The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 1

Date: December 16, 2025
Main Topics: Monday Night Football Reaction, Steelers vs. Dolphins, Miami’s Future, NFL ACL “Epidemic”

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dan Patrick and the Danettes react to the previous night’s Monday Night Football matchup (Steelers vs. Dolphins) and dissect both teams’ directions, with a special focus on the Dolphins’ mounting issues at quarterback and head coach. The latter half of the hour pivots to the recent supposed “epidemic” of ACL injuries across the NFL, unpacking data, causes, and the turf debate, all with Dan’s trademark dry wit. Notable guests are hyped for later hours, including Jim Harbaugh, Joe Thomas, and Mike Golic Sr.

Monday Night Football Debrief: Steelers 28, Dolphins 15

(Main segment: 05:05–22:09)

• Steelers’ Win Analyzed

  • Dan opens by stating the Steelers' victory “was more impressive than the final score,” attributing the Dolphin’s points to “garbage time touchdowns.”
  • Steelers are 8–6, a game ahead of the Ravens in their division.
  • Dan: “If they win out, they’re going to be in... but as for Ravens, if they win out, they’re probably in too.” (06:30)
  • Steelers’ remaining schedule: at Lions, at Browns, host Ravens. Ravens: Patriots (H), at Packers, Steelers (H).

• Dolphins’ Struggles

  • Dan expresses disappointment in the Dolphins’ offense and coaching choices, especially not exploiting the Steelers’ lack of T.J. Watt.
  • On Mike McDaniel’s postgame (clip paraphrased): “I think I have to look at the tape... supremely disappointed we couldn’t come out with a win.”
  • Critique of their late adoption of the two-minute drill:
    • Dan, referencing Troy Aikman’s commentary:
      “Troy has no more filter, which is great... He just says what he feels.” (09:10)
    • Aikman (on broadcast): “They don’t go hurry-up. Now they’re going hurry-up. It’s just hard to understand the philosophy...” (09:27)
  • Dan speculates the team will need a new GM and perhaps a new coach too, declaring:
    “Not everyone is a head coach. McDaniel still feels like an offensive coordinator to me.” (15:05)

• Tua Tagovailoa: Not a Franchise QB?

  • Dan says Tua lacks the arm and threatening presence of an elite QB:
    “He can give you precision passing...but he doesn’t threaten me if I’m a defensive back...You game-plan more for HN than you do for Tua.” (17:40)
  • Paulie compares Tua’s trajectory to Alex Smith, saying he’s “as far as you can go with this guy.” (19:05)
  • Consensus: Tua is a good starter but not a franchise cornerstone.

• Tyreek Hill & Roster Outlook

  • Paulie notes Hill’s dead cap hit of $29M and upcoming $50M salary:
    “If they keep him, you know what they have to pay him next year? 50 million bucks...for a wide receiver!” (13:45)
  • Dan surmises Hill could be gone—“addition by subtraction”—to avoid a potential Antonio Brown scenario.

• Poll Question Preview

  • Seaton suggests: “Can we ask what went wrong with the Dolphins—the head coach or the quarterback?” (17:15)

Steelers’ Playoff Chances: Are They Threatening?

(22:09–26:30)

• Dan asks: “Are the Steelers threatening if they’re in the playoffs?”

  • Rates them a “five, a soft five” on a 1–10 scale for Super Bowl threat potential.
    “Which is not threatening. No. But dangerous.” (23:50)
  • Discussion about Aaron Rodgers’ strong performance, but consensus that the Dolphins “aren’t very good” despite coming in hot.
  • Paulie: “They had no pass rush on Aaron Rodgers last night. He picked them apart.” (24:45)

• Gambling Talk:

  • The point spread (Steelers favored by 3–3.5), surprise at oddsmakers’ confidence. Dan jokes:
    “As a gambler, I’m going all in on the Steelers...They [the Dolphins] must think they’re going to play well in cold weather. I didn’t buy it.” (25:40)

Dolphins’ Drought and Identity Crisis

(13:20–19:30, with call-backs throughout)

• Dan: “It’s been, I think, 25 years since the Dolphins have won a playoff game.”

  • Paulie: Last win was Dec 30, 2000, against the Colts. (14:35)

• Mike McDaniel’s Job Security

  • Dan evaluates McDaniel as “quirky, fun, different... but feels like a coordinator, not a head coach.” (15:05)
  • Draws parallels to specialist coaches in other sports, noting not all succeed when promoted.

