Hour 1 –Robert Kraft Has No Clothes

Summary

The Dan Patrick Show: Hour 1 – "Robert Kraft Has No Clothes"
Release Date: January 7, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of The Dan Patrick Show, host Dan Patrick delves deep into the current landscape of NFL head coaching vacancies, analyzing the most attractive opportunities available and the underlying reasons behind them. Joined by co-host Paul Pabst and special guest Devin McCourty, an analyst for NBC's Football Night in America, the discussion offers insightful perspectives on team dynamics, management decisions, and the broader implications for the league.

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Head Coaching Vacancies in the NFL

Dan Patrick opens the conversation by addressing the ongoing shuffle in NFL head coaching positions. Referencing former journalist Albert Breer's predictions, Patrick discusses the evolving nature of coaching openings, highlighting that the number may range between five to ten vacancies.

Notable Quote:
"We have five teams with head coaching openings, maybe one or two more vacancies. I go back to Albert Breer who joined us this is a few weeks back and he said we could have eight to 10 openings and I was like that many and it might turn out to be close to eight."
— Dan Patrick [02:15]

Patrick emphasizes the fluidity of the situation, noting that team performances and management decisions continuously influence the availability of coaching roles.

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Analysis of Specific Teams

Green Bay Packers

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the Green Bay Packers, particularly focusing on recent injuries and their impact on the team's performance. Patrick highlights the loss of Christian Watson to a potential ACL tear, emphasizing its severity and the anticipated underestimation of this loss by the broader sports community.

Notable Quote:
"The Packers have a good defense. They can run. You got Jordan Love. Now you lose Watson. That's a big loss. Big loss. And it's probably being underplayed here."
— Dan Patrick [03:05]

Philadelphia Eagles

The episode also touches upon the Eagles' situation, especially concerning quarterback Jalen Hurts' entry into concussion protocol. Patrick critiques the lack of transparency from Eagles' coach Nick Sirianni regarding Hurts' availability, suggesting that it complicates team strategy and fan expectations.

Notable Quote:
"And you can't say, well, you can get hurt in every game. You can't get hurt in a game you don't play in. I want to make sure my quarterbacks in concussion protocol."
— Dan Patrick [04:54]

New England Patriots

A critical analysis is directed towards the New England Patriots, particularly focusing on the recent firing of head coach Gerard Mayo. Patrick scrutinizes the managing style of owner Robert Kraft, questioning the decision-making process and its ramifications on the team's stability and future prospects.

Notable Quote:
"You can't do that to Belichick. Where you go, we're going to put this in the language in your contract. You're the coach in waiting."
— Dan Patrick [12:45]

Patrick speculates on potential replacements, mentioning names like Brian Flores, Mike Vrabel, and Ben Johnson, while expressing skepticism about the Patriots' strategic approach to rebuilding their coaching staff.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are discussed in the context of their quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, whom Patrick describes as "underwhelming." He critiques the team's management for signing Lawrence to a substantial contract despite his performance, labeling the situation as one that lacks substantial media attention.

Notable Quote:
"You have to be really specific. What are you, what are you going to give that somebody else doesn't give?"
— Dan Patrick [39:12]

Chicago Bears

The Bears emerge as the most favored coaching vacancy based on a poll conducted during the show. Patrick advocates for the Bears' situation, citing their relatively strong quarterback situation and the potential for continuity if a new coach is brought in seamlessly.

Notable Quote:
"The Bears have the best situation. I think just because you have the best Quarterback, probably out of that group."
— Dan Patrick [37:35]

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Devin McCourty’s Insights

As a seasoned analyst and former NFL player, Devin McCourty provides invaluable perspectives throughout the episode. He shares personal anecdotes about his playing days, including a memorable loss during his freshman year against Louisville, which he describes as a humbling experience.

Notable Quote:
"My freshman year we lost to Louisville 55 to like 5. We had a safety that was sprinkled in there. It was, it was something like that."
— Devin McCourty [23:09]

McCourty also delves into the concept of home-field advantage, comparing stadium atmospheres like Detroit's loud dome to quieter venues. He emphasizes how different environments can influence game outcomes and player performances.

Notable Quote:
"The dome gets loud and it gets rocking, and those people are intense. I just talked to Mike Florio on Pro Football Talk on the podcast. They went and did their podcast Monday morning. Him and Chris Simms, they still could smell the beer. Like those people had a great time in there. So it's a tough place to play."
— Devin McCourty [24:27]

Furthermore, McCourty reflects on the abrupt firing of Gerard Mayo by the Patriots, expressing sympathy but acknowledging the harsh realities of NFL coaching careers.

Notable Quote:
"When you get in and you're a head coach, they're looking for a certain thing. They're looking for wins, they're looking for the alignment and what the vision looks like."
— Devin McCourty [26:52]

He also touches upon the potential of Mike McCarthy as a coach, recognizing his achievements while questioning his public image and fit within other team structures.

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Concluding Thoughts

Dan Patrick wraps up the episode by reiterating the complexities of NFL coaching changes, the influence of team management, and the importance of strategic decisions in shaping a team's future. He underscores the need for continuity and thoughtful hiring practices to ensure long-term success.

