The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Hour 2: Who's That Guy? (feat. Brandon Marshall)

Date: December 16, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively episode recorded from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and their regular crew are joined by former NFL star Brandon Marshall. The discussion weaves through serious topics like concussions and the dangers of football, insider stories about playing high or injured, and the always-entertaining banter between the show's personalities. Brandon Marshall offers candid personal stories from his career, thoughtful analysis on quarterback culture, and his take on the current state of the Dolphins and NFL media.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The NFL’s Ongoing Concussion Crisis (01:38–11:41)

• Tua Tagovailoa, Jackson Dart, and the Culture of Head Injuries:

  • Dan highlights the harrowing frequency of head injuries for modern quarterbacks, focusing on Giants’ Jackson Dart, who’s had five stints in concussion protocol in just ten games.
  • The crew reflects on the evolution of concern over QB size: "We weren’t actually doing it because, oh, their head's going to get batted around" (Dan Le Batard, 01:38).
  • Chris and Tony clarify it's not five confirmed concussions, but five protocol visits—still an alarming statistic (03:03–03:16).
  • Bring up past cases—Kenny Pickett going through multiple concussions largely unnoticed, and older players like Chris Chambers whose lives were deeply impacted post-injury.
  • Dan challenges: "If I put the details in front of you guys, do you imagine you'd be horrified by what the details were that the doctors are using to make someone fail a concussion protocol test?" (Dan Le Batard, 04:39).

• Limits of Protection and the Futility of “Safety” Rules:

  • The group questions whether style of play can really be “coached out” of a player, citing how even rule changes haven’t kept QBs like Dart out of harm’s way.
  • Dan: "It’s a delusion to think that there are any rules that you could put in place for the quarterback that would actually protect the quarterback." (09:23)

• Memorable Quotes:

  • "You can retrain Jackson Dart and Tua to be different kinds of quarterbacks, but always to the detriment of the team." (Greg Cody, 11:08)
  • "Usually if you’re a fumbler, you just lose your job... The other thing that was coachable is Josh Allen’s recklessness." (Dan Le Batard, 11:41)

2. Coaching, Playing Style, and the Limits of Change (11:41–14:00)

• Discussion on whether QBs can change their ingrained style:
  • The rare examples (Tiki Barber curing fumbles, Josh Allen dialing back risk).
  • Mike Ryan brings up league changes and player aging (Ben Roethlisberger, Donovan McNabb)—but everyone agrees these are exceptions.
  • Show banter: Brandon Marshall zones out during the segment ("Were you thinking about cake?" Dan Le Batard, 13:21).

3. Brandon Marshall Joins: Inside Football Life & Concussions (17:12–29:26)

Brandon Marshall’s Quarterback Journey (18:21–19:23)

• "Ryan Fitzpatrick easily was the greatest one... The quarterback position was 80% mental, 20% physical. Now, if we’re going physical, then I got to start with Jay Cutler." (Brandon Marshall, 18:21)
• Reflects on what could have been with better QB play.

First-Hand Account: A Concussion’s Hidden Toll (20:03–21:54)

• Brandon details his only diagnosed concussion, hiding it from his team during a contract year:
  • "I just remember taking them, you know, right before we went out and just being like, holy sh—... I was scared. ...But I was fine. I was able to navigate through it." (Brandon Marshall, 24:04)
  • His experience of dizziness, collapsing, and fear—but the determination not to jeopardize his career.

Playing High & the NFL’s Pain Culture (22:18–24:38)

• Confirms it’s possible to play well while impaired:
  • "I played high one game and I had three touchdowns. ...I may have popped like six pills ...and I went out there and I felt nothing." (Brandon Marshall, 22:23)
  • On the painkiller cocktail: tordall, hydrocodone, and others before a Monday Night Football game after a serious ankle injury.
  • The hidden reality of players self-medicating and hiding injuries.

