The Dan Patrick Show

Hour 2 – Malcolm Butler & Booger McFarland

Date: February 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging hour of The Dan Patrick Show, host Dan Patrick broadcasts live with an enthusiastic crowd at Oracle Park, San Francisco, blending humor, deep sports insight, and fan interactivity. The episode features two main guests: Malcolm Butler, celebrated for his iconic Super Bowl interception, and ESPN analyst Booger McFarland. Together, they dissect legendary football moments—especially Butler’s Super Bowl play—explore their broader effects, and reflect on the culture and legacy of NFL dynasties, all while bantering in signature Dan Patrick Show fashion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Unnamed Greatest Play: Butler’s Super Bowl Interception

• Fan Perception & Impact: Dan Patrick kicks off discussion about the cultural resonance of Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl-saving interception for the Patriots—a play so momentous, yet famously lacking a catchy nickname ([01:15–02:57]).
• Naming the Play: The crew jokes about possible monikers, with “The Butler Did It” rejected for being cliché, ultimately defaulting to the play just being “the Malcolm Butler interception” ([01:53–02:04]).
• Comparisons to Other Named Plays: Reference to “The Helmet Catch,” “Philly Special,” and James Harrison’s interception—all with names, adding legend to their moments ([02:59]).
• Most Underrated Play: Booger McFarland and Dan debate the Mike Jones tackle at the 1-yard line (Super Bowl XXXIV), ultimately agreeing Butler’s play still reigns supreme for its game-deciding impact ([03:26–03:56]).

Malcolm Butler Interview: Life-Changing Moment

Fan Interactions and Legacy

• Instant Icon Status: Butler describes the gratitude and awe Patriots fans have for him:
  “You’re the goat... Thank you, thank you, thank you for that play. You never buy a drink again. But when I go up there, I still use my card.” — Malcolm Butler ([05:24])
• Emotional Fan Stories:
  “One guy kissed my hand... This guy, his dad was having cancer or something like that... I made the play and he said that’s the day his dad recovered from it.” — Malcolm Butler ([05:50])
• Personal Reflection: Butler admits he thinks of the play weekly, especially when he sees the “Tom Brady truck” in his garage:
  “I see my Tom Brady truck in the garage. I say it’s a trophy, not a truck.” — Malcolm Butler ([06:45])

Inside Stories from the Super Bowl Aftermath

• The Truck Story: Brady, who won Super Bowl MVP (and a truck), gave the vehicle to Butler, validating Butler’s role as game-changer. Butler laughs it off now:
  “He gave me that trophy, he can have that truck.” — Malcolm Butler ([08:01])
• Notoriety in New England: Butler recounts owner Robert Kraft not knowing who he was, despite his heroic performance:
  “I work for you, man.” ([08:23]) “He don’t know everybody’s name, trust me.” ([08:51])
• Community Work: Butler’s role as an ambassador for the American Diabetes Association; he has hosted free football camps for over 3,000 kids in Vicksburg, MS. His advice:
  “Just do it, man. You can’t start the game over. It’s not Madden. It’s not Fortnite. You gotta do it, baby.” ([10:05])

Anatomy of "The Play"—Butler’s Perspective

• Reading the Play: Butler breaks down the fateful moment in real time, revealing mental notes and instincts (11:11–13:59): “If you throw a toss, yes, I gotta set the edge, but I ain’t making that tackle.” “Russ kept looking that way... I said, something ain’t right.”
  “If this guy run any kind of crossover move, I’m gone. Sorry if I’m wrong, but I was right.”

  • Credit to Brandon Browner, whose jam on the receiver freed Butler to jump the route.

• Emotional Rollercoaster: Butler believed he’d be benched after Jermaine Kearse’s crazy catch, only to re-enter game and make history ([14:12]).

• What Happened to the Interception Ball:
  “Hey Mr. Kraft, you got that ball? He said, it’s in the Hall of Fame. I think it’s safer there.” — Malcolm Butler ([14:41])

The Eagles Super Bowl Mystery

• Despite making perhaps the most famous defensive play in history, Butler was benched for all but one play in the Patriots’ subsequent Super Bowl against the Eagles.
  “I just think it was a coach’s decision... We had a conversation. Grown man conversation.” — Malcolm Butler ([15:18–15:36])
• Butler admits it took a personal toll but has moved forward:
  “You can’t dwell on the past.” ([16:52])

Booger McFarland Joins: Macro Legacy of ‘The Play’ and Super Bowl 60 Preview

Lifelong Repercussions of a Single Moment

• The What-Ifs: Booger draws out the ripple effects if Marshawn Lynch had scored instead—Seahawks as repeat champs, Russell Wilson’s legacy, Patriots on a downturn ([24:55–25:39]): “That play was significant in the micro—but think about the macro effect...the legacies that changed on both sides.” — Booger McFarland ([25:39])
• On the Call: Booger downplays conspiracy theories about Seattle wanting Russ as MVP; he faults coaches for overthinking: “Sometimes coaches think they’re smarter than everyone else.” ([25:54])

