Pardon My Take — Episode Summary
NFL With Steve Young, Super Wild Card Weekend Preview And Picks, Miami On To The Natty + Fyre Fest Of The Week
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Hosts: Big Cat, PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Special Guest: Steve Young
Overview
This episode of Pardon My Take is brimming with football talk, timely banter, and classic PMT energy. Big Cat and PFT Commenter review Super Wild Card Weekend with spirited breakdowns of every game, recap a Miami vs. Ole Miss college football thriller, analyze recent NFL coaching firings, tease the Steve Young interview, and round it all out with the Fyre Fest of the Week — all in the PMT style that’s equal parts irreverent and insightful.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. CFP Recap: Miami vs. Ole Miss
[02:14 – 10:28]
- Game Flow: Miami dominated statistically — 41 minutes of possession, double the plays, dominant run game — but kept the door open with penalties and dropped interceptions.
- Ole Miss Grit: Led by Trinidad Chambliss and Malachi Tony. Even after losing Keon Lacy, Chambliss took over.
- Miami’s Mistakes: Penalties (10 for 74 yards), risky play-calling, and failed attempts to “get too cute.” Crystal Ball’s play-calling criticized but praised for aggression late.
- Key Moment: “Carson Beck, I doubted you and I'm sorry because what Carson Beck did on that final drive... a lot of teams in that situation play for that field goal... they went and they scored the touchdown and they won the game.” – PFT Commenter [03:18]
- SEC Absence: Noted that it’ll be three consecutive national championships without an SEC team, a rarity since 2002.
- Home-Field Advantage Talk: Miami gets a home game for the championship, with speculation on which fan base will travel best.
2. Coach Firings: Mike McDaniel & Carousel Speculation
[11:13 – 18:40]
- Mike McDaniel Out in Miami:
- The firing was “weirdly nice” — Miami released long tributes, thank-you graphics, and a gracious statement.
- McDaniel quickly becomes a hot commodity for offensive coordinator jobs (Lions, Eagles, Chiefs, Ravens, Commanders, etc.), possibly taking a lesser role to work with friend Dan Quinn.
- “How would you like coaching the offense of the Detroit Lions? ... the Philadelphia Eagles? ... the Kansas City Chiefs? ... the Baltimore Ravens?... There are some... Oh, and the Washington Commanders.” – PFT Commenter [13:49]
- Harbaugh Rumors:
- Is John Harbaugh the No.1 candidate? Source wars between Schefter and Rapoport over whether he "lost the locker room."
- Future Firing Watch:
- “One team is going to make the choice to fire their coach thinking, ‘Oh, we're definitely gonna get Harbaugh, maybe two.’ And then one of those teams won't get him.” – Dave [11:39]
3. NFL Coaching Trends & Playoff Observations
[18:40 – 41:36]
- Offensive-Minded Hires: Teams targeting young, innovative offensive minds — a clear trend.
- Stat Drops:
- Dolphins' 70-point game “curse” — McDaniel didn’t go for the record, Dolphins have struggled since.
- Playoff Coaching Carousel:
- Rumors swirl around Stefanski, Bowles, LaFleur, and the Browns. Speculation on preferred landing spots.
- Playoff Trends:
- Outdoor wild card games heavily skew to the under (49–23 since 2004), dome teams struggle outside in cold.
- First-time playoff QBs vs. experienced playoff QBs: only 34% against the spread since 2002.
- Random Stats: Rams have the fewest penalties since 2020. Oldest NFC playoff coach is only 46 (LaFleur).
4. Super Wild Card Weekend Previews & Picks
[28:01 – 95:13]
Saturday: Rams at Panthers
- Rams favored by 10.5 points.
- Both hosts debate if the spread is a trap; can Carolina cover, or will the Rams blow them out?
- “The Rams have been excellent this year...but ten and a half is too much.” – Dave [33:23]
Saturday Night: Packers at Bears
- Bears as 1.5-point underdogs.
- Tense expected; teams are evenly matched, have alternated wins in previous meetings. Big Cat voices nerves.
- “There's no risk it, no biscuit situation. The risk is as high as it could be and the swings could not be more volatile.” – PFT Commenter [43:58]
- Importance of weather, playmakers (e.g., Roma Dunze), and key matchups in the slot (Kyler Gordon).
Sunday Early: Bills at Jaguars
- Bills are slight favorites (-1.5).
- Key storyline: Is this Josh Allen’s year now that Mahomes and Burrow aren’t blocking his path? Steve Young highlights how Allen needs help, not scapegoating.
- Trevor Lawrence’s evolution under OC Liam Coen.
- “If Josh Allen doesn't [win it], that says more about the Bills than it does Josh Allen.” – Steve Young [101:45]
- Trough talk! PFT wants to buy the urinals from the soon-to-be-demolished Bills stadium [58:47].
Sunday Afternoon: Eagles at 49ers
- Line moves from 4.5 to 5.5 for the Eagles.
- Extensive Fangio/meatball award banter; PMT crew bullish on Philadelphia given the 49ers’ defensive injuries.
- “I'm uncomfortably confident, if that makes sense.” – Max [69:50]
Sunday Night: Patriots vs Chargers
- Patriots -3.5, but PMT crew highlights the Chargers’ defense (more INTs than passing TDs allowed).
- Hank’s PTSD over past playoff heartbreaks; classic PMT bickering about team confidence.
