The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 2

Episode Title: Dolphins Should Clean House, Kevin Harlan
Date: October 21, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Episode Overview

In this engaging second hour, Dan Patrick and his crew delve into recent NFL and NBA action, focus heavily on the Miami Dolphins' turmoil and head coach Mike McDaniel's future, and explore what makes a great head coach. The highlight of the hour is a candid, insightful interview with legendary play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Harlan, who discusses his rigorous schedule, approach to sports broadcasting, and the changing face of the NBA as LeBron James approaches the twilight of his career. The crew also sprinkles in their signature humor as they riff on pop culture topics and share playful banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

NFL & NBA News Rundown

• Game Recaps:

  • Lions prevail in a lackluster win; Buccaneers fall flat despite expectations.
  • Seahawks defeat the Texans 27–19 in a "sloppy game."
  • The Toronto Blue Jays return to the World Series after a dramatic victory, with George Springer delivering the go-ahead home run (Springer Dinger).
    • Dan: "Blue Jays are big underdogs as you would expect against the Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani is your favorite to win World Series MVP." [06:15]

• NBA Season Preview:

  • No repeat champion in seven years; OKC are defending champs and the bookies’ favorites, followed by the Nuggets, Cavs, Knicks, and Rockets.
  • Conversation on over/unders for Luka Dončić and Steph Curry’s point totals in the opening matchups.
    • Dan: "It's Luka and Luka at 30 and a half. And I got Steph, I think at 26 and a half. Disrespect." [09:50]

• Poll Questions & Debates:

  • Who’s most "for real" in the AFC (Colts win at 66%) and NFC (Rams lead).
  • "Whose career would you want: George Springer or Mike Trout?" (Springer winning 54%).

The Miami Dolphins Hot Seat

• Dolphins' Problems:

  • Dan lays out why head coach Mike McDaniel could be on the chopping block, questioning the lack of urgency and performance in both the coaching staff and QB Tua Tagovailoa.
    • Dan: "If I said to Stephen Ross, owner of the Dolphins, what are you going to do at the end of the year?... he'd say, 'I'm probably going to clean house.'" [18:50]
  • Discussion about Tua's struggles, including multi-interception games since 2022.
  • Conversation about when and why franchises move on from coaches and quarterbacks.
  • Bill Cowher’s critique: Dolphins looked "disinterested," a red flag for owners.

• Coaching Beyond X’s and O’s:

  • Dan reflects on the difference between coordinators and head coaches, drawing comparisons to Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame, Robert Saleh with the Jets, and Leo Mazzone with the Braves.
    • Dan: "Not everybody is meant to be a head coach because what is required of you is different than what you’re accustomed to as a coordinator." [26:40]
  • The difficulty of scaling up from assistant roles: media responsibilities, leadership, "face of the program."
  • Pete Carroll as an example of late success; Steve Kerr’s successful leap from analyst to coach.
  • Dan’s key point: "We recycle quarterbacks. We recycle coaches as well. But getting that opportunity..."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Todd, on Astros’ cheating scandal:

  • "Do you put a mini trash can instead of an asterisk next to Altuve? What do you do with that? A little mini trash can?" [15:50]
  • Dan (deadpan): "That’s your team, you root for cheaters..."

• On Head Coaching Limitations:

  • Dan: "Not every pitching coach deserves to be a manager. Like Leo Mazzone with the Braves. I liked him as a pitching coach, not as a manager." [28:40]

• On Front-of-mic Responsibilities:

  • Seaton: "Personality speaks a lot... It’s so different because you’re not really hands-on the way you were. That jump from coordinator to head coach is tough." [29:30]

• Dan, riffing:

  • "If you said to Todd, 'Be the host of the show and run the business,' could he do it? Does he go, ‘This is what I really do well’? You gotta know your strengths." [27:45]

Featured Interview: Kevin Harlan (Play-by-Play Announcer)

(Begins ~39:40)

Harlan on Balancing a Grueling Broadcast Schedule

• Dan: "How does the voice hold up with all these games coming up?"
  • Harlan: "You know how the business is. You get going, the microphone's on, and you answer the bell." [41:00]
  • He recalls prior grinds at TNT: three games in three nights in three cities – "That was difficult."

