PLAY PODCASTS
How did Steelers create their MESS at WR? Mike Tomlin's message stale with George Pickens, others?

How did Steelers create their MESS at WR? Mike Tomlin's message stale with George Pickens, others?

Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey joins host Adam Bittner to tackle the hot topics in Pittsburgh sports, starting with the Steelers' struggles at the wide receiver position in 2024.

Post-Gazette Sports Network: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more

January 30, 202542m 34s

Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (pscrb.fm) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.

Show Notes

Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey joins host Adam Bittner to tackle the hot topics in Pittsburgh sports, starting with the Steelers' struggles at the wide receiver position in 2024.

Was owner Art Rooney II just being realistic about the team's lack of talent in the passing game when stating his preference to build around the running game earlier this week? Who or what is most responsible for the current mess in the WR room. Is it former GM Kevin Colbert and current GM Omar Khan for failing to cultivate depth? Is it Mike Tomlin's personality management of players like George Pickens, Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool? Was it moving on from JuJu Smith-Schuster, who's now an important piece for Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl-bound Kansas City Chiefs? And where do depth options like Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson fit into the conversation?

Our duo tackles those questions, then reacts to headlines on the college front. How crucial was Pitt basketball's victory against the North Carolina Tar Heels this week? Is Jeff Capel starting to figure out how to better use his forwards around star guards like Jaland Lowe and Ishmael Leggett? And on the Penn State front, what does the Jim Knowles hiring say about James Franklin's intent to compete at a championship level? And does early 2025 College Football Playoff hype make sense for this team with the return of key pieces like Drew Allar, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen?

The later, the guys react to the Pirates' sluggishness in MLB free agency. What is the primary reason GM Ben Cherington has made only small moves like signing Andrew McCutchen and Adam Frazier or trading for Spencer Horwitz so far? Is TV revenue an issue? Is saving for a Paul Skenes extension a possibility? And how much trouble are Cherington and manager Derek Shelton in? Should we interpret the inactivity as a signal that they feel comfortable?


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.