Mark Kaboly is getting his moment in the sun online right now, though I bet he wished it was for a different reason.
I’m a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan and a big fan of longtime beat reporter Mark Kaboly. He’s covered Pittsburgh since 2002 and was previously a journalist for The Atlantic before teaming up with The Pat McAfee Show last year after an unexpected layoff. The man is as Yinzer as it gets and always had a well-reasoned take on whatever’s happening with the team, which of late tends to be simultaneously everything and nothing at all…
Mike Tomlin sat down with a select group of reporters this morning at the NFL’s annual meetings in Palm Beach Gardens to answer questions mainly about the elephant in the room: Who’s going to be the quarterback this year?
After the departures of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, the Steelers’ quarterback room is completely turning over for the second time in two seasons. The team re-signed Mason Rudolph, who somehow lead a below average team to the playoffs a few years ago, and also has Skylar Thompson signed to the roster, but really every wants to know if Aaron Rodgers will be donning the Black and Gold this year.
Not that anyone cares, but for the record I really want Rodgers to lead the team. Yes, he’s got baggage and not many years left in the tank, but if our defense and wide receivers are as good as we think, and the offensive line and running backs can step up just a bit, this is a roster that truly can make a playoff run, despite not winning a postseason game since 2017. We just need a real quarterback and I think Rodgers has at least one more year left in him. He was 8th in passing yards and touchdowns last year, believe it or not…
But enough about me, back to Mark Kaboly.
The presser was an early one and it appears Kaboly was enjoying the fruits of the Sunshine State a bit too much the night before because it seemed like he dozed off for a few seconds before coming back to earth. He denies falling asleep but it’s pretty clear he was completely checked out for this answer in particular:
Mike Tomlin on Mason Rudolph in 2023: “The way he smiled in the face of adversity and delivered for us was significant.” pic.twitter.com/vfo1Y8qwde
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) March 31, 2025
Whether is was just bad timing or him not realizing he was in the camera shot, the internet took the clip and ran with it. Even one of my favorite accounts ArtButMakeItSports got in on the action:
Slapende Silenus vastgebonden, by Michel Natalis, 1632-33 https://t.co/aWOoQTD4TY pic.twitter.com/72H68j8S8V
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) March 31, 2025
He was far from alone in chiming in, though:
Need @MarkKaboly on @PatMcAfeeShow asap today lol https://t.co/Phr83U6xhr
— Jay (@JayA__111) March 31, 2025
When your controller dies : https://t.co/B991HWI33d pic.twitter.com/NoP2naPCoP
— Marcus Rose (@M_RO501) March 31, 2025
"I saw @MarkKaboly by the way" ~ @RapSheet
The world saw Kaboly
He was SO focused #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/SctbadEMdE
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 31, 2025
Again, Kaboly denies the claims that he fell asleep with Tomlin was talking, even going to far as to make a “statement” on the ordeal:
.@MarkKaboly statement on accusations he fell asleep during Mike Tomlin’s interview pic.twitter.com/wYrrgIrLWl
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) March 31, 2025
Mike Tomlin Hits Mark Kaboly With A Zinger
While the photos of Kaboly with his face smushed into his hand are really taking over sports media right now, I think the best moment of the entire presser was a different Kaboly moment.
Kaboly brought up to Tomlin that DK Metcalf was, like him, a big junk food consumer, saying that DK eats 4 to 5 candy bars a day. In typical Tomlin fashion, he brought the house down with his response:
“He wears it a little differently than you”
I guess I asked for it.
pic.twitter.com/xI2dSfxbZZ
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) March 31, 2025
Gosh, I love Mike Tomlin so much. Just seems like the most solid of dudes around, though he does need to get this team over the hump soon or he’s going to get run out of town in a hurry…
Who would have guessed that Yinzer legend Mark Kaboly would be dominating the internet today? Certainly not me, but it does get my blood pumping just a bit faster knowing that this is for sure the year the Steelers put it all together… (Please guy, I’m begging… I can’t take it much longer).
The post Steelers’ Reporter Goes Viral For Appearing To Fall Asleep During Coach Mike Tomlin’s Press Conference first appeared on Whiskey Riff.