The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 1 Summary

Episode Title: Hour 1 – Bulletin Board Material, Steelers Rebuild
Date: January 23, 2026
Podcast: The Dan Patrick Show
Host: Dan Patrick
Notable Guests/Contributors: The Danettes (Seaton, Todd/Fritzi, Marvin, Paulie)

Main Theme Overview

This episode centers on the buildup to the AFC and NFC Championship games, focusing especially on sports “trash talk” (so-called "bulletin board material"), fluctuating betting lines, quarterback controversies for the Broncos and Patriots, rebuilding strategies for struggling teams (with an emphasis on the Steelers and Raiders), and a wide-ranging, often humorous take on sports culture and fan psychology.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. AFC/NFC Championship Game Anticipation & “Bulletin Board Material”

• Banter about trash talk: Dan opens by highlighting some light trash talk between Broncos coach Sean Payton and Patriots player Kayshon Boutte, examining if such comments still function as "bulletin board material" in the modern era (07:00).
  • Sean Payton: “They’re going to have plenty of rest after this one—two weeks.” — an implied prediction of a Broncos win.
  • Patriots’ Kayshon Boutte response: “They can rest up; they’ll be in Cancun.” (10:00)
• Are teams really motivated by ‘bulletin board material’? The crew is mostly skeptical. Dan and Marvin point out how, at this stage, motivation comes from the gravity of the game itself, not minor trash talk.
  • Marvin: “Shouldn’t you already be fired up even before he says that? This doesn’t fire you up.” (14:45)
  • Dan: “It’s not like the old days with Buddy Ryan…We’re desperate to spice this up, I guess.” (12:10)

2. Changing Betting Lines & Quarterback Speculation

• Discussion of betting line changes for AFC/NFC games:
  • Patriots line drops from -5.5 to -4.5 over the Broncos, which “apoplectic” Fritzi finds disrespectful to the Broncos, especially with backup QB Jared Stidham starting (16:00).
• Examining the QB matchup:
  • Stidham seen as unproven: “We’re going on folklore…when he was with the Patriots and didn’t play. He’s really bright.” (Dan, 18:00)
  • Debate over whether Vegas “buys into the hype” of Stidham, or if the line just reflects betting money (20:00).
• Fan psychology: Lots of tongue-in-cheek ribbing as Todd gets worked up over the point spread—“You were a mess this morning…You got your Bronco gear on”—with the group gently mocking his superstitions and fandom quirks (23:30).

3. Poll Question: Do You Like Your Team Chirping Before a Game?

• Seaton introduces a poll: “How do you feel when your team chirps before a game? Love it or hate it?” (30:00)
• General consensus: Most on the show dislike players or coaches mouthing off pregame—“I do think your play should be to do the talking.”

4. Playoff and Coaching Carousel Updates

• Ravens coaching change: Jesse Minter replaces John Harbaugh, with Dan noting Minter’s prior experience as an assistant under Harbaugh (09:30).
• Mike McDaniel’s coaching interviews: Despite rumors about the Chargers, McDaniel (former Dolphins HC) now set to interview with the Bills. Dan suggests teams should always interview outside candidates for strategic intel on their own roster:
  • Dan: “If I’m Buffalo…I want Mike McDaniel’s perspective as a Dolphin to tell me about my team.” (10:00)
• College Football Playoff: Committee expected to choose between 12 or 16 teams for expansion; Dan notes the Big Ten is angling for a 24-team model in coming years (11:00).

5. Team-Building Philosophy: Steelers (and Raiders) Rebuild Talk

• Ben Roethlisberger’s take via his podcast:
  • Quote: “I would not draft a quarterback for at least two to three years…Build a team and then put your quarterback in. It works better than building around the quarterback.” (55:25)
• Dan expands this to the Raiders, arguing bad teams (with specific reference to their weak offensive line) shouldn’t draft a QB #1 overall just to plug him in:
  • “I always go back to Andrew Luck…until they improved the offensive line, he was done playing.”
  • “If I’m the Raiders, I would not draft [Fernando Mendoza] #1. Shop the pick. Get a treasure trove. Build the team first.” (58:00)
  • The Danettes agree a team like the Raiders should trade down and gather assets to build a supporting cast.

