The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 2: Colorado Losing Steam?

Date: April 14, 2026
Hosts: Jonas Knox & LaVar Arrington (in for Dan Patrick)
Network: iHeartPodcasts & Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Episode Overview

This hour centers on two major sports topics:

1. The declining buzz and attendance around Deion Sanders’ Colorado football program.
2. The NFL’s pursuit of international growth, including the controversial 49ers-Rams opener in Australia and what it means for fans, teams, and coaches.

Throughout, the hosts blend humor, personal anecdotes, and pointed commentary. They discuss media narratives, celebrity culture in sports, and the evolving landscape of both college football and the NFL.

Segment 1: Colorado Football & the Deion Sanders Effect

[02:09 – 19:09]

Declining Attendance at Colorado's Spring Game

• Background:
  Jonas Knox opens by noting a significant drop in attendance at Colorado’s annual spring game:
  • 2023: ~47,000 attendees (Deion Sanders’ 1st year)
  • 2024: ~28,000
  • 2025: ~20,000
  • 2026: ~17–18,000 (possibly rounded up to 27,000 by the school, per Sean Keeler/Denver Post)
• Media speculation arises that the “Deion Sanders coolness factor” may be waning, especially coming off two mediocre seasons and the absence of key players (Shador Sanders, Travis Hunter) at the spring game.

Jonas Knox:
“I don’t know if this is a sign of the times or maybe we have a little bit of a problem here, but Colorado and Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes, they had their spring game over the weekend ... the attendance … has started to decline …” [03:00]

Perspective: Has the Hype Faded?

• LaVar Arrington:

  • Reminds listeners that even after a near 50% drop, Deion still improved relevance over prior years (attendance before his arrival was under 10,000).
  • “Building programs don’t always come together like it did for Kirk Signetti in Indiana. That’s an outlier ... Especially in the NIL era …” [07:00]
  • Frames the obsession (positive or negative) with Deion as a testament to his outsized personality and promotional skills—not actual on-field results.

• Discussion on Transfer Portal & Complaints:
  Jonas criticizes former players who left via the portal but still air grievances:

  • “You do realize the bucket of vomit that you were before he got there, right? Like, you do realize it was an irrelevant program with zero buzz and zero interest.” [09:25]
  • Expresses that, regardless of record, Deion made Colorado football interesting again.

The Deion Sanders Brand & Celebrity Culture

• Celebrity Draw:
  • Hosts remember the celebrity influx in Boulder (Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Machine Gun Kelly—“thanks for my invite, Deion”). They marvel at how Sanders marketed not just the team, but a spectacle:
    • “He’s sold you the vision and the dream of what the Colorado Buffaloes program could potentially become under his leadership. He’s, along the way, sold you some Nike shoes ... sunglasses ... fried chicken ... He’s ‘selling you.’” – LaVar Arrington [05:19]
  • “It was a who’s who of everybody that wanted to be a part of the biggest show in football, and it’s why it was talked about and discussed the way that it was.” – Jonas Knox [12:16]

Broader Trends: Is Spring Ball Losing Luster Everywhere?

• LaVar’s Take:
  Cites his experience with Penn State’s spring game—once a huge event, now “like tumbleweeds … totally different.” [13:44] He points to broader fan apathy and entertainment options.

  • “The landscape of spring ball is very different than what it has been ... Historically, if we’re trying to compare what it is now to what it’s becoming …” [14:00]
  • “Criticisms that are coming towards Deion Sanders… turning this into a sensationalized story of the ‘fall’ or the ‘demise’ of Deion Sanders and the Colorado football team, when he’s basically dealing with the same exact challenges that everybody else is in college football, is a tad bit ... out of line to me.” [17:10]

• On the Spring Game Experience:
  Jokes about weather, parking, fan motivations, and the lack of stakes in spring games now.

On Deion’s Enduring Value

• Even if the Deion era ends with modest win totals (3-5 wins), both hosts agree he made the Buffs relevant—an unprecedented feat in recent CU football history.

• Quote:
  “Whatever happens with this whole thing … just sold you—say thank you. Because he brought the program back to relevance.” – Jonas Knox [18:13]

• LaVar’s Personal Insight:
  LaVar defends Dion’s work ethic and process-oriented mentality, sharing a story about Deion privately helping him condition as a young NFL player:

  • “Dion is not the diva people think he is. He’s very meticulous … very, very regiment-oriented … almost obsessive-compulsive … about his business.” [19:09]

• Media Criticism:
  Both question why Deion draws so much negativity:

  • “What is the ultimate goal? … If your negativity leads to Deion Sanders getting fired, he doesn’t need no money … He gets to go off and do whatever else he’s gonna do … The fact that this man leans into who he is, his faith, his accomplishments, what he expects, it truly offends people, and I don’t understand why Deion is so offensive.” – LaVar Arrington [20:34]

Segment 2: NFL Goes Global – The Australia Opener Controversy

[27:57 – 42:47]

49ers-Rams Set to Play in Australia

• Background:
  The NFL schedules the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams—a major divisional rivalry and travel-friendly geographic opponents—to open the 2026 season in Australia. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan voices displeasure.

• Roger Goodell’s Response:
  “Coach Shanahan is enthusiastic and a great football coach, but also someone who truly understands the importance of expanding our game globally. But his job is to win. His job is to play ... coaches like to play at 1 o’ clock and 4 o’ clock and don’t get in the way of that. So we’re going to make it a great experience for the team.” [29:22]

• Hosts’ Translation:

  • Jonas: “Which is code for, yeah, that’s cool, shut your ass up and get on that plane.” [29:46]
  • LaVar: The NFL won’t let coaches or players’ concerns interfere with their pursuit of international growth.

