Podcasts about Poni

Nick Farabaugh told Donny on Monday night that Mike McCarthy ‘likes' Kyler Murray and his game. Would he be a real option as the Steelers next QB? Does his work ethic worry you? Does his ability worry you? The guys think there are some real questions with Murray's game all-around. He has real talent, but could be a classic case of talent that lacks hard work. Is McCarthy the man to unlock it? Poni said he would be interested with this move if the Cardinals ate some of his money and it didn't require a high draft pick. He also noted that we have seen QBs in the last few years that were drafted highly one place and finally flourished elsewhere, like Sam Darnold. Chris pointed out that Murray is oddly better outdoors than indoors. KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. The guys gave Pomp credit for picking the Penguins to make the playoffs before the season, which is looking quite good right now. Bob isn't in favor of the Steelers trying for another retread at QB and hopes Will Howard gets the reigns in 2026. Pomp doesn't want to go down the Kyler Murray well, referencing the work ethic concern. Pomp thanked his parents for his lifelong hard work. Bob gave a shout to Robert Morris and Duquesne hoops for a little revival and dealing with the current format of college sports. Bob wondered how the Penguins are going to deal with the goaltender situation looming down the road. Bob let the guys know he is still on Tik Tok, but doesn't like the editing process. He hopes that he has a sit-down with Mike McCarthy soon. Power Rankings – 5 greatest NFL head coaches of all-time.

Nick Farabaugh told Donny on Monday night that Mike McCarthy ‘likes' Kyler Murray and his game. Would he be a real option as the Steelers next QB? Does his work ethic worry you? Does his ability worry you? The guys think there are some real questions with Murray's game all-around. He has real talent, but could be a classic case of talent that lacks hard work. Is McCarthy the man to unlock it? Poni said he would be interested with this move if the Cardinals ate some of his money and it didn't require a high draft pick. He also noted that we have seen QBs in the last few years that were drafted highly one place and finally flourished elsewhere, like Sam Darnold. Chris pointed out that Murray is oddly better outdoors than indoors.

Nick Farabaugh told Donny on Monday night that Mike McCarthy ‘likes' Kyler Murray and his game. Would he be a real option as the Steelers next QB? Does his work ethic worry you? Does his ability worry you? The guys think there are some real questions with Murray's game all-around. He has real talent, but could be a classic case of talent that lacks hard work. Is McCarthy the man to unlock it? Poni said he would be interested with this move if the Cardinals ate some of his money and it didn't require a high draft pick. He also noted that we have seen QBs in the last few years that were drafted highly one place and finally flourished elsewhere, like Sam Darnold. Chris pointed out that Murray is oddly better outdoors than indoors.

BREAKING NEWS: The Steelers and Mike McCarthy are close to hiring Patrick Graham as the team's DC. The guys think it's ‘uninspiring' as McCarthy's first big move. Graham seemingly did more with less with the Raiders in the last few years, so what will he do with the league's highest-paid unit? The guys thought we'd see a former head coach become the DC. A caller mentioned Al Harris. How do others feel about Patrick Graham? Poni also doesn't like that the Steelers are retaining multiple guys from last year's staff and one makes him feel like Aaron Rodgers will be back. Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. Mike said there was reason for Mike McCarthy speaking highly of Aaron Rodgers yesterday and it wasn't just about wanting the QB back – it still, ultimately, comes down to Rodgers wanting to play. Mike said Rodgers coming back doesn't make sense because he's not close to the same player as he was when he worked with McCarthy. Mike expected the Steelers to get a coach that was wanted and sought after by multiple teams – they did the opposite with McCarthy, who only really had one option. Mike talked about the Steelers zigging in the coaching process when they are used to zagging and going with a young, up-and-coming assistant coach. Mike said the ‘QB whisperer' stuff with McCarthy is very over-blown and often walked into situations that already had great QBs.

Joe is convinced that tomorrow some people will feel differently about Mike McCarthy after his opening press conference. Joe got a shoutout from the crew at PTI saying McCarthy is just like Mike Tomlin. Rams President Kevin Demoff fired back at Poni's report on Chris Shula bombing the interview and said he talked talked to the Steelers, who said the report is untrue.

Hour 1 with Joe Starkey: Joe is convinced that tomorrow some people will feel differently about Mike McCarthy after his opening press conference. Rams fire back at Poni's report on Chris Shula's Steelers interview. There are a lot of quarterbacks who have won a national championship and not been a good NFL quarterback.

