The Dan Patrick Show: Hour 1 – Still Celebrating, Mayweather/Pacquiao Is No Joke

Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Dan Patrick & The Danettes
Network: iHeartPodcasts / Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Episode Overview

In this lively first hour, Dan Patrick and the Danettes (Fritzi, Seton, Marvin, and Paulie) navigate topics spanning celebration aftermath for the U.S. men’s hockey team, quarterback movement rumors and the NFL Combine, the league’s potential officiating shake-up, and the surprising announcement of a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao boxing rematch. The tone is casual and humor-filled, with the crew’s trademark banter and insider perspective on the evolving landscape of sports.

Major Segments & Key Points

U.S. Men’s Hockey Gold—Celebration Fallout

[03:10–13:00]

• The hockey party continues in Miami:

  • The U.S. men's hockey team, fresh off their gold medal win, can’t return home due to a blizzard and are "stuck" in Miami, which has allowed their celebrations to roll on.
  • The team has been spotted at clubs, highlights playing on jumbo screens with "God Bless the USA" booming.
    • "Why not, you know, second half of the season starts there on Wednesday. I don't think hangovers affect hockey players much, gotta admit." — Dan Patrick [09:55]
  • Comparison to Tom Brady’s relatively tame Super Bowl party:
    • "Tom couldn't survive an afternoon, let alone a week or a couple of weeks or a month, the way some of these hockey players party…" — Dan Patrick [07:40]
  • Dan and the crew recount wild Stanley Cup celebration stories, noting the rowdy, fun, but culturally ingrained edge of hockey victory parties.

• Poll question brainstorm:
  Seton suggests a poll about “letting a hockey team loose in Miami,” echoing the hilarious hypothetical of what qualifies as a “wild party” for professional hockey players.

• Canadian fallout:

  • Later in the hour, Dan notes that Jay Onrait ("the sports voice of Canada") will join to discuss the national mood after losing both men’s and women’s Olympic hockey gold to the U.S.

NFL Combine, Offseason & QB Carousel

[13:10–30:00]

• Quarterback storylines dominate the combine:

  • The rookie QB class is “thin”; Fernando Mendoza is the presumed #1 overall, with few surefire first-rounders after him.
  • The narrative is shifting away from stigmatizing veteran “reclamation projects” with recent success stories (Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Joe Flacco).
    • "Recent history has probably softened the stigma of the reclamation project because Sam Darnold won a Super Bowl. Baker Mayfield reinvented his career. Joe Flacco turned back the clock." — Dan Patrick [16:30]

• Veteran movement speculation:

  • Dan ponders fits for Kirk Cousins (Atlanta or a return to Minnesota?), Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Quinn Ewers (as a “band-aid” QB), and floats a theory that Aaron Rodgers joining the Vikings could make sense.
    • "I still think Aaron Rodgers in Minnesota makes a lot of sense…" — Dan Patrick [18:52]

• Lamar Jackson trade hypotheticals:

  • Dan addresses rumors—emphasizing it’s just “conversation, not reporting”—about whether Baltimore would entertain trading Lamar Jackson after a new offensive coordinator hire.
  • He asks the central question for the Ravens: "Is he going to be a Baltimore Raven his entire career?" [22:15]

• Malik Willis as top free agent:

  • Paulie notes NFL Network ranked Malik Willis as the #1 free agent.
    • "I think he's, he's one of those, hey, let's see what you can do. Oh, yeah, he didn't perform. Okay. We move on." — Dan Patrick [24:10]

• Purpose and quirks of the combine:

  • The combine is for confirming physical measurements—especially helpful for lesser-known prospects.
  • Dan jokes about NFL's obsession with hand size and wonders why the NBA doesn’t harp on hand size, vertical quickness, etc.
  • Marvin and Paulie highlight differences between NFL and NBA pre-draft evaluations.
  • News: Fernando Mendoza will not throw at the combine but will at Indiana's Pro Day (April 1).

NFL’s Replay Revolution? Discussion of Automated Penalties

[30:40–44:50]

• NFL considering remote flagging for penalties:

  • Troy Vincent (NFL's EVP of Football Operations) floats that replay officials could throw flags for specific, often egregious penalties missed on the field.
  • Dan weighs the philosophical dilemma:
    • "If something happens on the field, when do you feel the need to call that? If it has nothing to do with the play itself, but it is a penalty, a foul. Do you call that? How involved do they get? How many opportunities do they get?" — Dan Patrick [32:40]

• Impact on pace and integrity of the game:

  • The panel debates whether this threatens the “flow” of football, comparing it to the rhythm-disrupting impact of constant whistles in basketball.
  • Key insight: This change is about accuracy, particularly in the context of gambling’s influence.
    • "If I'm gambling, I want you to get this correct. And the NFL's gone all in on gambling. You have to go all in on protecting the betters as well." — Dan Patrick [37:15]

• Player and referee egos:

  • Can refs adapt to remote oversight, and what guardrails (call limits, types of reviewable infractions) must be set?

