The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode Summary: "Aaron Rodgers Gave Pittsburgh Hero Ryan Clark the Cold Shoulder"
Date: August 29, 2025
Location: The Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Overview
This episode is a blend of insightful sports discussion, playful banter, and personal stories, focusing heavily on the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the unique personality clash between Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh hero (and ESPN analyst) Ryan Clark. The crew also dives deep into fantasy football dilemmas, team culture, and the underappreciated emotional depth in sports movies. Special guest Ryan Clark brings humor, candor, and humility, sharing fresh anecdotes about Steelers training camp and his viral “cold shoulder” encounter with Rodgers.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Rust Belt Quarterback Carousel & Super Bowl Windows
[00:00-03:25]
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The show opens with sharp commentary on the Steelers and Browns QB situations, both now featuring "one-year rentals" in their 40s (Rodgers, Wilson).
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Main point: The revolving door at QB for both franchises is, at best, a short-term solution and not a path to a championship.
"You think Aaron Rodgers is the missing link for a Lombardi run? The guy whose one and only trip there was 15 years ago against you?" – Host (A), [01:08]
2. NFL News Highlights
[03:25-06:34]
- Travis Kelce’s knee proposal to Taylor Swift is humorously dissected.
- Announcement: The Buffalo Bills declared as "Football America’s Team 2025."
- Super Bowl 60 pick: Bills vs. Niners, with odds down to 4-1.
- Quick gambling PSA and DraftKings promo (ads omitted in this summary).
3. Fantasy Football: 'Angel v. Devil' Segment
[06:34-21:03]
The Fuentes brothers, Mike and Gino, join for heated, angel/devil-style debates:
- Quarterback Dilemmas:
- Justin Fields: Gino champions Fields for fantasy due to running potential, even as a late-round pick.
"He is probably going to be a top 10 quarterback even if he's not a great passer... Beat the system, play the game." – Gino, [07:42]
- Dak Prescott: Mike votes Dak for stability, passing volume, and a bounce-back year.
"Dak is the known entity obviously ... should be a lot of touchdowns scored against Dallas, but also for Dallas." – Host (A), [09:12]
- Justin Fields: Gino champions Fields for fantasy due to running potential, even as a late-round pick.
- Running Backs:
- Amarian Hampton vs. Kyron Williams:
- Gino likes the upside of sensational rookie Hampton; Mike prefers dependable Kyron.
- Host picks rookie’s "fresh legs."
- Christian McCaffrey vs. Ashton Gentry:
- Gino and Host both advocate for Gentry’s rookie upside, given CMC’s injury history and expected load management.
- Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, and Bill Crosby:
- Mike favors Ekeler’s proven PPR production as a flex.
- Host ultimately picks Robinson for likely vultured TDs.
- Amarian Hampton vs. Kyron Williams:
- Wide Receivers:
- Tee Higgins (Bengals) vs. DK Metcalf (Steelers):
- Gino: Likes Higgins’ role in high-volume Cincy offense.
- Mike & Host: Prefer Metcalf as clear WR1 in Pittsburgh, especially with Rodgers' tendency to "lock onto" a favorite target.
- Tee Higgins (Bengals) vs. DK Metcalf (Steelers):
4. Interview with Ryan Clark: Steelers, Rodgers, and Pittsburgh Culture
[22:02-48:56]
Pittsburgh Steelers Legacy & Humility
- Clark reflects on the constant reminder of greatness within the Steelers organization:
"You walk in the hall and Mel Blunt was there, or Joe Green was there... and then you realize, like, wait, I haven't done a damn thing right." – Ryan Clark, [22:05]
The Willis McGahee Hit & Brotherhood
- Revisits his famous hit in the 2009 AFC title game:
"I couldn't even really celebrate the win in the way I was supposed to, because I wasn't even all there. But I think it's those moments... the connection and the connectivity between you guys lasts forever." – Ryan Clark, [23:48]
Coleslaw Controversy & Pittsburgh Eats
- Hilarity as Clark admits he never ate at Primanti Brothers during his 8 years in Pittsburgh:
"There's only one Clark that lived in Pittsburgh for eight years and never ate at Primanti Brothers. And that would be me." – Ryan Clark, [27:33]
- Promises to finally try the iconic sandwich next Steelers game in Pittsburgh.
Aaron Rodgers Gave Ryan Clark the Cold Shoulder
- Clark describes setting up a camp visit, hoping to welcome Rodgers and “find common ground.”
