OverDrive
Thomas on Mike Tomlin's exit in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers' future, and Josh Allen giving the Bills hope
13 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What does Joe Thomas think about Mike Tomlin's exit from Pittsburgh?
all right here is longtime nfl or analyst nfl network analyst there he is joe thomas joining us back on overdrive how you doing joe i'm doing great guys thanks for having me on yeah thank you for doing this we really appreciate it uh how about the afc north only cincinnati has a coach that's coming back i mean can you imagine this tomlin's out stefanski's out harbaugh's out like what do you make of the division that you called home for so long
It's crazy. This is kind of what I called at the end of the season when I was doing some Browns radio because I just was reading the tea leaves. It's interesting, you know, football is so fickle and fans of professional teams, you know, they always want what they don't have. And you don't realize what you have till it's gone.
And I was feeling that the Steelers are getting tired of Tomlin, even though he's had such great success there throughout the years.
same thing with Harbaugh that was a little bit more surprising but obviously happened sooner and even in Cleveland you know Kevin Stavansky two-time coach of the year and they get rid of him because they're looking for somebody new and it's funny as soon as those guys hits the market every other team that's looking for a coach wants that guy that they don't have Joe do you think they went to Tomlin and said we're basically firing you but we're giving you the opportunity to just go to the press and say you're stepping down or do you truly believe it was his decision
I do think it was his decision. I think he was tired of being underappreciated in Pittsburgh. He's done nothing but great things there. Sure, they haven't had as many championships as they've wanted, but he's given them sustained success.
And I'm sure it was a conversation where they were talking after the season and he was feeling a little bit underappreciated by the fan base, certainly, but then maybe even from ownership. And I think they probably mutually talked about it. And he said, you know what?
I got plenty of people that are going to want my services, and I'm going to have a chance to have a fresh start with a fan base that is excited to have me and just rejuvenate and reenergize his career as a head coach.
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Chapter 2: How might Mike Tomlin's departure affect Aaron Rodgers' future?
And so I do think it was definitely a mutual stepping down. I don't think they would have fired him unless he was willing to step down and potentially go somewhere else.
With all the moving parts and the availabilities for coaches, We were talking about this earlier in the show. How much do you think that they look at? I mean, some of these guys are in different positions, Joe, where they have to work and they're looking to make a paycheck.
But if you've got a bunch of money in the bank and you could pick and choose your spot, how much do they look at the quarterback that's in place? Because that's basically their lifeline and basically how their legacy is going to be tied to the organization.
Yeah, every coach, they're looking at who's my quarterback, because I know if I don't have a quarterback, I've got two years to find one, and the chances of finding them are about one in four when you look at the odds throughout the league of drafting a quarterback or being lucky and finding one in free agency or through a trade.
And so they know, like, I'm not going to go somewhere that I don't have an answer at that quarterback position because quarterback gives you a chance. And without quarterback, you don't have a chance. And if you're a guy like Harbaugh or Tomlin, you got the pick of the litter.
So they don't have to go anywhere else that they don't want to go that doesn't have a quarterback, unlike a guy who's maybe going to be a first-time head coach who doesn't really have as much say in where he gets to choose his next landing spot.
With Joe Thomas, you look at last night, where we didn't think C.J. Stroup played very well, but the defense was so good.
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Chapter 3: What is Joe Thomas's perspective on the coaching changes in the AFC North?
And on the other side of it, that Pittsburgh offense was just a disaster. They could never get going. Now, credit the Texans. Their defense has been elite all year, and especially down the stretch. But Aaron Rodgers felt to me like he was tied to Tomlin. I don't know how you see it. Do you think it matters? Do you think he's just going to retire?
Do you think if he were to come back, it would be if Tomlin stayed? Do you think Tomlin leaving will have an effect on Rodgers? What is your kind of view and your projection of what happens with Aaron moving forward?
Yeah, listening to Aaron throughout the season, he definitely was drawn to Tomlin. Veteran quarterbacks have always enjoyed playing for veteran coaches, right? Because young coaches, they get in their emotions a lot, and a lot of times they are making emotional decisions that maybe a younger player might just stand back and be like, Okay, whatever.
Chapter 4: How does the quarterback situation impact coaching decisions in the NFL?
You can do whatever you want. You know, I'm just here to serve you. But a veteran, you know, they're not going to put up with the phoniness that maybe you get from a young coach, the emotionalness. They're much more of contracted killers.
And so they want to work for a guy that's been around the block, that's got pelts on the wall, that knows what he's doing and that builds that really close relationship and friendship relationship. a trusted friendship that goes two ways with a veteran coach like a Tomlin. And you hear Aaron Rodgers throughout the season. He really liked working for Tomlin.
And I think that those two were tied together. And I'm going to be shocked if Aaron wants to come back in Pittsburgh for another season without Mike Tomlin there.
Yeah, it's pretty interesting, the quarterbacking situation right now. We've got eight teams left, eight quarterbacks left. There's some young guys trying to make a name for themselves. Stroud, May, Bo Nix. And then there's some guys at the top.
