Club Shay Shay – Deebo & Joe, Part 1: James Harrison Reacts to Joey Porter Sr.'s Big Ben Comments + Malik Willis to Steelers?

Podcast: Club Shay Shay (iHeartPodcasts and Shay Shay Media)
Date: February 16, 2026
Host: James "Deebo" Harrison
Co-host: Joe Haden
Episode Focus: NFL locker room dynamics, “brotherhood” in the Steelers, deep dive into coaching and front office decisions, heated reactions to recent public comments from former Steelers and current events around Steelers’ coaching and quarterback situations.

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off with Deebo (James Harrison) and Joe Haden candidly addressing controversial comments made by former Steeler Joey Porter Sr. about Ben Roethlisberger and the "brotherhood" fabric of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. The conversation travels from the personal and professional nuances of player relationships and coaching legacies to current changes in the Steelers’ coaching staff and speculation on a possible quarterback move, notably around Malik Willis and the future of Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh.

The tone is raw, authentic, and often humorous—true to the hosts’ locker room chemistry—with some real talk about accountability, earning respect, and what it means to be a good teammate or coach in the NFL.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Addressing Joey Porter Sr.’s Comments about Ben Roethlisberger and “Brotherhood”

• [03:14 – 13:01]

  • Context: Joey Porter Sr. publicly criticized Ben Roethlisberger, claiming Ben was a “bad teammate” and broke the Steelers “brotherhood.” Porter also commented on James Harrison’s career, implying Mike Tomlin “gave” him achievements.

  • James Harrison’s Response:

    • “We have not minced words. If you heard us talk, you heard us conversation. If it was recorded, you would have thought it was on and popping. I hung up on my — all that, like, yeah, like brothers. … Brothers fight. Family feud.” ([03:14])
    • Read Porter's comments as implying Harrison’s career achievements were undeserved handouts from Tomlin. Harrison disputes this: “He didn’t make me the only undrafted player to ever win defensive player of the year and get paid $50 million. … I earned everything I was given, even the cuts.” ([05:20])
    • On the “brotherhood” accusation: “You broke the brotherhood, bro, more than we did. … For me, the way Joy and Ben, like, like, like we broke the brother. You broke the brotherhood, bro, more than we did. You didn’t even play under Mike.” ([09:33])

  • Joe Haden’s Perspective:

    • “Everybody has their own version to the story. … Dudes like you, Joey Porter, that are in the locker room … we know them a lot more than everybody else would think that we know them.” ([05:13], [16:11])
    • Adds that, yes, Ben was hard to deal with at times (“Ben can be an asshole…he knows he was an asshole certain times.” [16:11]), but high-profile veterans often get special treatment in the NFL.

  • Critical Quote:

    • Harrison on evaluating Tomlin:

      “He has done a great job with less talent, okay? But he has done a far less job with great talent since our last playoff win in 2016. … And the biggest thing for me, you ain’t got a coaching tree.” ([07:53])

2. Evaluating Mike Tomlin’s Legacy and the Reality of NFL Locker Rooms

• [05:20 – 12:00]
  • Misses on Draft Picks: Harrison highlights how Tomlin missed on 12 of the last 14 first or second-round picks, which he believes contributed to the Steelers’ stalling out in the playoffs.
  • The Coaching Tree Argument: No significant coaching tree for Tomlin is, in Harrison’s view, an indictment of his lasting impact.
  • Personal vs. Professional:
    • “This is where the personal relationship gets involved with people, okay? You have a relationship, and it’s a good one. … You can look at the negative things and look past it, and you can focus on the positive things because you have a good relationship with him.” ([08:37])
  • Player Accountability:
    • Haden insists, “You can still be a great coach in your team. You can still underperform. That doesn’t mean … you weren’t in the right position. Players didn’t make those plays. ... I thought players could have definitely did better.” ([09:11])

3. Inside Perspective: Evolution of Ben Roethlisberger

• [11:08 – 13:42]
  • Both hosts share nuanced, honest reflections on Ben’s growth as both a person and player:
    • Harrison: “When Ben came in, this man went 13:1 as a rookie. … That’s gonna stroke my ego and give me delusions of grandeur. But over time, he has matured and grown up, and you don’t value the same things you did at 23 that you do at 30.” ([11:30])
    • Haden: “When you first come in the league, when you’re 21 years old, you’re completely different than when you are. By the time I got there ... you grow, you do certain things.” ([13:01])

4. “Family Business,” Veteran Privilege, and Locker Room Dynamics

• [15:41 – 23:25]
  • Reality: Not all players get along—sometimes chemistry, sometimes tension.
  • Acknowledgment of Vets Getting Preferential Treatment (with a cautionary note if extended to underqualified young players):
    • Haden: “Everybody gets treated fairly, but you don’t get treated the same. ... The vets is getting treated like that because they’re going to ball. ... When you’re doing that to the younger players, that’s not your [team], your team could be looking weak.” ([18:48]–[22:13])
  • Debate: Is it “airing family business” when Ben publicly critiques the team, or is it just open (and overdue) dialogue about team direction?

