The Dan Patrick Show
Hour 1: Kyle Whittingham's Michigan Rumors, Travis Kelce's Crossroads
Date: December 26, 2025
Hosts: Jonas Knox, Brady Quinn (in for Dan Patrick)
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Episode Overview
This episode dives into two major stories shaking the sports world: the fast-moving rumors connecting longtime Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham to the Michigan head coaching job and the signals pointing to a potential crossroads (retirement?) for Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. Jonas and Brady trade personal holiday stories, debate NFL scheduling excess on holidays, and break down college coaching carousel moves—delivering their trademark mix of inside scoops and rowdy sports banter.
Main Topics & Key Discussion Points
1. Holiday Recap and Traditions (03:37-07:07)
- The hosts open with a post-Christmas debrief—debating whether it’s ever OK to wish someone a "Merry Christmas" on December 26.
- Brady Quinn describes the whirlwind of Christmas with young kids:
"Anyone who goes through Christmas with your kids, it’s a wrap in like 20 minutes. All that shopping, all that stress… done in like 20 minutes, tops." (04:20) - The debate shifts to real vs. fake Christmas trees and the annual ritual of dragging the dried, barely-holding-on real tree to the curb.
- Jonas: “I need to know we’re tiptoeing towards a potential fire hazard with my tree. Not some plastic, fake tree.” (07:08)
2. Michigan’s Coaching Search and Kyle Whittingham Rumors (07:08-18:49)
News Context: Reports (Dan Wetzel/Pete Thamel/ESPN) link Kyle Whittingham, recently departed Utah legend, as the top target for Michigan’s vacancy, with a decision potentially imminent.
Breakdown:
- Brady and Jonas praise Whittingham’s career (21 years at Utah, 177 wins) and tout his toughness and cultural fit for Michigan.
- Brady on Whittingham:
“That dude is a model of health. Still gets after it. He would’ve stepped down and let Morgan Scally take over Utah last year if the team performed.” (10:38) - Discussion of Michigan’s need for stability and continuity after a championship run tarnished by controversy and Harbaugh’s departure.
- On the timing of the hire: The new transfer portal rules make hiring quickly essential, as player movement windows could gut the roster if mishandled.
- Michigan’s aim: return to tough, physical, defense-oriented football while moving past “baggage.”
Notable Quotes:
- Brady on coaching searches:
“I think they've landed with what is potentially the best possible candidate for their scenario... Kyle Whittingham would be a huge hire because it sets the foundation for what Michigan football should hope to be.” (10:49) - Jonas on rivalry stakes:
"A move by either school needs to be looked at in a sense of where does it land with that [Michigan–Ohio State] rivalry? Because that's everything." (12:19) - Brady comparing rivalries:
“Anyone who’s been to the Utah-BYU rivalry will tell you—it’s as nasty as it gets. There’s a deep... hatred—lack of a better term—between those teams.” (14:20)
Broader Perspective:
- Comparison to Penn State’s own prolonged coaching search, eventual hire of Matt Campbell.
- Brady: "It’s a home run... For the Big Ten, it’s a huge get. You’re taking two of the best coaches out of the Big 12 and bringing them up.” (17:29)
3. NFL on Christmas: Too Much of a Good Thing? (27:55-32:06)
- Post–Christmas NFL games on Netflix dissected—hosts lament the underwhelming product.
- Jonas: “That was garbage. That was rough, man. Really bad teams... Maybe people like it because they can avoid family, but do we need three games?” (30:18)
- Brady reflects on the NFL’s relentless schedule, referencing Mark Cuban:
“Can we just take a day off? At some point, the pig gets too fat. Can we just have Christmas?” (29:39)
4. Travis Kelce: Is This the End? (33:21-37:48)
- Examination of Amazon's "maybe final home game" for Travis Kelce and speculation about his future.
- Jonas: “That’s a wrap. Travis Kelce’s gone. He's played his final game at Arrowhead... He’s going to make a gazillion more dollars.” (34:21)
- Brady ponders retirement factors:
“If he didn’t have that podcast with his brother… would he hang it up? Most players struggle to walk away. But he has something lucrative and fun waiting.” (34:50) - Jonas, tongue-in-cheek:
"You said you don't even know if you would've gotten into football if you'd met me sooner so we could do this radio show together!" (36:17) - Discussion segues into the struggles pro athletes face when moving on, and parallels with Brady’s own career path after injury, landing in sports media.
