. Chris thinks we have seen Tomlin coach his final game in the NFL. Vikings reporter Matthew Coller from Purple Insider joined the show. Matthew told the guys what the offensive plan could be for Brian Flores if he does get the Steelers HC job. He said there is still no doubt about his defensive mind or intensity, but can he develop a QB? Matthew said Charlie Frye or Josh McCown could be a few names to consider to run the offense. Matthew said any defensive player on the Vikings roster would credit Flores for the steps they have taken in their careers. He did mention that players under the age of 25 still have occasional complaints or act intimidated, but Matthew mentioned a few youngers guy that openly say Flores made them what they are. Matthew thinks Flores knows the importance of a great QB or great QB play, citing Tom Brady and Sam Darnold. Matthew said the defensive mind of Flores is impeccable and as up-to-date as any coach in the league. Donny Football Debrief – The Buccaneers have hired Danny Smith. Everyone loved him, but was he that great?

The Steelers are interviewing Brian Flores in-person today as he continues to emerge as one of the lead candidates to be the next head coach. Is he a better option than Mike McCarthy? After getting a lifeline from Mike Tomlin a few years back, Flores seemingly reinvented himself a little bit in Minnesota the last 2 seasons. The red flags from his time as HC in Miami have some people spooked, but could his defensive mind reinvigorate the Steelers most-expensive unit in football? The guys also dove into the Bill Belichick coaching tree and the number of guys that failed as head coaches. If the Steelers bring Mike McCarthy back, will he live at his parent's house? More fans are showing they would be in favor of McCarthy as Steelers HC. College Football Minute – Indiana capped an all-time season with a 27-21 win over Miami in the National Championship game. Is Curt Cignetti the best coach from Pittsburgh? Not only do the guys think it's good for college football – they think it's great. Poni tried to get Cignetti for an interview. Do you think the SID replied?

Is Mike McCarthy a legit candidate to be the Steelers next head coach? There appears to be more validity to that possibility than we recently thought. He's from Pittsburgh, he has a past relationship with Omar Khan and Andy Weidl. But is he going to bring more of the same thing? He feels like the offensive version of Mike Tomlin. If Art Rooney doesn't want to take a step back, will he roll with someone already established like McCarthy? Does a Mike McCarthy hire mean Aaron Rodgers would be back next season? Sports Court w/ our friends from Edgar Snyder & Associates – With Brian Flores interviewing with the Steelers, the guys asked about the possibility of him being a head coach again after filing suit against the NFL. Is there an ageism problem in the NFL and could it be relevant with Mike McCarthy being a strong candidate for the job? Rob and Nick got a little bit into the NFL constitution. Will Flores get a job in this cycle?

Wait a minute… Art Rooney II scheduled a vacation during divisional round weekend? What is the latest on the Steelers interview schedule? Poni isn't very excited over the list of guys that have gotten second interviews. Is it time to worry about what the current list looks like? Where does the Steelers' job rank as of right now?