The Bobby Bones Show

Episode: "Lots to Say: NFL Red Zone's Scott Hanson and NFL Week 17!"
Date: December 24, 2025
Guests: Scott Hanson (NFL RedZone), with hosts Bobby Bones, Matt Castle, and "Pickoff Kevin"

Episode Overview

This episode dives into all things NFL as Week 17 approaches. The show features an in-depth, energetic conversation with Scott Hanson, the dynamic host of NFL RedZone, covering his broadcasting journey, anecdotes from his career, and inside looks at the rigorous demands of live sports television. The hosts also discuss the significance of NFL games over the Christmas period, memorable quarterback holiday gifts to teammates, and preview key matchups for the upcoming week. The tone is fun, informal, and loaded with behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. NFL Christmas Games & TV Ratings

Timestamp: 02:45 - 04:42

• Bobby Bones reflects on the Christmas football lineup, particularly noting that expected blockbuster games have lost their luster due to eliminations of big teams like the Chiefs and Cowboys.
• Discussion about NFL TV ratings records, specifically the massive viewership for this season's Cowboys vs. Chiefs Thanksgiving game.
  • Bobby Bones (03:39): "The most viewed NFL regular season game ever was [the] Thanksgiving matchup between the Cowboys and Chiefs… 57 million is a lot."
• Noted that, even with big teams eliminated, people still tune in due to the tradition and stakes for fantasy and betting.

2. Quarterbacks & Holiday Gifts For Teammates

Timestamp: 04:48 - 12:19

• Hosts share stories about the impressive—and sometimes uniquely extravagant—gifts NFL quarterbacks give offensive linemen each season.
• Matt Castle recalls gifting custom suits and TVs, and shares the unwritten rules about who gets a gift.
  • Matt Castle (05:05): "I got them TVs one year. I got them suits one year. Like a custom suit. That's awesome."
  • Castle jokes he still owes his first O-line gifts after taking over for Brady in ’08, leading to running jokes with old teammates.
• They discuss high-profile recent gifts:
  • Joe Burrow giving linemen real samurai swords, some centuries old.
  • Brock Purdy getting his linemen new trucks—thanks to a sponsorship deal, not out of (only) his modest rookie salary.
  • Patrick Mahomes gifting Rolexes and other branded goodies; Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley gifting golf carts (with their own branding, which the hosts poke fun at).
  • Aaron Rodgers gifting custom Tom Ford suits, colognes, and sunglasses.

3. Pro Athlete "Wellness": Massages & Recovery

Timestamp: 07:53 - 08:55

• Matt Castle shares how massages were always for recovery, not relaxation, as a pro QB: "Never relaxation either. No, it was like grind it out, get the massage in elbows, the whole deal."
• Jokes about missing those recovery routines now that he has transitioned away from the game.

4. Scott Hanson Interview: Broadcasting, Football, and Stories

Timestamp: 18:32 - 52:27

4.1. RedZone Hosting & Preparation

• Scott jokes about being the "best friend" to all NFL fans who tune in every Sunday.
• Shares an anecdote about hosting RedZone and the challenge when the quad screen goes up on an iPhone:
  • Scott Hanson (19:28): "The reason I agreed to be on this podcast is because I wanted to exchange phone numbers. So you can text me if you're on your phone...I will tell the staff, ‘No quad box, no octobox. Matt needs to see everything.’"

4.2. Reporting in Brutal Weather

• Hanson and Castle recall their first meeting: a legendary, wind-swept Patriots vs. Bills game in ‘08 with goal posts almost blown sideways.
  • Scott Hanson (20:50): "The wind pushed the goalposts sideways...those heating benches blew off...as I'm doing my hit."
  • Reminisces about how hard it is to keep players' names straight on live TV, especially with new or emergency call-ups.

4.3. Early Career & Paying Dues

• Scott talks about starting in a small Michigan TV market, earning $15,000 a year, doing one-man-band-style field reports, and sharing universal stories of sacrifice in broadcasting.
  • Scott Hanson (26:58): "Try $15,000 was my salary in 1993...if I'd have made a grand less, I’d have been below the poverty line. And people think you’re a big hot shot TV guy."

4.4. Career Breakthroughs & RedZone Audition

• Key career pivots: moving from local news to Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, then on to the NFL Network.
• The wild, five-hour RedZone audition:
  • Scott Hanson (43:35): "This was like June of 2009...they put me into a studio...took eight videotapes of eight different games, cued them all up...and said, 'Talk.'"
  • Shares the anxiety of the marathon tryout and how he learned he booked the gig because the exec watched just the first 15 minutes and was instantly convinced.