Notable Quote:
"If you have the same GM who's been there for a couple of head coaches. Trent Balki still there. Patriot situation. I want to know, are you going to spend money?"
— Dan Patrick [37:20]

Patrick also highlights the media landscape's role in spotlighting certain teams over others, lamenting that some franchises like the Jaguars and Saints don't receive the same attention as the Bears or Patriots, despite having significant stories worth discussing.

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Key Takeaways

• Coaching Vacancies: The NFL is experiencing a notable number of head coaching vacancies, with teams like the Bears, Patriots, Jaguars, Jets, and Saints at the forefront.

• Team Dynamics: Injuries, management decisions, and quarterback performances significantly impact team stability and public perception.

• Media Influence: Media coverage tends to favor certain teams, often overshadowing others that have compelling narratives.

• Devin McCourty’s Perspective: As a former player and current analyst, McCourty provides a nuanced understanding of team strategies, player experiences, and the intricacies of coaching roles.

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Final Thoughts

This episode offers a comprehensive exploration of the current NFL coaching landscape, blending statistical analysis with personal insights from Devin McCourty. Dan Patrick and his co-hosts provide listeners with a well-rounded view of the challenges and opportunities facing teams and coaches alike, making it a must-listen for avid football fans seeking in-depth coverage beyond the surface-level headlines.

Transcript

[Dan Patrick]

Wasn't that delicious? So good. Your bill, ladies. I got it. No, I got it. Seriously, I insist. I insisted first. Don't be silly. You don't be silly. People with The Wells Fargo ActiveCash credit card prefer to pay because they earn unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. Okay. Rock, paper, scissors for it.

[Devin McCourty]

Rock, paper, scissors.

[Dan Patrick]

Shoot. No. The Wells Fargo ActiveCash credit card. Visit Wells Fargo.com ActiveCash terms apply. If you love your phone but not your carrier, just switch to T Mobile.

[Paul Pabst]

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[Dan Patrick]

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[Paul Pabst]

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[Dan Patrick]

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[Paul Pabst]

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[Dan Patrick]

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[Paul Pabst]

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[Dan Patrick]

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[Devin McCourty]

Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Dan Patrick]

You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio. It's hour one on this Tuesday. Dan and the Danites Dan Patrick Show. Two days until Penn State and Notre Dame. We'll check in with former New England patriot Devin McCourty. He'll join us coming up a little bit. He's an analyst for Football Night in America. We have five teams with head coaching openings, maybe one or two more vacancies. I go back to Albert Breer who joined us this is a few weeks back and he said we could have eight to 10 openings and I was like that many and it might turn out to be close to eight. All said and done. 8, 7, 7, 3 DP show email address dpdanpatrick.com Twitter handle @dpshow Play of the Day Stat of the Day poll question all of that forthcoming. Good morning. You're watching on Peacock, our streaming partner. Thank you for downloading the app. We say good morning to our radio affiliates around the country. First hour brought to you by TireRack.com TireRack.com is the way Tire buying should be. The easy to use tire decision guide. You see the full lineup of Continental tires, special offers, free road hazard protection, mobile tire installation. Tire rack.com the way tire buying should be and stat of the day is always brought to you by Panini America. The official trading cards of the Dan Patrick show. The packers lost Christian Watson for the playoffs. Now I'm watching this game and I'm watching this in real time. And you can tell when somebody gets hurt and they know they're hurt. And it's not just, hey, I got banged up. It's, this is serious. And you saw his reaction. And then I knew. I said, he probably tore his acl. And that's what it turned out to be. This is one of those, wow. To me, people aren't talking about the Packers. The packers have a good defense. They can run. You got Jordan Love. Now you lose Watson. That's a big loss. Big loss. And it's probably being underplayed here. But I think everybody's been focused, certainly on the Lions. And I'm looking at point spreads, so DraftKings sent me some point spreads. These are hypothetical matchups. The Vikings would get three and a half against the Lions. In a rematch, the Rams would get six and a half against the Lions. The packers would get three and a half against the Lions. The Ravens would get one against the Bills. The Vikings would get four against the Eagles. Chargers four and a half against the Chiefs. Texans get seven against the Chiefs. And the Buccaneers would get six and a half if they face the Eagles. The Eagles situation is also something interesting. This is being undersold as well. And that's Jalen Hurts. He's been in concussion protocol. And that's why I was all for Saquon Barkley not playing in that last game. Would I like to see him break the record? Sure. But you have to have a bigger goal than an individual goal. And you can't say, well, you can get hurt in every game. You can't get hurt in a game you don't play in. I want to make sure my quarterbacks in concussion protocol. Is he going to be available to play? I don't know that, but here's Nick Sirianni being very evasive about the health of his quarterback.

[Paul Pabst]

As you put the game plan together, is it with the intention of Jalen as the starting quarterback this weekend?

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Paul Pabst]

I have no new information for you guys. Like, like I said yesterday, progressing through the protocol, are you able to say if he's in the building today? I got no new info for you guys here today. I'm sorry.

[Dan Patrick]

Wait, you can't confirm he's in the building? Yikes. Where's Shefty when you need him? Somebody outside spying on a grassy knoll to see if that hurts? Is that. Is that him? Yes, he.

[Paul Pabst]

What is the huge benefit to holding.