Chapter 5: What challenges does Josh Allen face in the upcoming games?
Matt Stafford's been phenomenal this year. He's won a Super Bowl. He's obviously possibly going to win an MVP this year. But Josh Allen really sticks out. Without Mahomes there, without Lamar there... What kind of an impact – yes, in Borough, exactly. What kind of an impact do you place on this scheduling kind of going against the Bills and the Niners? They played Sunday. Now it's a short week.
They've got to go across the country. The Bills are playing the first game on Saturday after what was a really tough game for Allen. He played great, but he got hit a lot. Do you think – the short rest and the beatings he took in Jacksonville could show up in a negative way on Saturday in Denver for Josh Allen.
Yeah, life's not fair.
Chapter 6: How does Josh Allen's performance compare to other top quarterbacks?
The NFL's not fair. They don't care about your feelings. They don't care about giving you the proper rest. They just want ratings. They're all about money, right? It's a business, which, hey, that's the way it goes. It's good for us as a fan because we get to watch multiple days of playoff football, which is the best time of the year if you're a football fan.
But certainly, I think with Josh Allen continuing
to do the superman routine putting the team on his back playing hero ball but it's a needed hero ball right because the bills are not the well-rounded balanced team that they have been in years past so they need josh allen to do everything he can with his legs and his arms and his arm not both arms hopefully he's not throwing any left-handed passes but they need everything from him that they can get and if he's even just a little bit less than a hundred percent because he doesn't have that full rest and he's taking these beatings that he's taken
I think that definitely plays against Josh Allen and the Bills' chances for success.
You think that there's enough there for Josh around him, relying on him to be Superman every night? Obviously, Mahomes has done it for a lot of years, but do you think that that's a reasonable expectation that he himself can basically lead the charge and get this thing done all the way to the finish line?
I mean, I picked the Bills to be my Super Bowl champs. I think part of that is a little biased because as a Browns guy for all these years, I'm feeling like a kindred spirit to the Lions and the Bills, those other Midwest teams, those other Rust Belt teams that haven't yet got to the mountaintop and
candidly i just like josh allen it's fun watching him play i think he's clearly the best player in the nfl right now and in the playoffs with what he's doing for his team not only with his arm but his legs and i i think he can hold this up for the rest of the playoffs honestly i think he is that special type of talent that special mentality that he can go into that dark room and just say hey i'm putting it on me i don't care what my body feels like i don't care about the situation i'm an athlete i'm a
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Chapter 7: What are the expectations for Josh Allen as the Bills head into the playoffs?
killer mentality, championship caliber quarterback. And I'm going to do whatever it takes to get this win. And so that's why I believe in him.
And even though the cards are stacked against him, even though he seems to be losing all the guys around him that are important for that success, offense and defense, and they don't have the team that they've had in previous years, I think he's got more confidence this year than he ever has because he is the best version of himself right now. And he's already been
one of the greats of all time in the playoffs of being able to put that team on his back. And he doesn't have to worry about Patrick Mahomes this year. Right.
That's it. In the AFC, it's Bo Nix and then either Drake May or C.J. Stroud. That's who he's playing the next two games. Not that those guys can't play, but it sets up pretty well for Josh Allen, doesn't it?
Yeah, and I think he's thinking, hey, this is my year to do it, right? He's looking at the gauntlet he's got to go through to get to the Super Bowls a little bit softer, maybe from an experience standpoint, certainly at that quarterback position than usual.
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Chapter 8: What final thoughts does Joe Thomas share about the current NFL landscape?
So I think that even gives him a little notch up in motivation, knowing that it's not a pass.
murderer's row with Patrick Mahomes and the other quarterbacks that he usually has to face going through the AFC because the playoffs to me is always about who's that quarterback that I trust the most that's got the most experience because I know in those big moments, even though some of these young guys like a Drake May have had great seasons, they're going to make mistakes because the stakes are so much higher.
The emotions are higher. The mistakes you make are amplified. And when you're a Josh Allen and you've been in those situations, you can remain cool, calm, and collected to make the play in that moment. It gives your team great confidence knowing that they got that guy. When you're a young player, you make one mistake. Everyone around you is wondering, hey, how's he going to perform?
He's never been on a stage that has been this big in his life.
Can't wait for this weekend. It's, like you said, best time of year. If you're a football fan, you cannot wait. And we've got to wait a few more days, but it's going to be worth it on Saturday. He's the great Joe Thomas. Always appreciate you doing this, Joe. We'll do it again soon. Thank you so much.
I appreciate it, guys. You've got to check out my beef, halloffamebeef.com. You've got to check it out. I'm on my farm. If you guys send me through your producer your address, I'm going to break the law and send it across country lines here and get you some of the best Wagyu beef you've ever had. Put in your mouth, boys. Have a great day. Thanks for having me on. See you, Joe. Thanks a lot.
Love it. Can't wait. Thank you, Joe. Appreciate it. Joe Thomas. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot on my mind, and now I've got my own show. So if you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies, available on all TSN platforms and the iHeartRadio app.
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