The Pomp And Joe Show
1PM - The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are ready for Super Bowl LX; A lot of Steelers fans are angry and disappointed with Mike McCarthy hire
26 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: Why is this Super Bowl considered unlikely?
Bob, it's the most unlikely Super Bowl there has ever been. Do you know that? Meaning what? Unlikely from the beginning of the season? Meaning it's the first time where teams that were 60-1 or worse to make the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season have made it. Both of them. I think the Seahawks were 60-1, the Patriots were 80-1. First time ever.
So yes, if you look back at the beginning of the season, it's the most unlikely Super Bowl there ever was. Think about it.
Chapter 2: What factors contributed to the Seahawks and Patriots reaching the Super Bowl?
Zero people predicted either of these teams to be in the Super Bowl. It was all about the Ravens and Chiefs and Bills and Lions and, yes, Eagles. unbelievable what transpired this season.
I think that's why the NFL is as popular as it is.
But it never happens this way.
That's the whole point. It usually is very predictable. Normally you do get different teams that go from worst to first and they don't necessarily end up in the Super Bowl, but they change their fortunes around pretty quickly. And Seattle certainly was one of those teams.
And given the fact that they had Geno Smith a year ago, got rid of him, and many people thought that was a terrible move, they brought in Sam Darnold, they have
clint kubiak they have a very good run game which they've had for a couple of years now um and they almost lost it because of a taunting call um which that was ridiculous the whole was it the whole taunting thing is so stupid guys get guys get up after every play and are john and each other's faces making making you go to comments to the other bench it happens all the time when you go to the sidelines though in those situations you have to be smarter don't you don't
I guess you have to be smarter, but I see it happen all the time. Guys, look over at the opposing bench. Did he stay a second too long? Probably. Is that how you want to decide? I'm not saying this decided it because it obviously didn't. They still won. Is that how you want to decide which team goes to the Super Bowl? I thought it was ridiculous.
No, but I think his teammates on that side of the field were getting after him a little bit for how could you be this stupid.
Yeah.
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Chapter 3: How did the taunting rule impact the playoff game?
Yeah, well, I will in March. Should we have a Jubilee for me turning 25? Is that like a big birthday?
I don't know. What is a jubilee, Bob?
Once you turn 21, after that, I feel like there's no big birthday again until like 30, and I don't even want to look even close to that.
Well, they become less interesting if you're the person going through it. Like when you're younger, you start getting older, and then they start using terms you don't like. Like, you're going to turn 30, turning. Then you're going to become 40, and then you arrive at 60. I heard that all the time. Oh, you've arrived at 60. I lost track. It doesn't matter anymore. That's what I'm saying.
I don't, I don't even, you know, birthdays are birthdays. They come and go. Can't look at it that way.
I love my birthday, but now I don't think I'm going to like my birthday as much anymore. What's the date on that limits? My birthday?
Yeah. March 21st. We'll definitely have a party for you.
Thank you. Are you happy that I told you my birthday? I'm like Ron who never told anybody his birthday.
Did you find that odd, Bob, that he never told anyone his birthday or how old he was?
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Chapter 4: What are the strengths of the Seahawks and Patriots teams?
Alex would open up the door and make it all possible.
Can you imagine if we were there right now? Palm trees, watching that little white ball fly right in the air, Bob. Instead of all this white snow. Oh, my God. You know what? I had a story for you before we get back to Mike McCarthy. I gave this hiring a C. Bob gave it a C. Limits gave it an F. This is your chance to weigh in on Mike McCarthy. 412-928-9370. 928-9370.
The overall reaction, I started the day by... telling you that Bob Labriola interviewed Art and wrote a little story. And if you look at it on Twitter, it's one negative comment after another on this hire. It is overwhelmingly negative. Weigh in, 928-9370. Quick story, Bob, before we get to the lines. John Brody, the old Niners quarterback, legend, right? I never knew. Right. You know.
