The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 1: Anthony Richardson Didn't Draft Himself, MLB Realignment Proposal

Date: August 20, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick and The Danettes
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Overview

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show features an in-depth discussion about the evolving careers of young NFL quarterbacks—particularly Anthony Richardson—placing draft decisions in context, and exploring the nature of organizational patience and accountability in the NFL. The latter portion pivots to Major League Baseball, considering the implications of a proposed league realignment based on territorial/geographical rivalries. Both segments use tangible examples, humor, and the show's trademark banter among Dan and the Danettes.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Anthony Richardson and the Quarterback Conundrum

(Main segment: 05:10–41:02)

• Colts’ Decision: Daniel Jones over Richardson

  • Dan examines why the Colts are starting Daniel Jones, quoting Coach Shane Steichen’s argument that Jones is a proven, if uneven, commodity:

    "I think that he's proven that he's played good football in that 2022 season... highest completion rate in Giants franchise history..." (06:23)

  • Dan and the crew immediately frame the choice as one of experience vs. upside:

    "Is Daniel Jones a better quarterback than Anthony Richardson? The answer is yes. Does Anthony Richardson have a higher ceiling? Yes." (09:02)

• Unfair Labeling of Young Quarterbacks

  • Dan raises the question: why are players universally blamed as “busts” instead of the GMs who drafted them?

    “Anthony Richardson didn’t say, ‘hey, I’m the fourth best player in the draft.’ Chris Ballard’s the GM. Why is it the player is always the bust, not the GM or the coach?” (07:56)

  • He makes the point that nearly all quarterbacks are projects, but timelines are shrinking for players and coaches.

• Evaluating Richardson’s Development

  • Richardson’s drawbacks per Dan’s anonymous scouting source: poor footwork, inconsistent throws, “one speed” arm, risk-taking, injury prone.
  • The positives: rare physical tools (4.43 40-yard dash, 80-yard arm).
  • Comparison to Jalen Milroe (Seattle): Milroe touted as having more potential than Richardson because of college production and draft slot—without the crushing top-pick expectations.

• NFL's Changing Attitude: Quick Hooks and Second Chances

  • Quarterbacks now regularly discarded after two seasons, leading to a string of second-chance starters (Daniel Jones, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold).

    “That’s what happens now, it’s two years and we move on...because this is what you ultimately hear: ‘Boy, that quarterback class for next year is great.’” (16:35)

• Comparisons and Draft Wisdom

  • Dan references how Patrick Mahomes sat behind Alex Smith, unlike Richardson, and declares that “everybody is a project, it’s just a matter of degrees.”
  • Draft profiles: Anthony Richardson’s pre-draft comp was Cam Newton “if Cam Newton didn’t do anything in college.”

    “Anthony Richardson got benched his last year...it's going to be one of the bigger risks if someone takes him in the first round.” – Paulie quoting Lance Zierlein (38:45)

• The Importance of Organizational Stability

  • Discussion on the impact of constant coaching turnover and lack of support:

    “You also have to have a coaching staff that doesn't have turnover, that you have the same offensive coordinator, the same coach. That is so important and underrated.” (36:16)

2. Quick Hits: Poll Question & Pro Bowl “Contenders”

(57:30–60:20)

• Comedy poll: “Pick one to make the Pro Bowl this season—Daniel Jones, Justin Fields, Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson” (none of the above not an option). Dan and Marvin select Daniel Jones and debate the others' very slim chances.
• Aaron Glenn (Jets HC) is quoted defending Justin Fields, comparing the criticism faced to that of successful but unflashy QBs (Hertz, Flacco).
• The Danettes deliberate how much landing in the right franchise impacts development, using comparisons like Hurts vs. Fields, and referencing the likes of Peyton Manning and John Elway.

3. MLB Realignment Proposal & Traditions vs. Modernization

(50:20–57:01)

• Baseball Considers Geography-Based Realignment

  • MLB Commissioner is floating the idea of scrapping AL/NL in favor of regional divisions: Mets/Yankees, Phillies/Red Sox together, with likely expansion to Portland, Nashville, Charlotte, and Montreal.

