The Dan Patrick Show: Covino & Rich - NFL Double & Brady in the Box

Date: September 17, 2025
Host: Covino & Rich
Network: iHeartPodcasts, Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of Covino & Rich centers on the latest NFL action, with spirited takes on Monday Night Football’s double-header format, Baker Mayfield’s performance, and—most notably—Tom Brady’s increasingly public, multi-faceted post-retirement hustle. The hosts debate whether Brady’s endless activities constitute ambition or a lack of chill, while also weaving in their signature banter, sports pop culture references, and listener engagement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Tale of Two Mondays: NFL Double-Header Discussion

• The opening NFL talk focuses on the experience of having two Monday Night Football games ("double doozy"), with the panel split on whether the NFL should make it a permanent fixture.
  • Rich: Wonders if the excitement is just early-season hype—"Would we want a double doozy every Monday?" (13:24)
  • Danny G: Cautions, "Especially if you wound up having two stinkers back to back" (13:29).
  • Dan Beyer: Argues it gives exposure to matchups that otherwise get ‘buried’—“You’re getting an extra game. It’s fine if you don’t want to watch it… it’s not like this awful thing” (14:08).

2. Baker Mayfield: The NFL’s Scrapdog

• The Bucs’ win and Baker Mayfield’s performance are celebrated, with praise for his heart and workmanlike approach:
  • Covino: “He’s like the current… Doug Flutie of the league, but he just plays to win. He’s not the best at anything, but you know he’s going to give you his all.” (05:30)
  • Rich: On constructing the ‘best quarterback’: “The heart of Baker Mayfield. I’m picking.” (06:21)
  • Discussion of how Mayfield’s stint with the Browns and a ‘reminder’ Rams game changed perceptions about him: “That one Rams game... gave everyone the reminder that, yeah, Baker Mayfield got a raw deal.” (07:36)

3. Tom Brady: Is There Such a Thing as Too Much?

• The main debate is over Tom Brady’s omnipresence: partial Raiders owner, broadcaster, TB12, flag football ambassador, and more.
• Rich: “Tom Brady just needs to chill a little bit… played longer than he told his family he would. Now he’s in the booth… in the box with the Raiders. He’s doing flag football in Abu Dhabi…” (18:15)
• Covino: “He’s got Tiger’s blood. Did you see his DNA?” (18:42)
• The show riffs on the comical possibility of being hired by Middle Eastern billionaires for coverage, paralleling Brady’s forays.

4. Conflict of Interest? Brady in the Raiders Coach’s Box

• The NFL released a statement clarifying that Brady broke no rules by being in the Raiders’ coaches’ box during a game, but the incident prompts vigorous debate on perceived conflict of interest.
  • Covino: “Conflict of interest. Or at least it appears that way. Broadcasting, partial owner of the Raiders. TB12. His fitness stuff, his podcast appearances. Doesn’t he still have a radio show?” (24:13)

5. Work-Life Philosophy: Dots on the Calendar vs. Open Space

• The existential—almost therapy-like—heart of the episode: do you fill your calendar or relish emptiness?
  • Rich: “There’s two types of people. People that like dots on the calendar and people that want an empty calendar. Covino looks at a weekend and says, ‘No dots? Perfect!’... I want to do things.” (23:09)
  • Covino: “Why don’t you chill? You have no chill.” (23:43)
  • Meta-moment: Is Tom Brady “maximizing the time” or “doing too much”? Can anyone truly balance it all?
  • Rich: “Are you a Tom Brady or not? And do you think Tom Brady is just doing too much?” (24:39)

6. NFL Fantasy Disappointments & Boring Games

• Covino laments his early knock-out from the “Guillotine League”—a fun aside with less sports analysis but relatable fantasy pain.
• Observations about Monday Night Football:
  • Praise for the Chargers defense.
  • Frustrations with Geno Smith’s body language and poor decisions: “He was Les Miserables.” (09:47, Covino)
  • “Just a flat ass game. And nothing I hate more than a flat ass.” (08:16, Covino)

