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Aaron Rodgers signs with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dublin Bound · The Irish Steelers Podcast

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Irish airline aer Lingus will proudly serve as the presenting
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlingus's growth in
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: North America continues in twenty twenty five as the airline
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville and Indianapolis,
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  Speaker 1: using its new Airbus eight three twenty one xl or aircraft.
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: This brings the number of transatlantic routes operated by the
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  Speaker 1: airline from Dublin, Shannon and Manchester to twenty four. Steelers
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  Speaker 1: fans traveling to Ireland for the big game can enjoy
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: a relaxing journey when they fly.
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: With air Lingus. Air Lingus, You're very welcome, Hey, everybody.
• 0:41
  Speaker 3: Welcome into the Irish Tears podcast presented by er Lingus
• 0:45
  Speaker 3: and Novelwik Closer to Steelers Football and another week closer
• 0:48
  Speaker 3: to the twenty twenty five NFL Dublin Game. And on
• 0:51
  Speaker 3: that note, Steelers Nation, it's time to take flight with
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  Speaker 3: aer Lingus, an official airline partner of the Pittsburgh Staters
• 0:59
  Speaker 3: and a founding partner of Steelers Ireland. There's never been
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: a better time to book your trip to Dublin with
• 1:05
  Speaker 3: nineteen North American gateways, including flights from nearby Cleveland. Get
• 1:10
  Speaker 3: ready for warm Irish hospitality and plenty of room on
• 1:14
  Speaker 3: board for your terrible style, whether it's a game day
• 1:17
  Speaker 3: or a getaway. Erlingus looks forward to saying you're very
• 1:20
  Speaker 3: welcome to the players and fans of the Pittsburgh Stedars.
• 1:24
  Speaker 3: You can book now at erlingus dot com and on that, folks,
• 1:29
  Speaker 3: what a podcast we have in store for you today.
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: You know, let's just cut around the bush straight up.
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: The biggest news. And I'm sure you've all seen it
• 1:38
  Speaker 3: over the last few days. It's been talked about in
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: the media unofficially officially for days and weeks now before
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  Speaker 3: it was announced. Obviously one of the hottest rumors of
• 1:48
  Speaker 3: the offseason has now been confirmed. A former Green Bay
• 1:52
  Speaker 3: Packers Super Bowl champion and former New York Jets quarterback
• 1:57
  Speaker 3: Aaron Rodgers' future Hall of Famer no doubt is and
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: has signed with the Pittsburgh Staters on a one year
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: deal to play for the Pittsburgh Steeters this season as
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  Speaker 3: a starting quarterback. As coach Tomlin mentioned earlier on for
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: the twenty twenty five NFL season, we will see Aaron
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: Rodgers play in Dublin Touchwood of course in September against
• 2:19
  Speaker 3: the Minnesota Vikings. What a great signing for this team.
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  Speaker 3: You know, a guy in terms of experience, he's been there,
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: he's done that, and now tinierly lock and load with
• 2:28
  Speaker 3: this offense to see how we can get on this year.
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: I'm really delighted to say we've got a great show
• 2:32
  Speaker 3: coming up today. We have got, like the host of
• 2:36
  Speaker 3: the Steelers Audio Network covers Michael pursuit of joining us
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: in a few moments before we do that, let's hear
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: first off from coach Mike Dumblin after the signing of
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: Aaron Rodgers and also as well, coach Tomlin talks about
• 2:50
  Speaker 3: mini camp which has just started this week Managory mini
• 2:52
  Speaker 3: camp starting earlier today. Here's coach Tomlin on the Irish
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: Theaters podcast.
• 2:58
  Speaker 4: It's another step, another step closer to a football like environment.
• 3:02
  Speaker 4: The days are a little bit longer, not only in
• 3:04
  Speaker 4: terms of us being in the building, but the length
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  Speaker 4: of practice. Just we're at that stage where we get
• 3:11
  Speaker 4: opportunity to continue to work on our football conditioning and
• 3:15
  Speaker 4: display it. Present some more challenging schematics in all three
• 3:19
  Speaker 4: phases and just really a little bit more formal work,
• 3:22
  Speaker 4: and so from a competitive standpoint, it's a fun environment.
• 3:26
  Speaker 4: And we had a really good day and I look
• 3:28
  Speaker 4: forward us getting back out and doing similar things tomorrow.
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: Questions.
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  Speaker 4: No, certainly we'd like him to be here, but certainly
• 3:39
  Speaker 4: not surprised by where we are. We've expressed a desire
• 3:44
  Speaker 4: to get the business done. He has as well, and
• 3:47
  Speaker 4: so we'll continue to work. We've been here before.
• 3:49
  Speaker 5: What is there concern about his future?
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  Speaker 6: No, your advance, notice that you work.
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  Speaker 4: Whatever communication transfers between he and I will remain there.
• 4:00
  Speaker 5: Why quick is the arab roddy vers feed.
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  Speaker 6: In your eyes?
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  Speaker 4: I mean, read his resume. We're excited about him being here.
• 4:08
  Speaker 4: He's excited about being here. But we'll make no bold predictions.
• 4:12
  Speaker 4: We're just gonna roll our sleeves up and go to
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  Speaker 4: work and let let our efforts do to talking Mike,
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  Speaker 4: he said that.
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  Speaker 3: You wanted him to just the invidual stuff as he
• 4:20
  Speaker 3: earned the offense.
