OverDrive - Thomas on Mike Tomlin's exit in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers' future, and Josh Allen giving the Bills hope

Episode Date: January 13, 2026

Former NFL offensive tackle and NFL analyst Joe Thomas joins the show to discuss Mike Tomlin’s exit in Pittsburgh, how this may affect Aaron Rodgers decision to resign with the Steelers, and Josh Allen playing the best football of his career.

All right, here is long-time 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.

How about the AFC North? Only Cincinnati has a coach that's coming back. I mean, can you imagine this? Tomlin's out, Stefansky'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. Even in Cleveland, you know, Kevin Savansky 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 said 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 re-energize his career as a head coach. 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 availability 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 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, you know, one and four when you look at the odds throughout the league of drafting a quarterback or being lucky in 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. Without quarterback, you don't have a chance. And if you're a guy like Harbaugh or Tomlin, you've 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, and you know, you look at last night where I didn't think, we didn't think C.J. Straub played very well. but the defense was so good. And on the other side of it, that Pittsburgh offense was just a disaster. They could never get going. Now, credit to Texans.

Their defense has been elite all year, and especially down the stretch. But Aaron Rogers 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 Rogers? 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, 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 peltz on the wall that knows what he's doing and that builds that really close relationship and friendship, a trusted friendship that goes two ways with a veteran coach like a Tomlin. And you hear Aaron Rogers 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. Matt Stafford's been phenomenal this year. He's won a Super Bowl. He's obviously going to win an MVP this year. But Josh Allen, you know, 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 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 a 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. the NFL is 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, you know, 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-hand and passes,

but they need everything from him that they can get. And if he's even just a little bit less than 100%, 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 bill's chances for success. You think that there's enough there for Josh, like around him, like to rely,

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 in the playoffs with what he's doing for his team, not only with his arm, but his legs. And 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 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. Like he's got in the AFC, it's Bonex and then either Drake, May or C.J. Stroud. Like, that's who he's playing the next two games, which 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 Bowl's a little bit softer, maybe from an experience standpoint, certainly at that quarterback position than usual. So I think that even gives them a little notch up and motivation knowing that it's not a pat it's not murderers row with patrick mohomes 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 is you 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 this 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, he 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, Hall of Famebeef.com. You've got to check it out of 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 long as if you've ever put in your mouth, boys. Have a great day. Thanks for having you. Joe. Thanks a lot. Love it. Can't wait. Thank you, Joe.

Appreciate it. Joe Thomas. The newest tracks. Let's go. Music. And the next. Big thing. Always on the new music first.

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