Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: The Big Suey: Nick Wright's Highly Rated and Very Successful Television Show
Date: September 17, 2025
Guests: Nick Wright (FS1’s First Things First, What’s Wright? podcast)
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive narrative post-Tyreek Hill, the never-ending debate over Patrick Mahomes’ greatness and adaptability, the shifting standards in football analysis, and a healthy dose of the usual Le Batard Show meta-commentary and playful banter. Nick Wright appears as a primary guest, defending Mahomes’ legacy and progression, sparring with Dan and Mike Ryan over media narratives, statistical markers, and even podcasting etiquette. The episode also touches on Travis Kelce’s slow start, quarterback rankings, and the evolving culture of sports debate.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Chiefs, Mahomes, and Revising Narratives
[02:00–14:50]
- Mike Ryan’s Objections to Yesterday’s Show:
- Discontent with analysis of Patrick Mahomes as a "dink and dunk" quarterback.
- Pushback on the idea that the Chiefs' offense is in decline post-Tyreek Hill.
"If there is one person in the NFL that I am sure of that wants to go deep ball hunting, it’s Patrick Mahomes. And I think he will do that until we put dirt on his grave." – Mike Ryan [02:35]
- Nick Wright’s Counter-Argument:
- Emphasizes that after Tyreek Hill's departure, Mahomes won both MVP and Super Bowl MVP; offense posted best stats with lesser receivers.
“Patrick Mahomes, his first year after Tyreek Hill... League MVP, Super Bowl MVP, most points in the league... I am not gonna sit here on his 30th birthday, no less, and allow you to try to pedal this false narrative..."
– Nick Wright [04:07]
- Dan Le Batard's Perspective:
- Acknowledges Mahomes’ adaptability but maintains that the offense looks different and less explosive.
- Emphasizes not wanting sports analysis to devolve into fact-denial and revisionist history like political discourse.
“I am not going to allow what happened to political discourse to happen to sports discourse...”
– Dan Le Batard [03:39]
- Consensus and Tension:
- Both agree Chiefs' offense isn’t humming the way it did previously, but disagree about what that means for Mahomes’ standing and narrative.
- Nick Wright pushes back hard against "revisionist history" about Mahomes’ performance and the Chiefs’ legacy.
Quarterback Rankings, Motivation & Media Games
[13:14–16:22]
- Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson:
- Nick confronts Dan for ranking Lamar ahead of Mahomes on his “highly rated, very successful television show.”
- Dan frames this as a motivational gift to Mahomes for his 30th birthday.
“I decided, what better present to give Patrick than... looking up at Lamar Jackson on Mahomes Mountain?”
– Dan Le Batard [13:40]
- Media Persona and Bias:
- Nick claims to be a “truth-teller,” deflecting accusations of bias.
- Humor around gift-wrapped “motivation” and the performativity of sports debate shows is played up.
“Do you put motivation in a box and wrap it? Like, how do you present someone motivation?”
– Billy [14:59]
Chiefs Offense: The X's and O's, Travis Kelce, and The Run Game
[21:08–24:43]
- Travis Kelce’s Early Struggles:
- Discussion whether Kelce is "skating" by amid criticism levied at Mahomes.
- Acknowledgement that tight ends aging past 35 rarely put up big numbers; Kelce’s continued output compared to Gronkowski's earlier retirement.
“To expect Travis Kelsey... at 36... to have a thousand yard season would be to expect something that 36-year-old tight ends simply can’t do.”
– Nick Wright [23:04]
- What the Chiefs Offense Lacks:
- Not pining for Tyreek Hill’s return, but wishing for a stable running game.
- Concerns over Isiah Pacheco’s health and effectiveness post-injury.
Tua Tagovailoa’s Press Conferences
[24:51–25:36]
- Dan on Tua’s Demeanor with the Media:
- Disapproval of Tua’s excessive deference and humility about opponents, especially Josh Allen.
- Commentary on the importance of quarterback public statements and confidence.
“He can't... be like, ‘Obviously he runs it and throws it better than— I'm half the quarterback he is. I'm not anything close’... That's a bad one. Bad, bad, bad.”
– Dan Le Batard [24:51]
Podcast & Sports Media Industry In-jokes
[16:22–22:31, 27:20–28:29]
- Podcast/Platform Entitlement:
- Riffing on Pablo Torre's insistence that guests appear on his podcast, joking that it’s “entitlement.”