[Dan Patrick]

Back that bombshell information unless he's not in the building and that he's at a hospital or wherever you go for concussion protocol. I think what Nick has done is he's made it worse. I can't even tell you if he's in the building or not. Now, all of a sudden, I'm really curious. But this is Nick Sirianni, who doesn't handle the media very well. And in this situation, you know, if he's there, there's nothing wrong with saying that he's not here today, we expect him tomorrow. Like, you can move around these things. Sometimes these coaches try not to tell you something while in the process really telling you something. All right, poll question to start out first hour is going to be what Seaton most attractive opening right now. Wow.

[Paul Pabst]

Bears, Jaguars, Jets, Patriots, Saints.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. All right. By the way, I had a source say, hey, keep an eye out on the Colts Monday. They may be blowing this thing up. Well, they didn't. They brought back their coach and gm, but they fired their defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley. I don't know if that's really detonating anything here, but somebody had to pay the price. So Gus Bradley was fired with the Colts. But the Jalen Hurts situation that Bears watching here practice coming up tomorrow will certainly get a better indication if Kenny Pickett is going to be the answer. You don't like the question? If you're a Philadelphia Eagle fan, North Dakota State, they won the FCS title. The Bison, they win again. I think that's 10 national championships. And we were thinking, if you win the national championship in fcs, can we schedule something where you get to play the team that wins the national championship? Let's say Ohio State wins and week zero, you get North Dakota State against Ohio State. Now, it's not going to be on a neutral site because Ohio State wouldn't do that, but you get North Dakota State. Big moment. Now, granted, the team that won the national championship won't be the team that takes the field next year. That could be a problem. But that'd be nice because I'm all for relegation. I think that would be awesome if we eventually get to my playoff picture. My landscape for college football, which may be the top 50 schools, maybe 60, split them up in divisions and you have an NFL style model. But could you have that last day, that last game, those last games where they mean something, where you better win or you're going to fcs, or if you win, you're going up to fbs, you get to play, and the money is going to be a lot more. I think it would be fun to watch that. I don't know how practical it Is. But I think if you had that just like with the Premier League, like, sometimes you'll have those last days where you're like, oh, score differential, goal differential. Oh, my goodness, we're in trouble now. You're going to be relegated. No, not the r word. You're relegated. 8 7, 7, 3. DP show email address [e-mail] Twitter handle @dp show operator Tyler sitting by.

[Paul Pabst]

Yes, Paul, Based off that, North Dakota State would be promoted to maybe the Big 12. And unfortunately, this year, Kent State would drop down to fcs. Kent State won no game.

[Dan Patrick]

I think Kent State probably should be relegated, even though there's no relegation.

[Paul Pabst]

Right.

[Dan Patrick]

They lost every game by, I think, over 30 points. Like, they weren't even close. They like, winning was. Was a rumor for them. Maybe not even a rumor for that. All right, let's see a couple other things here. Some facts that you might be interested in. Bo Nicks is 24 years, 322 days, and that will be on Sunday. That's how old he will be. The second oldest rookie quarterback to start an NFL playing playoff game. I could give you a hundred. I give you a thousand guesses. You weren't going to guess the oldest rookie to start a playoff game in NFL history. It did happen in 2022. If that's a hint for you, I'll give you his college, which would probably give it away. I believe he played at Kansas State. Any takers here? Not Michael Bishop. That was Marvin. You were going there, weren't you? I sure was. Skyler Thompson. Paul. Too late.

[Paul Pabst]

Yeah, just late.

[Dan Patrick]

Stat of the day. Stat of the day. Stat of the day. Stat of the day.

[Devin McCourty]

Here comes that.

[Dan Patrick]

What? Out of the day. All right, so the best opening west, Devin McCourty. About that, with the openings that we had, you had Robert Kraft. I can't say this was a press conference. It was just. He addressed the media yesterday and he kind of fell on the sword where he fired draw mail after one year. This whole situation is on me. I feel terrible for Gerard because I put him in an untenable situation. It was very hard because the personal relationship I feel for Gerard and the human being he is. And I felt guilty I put him in that position. Okay, yes, you did. You know, everybody's a genius when you got Belichick and Brady. And then when you only have one, not everybody's a genius, including the genius. And then when you don't have either, then it falls back to who's running this team. And the crafts have been Running this team, not Bill Belichick. The last five years and maybe longer. Okay, you have Gerard Mayo, who is a coach in waiting. Now, Belichick didn't know, apparently, that they had already put this in his contract that he was going to be the coach in waiting. That's the first problem. You have to let Bill know because. And Bill may say, hey, then I don't want to be around. And you may have to. You may have to eat that one. But you can't do that to Belichick. Where you go, we're going to put this in the language in your contract. You're the coach in waiting. And then tell me that after five years of being the coach and waiting, he's not ready to be the coach after waiting five years. See, that's embarrassing. Now, I think what this came down to was not necessarily the performance on the field as much as maybe handling yourself as a head coach. And I think Drod Mayo failed with those responsibilities because I think he wanted to be the antithesis of Bill Belichick. When he went to a press conference, he was actually going to say something. Maybe he was a little more confrontational with his players, not that far removed from being a player himself. And I don't think he handled himself the way maybe the crafts wanted him to handle himself as a head coach. I don't know what they expected because you didn't spend any money. You have a quarterback, you kind of have a running back. You were supposed to have a really good defense. The last part of last season, you were one of the better defenses in the NFL. Now you're going to bring in who, Brian Flores, you're going to bring in Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson, But I don't know if you make that move unless, you know, like, what if they whiff on Vrabel, Ben Johnson, let's say Brian Flores, the defensive coordinator with the Vikings. Now what are you going to bring in? Another inexperienced head, you know, head coaching candidate? Like, you can't whiff. Like, they have to get their person. They have to get Mike Brable. It feels like Ben Johnson, we don't know. As I've said many, many times, not every coordinator should be a head coach. Ben Johnson has done a wonderful job in Detroit. I don't know. Once again, you can be great at your job, but there are other jobs that go with that. How do you handle press conferences? It's really important. Is Pete Carroll going to get a shot? It feels like there's some momentum that maybe he gets a shot. I Don't know why now. He's been available the last couple of years. It's one of those that. It's like, you know, you find out that some girl's available and you didn't know she was available and you're like, well, what happened? I didn't know that Pam Anderson's available. Maybe Pete Carroll is the Pam Anderson of the NFL.

