The Dan Patrick Show (Covino & Rich)

Episode: C&R – Apology Owed to Sean Payton?
Date: November 7, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by Covino & Rich (Brian Covino and Rich Eisen), dives deep into the theme of sports “apologies”—specifically regarding NFL coach Sean Payton. The hosts discuss how fans and media often rush to judgment, mock certain coaches, players, or teams, only to be proven wrong with time and patience. Using Sean Payton’s turnaround of the Denver Broncos as a central case study, the episode is filled with witty banter, personal anecdotes, and interactive calls from listeners, all tackling the idea of how prevailing narratives can reverse—and why patience in sports (and life) is underrated.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Public Apology to Sean Payton

Main segment begins [06:30]

• Context: Sean Payton was heavily criticized for joining the Broncos, especially after leaving the Saints and the messy initial season with Russell Wilson.
• Reversal: Now the Broncos are 7-2 (possibly 8-1 if not for a late penalty loss), and strong AFC contenders.
• Mocked to Praised: Both Payton and the Broncos-Wilson combo were widely derided as disasters at first, yet patience has paid off.
  • Rich Eisen:

    “Everyone in the sports world, especially NFL fans, should say, Sean Payton, we are so very sorry, Mr. Payton. We were wrong and you were right.” [06:31]

2. How Media and Fans Jump the Gun

Debate & examples [08:16–13:37]

• Cycle of Doubt and Comeback: The hosts compare Payton’s journey with other figures:

  • Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions coach): Initially mocked for his intense style, now a proven success.
  • Jacob deGrom: Laughed at for believing in the Rangers—who then won the World Series.
  • JJ Redick: Criticized as “LeBron’s podcast buddy” before proving his basketball credibility as a coach.
  • Tom Brady: Questioned for moving to Tampa Bay—a move ridiculed, then vindicated with a Super Bowl.

• Impatience Culture:

  • Modern fans, influenced by “Prime Now” culture, expect instant results in sports, entertainment, and even life—a mindset that stifles development and overlooks long-term vision.
  • Brian Covino:

    “We want instant results… That’s really how it is. We want to win championships now. That’s the world we live in. We don’t let things develop.” [13:05]

3. Broader Life Parallels: The Need for Patience

Patience in sports and life [13:40–16:45]

• Old vs. New Generations:

  • Kids can’t tolerate movie credits or commercial breaks, adults don’t wait for delivery or mobile orders.
  • Monty:

    “If it’s not next-day, I’m looking for another option… I might not even need it, [but] I want it.” [13:28]

• Classic Examples:

  • Seinfeld (would have been cancelled in today’s ratings culture).
  • NFL players like Peyton Manning and Troy Aikman—both had rough rookie years but achieved greatness thanks to patient organizations.

• Rich Eisen’s Wisdom:

  “If you can master patience, you can master anything.” [31:36]

4. Interactive Segment: Who Else Deserves an Apology?

Call-ins and banter [33:05–38:55]

• Listener Contributions:

  • Ed Orgeron (LSU football coach): Mocked at hiring, became a championship winner.
  • Dave Roberts (Dodgers): Criticized even while winning, but ultimately accomplished.
  • Seahawks (team as a whole): Written off, but competitive again.
  • Packers’ QB picks: Drafted Rodgers and Love amid mockery, but proved right.
  • Jake Paul/Logan Paul: Initial “gimmick” boxing fights are now massive mainstream events.

• Entertainment Parallels:

  • WWE’s John Cena or Hollywood Hogan: Moves initially panned become legendary.
  • Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Joe Rogan/UFC: Mocked early, now iconic.
  • Family Guy and Arrested Development: Cancelled too soon, later seen as classics.

• Summary:

  “We're apologizing to the Seahawks, Dan Campbell, Ed Orgeron, Dave Roberts, a bunch of people. Because we are just not patient." (Brian Covino) [32:45]

5. The Real Lesson: Sports and Life Need Time to Develop

Closing insights [38:59–39:49]

• Sports, like anything meaningful, often require time to bear fruit. The group encourages listeners not to “cut the cord” too soon—whether about a coach, a player, or any new venture.
  • Rich Eisen:

    “You'll never know if you cut the cord too soon. So we say, Sean Payton, we're sorry. Sorry, buddy. It looks like you were right.” [25:40–25:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sports Judgment:

  • “Sean Payton, grand opening, grand closing. He’s not even going to last a year. This is a nightmare.” (Rich Eisen) [08:27]
  • “This sounds very similar to a lot of the backtracking everyone did with Dan Campbell… He showed that his gritty ways and tough attitude translated on the field; it just took some time.” (Brian Covino) [10:11]

• On Culture of Immediacy:

  • “We lost player development. We lost artist development. You know how many artists are dropped from labels because they don’t come out with hits when people want them?... Seinfeld would never have happened.” (Rich Eisen) [14:23–14:46]
  • “If mobile order’s down, you pick another store. If Amazon says it won’t get there by tomorrow, you pack... Everyone needs a deep breath, man.” (Rich Eisen) [31:54–32:04]

• On Redemption:

  • “This Peyton thing, the Sean Payton thing, is a modern-day version of ‘he saw something that no one else saw.’” (Brian Covino) [18:23]

• On Listener’s Point:

  • “How about Ed Orgeron? Go Tigers... Everybody thinks it’s a joke, and then, you know, three years later, Orgeron’s walking away with the national championship.” (Caller) [33:11]

• Brian Covino’s Closing Wisdom:

  • “So the lesson here, too, it’s not just in football, it’s in life. You gotta let things simmer and breathe a little bit. And let things develop before you make a full assessment.” [23:33]

Key Timestamps & Segments

• [06:30] – Public apology setup for Sean Payton
• [08:16–13:37] – Mocked-to-vindicated sports stories: Payton, Campbell, deGrom, Redick, Brady
• [13:40–16:45] – Patience in the modern, on-demand culture
• [14:46] – Seinfeld and sports patience parallel
• [31:36] — Eisen’s maxim: patience is mastery
• [33:05–38:55] – Callers share THEIR “apology” nominees: Orgeron, Roberts, Seahawks, etc.
• [25:40–25:45] – Final apology to Payton and takeaways

Tone & Style

The episode maintains C&R’s signature mix of humor and sports-nerd banter (“horsey teams,” “Foosball is the devil,” etc.), frequent self-referential jokes, and real-life analogies. The hosts engage the audience both directly and vicariously—sharing how everyone (themselves included) sometimes gets it wrong.

Conclusion

This episode encourages fans to step back from snap judgments and appreciate the value of letting both people and programs develop over time. Whether it’s a coach, player, musician, or business innovator, the message is clear: sometimes those who are mocked most fiercely are the ones who surprise us all.

Sean Payton, and many others, are living proof: Sometimes the patient play is the winning one.

For more interactive debates, sports apologies, or to join in live:

Listen daily on Fox Sports Radio or find Covino & Rich (FSR) on YouTube.