On Facing NFL’s Toughest Cornerbacks (25:00–28:35)

• Discusses his most formidable opponents:
  • Early career: Quentin Jammer ("jam me up"), Al Harris.
  • Peak era: Darrelle Revis, Aqib Talib, Richard Sherman, Xavier Howard, Malcolm Butler ("came off the bench... and he just shut us down").
  • On Butler: "You're just looking at that body and you're like, that can't cover me." (Dan Le Batard, 28:36)

The Show’s Signature Banter & "Who’s That Guy?" (29:26–36:17)

• Brandon playfully roasts Chris and Tony for their relative "new guy" status.
• Hilarious riffing over camera angles, body types, and the pecking order on the show.
• "Who’s that guy? ...He needs to have his own show. Why aren't you smiling? Buddy, it’s Christmas." (Brandon Marshall, 35:53)
• Mike Ryan: "I no longer believe you're a big fan of our show." (36:04)

4. The Dolphins, QB Leadership & Locker Room Dynamics (36:29–38:38)

• Marshall’s blunt take on Tua Tagovailoa:
  • "If you want to win a Super Bowl, you know, Tua’s not the guy who’s going to help you win a Super Bowl." (Brandon Marshall, 36:29)
  • Stresses the importance and volatility of the WR1-QB dynamic; strong hints of locker room drama affecting performance.
  • "Sometimes it’s about the things that happen off the field, not on the field."

5. NFL Media, Netflix Christmas Games, & Gratitude (38:45–41:02)

• Marshall talks excitement for his new role as part of Netflix’s NFL Christmas Day broadcast.
• Reflects on his gratitude for playing and now covering the NFL:
  • “You trailblaze this space for us, bro…just gratitude, man. ...People don’t know how hard it is to do this right.” (Brandon Marshall, 39:15)
• Acknowledges the show and Dan’s pivotal influence in sports media.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On concussion protocol details:
  • "If I put the details in front of you guys, do you imagine you'd be horrified...?" (Dan Le Batard, 04:39)
• QB changeability:
  • "Do you guys have a lot of examples of a coach being able to coach the style out of a quarterback?" (Dan Le Batard, 11:41)
• Brandon’s concussion experience:
  • "Every time I would bend over to, you know, put my shoes over, close my eyes, I would just fall." (Brandon Marshall, 20:03)
• Playing high on painkillers:
  • "I played high one game and I had three touchdowns... I felt nothing." (Brandon Marshall, 22:23)
• On Tua and the Dolphins:
  • "If you want to win a Super Bowl, Tua’s not the guy who’s going to help you win a Super Bowl." (Brandon Marshall, 36:29)
• On NFL and Netflix team-up:
  • "You got two beasts of brands... and I'm sitting right in the middle. So it's gratitude, right?" (Brandon Marshall, 39:15)

Timestamps for Segment Highlights

• 01:38 — Start of the core episode (post-ads): Concussion discussion begins
• 04:39 — Dan’s challenge about details of concussion protocols
• 11:41 — Coaching “recklessness” out of QBs
• 17:12 — Brandon Marshall introduction and first words on the show
• 18:21 — His best QB and mental vs physical side of playing receiver
• 20:03 — Brandon’s personal concussion story
• 22:18 — Playing high and NFL's painkiller culture
• 25:00 — Cornerbacks who gave Brandon trouble, and “welcome to the NFL” moments
• 29:26 — Playful banter, "Who’s That Guy?" segment with the crew
• 36:29 — Assessment of Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins
• 39:15 — Brandon on gratitude and the Netflix-NFL partnership

Recurring Themes & Tone

• Candid, reflective, and humorous. The group doesn’t shy away from dark truths about football’s risks but keeps the conversation buoyed with personal stories, compassion, and classic show razzing.
• Honest insider perspective. Marshall is open about hiding injuries, self-medicating, and the psychological toll—from hiding concussions in a contract year to suiting up on painkillers.
• Lively camaraderie. The latter half is a whirl of jabs, jokes, and generational squabbles—signature “Dan Le Batard Show” running gags.

Conclusion

This episode balances weighty issues around football’s violence and the psychological and physical cost on players with the humor and chemistry that’s made the Le Batard show a staple. Brandon Marshall’s honesty about his own injuries and life in the league, mixed with his energetic grilling of the crew, create plenty of memorable moments—not least the many times he asks, “Who’s that guy?”

Listeners come away with a raw, funny, and insightful view into both NFL locker rooms and the culture of sports media itself.