Podcast appearances and mentions of Will Howard

On his weekly Chipped Ham and Football podcast, Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko welcomes PG colleague Noah Hiles to assess the team's options now that new coach Mike McCarthy is in place. This show is presented by FanDuel. Should Aaron Rodgers' previous success with McCarthy -- including a Super Bowl win -- weigh in the calculus with him set to turn 43 next season? Is it time for Will Howard to get a chance to compete for the starting job after watching his rookie season from the sidelines? Or could names like Mason Rudolph and Malik Willis be the best fits as they chart a middle course in the age range? Our duo tackles those questions and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray said his understanding is that the Steelers will hire Patrick Graham as their next DC. Ray talked about some of the overturn in the coaching staff and that we could see more coaches under Mike McCarthy. Ray wouldn't be surprised at all if Aaron Rodgers is back as the Steelers QB and thinks it could even be for a raise. Ray expects us to largely see the same Rodgers that we saw last season. Will it look any different in the McCarthy offense? The guys asked Ray about the love for Will Howard and if there is a real chance the kid is the Steelers QB1 by the season opener? Ray expects us to know in 4-6 weeks if Rodgers will be back. Ray immediately jumped to Malik Willis when asked about an outside QB that could be here if Rodgers decides to retire or play elsewhere.

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.

There are conflicting reports surrounding Patrick Graham, who is expected to be the Steelers next defensive coordinator. Some reports say the deal is done, but others say that is not the case and he still has to interview with the team. Graham's defenses don't look good on the surface, but are they as bad as that? His defenses have performed better than the Steelers defense in recent years, which is the highest paid unit in the game. The Raiders have Maxx Crosby, but outside of that, there isn't a ton of talent there and certainly not what the Steelers offer. Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray said his understanding is that the Steelers will hire Patrick Graham as their next DC. Ray talked about some of the overturn in the coaching staff and that we could see more coaches under Mike McCarthy. Ray wouldn't be surprised at all if Aaron Rodgers is back as the Steelers QB and thinks it could even be for a raise. Ray expects us to largely see the same Rodgers that we saw last season. Will it look any different in the McCarthy offense? The guys asked Ray about the love for Will Howard and if there is a real chance the kid is the Steelers QB1 by the season opener? Ray expects us to know in 4-6 weeks if Rodgers will be back. Ray immediately jumped to Malik Willis when asked about an outside QB that could be here if Rodgers decides to retire or play elsewhere. Total Request Thursday.

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.

There is WAY too much hype with Will Howard. Bill Belichick didn't make the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. Joe thinks it is an embarrassment for the NFL. Belichick didn't receive at least 40 of 50 votes to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Mark now thinks the Steelers did need a new voice and thinks McCarthy can provide that.

Hour 2 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Mark Kaboly thinks that McCarthy won over a lot of people on Tuesday. Mark thinks that McCarthy was the best coach available at developing quarterbacks and he trusts him more than the other options. There is TOO MUCH hype around Will Howard the expectations are too high. Bill Belichick didn't make the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

Mark thinks that McCarthy won over a lot of people on Tuesday. Mark said you can feel the passion from McCarthy and how much the job means to him. Joe doesn't think this has been an impressive coaching cycle. Mark thinks the Steelers are intrigued by Will Howard but not as optimistic as some are saying. Mark thinks that Rodgers WILL BE BACK.

The Steelers reportedly found Nate Scheelhaase ‘too inexperienced' to be considered for a head coach job. But the guys did note that Gerry Dulac referred to Scheelhaase as the ‘hottest of commodities' in the next year or two for teams looking for a head coach. Why didn't the Steelers take a chance on him? 93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Jeff told us Patrick Graham as DC is likely, but not official just yet. Jeff said Lunda Wells as OC has some smoke to it, but again, nothing official. Jeff told us the Steelers are ‘setting the table' for an Aaron Rodgers return and if he wants to come back, it will happen. Jeff described Will Howard as the ‘in-house' option and would rather them just run him out on the field next season and let the chips fall. Is Jonnu Smith on his way out the door? Jeff thinks this change sets up well for Pat Freiermuth. He would be surprised if Kenneth Gainwell isn't viewed as a priority this offseason. Jeff reported to us that the Steelers front office told Rodgers they need to know ‘within a month' if he will return. Jeff likes the foundation on the defense that the next coordinator will be able to play around with. Judge Donny – Is it unjust that Bill Belichick was not a first ballot Hall of Famer?