6. NBA Tidbits & Historical Nuggets

• Steph Curry’s historic 10,000th three-point attempt (with 42% made) sparks discussion about his legacy and how the three-point era defines his superstardom (01:20:30).
• Klay Thompson’s legendary 37-point quarter anniversary gets a fun trivia throwdown—with George Gervin and Carmelo Anthony as previous record holders (01:33:00).

7. Call-In Banter and Listener Interaction

• Notable call-ins:
  • Chris from Syracuse pivots to the “credit” debate (Belichick vs. Brady vs. Vrabel/May) (01:23:00).
  • Buddha from San Francisco jokes about the Liv Golf Tour becoming the “Savannah Bananas” of golf (01:37:00).
  • Chiefs fan Doug calls to roast Fritzi’s Broncos anxiety (01:40:00).
• The Danettes propose a new “loss bet payoff”: Whoever’s team loses must agree with every critical caller for a whole Monday segment (52:00).

8. Play of the Day

• Sidney Crosby’s Penguins score three goals in 37 seconds; Dan notes Crosby’s 652 goals but laments constant comparisons to Ovechkin (01:25:30).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Patrick, on modern trash talk:
  “It’s not exactly Joe Namath calling that he’s going to upset the Colts in Super Bowl III. ... I mean, of course the coach thinks they’re going to win!” (13:51)
• Marvin, on playoff motivation:
  “At this point in the season, do you need bulletin board material? You’re trying to go to the Super Bowl.” (14:45)
• Seaton, on gambling lines and QB hype:
  “People are putting a lot—just—in that one quarterback move and forgetting about all the other factors.” (24:15)
• Fritzi, pure fandom mode:
  “Now you feel a little better about things? ... I want you to feel a little better, because you’re a sad boy this morning.” (Dan, to Fritzi, 25:40)
• Ben Roethlisberger, via Footballin’ podcast:
  “Build a team and put your quarterback in…It works better than trying to grab a quarterback and be, 'OK, we’re going to build around this quarterback.'” (55:25)
• Dan Patrick on Raiders’ risky QB pick:
  “I wouldn’t do it. ... There’s nothing [Mendoza] does that is electric…It’s not enough for me to go, ‘I’ve got my quarterbacking position solved,’ because I don’t.” (01:01:10)
• Dan on Curry’s legacy:
  “He doesn’t have that career without the threes. He changed the game.” (01:20:40)

Segment Timestamps

• [07:00] – AFC Title Game, Bulletin Board Material, Trash Talk
• [09:30] – Ravens Coaching Change; Mike McDaniel to Buffalo Rumor
• [13:00] – Poll Question: Chirping Before a Game?
• [14:45] – Does Anyone Need More Motivation?
• [16:00] – Betting Line Drops; Stidham Hype
• [18:00] – Vegas and QB Discussion
• [23:30] – Fritzi’s Fan Rituals, Team/Fan Anxiety
• [30:00] – Discussing Motivational Trash Talk
• [52:00] – New 'Loss Bet' — "The Caller is Always Right" Game
• [55:25] – Ben Roethlisberger on Team-Building Philosophies
• [58:00] – Raiders’ Draft Dilemma; Dan’s Perspective
• [01:20:30] – Steph Curry’s Three-Point Milestone; Klay Thompson’s 37-Point Quarter
• [01:23:00] – Callers Discuss Patriots, NBA Records
• [01:25:30] – Play of the Day: Sidney Crosby & Penguins
• [01:33:00] – Basketball Trivia: Klay’s Quarter, Gervin & Melo
• [01:37:00] – Liv Golf Banter
• [01:40:00] – Chiefs Fan Calls to Roast Fritzi

Structure, Tone & Style

• Classic Dan Patrick Show: Lively, lightly irreverent, familiar banter between Dan and the Danettes. Blends real sports insight with fan boy angst, good-natured ribbing, and playful engagement with listeners.
• Original quotes used throughout; casual conversational style maintains tone (as in on-air).

For Listeners Short on Time:

Skip the prelude and ad breaks—start at [07:00] for the AFC/NFC title game conversation. The Ben Roethlisberger/Steelers-Raiders philosophy talk at [55:25] is a must for team-building geeks. For NBA and pop culture takes, Steph/Klay segments at ~[01:20:30] and [01:33:00] offer a fun, lighter wrap-up.

In sum:
This episode is a snapshot of the modern sports talk landscape: betting lines and media narratives, trash talk that’s more polite than historically, inside-baseball on team-building philosophy, and the always relatable psychology of the diehard fan.