Pardon My Take — Episode Summary

Podcast: Pardon My Take
Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Episode: Jon Gruden In Studio, Joe Flacco Wins TNF And The Hearts Of America, Week 7 Picks And Preview + Fyre Fest
Date: October 17, 2025

Overview

This energetic episode covers a quintessential week in the NFL, highlighted by Joe Flacco’s electric performance for the Bengals on Thursday Night Football, detailed breakdowns and picks for Week 7, playful banter on NFL storylines, baseball playoff talk, and an in-depth in-studio interview with Jon Gruden about everything football—from quarterback play to coaching in London to his "Gruden Grinder" picks. The show closes with the always irreverent Fyre Fest, a collection of personal mishaps from the hosts.

Key Segments & Timestamps

1. Joe Flacco: The Savior of TNF and the Bengals (03:11–14:00)

• Theme: Joe Flacco’s comeback ignites Thursday Night Football, Bengals fans’ hopes, and enduring debates about his "elite" status.

• Highlights/Quotes:

  • [03:11] Jon Gruden: “Joe Flacco is actually a very elite quarterback. He won a Super Bowl. He did it really, to a certain extent, with that great arm ... absolute. He is an elite quarterback.”
  • [03:54] Big Cat: "Joe Flacco understands the mission ... get the ball to Jamar Chase occasionally, T. Higgins, and mix in some Yoshi."
  • [04:10] PFT Commenter: “Jamar Chase ended up with 16 receptions for 161 yards.”

• Discussion:

  • Flacco’s stats (342 yards, 3 TDs), instant chemistry with receivers, and speculation on the Bengals' playoff chances.
  • Mike Tomlin's frustration over the intra-division QB trade.
  • Outlook for the Bengals' season: fans no longer “just playing out the string.”
  • Playful daydreaming about the Bengals’ improbable playoff chances.
  • The crew lauds Flacco for giving fans something to look forward to and keeping the season alive.

2. Steelers Woes & Overreacting to NFL Narratives (14:16–19:44)

• Theme: Steelers fans, media hot takes, and the fine line between confidence and hubris.
• Memorable Moment:
  • [11:59] PFT Commenter: “I’ll get my nipples pierced with no numbing agents if they lose to the Bungles. It ain’t happening.”
  • Banter on outlandish media/bet pledges, lampooning the cycle of NFL overreaction.
• Analysis:
  • Steelers’ tendency to lose must-win games & Mike Tomlin’s “give one away” tradition.
  • Lamenting the “same old Steelers,” calling out their first-quarter scoring drought (56 games with ≤7 points in the first quarter).
  • Playful jabs at fans—"Something about Joe Flacco”—and a hypothetical night out for Flacco after the big win.

3. MLB Playoffs: Dodgers Domination & League Parity (22:07–24:28)

• Theme: The Dodgers' unrelenting playoff form and the struggle for parity in baseball.
• Notable Quotes:
  • [21:12] PFT Commenter: “The Dodgers are so talented ... able to keep some of their incredible aces in the farms or in rehab starts until they need them in the playoffs.”
  • Hosts lament how “American League Champions” may feel like the year’s “real” champions.
  • Phillies and Blue Jays get some love as possible, if unlikely, spoilers.

4. NFL Week 7 Preview, Storylines, and Picks (28:55–115:07 — select highlights)

A. London Games: The Toll on Players and Fans

• [29:42] Big Cat: “The Rams are going to London on Saturday… I don’t love it.”
• [120:28] Jon Gruden: “I don’t know any coaches in the league that like [the London games] ... It’s all about making money.”

B. Key Game Breakdowns

• Rams vs. Jaguars: [29:02–32:56]
  • Discussion about travel routines, practice disruptions, and London point spreads.
• Browns vs. Dolphins: [34:48–38:10]
  • Focus on the weather (potential 50–60mph winds), Tua’s leadership controversy, and Browns’ defense as the main x-factor.
  • [36:31] PFT Commenter: "Tua also had to apologize this week for comments about player-only meetings."
• Saints vs. Bears: [39:29–47:31]
  • Caleb Williams (Bears) vs. Spencer Rattler (Saints)—the history, rivalry, and post-game banter.
  • [41:36] Big Cat: "I don't think Dennis Allen has any right to be upset at the Saints. Keeping him gainfully employed."
• Patriots vs. Titans: [47:31–49:41]
  • Mike Vrabel’s revenge game, coaching change dynamics, and the rare “visor interim.”
• Raiders vs. Chiefs: [54:23–56:48]
  • Can the Raiders score? Chiefs viewed as inevitable Super Bowl reps.
• Panthers vs. Jets: [58:00–64:38]
  • Meandering between Meow Mix parlay, gambling for the kids, and memes’ existential Jets sadness.
• Vikings vs. Eagles: [67:23–88:09]
  • Max’s mental state, Eagles offense woes, A.J. Brown trade rumors.
  • [71:39] PFT Commenter: “That’s what Jalen Hurts… smile and accept the challenge. Have you thought about doing that?”

C. Picks Segment & TD Parlay:

• [106:43–113:43]
  • Display of self-proclaimed mediocrity (“We are exactly .500 as a show”), creative back-and-forth over conflicting totals and lines, and the “Fat Cat Parlay.”
  • Notable Quote: [109:29] Big Cat: “Four of us are six and six. Memes is seven and five. PFT's five and seven.”

