The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 1

Episode Date: November 14, 2025
Main Topics: Drake Maye’s MVP Campaign & Patriots’ Resurgence, Cal Raleigh’s Overlooked MVP Case

Overview

In this lively pre-Thanksgiving "Meat Friday" hour, Dan Patrick and the squad break down the NFL’s latest developments—especially the Patriots’ impressive turnaround behind rookie quarterback Drake Maye, now the frontrunner for NFL MVP. The show dishes on NFL trends, MVP snubs (including Cal Raleigh not winning over Aaron Judge), and the Patriots’ sudden strength under coach Mike Vrabel, blending sharp sports commentary with the show’s trademark banter and audience calls.

Key Discussion Points

1. Patriots Dominate Behind Drake Maye—A New MVP Favorite

• Drake Maye’s Breakout Game:

  • The Patriots beat the Jets 27-14, improving to 9-2, and Maye looked “Tom Brady-esque” in throwback uniforms.
  • Dan remarks on the ease with which Maye handled the game:
    • “If you would have had him wear number 12 last night...you’d go, oh, they're showing old clips of Brady. Now, granted, he's more athletic than Tom Brady...” (04:55)
  • Stefon Diggs notched 9 catches for 100 yards, 39th career 100-yard game.

• Coaching Change Sparks Success:

  • Mike Vrabel, brought in from Tennessee, has steadied the Patriots, who are now serious contenders for home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs.
  • Commenting on the turnaround:
    • “Just like that, the Patriots are back. And if you look at the division, the Jets are in a rebuild.” (12:08)
  • Vrabel’s post-game assessment:

    “We have high expectations for Drake. He has high expectations for himself. He’ll continue to improve and know that he'll stay humble through all this...” — Mike Vrabel (33:02)

• The AFC Landscape:

  • The Chiefs’ grip on the AFC top spot looks less secure, and Patriots’ schedule is favorable.
  • Discussion of how not all 9-2 records are created equal, but New England is peaking.

2. NFL MVP Odds & Quarterback Carousel

• Preseason Surprises:
  • Both Maye (+6000 preseason MVP odds) and Matthew Stafford (+5000) are now MVP favorites.
    • “If I would have told you in August...the two favorites for the MVP would be Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford. What would you have said about that?” (29:30)
• Quick to Forget Other Prospects:
  • Jaden Daniels, Bo Nix, JJ McCarthy—quickly drop down the public consciousness as breakout QBs emerge.
  • The Patriots’ cap space, young core, and Vrabel's leadership spotlighted as reasons for sustainable success.

3. Outlook: Which Teams Have the Brightest Long-Term Future?

• Poll Question (41:23):
  • “Which NFL team is in the best shape for the next five years?” Options: Commanders, Lions, Patriots, Broncos.
  • Audience and panel lean heavily toward the Patriots (“running away with it at 63%”).
  • Lions praised for contract stability; Commanders for young core; skepticism about Rams’ QB future and Bengals’ defense.

4. College vs. Pro QB Development

• Observation on Justin Fields’ struggles compared to dominance at Ohio State, highlighting gap between college and pro QB play.

5. Will Ferrell Injury & Parallels Between Sports and Hollywood

• Dan jokes about Will Ferrell being “on IR,” drawing a parallel between athlete and actor injuries.
• Humorous anecdote about actor Kevin Connolly playing through a broken leg during the “Entourage” movie shoot (10:10).

Cal Raleigh's MVP Snub & The Bias Toward Big Markets

1. Cal Raleigh vs. Aaron Judge MVP Debate

• Strong critique of Raleigh “getting jobbed” out of the MVP, with Dan pointing out the “location, location, location” bias in MLB awards:
  • “If Aaron Judge was on Seattle and Cal Raleigh was on the Yankees, who wins MVP? ...We know that Cal Raleigh as catcher of the Yankees...is going to be your MVP, right?” (51:17)
• Emphasizes catcher’s defensive/invisible value:
  • “He plays the most important position in baseball. He's out there every single day. Look at that pitching staff. He helped develop a very good young pitching staff. They made the playoffs...”
  • “Hardest position, most important position. You got a Gold Glove catcher and 60 home runs.” (53:03)
• On New York heavy bias:
  • “Location prevented him from winning the MVP. This is about New York real estate...Doing it in a Yankee uniform...they’d have a monument built for him already.”

