The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 2

Episode Date: January 28, 2026
Main Guests: Armando Salguero, Domonique Foxworth
Theme: Hall of Fame controversy (Bill Belichick), NFL coaching hires, and broader league dynamics

Episode Overview

Hour 2 of The Dan Patrick Show dives into the swirling controversy around Bill Belichick’s first-ballot Hall of Fame snub, exploring insider details from voter and NFL writer Armando Salguero. Dan and the crew also welcome ESPN analyst and former NFL player Domonique Foxworth, shifting the discussion to recent NFL head coaching hires in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland, and unpacking what these moves might mean for the teams and the league. The show strikes a familiar tone: candid, humorous, and unvarnished.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bill Belichick Hall of Fame Snub

• Backdrop: Despite his legendary coaching career, Belichick was not elected to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot.
• Salguero’s Role: Armando Salguero, a senior NFL writer and Hall of Fame voter, presented Belichick’s case to the committee.
  • The selection committee consists of 50 members: media, former players, and coaches, including well-known figures like Tony Dungy, Dan Fouts, and Bill Polian.
• Main Hurdles:
  • Spygate: Several voters cited Spygate as the primary reason for not voting Belichick in.
  • Uncertainty Over Retirement: Some wondered if Belichick, only a year removed from coaching, might return.
• Salguero’s Defense:
  • Highlighted Belichick’s post-Spygate record: higher win percentage, six conference championships, three Super Bowls.
  • Emphasized the Patriots’ compliance measures post-2007 (hiring a dedicated compliance officer).
  • Presented a strong endorsement letter from Tom Brady, describing it as “the most full-throated endorsement” he’s ever seen (10:32).

Notable Quotes:

• Armando Salguero (on voting transparency):

  "We're all under that umbrella of embarrassment. We're like beagles that just went to the vet wearing this cone of embarrassment around our neck. We didn't vote for Bill Belichick, and I don't wanna be a beagle wearing a cone of embarrass." (11:59)

• Dan Patrick (about precedent):

  "If you're going to ding him, I gotta ding Brady. I mean, be consistent... Even though it was silly and it came down to him lying to the commissioner, I don't think it helped him win games." (13:20)

2. Implications for Tom Brady and Hall of Fame Process

• Discussion about whether Brady will also be penalized for Deflategate when he becomes eligible. Consensus: unlikely, given his relationships.
• Transparency is a major theme—should voters reveal their choices, especially in controversial cases?

3. Listener Calls and Reactions

• Mixed emotions: Some callers thought not making Belichick a first-ballot inductee was ridiculous; others compared it to Pete Rose’s saga in MLB (15:26–19:30).
• Media Relations as a Factor: Dan argues being a difficult figure for the media should not influence Hall of Fame worthiness.
• Artifacts vs. Inclusion: Parallels drawn between Belichick’s playbook already being in the Hall, and Pete Rose’s memorabilia in baseball’s Hall of Fame despite his ban.

4. NFL Coaching Carousel

• Buffalo Bills: Joe Brady is promoted to head coach; move seen as uninspiring by Dan and Foxworth.
  • “If you're going to change and you're going to change by firing your head coach, I don't know if you can keep your GM and promote your offensive coordinator without sort of being the same team next year.” (28:07)
• Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike McCarthy takes over—a nontraditional Steelers move, given his age and offensive background.
• Cleveland Browns: Ongoing search for a new coach; speculation about possible hires and difficulties in attracting candidates.

Notable Quotes:

• Domonique Foxworth (on coaching hires):

  “It's often easy just to be like, that was dumb. I like to extend some, like, assumed strategy and intelligence to the owners and people who run the teams. Terry Pegula, when he did that press conference, made it really hard to continue to assume some sort of strategy and intelligence.” (28:25)

• Dan Patrick (on the Browns job):

  “Anybody want the Browns job? I mean, it feels like they're...going to hire [Jim Schwartz] because they don't want to be rejected anymore.” (34:42)

5. Ownership & Hall of Fame Bias

• Why isn't Robert Kraft in the Hall of Fame? Foxworth and Dan agree it’s about relationships and the sometimes petty “Game of Thrones” nature of NFL politics behind closed doors (27:17).

6. NFL Trade Hypotheticals

• Speculation on the Rams possibly trading for Joe Burrow if Stafford retires. Foxworth dismisses this as highly unlikely:

  “It's going to take more than that...If anyone moves on from their top level quarterback who's still in their prime—when quarterbacks are playing for 20 years...you will lose everybody...” (37:08)

7. General NFL Coaching Turbulence

• Frequent coaching changes (Broncos, Jets), sometimes with little logic or clear vision (32:19–33:41).
• The uncertainty and unattractiveness around certain franchises (Cardinals, Browns).

Memorable Quotes & Moments With Timestamps

| Timestamp | Quote / Moment | Speaker | |-----------|----------------|---------| | 05:57 | "Bill Belichick has been away from the game for a year, so he becomes eligible... There was definitely signs that this was going to be somewhat of an uphill battle." | Armando Salguero | | 08:43 | "I pointed out that Bill Belichick had a higher winning percentage after Spygate than before. Bill Belichick went to six conference championships, a record after Spygate." | Armando Salguero | | 10:32 | "When Tom Brady gave the most full throated endorsement of Bill Belichick...I thought that would carry weight." | Armando Salguero | | 11:59 | "We're all under that umbrella of embarrassment...I don't wanna be a beagle wearing a cone of embarrass." | Armando Salguero | | 27:17 | "I think it's about relationships and it's the Game of Thrones behind the scenes is sometimes more interesting..." | Domonique Foxworth | | 28:07 | “I thought this was uninspiring. If you're going to change and you're going to change by firing your head coach…promote your offensive coordinator without sort of being the same team next year?” | Dan Patrick | | 28:25 | “I like to extend some, like, assumed strategy and intelligence to the owners...Terry Pegula, when he did that press conference, made it really hard to continue to assume some sort of strategy and intelligence.” | Domonique Foxworth | | 34:42 | "Anybody want the Browns job? ...going to hire [Jim Schwartz] because they don't want to be rejected anymore." | Dan Patrick | | 37:08 | "For Joe Burrow to move it's going to require him to force his way out which is not a very un football. It's a very NBA style behavior..." | Domonique Foxworth |

Important Segment Timestamps

• Belichick Hall of Fame discussion / Salguero interview begin: 05:40
• Calls discussing Hall of Fame logic: 15:26–19:30
• Domonique Foxworth joins, coaching carousel begins: 24:22
• Bad coaching hires, relationship politics, Browns speculation: 28:25–35:59
• Speculating Rams/Burrow wild trade idea: 36:37–38:24
• Hall of Fame voting criticism, player vs. writer bias: 45:54–49:58

Final Takeaways

• Belichick’s snub is primarily about Spygate and ongoing questions about his legacy, more than his coaching record.
• Process transparency is a sticking point; both Dan and Salguero want selectors to own and explain their votes.
• NFL hiring practices are under scrutiny, with some franchises making moves that lack a clear strategic vision.
• Politics and relationships—not just on-field accomplishments—heavily influence Hall of Fame induction.
• No-holds-barred discussions and listener input make for a lively, multi-dimensional look at the current NFL landscape.

For listeners who missed the episode:
This hour blends insider perspective, hard questions about history and process, sharp-witted banter, and real fan sentiment about legacy, fairness, and the messy side of football’s top honors and coaching decisions.