The Pomp And Joe Show
1PM - The best topics and clips from Mike McCarthy's introductory news conference; The Raiders and Cardinals are the only head coach jobs left
28 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Yeah, just to echo what Art said, we were very open, not minded going into this and interviewed really, really an awesome group of candidates. And, you know, I think Mike's resume speaks for itself. Learned a lot through the process, but we're excited Mike McCarthy's the head coach.
Mike White did a really good story on Mike McCarthy's youth sports career, Bob. Tremendous stuff filled with photos. He was a teammate, I believe, of Archie Manning. Not that Archie Manning, but the Archie Manning who owns Archie's downtown, right?
Yes, that Archie. And Mike White, he has so much knowledge of covering these guys from the beginning. And I'm anxious to see it because I didn't see it. I just heard about it from you, so I'm going to read it when I get done.
He graduated in, let's see, 1981 from Bishop Boyle, I believe, right? And there he was a pretty good basketball player. Basketball was his best sport. Did you know that, Bob? I didn't know that. 6'2", 220. And he had big games when they were pretty good. 23 in a loss to Alderdice, 23 against South, 22 against Sarah, 20 against Canavan. And they went on to win a state title right after he left.
He was on a pretty good team, and then they took the next step the next year. And getting back to St. Rosalia, do I say St. Rosalia's, Bob, or just St.
Rosalia's? I think it's Rosalia's.
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Chapter 2: What are Mike McCarthy's thoughts on the Steelers roster?
I'm sorry. I'm one of those guys. I want to go. And I don't think it's very healthy for kids to stay at home trapped in a house when there's no need for it right now.
Joe, the feels like is negative one. The kids can't be out there. They'll freeze.
Last I checked, limit school isn't outside. But you're going to spend 95% of your day indoors. You know, that's it.
Well, I guess administrators don't like kids having to walk outside and that. They might get frostbitten. And I think what it does to... I'm just... Honestly, I think some administrators actually have that opinion.
I remember us growing up, man, and I know it's a different time, but we didn't have Zoom classes. There was no such thing as stay at home and do it remotely. We don't do it. We go, and you had to go. What it does now also for parents who are working, now their kids are at home. They can't go to work.
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Chapter 3: How did Omar Khan's past work influence McCarthy's hiring?
They told me you walked uphill both ways to school, Bob. I had a pretty good, healthy walk to get to where we are at Hopewell High School. Really? Yeah. But we liked it. We got a bunch of us together. It's almost like a bus stop, but we walked. So sometimes I think it's an overreaction.
especially when it's for the whole week. The whole week is what gets me. I mean, obviously, we had a blizzard. Obviously, it's cold. And obviously, for some people, it's more difficult than others to get places. I get it. But at some point, at some point here, look at it out there, Bob. It's cold. I get it. It's cold.
But limits, the school is a building, which means you're inside of the school during the day. Correct. Let's go back to the news conference. All right. Let's start with what Mike McCarthy had to say about how he loves the roster.
I love the roster, and I think it's Omar's turn to talk here, but I think it's a roster that is fluid. And what I mean by that, the first thing I always look for, I know in my head coaching years, how many ā How many players do we have returning on contract? You know, were we at 52, we had 61, 64, because, frankly, I mean, the draft's really important. You know, veteran free agency's important.
But that group of men in these off-season programs, particularly just being older, being in the league, You know, that time you have together, those men will move the needle more, in my opinion, more than anybody else. And it's a great group of men, you know, just based off the feedback that, you know, we all talk to each other.
And so I'm really looking forward to moving the needle with those guys. And definitely we'll add through free agency. We'll add through the draft. But, you know, it's a, you know, like I said, you know, Mike Tomlin, you know, and Omar, they've left me a lot to work with.
The Pittsburgh accent is absolutely incredible. I love it. And of course, it's obviously genuine. It's not like Brian Kelly when he affected a Southern accent at LSU. You're spoiled. It's so real. However, what he said there, let's not go overboard here with the roster, but. I think people go overboard the other way as well. Like they make it sound like this is an expansion team.
