The Dan Patrick Show

Hour 2 – Disappointing Playoff Calls, Jason Garrett
January 21, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the pain and controversy of memorable NFL playoff calls—focusing on critical officiating moments that haunt teams and fan bases. Dan Patrick invites fans to share the moments they can't get over, discusses football coaching vacancies, and welcomes former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett to reflect on infamous calls (notably the Dez Bryant catch), his recent head coaching interview, and NFL culture.

Key Discussion Points

1. NFL's Most Guttural "Bad Calls" & Fan Misery

[00:39–19:02; 39:09–46:10]

• Opening Topic: The lingering agony of questionable playoff officiating, kicked off by Buffalo Bills fans’ reaction to a recent controversial interception call.

  • Dan Patrick ([00:39]): “Instead of blaming who you need to blame, and that's Josh Allen, you're going to blame the official... But to say we're going to hold that official accountable, that's why we didn't advance, you'd be incorrect...”

• Fan Phone-In: Playoff Haunts:

  • Caller, Chris in Minnesota ([06:12]): The Tuck Rule game (Raiders vs. Patriots, 2002): “That play just guts me because that ball is pointed right down in the bottom of the ground when he gets sacked. So I don’t understand ever…”
  • Caller, Mark in Charleston ([07:14]): Super Bowl 49 (Seahawks at the goal line, Malcolm Butler INT): “You got Beast Mode sitting right there... and what does Pete Carroll do?... slant pass and it goes right into the sturdy hands of a rookie, Malcolm Butler...Good night, game over.”
  • Dan Patrick ([08:14]): “I thought, okay, they either give it to Marshawn Lynch or you have a run pass option with Russell Wilson... Did not think that throwing the ball over the middle because when he did it I went, 'Oh bleep.'... Malcolm Butler, what an unbelievable play.”
  • Caller, Kevin in Cleveland ([09:22]): Red Right 88 (Browns, 1981): “Is it unhealthy that every January 4th since then I walk around with a knot in my stomach?”
  • Caller, Brian in Missouri ([10:46]): 2018 AFC Championship (Dee Ford offside): “Freakin' Dee Ford lines up offsides. Chiefs intercept Brady. They are going to go to the Super Bowl… and Dee Ford can’t line up.”
  • Caller, Curtis in Illinois ([13:15]): 2012’s “Fail Mary” (Packers-Seahawks): “As a Packers fan isn’t bad enough this time of year, but just reliving that one... it’s gotta be the worst officiated play in NFL history.”
  • Extended misery: Cam Newton “not diving” (2016 Super Bowl), John Kasay out-of-bounds kick (2004), Gary Anderson’s missed FG (1998 NFC Championship), The Immaculate Reception.

• Dan Patrick Summing Up the Appeal:

  • ([12:01]): “I like how we're tapping into people's misery. We're trying to make Buffalo Bills fans feel a little bit better today.”

2. The "Worst Coaching Job" Thought Experiment

[03:18–05:54]

• Danettes’ Poll Question: Would you rather be the head coach of the Cleveland Browns or an offensive coordinator elsewhere?
  • Majority: OC elsewhere.
• Dan Patrick Breakdown ([04:13]): “I think there's promise in Cleveland, but you got to get a quarterback because I don't think you have a starting quarterback in the building... Arizona is the place I don’t want to go unless I retire... Jets situation, I don’t like that either.”
• Detailed discussion of which NFL jobs are least attractive and why.

3. Baseball Hall of Fame Snubs

[13:46–19:02]

• Danettes’ Poll: Biggest hall of fame snub—Dale Murphy, Don Mattingly, or Steve Garvey?
• Dan Patrick ([14:07]): “Murph was... so close... two MVPs… Hall of Very Good.”
• Marv ([14:49]): “Mattingly being a great player and not winning with the Yankees definitely hurts... He didn’t play for 20 years. His great years are probably 10.”
• Dan Patrick ([15:01]): “I think Mattingly was a better player than Kirby Puckett, but Kirby was so instrumental in the Twins winning a couple of World Series titles.”
• Discussion on how postseason, longevity, and “intangibles” factor in voting, plus the steroids era complicating things for players like Bonds and A-Rod.
  • ([16:36]) “If you want to put Bonds in and... we bring this up every year at this time. Or A-Rod, just put it on their plaque. Put...something that denotes what happened, you know.”

4. Guest Interview: Jason Garrett

[23:48–36:43]

