The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 1
Episode Theme:
Unpredictable Seasons, Black Monday in the NFL
Date: January 5, 2026
Host: Dan Patrick with the Danettes (Todd, Seaton, Marv, Paulie)
Network: iHeartPodcasts, Fox Sports Radio
Episode Overview
The first hour of this edition of The Dan Patrick Show dives deep into the unpredictable nature of both the NFL and college football seasons, discusses major coaching changes on “Black Monday,” and explores what makes this time of year so compelling (and maddening) for fans. Dan and the Danettes analyze playoff surprises and upsets, react to breaking coaching news, raise questions about the future of the sport, and apply their signature humor to the ever-shifting football landscape.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. NFL Playoff Surprises & the “Impossible to Predict” Theme
- Unprecedented Outcomes: Dan opens with how unpredictable this NFL and college football season has been, listing shocking results (“Carolina is going to win their division with a losing record; the Chiefs, Lions, Bengals, Ravens are all out of the playoffs”).
- On Parity: “You think you got a trend, a pattern. You think you figured a team out and you haven’t—even now.” (01:50)
- Seattle Seahawks Under the Microscope: Dan singles out Sam Darnold’s “prove it” moment and likens Seattle’s unheralded run to Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen’s early-career playoff scrutiny.
- NFC West Dominance: San Francisco and Seattle’s point differentials are highlighted as “unbelievable,” but Dan cautions that anything can happen in single-elimination playoffs.
2. College Football’s Surreal Final Four & The Upside-Down Season
- Committee Controversy, Cinderella Stories:
- “If I said in August Indiana was gonna be the team to beat, Miami is in, Alabama embarrassed, Georgia’s out, Ohio State’s out — that’s what makes it great.” (04:35)
- Dan praises Indiana's “miraculous turnaround” (“This is one of the great stories in college football history.” 07:00)
- Ole Miss Without Kiffin: Appreciates that Lane Kiffin wasn’t present to “take a victory lap”—“Let those kids and the coach have their moment. Not you coming back saying, ‘Hey, you see what I did here?’” (06:20)
- Transfer Portal Mayhem: Notes over 4,000 players currently; the system is called a “mess.”
- Playoff Expansion Intel: Dan’s source projects “momentum remains towards a 16-team playoff as soon as next season.” (07:50-08:15)
- Defensive Dominance: Praises Miami’s defense and expresses doubts about Carson Beck and Alabama’s future.
3. NFL "Black Monday": Coaching Firings & Fallout
- Jets’ Historic Futility: No interceptions all season — “515 pass attempts. The Jets are the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without an interception. Once again, round of applause…” (09:09)
- Breaking News Segment:
- Kevin Stefanski Fired by Browns:
- “The front office, the ownership, Deshaun Watson… they should take all the blame… Stefanski will be in demand but you saddle him with two rookie quarterbacks… Watson set this franchise back five years. That’s on the front office.” (10:23-11:10)
- Raheem Morris Fired by Falcons:
- “I have to go back two years ago and remember when Arthur Blank was told… you don’t want to hire Bill Belichick... Now you’re in the market for another coach.”
- Critiques the Falcons’ draft pick of Michael Penix: “I didn't understand it. I didn't think he was one of those where you go, ‘Oh my God, somebody let him fall this far.’”
- Kevin Stefanski Fired by Browns:
- Ownership and Front Office Influence: Dan discusses owners making critical mistakes by listening to the wrong people.
- Prediction for More Firings: “There’ll be other coaches that will be fired probably today. There’ll probably be some surprises that those who do keep their jobs as well.” (12:40)
4. Weekend Recaps, Stats, and Notable NFL Trends
- Tight Playoff Races: “73 games were decided by three points or less — tied for the most in NFL history. Is that a good thing?” (16:08)
- Carolina’s Playoff Run: Acknowledges their achievement but has doubts about Bryce Young long-term.
- John Harbaugh’s Uncertain Future:
- Baltimore Ravens miss the playoffs in gut-wrenching fashion.
- Memorable Moment: Ravens radio call: “Not since Billy Cundiff went wide left... has a Ravens season ended with such a gut-wrenching thud.” (13:17)
- Lamar Jackson’s noncommittal response when asked if he wants Harbaugh to return: “I know we lost but… that’s all.” (21:00)
- Quarterback Futures and Retirements:
- Travis Kelce, Aaron Rodgers: Speculation on retirement, with Kelce coy about his future (“Who knows? Either it hits me quick or... I gotta take some time.” 22:36)
- Aaron Rodgers as a hypothetical “bridge quarterback” option for the Raiders, though Dan doubts there’s a perfect fit elsewhere.
