The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: Local Hour – Let's Be Giannist
Date: December 16, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

Episode Overview

This Local Hour episode centers on the Miami Dolphins' quarterback situation, primarily focusing on Tua Tagovailoa's struggles and future. The crew—Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Greg Cody, Chris Cote, Zaslow, and Mike Ryan—debate Tagovailoa's declining form, dissect the franchise's roster construction, and humorously explore possible alternatives in a bleak upcoming quarterback market. Interspersed are moments of signature show banter, with references to classic Dolphins players, Greg Cody’s wild dream of co-hosting with Giannis Antetokounmpo (the source of the episode title), and nostalgic “things to ponder” from Dan’s archives.

Major Topics and Key Insights

1. Greg Cody's Dream: "Let's Be Giannist"

• [02:18 – 05:49]
  • Greg shares a dream where he co-hosts a radio show with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
    • “I had a dream... my co-host was Giannis Antetokounmpo.” – Greg Cody [02:31]
  • Giannis struggles to talk NFL, making for “Covid radio” vibes via Zoom.
  • Show banter around naming the imaginary show “Let’s Be Honest.”
    • “Today was his show called 'let’s Be Honest'?” – Stugotz [04:57]
  • Amused but awkward silence as the name gets panned.
    • “I would have preferred to just sit in the silence instead of you 'yes, and'-ing the idea that the name of the show would be 'Let’s Be Honest,' clue guy.” – Chris Cote [05:09]

2. Dolphins Quarterback Crisis & Tua Tagovailoa’s Future

• [05:54 – 46:00]
  • Dan expresses unprecedented anxiety after a key play:
    • “When Tua slid in front of the first down...the next 10 years of football flashed before me.” – Dan Le Batard [05:54]
    • “He’s run 20 times this season, he’s got one first down...That means you have a quarterback who cannot get you out of trouble.” – Dan [06:25]
  • Frustration about conservative NFL offense and Tua’s lack of athleticism.
    • “How does Aaron Rodgers at 41 look more athletic than Tua?” – Dan [07:28]
    • “Because he is.” – Greg Cody [07:28]
  • Debate over whether Tua is beyond repair, focusing on his decision-making, lack of mobility, and alarming turnover rate.
    • “The problem on your offense is your highest paid player.” – Chris Cote [30:19]
    • “Let’s be honest, he’s done. He’s done.” – Mike Ryan [16:24]
  • Zaslow tries to find hope, arguing not to entirely write Tua off.
    • “I just hate that we’re all judging Tua based on this one terrible season...Give him three more games, give him next season.” – Zaslow [23:27 & 44:34]
  • Chris Cote and others counter that Tua’s problems aren’t correctable and Dolphins must move on.
    • “If you think this is fixable, this is not fixable.” – Dan Le Batard [25:27]
    • “No mobility, no arm, no situational...bad problem.” – Greg Cody [26:18]
    • “I know he’s terrible. But maybe he’ll stop being terrible.” – Greg Cody (mocking fence-sitting) [45:50]
  • Zaslow tries to justify giving Tua more chances due to financial and market realities, critiqued for “fence-sitting.”
    • “The easiest thing in the world is to...say, Tua stinks.” – Zaslow [44:13]

3. Dolphins Receiving Corps, Draft, and QB Market Woes

• [11:01 – 29:00, 48:13 – 49:15]
  • Revisiting Dolphins’ endless search for a quarterback, referencing Tannehill years and classic “Dolphins quarterback wasteland” arguments.
  • Arguments over wide receivers (Waddle, Irving Fryer, Joe Rose) and underperforming skill positions.
    • “If [Waddle]'s not a bust, he’s pretty close to it for where it is you drafted him.” – Chris Cote [22:04]
  • Waddle and Hill’s impact contextualizes Tua’s few successes: “Take Tyreek Hill out and you’ve got a totally pedestrian quarterback.” – Dan Le Batard [35:52]
  • Reviewing the uninspiring list of likely available quarterbacks: Sam Howell, Tommy DeVito, Gardner Minshew, Carson Wentz, etc. – rapid-fire round.
    • “This kind of proves our point...there’s probably like two or three guys there you legitimately want more than [Tua].” – Stugotz [48:47]

