Hour 2: ’What’s More Likely,’ plus Pittsburgh Steelers Insider Gerry Dulac

0:00Rich Eisen:Get your tickets now for The Dog Stars. It's no surprise how fast civilization can disappear. Out there, just kill or be killed. Jacob Alordi. There are people out there. They need our help. Josh Brolin. Shoot first and inquire afterwards. Margaret Qualley. Okay, tough guy. And Guy Pearce. Arm up! The Dog Stars. Directed by Ridley Scott. In theaters August 28th. Get tickets now. Rated R. under 17, not admitted without parents. Hey, Chicago. Class it up with Crocs. You know back to school is coming in fast. So why wait to find your new fave footwear? Step into a local Crocs store and step into your new look.

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0:59Rich Eisen:This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash richeisenshow and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Show. Go, go, go. Pump up the volume. All right, 25, go. Fernando Mendoza, a rifle. Yes. The Jack Best. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Earlier on the show, NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger.

1:47Coming up, Steelers Radio Network host Jerry Dulac. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. And now it's Rich Eisen.

2:00Rich Eisen:Number two of the Rich Eisen show is on the air. A fresh set of football games tonight on NFL Network. Headlined by the Jets and the Bucs. I'll be sitting there with Michael Robinson and I believe Gerald McCoy is going to join us since the Bucs are involved. Nice. Got to fly him in and chit chat about his team. and last night two games kicked off by the Steelers and the Packers as Mike McCarthy's first time in Accra sure as the head coach of the Steelers goes down and it's the Packers and Rogers isn't playing but he's there having a nice reunion. Mason Rudolph starts. Will Howard gets a couple of cups of coffee including a nice two-minute drill before the end of the half that resulted in a score.

2:45Rich Eisen:And then Drew Aller, the kid from Penn State, had a heck of a night. You know, you could sit here and say who it was against. Doesn't matter. He looked really, really good. Three touchdowns, two in the air, one on the ground. How'd this to say afterwards? Yeah, I mean, I think it's a huge confidence boost. But I think, you know, I came into the game confident just because of the preparation and everything that has gone on the last two weeks down in Latrobe. And then, again, Coach McCarthy and the whole offensive staff putting together a really concise game plan. and again, just calling stuff that they know I'm comfortable with and just allowing us to go out and play fast.

3:21Rich Eisen:So I feel like they did a great job of putting me in a position to go out and be successful. I mean, and that's what it is. Confidence for a kid is powerful. Certainly when the kid had his college career go the way it went and the way it ended, if you will mean, if I might, down a road, should I say it that way? Down a road? Down there and that. Got it. Jerry Dulac joins us right here back on the Rich Eyes and Show Steelers Radio Network host and longtime chronicle of the exploits of this franchise. Good to see you, Jerry. How are you? Rich, I am well, my friend. I hope you are, too. One preseason game out of the way.

4:01I'm ready for the regular season. That's all I need to say. I bet.

4:04Rich Eisen:I bet. What do we glean from the kids being all right at the quarterback spots last night? What's your takeaway? I think one, Rich, I think it's big testament to Mike McCarthy. you know you knew it was going to be different this year and none of this is any slight to Mike Tomlin he's a different type of coach he's defensive oriented this is a guy who's not only a proven offensive play caller but he's also you know a quarterback developer the quarterback whisperer if you will so it's not surprising to see immediate results and look you're talking to a guy who takes everything that happens in the preseason with it with a grain of salt I always understand what it's about.

4:45You know, the other team isn't prepping like they would for the regular season. So I never get, you know, too excited or go overboard on anything that happens in the preseason. But for the first step, regardless, it was pretty impressive for Will Howard to run that two-minute drive. You know, the people here have been waiting to see Will Howard since they drafted him. They thought he was the savior. Kind of hard to say that or think that about a sixth round pick. Of course, he never got a chance last year because he injured his throwing hand right before the first preseason game. So he never played it down.

5:20And man, if it was possible to upstage the debut of Will Howard, Drew Aller kind of did that with the way he played 10 to 13 near perfect passer rating, produces three touchdowns on three drives and, you know, even even gets to take the knee, the victory formation in his first game. So pretty good start all the way around regardless of preseason or not.