Super Bowl 60 Preview—Seahawks vs. Patriots

• Seattle as Overwhelming Favorite: Roster strength and matchup breakdowns ([27:04–27:48]).
• How Patriots Can Win:
  “The game needs to be played in the high teens, low 20s. If it gets high 20s, 30s—I don’t think the Patriots can score that much.” — Booger McFarland ([27:55])
  • Emphasizes the reclamation story of Sam Darnold and what it epitomizes about American sports redemption ([28:17]).
• MVP Race Reflection: Both believe Drake May did “more with less” compared to Stafford given roster help, coaching, and adversity ([28:44–34:37]).

Why Does America Root Against Dynasties?

• Poll Results: 82% rooting for Seattle over New England ([29:26]), leading to: “For some reason, dynasties are not something that we salivate over... People have taken a side that they don’t like the Patriots.” — Booger McFarland ([29:43–31:20])
• Cowboys vs. Patriots as ‘America’s Team’: Debate whether the last 25 years make the Pats the true "America’s Team," but agree the Cowboys’ popularity persists ([30:47–31:06]).

Lighter Banter & Football Life

• Golf Course Rankings: Dan and Booger’s favorite (and least favorite) elite courses ([22:43–23:37]).
• Best QB Sacked: Booger, deadpan: "Troy Aikman." Colorful story about facing Larry Allen and fearing his tobacco-heavy intimidation ([35:24–36:25]).
• Steak Preferences: Booger ribs Dan and crew about cooking steaks to temperature, keeping the banter playful ([36:27–37:07]).

Rhyme Time—Games & Huey Lewis

• Segment Highlights: Staff rhyme off San Francisco-themed clues and singing Huey Lewis hits when they get answers right, keeping energy high and light ([38:46–42:02]).
• A Taste (pun intended) of the Show’s Tone:
  Dan, joking about Booger's nickname:
  “Did you say it’s snot-typical? Is that what you just said?”
  — Dan Patrick ([32:21])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Butler on fan adoration:
  “You’re the goat. Thank you, thank you, thank you for that play. You never buy a drink again.” — Malcolm Butler ([05:24])

• Butler on emotional fan experience:
  “One guy kissed my hand... This guy, his dad was having cancer... he said that's the day his dad recovered from it.” — Malcolm Butler ([06:02])

• On the mythic status of 'the play':
  “I go take the trash out and I see my Tom Brady truck in the garage. I say it's a trophy, not a truck.” — Malcolm Butler ([06:45])

• Butler on being a role model:
  “Just do it, man. You can't start the game over. It's not Madden. It's not Fortnite. You gotta do it, baby.” — Malcolm Butler ([10:05])

• Dan on the magnitude of Butler’s interception:
  “It's the greatest play in Super Bowl history. You turned a loss into a win.” — Dan Patrick ([07:29])

• Booger on NFL dynasties:
  “Relevant doesn’t make you popular. But relevant makes you either loved or hated.” — Booger McFarland ([31:09])

• On the Patriots’ legacy:
  “The Patriots have been the most relevant team in our sport... but the Cowboys are still national.” — Booger McFarland ([31:06])

• Booger on game preparation:
  “You are a product of the environment and the ingredients that you have to work with...” ([33:28])

• Butler on moving past heartbreak:
  “You can't dwell on the past.” — Malcolm Butler ([16:52])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Poll question on Super Bowl allegiances: [01:13–01:25], [29:26]
• Discussion of named Super Bowl plays: [01:41–02:59]
• Butler on community impact: [09:45–10:41]
• Butler dissects the interception: [11:11–14:12]
• Malcolm Butler on Eagles Super Bowl benching: [15:18–16:52]
• Booger McFarland on what if Marshawn had scored: [24:55–25:39]
• Booger on rooting against dynasties: [29:26–31:20]
• Rhyme Time & playful banter: [38:46–42:11]
• Final thoughts and menu talk: [36:27–37:07]

Tone and Language

The conversation blends earnest sports analysis with self-effacing humor and warm, personal storytelling, characteristic of Dan Patrick’s style. Both guests are candid and approachable, with Butler unguarded about his journey and McFarland both insightful and lighthearted. The show maintains a balance of respect for the game’s history and joy in its communal, lighter side.

Conclusion

The episode is a celebration of "the moment" in sports—how an unheralded player rising to the occasion can shift the destiny of franchises and fans alike. It explores the fabric of NFL greatness, while providing laughs, real talk about legacies, and a reminder that every Super Bowl contains entire lifetimes packed into a single play.