- Playful rivalry between Nick Wright and Pablo Torre over the value of investigative reporting vs. “farted out Mahomes takes.”
“Counterpoint. I'm providing content that is helping provide hundreds of thousands if not millions of sports fans a fun respite in this interminable hellscape...”
– Nick Wright [27:37, quoting his own text exchange]
Audience Interaction & Listener Takes
[34:30–40:13]
- Boldest Take Hotline Segments:
- Wild and humorous voicemails, e.g. “Indiana Jones for Daniel Jones” as a nickname, and oddball rants about gas stations, injuries, and ranch dressing.
- Meta-commentary on creativity and participation in the show's community.
Yards Per Attempt, Playoff Wins & The “Stats Debate”
[03:35, 40:00–41:39]
- Arguments Over Statistical Markers:
- Disagreement on what stats matter — yards per attempt vs. playoff wins.
- Mike Ryan offers: “A playoff win is not a stat. Not for just the quarterback.”
- Nick: “Yards per attempt is a step [stat], a playoff win isn’t.”
- Consensus emerges that playoff wins matter more for quarterbacks in the postseason.
"It should be a quarterback stat in the playoffs. I'm with you on regular season."
– Dan Le Batard [41:00]
Brian Daboll, Daniel Jones, and NFL Coach/Quarterback Value
[39:16–41:48]
- What’s more important: A coach or a quarterback? Joke/sarcastic debates about Nick Sirianni vs. Andy Reid.
- Questions of whether Brian Daboll could be fired even if Daniel Jones excels, and the cyclical nature of NFL narratives.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Revisionist History in Sports:
"What happened to political discourse is we stopped arguing about what we should do about things and we started arguing about what actually happened in the past. And it ruined everything."
– Dan Le Batard [05:22] -
On Mahomes Post-Tyreek:
"Right now they're stuck in the mud a bit after the disastrous season of last year where all they did was reach their third straight Super Bowl, becoming the third team ever to do that."
– Nick Wright [04:51] -
On Tua’s Pressers:
"He can't... be like, ‘Obviously…I'm half the quarterback he is.’...That's a bad press conference. Bad, bad, bad."
– Dan Le Batard [24:51] -
Nick Wright v. Pablo Torre:
"...while he is getting applause from the absolute most boring people in the world about a story that even the most die hard NBA fans can only pretend to kind of care about. Bonus counterpoint. My farted out Mahomes takes will result in the exact same number of real sanctions as his seven months of Kawhi reporting."
– Nick Wright, quoting his text exchange [27:37] -
On Sports Fan Participation:
"Every time I play some of the calls, I'm reminded of how good our competitive creative community used to be..."
– Dan Le Batard [34:30] -
Meta-Narrative on Sports Debate:
“You guys, when you’re doing analysis of people, there is no insight in ‘they won. Therefore, he’s the best.’”
– Nick Wright [43:12]
Additional Segments & Lighter Moments
- Banter over present-day Razor Ramon hair and jewelry looks ([15:02])
- Complaints about confusing months with their number assignments ([30:12])
- Playful jabs over football’s “winning formula” and the conventional wisdom that “rings” are all that matter.
- Le Batard's imagined gift of "motivation" to Mahomes for his 30th ([13:40])
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [02:00–06:22] – Chiefs’ offensive evolution, Mahomes narrative
- [13:14–14:50] – QB rankings, Mahomes vs. Lamar
- [21:08–24:43] – Travis Kelce’s season, Chiefs’ needs
- [24:51–25:36] – Tua’s press conference critique
- [27:20–28:29] – Nick Wright vs. Pablo Torre rivalry
- [34:30–37:03] – Listener “Boldest Takes” segment
- [40:00–41:39] – Playoff wins vs. stats argument
- [43:12] – Discussion on the overemphasis of “wins” as football analysis
Conclusion
The episode is quintessential Le Batard Show — irreverent, argumentative, and meta as ever. Nick Wright continues to be an energetic defender of Mahomes and sports narrative nuance, while Dan and Mike push back in classic contrarian style. The conversation travels from serious football analysis to poking fun at sports media conventions and the egos of on-air personalities. A must-listen for those who appreciate heated but thoughtful football debates laced with humor, industry insight, and community engagement.