[Paul Pabst]

Nice.

[Dan Patrick]

She's, you know, he's available. Okay? And the Patriots got cap room. They have, I think, over $100 million. Why weren't they spending that before if you're not going to spend it now? That'd be my first question. If I'm going to be Mike Brable and I walk in and go, why do we have a hundred million dollars that we didn't spend? Can we. Can we buy a receiver? Can we. Can we buy offensive line? Can we buy a running. Could we have gotten Saquon Barkley? Like, I don't know. You just ask questions where. Why are you stockpiling all this money? Are we going to spend this money now? I'm interested in the job. If not, why would you take that job? Yes, you got Drake May, but you need more than Drake May. You're going to win four, five, six games. Okay? That's not the Patriot. The Patriot way is done. Okay? The Patriot way was Belichick and Brady. Let's be honest here. It's not the Craftsman, it's Belichick and Brady. Because once the emperor has no clothes, it's pretty freaking cold. And that's what you have going on there. How did it get here? And it happened right before our very eyes. Yes, Pauling.

[Paul Pabst]

That being said, even though it was an awkward day for the Patriots, could it have been the right decision because you have cap space and a quarterback that people like on a rookie deal, it's one of the more attractive jobs financially, not so much talent wise, but financially, you have an open slate. Like if you're a new gm, which I'll actually have a GM or a coach, it seems like a blank slate.

[Dan Patrick]

But I have to know if they're spending money. How involved are the crafts? That's what I want to know. They got more involved and I think to the detriment of the team. You didn't spend any money. How do you bring in a rookie coach and a rookie quarterback and don't surround them. This goes back to what happened with Andrew Luck. Every team should be reminded of that. If you're going to bring in a rookie quarterback, get an offensive line, give him Give him a couple of skill position players. If not, then don't use the pick on a quarterback if you're not going to protect him. You know, like Bryce Young. Hey, Bryce, go out there and be a savior. That's not the kind of quarterback he is. Hey, Bryce, sorry, you got to run for your life. Hey, Bryce, you suck. Come on over. Andy Dalton's going, it's. You didn't help him protect him. And New England didn't do that with Drake Mayo. And as a result, you get rid of Gerard Mayo. And maybe Mayo wasn't the right guy to begin with. Maybe they made a mistake to put him the coach in waiting. But now you got to get Mike Rabel because Rabel gives you a culture. And I know that's one of those weird words, but Dan Campbell created a culture in Detroit like certain coaches create a culture. Rex Ryan, you know, for the. The good and the bad of all of that, he had a culture with the Jet. He's still trying to bank on that culture, saying, I'm the best guy for the job. We're not going to let it be a country club atmosphere for Aaron Rodgers. Like, okay, yeah, Paul.

[Paul Pabst]

All right. Any chance of Rabel is the wrong choice because he reminds everyone of Belichick. He'll probably walk in and say, I'm going to do this like it was done five years ago. Free agents didn't want to go play there, especially towards the end. I don't know if Mike Ray will be attractive to free agents with all that cap room.

[Dan Patrick]

Players didn't want to play for Belichick. They wanted to play for Belichick and Brady because that meant you were going to get a chance to play in a Super bowl, plain and simple, like the last four years. Did you hear players go, you know what? Before I retire, I want to play for the greatest coach of all time. No, they said even defensive players, hey, I'll put up with this, but I want to go and play with Brady. I got a chance. Chris Long, one year to play for, you know, playing a Super bowl and he won one. They weren't going to play for the greatest coach in history. They wanted to play for the greatest coach with the greatest quarterback, the patriot way. Devin McCourty was part of that Patriot way. He'll join us coming up. Phone calls always welcome. Got our poll question here. The best head coaching vacancy right now. Why are the Bears asking permission to talk to Mike McCarthy? We'll talk about that coming up. Back after this Dan Patrick show. Fox Sports Radio has the Best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our [e-mail] and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live. Hey, Steve Covino.

[Paul Pabst]

And I'm Rich Davis, and together we're.

[Dan Patrick]

Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific.

[Paul Pabst]

On Fox Sports Radio.

[Dan Patrick]

And of course, the iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich?

[Paul Pabst]

We talk about everything.

[Dan Patrick]

Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich. Wasn't that delicious? So good. Your bill, ladies. I got it. No, I got it. Seriously, I insist.

[Paul Pabst]

I insisted first.

[Dan Patrick]

Don't be silly. You don't be silly. People with The Wells Fargo ActiveCash credit card prefer to pay because they earn unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. Okay. Rock, paper, scissors for it.

