You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that will appear Tuesdays at TribLive.com. I had a record amount of submissions in Week 1, so we’re off to the best start since Starling Marte homered in his first big-league at-bat. Most of the questions come via “X,” but you can also hit me up jraystarkey@gmail.com. Let’s go …
Steve, @Steve3209839331: Does Rooney realize the Steelers didn’t just need a coaching change but need a roster reset? Based on player comments, it seems to be a room full of guys that haven’t accomplished anything, with undeserved very high opinions of themselves, and are OK with mediocrity.
Starkey: A few things spring to mind, Dr. 3209839331:
One, congratulations on being the first questioner selected for my new mailbag at TribLive.com, “Mailing It In.” I’d say your prize is lunch with Benzie, but I don’t want to speak for him.
Two, I’m not sure Art Rooney II realizes much at this point. He’s under the delusion that his team was “in contention” all these recent years under Mike Tomlin and can’t figure out why anyone would “waste” a year resetting or rebuilding or whatever you want to call it.
So I guess 2003, when they went 6-10, was a waste of everybody’s time even though it begat Ben Roethlisberger, who is most responsible for the subsequent 22-year non-losing streak? And when I say “non-losing streak,” I’m obviously not referring to playoff games, because the Steelers are riding a seven-game losing streak there, with the losses coming by an average of more than two touchdowns. If getting your wheels blown off in the wild-card round is “in contention,” then I’m Duck Hodges.
What was your question again?
Oh yeah. Of course Rooney doesn’t realize this. The Steelers do have several talented young players (most teams do), but they also have no quarterback and aging stars. I’d part ways with Jalen Ramsey and try my best with DK Metcalf (way easier said than done) and before anything trade T.J. Watt.
It’s past time to trade Watt. He’s an all-time great Steeler, in spite of zero playoff wins, but he has a bloated contract that he did not deliver on this season. He was banged up late in the 2024 season and missed the 2023 playoffs. He appears to have lost a step. They won’t get a first-round pick for him, but they’d free up cap money and clear a spot for Nick Herbig.
I’d take a step back next season and reset, but the Steelers won’t.
Mark Kaboly, @MarkKaboly: Do you have to wear a sweater vest now?
Starkey: I already had one, Big Boy. Do you have to wear a sweatshirt with the name “Art Rooney II” on the back?
Taylor, @Taylor72815844: Joe, love reading your columns and enjoy listening to your show. Has Josh Allen become this generation’s John Elway? If so, which coaching candidate do you feel is best in Buf? Also, Mullsy has a giant head.
Starkey: Your last point is indisputable, Dr. Taylor. As to the Elway comparison, it would be apt except that Elway actually reached the Super Bowl multiple times and lost in his early years. Allen hasn’t gotten that far, partially because his coach screwed up a couple of games, partially because his GM screwed up the roster and partially because he screwed up the game in Denver.
It is actually a fair comparison, though, and Elway finally reached the promised the land when the Broncos hired Mike Shanahan and found a real running game and a defense. The Bills have a running game. They don’t really have a defense, or a legit No. 1 weapon for their star quarterback. The Super Bowl still feels a like a long ways off.
Best candidate? I’m not blown away by any of them, to be honest, although I would have loved Kevin Stefanski in this situation. What would he do with a real quarterback?
Nolan in New Ken, @nolan_in_NK: Dr. Starkey, Congratulations and best wishes upon rejoining the Trib! Was it in poor taste for fans such as myself to repeatedly express “fire Tomlin?”
Starkey: Thank you, Dr. New Ken, and while I wouldn’t have chanted it, I did write it and say it on the radio, so who am I to talk?
Avi Klein, @ASK_229: Will the Rooneys find another Tomlin clone or will they think offense this time?
Starkey: I mean, you can still hire a defensive guy as head coach and a coordinator to run the offense and develop your quarterback, right Dr. 229? Think Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels.
Then again, this next guy got me thinkin’ …
Skip Bittman, @skip_bittman: At some point Steelers will acquire their long-term QB. With that in mind is it important they hire a head coach whose forte is offense and the passing game?
Starkey: Not necessarily, Dr. Bittman, although you do have me reconsidering my answer above. McDaniels is now a life-long offensive coordinator after his head-coaching failures, so he’s not going anywhere. That’s good for Vrabel. The problem with not having a head coach as a quarterback developer and instead putting that on a coordinator is that coordinators leave (Ben Johnson).
So maybe an offensive head coach is the best idea, after all. Apologies to Dr. Klein.
Josh, @jhow2687: Could the Steelers job be more attractive than we think? Yes they lack a franchise QB, but expectations here are at the lowest they have ever been and whatever coach is chosen will be given lots of time to figure it out. Lose in Buffalo or Baltimore early, it may be lights out.
Starkey: Actually, Art seems to have an expectation that his team will be “in contention” every year, Dr. Josh. Unless he suddenly doesn’t if the new guy fails.