Mark Kaboly said ‘absolutely yes' when asked on the midday show if Aaron Rodgers will be back in 2026 for a Steelers reunion with Mike McCarthy. Yuck. Why would that be a good idea? The guys are looking for good reasons, if there are any, for Rodgers to return next season. We discussed Kaboly's admiration of the Steelers always being the same team. ALL ACCESS w/ Aditi – Aditi had a breakdown on Patrick Graham, who is expected to be hired as the Steelers next defensive coordinator. The guys asked Aditi about the hiring of Mike McCarthy and what the staff and team could look like next season. She thinks McCarthy's main goal is to figure out the quarterback. Are the Steelers going to run it back with Aaron Rodgers? She was surprised by how high everyone was on Will Howard in the press conference. She thought it was a little odd that the entire staff got told to go home after Mike Tomlin stepped down before the decision was even made on a new coach. Aditi would have loved Jim Schwartz getting a call from the Steelers and thinks it's an ‘insult' to assume Schwartz, who is known to run a 4-3 defense, can't adapt to a 3-4. Aditi predicted that Howard will be the Steelers QB in Week 1 next season. Donny Football Debrief – Pitt football is adjusting their capacity for home games next season.

93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Jeff told us Patrick Graham as DC is likely, but not official just yet. Jeff said Lunda Wells as OC has some smoke to it, but again, nothing official. Jeff told us the Steelers are ‘setting the table' for an Aaron Rodgers return and if he wants to come back, it will happen. Jeff described Will Howard as the ‘in-house' option and would rather them just run him out on the field next season and let the chips fall. Is Jonnu Smith on his way out the door? Jeff thinks this change sets up well for Pat Freiermuth. He would be surprised if Kenneth Gainwell isn't viewed as a priority this offseason. Jeff reported to us that the Steelers front office told Rodgers they need to know ‘within a month' if he will return. Jeff likes the foundation on the defense that the next coordinator will be able to play around with.

ALL ACCESS w/ Aditi – Aditi had a breakdown on Patrick Graham, who is expected to be hired as the Steelers next defensive coordinator. The guys asked Aditi about the hiring of Mike McCarthy and what the staff and team could look like next season. She thinks McCarthy's main goal is to figure out the quarterback. Are the Steelers going to run it back with Aaron Rodgers? She was surprised by how high everyone was on Will Howard in the press conference. She thought it was a little odd that the entire staff got told to go home after Mike Tomlin stepped down before the decision was even made on a new coach. Aditi would have loved Jim Schwartz getting a call from the Steelers and thinks it's an ‘insult' to assume Schwartz, who is known to run a 4-3 defense, can't adapt to a 3-4. Aditi predicted that Howard will be the Steelers QB in Week 1 next season.

On the Tuesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel, host Noah Hiles welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to analyze the impact Mike McCarthy's hiring to replace Mike Tomlin as coach could have on the offense. Could he get more from players including DK Metcalf, Pat Freiermuth, Roman Wilson, Darnell Washington, Jaylen Warren and others under contract for 2026? Was that a point of emphasis for owner Art Rooney II and GM Omar Khan in making this move? And what will that mean for the QB situation with Aaron Rodgers' future uncertain ahead of names like Mason Rudolph and Will Howard? Our duo tackles those questions, then ponder what McCarthy could be looking for in an offensive coordinator. Will it be another established name like Arthur Smith, who's now off to Ohio State? Or could he lean on a younger name from his own coaching tree? With Scott Tolzien being one notable option from that list? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Mike McCarthy press conference bingo card. McCarthy clearly needs to find a quarterback. We don't understand the hype around Will Howard. We review quarterbacks since 2000 that have won a national championship but did not nearly translate to the NFL.

Nick Farabaugh thinks McCarthy is a low ceiling, high floor coach when the Steelers needed a high ceiling head coach. Nick gives the Steelers a C. Nick thinks Will Howard has upside, but he doesn't do well under pressure and doesn't have great footwork. Nick thinks that Garrett Nussmeier is an interesting name. The Steelers could look at Drew Allar, too.

Brian wanted the Steelers to wait to talk to Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase. He thinks McCarthy will talk a lot about Pittsburgh and mention Will Howard and Mike Tomlin. The defense has "a blank slate" with a new coordinator. Brian thinks it's 50/50 that Aaron Rodgers comes back.

Hour 3 with Joe Starkey: Brian Batko wanted the Steelers to wait to talk to Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase. He thinks McCarthy will talk a lot about Pittsburgh and mention Will Howard and Mike Tomlin. Ranking who walked into the best situation between Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin, and Mike McCarthy. We give it around a 40% chance Konnor Griffin is on the Opening Day roster.