5:43Rich Eisen:No, I understand. And because this is the only time if it all works out, obviously, in the regular season, that we're going to see both these quarterbacks. And I'll get to Rodgers in a second because the starting quarterback has already said he's done after this year. So the Steelers have to make evaluations. And the only times you're going to see them, meaning Aller and Howard with live action is Thursday night and the next two preseason weeks. So how does the evaluation go? Best you can tell from here on out about 2027 and beyond for Mike McCarthy. Well, Rich, to your point, yes, Aaron Rodgers is going to retire after the year.

6:31Mason Rudolph's a free agent. Now I would expect them to resign him. Mason likes it here. He always has. He certainly loves playing with four Mike McCarthy. So if they want to bring him back, they will. But this is why I think, Rich, they are going to keep four quarterbacks. I think it's going to be an organizational decision. You know, three games is probably not enough time to decide when you have two young guys. The last thing this team wants to do is continue that revolving door at quarterback, and that's to bring in another veteran quarterback to be the starter. They do not want to do that.

7:08And so I don't think they want after three games to make a decision between those two guys. But also, you look at the way they've operated the last three years, bringing in a bunch of 30-somethings to try and put this team over the top. That includes hiring a 60-something head coach. So they don't want to move on from Mason Rudolph either. So I think they are leaning right now toward keeping four. We'll see how it goes. But like I said, I think it's going to be an organizational decision, understanding that you have two guys. Maybe they are the franchise, the future of signal caller. Maybe they're not.

7:45But I don't think they want to make that decision when they have two guys who they kind of like in just a three-game preseason span.

7:53Rich Eisen:Jerry Dulac here on the Rich Eisen Show. So I'll ask you the question I asked Mike, Rob, and Maurice Jones, Drew, last night. You may have more insight since you're around the team. boots on the ground there. What's the conversation that McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers had in March, April, May, June about the comfort level that they used to have when he was a 24 to 35-year-old quarterback to him being a 42, soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback in this system with these new kids coming in that made him comfortable to say, yeah, let's do this one more time. Jerry, what do you got for me there? Well, I think part of it, what made him comfortable was the fact that when they hired Mike McCarthy, you know, when Aaron had his exit meeting with Omar Khan after the year, he kind of somewhat jokingly or teasingly referred to the fact that, you know, when Mike Tomlin stepped down, that Mike McCarthy's out there.

8:55And so when they brought him back, when they hired Mike McCarthy, I think that heightened Aaron Rodgers' desire to come back, not to mention the fact that after two sour seasons in New York, this was entirely different. He came back. He was coming back off a season in which they won a division title, which they won 10 games. And so he had a much more positive feeling about wanting to play again, unlike the way he felt prior to last season. So I think there's a great comfort factor between the two. I will say there has not been one slippage whatsoever in Aaron Rodgers' ability to throw the football.

9:38He looks the same as he did last year. Rich, this is a guy, he never misses a practice. He doesn't want to miss a practice. And so he's out there every day. And I think, you know, Aaron, I don't think Aaron works, you know, every day with these two young quarterbacks. They can't speak highly enough of what he does for those two guys. And they really like him, and he is very comfortable trying to help develop these guys.

10:07Rich Eisen:Well, listen, man, it'll be fascinating to see Rodgers with this offense. And by that, I mean, listen, we didn't see Pittman last night. We didn't see DK Metcalf last night. We did see Bernard, though. And I saw that kid. I'm like, Rodgers will know exactly what to do with him. And that, you know, some of his plays last night made me go, okay. Now, Weijin comes in, and I don't know if he's going to get much run, you know, in the offense, but they're faster. Now, Pittman can also make them bigger, but they got faster. Dowdle can be very physical, too, with Warren. How explosive can this offense be with Rodgers, do you think, Jerry?

10:53Well, Rich, I don't think there's any question they are more explosive. And when you bring in Michael Pittman and you draft Jeremy Bernard, you know, they're hoping that what they have seen in camp from Roman Wilson, Now, he was quiet last night that for now he can be the third guy, but I don't think there's any question in a matter of time Jeremy Bernard will be that third guy. They bring in Rico Dotto, and it seems odd to say that that is an improvement over what they had last season when last season Kenny Gainwell was their team MVP. But I think from a running game standpoint, Rico Dotto makes them a better offense as well.

