Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise talks about the day in Pittsburgh sports news live around 5 p.m. Eastern.
He reacts to comments by Jim Rooney, son of late Steelers owner Dan Rooney and brother of current owner Art Rooney II on a podcast that that defended coach Mike Tomlin and the franchise's results over the last 25 years. Does Rooney have a point about the success that surpasses NFL league averages? Or has he lost sight of the Super Bowl standard, where Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs and Tom Brady and the Patriots have surpassed the Steelers in recent history?
On other fronts, Paul weighs in on CB Donte Jackson defending Tomlin from "haters" during a recent podcast appearance; George Pickens' latest social media dust-up in which he called trade speculation "lying"; and the ongoing QB conundrum involving Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news live around 5 p.m. Eastern.
What can GM Omar Khan, coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers learn from the group of QBs remaining in the NFL playoffs? What should we expect from those players in the AFC and NFC championships this week? Will Josh Allen and the Bills finally get the better of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs? Can Jayden Daniels and the Commanders keep their meteoric rise going against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles? And what does it all mean as the futures of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields hang in the balance?
Later, Paul gives his thoughts on what we've learned about the AFC North from HBO's "Hard Knocks" and Joey Porter Jr.'s vow to improve.
Then Post-Gazette Pirates insider Noah Hiles joins the show to react to Piratesfest and GM Ben Cherington's inability to make many moves of note in MLB free agency so far.
On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to analyze the team's options at running back.
Will GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin try to bring Najee Harris back to pair with Jaylen Warren? Are there any realistic free agent targets? Or is Harris the best of the bunch? And how could a deep NFL draft running back class fit into the equation? Would top prospects like Boise State's Ashton Jeanty or Arizona State's Cam Skattebo be options? Or are do later-round names like Ohio State's Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson the better use of scare draft capital?
Later, the guys discuss young players who most need to step up in 2025. Can Broderick Jones finally prove why he was worthy of a first-round selection? Will Keeanu Benton become more active in the pass rush? And what does Joey Porter Jr. need to do to become an elite cornerback?
And in the final segment, Chris and Ray dig into reasons why the Steelers seem to be so far behind top NFL teams in fourth-down efficiency.
Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news live around 5 p.m. Eastern.
Tuesday, he gives his thoughts on the NFL coaching carousel, and what the Steelers and coach Mike Tomlin can learn from it. What does Lions OC Ben Johnson's hiring as Bears coach say about the direction offense is heading around the league? Where will Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy land? Could Steelers OC Arthur Smith land with the Cowboys, Jets, Jaguars, Raiders or Saints? And who are the hottest candidates remaining on the market?
Paul tackles those questions and more, including. What does Ohio State's College Football Playoff championship win over Notre Dame signal for the sport? How did the 12-team format work overall in its first year? And are the Penguins heading in a better direction with a couple of wins since sending goalie Tristan Jarry to the minors?
On his weekly Chipped Ham & Football podcast, Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko welcomes Chris Mueller of 93.7 The Fan to ponder decisions GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin will have to make about personnel this offseason. With a specific focus on colleague Ray Fittipaldo's trade, cut or keep analysis on our website.
Should Minkah Fitzpatrick and his lucrative contract return to the secondary after it struggled down the stretch? Did Patrick Queen live up to his expensive deal from last year in NFL free agency? And what should be done about George Pickens, who's created some headaches despite strong production?
Our duo tackles the fate of those players and a few others including Cordarrelle Patterson, Cam Sutton, Elandon Roberts and Cole Holcomb.
On their weekly Pitt basketball mailbag podcast, Post-Gazette insiders Christopher Carter and Stephen Thompson answer reader questions. Amon them: How many more wins does coach Jeff Capel's team need to secure a March Madness bid now that the Panthers have lost four in a row in ACC play? Does Papa Kante deserve more playing time over brothers Guillermo Diaz-Graham and Jorge Diaz-Graham? And should Capel deploy a guard-heavy lineup led by Jaland Lowe, Ishmael Leggett and Zack Austin more often?
Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news live around 5 p.m. Eastern.
He gives his thoughts on trade chatter surrounding the Steelers' T.J. Watt. Is he most valuable as the foundation of the defense? Or should GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin consider dealing him near the peak of his value? How much value might he hold in terms of NFL draft capital if the Steelers decided the would like to trade him? And how would his departure act as a reset for a unit that struggled down the stretch despite the presence of fellow standouts Joey Porter Jr., Patrick Queen, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick?
Then later, he ponders what Pitt basketball's three-game ACC losing streak could mean for the Panthers' March Madness chances; and the possibility of further Pirates moves with spring training looming in a little more than a month.
On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to address the team's lack of coaching staff changes so far.
Will coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan finally make moves this week? Or are names including OC Arthur Smith and DC Teryl Austin safe in their jobs? Could Tomlin look to add positions to his coaching staff, like he did for Brian Flores recently? And how could a bigger staff help the offense get more out of playmakers like George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth? Or improve communication issues on a defense loaded with stars like Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joey Porter Jr., T.J. Watt and Patrick Queen?
Our duo tackles those questions, then reacts to results from the NFL playoffs this past weekend. What can the Steelers learn from how Josh Allen and the Bills stopped Lamar Jackson and the Ravens? And what does the Commanders' stunning upset of the Lions show about the Steelers' ability to turn things around quickly with some good decisions?
On the Friday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko to talk through DC Teryl Austin's future with the team.
Would it help the unit and stars T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cam Heyward, Joey Porter Jr. and Patrick Queen if the organization moved on from Austin? Would anything really change with Mike Tomlin still in place as the head coach with a heavy hand in the game plan? Or could there be value in a new voice and message, especially amid the communication issues that plagued the group down the stretch of the regular season and in the NFL playoffs? And how can the unit restore its aggressiveness regardless of who's coaching it?
Our duo tackles those questions, then makes picks for the divisional round of the playoffs this weekend. Will Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs cruise past the Texans again? Who will win the marquee QB battle in the other AFC matchup? The Ravens' Lamar Jackson or the Bills' Josh Allen? And can the Commanders or Rams stop the Lions and Eagles from meeting in the NFC championship?
On his daily First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist lists what he believes are the worst contracts in Pittsburgh sports right now.
Does Steelers coach Mike Tomlin belong at the top of the list, given his high-end pay but limited results, especially in the NFL playoffs? Where do Penguins players Tristan Jarry, Ryan Graves and Erik Karlsson rank, especially with Jarry now making millions to play in the minor leagues? Does Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes belong in the conversation amid his struggles offensively since signing his lucrative extension a few years back? And what about starter Mitch Keller, whose numbers are decent but not incredible despite a hefty salary?
Jason tackles those questions, then weighs in on NFL playoffs matchups this weekend including Texans-Chiefs, Commanders-Lions, Bills-Ravens and Rams-Eagles.