Mike McCarthy said he wants Aaron Rodgers back in 2026. A big no thanks from the three of us. Why does McCarthy want to just run it back so badly? He said Mike Tomlin ‘left him a lot,' but that is far from the truth – maybe it was just one Mike being nice to another. Rodgers still has the arm and the mind, but those are just two parts of the game. Look at every great QB in the league right now and you will find that almost all of them use their legs effectively. Is Will Howard going to get a real shot the be the man in Pittsburgh? Poni knows he might be insane with QB takes, but he is surprised by the amount of love he is getting from Mike McCarthy and Omar Khan already. It is giving off the vibe that the Steelers think they got a steal with Howard. Or is this all a front? Donny Football Debrief – The Steelers have interviews booked for their OC & DC search. Lunda Wells, the Cowboys TE Coach, who coached under Mike McCarthy for 5 seasons in Dallas, will interview for the OC spot. Jason Simmons, the current Commanders defensive pass game coordinator, has an interview scheduled to be the Steelers next DC. Simmons coached under McCarthy and played for the Steelers from 1998-2001. Chris added that he is happy McCarthy is transparent about who is calling the plays on a particular side of the ball.

The Mike McCarthy introductory press conference as the Steelers new head coach. The guys reacted to what they heard from Mike McCarthy at his opening press conference as Steelers head coach. It didn't have them feeling any better – in fact, it had Poni, who was relatively high on the hire, feel worse. They went into the answers about Aaron Rodgers, the QB position, the defense, along with his ties to Pittsburgh, which were aplenty. First cracks from fans following the Mike McCarthy intro presser.

Is Will Howard going to get a real shot the be the man in Pittsburgh? Poni knows he might be insane with QB takes, but he is surprised by the amount of love he is getting from Mike McCarthy and Omar Khan already. It is giving off the vibe that the Steelers think they got a steal with Howard. Or is this all a front?

The guys reacted to what they heard from Mike McCarthy at his opening press conference as Steelers head coach. It didn't have them feeling any better – in fact, it had Poni, who was relatively high on the hire, feel worse. They went into the answers about Aaron Rodgers, the QB position, the defense, along with his ties to Pittsburgh, which were aplenty.

Mike McCarthy is reportedly high on Will Howard. Was that the golden ticket to McCarthy getting the job – telling Art Rooney and Omar Khan he had a lot of intrigue in their 6th round, soon-to-be 2nd year QB? Chris still doesn't think there is anything there with Howard. Poni said Howard is a free roll of the dice and either scenario can work out for the Steelers. Is it a better option than running things back with Aaron Rodgers at 43-years-old? Are we giving Mike McCarthy too much credit for his work with QBs? Donny Football Debrief – If the Pro Bowl accolade wasn't dead already, it is now. Shedeur Sanders is a pro bowler.

Poni said he got some rationale on why the Steelers made the coaching search a total farce and neglected talking to candidates like Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase. Poni was told Shula ‘bombed' his virtual interview with the Steelers. Poni added that Scheelhaase ‘impressed' the Steelers, but the front office brass ‘didn't think he was ready' to be a head coach. Another mention from Poni included the nugget that Anthony Weaver brought up Kliff Kingsbury as his potential OC. Poni, who is still in NYC, was at a show on Saturday afternoon when the Mike McCarthy news came down. Poni is not 100% sure McCarthy will call plays. What do we think the rest of the staff could look like? McCarthy Minute – Bill Cowher loves the hire of Mike McCarthy.

The Steelers have hired Mike McCarthy as their next head coach. The news broke Saturday afternoon, which the guys thought had some meaning in and of itself. How do we feel about the hire? Poni is glad the team has finally come around to an offensive-minded guy. Chris continued to grade it an F – calling out the entire process, which seemed to be a farce from the jump and that the Steelers always wanted McCarthy. Are the Steelers any closer to a title than they were with Mike Tomlin? Is Mike McCarthy better than Mike Tomlin? The resume looks very similar. McCarthy has actually developed a coaching tree in his time as a head coach. Can McCarthy turn Will Howard into a good QB? Pro Football Minute – Super Bowl LX is set. Why didn't the Steelers wait to interview any of these guys? Does the Steelers victory over the Patriots mean anything now? Did the Steelers make a mistake not signing Sam Darnold?