Reflecting on a Wild Game (Giants–Broncos)

• Harlan: "33 points in one quarter is a pretty significant number. I’ve never done a game like that in my 41 years in the NFL." [42:30]
• On the broadcaster mindset:
  • "When it’s going on, you’re trying to process it in real time... You need to make sure you’re buttoned down."

Reaction vs. Anticipation in Broadcasting

• Harlan: "Everything for me is reaction... The best stuff that comes out is organic, when you’re so lost in the game." [44:10]
• Dan agrees: calls that are "lost in the moment" resonate best.

Handling Multiple Sports and Mediums

• Harlan: "Football is such a march... In the NFL on TV, it’s more analyst-driven. NBA is more like a running conversation—back and forth, rhythm, a windshield wiper." [46:10]

On the NBA After LeBron

• "Every promo I see is LeBron making a play. He’s not going to be there for the first three, four weeks of this Season.... So much of the league is built on those three—LeBron, Curry, KD. It's going to be hard to see [what's next]." [47:30]

Voice and Recognition—Staying Humble

• Harlan jokes he doesn’t use his iconic voice for special treatment:

  • "My wife says, 'That should be an indication.... Don’t talk, just have quiet time.'" [48:00]

• Harlan praises Dan’s interviewing style:

  • "Every kid in broadcasting should listen and copy that style. I put ‘DP’ on my board to remind myself: Be efficient, get to the point." [49:00]

Playful Imitation

• Todd Fritz impersonates Harlan's game call:
  • Todd: "The Jazz are up 23-9... We'll step aside! This is the NBA on Prime Video."
  • Harlan: "I have never, ever, ever said, 'They want to talk about it.' I've said, 'They've called a timeout.' But never that!"* [50:20]
• They riff on signature calls and what does/doesn’t get said.

Additional Fun Segments & Listener Calls

• Pop Culture Banter:

  • Crew jokes about Post Malone’s heavy use of profanity between songs and his facial tattoos.
  • Todd wonders aloud about the social significance of facial tattoos.

• Listener Calls:

  • Calls on college coach contracts and NIL/transfer portal impacts.
    • Dan: "Coaches jump around all the time...there is no loyalty. It’s all about the money."
  • "Would you rather win Super Bowls with lopsided penalty help or just one, controversy-free?"
    • Dan: "I'll take all the help I can get. As long as I'm not cheating."
  • A listener (Broski) shares a numerology Easter egg about the Broncos scoring 33 points (Demarius Thomas’ number), which the crew enjoys.

• Trivia and Lightheartedness:

  • In-studio basketball shooting challenge:
    • "Middle-aged jumpers for middle-aged guys..."

Key Timestamps

• 06:15 – Blue Jays World Series recap, George Springer’s home run
• 09:50 – Luka Dončić vs. Steph Curry over/under debate
• 15:50 – Mini trash can "asterisk" joke regarding Astros’ Jose Altuve
• 18:50 – Dan discusses the Dolphins' need for a change ("clean house")
• 26:30–29:30 – Deep dive on why not all coordinators make good head coaches
• 39:40 – Kevin Harlan interview begins
• 42:30 – Harlan on wild Giants-Broncos finish
• 44:10 – Harlan: "Everything for me is reaction"
• 46:10 – Differences in calling football vs. basketball
• 47:30 – NBA’s post-LeBron future
• 49:00 – Harlan praises Dan’s interviewing approach
• 50:20 – Todd imitates Harlan; Harlan responds

Overall Tone & Takeaway

The tone is fast-paced, candid, and laced with the kind of humor and inside sports talk that’s signature to The Dan Patrick Show. Dan is sharp and analytical, especially in breaking down the Dolphins’ organizational dysfunction and the real dynamics of head coaching. The Kevin Harlan interview is both insightful for sports fans and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be an elite broadcaster. Listeners are treated to a blend of expert commentary, inside jokes, approachable analysis, and personality-driven banter—a can’t-miss for fans who want to know what’s happening in sports and why it matters.