Chris Barron, @ChrisRBarron: Thanks Joe! Here’s my question, are you impressed with the list of folks the Steelers are interviewing for HC? I am incredibly impressed, we have needed change, a fresh approach and almost everyone they have interviewed would do that. It doesn’t mean it will succeed but shouldn’t we be happy with the process so far?
Starkey: I guess, Dr. Barron. Brian Flores is interesting to me. I just don’t feel like I know enough about many of the others. Many of the resumes are scant, but so was Tomlin’s. It’s more about force of personality, and I simply am not familiar enough with Chris Shula or Nate Scheelhaase or Klay Kubiak, as examples, to express the kind of optimism you do.
I feel inadequate, but that is the truth.
Bernard Buckeye, @BernardDiggins: Compare and contrast attractiveness Bills vs. Steelers jobs and was it right to move on from McDermott?
Starkey: One team has a franchise quarterback, one doesn’t. It’s as simple as that, Double B. I’d even rate the Raiders’ job ahead of the Steelers because they have the No. 1 pick. This league is all about the quarterback.
How many rings would Belichick have without Brady? One? Maybe none?
How about Landry without Staubach, Walsh without Montana, Noll without Bradshaw (one, maybe two), Cowher without Ben (none), Tomlin without Ben (none), etc.
Keep it simple.
Michael Reed, @Mikey_Reed23: Even with a new head coach, and for arguments sake a new offensive and defensive coordinator, will that be enough to get the Steelers out of playoff win purgatory? Or will it take an overhauled roster with an overhauled coaching staff?
Starkey: No, it won’t be enough. It starts with the quarterback, Dr. Reed. Keep it simple.
James Cucinelli, @jamescucinelli: Name three potential Steelers head coach candidates that they haven’t interviewed. Name three potential QBs not named Cousins, Kyler, Simpson.
Starkey: I have no idea if there is a realistic coaching choice outside of their pool of announced candidates, Dr. J. You’ll have to ask Chris Adamski that question. As for quarterbacks, again, to say “potential” QBs would be to indicate I think they could be the Steelers’ next guy. I have no idea, but here’s two I’d be interested in:
• Malik Willis
• Trinidad Chambliss (if he enters).
J, @Crossland895: Congratulations on the new gig, Joe! Is there anything at all that the NFL can do to eliminate all of the controversy around these catches? Cooks caught it. Dez caught it. Jesse James caught it…heck even Likely caught it. They all passed the eye test, but all ruled incomplete. Thank you for your time.
Starkey: Thank you, Dr. 895. Sadly, there is nothing the NFL can do to “eliminate” these controversies. They have always existed, be it with fumbles or interceptions. The game is going 100 mph, the ball pops loose. It has always been and will always be impossible to adjudicate those situations perfectly.
Here’s one thing I’d do, though: eliminate this idea of “completing a catch” when you go to the ground, I can tell you that. If you have possession and you go to the ground, it’s a catch. The NFL seems to be saying that if you’re already down when you make a catch — a la Aaron Rodgers catching his own pass against the Ravens — then you’re safe at that very millisecond.
But if you’re diving or falling (Cooks) or still upright and moving (Likely), then you have to “complete the catch,” and nobody has yet delivered a good definition for that.
Or maybe just have a panel of three experts at every game, and they rule “catch” or “no catch” on every disputable play.
Yeah, that would go well.
Fred U., @FredUlmer: How worried are you the Pens are in the mushy middle where we will miss out on the playoffs and a lottery ball for first overall? Looking scary.
Starkey: Scary? My god, Dr. Ulmer, they’re having a fun, successful season. Why can’t people just enjoy it? It’s not like they are mortgaging the future to do it, either, as they are improving their prospect pool and have plenty of draft picks in coming years.
Can we just enjoy something?
Would you rather them be the Pirates?
Burke O’Toole, @BurkeMan513: Dr. Starkey do you believe the Pirates will make another move for a bat this offseason? Who would you like to see them add?
Starkey: Speak of the devil. Of course they need to add one more bat — a third baseman, preferably, though I’m not picky. I doubt they will add one of consequence, however, and if I’m a fan, I’m still somewhat pleased with this offseason.
Travis, @Travis_J011: Dear Joe, Congratulations! What do you think of a new rule for college transfers where players are only eligible to transfer once in between the year 2 and 3 mark. They can either transfer, enter draft, or stay at this time. Good idea or bad? Thank you kindly
Starkey: Thank you, Dr. T., but I don’t like your suggestion. What if the coach who recruited them leaves after year one? Shouldn’t that be an automatic exception? I guess I’m not as bothered by the transfer portal or NIL as so many are. It’s always been the wild, wild west in college sports. Deal with it.