[Devin McCourty]

Rock, paper, scissors.

[Dan Patrick]

Shoot. No. The Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card. Visit Wells Fargo.com ActiveCash Terms apply.

[Paul Pabst]

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[Dan Patrick]

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[Devin McCourty]

My freshman year we lost to Louisville 55 to like 5. We had a safety that was sprinkled in there. It was, it was something like that.

[Dan Patrick]

What's that feel like?

[Devin McCourty]

You hear the song that they play on kickoff a lot throughout the game, and I still remember it was a, a Young Jeezy song. And they would always play Boom Boom Clap. And we heard that a lot that night. So you get used to hearing that song when you get blown out.

[Dan Patrick]

What was the atmosphere like in Detroit?

[Devin McCourty]

Oh, it was awesome. You know, I think even in pregame warmups of each kind of wave of guys that come out, you know, first the returners come out, the crowd goes nuts, then the skill positions, then ultimately Jared Goff came out and they went nuts. And what I love, though is every time somebody from the Vikings came out, it was just nonstop booze. And I think, like you could feel it before the game started of the impact the crowd was going to have in the game.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, that's what I was curious about, that they have home field advantage throughout in the nfc, but how much of an advantage is it to Detroit? Is there any other place that compares, like Kansas City? That home field advantage?

[Devin McCourty]

Yeah, Kansas City. I think Buffalo. Those teams that for one, your fan base is intense. They're loud, but I think they get an advantage too of playing in the cold, depending on who comes there. Like we saw last year when Miami had to go to Kansas City and playing that historically cold game. But you don't have a shot. And I think Detroit's advantage is being in that dome. That dome gets loud and it gets rocking, and those people are intense. I just talked to Mike Florio on Pro Football Talk on the podcast. They went and did their podcast Monday morning. Him and Chris Simms, they still could smell the beer. Like those people had a great time in there. So it's a tough place to play.

[Dan Patrick]

What's it like to play in a quiet stadium?

[Devin McCourty]

You hear all the checks, you know, you think about, you know, defenses and, you know, honestly, it's fun for defense when you're out there and you can hear what the offense checks and you can hear yourselves usually, like if you're at home and those kind of big time matchups in the crowds going crazy, making it hard for the offense. You have to remember as a defense, you got to get used to making your calls and stuff with that noise. But when you're out there and it's silent, the energy's tough sometimes, but you, you get the advantage of really hearing everything the offense is trying to check and get to.

[Dan Patrick]

I guess there's usually one surprise firing every. Every cycle. I thought Gerard Mayo was a surprise. I don't know how you felt, but one and done in New England. Your reaction?

[Devin McCourty]

Yeah, I got the opportunity to go up to the press conference and I remember being in that moment of how special it was. A guy I got the opportunity to play with, a guy that I think for that franchise as the number 10 pick, came in and did so many things and ultimately was a great leader for the organization. So when he, when he was named head coach, I was so excited. I thought he would get an opportunity to really grow into that role. Not much experience in coaching overall, but I thought he would get the opportunity to grow and he didn't. And for me, it was a reminder of this league of I don't care how awesome the story is, the personal relationships and all that. When you get in and you're a head coach, they're looking for a certain thing. They're looking for wins, they're looking for the alignment and what the vision looks like. And ultimately the crafts felt like it wasn't there and they moved on from Gerard. But you know, I think down the end it didn't. It wasn't surprising. But if I think back to the beginning, no way I thought that it would even be a thought of him being one and done as a head coach.

[Dan Patrick]

But how can he be the coach in waiting for five years but not be ready for this moment? According to Robert Kraft?

[Devin McCourty]

Yeah, I mean, you look at that press conference yesterday, he said, I think he has all the skills to be a great head coach someday. And that to me was why you named him head coaches. You thought somebody else would get to take advantage of that. And they only give him one year, I think is really tough, you know, and I think back to Jimmie Johnson. Spoke to our team my rookie year and he said, the NFL is not about fair. You're going to get opportunity and that's all you can ask for. And you know, honestly, it wasn't fair for Jerod Mayo to think he would have everything buttoned up in year one, but that, that's the reality of the NFL.

[Dan Patrick]

Devin McCourty Football Night in America Analyst and wild Card Weekend NBC and Peacock will bring you the commanders at the Buccaneers better season turned in by Jaden Daniels or Baker Mayfield.

[Devin McCourty]

Oh, I think you got to go Jaden Daniels, just because a little bit of what Baker's doing was expected. You know, I think Baker in Tampa has been a beautiful fit and he showed that he can be, you know, one of the top quarterbacks in the league, Jaden Daniels took over a Washington team. Now, we thought even with him they would struggle this year. And you look up and they're in the playoffs like they're going to be in the playoffs playing an opportunity advance that just wasn't expecting. And the truth is it's all because of Jaden Daniels is their best player.

[Dan Patrick]

The Eagles situation is interesting and I think it's being undersold and that is Jalen hurts in concussion protocol here. Have you ever been in concussion protocol?