Do you believe Mike McCarthy can lead the Steelers to another championship? Art Rooney II feels like the team is right there to make it happen and McCarthy is the guy to take them over the top. McCarthy brings a viewpoint from the offensive side of the field, which is nice, but how similar is it to Mike Tomlin? The guys went into the interview process and why it was a total sham. Poni said it gives off Kenny Pickett vibes because McCarthy is from Pittsburgh. Chris reiterated that his F grade isn't in the direction of Mike McCarthy – it's in the direction of the process.

Mike McCarthy is reportedly high on Will Howard. Was that the golden ticket to McCarthy getting the job – telling Art Rooney and Omar Khan he had a lot of intrigue in their 6th round, soon-to-be 2nd year QB? Chris still doesn't think there is anything there with Howard. Poni said Howard is a free roll of the dice and either scenario can work out for the Steelers. Is it a better option than running things back with Aaron Rodgers at 43-years-old? Is McCarthy getting too much credit for his work with QBs?

Poni said he got some rationale on why the Steelers made the coaching search a total farce and neglected talking to candidates like Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase. Poni was told Shula ‘bombed' his virtual interview with the Steelers. Poni added that Scheelhaase ‘impressed' the Steelers, but the front office brass ‘didn't think he was ready' to be a head coach. Another mention from Poni included the nugget that Anthony Weaver brought up Kliff Kingsbury as his potential OC.

The Steelers have hired Mike McCarthy as their next head coach. The news broke Saturday afternoon, which the guys thought had some meaning in and of itself. How do we feel about the hire? Poni is glad the team has finally come around to an offensive-minded guy. Chris continued to grade it an F – calling out the entire process, which seemed to be a farce from the jump and that the Steelers always wanted McCarthy. Are the Steelers any closer to a title than they were with Mike Tomlin?

Do you believe Mike McCarthy can lead the Steelers to another championship? Art Rooney II feels like the team is right there to make it happen and McCarthy is the guy to take them over the top. McCarthy brings a viewpoint from the offensive side of the field, which is nice, but how similar is it to Mike Tomlin? The guys went into the interview process and why it was a total sham. Poni said it gives off Kenny Pickett vibes because McCarthy is from Pittsburgh. Chris reiterated that his F grade isn't in the direction of Mike McCarthy – it's in the direction of the process. More calls on the Steelers' hiring of Mike McCarthy. PM Team Professors.

Andrew Fillipponi joins Chris live from NYC to talk about Mike McCarthy. Poni says that this could be all about Will Howard and McCarthy may work with Howard to be the guy. Could McCarthy bring Aaron Rodgers back?

Hour 1 with Joe Starkey and Donny Football: Brian Baldinger said on his podcast that the Steelers are very interested in Mario Cristobal. Baldinger has told Poni and Mueller that he and Andy Weidl are friends and we wonder about the Steelers' interest in the Miami head coach. Joe thinks the Steelers are going to go with the guy who blows them away in the interviews. Donny thinks Weaver is the next betting favorite after the Rams coaches.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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?

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?

Donny shares how he broke the news to Poni and Mueller that Mike Tomlin stepped down. Art Rooney II said Mike stepped down for family reasons, but Mike told the team he wants it to be better for them to win. Tomlin was basically saying he couldn't get it done for the team. The Steelers are going to interview Nate Sheelhaase, Chris Shula, and Jeff Hafley in the next two days.

Poni is still coming down from the high he got once we heard the news of Mike Tomlin stepping down after Monday night's loss to the Texans. He said it's fun that we actually get to talk about this and it's not all just a hypothetical this time. Should we be as excited as we are though? The guys talked about people having second thoughts. What would we prefer – previewing a game or having the chance to talk about the next head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Poni is still coming down from the high he got once we heard the news of Mike Tomlin stepping down after Monday night's loss to the Texans. He said it's fun that we actually get to talk about this and it's not all just a hypothetical this time. Should we be as excited as we are though? The guys talked about people having second thoughts. What would we prefer – previewing a game or having the chance to talk about the next head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers? Are callers ready to tell us to be careful what we wish for? Fair Game w/ Farabaugh – Steelers insider Nick Farabaugh from Penn Live dot com joined the show. Nick thinks it's fair to say that either of the Rams coaches (Chris Shula & Nate Scheelhaase) could end up being the next head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He said they love the Sean McVay tree and people connected to his staff. Nick expects the Steelers to trend toward a younger coach, that hasn't been a head coach yet, and also don't have to have a defensive background. Nick believes the Steelers job is a better one than the Dolphins job, which could be another spot for Shula in this cycle. Nick isn't sure if Scheelhaase is hired this time around, but the Browns are a team to watch if he's not offered by the Steelers. Nick isn't over-the-moon about Ejiro Evero as a Mike Tomlin replacement, but Anthony Weaver is one that hasn't gotten enough love so far. Nick also feels like Robert Saleh should be considered for this job, even though the Steelers have yet to request an interview with him. Would Jesse Minter be a fit in Pittsburgh? Nick isn't fired up over Jeff Hafley, who is interviewing here today. Nick buys into what Art Rooney said the other day – that the Steelers will not go through a full rebuild.