OK, maybe cap the salaries. Maybe limit transfers to two. But even as I write that, I realize: I don’t really care, especially when I see tweets like this from sports business writer Daniel Roberts: “Ohio State brass spent $65,809 on private jets to Big Ten Media Days in Vegas. Michigan spent $81,782. On the way out of town, Matt Rhule and his group had $600 worth of Smashburger DoorDashed right to the jet.”
As SI’s Pat Forde sarcastically subtweeted: “There’s not enough money to fund Olympic sports.”
It’s a crazy, big money world. NIL and transfers are just part of it.
David Whiskey, @DavidWhipkey5: Your take on the McDermott firing? Big gamble in my opinion.
Starkey: The GM is the problem in Buffalo. I would have fired McDermott after “13 seconds” in Kansas City and definitely after last year’s debacle against the Chiefs, in which McDermott and his staff were badly outcoached in the short-yardage situations that determined that outcome.
However, I though he re-staked a claim to the job this season. That was a great win in Jacksonville two weeks ago, and if not for some highly unusual Josh Allen malfunctions in Denver, the Bills would still be playing.
McDermott had to overcome a mangled roster this season. He had no No. 1 receiver and no pass rusher anyone would even think about double-teaming. There was precious little talent in the secondary. All of that was GM Brandon Beane’s fault — and Beane got a promotion!
Yinzersaurus, @jbfrompgh: Please tell me you have a column forthcoming with the most questionable coaching decisions of Tomlin‘s tenure, and please tell me the punt on fourth-and-1 vs. Cleveland is No. 1.
Starkey: That’s up there, Dr. Yinzer. So is going for a two-point conversion from the 12 in his first playoff game against Jacksonville and punting from inside Colts territory a few years ago when Boswell had a very makable field goal. Oh, and letting Artie Smith sub in Justin Fields, who hadn’t thrown a pass in a month, for a huge pass in a snowstorm in the Browns game at Cleveland last season.
On the other hand, my favorite Tomlin decision of all-time was attempting an onside kick with a late lead against the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers in that Mike Wallace walk-off game. I have never seen another coach do that. I loved it. The Steelers couldn’t stop Rodgers. The Packers couldn’t stop Ben. Crazy as it seemed, the onside kick (which the Steelers failed to recover but led to a quick Packers TD and thus more time for Ben — which is precisely what Tomlin thought would happen) was a daring a brilliant move.
john chergi, @JChergi: Joe
1 — Say Indiana defeats Miami FLA …Is Indiana the greatest CFB team all-time?
2 — You think 1972 Dolphins undefeated season is safe considering expanded 17 games playoffs
3 — Is Kris Letang a Hall of Famer?
4 — Who is your Top 5 Buffalo Bills players?
Starkey: That’s a lot, Johnnie, but here we go …
1 — Greatest record and therefore a legit claim, but I think a few teams, including Joe Burrow LSU, would beat them.
2 — No. I think there’s a very real chance a team could go undefeated.
3 — Borderline, but I say enough to be in, based on defensemen that already are in. No offense to the late Leo Boivin, but he had multiple years with zero goals and was minus-212 in his career. He’s in the HOF, largely because he was a master of the hip check. Also, take a look at Letang’s numbers compared to those of Sergei Zubov, who was inducted in 2019.
4 — My favorites or the best five? I’ll go favorites: Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Shane Conlan, Josh Allen, Reggie McKenzie
JP, @JoeyPicksIt: Hi Dr. Starkenstein… Is Jack Suwinski a first ballot Hall of Famer?
Starkey: For sure. Go look at his numbers compared to Leo Boivin’s.
Gooseheimer 2023, @gooseheime83054: Mazeltov Dr. Starkey!!! Of the three recently fired/resigned coaches Tomlin, Harbaugh and McDermott do any of them make the Hall of Fame? Which one makes it first?
Starkey: None would be in my Hall of Fame with their current resumes — mine is reserved only for the greatest of the greats — but again, based on who’s already in, Harbaugh and Tomlin are locks. McDermott not so much.
Martin, @martindrgz1986: Hello Joe… Hope you are OK! Don’t you think that sacks are kind of overrated? My point is, despite Garrett breaking the sack record, Browns are a bad team, same can be said for Watt, being the sack leader for several years it didn’t matter much to Steelers final performance.
Starkey: I tend to agree with you, Dr. M, but I’d phrase it like this: Putting tens of millions in an elite pass rusher isn’t necessarily the best idea.
Myles Garrett and T.J. have combined for one playoff win, after all — and Garrett did nothing in that game.
Joel Alexander, @Joel_Closer: Joe, very happy to be able to continue read your columns! Given the recent coaching change — do you think this will shake up the Steelers’ scouts at all? Seems like it would be good timing. For instance what credentials does Mark Bruener possess to be our West Coast scout?
Starkey: First, thank you Dr. Alexander, but I’m not sure what to make of your question. If you have a good football eye, what difference does it make if you’re on the east coast or west coast? I have no idea if Mark Bruener is a good scout or not.
Ask Adamski.