Oh, yeah, absolutely. He passed away and he passed away. And listen to this. This is unbelievable. At age 56 in 1991, John Brody, who played in the NFL and was a star, I think a Hall of Famer, although I can't verify that, I think he was. joined the Senior PGA Tour. I remember this. And won an event when the field featured every top 10 money leader to that point in the season.
Chichi Rodriguez, Arnold Palmer was in the field, Lee Trevino. This dude walked into that environment Chichi Rodriguez, eight wins on the PGA Tour. George Archer, 13 wins on the PGA Tour. And one, he won an event against those guys. Stuck a nine iron within four inches on the first playoff hole. He beat Chichi Rodriguez.
That's one of the most unbelievable sports feats that I've ever seen in my life. You?
Yes, and I remember, I totally forgot until you brought it up, but I remember when that happened. And, you know, back then, a lot of those guys who got on the, quote, senior tour when they were playing still had a lot of game left. And many of them still do. And their whole careers are golf.
This is a guy who just dabbled in it, took it seriously enough that he could actually try to win and did win. Rick Roden tried the same thing. Do you remember him? Of course, from the Mario thing. He was a great golfer, former pirate pitcher. He can't get to that next level.
It's hard to win those kind of events. The next level is ridiculous.
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Chapter 5: How does Mike McCarthy's hiring affect Steelers fans?
Crazy.
Here's another little treat for you, Bob. You ready for this? I'm ready for more treats. I'm just going to read the whole Sando column here, if you don't mind. According to him, Mike McDonald has a chance to become the first ever coach to win a Super Bowl as his team's primary defensive play caller.
Belichick delegated those duties, as did Chuck Knoll, Tom Landry, Don Shula, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells, George Seifert, any of the defensive guys from history. They were not calling plays in the Super Bowl. This guy will be. He could become the first defensive play caller. Wow. Is some of our thinking twisted, O Limitless Wonder, when we think you got to have an offensive guy?
Well, what if you have a defensive guy who calls games against the offensive guys? And I know it didn't go great for him against Sean McVay yesterday, but what if our thinking's a little bit twisted on that, Bob?
I don't know if it's twisted so much. I mean, there have been a lot of good defensive schemers who are head coaches, but you're right. They let the defensive guy call the play, whoever that may be. I'm sure in many of those cases, though, that defensive head coach would interrupt and say, no, we're going to do this. Here's how we're doing it. I give him a lot of credit, though. I do, too.
He strikes me as a very confident guy at what he does. He is. I'll tell you what, their GM has been there for a long time, and he makes some shrewd calls. You want to talk about response? There were a lot of people who did not like the fact they wanted to let Geno Smith go, and they eventually did.
He was a guy who gave him $100-plus million, too, but he just got to the point where he said, we're going to make a move there. We're changing directions.
You think people in Baltimore are sick over the fact they let McDonald out of the building?
Maybe, but he was just one of those guys who needed an opportunity to get a head coach, and they weren't at that point going to get rid of Harbaugh. Here's the last little treat I have for you, Bob.
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Chapter 6: What are the implications of hiring a defensive coach like McCarthy?
Roger Craig was a hell of a player. Was he the first guy to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in a season, Bob?
If he wasn't, he soon followed. He was very good at that. One of the best all-purpose running backs you're going to find.
Ever. Let me try to look that up if you don't mind, Bob. If I may.
I like, you know.
Yes, he was. In 1985, Roger Craig in 16 games had 1,050 yards rushing and 1,016 yards receiving. 92 receptions.
And if you're Le'Veon Bellin, you had those numbers. You say, I'm two people. I want double the salary because I'm two people. I'm a receiver and I'm a runner both.
That's exactly right. Now let me look up L.C. Greenwood, if you don't mind, Bob. Go right ahead. You can do it.
But again, I thought he was also the victim of so many people from that era on that team getting into the Hall of Fame, and I think people just said, okay, that's enough. I mean, he's a two-time first-team All-Pro.