Chris Hoke told the midday show that the Steelers should trade TJ Watt. The guys connected that to the Mike DeFabo story that came out earlier today about the players sobbing over Mike Tomlin stepping down as the Steelers head coach. We also got JJ Watt chirping Poni. Shouldn't Watt want to play for a team that can win it all now as his career turns to the back nine? Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray said there will not be an attempt by the Steelers to tank or take a step back to take a couple steps forward. Ray said the arrow is now pointing to 2027 for a QB in the draft because the guys just aren't there this year and the Steelers are selecting 21st. Ray said the Steelers should approach both TJ Watt and Cam Heyward as trade pieces this off-season. Ray said the Steelers' job is attractive due to stability, but the Ravens probably have the best situation since they already have Lamar Jackson in-place. Ray gets the feel that the Steelers have a lot of respect for Sean McVay given the way they have opened their doors to interviewing ‘his' guys. Ray commented on Jeff Hafley getting an interview and talked about knowing Jeff back to his days at Pitt. Total Request Thursday.

Art Rooney II spoke to the media today for the first time following the news of Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach. How did this make the guys feel? They said other than the statement about nobody on the staff being a candidate, there were some comments that worried them. Poni's takeaway is that he can't trust Rooney to nail the hire the way his dad did 3 times.

More disbelief over the Mike Tomlin news – announcing that he is stepping down as Steelers head coach after 19 years on the sideline. What does this mean for Aaron Rodgers, Cam Heyward and other vets? Poni called this one of the best days of his life – putting it in his personal Top 10. More reaction to the news that Mike Tomlin is stepping down as Steelers HC.

Who has to have a great game for the Steelers to win their first playoff game in almost 9 years? The guys said the Texans don't have a ton of ‘big' names, but they have a lot of really solid players. Poni shared a superstition he has picked up for Steelers games.

Seth and Sean are joined by Andrew Filliponi from “The PM Team with Poni and Mueller” on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh to preview Texans @ Steelers coming up on Monday night.

We're 3 days out of the Steelers first real home playoff game in 9 years. Are you confident? Poni is not, at all. The Steelers have trailed by 21 in every single game during their playoff win drought. The Texans have more points and yards per game than the Steelers, is that concerning?

Ken and Anthony go around 2/3 of the AFC North with Bob Haynie in Baltimore and James Rapien in Cincinnati. They get big-timed by Poni in PIttsburgh.

It's been a while since the Steelers have won a playoff game, Mike Tomlin didn't want to make this issue about himself when asked about it today. Mullsy thinks Aaron Rodgers wants to end this playoff drought because of how much he likes Mike Tomlin. Poni asks why Tomlin can't just admit that he is frustrated by the playoff win drought. Does Tomlin deserve credit for going out and getting Aaron Rodgers this offseason? More callers on Mike Tomlin and more. Tomlin Tidbit – What did Mike Tomlin say about the return of DK Metcalf?

Mullsy tells us that he understood the Spanish call of Tyler Loop's missed field goal. Should Mike Tomlin get fired if the Steelers lose to the Texans on Monday? The last coach to get fired after a season with a winning record was Marty Schottenheimer, who went 14-2. Our very own Adam Crowley gave Mike Tomlin an “A” grade for this season. Poni and Mueller think that this is ridiculous.

It's been a while since the Steelers have won a playoff game, Mike Tomlin didn't want to make this issue about himself when asked about it today. Mullsy thinks Aaron Rodgers wants to end this playoff drought because of how much he likes Mike Tomlin. Poni asks why Tomlin can't just admit that he is frustrated by the playoff win drought. Does Tomlin deserve credit for going out and getting Aaron Rodgers this offseason?

