OT: NFL

[IUPalum]

Could they get Marcus Freeman to leave ND for the Yinzer job?

I know they could, financially, if they really wanted. Would he be interested?

No thanks! Steelers need an offensive guy showing the show. Freeman is defense.

[IUPalum]

I'd take Harbaugh. They can only hire who's available and he's available.

Harbaugh is more of the same! The need a younger offensive mind!

[Chuck Norris]

No thanks! Steelers need an offensive guy showing the show. Freeman is defense.

I said the same thing. But a coach with a defensive background who also has a better grasp on what football is in 2026 and will hire a top notch coordinator and let him handle the offense can work too. Those guys exist. Outside of the playoff failures, the most damning part of Tomlin’s legacy will be that his coaching tree had no branches.

I’m leery of a college coach making the jump, but if there’s one I might get on board with Freeman probably is the one.

[Chuck Norris]

If it did come down to a recycled HC, I’d take Stefanski over Harbaugh all day every day.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

If it did come down to a recycled HC, I’d take Stefanski over Harbaugh all day every day.

Tomlin to Baltimore.
Harbaugh to Pittsburgh.

Classic

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The celebrity Curt Cignetti getting a lot of mentions for the Yinzer job.

I'm not sure Curt is geared to deal with professional diva types. But, his current team has a similar payroll so who knows.

It would be hard for a Western PA guy to turn down the Steelers. I think, anyway.

[IUPNation]

There is joy in Philadelphia..Kevin Patullo has been relived of his OC duties!!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Rich Eisen making major push for Curt to take the Yinzers job.

[ctrabs74]

Tomorrow should be a great radio day on WIP after that Eagles performance. It's actually a bit impressive to lose at home when you're +2 in turnover margin.

Steelers had a +1 turnover advantage at home ... and gave up 23 fourth-quarter points to Houston.

[ctrabs74]

If it did come down to a recycled HC, I’d take Stefanski over Harbaugh all day every day.

Kevin Stefanski's record might not have been the most glamourous in NFL history, but he was probably the best head coach the Brownies have had since they returned to the league... which kinda exposes the sad state of affairs in Cleveland.

If Stefanski can land a head coaching job with a semi-competent ownership and front office, he might have a chance to be a top head coach in the NFL. I don't know that I'd want him coaching the Steelers, but he wouldn't be the worst choice in the world.

[ctrabs74]

I’ve never been a huge Pat Freiermuth guy but he was, at worst, their second best receiver. For him to be essentially cast aside for Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington, Smith in particular, was absurd. Washington at least had value as a run blocker. Smith was useless.

I'm pretty sure that Darnell Washington had a few highlight reel catches this season. That doesn't mean I'd make him TE2, but Freiermuth has been one of the Steelers' more dependable offensive options in the past few years.

The Texans could go a long way. CJ Stroud is the one thing that could hold them back.

There are times that the Texans' offensive line commits dumb penalties at the most inopportune times. When CJ Stroud has enough time to find a receiver (Tank Dell and Nico Collins have had various injury issues over the past couple of years), as he did in the fourth quarter, he can carry the Texans to a win. It also helps that Woody Marks has turned into a solid running back.

The Texans have also mastered the art of the long, clock-killing uchdown drives where they just hand it off to Marks or Nick Chubb again ... and again ... and again. When the Texans can get an early lead and the offense go into clock-killing mode, that can be more effective than trying to turn CJ into Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes 2.0.

Good teams always find ways to win, especially in the postseason. The Texans and the Bears clearly got the message. The Steelers and Packers... not so much.

[ctrabs74]

Three takeaways, 3 points off them. Not gonna cut it.

The Texans defense turned two Aaron Rodgers turnovers into touchdowns. That and the Texans' clock killing touchdown drive down the stretch proved to be the difference last night.

[Chuck Norris]

Rich Eisen making major push for Curt to take the Yinzers job.

This is Art II’s chance to put his stamp on the organization. Will he follow the tried and true family tradition of hiring an assistant coach in his 30s with the idea of the guy growing into the position over the long haul. Or does he go his own way? Hiring a guy Curt’s age straight from college would be about as radical a departure from the “Steeler Way” of hiring a coach as you can get. He’s already not anywhere near as revered as his father and grandfather were, so he’d better get it right.

For what it’s worth Brian Flores is the betting favorite, with Rams DC Chris Shula also rumored to be a strong candidate.

[EyeoftheHawk]

The Steelers haven’t hired a head coach older than 37 I believe I heard on The Fan yesterday. That doesn’t mean that they won’t, but I expect a young hire with planned long tenure per the “Steelers way.” What I’m hopeful for is they hire a guy that focuses on being the head coach and lets his assistants do their jobs. That was one of Tomlin’s biggest problems in my opinion. He had his nose in too many doors and that’s paralyzing to a coaching staff.

Expect a full overhaul of the coaching staff when the new boss shows up dahn tahn, n’at. They better move quickly though. The draft is bearing down on them like a freight train.

[Chuck Norris]

The Steelers haven’t hired a head coach older than 37 I believe I heard on The Fan yesterday. That doesn’t mean that they won’t, but I expect a young hire with planned long tenure per the “Steelers way.” What I’m hopeful for is they hire a guy that focuses on being the head coach and lets his assistants do their jobs. That was one of Tomlin’s biggest problems in my opinion. He had his nose in too many doors and that’s paralyzing to a coaching staff.

Expect a full overhaul of the coaching staff when the new boss shows up dahn tahn, n’at. They better move quickly though. The draft is bearing down on them like a freight train.

Yeah I’ll be very surprised if the hire doesn’t fit the usual profile. I’m not interested in another team’s cast off, especially any in their 60s. Curt Cignetti is interesting for discussion but it’s not happening. I would trust that these younger coaches, especially guys who have worked under coaches like McVay, understand how you win in the NFL in 2026 regardless of whether their background is offense or defense.