All-Pro, not Pro Bowl. That's pretty good. He had other guys, notably Joe Green, overshadowing him on that defense. Two seasons, I guess they did go back on pro football reference and comb through the sacks with double-digit sacks. 78 in his career and four in a Super Bowl. Did they keep playoff sacks then, Bob? 12 and a half sacks. 12 and a half sacks in 17 playoff games.
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Chapter 7: What role does quarterback selection play in team success?
Well, first of all, start with the grade of a C. With one important caveat, though, that there's some hope going forward for an important change in philosophy in terms of how they approach the quarterback position. You guys, you've been talking about it all morning. The Steelers have to figure this out.
And this organization has been an F-grade in terms of quarterback evaluation, drafting, and, of course, succession planning. Forget about it. They've been terrible. So if you look at the quarterbacks that were on the draft board that they passed on, I know you guys have been through this before, but passing on Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, even Jackson Dart.
I mean, these are guys that probably or could have been drafted. I mean, the year that Jalen Hurts was on the board, they drafted Chase Claypool. So there could have been a nice pick there. So anyway, McCarthy comes in, and he could represent a new approach to quarterback. This is my hope, that they look at the model for quarterback succession planning, which is the Packers, the way they do it.
He inherits Favre, then they move to Rodgers, and that was on his watch. So the Packers have done a really admirable job of never really having to go into the tank for a quarterback. And maybe that's something that McCarthy can instill into the Steelers draft plan.
How do you instill that? You're going to have to find one of the most talented prospects ever and hope he drops in the draft.
Yeah, I think where we're headed, and I know, Joe, you're not excited about Will Howard maybe being the guy next year, but if they decide, look, what better option do we have at this point? Maybe they bring somebody in, but let's just assume Will Howard kind of wins the competition. and they have a five or six win season next year.
Now, supposedly, well, they will be drafting in the top third of the draft, and maybe they'll have their chance to get their guy, just like when they won six games and they had a chance at Ben.
Do you like Ty Simpson? Some people do.
Would you draft him? I'm of the mindset now that says, take the guy. See what you get. And if he doesn't work, then, man, you go back to the drawing board. And that was my feeling about Jackson Dart last year. There were questions about Jackson Dart, but he comes out and he looks like he could be the real deal.
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Chapter 8: How might Will Howard be perceived as the Steelers' quarterback?
Where do you think Pony goes with this? Does he go counter to popular opinion? Or does he rip the hiring?
I'm curious. I think Pony is going to go counter to popular opinion. He's going to maybe not agree with the signing, but understand it, bringing in McCarthy and the reasons why they're doing it. While I think Malzi will absolutely rip the Steelers to shreds. like he partly did when he did his emergency show on Saturday. And I expect the same from Donnie.
It was a good emergency show. I appeared on Malzi's emergency show. It was very enjoyable.
Yes. Malzi gave me the Belfont snorkel on the show. I was not invited. What? Malzi said on the air, he said, we want to hear from all kind of fan personalities. So I texted Malzi and I said, Malzi, I don't know if you would want me on or not, but I'm around. Great show. And he said, thank you. And Malzi did not have me on. That's actually a great line.
I mean, I honestly didn't expect Malzi to ask me to. But he had you. He had Pony. He had Donnie. He had Jeff. He had Crowley. He basically had everybody not named Doran Dickerson on the air.
I think that thank you is one of the great lines in fan history, even though it wasn't on the air.
Well, he also included something else additionally, like, you know, it's easy doing shows like this when the news writes itself. He said something else like that, but.
I had Roundtree on yesterday. If I'd known you were interested in doing this, I would have had you on. Roundtree was great. And he's the one that McCutcheon subtweeted. Yes. After the Pirate Fest flap.
I appreciate the thought. But I thought, you know what? If there's one person that would probably not have me on, it would probably be Malzi.
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