The Pomp And Joe Show

Mike Tomlin has been chatting it up with center Michael Powers Johnson at the Senior Bowl in Mobile. Arthur Smith wants to run the ball and it wouldn't be surprising to see the Steelers take high draft picks on offensive lineman. Peter King thinks you need to find out about Kenny Pickett but also needs to bring in another quarterback like Russell Wilson. 

Penguins analyst Paul Steigerwald joined the show. Paul doesn't think Jake Guentzel will be traded. Some people think Guentzel can get you something great in return to start the retooling of the team post-Crosby, Malkin, and Letang. On the open market, Paul thinks Guentzel would get 8-9 million. The Pens are no longer in a window of going all in and having to make a big trade at the deadline. Paul thinks it starts to become like fantasy hockey. Things have to go right to win a Stanley Cup and it's very difficult to win. Vancouver is having a great season with old friends Rick Tocchet and Jim Rutherford. The Penguins are on the bubble of making the playoffs and don't seem to have upwards momentum to be like the Florida Panthers of last season. The power play is unbelievably bad. 

Today is the anniversary of the Steelers winning Super Bowl XLIII. Joe is writing about Arthur Smith in the Post-Gazette and learned how Kurt Warner called out the Falcons offense. Warner said the Falcons ran a bland offense and Smith responded by attacking Warner. It feels like he has thin skin, which could be good to put a foot down with George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, and others. Should the Penguins trade Jake Guentzel? He's a free agent at the end of the season. Why did Jim Rutherford leave? He might have wanted to trade one of the big three or get a new contract. 

Audacy NFL Insider Peter King joined the show. Peter likes the Arthur Smith hire and thinks he will play guys all over the place. Backs as receivers and so forth. He's also a "tight ends best friend" and could be great for Pat Freiermuth. Smith believes in "doing what works" and not forcing it. Art Rooney II and Mike Tomlin wanted someone to develop Kenny Pickett, is Arthur Smith that type of coach? It didn't work out in Atlanta but did make Ryan Tannehill a good player. Peter would be surprised if the Steelers wouldn't go get another impactful quarterback. It's only February 1st, we don't know what this team's going to be on August 1st and they need time. Peter thinks they MUST get a quarterback. 

Hour 1 with Ron Cook and Joe Starkey: We're willing to give Arthur Smith a chance, but we don't like the hire. The Steelers could still bring in a passing game coordinator and will likely get a new quarterback coach. We hear some of Smith's comments from his time in Tennessee when he was in Atlanta. Smith was the head coach in Atlanta the past three seasons and finished 7-10 each year. Arthur Smith did some good things in Tennessee, but Derrick Henry was his running back! Scott from Atlanta, a Steelers and Falcons fan, thinks Arthur Smith is a fraud with how he ran the offense in Atlanta. Robinson and Pitts were not used correctly in their offense as top 10 picks. General Jeff Patton from the Baseball Card Castle joined the show. A Brock Purdy card is Starkey's Card of the Week. 

Hour 2 with Ron Cook, Joe Starkey, and Bob Pompeani: KDKA-TV legend Bob Pompeani in studio for the rest of the show. We graded the Arthur Smith hire... and he didn't get better than a C. Atlanta was 24th, 14th, and 30th in the NFL in red zone percentage during Smith's three years in Atlanta. They had no quarterback but underachieved with a poor concept. Art Rooney II spoke to the media and one-on-one with Rob King regarding Kenny Pickett, Najee Harris, international games, and more. The Steelers NEED Kenny Pickett to play like a first-round pick or it's back to the drawing board, like some people already think it is. The Pirates have signed right-handed pitcher Wily Peralta to a minor league deal. He was a reliever two years ago and terrible in the minors last season in AAA with the Nationals. What are our expectations for the Pirates this season? They still need a big time starter. When will Paul Skenes be in Pittsburgh? We hope by May 1st. Skenes is the best pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg for many scouts and evaluators. 

Hour 3 with Ron Cook, Joe Starkey, and Bob Pompeani: Starkey Showdown. Do you consider Patrick Mahomes to be a top 5 quarterback? Pomp thinks if he continues like this, he's No. 1 overall. Mahomes or Tom Brady? It doesn't appear that Bill Belichick will be in the league next season. Will Belichick coach again? Why wouldn't teams sit down and talk to him? He wants so much control of the organization. If Russell Wilson doesn't start next season, only three quarterbacks who have won a Super Bowl. Purdy can make it four. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic joined the show. Mark thinks the Arthur Smith hire is a good move for the Steelers. He thinks Mike Sullivan will probably be back. Kenny Pickett needs to be put in positions to succeed. That will be one of Smith's biggest tasks in 2024. Mark thinks Art Rooney II was honest and good to apply pressure on Pickett this year to have a great season, or the Steelers will find a new starting quarterback. Atlanta hasn't had any quarterbacks. Mark doesn't feel better about the Steelers now than a year ago. The offense needs a significant improvement and now it's Smith's task.

Hour 4 with Ron Cook, Joe Starkey, and Bob Pompeani: Ravens defensive coordinator Mike McDonald is the next head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Dan Quinn in Dallas used to be their defensive coordinator during the Legion of Boom, but does not get the head coaching job. Free association questions with the Steelers roster. Mark Kaboly said he thinks Mitch Trubisky will be the second quarterback next season. Bob, Joe, and Ron all don't think there's much of a chance Trubisky is back and think it will be Rudolph. The Pirates officially announced the Aroldis Chapman signing. Pitt basketball against Wake Forest tonight. 

The Pirates officially announced the Aroldis Chapman signing. Pitt basketball against Wake Forest tonight. 

Ravens defensive coordinator Mike McDonald is the next head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Dan Quinn in Dallas used to be their defensive coordinator during the Legion of Boom, but does not get the head coaching job. Free association questions with the Steelers roster. Mark Kaboly said he thinks Mitch Trubisky will be the second quarterback next season. Bob, Joe, and Ron all don't think there's much of a chance Trubisky is back and think it will be Rudolph.