• 4:21
  Speaker 7: What what went into that and seen?
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  Speaker 4: I'll be really straightforward with you, Junie reps or a
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  Speaker 4: heck of a lot more important for a guy like
• 4:30
  Speaker 4: Will Howard at this stage of his career than the
• 4:32
  Speaker 4: guy who's been doing it for twenty years, and so
• 4:36
  Speaker 4: whatever snaps he gets, you take away from a guy
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  Speaker 4: like will Hire Howard, and we're trying to get this
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  Speaker 4: collective ready for training camp.
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  Speaker 7: Like you said, I think the league meeting or comfortable
• 4:45
  Speaker 7: being uncomforting in terms of the ways for Aaron making
• 4:48
  Speaker 7: decisions I found uncomfortable. Was it really or did you
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  Speaker 7: kind of know you did to this time?
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  Speaker 4: It wasn't for me.
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  Speaker 7: Envision a quarterback competition this summer.
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  Speaker 6: I don't.
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  Speaker 5: I'll bet if going to be the Azure. You're sorry
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  Speaker 5: he did at the age you.
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  Speaker 4: Again, as I said, you know, physical repetitions in June
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  Speaker 4: for a guy with twenty years experience is not that significant.
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  Speaker 4: It's very significant for a guy with no.
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  Speaker 6: Snaps last year.
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  Speaker 5: These guys and his staff and.
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  Speaker 4: I trust that whatever issues or you know, learning curve
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: things that he needs to get through will be handled
• 5:26
  Speaker 4: during the during the down period of summer. For sure.
• 5:29
  Speaker 6: Like Baron said, he appreciated the way you communicated with
• 5:31
  Speaker 6: them through his person and stuff.
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: What allowed you that patience to Betty can go through
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  Speaker 4: that stuff while you didn't have most bring We've both
• 5:38
  Speaker 4: been in our roles a long time and and so
• 5:42
  Speaker 4: there's personal comfort and security in that, and maybe we
• 5:45
  Speaker 4: could relate on that level in the past when.
• 5:47
  Speaker 7: You had Russell Wilson here, his readers shut in his
• 5:49
  Speaker 7: better and experience was a big reason why you brought
• 5:52
  Speaker 7: the building. What does Aaron bring in that regard?
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  Speaker 4: Read his resume.
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  Speaker 6: Anyone else bet it all?
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  Speaker 5: I said, Derrick Harmon's a starter. Now how you view.
• 6:05
  Speaker 4: We'll sort out all of that to visit the labor
• 6:07
  Speaker 4: and rolls and depth chart things when we get to
• 6:09
  Speaker 4: real football. Right now, it's just football, Like.
• 6:12
  Speaker 3: Kosamo on the Irish Titters podcast presented by Ireland Gauz.
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: I know there's one guy you want to hear from, folks.
• 6:18
  Speaker 3: Here he is for the first time on this podcast
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  Speaker 3: talking as the quarterback all the Pittsburgh Steters. It's Aaron
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  Speaker 3: Rodgers practice.
• 6:27
  Speaker 6: It was good. Good to be out here with you guys.
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  Speaker 6: Still learning the offense, but good to be u good
• 6:34
  Speaker 6: to be in aw jersey and cleets again.
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  Speaker 3: How long will take get acclimated?
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  Speaker 1: You think?
• 6:40
  Speaker 6: I mean that's all those are two different things. The offense. Uh,
• 6:44
  Speaker 6: it's a lot of the similar terms from the Shanaan offense.
• 6:47
  Speaker 6: So I got a lot of stuff already booked. There's
• 6:49
  Speaker 6: a couple of new words and different things formationally, but
• 6:53
  Speaker 6: I haven't figured out, you know, in a couple of weeks.
• 6:55
  Speaker 6: Probably you've visited.
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  Speaker 7: Here over seventy days ago. What made now the right
• 7:01
  Speaker 7: It's been a little bit mad now the right time
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  Speaker 7: to sign a deal here.
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  Speaker 5: You know.
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  Speaker 6: I was dealing with a lot of things in my
• 7:07
  Speaker 6: personal life, and some things improved a little bit where
• 7:13
  Speaker 6: I felt like I could fully be all in here
• 7:15
  Speaker 6: with the guys. I had great conversation with Mike throughout
• 7:18
  Speaker 6: the entire process and Omar. But it's good to get
• 7:21
  Speaker 6: that done and get behind us. Khy Was the Steelers
• 7:24
  Speaker 6: the right fit for you? You know? I think it
• 7:27
  Speaker 6: starts with Mike Tomblin and then I've been a fan
• 7:29
  Speaker 6: of his for a long time.
• 7:31
  Speaker 8: Uh.
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  Speaker 6: There's a few iconic franchises in the NFL. I played
• 7:35
  Speaker 6: for one of them for eighteen years. This is another
• 7:37
  Speaker 6: one of those.
• 7:39
  Speaker 7: Uh.
• 7:39
  Speaker 6: There's something special about obviously, this this area. So many
• 7:43
  Speaker 6: great quarterbacks are from Pittsburgh. I feel like Pittsburgh has
• 7:46
  Speaker 6: been a part of my career from the beginning, playing
• 7:50
  Speaker 6: for Mike McCarthy for thirteen years, Having Tom Clements for
• 7:54
  Speaker 6: Tommy Clements to been on old you are as my
• 7:57
  Speaker 6: quarterback Coast Forever, Dom Caper's, Kevin Green, Darren Perry, Ben McAdoo,
• 8:04
  Speaker 6: Frank Signetti, uh Luke getsy. I don't want to forget
• 8:09
  Speaker 6: anybody but a lot of injurs in my life.