Listen, they need a receiver for sure. And I think they need help at the back end of their secondary with a safety or two, honestly. Other than that, I really like the offensive line. I think it's up and coming. I think it got to be pretty good by the end of the year. They have a pretty good backfield if Gainwell comes back, especially. I like the tight ends if they're used.
I like the defensive line. I like the linebackers. I even like the corners. I think Joey Porter Jr. is coming along. What's Pierre's status for next year, do we know? They could probably use another corner, too.
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Chapter 4: What does McCarthy believe about the importance of veteran players?
He's not necessarily a starter, but he's a guy who can come in when you need an extra cornerback.
Yeah, give me fortifications in the secondary and, for sure, a wide receiver. Maybe even in the first round. The big hole is quarterback. But I think that question, what he was talking about, was the overall roster outside of that. And I know there is no outside of that. I'd rather have the quarterback and nobody else, to be honest with you.
But the overall roster, I think, is better than a lot of others do.
I do too. And here's what could be their plan as well. Before they ever move on from Aaron Rodgers, if their interest is to come back or he wants to come back and they say, okay, for one more year.
Then what you need to do, and they've already started this process, is build up every position around the quarterback so that when you finally do get to that point where you have to have a decision post-Rogers, then at least you have a team That will allow a younger quarterback to kind of grow a little bit without having to worry about carrying that team.
So if you have a good offensive line, you have playmakers, you have a defense that keeps you in games, can make some plays, the quarterback doesn't have as much pressure, especially if he's young and unproven. That could be a way they go. But you still have to ultimately answer that question. Who is my future quarterback?
And until that's answered, I don't know where you can ultimately predict this team will finish on a year-to-year basis.
That's a very reasonable and well-stated opinion, Bob, and I agree with every syllable you just uttered. Limits? Bob, why is Mike McCarthy coming back to coach the Steelers, you might wonder?
You know, I think the biggest thing is the interaction every day with the players, the coaches, the support group. I mean, the lineup every single day in the work environment And to do hard stuff with people that are committed. I mean, there's nothing like it. And I've had a chance to step away and look at other things. There's nothing like the National Football League.
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Chapter 5: What challenges does McCarthy foresee in the upcoming season?
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Meaning there's no better time to test drive the Toyota truck you need. Find a great Toyota Truck Month deal today when you visit BuyAToyota.com. That's BuyAToyota.com. Toyota, let's go places. Next. Well, Bob, it doesn't matter what you're wearing if you're not winning. And Mark McCarthy was asked about the playoff win drought.
Honestly, I don't think you can really look at it that way. Every season is different. Every team you coach is a bit different. Your beliefs and your standards and the culture you're trying to create, you're trying to move that forward. The most important thing about playoff football is staying in the playoffs. We're not trying to get to the playoffs and doing the things to stay in the playoffs.
Playoff football is one of the hardest games to win each and every year. Earlier we talked about trends. I think the trends of the fourth quarter changes is something that I know I've been watching, the momentum shifts and so forth. Because
You know, in a lot of ways, when I look at the training of the team, especially the way the offseason programs is orchestrated, you almost have to re-engineer how you want your team to train. And what I'm talking about is you need to put more time and energy into the end of the game. Because, I mean, you look at the playoffs, because it's about winning the championship. It's not...
It's not about getting to the playoffs and winning one game. It's about bringing the trophy home, and that will always be the goal. So I think the trends of the playoff football, I think there's been one game this year that didn't come down in the last series, and the whole playoff outcome. And that trend has been in place for years.
Yeah, I'm not loving that answer. I don't know where he was going there at the end. I would have rather heard, and I know he doesn't want to step on anybody's toes, but I think that was a time, you know, beyond the emotions of the opening of the press conference, beyond all the good feelings where you put a step down, a foot down, and we see that competitive Mike McCarthy.
We see that Mike McCarthy that got after the youth league ref in those videos a couple of years ago. And we say... I'm here to finish the job. That's what I'm here to do. That's what they haven't done. That's where I'd like to see him separate himself a little bit from this nice, cozy little family that I'm now back a part of. They hired me. I'm a hired contractor.
That's what I've been hired to do. They've had really good regular seasons, tons of respect for Coach Tomlin. They need to find a way to win in the playoffs. So do I. I've only got one playoff win in my last seven years. We have to finish the job. I have to finish the job. That's why I'm here. That's a spot that I thought he veered off into nowhere land. I don't know what he was doing.