2. The Bigger Problem: Market Size and Awards

• Callers and cast mull the outsized impact of TV markets, referencing historical decisions (Joe Gordon vs. Ted Williams in 1942).
• Dan clarifies:
  • “I didn’t say I was fine with it; I just pointed out I think this is real. I do think location had a lot to do with this. That’s all.” (72:48)

3. Shohei Ohtani’s Continued Dominance

• Acknowledges Ohtani’s unique standing—“as long as he’s hitting and pitching...he’s going to be your MVP” (59:30).
• Notes Ohtani’s impressive stats despite elbow surgery; discusses how much harder it is to deny him awards.
• Fun side-topic: The difficulty of intentionally walking Ohtani with Dodgers (“only 20 times last year, but still led the majors”).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Drake Maye’s poise:

  “You want to see composure. I want to see, like, how are you from play to play...The most important situation is you’ve just thrown an interception—what do you do the next time you come out?” — Dan (34:00)

• On how quickly narratives change in the NFL:

  “It feels like it changes week to week here, but now...all of a sudden, it’s Drake Maye.” — Dan (45:10)

• On location determining awards:

  “This is about New York real estate—doing it in a Yankee uniform. They’d have a monument built for him already.” — Dan (56:00)

• Call-in Memorable Moment:

  • Listener “Mike Luciano in Brooklyn” shares a wild story of missing the show due to a judge’s order after a barbershop sports debate got him put on house arrest, humorously connecting Dan Patrick to court documents (64:00+).

Important Timestamps

• 04:55 – Dan likens Drake Maye to Tom Brady in Patriots throwbacks
• 10:10 – Will Ferrell “injured” filming, Dan jokes about actors on IR
• 12:08 – Patriots’ quick rebuild under Vrabel
• 29:30 – Maye and Stafford’s improbable rise in MVP betting
• 33:02 – Mike Vrabel praises Drake Maye’s poise
• 41:23 – Poll: Patriots, Lions, Commanders, Broncos – best long-term NFL outlook
• 51:17 – Cal Raleigh’s MVP snub broken down
• 56:00 – “New York real estate” factors in MVP awards
• 59:30 – Ohtani’s unique edge in MVP voting
• 64:00+ – Call-in segment: Mike Luciano’s hilarious story about court, house arrest, and the Dan Patrick Show

Tone & Style

Dan Patrick and team maintain a humorous, slightly irreverent, but deeply knowledgeable tone throughout, comfortably switching between sharp sports insight, irreverent pop culture references, personal anecdotes, and spirited debate. Listener interaction features prominently, with lighthearted banter and relatable stories.

Summary Table of Most Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | Speaker(s) | Key Point/Quote | |------------|----------------------------------------------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:55 | Patriots, Drake Maye in throwbacks | Dan | “If he was wearing number 12 last night...they’re showing old clips of Brady.” | | 12:08 | Patriots AFC outlook under Vrabel | Dan | “Just like that, the Patriots are back.” | | 29:30 | MVP odds for Maye/Stafford | Dan, Paul | “They were definitely not in the top 10.” | | 33:02 | Vrabel on Maye post-game | Mike Vrabel | “We have high expectations for Drake. He has high expectations for himself.” | | 41:23 | Poll Question: Best NFL future | Dylan, Dan, panel | Patriots have “all that cap space” and “your quarterback...second year.”| | 51:17 | Cal Raleigh MVP debate | Dan | “If Aaron Judge was on Seattle and Cal Raleigh on the Yankees, who wins MVP?”| | 56:00 | “New York real estate” bias | Dan | “They’d have a monument built for him already.” | | 59:30 | Ohtani MVP advantage | Dan | “He goes into every season with a huge advantage...” | | 64:00+ | Call-in about court-ordered DP ban | Mike Luciano, Dan | Barber shop argument leads to house arrest, judge invokes DP Show |

In a Nutshell

• The Patriots, under Vrabel and Drake Maye, are suddenly positioned as the AFC’s team to beat.
• Rookie QB Maye’s efficient play and the Patriots’ deep resources make them a model for NFL turnarounds.
• The MLB MVP debate is revived, centering on Cal Raleigh’s overlooked campaign due to market bias—Dan argues, with passion and data, that defense and position should count for more.
• Shohei Ohtani’s two-way talent continues to break the MVP system.
• Show’s tone remains quick, clever, and a little nostalgic, blending inside jokes, calls, and sharp sports analysis.