• 8:11
  Speaker 7: You would say, get to a week ahead of the draft,
• 8:13
  Speaker 7: you were leading all open, including retiring, How tar cut
• 8:17
  Speaker 7: wasn't in your mind as you went through the process.
• 8:19
  Speaker 6: That was going and playing. I wouldn't say it was
• 8:22
  Speaker 6: super clear cut. I didn't want to short change the guys,
• 8:26
  Speaker 6: uh and be you know, sign but be elsewhere mentally
• 8:31
  Speaker 6: or physically, so until I could be here uh and
• 8:35
  Speaker 6: be all in. You know, I needed to take care
• 8:36
  Speaker 6: of my business. To me, I'm gonna keep that between
• 8:41
  Speaker 6: me and the guys.
• 8:42
  Speaker 8: Kim Heyb talked podcast is wondering about how important would
• 8:45
  Speaker 8: be this morning, Well, yes, this morning, but he talked
• 8:49
  Speaker 8: about the leadership you ring the operative side of the
• 8:51
  Speaker 8: ball and how that will be very important. What come
• 8:53
  Speaker 8: of how about your that with the conversation first time
• 8:56
  Speaker 8: as came up, What you can be as a leader, Well, I.
• 8:59
  Speaker 6: Think I just want to be a servant leader here
• 9:01
  Speaker 6: and just pass on the knowledge that I have with
• 9:03
  Speaker 6: twenty years the experience, and just try and fit in
• 9:06
  Speaker 6: with the guys, get to know them, let them get
• 9:08
  Speaker 6: to know me, and just enjoy the process. You know,
• 9:11
  Speaker 6: this is everything's new. It's like the first day of school.
• 9:14
  Speaker 6: I don't know a lot of guys' names. They don't
• 9:16
  Speaker 6: have names on the back of the jerseys here, they
• 9:18
  Speaker 6: don't have names on the doors and the meeting rooms.
• 9:20
  Speaker 6: I literally walk out of locker room lost, try and
• 9:22
  Speaker 6: grab somebody, Hey, where am I going? But I'll get
• 9:25
  Speaker 6: the feel of it, and I'm excited about making this home.
• 9:28
  Speaker 5: Here point of life. Why why do you still want? Yeah?
• 9:33
  Speaker 6: I mean, I think that's what it is like. I
• 9:35
  Speaker 6: don't I don't need it for my ego. I don't
• 9:39
  Speaker 6: need it to keep playing. A lot of decisions that
• 9:42
  Speaker 6: I've made over my career and life from strictly the ego,
• 9:47
  Speaker 6: even if they turn out well, are always unfulfilling. But
• 9:50
  Speaker 6: the decisions made from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling.
• 9:54
  Speaker 6: So this was a decision that was best for my soul,
• 9:57
  Speaker 6: and I felt like being here with Coach T and
• 9:59
  Speaker 6: the guys. They got here and the opportunity here was
• 10:01
  Speaker 6: the best for me and and I'm excited to be here.
• 10:05
  Speaker 7: Aaron. Is it different physically being almost two years out
• 10:08
  Speaker 7: from the Achilles as it was opposed to one?
• 10:11
  Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean I'm forty one, so body feels different
• 10:14
  Speaker 6: than it did at twenty five. But I feel better.
• 10:17
  Speaker 6: I feel good. Last year, you know, I worked really hard.
• 10:20
  Speaker 6: It was a tough couple of years getting hurt and
• 10:22
  Speaker 6: then rehabbing for a year to get back. But I
• 10:24
  Speaker 6: feel good, Aaron.
• 10:25
  Speaker 3: Kind of along those lines, I have to do play
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: things unfolded last year.
• 10:28
  Speaker 8: What do you feel like is different about this organization
• 10:30
  Speaker 8: and about you physically mentally?
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: That will need more success here.
• 10:35
  Speaker 6: I'm just gonna talk about these guys. I like the
• 10:37
  Speaker 6: opportunity here. I like to feel with the guys. I
• 10:39
  Speaker 6: like how Mike t has been in the meetings. Tom
• 10:42
  Speaker 6: Arthur and I known each other since two thousand and six.
• 10:45
  Speaker 6: He was in my quarterback room our first off season together.
• 10:49
  Speaker 6: Still has the prettiest drop I've ever seen. So good
• 10:52
  Speaker 6: to see him. Arthur, I've known for a number of years. Obviously,
• 10:55
  Speaker 6: everybody in the Shannan Tree is close enjoyed our commerces
• 11:00
  Speaker 6: over the last few months, and and and one on
• 11:03
  Speaker 6: one times we've had in the meeting rooms looking at
• 11:04
  Speaker 6: film and talking about the offense.
• 11:06
  Speaker 5: Makes you feel that way, Why do you say, what?
• 11:09
  Speaker 5: What has he kind of showed you?
• 11:11
  Speaker 2: Rubbed off on you?
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  Speaker 5: Bro?
• 11:12
  Speaker 6: I mean we have some We've had some great conversations,
• 11:15
  Speaker 6: and I just appreciated the way that that he treated
• 11:18
  Speaker 6: me throughout the process.