[Devin McCourty]

Actually, my first time being a concussion protocol, I don't want to say is the same, but it was similar and to what Jalen Hurst is going through of and the process was a little different. But I had passed certain tests so I was able to practice, but I didn't pass a test yet to be able to have contact. So I had got a concussion, missed the last week of the season. Then we had to play off bye week. So I didn't practice the last week of the season. But the playoff bye week. I was cleared to be able to practice, but still was non contact. And then ultimately to get out of protocol, I had to do get an MRI of my brain to be fully out of the concussion protocol. So it was a whole process and more of a process than normal when we think about concussion protocol. So I felt a little bit of what he's going through now.

[Dan Patrick]

If you were Mike McCarthy and you had an opportunity to leave the Cowboys, let's say the Bears job is legitimate, you know, he's going to be a free agent. And I don't know if there's any rush for Jerry to, you know, sign him. They could have done this. He's been a lame duck coach, but it's hard to pass on being the Cowboys head coach. But sometimes you want to get out from underneath Jerry Jones and that that.

[Devin McCourty]

Star, that that Cowboys head coaching job is hard to turn down until you've been in it for five years. And I think Mike McCarthy knows exactly what it feels like and what it is to be in that job. So I think it'll be telling if he does want to go on these interviews that he is seeking to see what it feels like and what it could look like somewhere else. And the Bears, they had to see it firsthand when he was coaching the Green Bay Packers. So there might be a little bit of an infatuation of Mike McCarthy and what he was able to do. And he might want some breathing room from being on that kind of soap opera opera box that The Cowboys give you every year you're in that position.

[Dan Patrick]

We're going to have a road team, at least one road team win this weekend with these. These games. Give me the surprise this weekend.

[Devin McCourty]

The surprise, I would say, and I know it's a little harder because of Jordan Love's injury and Christian Watson being done, but I just think the Green Bay packers, they're one of those teams that are a little inconsistent. You don't always know what you're going to get, but if they can get hot and they can get going, they have a. Jeff Haveleet, a defensive coordinator, has different kind of looks and disguises that they can give you. They're going to play an Eagles team that comes off a week where they're resting. So they might be a little bit of a slow start getting back into the field of things that. I think Green Bay could surprise Philadelphia. I think Philadelphia is a better team and should win, but I wouldn't be surprised if Green Bay could get it going in Philadelphia.

[Dan Patrick]

Pittsburgh has problems with Baltimore. Why?

[Devin McCourty]

I just. Ultimately, I think Baltimore is a better football team. I think. I think we fell in love with what Russ was able to do, took over Pittsburgh, they went on a little winning streak. But think what we saw, what Baltimore is able to do over these last few weeks. That. That's the. Their team. And I think they're playing their best ball right now. And I think Pittsburgh, they're just not the. The inabilities of the offense to get the ball down the field consistently, to be able to pick up short gains and drive and have 10 to 12 play drives like that's not what they do well. So when you're relying on the deep ball nonstop, and if Pickens doesn't come out and have a big game, then that. That just leaves you so handicapped that I think Baltimore has power, that you can't really play that way. But I will say these two teams, they battle, and each time they play, it seems like the game goes a different way. So it's a scary game a little bit for Baltimore, playing a divisional opponent in the playoffs.

[Dan Patrick]

What if Bill Belichick called you and said, would you join me on my staff at North Carolina?

[Devin McCourty]

I would ultimately think about it, and then I would second. I would think about my wife killing me. So I would have to. I would have to say, bill, I love you, respect you so much, but coaching is just not going to be in my future.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. What advice would you give if Bill Belichick said, come down and talk to my players? I'm not going to be in the room. What would you say?

[Devin McCourty]

I would tell them prepare for something that won't be easy, but prepare for a chance to be one thing, a champion in college, but ultimately an opportunity to be the best football player you could be. And for some of them, that's going to be in the NFL, you're going to learn things about the game of football that are going to travel with you far after your career. I mean, I'm doing TV primarily because I sat in team meeting rooms for 13 years and heard the most brilliant mind and Bill Belichick talk about the game of football. I know about situations that I've never known offense, special teams, defense, because of all the things he hit about, you know, over my 13 years in football. And for those young guys, like that won't leave you. There's life lessons in there. There's everything. So I think ultimately you want to be a winner and be the best version of yourself. Get an opportunity to play for Bill Belichick. That's going to give you that.

[Dan Patrick]

Did you ever want to punch him?

[Devin McCourty]

I mean, how many times have you been a question? I remember we went my rookie year, we went nine straight days of full pads in practice, in training camp. Can't do that anymore. But that like that's what we did my rookie year in training camp. Like we were ready to go by season started.

[Dan Patrick]

Good to talk to you again. Have fun in the postseason. Thank you, Devin.

[Devin McCourty]

Always fun talking to you, Dan.

[Dan Patrick]

Devin McCourty, football night in America analyst and wild card weekend commanders and the Buccaneers NBC and Peacock coverage will begin on Sunday night at 7:30 Eastern. Football Football Night in America kicks off at 8. We'll take a break. Phone calls coming up. Play of the day after this. Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Wasn't that delicious? So good. Your bill, ladies. I got it. No, I got it. Seriously, I insist.

[Paul Pabst]

I insisted first.

[Dan Patrick]

Don't be silly. You don't be silly. People with the Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card prefer to pay because they earn unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. Okay. Rock, paper, scissors for it.

[Devin McCourty]

Rock, paper, scissors.