Hour 2 with Joe Starkey: Nick thinks McCarthy is a low ceiling, high floor coach when the Steelers needed a high ceiling head coach. Nick gives the Steelers a C. Nick likes Will Howard's deep ball and some other traits, but his footwork needs work and isn't great under pressure. Is this hiring cycle in the NFL underwhelming this year? There have been more attractive coaching candidates previous years.

On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Christopher Carter and Ray Fittipaldo discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the team's decision to hire Mike McCarthy as its replacement at head coach for Mike Tomlin. Does this move finally give the franchise a fighting chance to develop a young quarterback and functional offense? With pieces in place that include names like Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jaylen Warren, Pat Freiermuth, Zach Frazier, Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick? Can McCarthy win without a franchise QB type like Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers or Dak Prescott at the helm? Could he develop Will Howard or an NFL draft rookie like Ty Simpson, Drew Allar, Cade Klubnik or Garrett Nussmeier? Or could he foster a career renaissance like we've seen Sam Darnold enjoy for another veteran QB like Malik Willis? Our duo tackles those questions and more now that owner Art Rooney II and GM Omar Khan have chosen McCarthy over names like Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase, Anthony Weaver and Brian Flores. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The press conference is most likely going to be a lot about McCarthy being from Pittsburgh and the idea that Will Howard could be the guy. If McCarthy gives Howard a chance to be the starter, Starkey thinks he will win over Steelers fans. The Steelers even KNOW how much dislike and how much anger is around hiring Mike McCarthy.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: No one thought the Seahawks and Patriots would be in the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl does have two defensive coaches, but two very good to great OCs. The press conference is going to be a lot about McCarthy being from Pittsburgh and the idea that Will Howard could be the guy. If McCarthy gives Howard a chance to be the starter, Starkey thinks he will win over Steelers fans.

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?

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?

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.

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?

With some Pittsburgh fans clamoring for Will Howard to start at QB next season, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson go over what his biggest weaknesses are from scouting reports of him as he was coming out of college.

Pick a QB from Will Howard, Mason Rudolph ... or who? Hear award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic's Daily Shots of Steelers, Penguins and Pirates -- three separate podcasts -- every weekday morning on the DK Pittsburgh Sports podcasting network, available on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/dkpghsports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hokie would hire Chris Shula. He thinks that Shula fits the mold of what the Steelers have liked. The trend in the NFL over the years have been offensive coaches. Hokie isn't sold on Will Howard, but agrees with Ben Roethlisberger that they need to build the roster to help a quarterback. Hokie thinks it's important to take one step back to take five steps forward.

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.

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.

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.

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.

On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Christopher Carter to ponder the ways QBs factor into the search to replace Mike Tomlin as coach. Could owner Art Rooney II and GM Omar Khan prioritize Aaron Rodgers returning with a name like Mike McCarthy? Or is Rodgers too old to receive that kind of deference in this process? Will young candidates like Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase and others value the ability to start fresh at the position? Or will they look at the lack of a franchise QB as a downside to taking the job? Could a new coach look to bring in a veteran option like Malik Willis? And what are the chances we see a young QB like Will Howard or an NFL draft rookie like Ty Simpson, Drew Allar, Cade Klubnik or Garrett Nussmeier get a long look in 2026? Our duo tackles those questions, plus the possible influence of rostered players including Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, Joey Porter Jr., Derrick Harmon, Zach Frazier and others over the process. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ben Roethlisberger would bring back Aaron Rodgers but if not, he would start Will Howard. He thinks the Steelers need a one-year veteran quarterback to help Will Howard. Ben never even mentioned Mason Rudolph! Bob is intrigued by Howard and Joe is also interested in seeing what Howard has. Bob thinks that Will Howard could be better than Fernando Mendoza.

Hour 2 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Former Steelers public relations staffer Ryan Scarpino said there's a reason the Steelers brought in Weidl. Omar Khan is more of a cap guy than full personnel decisions. Could Mike McCarthy and Nate Scheelhaase work together? Big Ben would bring back Aaron Rodgers but if not, he would start Will Howard.

Hour 2 with Joe Starkey: Nick would hire Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula as the Steelers next head coach. The Rams have the lowest paid defense in the NFL and Shula gets a ton out of them as a solid defense. Nate Scheelhaase could be the offensive coordinator. Is this the time for the Steelers to hire an offensive coach so a solid coordinator doesn't leave after only a couple of seasons? Do Steelers fans really just want Will Howard to play next year?

Do Steelers fans really just want Will Howard to play next year? Do they want Mason Rudolph to start? It can help the Steelers to reset. Would Steelers fans rather have Will Howard? Joe would start Howard and give him a legitimate shot.