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: What do you know the Pat Barny's game, they so
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: decided to work with them.
• 11:23
  Speaker 6: Sters DK has been blowing me up for a while.
• 11:27
  Speaker 6: You know, we we got to get together out West.
• 11:31
  Speaker 6: But uh, I've gone against him a number of times.
• 11:33
  Speaker 6: He's big, athletic, uh fast, got great hands ball skills.
• 11:39
  Speaker 6: But the thing that that really excites me the most
• 11:42
  Speaker 6: is his character. I think he's a high character guy.
• 11:45
  Speaker 6: You know, I was teasing the first conversation we had.
• 11:47
  Speaker 6: He said, yes, sir, like ten times. I said, is
• 11:49
  Speaker 6: that because I'm forty one? He said, no, that's how
• 11:52
  Speaker 6: I talk. So I just I like I like his
• 11:54
  Speaker 6: whole his whole personality and his approach and the way
• 11:57
  Speaker 6: he is on the field, his professionalism. Pat been blowing
• 12:00
  Speaker 6: me up mostly on d MS and on on on
• 12:04
  Speaker 6: the GRAM. But I've had respect for his game for
• 12:08
  Speaker 6: a while too. He was just teasing me about two
• 12:10
  Speaker 6: minute starters there at the end. But I like I
• 12:14
  Speaker 6: like the opportunity to work with all the guys in
• 12:16
  Speaker 6: the tight end room, and there's a lot of guys
• 12:18
  Speaker 6: with different skill set. I told Darnell today, I haven't
• 12:20
  Speaker 6: had a tight end like him since Mercedes and Mercedes
• 12:24
  Speaker 6: all time great. Uh, Darnell is like a young Mercedes,
• 12:29
  Speaker 6: able to do things in the passing game, dominate the
• 12:32
  Speaker 6: line of scrimmage. Connor had a really nice day to
• 12:35
  Speaker 6: day out that making plays. So there's a lot of
• 12:37
  Speaker 6: a lot of guys in that room with with great
• 12:39
  Speaker 6: skill sets.
• 12:40
  Speaker 7: And just be having another workout with any of the
• 12:43
  Speaker 7: guys between now.
• 12:44
  Speaker 6: And training camp, I do. I just gotta get him.
• 12:47
  Speaker 6: I gotta try and convince him to come out to Malibu, California.
• 12:51
  Speaker 6: It's gonna be a tough sell. I think, tough sell.
• 12:55
  Speaker 6: I did, Yeah, I did. I did. Meaning your meeting
• 13:00
  Speaker 6: here earlier in the year.
• 13:01
  Speaker 7: Did you leave with any material just to study what
• 13:04
  Speaker 7: they do or anything like that.
• 13:06
  Speaker 6: No, I just got in my Malibu and took off.
• 13:11
  Speaker 7: Process this off season. How Center made you have an organization.
• 13:15
  Speaker 7: Was he a weighing all your options or he decided
• 13:18
  Speaker 7: if you were the turn of the season the Sibo
• 13:20
  Speaker 7: really you know the joys.
• 13:24
  Speaker 6: Uh you know, I mean I think there was conversations
• 13:26
  Speaker 6: with other organizations for sure, but uh again the rapport
• 13:32
  Speaker 6: that that fell in between me and Mike, uh made
• 13:35
  Speaker 6: it to where as I was going through my personal stuff. Uh,
• 13:40
  Speaker 6: there wasn't any other option for me, it was here
• 13:42
  Speaker 6: and I play India documentary.
• 13:44
  Speaker 7: You said you're at the coin your career.
• 13:45
  Speaker 8: You don't put you to creep and even anyone but yourself.
• 13:48
  Speaker 3: What do you want to food to yourself this year?
• 13:51
  Speaker 6: I said it in my documentary. Uh, I just want
• 13:55
  Speaker 6: that fun. I want to enjoy the game. The game's
• 13:57
  Speaker 6: give me a ton mum. It's hard to think of
• 14:00
  Speaker 6: anything in my life that's positive. It wasn't impacted by
• 14:05
  Speaker 6: directly or indirectly by playing this game. So I just
• 14:08
  Speaker 6: want to give love back to the game, enjoy it,
• 14:11
  Speaker 6: pass on my noledge to my teammates, and uh, you know,
• 14:14
  Speaker 6: try and find find ways to help lead the team.
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: Good to hear Aran Rodgers for the first time on
• 14:23
  Speaker 3: the Irish Theeeters Podcast presented by Ironings.
• 14:25
  Speaker 5: Let's break this down.
• 14:26
  Speaker 3: Let's look at different aspects of this offseason with this
• 14:29
  Speaker 3: week's guests. Delighted to bring a guy in from the
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: Staters Audio Network on the guy that obviously has covered
• 14:35
  Speaker 3: the team for decades, works with the Steers local radio
• 14:38
  Speaker 3: partner as well. Mike Pursuita joins us on the Irish
• 14:41
  Speaker 3: Steters Podcast. Okay, as we get into mini coount with
• 14:45
  Speaker 3: the Pittsburgh Steters, we're delighted to welcome a guy who
• 14:47
  Speaker 3: is a big fixture on the sports scene in Pittsburgh,
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: a guy that's covered the team for decades.
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: He's also a sports director at.