[Dan Patrick]

Shoot. No. The Wells Fargo ActiveCash credit card. Visit Wells Fargo.comActiveCash terms apply. How's your car looking? Showing its age. Faded paint, dents, dings. Don't worry, Mako is here to help. They're the experts in affordable paint jobs and light collision repairs, helping you keep your car looking its best without breaking the bag. Most cars on the road could use a little bit of love. And keep in mind, with Americans keeping their vehicles longer, protecting your investment has never been more important. At Mako, they make it really easy. You come in free estimate and the expert technicians will handle the rest. With Mako's national reach and community focus, you're not just getting top notch service. You're actually getting a partner you can trust. Don't let those little imperfections add up. You want to keep your car on the road. You want to give it a little bit of love and you can do so with the great folks at Mako. Visit your local Mako today and see how they can refresh your ride. Go in, get the free estimate and the expert technicians will take care of everything after that. Uh oh, better get Mako.

[Paul Pabst]

Oh my God.

[Dan Patrick]

The play of the day. This is the play of the day. Check this out. Jump house. Look side Kobe. Kobe in the pump. Kobe in the drive. Kobe to the rack and a right handed power dunk. Kobe White with a slam. Oh my goodness. Kobe White with authority. And he put it down. That's courtesy of the Chicago Sports Network. The Chicago Bulls have won four times in their last five games. Talk about a nondescript franchise. Marvin said that the Chicago Bulls might be the New Orleans Saints of the NBA. Okay, I could see that. Yeah, they're not. They're just generic. Yeah, they're not good, but they're not awful, awful. Play of the Day brought to you by Rapid Radio's the official walkie talkie. The Dan Patrick show offering national LTE coverage. No subscriptions ever. A great alternative for kids or parents. We use them on the show all the time. Go to rapidradios.com and get 60% off and free shipping. Early poll results. Seaton, what do you have for me?

[Paul Pabst]

Early poll results on the most desirable job right now. All right, your options are Bears, Jaguars, Jets, Patriots, Saints. Right now The Bears have 46% of that vote, followed by the Patriots at 21. Jaguars, Saints and the jets are in last.

[Dan Patrick]

I don't want to take the Jags job. If you have the same GM who's been there for a couple of head coaches. Trent Balki still there. Patriot situation. I want to know, are you going to spend money? How involved are the crafts with the decisions? Saints probably would be at the bottom of my list. The I think the jets have the potential, but they've had the potential for decades. The Bears is the best situation. I think just because you have the best Quarterback, probably out of that group. Although you can make an argument Drake May was better than Caleb Williams this year. I just think get some familiarity, continuity. And you can't have a rookie quarterback or even a second year quarterback. And you have a coach who may get fired or gets fired. Now you bring in another coach, another philosophy, another offensive coordinator. It's too much to ask. It's too difficult for these quarterbacks to go in. Learn a system now. Learn another system. And that happened with Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield has played great. He's a top 10 quarterback. May not want to admit it, but getting continuity, having a couple of really good receivers and you're putting up 40 touchdowns here. But the Bears situation, I think that's a really good situation. I just don't know. It feels like they got enough too many front office people for my liking there. But you look at some of these vacancies. The Jags ownership, how involved? The jets front office ownership is a disaster. Patriots, what just happened? The Saints, they're just kind of, I don't know, neutral, bland. If you could put a color on these teams, the Saints would be Opal, not Oprah. Opal. Patriots would be beige. Jaguars, give me a color for the Jags.

[Paul Pabst]

Fuchsia, like futility.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. The Bears color. Bears color. I'm gonna give them orange. Orange like a traffic cone. Orange like they can protect you, but there could also be danger lurking there. Yes. Paul.

[Paul Pabst]

Yeah, the Jaguars, they had the job opening no one ever talks about. Is it possible that Trevor Lawrence never works out? We're four years in. He's 22 and 38 as a starter, 69 touchdowns, 46 picks. And despite him being injured this past year, he wasn't good when he was healthy. And he just signed a five year, $275 million deal. He is your quarterback at minimum for the next two years. No one discusses him as a. I don't want to use the word bust, but a underwhelming.

[Dan Patrick]

But they don't talk about the Jack. Once again, understanding the news cycle, how the sausage is made. You get no clicks if you're talking about the Jags. I mean, let face it, you can go around nobody going to talk about the Saints. Bears, you'll get clicks. Jets, you'll get clicks. Patriots, you get clicks. Jag. Saints you will. Not the Cowboys you will. Obviously if Mike McCarthy stays or Mike McCarthy goes. That's how it works. It's like your radio station that plays top 40 hits. That's what TV and radio has become. You just play the hits. Because that's what you're told. You have programming people who tell you what to talk about. And I understand it. Play the hits. It just. I got into this to cover sports, not just the top end sports. And I did this at the mothership. How many times did we talk about Duke, North Carolina basketball, Yankees in the Red Sox, Terrell Owens, Mike Tyson? Now, granted, those are people you did want to hear about or from, but you just don't want to lose some of the other. Like the Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder are playing wonderful basketball. Nobody's going to talk about them, and that's unfortunate, but this is sort of the sports society that we have cultivated here. You're just going to play the hits. People would rather hear about how bad the Lakers are, why aren't the Lakers good, or what kind of trade they can make than they would. Cavalier is a great story in Oklahoma City. A great story. And it might just end at that. Hey, Oklahoma City, great story. That's it. Yes.