7. Listener Feedback & Cultural Commentary

• The hosts encourage listeners to weigh in (“Join the conversation” at 877-99-FOX).
• Funny asides about names (“Boomer and Karen—not who you want to hang out with.” 34:35) and comparisons to media personalities like Mario Lopez and Ryan Seacrest.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mayfield's Grit:

  “He just plays to win. He’s not the best at anything, but you know that he’s going to give you his all.”
  — Covino (05:30)

• The Double Monday Night Game Debate:

  “If it’s a game that would have been buried at one o’ clock anyway… put it on Monday night in double header fashion. If you’re a football fanatic, you watch both. If not, no harm, no foul.”
  — Rich (17:05)

• On Brady’s Endless Hustle:

  “Tom Brady just needs to chill a little bit… He’s doing flag football in Abu Dhabi, the box with the Raiders. He’s got Tiger’s blood.”
  — Rich & Covino (18:15–18:42)

• Calendar Philosophy:

  “There’s two types of people… people that like dots on the calendar and people that want an empty calendar. Covino looks at a weekend and says, ‘No dots? Perfect!’… I want to do things.”
  — Rich (23:09)

• On Overcommitting:

  “You ever heard the expression ‘narrow focus, broader results’? When your head is everywhere, you’re losing focus.”
  — Covino (24:49)

• Conflict of Interest Reaction:

  “No one has said that. The dude’s always, like, up to something… does this guy ever take a break?”
  — Covino (36:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• NFL Monday Night Double Header - Is It Overkill?
  13:24–17:05
• Baker Mayfield's Redemption and Heart
  04:47–08:16
• Tom Brady’s Busyness Debate: “Chill Out or Maximize?”
  18:15–25:32
• Is There a Conflict of Interest with Brady in the Raiders’ Box?
  24:13–25:51
• Calendar-Dots vs. No-Dots Philosophy / Are You a Tom Brady?
  23:09–25:32, 35:02–36:09
• Listener Calls—How Much is Too Much?
  47:32–51:14

Episode Flow & Tone

The Covino & Rich show is jokey, fast-paced, and self-deprecating with cultural riffs and inside jokes. The tone is irreverent but insightful—a friendly barroom debate style on sports topics. The Tom Brady segment, in particular, morphs from NFL controversy to existential musings about work, ambition, and the dangers of spreading oneself too thin.

Summary Table of Main Topics

| Timestamp | Topic | Main Point | |-----------|--------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:47–08:16 | Baker Mayfield’s Heart | Celebrating Mayfield’s grit and a Rams “reminder” game | | 13:24–17:05 | NFL Double Header on Mondays | Is it overkill or more exposure? Mixed opinions among hosts/guests | | 18:15–25:32 | Tom Brady’s Relentless Hustle | Is he doing too much? Debate about balance vs. ambition | | 24:13–25:51 | Brady’s Conflict of Interest? | NFL says no, but perception is debated | | 23:09–25:32 | Ongoing Calendar Dots vs. No-Dots Debate | Some people live for activity, others for chill | | 47:32–51:14 | Listener Calls: Too Much on Your Plate? | Audience weighs in on ambition, balance, and “doing it all” |

For Listeners Who Missed It…

You’ll get a dynamic playsheet of sports banter, topical NFL debate, and philosophical musings on modern hustle—all filtered through Covino & Rich’s laid-back comedic sensibility. If you like your hot takes with a side of therapy session and pop culture jokes (from Justin Bieber to Mario Lopez), this is your kind of show.

Further Interactive Prompts

• Listener Poll: “Are you a Covino or a Rich—do you want your calendar full or keep it chill?”
• Question for Next Episode: “Should Tom Brady narrow his focus or keep stacking new ventures? When does ‘doing it all’ become ‘doing too much’?”