The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 2

Date: October 17, 2025
Guests: Jerome Bettis, Mike Golic Sr.
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Episode Overview

Hour 2 of The Dan Patrick Show dives into college football, NFL takeaways, and classic sports storytelling. Dan chats with Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis about the Notre Dame–USC rivalry, his career, and his charitable foundation. Then, Mike Golic Sr. joins to break down college football traditions, big coaching contracts, and real talk about expanding playoffs and changes in the sports media landscape. The crew's banter is as sharp and irreverent as ever, with listener calls, inside stories, and behind-the-scenes humor.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Notre Dame’s Moment

• Dan and the crew revel in a lively crowd and gear up for the Notre Dame–USC showdown, emphasizing its history and heightened stakes this season.
• Poll Question Chat: The crew ponders whether Indiana's massive football investment (with new coach Kurt Signetti) signals a real shift from being a traditional "basketball school." Bet on positivity, but with a healthy dose of skepticism about coach contracts ever lasting their full term.

  “These big contracts like that, they never go the distance.” — Dan Patrick [04:10]

2. Interview: Jerome Bettis (“The Bus”)

Starting at ~06:41

Notre Dame–USC Rivalry

• Intensity of the Rivalry:

  “When I say USC, the first thing that comes to mind is, hey, we hate USC. Absolutely.” — Jerome Bettis [06:41]

  • He places USC above Michigan as Notre Dame’s top football rival, at least from his perspective.
• Personal Experience: Bettis relishes never losing to USC, and recounts the importance of playing well in that game:

  “If you play well in that game, then everyone in the country knows your name.” [07:17]

Recruiting Stories

• USC recruited Bettis (alongside Michigan and Notre Dame), but the L.A. distance tipped the balance.

  “I remember seeing Junior Seau when I was on my visit... looked like Zeus!” [07:51]

• Early on, opponents tried to tackle Bettis head-on, but by mid-to-late career most went low, “making business decisions” to avoid his train-wreck running style.

  “A lot of guys later on saw the kind of the carnage and said, ‘Okay, that’s not for me.’” [08:51]

• Dan asks about the hardest Bettis was ever hit:

  “As soon as I catch it, I get cracked and my head hit the ground first... Usually my head doesn’t get there before my butt.” — Jerome Bettis, on a collision with a Titans linebacker [09:26]

Steelers’ Defensive Woes

• Bettis analyzes the Steelers’ recent struggles, pointing to lack of pass rush and run defense.

  “When you score 30 points, you should win the game... The problem is, they're just not getting production in that front seven.” [11:44]

Coaching Memories

• Bettis missed playing under Mike Tomlin but was on the receiving end of Bill Cowher and Lou Holtz’s famously animated yelling (“double spitters”).

  “The key is, don’t screw up. So I screwed up very, very little.” [13:05]

On-Campus Fame & College Stories

• Bettis humbly notes he wasn’t a “rock star” at Notre Dame—unlike Rocket Ismail, who had to be smuggled out of hotels in laundry baskets to avoid fans.

  “They had to take him out of the hotel in a laundry basket type thing... He was a rock star.” [14:19]

The Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation

• Bettis details the foundation’s cyber bus program delivering tech resources to underserved Pittsburgh kids, as well as holiday toy drives for struggling families.

  “We got our second bus... to go to the rural areas of Pittsburgh... where there’s kids that still need access to technology.” [15:22]

3. Locker Room Banter & Listener Participation

[17:18–19:42]

• Dan tells a hilarious secret about a defensive back who “cried” after getting hit by Bettis—sworn to secrecy, the crew guesses names (Al Harris, Steve Atwater, Mark Carrier).

  “He said he got hit and it hurt so bad that he actually started crying... I was doubled over, I was weeping, it hurt so bad.” — Dan Patrick [17:42]

• Marvin sports new Notre Dame hockey gear, sparking some Irish vs. UConn jokes.

4. Mike Golic Sr. Joins the Show

Guest appearance starts ~28:08

Golic’s Credentials

• Golic clarifies his new show (“Golic and Golic” on FanDuel), pokes fun at mistaken promos, and plugs the afternoon time slot.
• Golic is no longer “Big Mike” after his weight loss—and the panel has fun at his expense.

Tackling Football Legends

• Golic explains D-linemen rarely met full-speed backs, but sympathizes with DBs facing running-back freight trains like Bettis or Derrick Henry.