[Paul Pabst]

The interesting part of what you're saying too is that for traditional media, playing the hits is very important. But with like podcasts and social media and everything, you can narrow down and zero in on one very specific thing that you're interested in. And there's probably a dozen podcasts covering just that one thing.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Paul Pabst]

So people, it's weird, like, are probably more educated than ever on certain things, like whether it's X's and O's or whatever, because you can nerd out hardcore on any minutiae of sport if you want.

[Dan Patrick]

But even at my broadcasting school, when students say, hey, I want to start a podcast, and I always say, okay, what are you going to talk about? And they say sports, I go, nope, never make it. You got to be really specific. What are you, what are you going to give that somebody else doesn't give? And I had one of my students say, I'm just going to talk about the Cowboys. Well, he's had a successful podcast because he's talking about the Cowboys. You talk about the Lakers. I mean, this is how it works. May not be fair. Nobody said it was going to be fair. If you're Mike McCarthy, what are you waiting for? I mean, Jerry Jones is really embarrassing him. Like, Mike has won a Super Bowl. He might be a borderline hall of Fame coach. Maybe he is a Hall of Fame coach, but what are you doing? And if you're Mike McCarthy, I think by Thursday he's total free agent. And. And we're going to check in with the Cowboys coming up next Hour. Because now we brought the Bears into the equation. The Bears are going to interview Mike McCarthy. Okay? And if you're a Bears fan, don't be high and mighty and go, oh, we can't have him come in. If he was. When he was in Green Bay and I said you could have him as your head coach, you would have taken him in a second. He's a good coach. He is. His resume is similar to Sean Payton's. Let that sink in, because Sean Payton's a genius with a lot of people. Mike McCarthy doesn't get that well. He had Aaron Rodgers. Well, they only won one Super Bowl. Well, I don't know. Sean had Drew Brees. They won one Super Bowl. Mike McCarthy's a good coach. I think being in that organization, you're. You're going to get blamed. You're never going to get credit. But Jerry has let you be a lame duck coach. And if I'm Mike McCarthy, I don't know if the Bears situation is real. I don't know if that's somebody from Mike McCarthy saying, hey, can you do me a solid so I can. He wants to go back to the Cowboys. What's Jerry waiting for? Now? Jerry does love being in the news cycle. He truly. You get addicted to this. They want that publicity. They want that attend. You see player, Ocho Cinco, Taro Owens, when they're done, they're like, wait a minute. Hey, notice me. Well, Jerry Jones loves the attention. I think that's why he dragged. He was dragging out Dak Prescott's contract CD Lamb. Now we'll drag out Micah Parsons. Why? You're in the news cycle constantly talking about your product, and I think that has got in the way of the Cowboys progressing and being a really good team again, because Jerry gets caught up in this. Loves it, probably loves that we're talking about Mike McCarthy. I'll get around. You know, he. He's doing cameos and Landman series, by the way, got good reviews. But I think Jerry likes being a star. It's like the crafts, like being a star. Arthur Blank loves being a star. I want my owner to just let people do their job. Let them be stars. These owners love it. I'm gonna go down there on the sidelines, bring my girlfriend down there on the sidelines. We're going to win a super. No, we're not. Jerry loves being a star. Yeah, Paulie.

[Paul Pabst]

By the way, Mike McCarthy in the past 18 years, has made the playoffs 13 times. In the past 18 years, the Bears have made the playoffs four times.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. Mike McCarthy is a good coach. I think. I think it's the image, the. You know, when you look at Mike McCarthy, like you don't see Matt LaFleur. I mean, I think that people probably. It's sad to say that, but I think you look at Mike McCarthy like he's not all buttoned up, slovenly there on the side. They did this to Andy Reid. It felt like, oh, Andy Reid. Now we've embraced Andy Reid. But sometimes that coach, like Tom Landry looked like a coach. Don Shula looked like a coach. Look at Lombardi out there. Sometimes you look at that coach and maybe he's not in the image of what you think a coach should be. And I think Mike McCarthy has suffered from that. I think we look at Mike McCarthy and you have an opinion. Yes.

[Paul Pabst]

Mike McDaniel gets that treatment.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes.

[Paul Pabst]

He doesn't look like a coach. No. His pants.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes.

[Paul Pabst]

Why's he got his pants pulled up like that? Coaches don't look like that.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes. That's great point. But I do. I think we look sometimes and somebody doesn't look like a basketball coach. Yeah.

[Paul Pabst]

Paul, who's the most coach looking coach of all time?

[Dan Patrick]

Pat Riley.

[Paul Pabst]

Pat Riley. But if you're casting him, that's exactly.

[Dan Patrick]

Who you would cast. But he might have been too slick.

[Paul Pabst]

Too slick too soon.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Paul Pabst]

Don Shula.

[Dan Patrick]

Shula did look like a coach.

[Paul Pabst]

How about Bill Cower?

[Dan Patrick]

Bill Cower? Yeah.

[Paul Pabst]

Jimmy Johnson in there.

[Dan Patrick]

That fella looked like a coach. Tom Landry. What about Bo Schembeckler? We'll check in with the Cowboys. One hour in the books, two more to go. Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate first. Like, you know to check. You have the tickets in your wallet first before you drive two hours to the big game. Seriously, you had one job. Now the closest you'll get to the.

[Paul Pabst]

50 yard line is parking lot D. Yeah, checking first is smart. So check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate Savings. Vary terms apply. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.