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: Steeters ocal radio partner w DVE, but also is the
• 14:58
  Speaker 3: host of the Staters pre and put Scheme shows on
• 15:00
  Speaker 3: the Theaters Audio Network. I delighted to welcome and Mike
• 15:03
  Speaker 3: Pursuda to the Irish Theaters Podcast presented by Arling. It's Mike,
• 15:07
  Speaker 3: A big, big welcome, first time in the podcast. How
• 15:09
  Speaker 3: are you doing, man.
• 15:10
  Speaker 5: I'm doing great. I really appreciate you guys having me on.
• 15:15
  Speaker 3: Mike, you definitely picked the best time to come on.
• 15:17
  Speaker 3: This is the first podcast we've had since the Big
• 15:19
  Speaker 3: News has dropped with sitting just a few days ago
• 15:22
  Speaker 3: and seen the news at the end of last week
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: about the quarterback situation, and I was, yes, not too surprised,
• 15:28
  Speaker 3: but still shocked that's happening, because it's now in it's
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: a reality, and Aaron Rodgers to the Pittsburgh Steters. He'll
• 15:34
  Speaker 3: be our quarterback, hopefully on the field in Dublin later
• 15:38
  Speaker 3: on this year. What's your thoughts on the move and
• 15:40
  Speaker 3: how has it been like since the news came out.
• 15:43
  Speaker 3: It's towards the end last week.
• 15:45
  Speaker 5: It's been interesting.
• 15:46
  Speaker 9: I think most people in the Pittsburgh area, definitely in
• 15:50
  Speaker 9: the local media, we've all kind of been under the
• 15:53
  Speaker 9: assumption this was going to happen for two and a
• 15:56
  Speaker 9: half months now and it wasn't official, But everybody's just
• 16:00
  Speaker 9: fact that it was mostly a done deal. It seemed
• 16:02
  Speaker 9: to get a lot more airtime in the United States
• 16:08
  Speaker 9: national shows and whatnot, people debating it.
• 16:12
  Speaker 5: I mean, I think he was their best option. I
• 16:14
  Speaker 5: think it's worth a shot.
• 16:16
  Speaker 9: You never can guarantee anything, particularly in the NFL, but
• 16:20
  Speaker 9: you're bringing in a guy who's won a Super Bowl,
• 16:22
  Speaker 9: You're bringing in a guy who's been a four time
• 16:24
  Speaker 9: MVD and the best part from the Steelers perspective, I
• 16:28
  Speaker 9: don't think they need that guy. I think they need
• 16:31
  Speaker 9: a guy that's able to run the offense and use
• 16:33
  Speaker 9: his experience and it just makes the right play at
• 16:36
  Speaker 9: the right time and hoping that leads to them trusting
• 16:40
  Speaker 9: Rogers allowing him to use his experience as spit a
• 16:43
  Speaker 9: critical time.
• 16:44
  Speaker 3: What's the faults like if you had the chance to
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: job to any players or so I know there was
• 16:48
  Speaker 3: a facility or a golf classic yesterday, it seems to
• 16:51
  Speaker 3: be really a high optimism, a very very good mood
• 16:54
  Speaker 3: in Pennslvanna at the moment.
• 16:56
  Speaker 9: Oh, it's there's an excite, but I think the people
• 17:01
  Speaker 9: that see it for the football side, you can't help
• 17:04
  Speaker 9: but be excited because of his long resume and his
• 17:08
  Speaker 9: experience and his accomplishments. As we're recording this will kind
• 17:11
  Speaker 9: of between sessions here the first day of mandatory mini camp.
• 17:17
  Speaker 9: We've talked to several of the players, Aaron Rodgers, who's
• 17:19
  Speaker 9: going to talk later today, but especially the young guys here.
• 17:23
  Speaker 9: They grew up vitalizing this guy. Now he's their teammate.
• 17:27
  Speaker 9: There's kind of a buzz, there's national media coverage. Some
• 17:31
  Speaker 9: of the national media outlets here in America have descended
• 17:34
  Speaker 9: upon Pittsburgh to cover the first day of mandatory venteran
• 17:38
  Speaker 9: mini camp. I can assure you that almost never happens,
• 17:41
  Speaker 9: and I can assure you Aaron Rodgers is the reason
• 17:44
  Speaker 9: that happened this time.
• 17:47
  Speaker 3: You obviously worked with the Theeters Audio network for games.
• 17:50
  Speaker 3: What's I like working for the theaters on? How long
• 17:52
  Speaker 3: have you worked there? And when did it hit to you?
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: I guess that you worked for the organization in a
• 17:58
  Speaker 3: good way.
• 18:00
  Speaker 9: It's been a number of years. I've I've been covering
• 18:02
  Speaker 9: the Steelers for one media outlet or a number or
• 18:05
  Speaker 9: another since late in the nineteen eighty six seas in
• 18:09
  Speaker 9: the last three games in nineteen eighty six, I was
• 18:11
  Speaker 9: in newspapers. Then I do radio in Pittsburgh, and I've
• 18:15
  Speaker 9: worked for the Steelers probably for about a decade, doing
• 18:19
  Speaker 9: writing for Steelers dot Com and kind of internet shows
• 18:23
  Speaker 9: and Steelers dot Com shows, Steelers Nation Radio. There's a
• 18:28
  Speaker 9: lot to do for that. It's a lot of fun.