    “The commissioner is saying, maybe we don’t have an American League and a National League... maybe we just look at territorial, where the Mets and Yankees are in the same division.” (51:42)

• The Importance (and Disruption) of Rivalries

  • Must-keep rivalries: Cubs-Cardinals, Dodgers-Giants, Mets-Yankees, Red Sox-Phillies.

    “The Giants and Dodgers always have to play against one another...that’s a must-have now.” (51:48)

• The Danettes riff on possible team relocations (Tampa Bay to Nashville), how geography often trumps tradition (recalling Cincinnati’s stint in NL West, Cowboys in NFC East), and the confusing state of college football conferences.

  • “If we ran it, we wouldn’t allow Michigan and Notre Dame to take a decade off.” (49:49)

• Dan’s Perspective on Change

  • Lightheartedly accepts changes in baseball's structure:

    “Yesteryear is yesteryear. It’s not happening... I choose to embrace. Ish.” (54:06)

4. Other Notable Segments and Banter

• Opening Banter & Paulie’s Shirt
  • Light-hearted ribbing about Paulie’s fashion (“It looks like something Urkel would wear, but he had suspenders... It looks like a tennis shirt. Very Tennessee.” (03:26)) with jokes about posting photos for fan captions.
• College Football Teaser
  • Mention of the opening weekend matchups like K-State vs. Iowa State in Dublin, the tradition of college games in Ireland, and nods to weak “marquee matchups.”
• Quarterback Legacy Talk (48:40–50:19)
  • What makes a QB a Hall of Famer? How much does a Super Bowl ring matter? Matt Ryan vs. Matthew Stafford, Eli Manning’s candidacy, and the role of postseason moments.

    “Eli Manning would not be going to the hall of Fame if he did not win those two Super Bowls because he was an average quarterback, but above average when he needed to be.” (47:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why “bust” labels fall on players, not teams:

  “Why is it the player is always the bust, not the GM or the coach?” – Dan Patrick (07:56)

• On NFL patience with young QBs:

  “...It’s two years and we move on and then you’ll bring in somebody else. Because this is what you ultimately hear: ‘Boy, that quarterback class for next year is great.’” – Dan Patrick (16:35)

• On evaluating raw talent:

  “Anthony Richardson...is just a piece of property that has a great view... But can you play the position?” – Dan Patrick (23:45)

• On MLB changing tradition:

  “Yesteryear is yesteryear. It's not happening. The good old days are not happening. You either embrace or you move on to another sport. And I choose to embrace. Ish.” – Dan Patrick (54:06)

• On Hall of Fame candidacy being determined by circumstance:

  “If Matthew Stafford loses that Super Bowl, does he go to the Hall of Fame with what we know now?” – Dan Patrick (47:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 05:10 – Colts Choosing Daniel Jones over Richardson: Context and NFL QB patience
• 07:56 – Accountability for Draft Picks (Players vs. GMs)
• 16:35 – “Two years and we move on” – Current NFL QB cycle
• 23:45 – The “property with potential” analogy: What makes a true NFL QB
• 38:45 – Paulie’s read of Richardson’s pre-draft profile
• 41:02 – Banter shifts to Pro Bowl Poll Question and QBs with upside
• 47:17 – The postseason and the Hall of Fame: Eli, Warner, Stafford, Ryan, etc.
• 50:20 – MLB Commissioner’s realignment proposal and rivalries
• 54:06 – Dan on embracing changes in baseball’s structure

Tone and Flow

Dan Patrick’s tone is contemplative and wry, often sympathetic to young players while poking fun at sports traditions and media narratives. The Danettes provide colorful, at times self-deprecating, commentary on fashion, sports geography, and the absurdities of team management. The hour blends serious analysis with light-hearted banter, making the episode feel like both a sharp football symposium and a buddies’ bar conversation.

For listeners who missed this episode: expect an insightful and candid dive into the pressures facing young quarterbacks—particularly Anthony Richardson—how NFL environments affect careers, plus musings on the future of baseball’s traditions and rivalries.