Mullsy tells us that he understood the Spanish call of Tyler Loop's missed field goal. Should Mike Tomlin get fired if the Steelers lose to the Texans on Monday? The last coach to get fired after a season with a winning record was Marty Schottenheimer, who went 14-2. Our very own Adam Crowley gave Mike Tomlin an “A” grade for this season. Poni and Mueller think that this is ridiculous. A caller threw an Iron City bottle through his TV during the Steelers' game on Sunday. Other callers try to follow this up. Donny Football Debrief – Tickets for Steelers-Texans are the cheapest out of any Wild Card Round game this week. Why is that?

The Steelers are AFC North champions after a classic last night at Acrisure Stadium. They beat the Ravens, 26-24, in a game that gives the Steelers their first division title since 2020. The guys said they aren't in the mood to dive into the analytics and the numbers because this is a day we should celebrate. Are we already counting out the Steelers against the Texans? We aren't ready to get into that either. Let's enjoy this. Poni harkened it back to the 2002 Wild Card game – with a team that didn't really have Super Bowl chances, but is remembered for such a memorable game. What should the nickname of this game be? PIT-BAL Plays of the Game.

Did Mike Tomlin silence critics with yesterday's division-clinching win? Poni thinks he did. He says that the Steelers recently have played poorly in playoff games, but they played well yesterday in a game that was just as important as a playoff game. Mullsy praises Tomlin for how well the team rebounded after going down early in this game. Do you agree with the way Harbaugh handled setting up the game-winning kick? Pat Freiermuth was singing Mike Tomlin's praises after yesterday's win. More calls. PIT-BAL Game Balls.

The Steelers are AFC North champions after a classic last night at Acrisure Stadium. They beat the Ravens, 26-24, in a game that gives the Steelers their first division title since 2020. The guys said they aren't in the mood to dive into the analytics and the numbers because this is a day we should celebrate. Are we already counting out the Steelers against the Texans? We aren't ready to get into that either. Let's enjoy this. Poni harkened it back to the 2002 Wild Card game – with a team that didn't really have Super Bowl chances, but is remembered for such a memorable game.

Did Mike Tomlin silence critics with yesterday's division-clinching win? Poni thinks he did. He says that the Steelers recently have played poorly in playoff games, but they played well yesterday in a game that was just as important as a playoff game. Mullsy praises Tomlin for how well the team rebounded after going down early in this game. Do you agree with the way Harbaugh handled setting up the game-winning kick?

Poni does not care if the Steelers win or lose on Sunday. Does he have the right mentality? He says he cannot get excited for one of the biggest games in the Steelers recent history because of their lack of success lately and the absence of DK Metcalf and James Washington. Also, Happy Birthday, Poni!

Poni's birthday, phone calls, and Fair Game with Farabaugh

Super Bowl Champion and former Pittsburgh Steeler Bryant McFadden joins the show! He gives his thoughts on the Steelers potential game plan before the AFC North Championship game this Sunday. He also gives some advice to Poni about life after 40.

Mike Tomlin said that the Steelers did not play poorly, even though they failed to score a touchdown and lost to a 3-12 team. Poni thinks that Tomlin saying this is a borderline fireable offense. Should he have taken more accountability after the loss? Do you think that Mike Tomlin watched any of the Bears-49ers game and thought that he was watching a different sport? Calls. The Penguins have made a trade for Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Charlie calls it a "magic beans trade". Donny's Game Balls.

Mike Tomlin said that he is excited to see what Roman Wilson can do after the suspension of DK Metcalf. When Shaq Lawson did something similar to DK Metcalf, there was no discipline from the NFL. Poni says that he would not be surprised if the Steelers think the punishment would have been less harsh if nobody was watching the game.

Mike Tomlin said that he is excited to see what Roman Wilson can do after the suspension of DK Metcalf. When Shaq Lawson did something similar to DK Metcalf, there was no discipline from the NFL. Poni says that he would not be surprised if the Steelers think the punishment would have been less harsh if nobody was watching the game. The Pirates signed Ryan O'Hearn today to a two-year contract worth $29 million total. Mullsy thinks that the fan who got into the altercation with DK Metcalf should be banned from Ford Field. Should the Pirates sign Kazuma Okamoto to play third? Donny Football Debrief – Are Acrisure Stadium and PNC Park both top tier venues?