• 18:32
  Speaker 9: I kind of always wanted to cover pro football when
• 18:35
  Speaker 9: I was growing up, and I've been lucky enough to
• 18:37
  Speaker 9: be able to do it.
• 18:38
  Speaker 3: Let's look at somebody transactions. Me and I guess before
• 18:41
  Speaker 3: Rogers has come in here. It's something that we've spoke
• 18:43
  Speaker 3: got sort of a length of different people that I've
• 18:46
  Speaker 3: come on this podcast over the last few weeks from
• 18:48
  Speaker 3: the combines in the draft. Mike, you know, the one
• 18:50
  Speaker 3: thing that I find from speaking to a few Steeters
• 18:53
  Speaker 3: fans actually last weekend when it was out, was the
• 18:57
  Speaker 3: situation of running back when you've not goed Geelan Moore
• 18:59
  Speaker 3: and leading in terms of their run game bringing in
• 19:02
  Speaker 3: a guy like Kilob Johnson, do you like where this
• 19:04
  Speaker 3: run game is now? A minus?
• 19:05
  Speaker 5: Nagy.
• 19:08
  Speaker 9: I am one of the bigger Calem Johnson fans on
• 19:11
  Speaker 9: the planet. And hey, I thought Najie Harris was a
• 19:15
  Speaker 9: good player. Still think he's a good player. I thought
• 19:18
  Speaker 9: he was a hard worker. I thought he was a
• 19:19
  Speaker 9: guy who cared. You know, the offensive line was transitioning
• 19:23
  Speaker 9: during his time here. The quarterback situation was unsettled. He
• 19:26
  Speaker 9: had he had to be stacked against him to a degree.
• 19:29
  Speaker 9: I think Caleb Johnson is a faster version of Najie Harris,
• 19:33
  Speaker 9: and he's stepping into a much better situation. I think
• 19:37
  Speaker 9: the offensive line is much more secure and established. Uh,
• 19:42
  Speaker 9: they're better at wide receiver. I think they should be
• 19:44
  Speaker 9: better at quarterback. I think Caleb Johnson is gonna flourish
• 19:48
  Speaker 9: both running the ball and being utilized as a pass
• 19:51
  Speaker 9: catcher out of the backfield. I am this is an
• 19:54
  Speaker 9: old cuche on this side of the pond. But whenever
• 19:56
  Speaker 9: a team drafts a player, they say, oh, I couldn't
• 19:59
  Speaker 9: believe he was still available. Honest to god, I couldn't
• 20:02
  Speaker 9: believe he was still available in the third round. Really,
• 20:04
  Speaker 9: I'm not kid. And it was a great selection.
• 20:07
  Speaker 3: I thought we had a great day on the third
• 20:10
  Speaker 3: day of the draft. We had Brett keeslover in Dublin
• 20:13
  Speaker 3: doing a big draft party and really good sort of
• 20:15
  Speaker 3: feedback from from people over here Steelers Nation, in Europe
• 20:18
  Speaker 3: as well as Ireland. On that draft you sort of
• 20:21
  Speaker 3: mentioned the wide receiver corps there obviously.
• 20:23
  Speaker 5: Bringing DK in.
• 20:24
  Speaker 3: When you bring a guy of that, you know, notability
• 20:27
  Speaker 3: for a started guy that we can now sort of
• 20:28
  Speaker 3: say on this podcast we've seen obviously he's worked out
• 20:31
  Speaker 3: with Aaron Rodgers over the last few weeks and months,
• 20:34
  Speaker 3: and guys that you can just slot in. Would you
• 20:37
  Speaker 3: like to see an other veteran white that come in
• 20:39
  Speaker 3: towards the end of the preseason, or are you happy
• 20:42
  Speaker 3: with what we had if that was If that was
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: what we had going into the Week one game against
• 20:46
  Speaker 3: the Jets, No.
• 20:47
  Speaker 9: I'd like to see another very good one come in,
• 20:50
  Speaker 9: you know, somebody to play off a metcap.
• 20:53
  Speaker 5: Personally, I was a little disappointed they didn't keep George Pickens.
• 20:56
  Speaker 9: I thought that could have been a pretty lethal one
• 20:58
  Speaker 9: two punch outside, particularly with the guy such as Aaron
• 21:01
  Speaker 9: Rodgers throwing the ball. But they just as clearly had
• 21:04
  Speaker 9: their reasons why they wanted to move him.
• 21:06
  Speaker 5: But there's a lot of rumblings back here.
• 21:09
  Speaker 9: This guy or that guy, or they're gonna trade for
• 21:10
  Speaker 9: this guy, they're gonna sign that guy. It stays pretty fluid,
• 21:14
  Speaker 9: even not just through training camp, but after the season starts,
• 21:18
  Speaker 9: in their injuries.
• 21:19
  Speaker 5: And people see what they have and don't have.
• 21:22
  Speaker 9: You might remember they acquired excuse me, Mike Williams from
• 21:27
  Speaker 9: the Jets last year. I would expect another set of
• 21:30
  Speaker 9: hands to be on the way, and I hope for
• 21:32
  Speaker 9: their sake it's an impact set of hand.