- Mike Tomlin and coaching hot seats: Noted TV networks are already circling.
5. Poll Questions and Fan Interactions
- Most Surprising Playoff Miss (AFC/NFC):
- Candidates include Bengals, Chiefs, Colts, Ravens (AFC); Lions, Cowboys, Buccaneers, Falcons, Commanders (NFC)
- Highlights the unpredictability and midseason collapses by the Colts and Buccaneers after promising starts.
6. Light-hearted Banter and Iconic Danettes Moments
- Debates around Joe Burrow’s “effort” on Miles Garrett’s record-breaking sack:
- “It felt like Miles Garrett was helping him to his seat in a restaurant.” — Dan Patrick (32:29)
- Stat of the day stings and riffs, playful jabs among Danettes.
7. Raiders and Team Building Philosophies
- Key NFL Roster Building Insight:
- “I can have a great quarterback, but if I don’t have a great offensive line, my great quarterback might be just a good quarterback.” (37:00)
- Praises teams that build around OL/DL (Eagles, Patriots, Lions) and critiques Raiders’ neglect of the O-line.
- “It’s not sexy to talk about… Let’s talk Will Campbell for 20 minutes.” — Dan Patrick (39:35)
8. Sam Darnold—The Unfair “Bust” Label
- On Second Chances:
- “First six seasons, he had 21 wins as a starter; the last two seasons, Sam Darnold has 28 wins as a starter.”
- “It still comes down to what’s going to happen in the next couple weeks… Unless he’s holding the Lombardi Trophy, people are probably going to say, ‘Yeah, I knew it. Can’t win the big one.’ Not fair. But that’s the sports landscape we live in.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On unpredictable seasons:
“You think you got a trend, a pattern. You think you figured a team out and you have it even now.” (01:50) - On Indiana’s football miracle:
“This is one of the great stories in college football history… If you grew up in the Midwest and knew that Indiana was always the team that had zero… Over a century, they accomplished nothing.” (07:00) - On college football playoff:
“Momentum remains towards 16 team playoff as soon as next season… final decision due two weeks from this Friday.” (08:00-08:15) - On the Browns firing Stefanski:
“The front office, the ownership, Deshaun Watson… they should take all of the blame. Kevin Stefanski, you know, was a really good coach. He’ll be in demand…” (10:23) - On the Jets:
“The Jets are the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without an interception. Once again, round of applause…” (09:09) - On Travis Kelce’s future:
“Who knows? Either it hits me quick or… I gotta take some time.” — Travis Kelce on possible retirement (22:36)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:45 — Dan’s opening thoughts on the wild unpredictability of the NFL and college football seasons
- 07:50 — Insider report: 16-team college football playoff in the works
- 09:09 — Jets’ zero-interception season and “stat of the day”
- 09:52 — Black Monday: Browns fire Kevin Stefanski live on air
- 12:40 — Analysis of Falcons’ ousting of Raheem Morris and NFL coaching carousel
- 16:08 — Stats on tight games and what it says about NFL parity
- 21:00 — Audio: Lamar Jackson’s elusive answer on John Harbaugh’s future
- 22:36 — Travis Kelce’s contemplation of retirement
- 28:32 — Listener calls: Best and worst of the break
- 31:13 — Roundtable: Did Joe Burrow help Miles Garrett break the sack record?
- 36:06 — Play of the Day: Steelers’ last-minute touchdown
- 37:00 — Dan's rant: Offensive line importance for young quarterbacks and teams
- 42:00 — Sam Darnold’s narrative and importance of supporting casts
Episode Tone & Style
The show maintains Dan’s signature blend of insight, wit, and healthy skepticism—balancing irreverence (stat stings, running jokes) with genuine appreciation for surprise and drama in sports. The Danettes add lively banter, and fan calls add variety and humor. All analysis is delivered in a conversational, accessible style.
Summary Takeaways
- Both the NFL and college football are more unpredictable than ever—parity and chaos reign, and preseason predictions look foolish in hindsight.
- Major coaching shakeups reflect the high-stakes nature of the business, with blame often misdirected from front offices to head coaches.
- New playoff structures (especially in college football) are on the horizon, with 16 teams likely soon.
- Building from the trenches (O-line, D-line) is the cornerstone of lasting success—star quarterbacks alone aren’t enough.
- Fan engagement and fun ("Best and Worst of the Weekend," poll questions, stingers) remain central; the show is as much about community and entertainment as it is about sports news.
This summary covers all major discussions and memorable moments from Hour 1, allowing both regular listeners and newcomers to catch up on the essential content and insights from The Dan Patrick Show on January 5, 2026.