  “As a D-lineman, you don’t get that back at full speed... but as a DB, you have to make that business decision.” [29:51]

• Golic’s hardest hit? Crushing Emmitt Smith out of bounds, only to watch him pop up unfazed.

  “I hit him... full speed... I clocked him. And... I’m laying on the sideline going, ‘What the hell just happened?’” [30:29]

Notre Dame–USC Rivalry on the Rocks

• Both Dan and Golic vent their dismay that realignment may kill the legendary series.

  “USC recruited me, but... there was never a thought... and I told [my sons], don’t go to USC. That’s a non-starter.” — Mike Golic Sr. [31:44]

• Notre Dame doesn’t want out; it’s on USC due to future Big Ten scheduling constraints.

  “Notre Dame hasn’t changed their independence... it is on USC.” [33:17]

Conference Realignment and Playoff Expansion

• Dan and Golic lament how college football realignment has eroded historic rivalries and traditions, with future “Super 40” leagues on the horizon.
• On March Madness expansion: universal skepticism; earning a tournament berth should stay special.

On Rudy

“There were some Hollywood things put in there... Great story, but some of the things... maybe didn’t happen.” — Mike Golic Sr. [35:13]

• Golic reveals his brother (on the actual ND team during the Rudy saga) doesn’t even remember Rudy, gently debunking the famed jersey turn-in scene.

Coaching Carousel Chaos & Contract Extensions

• Coaches changing jobs frequently is now the norm; “extensions really mean nothing,” Golic says, since buyouts can always be paid.

  “Under the current system, there’s no way to stop the movement. And, quite honestly, head coaches don’t want to stop this movement.” [38:38]

The Business of College Sports

• Discussion about Big Ten’s potential private equity investments and the friction over who wields power.
  • The future model may see “power 40” schools breaking off to self-govern, but Golic doubts the super-commissioners can play nice.

Gamblers & Point Spreads

• Golic insists players of his era rarely knew the betting line; Dan’s crew debate why Notre Dame is a 9.5-point favorite but agree: the win, not the spread, is all that matters on game day.

Gameday Rituals

• Golic is calling Notre Dame–USC on radio, jokes about his “vomit” still being present at the iconic South Bend bar, Linebackers.

5. Sports Weekend Preview & Close

[49:38–54:13]

• The crew drafts top college and pro games to watch, nodding to major matchups like Falcons–Niners, Eagles–Vikings, Rams–Jags, and more.
• They name “Best Week in Sports” contenders—Indiana football, Notre Dame’s stability, coach rumors (debunked), and Joe Flacco’s resurrection in Cincinnati.
• Dan closes out with audio of Flacco discussing working with Cincinnati receivers:

  “If you don’t treat [our receivers] a certain way, they can hurt you.” — Joe Flacco [53:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jerome Bettis on Rivalries:

  “When I say USC, the first thing that comes to mind is, hey, we hate USC. Absolutely.” [06:41]

• Bettis on Celebrity at Notre Dame:

  “They had to take [Rocket Ismail] out of the hotel in a laundry basket... He was a rock star.” [14:19]

• Mike Golic Sr. on tackling Emmitt Smith:

  “I hit him... full speed... I clocked him... and I’m laying on the sideline going, ‘What the hell just happened?’” [30:29]

• On coaching contracts:

  “Extensions really mean nothing... there’s no way to stop the movement.” — Mike Golic Sr. [38:38]

• On the 'Rudy' legend:

  “There were some Hollywood things put in there... great story, but some... maybe didn’t happen.” — Mike Golic Sr. [35:13]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Notre Dame crowd and poll question banter: 03:30–05:33
• Jerome Bettis interview: 06:41–16:52
• Defenders “crying” after tackling Bettis: 17:42–18:44
• Mike Golic Sr. joins, discusses Notre Dame, rivalry, and legendary backs: 28:08–43:54
• Sports weekend preview & “Best Week in Sports” picks: 49:38–54:13

Final Thoughts

Hour 2 of The Dan Patrick Show blends nostalgia, analysis, and humor. Whether shining a light on college football’s shifting landscape, revealing the bruises of NFL life, or unpacking the mythmaking around campus legends, Dan and his guests keep listeners entertained and informed—perfect for fans seeking insight with a side of locker-room laughter.