• 21:36
  Speaker 3: Was it like working or sort of reporting for the
• 21:39
  Speaker 3: team at Mini comp? Because these guys have obviously come
• 21:41
  Speaker 3: in you go ots, which had just sort of wrapped
• 21:43
  Speaker 3: up Mini comp. It's funny because for a lot of
• 21:46
  Speaker 3: sports fans over here, the soccer season different GS seasons
• 21:50
  Speaker 3: don't really seem to end that much, whereas the NFL
• 21:52
  Speaker 3: has a pretty big off season. But now, like real
• 21:56
  Speaker 3: a City MIC, we're back into the ring of it
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: now because this is it. I know we're not another
• 22:00
  Speaker 3: couple of months side from a preseason game, but these
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: guys are in there getting ready and and just getting
• 22:05
  Speaker 3: ready to go.
• 22:06
  Speaker 5: Yeah.
• 22:06
  Speaker 9: It just it's uh, it's another step in the process.
• 22:11
  Speaker 9: You know, it's kind of a calendar that you just
• 22:14
  Speaker 9: do every year.
• 22:15
  Speaker 6: Uh.
• 22:15
  Speaker 9: You get excited about the draft to see who they're
• 22:17
  Speaker 9: bringing in, then you get excited about free agency, see
• 22:20
  Speaker 9: who they're bringing in. Then the organized team activity start
• 22:24
  Speaker 9: for the first one of those. Oh, it's great, the
• 22:26
  Speaker 9: back out there running around again. Then mini camp that's
• 22:29
  Speaker 9: another step up. Then we'll get to training camp. Then
• 22:32
  Speaker 9: we'll put the pads on in training camp. Then you'll
• 22:35
  Speaker 9: get to that first preseason game and you'll be very
• 22:37
  Speaker 9: excited for the first preseason game, and after that you
• 22:40
  Speaker 9: can't wait till the play a real game that counts
• 22:42
  Speaker 9: and then and then you're on your way.
• 22:44
  Speaker 5: But uh, it's uh, it's a process that everybody's used to.
• 22:48
  Speaker 5: And one of the things.
• 22:49
  Speaker 9: I enjoy about it it's the way it just slowly
• 22:52
  Speaker 9: but steadily ratchets up in terms of you know, people's
• 22:55
  Speaker 9: passion for it and people's interest in it.
• 22:58
  Speaker 5: And uh, how much it gets talked about in the
• 23:01
  Speaker 5: market here.
• 23:02
  Speaker 3: Talking to getting talking about in the market to that point,
• 23:06
  Speaker 3: what's the vibe like playing in Ireland? Like, you know,
• 23:08
  Speaker 3: it's been what twelve years since the leaders have played
• 23:10
  Speaker 3: there nationally they played in London. I know, mister Rooney,
• 23:13
  Speaker 3: the late mister Rooney would have loved to have been
• 23:16
  Speaker 3: to this game. How excited to you about it? But
• 23:18
  Speaker 3: also there seems to genuinely from speaking to guys like
• 23:21
  Speaker 3: Pat freronmuf over here, the guys are really excited to
• 23:24
  Speaker 3: get over a week four game. You know, you can't
• 23:26
  Speaker 3: get much better than that, Mike, when you're looking at
• 23:28
  Speaker 3: games in Berlin and Madrid in November, get in, get out,
• 23:31
  Speaker 3: get that buy regroup, go for the rest of the season.
• 23:35
  Speaker 3: A really good opportunity against the young Vikings team as well,
• 23:37
  Speaker 3: which is really going to try and come back from
• 23:39
  Speaker 3: last year where you know, they had such a good
• 23:41
  Speaker 3: regular season but sort of went that first week. So
• 23:44
  Speaker 3: it should be a good game.
• 23:46
  Speaker 5: Oh it should be not standing game. And I think
• 23:49
  Speaker 5: the organization is obviously elated about it.
• 23:52
  Speaker 9: You mentioned mister Rooney, and everybody feels that, you know,
• 23:55
  Speaker 9: in terms of the significance of it. But the fair
• 23:59
  Speaker 9: basically the ones I'm in contact with are just going crazy.
• 24:04
  Speaker 9: I got thirty relatives that want tickets. I don't think
• 24:09
  Speaker 9: they're all good again them, but everybody wants to go
• 24:13
  Speaker 9: to Ireland.
• 24:13
  Speaker 5: Everybody.
• 24:15
  Speaker 3: For people listening to this in Europe, tickets go and
• 24:18
  Speaker 3: seal next Tuesday, June seventeenth, So not long the wait,
• 24:22
  Speaker 3: not and we want to wish everybody the very very
• 24:24
  Speaker 3: best to look Mike, we sort of mentioned our week four. Look,
• 24:29
  Speaker 3: you know yourself, you're gonna have a set amount of games,
• 24:31
  Speaker 3: you know how the season works.
• 24:32
  Speaker 2: But we're a few.
• 24:33
  Speaker 3: Weeks on from that schedule. I'd love to know what
• 24:34
  Speaker 3: your faults on the schedule are because last year we
• 24:37
  Speaker 3: had a real AFC or front towards the end of
• 24:40
  Speaker 3: the year. It's a bit more managed this time. Is
• 24:42
  Speaker 3: there anything you like, is there anything you don't like?
• 24:45
  Speaker 3: Or you very much a sort of guy where it's
• 24:46
  Speaker 3: like we go here this week, we go here, this week,
• 24:49
  Speaker 3: we go to win a game.
• 24:51
  Speaker 9: You know, I used to be And then last year
• 24:53
  Speaker 9: they had to play Philadelphia Baltimore in Kansas City in
• 24:57
  Speaker 9: the span of eleven days in Lake December, and I
• 25:02
  Speaker 9: just thought that was not just how condensed it was,
• 25:05
  Speaker 9: but the quality of opponent three weeks in a row.