4. On-Field and Locker Room Critiques of Tua

• [21:24 – 43:41]
  • The panel references stats underscoring Tua's struggles: 0-6 in sub-40 temps, 3-12 vs. winning teams, league-high interceptions (all vs. zone).
    • “All 15 of his interceptions have been against zone defenses. That’s a big problem.” – Zaslow [21:44]
  • Jalen Ramsey, Xavien Howard, former teammates, and defensive backs are openly critical.
    • "You take away the primary read, he’s done." – (Paraphrasing Howard) [43:27]
    • Fun banter about sideline demeanor: “Please, please, chuckle it up. The only thing missing when he was laughing...down 28 to 9...show me the money!” – Greg Cody [26:47]
  • Brain chemistry and fear of (hidden) injury as possible explanations for downfall.
    • “He’s an avatar for our lack of understanding of brain chemistry and brain injuries in that sport.” – Chris Cote [39:17]

5. Exasperated Dolphins Fandom & Organizational Futility

• [27:53 – 29:25]
  • Chris Cote's frustration stretches back two decades: “We’re arguing for 25 years about do the Dolphins have a quarterback?...The answer, except for one season, is no.” [28:01]
  • Overlapping conversations about failed offensive line investments and wasted primes.

6. Dan’s “Things to Ponder” File & Show Nostalgia

• [46:08 – 49:15]
  • Dan revisits a file of old debate topics found during a move, such as “Baker [Mayfield] at $20 million or Tua at $55 million?”
    • “Hiding things. This was three years ago. Baker 20 million or Tua at 55 million.” – Dan [46:51]
  • Laughter over the dated yet eerily relevant questions and even a “Christian Ponder in the Ponder file.”
    • “Christian Ponder in the Ponder file.” – Dan [49:15]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Greg Cody’s Dream Start:
  “I had a dream...my co-host was Giannis Antetokounmpo.” – Greg Cody [02:31]

• On Tua’s Regression:
  “Let’s be honest, he’s done. He’s done.” – Mike Ryan [16:24]
  “He’s not that quarterback anymore, though.” – Greg Cody [15:07]
  “You take Tyreek Hill out and you’ve got a totally pedestrian quarterback.” – Dan Le Batard [35:52]

• Greg Cody, on moving on:
  “If you have a bad player and it costs you the same amount of money to have a bad player on your team as it would to not have a bad player on your team, wouldn’t you always pick to not have the bad player?” – Greg Cody [13:25]

• Zaslow defending Tua:
  “I just hate that we’re all judging Tua based on this one terrible season...Give him three more games, give him next season.” – Zaslow [23:27; 44:34]
  “I think he’s better than he’s shown this season. I think he’s young enough not to give up on his future.” [36:09]

• On Sideline Optics:
  “Please, please, chuckle it up. The only thing missing when he was laughing...down 28 to 9...show me the money!” – Greg Cody [26:47]

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment / Topic | |----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:18 | Greg Cody recounts his Giannis dream | | 05:54 | Dan’s anxiety after Tua fails to convert a first down; analyzing Tua’s athletic limitations | | 13:25 | Greg on the logic of cutting Tua if keeping or cutting costs the same | | 16:24 | Mike Ryan declares “he’s done”; discussion of Tua’s brain, decision-making | | 21:24 | Zaslow rolls out damning stats about Tua’s performance in cold and against good teams | | 23:27 | Zaslow and panel debate whether to write off Tua entirely | | 28:01 | Cote laments 25 years of the Dolphins not having a quarterback | | 39:17 | Chris Cote on brain chemistry and undiagnosed injury impacts | | 46:08 | Dan opens “things to ponder” file; past Tua vs. Baker Mayfield debate | | 48:13 | Rapid-fire rundown of the sorry state of next year’s QB market | | 49:15 | “Christian Ponder in the Ponder file” dad-joke closes out the topic |

Tone and Style

The discussion is animated, sardonic, and heavily laced with the crew’s typical Miami sports exasperation. Sharp jabs, sarcasm, and self-deprecating humor abound, particularly when dissecting Dolphins' QB hell and the perpetual search for “the guy.” Zaslow’s earnest fence-sitting comes in for friendly mockery, while Greg Cody is roasted both for his dream logic and his stubbornness. It is a blend of sports angst and barbershop-style riffing.

For New Listeners

This episode delivers a quintessential Le Batard Show blend of local sports despair, personality-driven banter, and an honest, occasionally absurd look at the Dolphins’ quarterback predicament. It’s an ideal primer for understanding Miami fandom’s love/hate relationship with its teams—and with its own optimism.