Who Does This Really Serve?

• While Goodell and NFL leadership are motivated by profits and expanding the league’s reach, there’s scant regard for the physical toll or inconvenience to teams and coaches.
  • Jonas: “If it means they can make money in a new market ... they’re going to do it. End of story.” [29:49]

Competitive Fairness & Fan Impact

• LaVar:
  Points out how, by relocating a near-home game to Australia, the NFL gives a divisional advantage to the Rams, since the Niners would typically flood SoFi Stadium and gain a “home” crowd effect.

  • “This is a divisional opponent ... that’s too big of a game, that’s too good of a game to put over there.” [32:45]

• Jonas jokes about the flight time (“You could get drunk four times on that flight and get some naps in ... with a Miller Lite.”) but notes that the move, while perhaps neutral for travel, still disrupts the rhythm of the season and inconveniences West Coast fans who aren't likely to travel.

• Season Ticket Holders Lose Out:
  Jonas: “Season ticket holders ... now all of a sudden, they lose a home game because it goes to Australia ... not everybody in and around El Segundo wants to get on a plane for close to 20 hours.” [41:38]

Scheduling on September 11th – A Sticking Point

• LaVar (Military/Patriotic Angle):
  Strongly objects to playing America’s game abroad on September 11th, a date of major national significance:

  • “Why the hell are you taking America’s game somewhere else and playing it on September 11th?” [36:17]
  • “I'm standing on the fact that, that close to September 11, on September 11, that that should be a game that is on American soil. … It should be being played in America at that point in time.” [38:31]

• Jonas attempts to note the time zone difference, but LaVar stands firm.

Cultural Commentary: The NFL's Shift from Community to Corporate

• LaVar laments NFL’s shift from a family/community-centered pastime to a corporate juggernaut:

  • “To turn this game into such a corporately driven game, where you’re taking the game away from the people who made it what it is … I find it to be a bit disingenuous … because you are now proving and showing that this isn’t about the family. This is about the dollar.” [38:31]

• Reminisces about the communal experience of going to NFL games, tailgating, and how those connections feel lost in the drive for “globalization.”

Segment 3: NFL Draft Prospect News – The Reuben Bain Story

[45:51 – 50:10]

The Story

• Jonas:
  Introduces a report about Reuben Bain Jr., a first-round NFL draft prospect, who was involved in a fatal car accident in 2024. Bain was cited for careless driving after a 4am crash that eventually resulted in the death of a passenger (Destiny Betts). No drugs or alcohol were involved, and charges were dropped before her death. The family described it as a “tragic accident” and wished Bain the best.

Impact on Draft Stock

• The NFL was aware; the story surfaces closer to the draft. Jonas wonders if this will affect Bain’s draft position.

LaVar:
“...one has nothing to do with the other because ... it doesn’t appear that it was an irresponsible car accident ... charges ... were dropped. I don’t think there’s any bearing on his draft stock ...” [49:12]

• Jonas draws parallels to how past pre-draft incidents (e.g., Jalen Carter) drew scrutiny, though this case seems less likely to seriously affect Bain’s status due to different circumstances.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Coach Deion Sanders brings a lot of the spotlight and attention his way, by the way he handles things. He’s unapologetically who he is and he leads with his faith and his belief ... a master salesperson ...” – LaVar Arrington [05:19]
• “If your negativity leads to Deion Sanders getting fired, he doesn’t need no money. Dion is not hurting for money. ... What is the ultimate goal?” – LaVar Arrington [19:09/20:34]
• “If it means [the NFL] can make money in a new market ... they’re going to do it. End of story.” – Jonas Knox [29:49]
• “Why the hell are you taking America’s game somewhere else and playing it on September 11th?” – LaVar Arrington [36:17]
• LaVar's anecdote about Dion privately helping him as a rookie: [19:09]

Key Timestamps

• [03:00] – Breakdown of Colorado’s declining spring game attendance
• [05:19] – The Deion Sanders effect and how he’s marketed Colorado football
• [09:25] – Critique of former players’ public complaints
• [13:44] – Spring football games losing appeal at major programs (Penn State example)
• [17:10] – Critique of sensationalistic media narratives
• [19:09] – LaVar’s personal Deion story and defense of his process
• [29:22] – Roger Goodell’s response to Kyle Shanahan’s concerns
• [36:17] – LaVar’s passionate objection to NFL games played abroad on 9/11
• [41:38] – Season ticket holder perspective on overseas games
• [49:12] – Reuben Bain discussion, NFL teams’ draft approach after off-field incidents

Tone & Style

• Conversational, candid, with the hosts busting each other’s chops and riffing on sports, media, and culture.
• Critical of media spin, league decisions prioritizing profit over community, and the public’s often fickle sports attention span.

Summary – Who Should Listen?

• College football fans interested in the state of the Colorado program and Deion Sanders’ cultural impact.
• NFL fans curious about league globalization, coach/team concerns, and the behind-the-scenes impact of international scheduling.
• Listeners who appreciate frank, entertaining sports talk blended with broader social commentary and personal anecdotes.

This summary covers all key discussion points, speaker insights, major quotes, and memorable moments, with precise timestamps for quick reference.