5. Steelers’ Expanding Coaching Staff – Good or Bad Trend?

• [24:22 – 28:29]
  • Steelers assembling the largest coaching staff in team history. Is more always better?
  • Harrison: “What did I tell you I was gonna do when I became head coach? … I was gonna personally make sure I got the best people for each position. ... So that could free me up to do more management.” ([27:13])
  • Haden: “I just need to make sure they’re on the same page, teaching the same mission, speaking the same language … If we go from the top down and we’re all speaking the same language … then I’m not mad at a lot of coaches.” ([25:11])
  • Consensus: More coaches can be good, but only if there’s unity, communication, and consistency. “Long as they’re on the same page, on the same wavelength ... I’m not mad at it.” ([26:09])
  • Laughter over “Team Chrome Dome”—the all-bald coaching staff at Tennessee Titans (see Memorable Moments).

6. Quarterback Talk: Malik Willis, Aaron Rodgers, and Will Howard

• [32:37 – 40:58]
  • Looming QB change in Pittsburgh: Should the Steelers sign Malik Willis? What about Aaron Rodgers’ future?
  • Harrison repeatedly touts Malik Willis: “What did I send you, Joe? … Malik. Malik Willis.” ([32:43])
  • Haden’s scenario:
    • “I’m not mad at Malik. … Can we get him a 2 for 40? 20 guaranteed just for a trial year. … If he does good, we can keep him at the 20 for the next year.” ([32:55])
    • Later laughs at how this is likely lowballing Willis (“I shouldn’t even say that out loud. Yeah, don’t take the two for 40.” [39:03])
  • Harrison on franchise QBs: “I don’t see him going for less than 30 [million]. I don’t see him going for more than 40 years, though.” ([39:44])
  • Both caution the grass might not be greener; want to see Will Howard get real playing time before writing him off.

7. Memorable "Bald Head Staff" Moment

• [41:18 – 43:33]
  • Joe teases Deebo that his “perfect staff” is the bald-headed Tennessee Titans, calling it “Team Chrome Dome.” Jokes fly about Deebo fitting right in as linebackers coach amid all the baldness.
    • “Take your hat off, Deebo, and put your … head right next to the coach. Right there.”
    • “No disrespect to the bald heads, everybody. … But I still got hair and you don’t. And neither do the coaches for the Titans. And you are going to fit perfectly as their linebackers coach.”
    • Harrison: “Hey, give your boy a call. Y’all need a strength and conditioning coach, baby. Bald head, bald head.”
  • Lighthearted, self-deprecating humor returns the show to levity after the intense discussion.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Steeler Brotherhood

  • “Brothers fight. Family feud.” – James Harrison ([03:39])

• On Earning His Place

  • “I earned everything I was given, even the cuts.” – James Harrison ([05:20])

• On Tomlin’s Drafting Record

  • “He done missed on 12 or 14 of them [top picks]. He has done a great job with less talent, but … a far less job with great talent since our last playoff win in 2016.” – James Harrison ([07:53])

• On Veteran Privileges

  • “Everybody gets treated fairly, but you don’t get treated the same. And that’s just something. That’s just the way that it is.” – Joe Haden ([18:48])

• On Roethlisberger’s Character

  • “Ben can be an asshole ... and he knows he was an asshole certain times.” – Joe Haden ([16:11])

• On Coaching Staff Unity

  • “I’m not mad at a lot of coaches, but I need to make sure we have a lot of people doing the right things, speaking the right languages to the right people.” – Joe Haden ([26:09])

• On QB Negotiations

  • “I don’t see him going for less than 30 [million]. I don’t see him going for more than 40 years, though.” – James Harrison ([39:44])

Important Timestamps

• Addressing Joey Porter’s comments and “brotherhood”: [03:11 – 13:01]
• Coaching staff legacy & Tomlin critique: [05:20 – 12:00]
• Ben Roethlisberger’s evolution: [11:08 – 13:42]
• Locker room treatment, vet privilege, accountability: [15:41 – 23:25]
• Steelers’ coaching staff growth debate: [24:22 – 28:29]
• Quarterback situation and Malik Willis talk: [32:37 – 40:58]
• Team Chrome Dome (Titans bald staff joke): [41:18 – 43:33]

Final Takeaways

• The episode is packed with blunt, real talk about the inner workings of NFL locker rooms, leadership, and how respect and communication form or fray the “brotherhood” of a team.
• Harrison and Haden don’t hold back in analyzing the Steelers’ past and present, openly debating Tomlin’s strengths and flaws, and what it means for the team’s future—especially at quarterback.
• The chemistry between the hosts brings both gravity and plenty of laughs, with segments like the “Team Chrome Dome” sequence proving why this show stands out in NFL podcasting.

For those who haven’t listened: This episode is a must for fans of unfiltered NFL conversations and unique behind-the-scenes dynamics—especially Steelers loyalists or anyone interested in the ever-mysterious balance of talent, leadership, and ego in pro football.