11:31And so when you look at the depth at wide receiver now, all of a sudden, which they didn't have last year, you look at a running game, which should be improved from over last year. And so they have a pretty good offensive line. But I don't think there's any question. And, you know, you saw Robert Tunyon last night. You know, he had big seasons with Aaron in Green Bay. And he put up big numbers, you know, as a backup tight end. And you saw him last night, you know, with four catches, 61 yards. and Aaron Rodgers was even saying before the game a couple days earlier how good Tanyan has looked and how much he likes him and of course is very comfortable with him.

12:11So I'm not going to sit here and say he's going to be their top tight end, top pass-catching tight end. He won't be. But you look at what they have done with this offense. I don't think there's any question with Mike McCarthy. It's going to be much more explosive than what we saw last year.

12:26Rich Eisen:Well, Tunyon's the one who caught what looked like a touchdown from Will Howard until replay said he was down at the thumbnail yard line. He just adds depth to that position. You got the wagon in Darnell, right? You got Friermuth. Just adds depth to that position that Rodgers loves to exploit, the tight end. We all know that. And then, wouldn't it be fascinating if Ihanachor is significant as an upgrade on the line. And Bernard is, you know, one of the rookies of the year offensively when they almost had Lemon, but the Eagles jumped the line, right? Like, wouldn't that be interesting if that plays out for the Steelers this season?

13:09You know, two things, Rich. Max Ahonichor has looked so good in camp, and it's only a matter of time. Look, you know, as Tom Donahoe once said, they didn't bring him in to lead the band at halftime. And as good as he has looked, he will eventually be that right tackle. You know, he's out right now. It's not a serious injury. Hasn't practiced, but he's been out on the field in uniform. So, you know, it's not like he needs to work in the training room every day. He should be back shortly. But, you know, when you look at having him and then, you know, with Bernard, if he can be anything close to what they thought Makai Lemon would be, which is the guy they wanted to take in the draft, then all of a sudden it makes that Max Ahonichor pick look even better.

13:57So, you know, that combo of guys, they can have a nice impact on this offense this year. But, boy, Ahonichor looks really good. And it's only going to be, like I said, Rich, only a short matter of time before he's in.

14:15Rich Eisen:And defensively, with Patrick Graham now, the D.C., how different is this going to be now? Rich, I think the key is going to be how they play in the back end. I will tell you this, speaking about their depth. Their quarterback depth right now, the position itself is as good and as deep as I have seen it in a long, long time. Joey Porter hasn't been out there. Neither has Jalen Ramsey. They're both on the pup list. But Asante Samuel, I've been told, is the MVP of training camp. And Daylon Everett, their third-round pick, has been the best rookie, not only in the spring but at training camp as well.

14:49And so they go four deep, well, five deep, actually, if you count Brandon Echols. And we'll see how they use Jalen Ramsey, or at least how Patrick Graham uses him, whether as a safety or as a cornerback. So the back end of that defense, their front seven, let's face it, basically the same. They had the two young defensive linemen that they drafted last year. Boy, they really think Derek Harmon is going to take a step to even an elite level. He looks very good. And, you know, their front seven's unchanged. But I think the back end, even though it still has a lot of the same players, but you throw in Jamel Dean at that position and they really like what they have in the back end.

15:28And I think that's going to be the key to Patrick Graham.

15:30Rich Eisen:And then just lastly for you, Jerry, listen, when McCarthy got hired, it was surprising because they didn't go like what the Rooney family has done in the last half century with a young, defensive minded, dynamic head coach that could be there for three decades if they choose. Right. Or two decades. Right. But it seems like installing McCarthy, you're getting a guy who doesn't need to fumble for a light switch for his way of doing things. He comes culture already fully formed. And I'm wondering if that's even removed the question of, hey, what's it like without Tomlin in the building, Jerry? Am I on to something here, do you think, or no?