NFL ACL “Epidemic”: Myths, Facts & Turf Debate

(29:53–53:00)

• NFL “Wave” of ACLs? Stats Tell a Different Story

  • Notable stars (Parsons, Mahomes, Bosa, Tyreek Hill, etc.) have torn ACLs recently, causing alarm.
  • Dan:
    “30 ACLs have been torn so far this season...but previous years were higher—57 in 2021, 51 in 2022. Actually down by recent standards.” (32:30)
  • Historical comparison: Peak was 63 in 2013; so current trend is downward, despite heightened attention.

• Possible Causes: Turf, Shoes, or Luck?

  • Debate over cause: “Is it the field? Is it the turf? Is it the shoes?” (33:15)
  • Suggests NFL and owners should fund a universal turf solution—but money, concerts, and logistics get in the way.
    • “If the NFL is going to look at this and go to an 18-game schedule, we gotta be fair to these players.” (35:00)
  • References infamous bad surfaces:
    • RG3’s playoff injury at FedEx Field in 2013 called “criminal.”
    • Super Bowls with slick, dangerous fields.
    • Joe Montana & Tim Krumrie injury in 1989 Super Bowl.

• Union and League Responses

  • Paulie shares news (from NFL.com) about the “Joint NFL Surfaces Committee” (52:08)
  • Andrew from Washington clarifies: “By 2028 all NFL stadiums must have approved fields.” (48:00)

• Turf vs. Grass Statistics

  • Seaton (reading from NFLPA): “Players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries on artificial turf,”
    • “32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf”
    • “69% higher rate of non-contact foot and ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.” (38:10)
  • Dan: “If you’ve ever played on it, some surfaces feel like concrete.”

• League’s Motivation for Change

  • Dan: “When you get big names that get hurt, then people want answers.” (53:00)
  • Paulie: “Anytime there’s a rash of injuries, rules change quickly—except when it costs owners money.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Troy Aikman on the Dolphin’s Playcalling (09:27):
  “It’s just the bizarre last few series...It’s hard to understand exactly what the philosophy is.”

• Dan on Mike McDaniel (15:05):
  “He still feels like an offensive coordinator...Not everybody is a head coach, and not everybody should be a head coach.”

• Paulie on Tyreek Hill’s 2025 contract numbers (13:45):
  “If they keep him, you know what they have to pay him next year? 50 million bucks to play wide receiver!”

• Dan on Tua (17:40):
  “He gives you precision passing...But he doesn’t threaten me if I’m a defensive back.”
  “You game-plan more for HN than you do for Tua.”

• Dan on ACL panic (32:30):
  “30 ACLs have been torn so far this season...But 57 in 2021, 51 in 2022. We’re actually trending down.”

• Seaton on turf (38:10):
  “Players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries when playing on artificial turf...32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf.”

• Dan on NFL priorities (53:00):
  “When you get big names that get hurt, then people want answers here.”

Listener Calls & Sidebar Discussions

(26:30; 46:00, 48:00, 50:10)

• Callers discuss Steelers’ inconsistency, Dolphins’ woes, and the new turf standards.
• Fun sidebar: “Cooper Flag, youngest NBA player to score 40” gets a brief hat-tip.
• Lighthearted banter over the merits of a controversial Sean Combs documentary.

Key Timestamps

• 05:05 – Start of game recap and stakes for AFC North
• 09:10 – Troy Aikman’s on-air critique
• 13:45 – Tyreek Hill contract situation
• 15:05 – Dan’s take on McDaniel as a head coach
• 17:40 – Tua’s limitations discussed
• 23:50 – Steelers “Super Bowl threat” scale
• 29:53 – Dan introduces the NFL ACL injury debate
• 32:30 – ACL stats over recent years; trend is down
• 38:10 – NFLPA stats on injuries: turf vs. grass
• 46:00–50:10 – Callers provide input on field safety and new standards

Tone & Style

Dan and the Danettes keep the tone candid—critical of mediocrity, skeptical of hype, and quick with analogies, drawing from sports history and their own personal experiences. There’s humor (“Troy’s got no filter—hope Brady gets there!”), but also a real undercurrent of concern for athlete safety and the lack of league urgency.

Summary Takeaway

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show delivers a sharp, nuanced breakdown of both the on-field action (Steelers-Dolphins) and the broader systemic issues (QB evaluation, coaching, roster builds) before smartly pivoting into a deep-dive on NFL injuries and league accountability. While star injuries capture the headlines, Dan’s research shows a downward trend in ACL tears—reminding fans not to just trust “recency bias.” The running gag? Change happens in the NFL only when it hits the owners’ wallets or their stars.

Upcoming in Hour 2:
Jim Harbaugh, Joe Thomas, and Mike Golic Sr. join to discuss coaching, league trends, and more.