4.5. Personal Philosophy & Broadcasting Energy

• Hanson credits his natural energy, not caffeine, for his intense on-air presence:
  • Scott Hanson (32:31): "Believe it or not. This is natural...I don’t have a lot of caffeine. I've had one cup of coffee in my life, and that was on a dare, and I hated it."
  • Sees his work as a blessing and a calling—his enthusiasm driven by gratitude and a sense of service to the audience.
  • Scott Hanson (33:53): "When people turn on their TV on Sunday...if they come to NFL RedZone...I'm going to give them everything I got."

4.6. Life Outside RedZone & Parallels to Sports Stars

• Describes his strict Saturday routine—no socializing, just research and watching college games, to keep his “instrument” sharp for marathon Sundays.
  • Scott Hanson (47:52): "The only live human beings I see on a football Saturday are the Doordash or Postmates delivery guy who brings me my food..."
  • Even jokes that his best friend moved his wedding to a Thursday so Hanson could attend during football season.

4.7. Favorite People & Moments in Sports

• Shares admiration and heartfelt appreciation for Tony Dungy, citing him as his "favorite person to deal with in sports."
  • Scott Hanson (34:47): "My single favorite person to deal with in sports is Tony Dungy...Couldn’t have been kinder...I try and emulate that in my life."
• Open to covering any sporting event worldwide—"If you can tell me why it’s dramatic, I’ll be all in"—but notes he’s never covered a world championship fight or World Cup and dreams of doing so.

5. NFL Week 17 Preview and Picks

Timestamp: 56:37 - 58:26

• Picks and discusses key matchups:
  • Buccaneers at Dolphins: Bobby leans Bucs minus five, noting playoff implications.
  • Eagles at Bills: Predicts Bills will win in a high-stakes late-season matchup.
  • Bears at 49ers: Picks 49ers in a must-win for both squads.
• Plenty of mentions about the excitement of live, late-season NFL football.

6. Personal Stories, Banter, and Holiday Plans

Timestamp: 58:57 - End

• The team shares Christmas plans:
  • "Pickoff Kevin" is heading to Montana for skiing and winter fun, while Bobby and others reflect on never having skied, with Matt encouraging everyone to try it and telling stories about NFL contracts banning risky activities like snowboarding.
  • Light banter about holiday movies and general festivities.
• The episode closes on a warm note, wishing listeners a Merry Christmas and expressing appreciation for Scott Hanson and all listeners.

Notable Quotes

• Scott Hanson on live TV energy:
  "When you don't have talent, you better have enthusiasm. And that's the way I live my life as a football player, as a scrub walk-on at Syracuse. And that's the way I try and live my professional life as a broadcaster." (34:29)

• Bobby Bones on Scott Hanson's role in fans' lives:
  "I spend more time with Scott on the weekend than my pregnant wife." (19:08)

• Scott Hanson, advice from Tony Dungy:
  "He didn't know me from anywhere...two minutes later, he picks up the phone. Now, I mean, what head coach in the NFL would or could ever do that?" (34:47)

• Scott on the RedZone audition:
  "It was a five-hour audition, finished up. I didn't have a real good vibe about it one way or another...He [the producer] said, 'Scott, I watched the first 15 minutes...knew you were my guy.'" (44:34–46:43)

Important Timestamps

• NFL Christmas games & ratings: 02:45–04:42
• Quarterback holiday gifts: 04:48–12:19
• Pro athlete wellness: 07:53–08:55
• Scott Hanson interview begins: 18:32
  • Meeting Matt during windstorm game: 20:01–23:40
  • Broadcasting struggles: 24:09–25:48
  • Starting out on $15,000/year: 25:57–28:18
  • The RedZone audition story: 42:08–47:14
  • On-air energy & purpose: 32:31–34:29
  • Tony Dungy story: 34:47–37:45
  • Weekly routine: 47:52–49:17
  • Sports events on bucket list: 49:37–51:54
• Week 17 picks: 56:37–58:26
• Holiday plans and episode wrap: 58:57–End

Tone & Style

The entire episode is upbeat, personable, and loaded with candid, inside-baseball stories. The chemistry between the hosts and Scott Hanson is friendly and jocular, blending thoughtful discussions about football and broadcasting with plenty of joking and light ribbing. The team’s trademark banter provides both entertainment and insight, appealing to sports fans and the podcast’s loyal audience alike.

For Listeners: Why Tune In?

• Behind-the-scenes NFL stories you won’t hear on TV.
• Exclusive insight from Scott Hanson on the making and demands of RedZone.
• Fun, warm holiday banter and relatable stories about gifting, family, and sports traditions.
• Practical info if you’re a football fan, fantasy player, or sports media nerd.

Summary by The Bobby Bones Show Podcast Summarizer
(Episode review ends. Skip to the next episode for more NFL insights and behind-the-curtain interviews!)