16:19Absolutely, Rich. I think it's the reason why they hired him. One, it goes in line with what they've been doing the last couple of years, bringing in these 30-something players, you know, because they feel they're one or two guys from taking that next step. And that's why they brought in McCarthy, you know, a guy who's a proven winner, of course, 167 career wins or whatever that number is as a Super Bowl victory. And so, and with two young quarterbacks, you know, like Will Howard and Drew Aller and who's to say what might be added in the future, they feel they need to, again, build that position back to what they had, obviously, with Ben Roethlisberger or at least attempt to.

17:02So I think bringing in Mike McCarthy, there's no question, Rich, we see him at training camp. Man, he has a plan. There's not a wasted minute or a wasted moment. He's very detailed. Everything is scripted with this guy. It's not a physical training camp like we're accustomed to seeing with Mike Tomlin, but boy, he tries to stress the guys mentally by playing fast, playing at a pace, and making sure these guys know what they're doing. And so it's a different approach, not saying one way's right and one way's wrong, but there's no question he knows what he wants to do, and he doesn't waste any time implementing his approach.

17:41Rich Eisen:Yeah, I mean, if you chose a younger guy who's never done it before from a different part of the world. You'd have to give him a tutorial on the Steelers' way of doing things and what it's like to be in Pittsburgh. And McCarthy doesn't need that tutorial. You know what I mean? He just comes in ready-made. Just go, you know, just add playbook, right? That's basically it. And I'm fascinated to see how it all plays out, really. Rich, the only thing he hasn't done is he hasn't put a chair out in front of the dorm for it to save his parking spot. Oh, really? Is that what Tomlin used to do? That's a Pittsburgh thing, Rich.

18:20Rich Eisen:Oh, sorry. Is that why you're laughing over there? Yeah. It's a Pittsburgh humor that nobody in the audience outside of Pittsburgh would get to. Yeah, Jerry, when you shovel out the snow in front of your house, you've got to make sure you keep that spot. So, yeah, lawn chair goes right there, and if the neighbors move it, oh, buddy, that's all I have. All right. See, I'm not fluent in that. Oh, yeah. Thank you for telling me that. and TJ, you got it. Of course. Look at you. Mr. East Coast over there. All right, Jerry, good to see you, buddy. Rich, always good chatting with you, my friend. We'll do this again soon.

18:51Rich Eisen:We just caught up on the Steelers there. That's a deep Steelers chat for all you towel-waving nuts out there. But you see where I'm going? I thought they would hire Jesse Minter because that's out of the mold of Cowher and Tomlin and Noel. Let's get someone in his mid to late 30s bring him in let's go and instead you know and and we'll see what happens in Baltimore isn't that interesting the two choices that were made by the two franchises that bounced their longest tenured head coaches one the Bravens went the Steelers route and the Steelers went just a route of well I shouldn't say that they went their own route because they took John Harbaugh off of a staff had never done it before a young guy that could be there for two decades but instead of like hey you know jesse this is the way it's done in pittsburgh or this is what it's like to live in pittsburgh or what's your culture going to be like and boy it's sure different than tomlin let's talk about which way is the right way to do it mccarthy comes in it's just like he knows what he's doing it's his way we hired it we knew what we were getting we didn't have to learn about it on a powerpoint in a presentation we've seen it by the way in places like Green Bay and Dallas.

20:07Rich Eisen:And how many times I've said, who's ever coached Green Bay, Dallas, and Pittsburgh? And it came back from NFL Network research last night. He's the first to do it with just two of the three. So he's been there, he's done that for fan bases that expect to win. I hope it works out. He's such a good dude and Steelers fans are you know, last night you would have appreciated this before we'll take a break here Maurice Jones Drew did the win-loss game with Mike Robb Mike Robb did the first half and Maurice did the second half and he had he did the first nine games Mike Robb had him six and three and then Maurice had them go three and five the rest of the way to finish nine and eight and Maurice looks at the camera and goes oh I thought Tomlin was gone funny knew you'd like that first round exit and i'm like dude where'd that come from save your time running a small business means every hire matters a bad hire costs time and money but the right one helps your business grow the challenge is finding that person without sorting through resumes and that's where linkedin hiring pro comes in it screens candidates you can focus on conversations with qualified talent with hiring pro you can hire with confidence and build the team you need Join the 2.7 million small businesses using LinkedIn to hire.

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