Sean McDermott is out in Buffalo. Bob is frustrated by discrepancies in pass interference and a catch. Starkey calls in and is distraught about the Bills loss and the confusing calls. Joe doesn't think McDermott should have been fired. Would Tomlin go to Buffalo? Will McDermott become highly sought after now? 16 of the last 25 Super Bowls have been won by "retread" coaches. Why didn't the Steelers interview Kevin Stefanski? Were the Steelers "in contention" this season? Joe says no. Sinking to the bottom paid off for the Pats and Bears. Jim tells a story about being fired. A caller brings up Will Howard, wondering if he can be a fit for the next regime. CJ Stroud was bad yesterday and probably should've been replaced. Is Howard that much different than Mendoza? The catch rule has been confusing for a long time now.

The NFL playoff games were great this weekend. Multiple callers want Will Howard as the next starting QB. Could Sean McVay retire if the Rams win the SB? Pens talk - they are so bad in the shootout but way ahead of the expectations still. A call about Indiana/Miami. Some names for potential Steelers OC. Bob is still trying to figure out what a catch is.

Sean McDermott is out in Buffalo. Bob is frustrated by discrepancies in pass interference and a catch. Starkey calls in and is distraught about the Bills loss and the confusing calls. Joe doesn't think McDermott should have been fired. Would Tomlin go to Buffalo? Will McDermott become highly sought after now? 16 of the last 25 Super Bowls have been won by "retread" coaches. Why didn't the Steelers interview Kevin Stefanski? Were the Steelers "in contention" this season? Joe says no. Sinking to the bottom paid off for the Pats and Bears. Jim tells a story about being fired. A caller brings up Will Howard, wondering if he can be a fit for the next regime. CJ Stroud was bad yesterday and probably should've been replaced. Is Howard that much different than Mendoza? The catch rule has been confusing for a long time now. A caller wants Shula, Sheelhaase, and Raheem Morris all together on the Steelers staff. How important is getting an offensive-minded coach? Are QBs coming out of college more NFL ready now? Do the Steelers need to beef up the DL before anything else? Indiana is a big favorite tonight. The pressure is on to finish the job. Mendoza has delivered time and time again. Kyle Tucker to the Dodgers is ridiculous but expected. Suarez is still a guy the Pirates should sign. A caller wants Shula as the leading candidate. The NFL playoff games were great this weekend. Multiple callers want Will Howard as the next starting QB. Could Sean McVay retire if the Rams win the SB? Pens talk - they are so bad in the shootout but way ahead of the expectations still. A call about Indiana/Miami. Some names for potential Steelers OC. Bob is still trying to figure out what a catch is. Would John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski have wanted to be the Bills coach if they hadn't already committed? There's so much inconsistency in NFL officiating? Revisiting the Pens woes in OT and the shootout? Should the Steelers pick up the 5th year option on Broderick Jones. Is gambling creating doubt about the NFL legitimacy? Our picks for the CFB Championship.

The NFL playoff games were great this weekend. Multiple callers want Will Howard as the next starting QB. Could Sean McVay retire if the Rams win the SB?

A caller brings up Will Howard, wondering if he can be a fit for the next regime. CJ Stroud was bad yesterday and probably should've been replaced. Is Howard that much different than Mendoza? The catch rule has been confusing for a long time now.

Steelers correspondent Mark Kaboly from The Pat McAfee Show joined the show. The conversation started with Mark's days at Cal U, aka, Harvard on the Mon. Kaboom said he went to a lot of bowling alley bars back in the day. Mark has moved on to the coaching search and how Art Rooney and Omar Khan will handle this. Mark expects Khan to have ‘a lot of say' in the process. Mark feels like it will be a coach from the same cloth that Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin were cut from – mid-30's, first-time head coach and *possibly* defensive minded. Mark believes Art's son, Danny Rooney, will have input in the choice. Mark said right now Chris Shula feels like the favorite to be the next guy, just based on their history and the list of coaches they will interview. Mark said if they go with the defensive mind, that guy better have a young, offensive mind with him or have a really convincing plan to change the offense. Where does Nate Scheelhaase rank on Mark's list? Mark got into the challenges of commanding a room and being the ‘leader of men' it takes to be a head coach. Mark said Brian Flores was an intimidating figure and that players were ‘afraid' of him. More w/ Mark – There will, reportedly, be 3-4 more names added to the Steelers list of interviews. Mark feels like the initial 8 names are their main targets, but that's not to say the new ones can't surprise. Mark said Mike McCarthy is too old and hasn't coached in a minute, which makes him feel like they should stay away. If there isn't interest in Curt Cignetti, what about Norwin and Pitt product Mike Shanahan? Kaboom thinks Kevin Stefanski would be a ‘great' fit here because it's not Cleveland. Does Brian Flores have more options than Pittsburgh to be a head coach? What would be the pros and cons of a tank? More w/ Mark – Mark reacted to the stories of how the players reacted when Mike Tomlin told them he was stepping down. Kaboom is skeptical just how good Tomlin will be on television and if he's even all that interested. Mark isn't all that sure if he coaches again, but said the right situation would always do the job. Kaboly said Mike seemed like the same guy to him and wasn't ‘worn out' like a lot of people are saying. What could the staff look like under a new head coach? Kaboom thinks the entire QB room is up in the air, outside of Will Howard, who will serve as a backup at-best. Does Mark have any interest in Malik Willis? Mark felt like Cam Heyward may have hinted at retirement during the season, but his level of play would say otherwise. Is it time to trade TJ Watt? The guys asked Mark if he had any thoughts on the James Harrison disdain for Tomlin. Who was the big-name player that wasn't upset over the Tomlin news? Mark doesn't think it will be that much longer before the Steelers hire their guy.