The Dez Bryant Non-Catch and NFL catch rules

• Dan Patrick ([23:48]): “You were the coach of the Cowboys for the Dez Bryant play. Is that your toughest play?”
• Jason Garrett ([23:56]): “I would say two plays. The Dez Bryant play would be one, and then... a couple years later... Aaron Rodgers rolled left and made that amazing throw. So yeah, we had a couple interesting ones…”
• Garrett on Dez Bryant Call ([24:26–26:48]):
  • “I feel like I’m an expert in this area... how long do you need to catch the ball? ...If you look at the Dez Bryant play... he does one of the most amazing catches... switches hands, gets one foot down, two foot down, the third, he lunges. So he switched hands. He’s gotten the feet down, lunges... These are all football moves over five yards... for them to come back and say he needs to survive the ground... I’m like, how many times have I heard from you guys, ‘He doesn’t even have to make a football move, he just needs time enough.’ And... he made seven football moves.”
  • “It was ruled a catch on the field... So for them to come into it afterwards and say... it’s indisputable that this is not a catch... it was really a hard thing for me to comprehend... It took them about five years to quietly try to change it, but I think we’re...back to that same place, and I think it’s frustrating for a lot of people.”
• Garrett’s Regret:
  • ([27:46]) “I have a regret about that play... I wish I should have said...there’s no excuses...but [that] was one of the greatest catches in the history... and for me… this play should have been in the lore… and somehow it got caught up in officiating…”

On the Bills-Broncos Interception Call

• Garrett’s Take ([26:53]): “I still think it’s a catch…I mean, for him to make that catch, secure the ball, go to the ground, be touched, and then have the defender rip the ball out when they’re on the ground—what are we doing? You know, it’s a catch.”

On Interviewing for the Tennessee Head Coaching Job

• Garrett on the Experience ([29:30]):
  • “Great experience, really like Mike Borgonzi, their general manager... The interview was supposed to be like...from 9 to 12, we went from 9:15 to close to 3 o'clock.”
  • ([30:10]) "No, not so much that more than just I love talking football and, and I really like the guys they put together there...There's a blank canvas down there. A really good young quarterback, an elite defensive player... it was just fun talking ball and sharing your vision for what the team can be..."

On Coaching Vacancies and Pressure

• Dan Patrick ([32:09]): “Normally you don’t have, you know, playoff teams, changing coaches... You go into Buffalo, you’re expected to go to the AFC title game...”
• Garrett ([32:41]): “Yeah, there’s no doubt...those are not easy things to do...you got to be careful about trying to copy the guy who was there before. You better be yourself. I think a lot of mistakes are made when guys try to copy what’s been there. Be yourself and get yourself going.”

On the Boring Excellence of Seattle and Coaching Culture

• Garrett ([34:41]):
  • Praises Seattle’s team building, especially their defense and new coach Mike Macdonald:
  • “He was so honest and humble. He said, last year, I had no idea what I was doing... After the season, got a chance to sit down and really think about what you want to build here... This has to be our culture and the environment we create. So keeping some of the good stuff from Pete Carroll... the Ravens... from our players and coaches...”
  • ([36:40]) “He’s so good at what he does, but he’s so humble... John Schneider, great job with the personnel... I love their team.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Patrick on Playoff Pain
  “I like how we're tapping into people's misery. We're trying to make Buffalo Bills fans feel a little bit better today.” ([12:01])

• Jason Garrett on Dez Bryant “Catch”
  “He made seven football moves over the course of five yards. And then... it was ruled a catch on the field...So for them to come into it afterwards and say it's indisputable that this is not a catch... It was really a hard thing for me to comprehend.” ([24:26–26:48])

• Jason Garrett on Officiating Overshadowing Play
  “I hate as a fan of football that officiating in these big games is what the conversation is.” ([29:09])

• Dan Patrick on Defensive Reputation in Baseball
  “It's weird how we use somebody's defensive abilities or liabilities. I've heard many, many, many times that the Joker can't play defense. Steph Curry can't play defense... Never heard somebody say, man, he can play defense.” ([17:07])

• Caller on Immaculate Reception Statue
  “Every time I fly into Pittsburgh airport, I have to look at that stupid statue of Franco Harris bent over catching the ball. And the problem with the statue is the ball is off the ground. It was not off the ground.” ([43:54])

• Garrett on Coaching Job Interviews
  “I love talking football and I really like the guys they put together there... There's a blank canvas down there... It was just fun talking ball and sharing your vision for what the team can be.” ([30:10])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:39 – Dan’s opening on Bills fans & controversial playoff calls
• 06:12–14:05 – Fan pain stories: The Tuck Rule, Malcolm Butler pick, Red Right 88, Dee Ford offside, Fail Mary, and more
• 13:46–19:02 – Baseball Snubs: Dale Murphy, Don Mattingly, Steve Garvey, steroids era’s mark
• 23:48–36:43 – Jason Garrett interview: Dez Bryant play, Bills-Broncos call, head coaching interview stories, Seattle’s culture
• 39:09–46:10 – Listeners continue NFL playoff heartbreak stories: Cam Newton’s Super Bowl moment, John Kasay kick, Gary Anderson miss, Immaculate Reception

Tone & Style

The trademark tone is a blend of candid sports analysis, affectionate ribbing, and personal storytelling. Dan Patrick keeps things breezy yet emotionally real, even as guests and callers recount the NFL’s toughest heartbreaks. Jason Garrett is measured, insightful, and humble, especially on rules controversies and coaching philosophy.

Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This hour brings emotional catharsis for NFL fans, capturing how iconic moments—often dictated by split-second officiating—shape franchise and personal sports histories. Jason Garrett’s candidness about historic moments and the pressure of the NFL coaching carousel offers insiders’ perspective, making this episode both therapeutic and informative for any passionate sports listener.