"Aaron Rodgers looks at me, and he doesn't say anything, you know, But I respected it because he was like, I'm not going to be fake..." – Ryan Clark, [29:10] "That’s not someone that I fool with in that way, and I’m not going to fake it." – Ryan Clark, [29:34]
- Clark appreciates Rodgers’ authenticity even in coldness, noting it sets a clear tone in their dynamic.
Steelers Season Outlook & The Tomlin Question
- If Steelers lose Week 1 to Justin Fields and the Jets, local panic will be off the charts.
"There’s always going to be questions about Mike Tomlin’s teams and the lack of success in the playoffs... If this team doesn’t make it to the AFC Championship, there are going to be people that say this is a failure." – Ryan Clark, [31:53]
- Tomlin’s legacy is defended strenuously:
"We never won a game in a way he said we couldn’t win it... and we never lost one that way either. If we lost it, we knew how we could lose it." – Ryan Clark, [39:56]
Are Defensive Coaches Still Ball-Knowers?
- Clark objects to calling Tomlin less of a “ball knower” than offensive minds like Andy Reid or Kevin O’Connell.
"I just think it's a disrespectful even comparison. Right. 'Cause what you're essentially saying is that if you don't know offense, you don't know football." – Ryan Clark, [36:46]
5. The Josh Allen & Lamar Jackson Question – Will They Win the Lombardi?
[42:22-44:21]
- Clark predicts at least one, but maybe not both, finally get a title.
"It would seem almost delusional [if] neither one of those dudes wins the Lombardi." – Ryan Clark, [42:22]
- Notes the Mahomes factor and AFC gauntlet.
6. NFL Playoff Pressures & Sports Movies as Life Lessons
[45:00-49:13]
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NFL’s one-and-done playoff structure compared to the emotional stakes of movie death scenes.
- Saddest Movie Deaths:
- Ryan Clark: "Thomas J." in My Girl, “Ricky” in Boyz N The Hood, and “Augustus” in The Fault In Our Stars.
"Thomas J. was tough. Yeah Thomas J. was a hard one." – Ryan Clark, [45:59]
- Host: “Ellie” in Up.
- Crew: Bruce Willis in Armageddon, Maggie in Million Dollar Baby, “Irwin Wade” in Saving Private Ryan.
- Ryan Clark: "Thomas J." in My Girl, “Ricky” in Boyz N The Hood, and “Augustus” in The Fault In Our Stars.
- Saddest Movie Deaths:
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Clark affirms how much life and football can be analyzed through the lens of great films, proposing a recurring movie segment.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- On Steeler humility:
"You walk in the hall and Mel Blunt was there... then you realize, wait, I haven't done a damn thing right." – Ryan Clark, [22:05]
- On Aaron Rodgers’ cold reception:
"Aaron Rodgers looks at me, and he doesn't say anything... But I respected it because he was like, I'm not going to be fake." – Ryan Clark, [29:40]
- On Tomlin’s coaching:
"To say that Coach Tomlin isn’t as intelligent as these other coaches... I would be disingenuous to agree with that." – Ryan Clark, [39:56]
- On football and film:
"I do get a ton of my analysis from watching movies because, like, the movies sort of relate to real life, which relate to football at times..." – Ryan Clark, [47:58]
- On playoff heartbreak:
"The math doesn't work out as long as they only give out one Lombardi at the end of every season." – Host (A), [44:21]
- On NFL vs. Hollywood drama:
"You don't have to tell me about bloodsport..." – Host (A), [45:00]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:00 – Rust Belt QB carousel, Browns/Steelers analysis
- 03:25 – NFL news: Kelce/Swift, America’s Team, odds/picks
- 06:34 – Fantasy Football ‘Angel v. Devil’
- 22:02 – Ryan Clark joins: Steelers legacy, “brotherhood” in Pittsburgh
- 29:10 – The Aaron Rodgers cold shoulder story
- 31:53 – Steelers stakes, Tomlin legacy, what happens if Week 1 is a disaster?
- 36:46 – The “ball knower” debate (Tomlin vs. offensive coaches)
- 42:22 – Josh Allen/Lamar Jackson Super Bowl prophecy
- 45:00 – Football vs. movies: NFL playoff drama & saddest deaths
- 47:58 – Host and Clark pitch a recurring movie-analysis segment
Closing Thoughts
This episode is a tour de force of football analysis, culture, and humor, held together by deep Pittsburgh roots and the unique, unfiltered perspectives of the crew and their guest. The show balances debate (both playful and serious) with reflective moments, and the personal anecdotes from Ryan Clark—especially about the Steelers and the infamous Rodgers interaction—set this apart as an episode full of authenticity and heart.