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Chapter 6: How does McCarthy plan to approach playoff football?
Very bright, hardworking. And, you know, I think we've just always been connected since then.
The reason I bring this up is because obviously a lot has been made about McCarthy being from Pittsburgh. I think his connection with Omar Khan and Andy Weidel is what ultimately pushed this thing over the finish line. I don't think we've talked about that enough.
That previous connection to New Orleans probably meant so much in this hiring process, their familiarity with him compared to other candidates. It probably meant so much to Omar in his career. That you wonder if this is paying back that favor from a long time ago of getting him involved like it sounds like McCarthy did.
Do you think Mike McCarthy will have as much say as Mike Tomlin ultimately? That's a great question. At the beginning, I would say not as much. I don't think he wants as much. He may not need as much. In personnel, you mean, right? Yeah. I don't think so.
He's going to certainly have his thoughts, and they're going to have to be very much considered, but I don't know he's going to be the guy who ultimately makes choices. I still think it's a group effort anyway.
Is Omar sort of putting his unique stamp on the organization and perhaps gaining more power? Mike Tomlin was a very, very, I would say he was probably the most powerful coach in the NFL.
I don't know. Andy Reid seems like he has a lot of power to me.
Maybe. Maybe. I think Mike had last say on draft picks. I think he had tremendous power over free agents.
I do agree that he had a big say in all of that, yes. I'm just wondering, as a new guy coming in, even though he's an experienced guy with a lot of resume, does he have that same power here now? I don't think so.
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Chapter 7: What insights does McCarthy share about his coaching philosophy?
I think in time you're going to see a lot of those guys show up over on the south side at games and be a part of this because I think they all have a lot in common with Mike McCarthy in that this is their organization. They played a lot of time, and now he gets a chance to be part of it as well. Yesterday was hard.
A lot of people I noticed on Twitter saying, well, why wasn't there more player present there? Well, this is also a time where a lot of guys are out of town, especially after a snowstorm. If they saw that snowstorm coming, I guess they all went out of town. They want to be here, so we probably didn't have much availability.
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We are back. Rounding third, heading home. Do we have a windmill at third base waving us home, or do we have a stop sign?
Wave them on in, Bob.
Wave them on in. All right. Gowie Cora has just said, yes, we continue. And we are talking about the Steelers. Mike McCarthy, new head coach, now trying to find his staff. We saw also today that Todd Monkham became the head coach of Cleveland, of all things. And Jim Swartz is not happy about that.
He thought he was going to get that job and apparently stormed out of there and said goodbye to everybody, although he's still under contract.
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Chapter 8: What is the significance of McCarthy's connection with Omar Khan?
I think that'd be really interesting. Social media's biggest loser brought to you by Awaken 180 Weight Loss. Visit them at awaken180weightloss.com. How about Browns fans with Todd Monken as their new coach? Maybe Jim Schwartz. Jim Schwartz is social media's biggest loser.
Yeah, or whoever didn't vote. He could be the biggest winner because he came right out and said, I'm leaving. I'm out. I'm never coming back. I'm done. I like that.
Remember when Rocky Blyer said that? I'm done, yes. He pulled a Miles Garrett, but yeah, he'll probably actually leave unlike Miles Garrett.
And he won't be dealing with a big newspaper spread saying, thank you, Cleveland, for all the time I had.
Please give me $40 million. What's cooking? Brought to you by your local Geico rep, Tim Hester. Thank you, Mr. Hester. High of 14, George Pickens, low of negative one. It is cold out there. Fan weather brought to you by Meyers Lager, Pittsburgh's choice for affordable legal solutions. Bob wanted a name for each of those job openings. I'll go Daybol in Arizona and Kubiak, Clint Kubiak in Vegas.
You?
I'm not sold on Dable for some reason.
Neither am I. You're not sold on him as a candidate or that they'll hire him? No, as a candidate.
Neither am I, but I think they're going to hire him. Maybe so. Which of all these coaches will have the most success in year one on the job? Of all these coaches? There's so many of them.
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