Jan. 15 – Ep. 87: For this episode of The Depot Dive, Ross McCorkle and Joe Clark quickly review the Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans and highlight some of the positives and negatives from another blowout playoff loss. Next, we talk at lenght about Mike Tomlin's decision to step down, how it was received by the team, Art Rooney II's thoughts and more. For the last topic, we talk about the many head coach interview requests that have already been reported, and our favorite candidates to become the Steelers' next hire. To end the show, we answer a listener question about Will Howard. Thank you for joining us for this 42-minute episode, and we hope to see your thoughts in the comment section. Call the hotline at (412) 254-3145 and leave us a question for a chance to have it answered in a future episode. You can also text the line if you don't wish to have your voice on the show! Follow us on Twitter: Ross: @Ross_McCorkle Joe: @jclark1233 Steelersdepot.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Thursday! Beamer is in with Austin Ward for this edition of the Buckeye Show. We open the show with the news of Arvell Reese announcing that he's going to the NFL Draft. What should Ohio State's NIL strategy be this offseason? Bobby Carpenter joins the show to talk about the State of Ohio State Football. We answer Austin's Questions of the Day. We rank the Ohio State careers for CJ Stroud, Will Howard, and Julian Sayin and dive into the CFP Semifinals in the College Football Pulse. Beamer's story of going to the Sugar Bowl in 2015 and what he was told from a random Alabama fan. Ohio State basketball takes on Oregon, #Buckeyes, and more!

In this holiday mailbag, we're talking about Kaleb Johnson, Will Howard, Dylan Cook, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Detroit Twitter people are mad at Rowntree. Mike Tomlin didn't give a clear answer about resting starters if the Steelers clinch. Josh would want to see Will Howard. Would that be fair to Mason? Would Rodgers benefit from playing on Sunday? A caller has a theory about DK Metcalf and the fan. Are the Steelers one playoff loss away from this being the same-old story? Can the Steelers defense hold a lead late? The Chiefs are moving to a dome. It's going to cost $3 billion. Donny joins Josh for the segment.

WPXI reporter Shelby Cassesse joins the show to discuss her favorite Christmas movies, her reaction to the NFL upholding Metcalf's suspension, how the NBA differs with player/fan interactions, what Metcalf is like behind the scenes, how the Steelers will approach Sunday if they already clinch, could we see Will Howard, Shelby's pick for team MVP. Did the fire Tomlin chants motivate the Steelers on this recent run? Another call weighs in on the Metcalf situation.

Detroit Twitter people are mad at Rowntree. Mike Tomlin didn't give a clear answer about resting starters if the Steelers clinch. Josh would want to see Will Howard. Would that be fair to Mason? Would Rodgers benefit from playing on Sunday? A caller has a theory about DK Metcalf and the fan. Are the Steelers one playoff loss away from this being the same-old story? Can the Steelers defense hold a lead late?

WPXI reporter Shelby Cassesse joins the show to discuss her favorite Christmas movies, her reaction to the NFL upholding Metcalf's suspension, how the NBA differs with player/fan interactions, what Metcalf is like behind the scenes, how the Steelers will approach Sunday if they already clinch, could we see Will Howard, Shelby's pick for team MVP. Did the fire Tomlin chants motivate the Steelers on this recent run? Another call weighs in on the Metcalf situation. Mike Florio is contradicting Tom Pelissero's report. Has the NFLPA fought back to cause this change of course?