5. Steve Young Interview — Wisdom, Analysis, and Stories
[96:56 – 136:46]
NFL Offensive Innovation
- Young praises the new breed of offensive minds (McVay, Shanahan, Reid, Payton), and what Liam Coen brought to the Jags and Trevor Lawrence.
- “If you don't have the innovative mind from the tree of Sean Payton, Andy Reid, Sean McVay, or Kyle Shanahan, get out of the league. … It's not working.” – Steve Young [99:10]
- “The rules made the field bigger; now it’s about stacking plays, stressing defenders, and making quarterbacking easier.” – Steve Young [103:53]
On Josh Allen & Super Bowl Pressure
- Young relates his own playoff frustration to what Allen faces, noting Allen’s unique gifts and how much responsibility he carries.
- “Josh Allen's ready to go to the Super Bowl. He just needs the help that Patrick [Mahomes] got.” [102:00–102:11]
Coach/Quarterback Synergy
- Detailed breakdown of Trevor Lawrence’s jump with a new OC.
- “It's that symbiotic kind of stuff that… speeds up and grows.” – Steve Young on Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson in Chicago [112:21]
- Cautions Bears fans: “You’ve been begging for a quarterback and now you got to coach the quarterback — but don’t give up on the roots of the city [defense].” [114:44]
X’s and O’s – Division Games, Repetition & Mentality
- Divisional playoff opponents: “To worry that, oh, they've seen us a few times… as a player, you should not care. Go play great football.” [110:38-111:16]
Rapid-Fire Playoff Game Analysis
- Rams’ defensive drop-off and Stafford’s susceptibility to turnovers as keys to their playoff fate.
- Emphasizes the importance of defense in January: “Seattle and San Francisco, that's why we all kind of have our antenna up. … How is this going to work?” [115:54]
- On the parity of these playoffs: “I think it's a year that anything I say is… Something's going to go haywire. There’s going to be a shock.” [130:20]
- Notable anecdote: Steve Young’s most replayed personal highlight is the iconic Terrell Owens playoff catch after nearly tripping at the snap [132:45–133:41].
6. Fyre Fest of the Week (Roundtable)
[138:38 – end]
- Hank’s closet purge: Catharsis in clearing out the wardrobe; PMT confessions about clothes hoarding, sock overhauls, and jumpsuit January.
- **Big Cat “so hungry” fasting for a blood test, prepping for possible TRT [testosterone] intervention.
- Zach’s retail woes: Orders a new vacuum and sneakers, receives used items instead.
- Behind-the-scenes drama: PMT crew investigates who instigated a photo prank involving Hank “napping” — accusations and clarifications abound.
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
“This was, this is what we wanted. When we… talked about with Andy Staples, it was like, hey, any of these four teams could win the national championship.”
– PFT Commenter [06:57] -
“You can stay old and do it, but you gotta constantly reinvent yourself.”
– Steve Young, on Andy Reid and staying relevant in today’s NFL [109:24] -
“The field is bigger now, it’s like Canadian Football League out there… the rules made it more open and innovative coaches have capitalized.”
– Steve Young [103:53] -
“If you don't have the innovative mind and process and play calling, stacking of someone from the tree of Sean Payton, Andy Reid, Sean McVeigh, or Kyle Shanahan, then get out of the league.”
– Steve Young [99:10] -
“I'm uncomfortably confident, if that makes sense.”
– Max, about the Eagles’ matchup [69:50] -
“We’re 1–1, what are you?” (Chargers playoff record)
– Hank, defending the Patriots [160:30] -
“You’ve been begging for a quarterback and now you gotta coach the quarterback. But don’t give up on the roots of the city — defense.”
– Steve Young [114:44]
Timestamps for Major Segments
| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:15 | Miami-Ole Miss CFP Recap | | 11:13 | NFL Coach Firings, Harbaugh Talk | | 28:01 | Wild Card Weekend Stat Trends & Game Previews Begin | | 42:39 | Packers–Bears Preview & PMT Nerves | | 53:17 | Bills–Jaguars Preview, Josh Allen & Trevor Lawrence | | 56:27 | Trough Segment (buying Buffalo stadium urinals) | | 65:02 | Eagles–49ers Preview; Fangio’s Meatballs | | 80:00 | Patriots vs Chargers Preview; Hank’s Confidence Level | | 96:56 | Steve Young Interview Start | | 101:45 | Steve Young on Josh Allen & Playoff Pressure | | 112:21 | Steve Young on Caleb Williams, Bears Development | | 130:20 | Steve Young’s Super Bowl Picks (Seattle–Denver) | | 138:38 | Fyre Fest of the Week Roundtable |
Tone & Language
The episode is true to the PMT philosophy: brash, self-aware, heavy on sport-nerdery, and laced with humor, in-jokes, and running gags. Steve Young brings a thoughtful, analytical, and slightly professorial tone when discussing the intricacies of offensive innovation and QB development, but blends in well with the PMT laid-back, jokey rhythm.
Takeaways
- Parity rules: This year’s NFL playoff picture is wide open — anyone could make a run, and chaos is expected.
- Young Offensive Minds Dominate: The shift in NFL offensive coaching is profound, and the “trees” of McVay, Reid, Shanahan, and Payton keep bearing fruit.
- Quarterbacks and Environment: The success of players like Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence is linked to coaching and system as much as individual talent.
- Classic PMT: No shortage of side-plots—personal neuroses, wardrobe purges, office pranks, and wild stat drops keep things fun while still delivering a comprehensive sports preview.