5. NFL Scheduling, Aging Coaches & Big Picture Thoughts (39:59-41:18)
- Will Andy Reid step aside too? Brady notes both Whittingham (66) and Reid (67) are at a crossroads—maybe it’s just how jacked Whittingham looks that makes us forget his age.
- Chiefs’ postseason uncertainty and the long-term transition away from stars like Kelce.
6. “In Case You Missed It” Segment — Sports Headlines Round-Up (47:23-54:13)
a. JJ Redick Blasts Lakers Effort (49:09)
- Redick: “We’re a terrible basketball team. We don’t care enough to be professional… I’m not doing another 53 games like this.” (49:09)
- The hosts question Redick’s decision to take the Lakers coaching job given his prior success and happiness in media:
Jonas: "He was great in media... and he chose to be miserable as the coach of the Lakers." (50:05) - Brady: Wonders about Redick’s relationship with LeBron and decision-making within the team.
b. Steelers–TJ Watt Injury Oddities (51:42-54:13)
- TJ Watt returns from a collapsed lung "dry needling" incident—hosts debate the sketchy explanation and possible legal ramifications.
- Brady: "I've never heard of a player getting dry needling in that area... There will definitely be a workman's comp claim at the minimum." (52:55)
c. Cowboys’ Dak Prescott to Play for “Pride” Despite No Playoffs (54:13)
- Hosts mock the breathless coverage:
Brady: "We act like he’s not being paid $50 million. You can’t just sit out." - Jonas: "The NBA's kind of soiled it for everybody. Now when players play, people act like it's heroic."
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
- Brady, on Whittingham’s fit at Michigan:
"This would be a huge hire… sets the foundation for what Michigan football should hope to be: a tough, defensive, physical team." (11:29) - Jonas, on NFL holiday excess:
"Do we need three games? Once the NFL realized during COVID, 'oh, we could throw this on anywhere,' then it was off and running." (31:20) - Brady, on Travis Kelce's crossroads:
"If he didn’t have something lucrative… would he have called it quits this season? Not as many players can transition as easily as he has." (34:50) - Brady, on adapting to life after football/media:
"Most people plan for best and worst, but who prepares for the middle scenario?" (37:48)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:37 – Christmas Traditions & Tree Debate
- 07:08 – Michigan Coaching Search: Whittingham Rumors
- 10:38 – Whittingham Career & Fit at Michigan
- 12:19 – Michigan-Ohio State Rivalry Angle
- 14:20 – Utah-BYU Rivalry Comparison
- 17:29 – Big Ten Poaches Big 12 Coaching Talent
- 27:55 – NFL’s Christmas Day Game Overload
- 30:18 – Are Holiday Games Ruining the Day?
- 33:21 – Travis Kelce’s Final Home Game Discussion
- 34:50 – Athlete Retirements & Kelce’s Future
- 36:17 – Personal Career Transitions
- 39:59 – Coaching Longevity & Andy Reid’s Future
- 47:23 – “In Case You Missed It” Segment
- 49:09 – JJ Redick Blasts Lakers Effort
- 51:42 – Steelers’ TJ Watt Injury Saga
- 54:13 – Dak Prescott to Play for “Pride”
Original Tone and Style
The episode’s banter is energetic and irreverent, full of inside jokes and back-and-forth jabs. The style combines sharp sports analysis with self-deprecating humor and anecdotes about family and work-life transitions (“Here you are a day after Christmas, slapping it up with me.”).
Example:
Brady: “Now I end up here, same spot with Jonas Knox, only to end up doing crank jokes for ten years in a row.” (38:05)
Summary
Hour 1 of The Dan Patrick Show expertly blends holiday fun, breaking college football news, and NFL analysis. Jonas Knox and Brady Quinn dissect the high-stakes Michigan coaching rumors surrounding Kyle Whittingham, explore Travis Kelce’s potential swan song with the Chiefs, and challenge the NFL's ever-expanding presence on holidays, all with a wink and a punchline. Through it all, the duo never loses their playful, informed voice, keeping listeners engaged whether they're sports diehards or casual fans catching up after Christmas.