• 25:09
  Speaker 9: You know, it might sound like an excuse, and if
• 25:12
  Speaker 9: people take it that way, there's nothing I can do
• 25:14
  Speaker 9: about that. But I think that genuinely took a lot
• 25:17
  Speaker 9: out of the team. I think if those games had
• 25:19
  Speaker 9: been spaced out, it might have been a different ending.
• 25:22
  Speaker 9: If it had been three different teams, maybe not one
• 25:26
  Speaker 9: of the teams that was going to go to the
• 25:27
  Speaker 9: super Bowl and one of the teams that was going
• 25:29
  Speaker 9: to win the super Bowl and.
• 25:31
  Speaker 5: A really good rival. Maybe that would have worked out different.
• 25:34
  Speaker 9: But you do, you know, you have to play when
• 25:36
  Speaker 9: they tell you to play and where they tell you
• 25:38
  Speaker 9: to play. But I think it's easier this year. It's
• 25:41
  Speaker 9: never easy, but maybe much more manageable is a better
• 25:45
  Speaker 9: word for it.
• 25:47
  Speaker 3: Just finally, for me, Mike, as we wrap this up,
• 25:49
  Speaker 3: I really appreciate you coming on one thing. I did
• 25:52
  Speaker 3: want to manage from a guy that's been there and
• 25:54
  Speaker 3: seeing these guys Tree and especially over the last couple
• 25:56
  Speaker 3: of weeks there with the rookies and we all knew
• 25:59
  Speaker 3: who hired is the guy that we've picked up there
• 26:01
  Speaker 3: towards the end of that draft. Mason Rudolph is no
• 26:04
  Speaker 3: stranger to the facility. I'm thinking more so along the
• 26:08
  Speaker 3: lines of will hired. Obviously a Rudi coming into the
• 26:10
  Speaker 3: league a lot of experience in college football. I can't
• 26:13
  Speaker 3: think of a better situation than for him to sit
• 26:15
  Speaker 3: behind a guy like Aran Rodgers and also learn from
• 26:18
  Speaker 3: a guy like Mason Rudolph as well and develop in
• 26:20
  Speaker 3: his own time and give him that space to actually
• 26:22
  Speaker 3: become the player he wants to be in the league.
• 26:25
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more.
• 26:27
  Speaker 9: I think one of the reasons why NFL teams have
• 26:30
  Speaker 9: such a hard time developing quarterbacks is they don't develop them.
• 26:34
  Speaker 9: There's such pressure now, particularly when these guys are drafted
• 26:37
  Speaker 9: in the first round and the second round they get
• 26:39
  Speaker 9: thrown in.
• 26:40
  Speaker 5: Maybe they're thrown in before they're ready. Maybe they're thrown
• 26:44
  Speaker 5: in before the team is good enough and it's win
• 26:47
  Speaker 5: now or move on.
• 26:50
  Speaker 9: And I just don't think guys get as much time
• 26:53
  Speaker 9: to mature as they used to. So Howard's in a
• 26:56
  Speaker 9: perfect spot. They won't need him to play this year.
• 27:00
  Speaker 9: You can watch Aaron Rodgers, one of the best to
• 27:01
  Speaker 9: ever do it. He can learn from Mason Rudolph. He
• 27:05
  Speaker 9: can get his feet on the ground. You know, it's
• 27:07
  Speaker 9: an intriguing pick. He's a late round pick, so don't
• 27:11
  Speaker 9: traditionally expect a whole lot out of six rounders. And
• 27:15
  Speaker 9: sorry for the break train going by here if you're
• 27:17
  Speaker 9: picking up one, but you know, welcome to Pittsburgh Audio version.
• 27:22
  Speaker 5: I think Paul Howard's in a real good spot.
• 27:24
  Speaker 9: It'll be interesting to see where he is three years
• 27:27
  Speaker 9: from now.
• 27:28
  Speaker 3: Absolutely awesome. Look, Mike, I have a feeling that a
• 27:31
  Speaker 3: lot of guys already listened to you, But do check
• 27:33
  Speaker 3: out the Steelers audio and network if he can. Folks,
• 27:36
  Speaker 3: Mike appreciate you coming on, and I want to wish
• 27:38
  Speaker 3: you the very best throughout the rest of the few
• 27:40
  Speaker 3: weeks of Mini camp here, and no doubt we let
• 27:42
  Speaker 3: touch basic game before week four in Dublin.
• 27:44
  Speaker 5: But for now.
• 27:45
  Speaker 3: Thank you very much man for coming on.
• 27:46
  Speaker 5: Oh thank you for having me any time.
• 27:48
  Speaker 9: Really enjoyed it.
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: Irish airline aer Lingus will proudly sir as the presenting
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Air Lingus's growth
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: in North America continue in twenty twenty five as the
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: airline prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: and Indianapolis, using its new Airbus eight three twenty one
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: excel Or aircraft. This brings the number of transatlantic routes
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: operated by the airline from Dublin, Shannon and Manchester to
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: twenty four. Steelers fans traveling to Ireland for the big
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: Game can enjoy a relaxing journey when they fly with
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: their Lingus.
• 28:21
  Speaker 2: Air Lingus, You're very welcome.