5. In-Studio: Jon Gruden Interview (116:33–148:54)

A. Life Outside Coaching & the ‘Gruden Grinder’ Philosophy

• Gruden shares his ongoing football obsession despite being jobless (“server in the office... all the film”).
• [117:50] On his process: “We do five grinders… our first trios: three receivers for Tampa Bay... pick up the slack.”
• Applauds Baker Mayfield (“combination between Favre and Rocky Balboa... a weapon when it comes to energy, positivity, hope.”) [119:15]

B. On London Games & Logistics

• [120:28] “I don't know any coaches in the league that like it... It's all about making money."
• Details the horrors of travel, jet lag-induced vertigo, and how his teams fared (including a wild game in 2018).

C. NFL State of Play: Team Outlooks

• Eagles: “You don't stay the same in pro football, you either get better or worse. Right now, they're not as good a team and don't look like they have a great chemistry.” [123:01]
• Dolphins’ Players-Only Meetings: Can be “healthy to a degree,” but Miami’s are “out of desperation.” [124:20]
• Cowboys: “Dak Prescott, he is a straw that stirs the drink down there, man.”
• Chiefs: “Andy Reid... practices have a lot to do with their success... Mahomes is playing at a high level.” [127:01]
• Gruden picks his current Super Bowl favorites: “I'm all in on Kansas City ... Tampa Bay ... Seattle Seahawks are a sleeper.” [146:19]

D. Quarterbacks and College Football

• Candid opinions on young QBs (Cam Ward “a little too casual;” Dart “smart, competitive,” but “not shot in the ass with him yet”).
• Up-and-coming college QBs he likes: Mendoza (Indiana), Williams Jr. (Washington), Sam Levitt (ASU), and Ty Simpson (Alabama “could win the Heisman”). [141:30]

E. Fun & Off-Field: Malasek the Soapless Assistant

• Gruden good-naturedly roasts his 26-year-old right-hand man Jake Malasek—“never been to a concert,” “doesn't use soap.”
• Gruden music picks: “Shoot To Thrill by AC/DC ... Hair of the Dog by Nazareth ... Unchained by Van Halen." [139:46]

6. Fyre Fest: Life’s Lowlights (149:46– end)

• Hank’s Bad Beat: The Jared Goff TD betting debacle followed everywhere—including on other gambling podcasts.
  • [150:55] Big Cat: “I’ve just been reminded of it, like, every single day. There’s been something else about Hank’s beat.”
• Big Cat’s Restroom Misadventure: An attempt to stealthily pee in his car after the convenience store expo goes haywire; ends up soiling himself.
• PFT’s Jeans Anxiety: Trying to “dress like an adult” only to face ridicule from coworkers.
• Zach’s Plumbing Mystery: Repeated apartment floods—possibly a building-wide (or more sinister) problem.
• Quick Wrap: Fyre Fest wraps with self-deprecating banter and speculation about a serial killer in Zach's building (light-hearted, but classic PMT).

Notable Quotes by Segment

On Flacco/Bengals:

• “Our prayers have been answered… Joe Flacco is that quarterback. He was electric.” — PFT Commenter [03:25]
• “He wasn’t retired. He was real tired.” — Big Cat [04:59]

On Steelers/Fans:

• “He’s a daydream, Hank… like, if you told me to do, I had to bet it with my own money right now that they’re going to make the playoffs… But I’m going to let them daydream a little bit.” — PFT Commenter [08:42]

On London:

• “I don’t know any coaches in the league that like it… It’s all about making money.” — Jon Gruden [121:12]

On Eagles Chemistry:

• “You don’t stay the same in pro football. You either get better or worse. Right now, they’re not as good a team and… they don’t look like they have a great chemistry.” — Jon Gruden [123:01]

On Mayfield:

• “He’s a weapon when it comes to energy, positivity, and hope. I love Mayfield.” — Jon Gruden [119:54]

Running Gags & Memorable Moments

• Pod Personalities: The hosts riff on hypotheticals (e.g., nipple piercings), meme-number bans, Max’s “blimp on the radar,” and the “Meow Mix Parlay—gambling for the kids.”
• Daydreaming for Fans: Lighthearted encouragement for long-shot scenarios (“Let them daydream a little bit…”).
• Diana Russini Call-In: Live segment where Diana addresses Eagles reporting rumors, cap confusion, and the fallacy of an A.J. Brown trade—while enduring marital barbs about reporting bad Philly news.
• Jon Gruden's Music Taste: Gruden’s passion for classic rock and pointed critique of young staffers’ lack of musical experience.
• Life Mishaps: Fyre Fest segment features car-pee catastrophes, wardrobe fails, plumbing sagas, and the perils of wearing jeans/sweatpants.

Tone & Style

True to PMT tradition, the episode is raucous, fast-paced, and filled with a mixture of deep football acumen, absurdist humor, and self-aware moments. Quotes and arguments reflect the playful antagonism and camaraderie of the crew, with technical football breakdowns sitting side-by-side with off-the-wall tangents and personal admissions of defeat (on and off the field).

For New/Returning Listeners

If you missed the episode:
This week’s PMT is a must-listen for the interplay of real football analysis (particularly Gruden’s insights into coaching, QB play, and the NFL at large), unreliable forecasting (playoff “daydreams”), and the show’s signature blend of fan frustration, media critique, sports gambling heartbreaks, and hilarious digressions. If you want a window into both the highs and lows of NFL fandom—with expert yet irreverent color—this episode is a prime cut.