The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 1

Date: January 22, 2026

Episode: "Bills Owner Gets Loose, Jay Skurski"

Episode Overview

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show dives into the fallout from the Buffalo Bills’ recent press conference, where owner Terry Pegula broke his long-held silence to address the firing of head coach Sean McDermott. Dan and the crew dissect the owner’s comments, the internal dysfunction revealed, and what this all means for the Bills' immediate future. Jay Skurski, Bills beat writer from The Buffalo News, joins to share insider perspective on the press conference, the fan reaction, and what happens next for Buffalo.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Buffalo Bills Press Conference Debacle

• The main focus is the unusual, headline-grabbing press conference with Bills owner Terry Pegula and GM Brandon Beane.
• Dan and the crew agree Pegula's rare appearance and unscripted remarks did more harm than good, exposing strained dynamics within the franchise.

Dan Patrick (02:30):
"Owners should not get in front of the media. At least, I wouldn’t recommend it... You’re a billionaire, you made your money elsewhere, and normally billionaires don’t get in front of the media for a reason."

Notable Press Conference Moments

• Pegula’s justification for firing McDermott: cited the emotional state of the locker room (“Josh Allen crying”) and a perceived sense the team had “hit the wall.”
• Pegula interrupts a question about receivers meant for Beane, volunteering messy inside info about the Keon Coleman (WR) draft pick—clarifying that coaches pushed for Coleman, not the GM.
• Dan notes the owner’s remarks create doubt around the job's desirability and accountability structure.

Memorable Quote – Dan (10:30):
"The owner says, 'Can I interrupt?' and you want to go, 'No, you can’t!' It just got weird... All of a sudden, this isn’t a desirable job."

2. Dysfunction on Display: The Keon Coleman Draft Story

• The press conference exposes misalignment: Pegula says the coaching staff pushed to draft Keon Coleman rather than GM Beane, who only went along as a "team player."
• The crew points out this creates a lose-lose for Coleman and undermines GM authority.
• They recall video evidence from the Bills’ own “behind the scenes” media showing Beane was enthusiastic about drafting Coleman—contradicting Pegula's statement.

Memorable Quote – Paulie (15:04):
"It’s way worse when you hear the audio... Now Keon Coleman has to wear that going forward, and Josh Allen has to answer for it. It’s a weird mess."

3. Do Owners Help or Hurt When They Speak?

• Dan and the team debate whether owners should ever participate in high-stakes press conferences.
• General consensus: Owners appearing causes more problems than solutions, unless they're charismatic exceptions like Mark Cuban.

Dan Patrick (20:31):
"Jerry Jones doesn’t help his team or his coach when he speaks. He helps Jerry Jones when he speaks..."

• However, Paulie argues local media and fans should get at least one annual Q&A with ownership for transparency.

4. The Fallout: How the Mess Impacts the Coaching Search

• With GM Beane trusted by Pegula (and now even more powerful), Dan raises concerns about talented coaches wanting to take the Buffalo job—especially compared to stable options like Baltimore.
• The crew discusses how internal drama and public mishandling could scare off top candidates.

Dan Patrick (26:00):
"Success starts from above... Yesterday didn’t give me a healthy dose of confidence. Now I know the GM has the owner’s ear. If you’re a coach, it’s two against one."

Interview Segment: Jay Skurski, Buffalo News Beat Writer

Key Segments:

• [34:45] – Jay Skurski joins the show.

Jay Skurski’s Insights

• The media only learned the night before that Pegula might attend; he hadn’t taken questions since 2019.
• Jay identifies Pegula’s unsolicited interruption as the moment “it got hairy.”
• The Keon Coleman comments weren’t prompted by the media—drawing more attention to internal disagreement than necessary.

Jay Skurski (36:20):
"For the owner to interject himself in that way, I think really created a mess for his general manager to try and clean up..."

The McDermott Firing: Is It Just?

• Jay says the grounds seemed to be cumulative heartbreak and plateauing—“hitting the wall”—not one game.
• Pegula refused to speculate whether a Super Bowl run would have saved McDermott, but Jay reads that as “almost affirmative” that nothing short of a title would have been enough.

Player & Fan Reaction

• Josh Allen was “the most emotional I’ve ever seen him” post-loss, and has not commented publicly—breaking his usual pattern, which Jay suspects is tied to McDermott’s firing.
• Many fans felt sadness, not joy, at the change; McDermott was widely respected.

Pressure Cooker: The Next Coach

• Skurski notes the new coach will be judged on delivering a Super Bowl immediately—while inheriting expectations, divided leadership, and a rabid fan base.
• Josh Allen’s lack of comment, and Pegula sidestepping whether Allen was consulted, signals more uncertainty.

Jay Skurski (43:20):
"There is an immense amount of pressure on whoever takes this job. The expectation is win the Super Bowl—and win it in your first year."

5. Callers and the Panel Weigh In

Optics, Blame, and Future Success

• Listeners and panel debate: Is firing McDermott a panic move? Did the Bills overachieve this year? Is the next coach doomed if he doesn't immediately deliver?
• Dan emphasizes firing McDermott wasn’t rationally about a single game—just mounting pressure and expectation.
• Panelists agree: The Buffalo job may be attractive but looks dysfunctional right now.

Dan Patrick (54:40):
"You’re as good as the people above you... If you look at the optics here, you’re blaming (McDermott) for one game, but really, it’s a build-up of years of missed chances."

The Better Job: Buffalo or Baltimore?

• The crew generally agrees Baltimore is now a more desirable destination for a coach, due to stability and leadership.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Dan Patrick (06:00): “I’m still surprised that the owner, Terry Pegula, said it was his decision to bring in a new coach based on the results of the game in Denver... Just feels strange.”
• Paulie (10:45): “Thank you, Terry, can I interrupt for a second? Yeah—oh crap. Oh crap. How silly is that?”
• Jay Skurski (40:02): “The pressure that comes with [the job], I think, is unlike any job really in the NFL.”
• Caller Jake in Buffalo (1:08:20): “A little scared as a Bills fan... Terry’s been really good at keeping the Sabres terrible for 15 years. Don’t let us go down that path.”

Essential Timestamps & Segments

• [03:20]: Dan’s take on owners and the media
• [09:00] – [13:00]: The Keon Coleman draft controversy explained
• [20:00] – [23:00]: Should owners ever speak? Debate
• [34:45]: Jay Skurski interview begins
• [36:20]: Skurski on Pegula creating a mess
• [41:00]: Fan & player reaction to McDermott’s departure
• [43:20]: The monumental pressure on Buffalo’s next coach
• [54:40]: Dan on where real blame lies: “It’s a build-up of expectations... now the coach pays.”
• [1:04:45]: Baltimore or Buffalo? Which is the better job?
• [1:08:20]: Buffalo fan caller reaction

Summary Tone & Takeaways

Lively, candid, and loaded with inside insight, this hour typifies The Dan Patrick Show’s blend of humor, hard truths, and smart analysis. The handling (or mishandling) of the Bills’ coaching transition is used as a jumping-off point for broader conversations about NFL leadership, ownership, and what actually makes a job “good.” The consensus: The way you fire a coach, and who does the firing, matters as much as anything on the field.