• Light-hearted solutions:

  • The Danettes propose visual comic relief: make O-linemen wear mittens to curb holding.

NFL Win Totals—Over/Under Reactions

[44:53–56:48]

• Early Vegas numbers intrigue the crew:

  • Multiple teams (Lions, Rams, Eagles, Ravens, Packers, 49ers, Chargers, Chiefs) get set at 10.5 regular season wins, with none higher.
  • Surprises, “disrespect,” and overreactions fly:
    • The Broncos’ 9.5 “insults” Fritzi, while the Lions’ 10.5 seems “aggressive.”
    • The Dolphins, Cardinals, Raiders bring up the rear at 4.5 wins.
    • "Can we get over the Chiefs already? Wow, Todd. Can we get over that? Eight, eight and one." — Dan Patrick [50:35]
  • The Danettes riff on which teams with low win totals would be more fun to root for, favoring Miami for the aesthetic “turquoise tank-top, wristbands look.”

• NFL’s love of parity:

  • Dan highlights how the league loves these close win-total groupings for parity and betting engagement.

NBA Note: Spurs Streaking, Play of the Day

[56:48–58:38]

• Spurs hot streak—Wembanyama (21 pts/17 reb/6 blks) powers ninth straight win with more amazing lob plays.
• Dan riffs: If told years ago a Pistons-Spurs matchup would be a Finals preview, "you'd say, I don't think so…"
  • "Stefan Castle played some really good defense on Cade Cunningham last night. Wembanyama. 21, 17 and six blocks as the spurs have won nine in a row." — Dan Patrick [56:55]

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao II: It’s Real…Unfortunately

[58:38–end (~1:05:00)]

• Reactions to Mayweather vs. Pacquiao rematch announcement:
  • Dan is incredulous:
    • "I thought it was a joke. It's not a joke. I wish it was a joke. We'll have that next." [60:29]
  • Reflects on the underwhelming first fight (2015), speculates on why ex-champions keep returning—money issues the likely culprit.
  • Floyd’s financial struggles cited as a sad reason for his comeback.
  • Crew muses: Would anyone buy this fight unless the undercard is great?
    • "Boxers never retire. Sugar Ray Leonard told me this...The phone stops ringing and that's it." — Dan Patrick [1:01:20]
  • Paulie reads the revenue data from their first meeting ("$410 million in revenue, 72 million in ticket sales at the gate..."* [1:03:29]), while Fritzi wonders how exactly fighters get paid for events that underperform.
  • Joke about the fight’s next opponents: maybe Conor McGregor, or even one of the Paul brothers.
    • "Mike Tyson, he'll fight again. Let Tyson fight the winner of this." — Dan Patrick [1:02:35]
  • "His next fight might be against the IRS." — Paulie [1:04:00]
  • Underlines the novelty of holding the bout at The Sphere in Las Vegas, but little authentic sporting intrigue.

Memorable Quotes

• On the US hockey team in Miami:
  "Tom couldn't survive an afternoon, let alone a week or a couple of weeks or a month, the way some of these hockey players party..." — Dan Patrick [07:40]

• On the NFL going all-in on replay and gambling:
  "If I'm gambling, I want you to get this correct. And the NFL's gone all in on gambling. You have to go all in on protecting the betters as well." — Dan Patrick [37:15]

• On Mayweather vs. Pacquiao II:
  "I thought it was a joke. It's not a joke. I wish it was a joke." — Dan Patrick [60:29]
  "Boxers never retire. Sugar Ray Leonard told me this...The phone stops ringing and that's it." — Dan Patrick [1:01:20]
  "His next fight might be against the IRS." — Paulie [1:04:00]

Notable Timestamps

• 03:10 – 13:00: Hockey celebrations in Miami; party culture and social media coverage
• 13:10 – 30:00: NFL Combine talk; QB carousel and combine quirks; Lamar Jackson hypothetical
• 30:40 – 44:50: NFL's remote replay flag discussion
• 44:53 – 56:48: Over/Under NFL win totals; early odds and panel reactions
• 56:48 – 58:38: Play of the Day (Spurs win/lob highlight)
• 58:38 – End (~1:05:00): Mayweather vs. Pacquiao II analysis, boxing retirements, fighter pay, and economic realities

Episode Tone & Takeaways

True to Dan Patrick Show tradition, the episode is an engaging blend of analysis, speculation, ribbing, and nostalgia. There’s lots for the sports obsessives: from inside-baseball (and football, hockey, and basketball) humor to genuine insight on league trends, player movement, and the evolving business of sport entertainment. The hosts’ skepticism and humor about the Mayweather/Pacquiao spectacle and NFL officiating changes provide a reminder: beneath the numbers, sports are about storylines, personalities, and communities—on and off the field.