Hour 2 – Questions About Fernando Mendoza, Dan Orlovsky

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Dan Patrick Show

Episode: Hour 2 – Questions About Fernando Mendoza, Dan Orlovsky
Date: January 7, 2026
Host: Dan Patrick (plus regular “Danettes” and guests)
Notable Guest: Dan Orlovsky (NFL analyst, former QB)

Main Theme

This episode dives into current NFL coaching vacancies post–“Black Monday,” debates about quarterback prospects (with a spotlight on Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore), and engaging NFL analysis—sprinkled with humor and some classic banter about the Beatles, breakfast, and sports pop culture. Dan Orlovsky joins to offer his perspective on the landscape for head coaches, offensive coordinators, and what really matters in evaluating NFL talent.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Coaching Carousel & Vacancies

• Ravens and Harbaugh Departure (01:08–03:35):

  • Dan discusses the surprising split between John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens; speculates on possible successors, notably Chris Shula (grandson of Don Shula, close to Sean McVay), despite his thin resume.
  • Dan Patrick on NFL coaching trends:
    “The Sean McVay tree should have saw it all. You got to do—you know, somebody who babysits for Sean McVay may end up being a head coach one day.” (02:50)

• Mike McCarthy’s Reputation (05:00–06:13):

  • Debate over why McCarthy, with a resume as strong as Payton’s or Tomlin’s, isn’t highly sought-after—possibly due to lack of charisma.
  • Dan Patrick:
    "Mike McCarthy, he's like old school, but I wonder if he gets an opportunity with these coaching vacancies." (05:40)

• The Dallas Cowboys Coaching Experience (05:47–06:55):

  • Paulie opines Cowboys coaches deserve more credit due to unique pressure from owner interference and lack of a true GM.
  • Dan Patrick responds:
    “If you’re going there to get credit, then you’re going to the wrong place...You’re going to get blame, you’re not going to get credit.” (06:13)

• Poll Question—Who’s in a Better Position: Harbaugh or Ravens? (07:04–07:14):

  • Audience leans toward Harbaugh; doubts remain about Lamar Jackson’s postseason ceiling.

2. Quarterback Analysis & Draft Questions

• The Overvaluation of College QBs (08:31–14:10):

  • Dan highlights the annual QB draft hype cycle, noting how would-be first-rounders’ reputations shift drastically—specifically mentioning Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore rising by default in a weak class.
  • Dan Patrick’s philosophy on QB evaluations:
    "Every year we do this with quarterbacks. Be like, man, did you see that game? Man, did you see that throw? The scouts, they take away the clutter...How good are you?" (13:00)

• Fernando Mendoza as a Prospect (13:00–14:10):

  • Mendoza’s stats are ordinary; Dan questions how much “the story” factors into hype versus on-field talent. He likens Mendoza’s ceiling to a “safe pick”—a possible Joe Flacco or Kirk Cousins, but cautions against wishful comparisons to superstars.
  • He warns that success depends greatly on system and environment.

• Where QBs Are Drafted Matters (14:10–15:44):

  • Lower-picked QBs often thrive, Dan argues, because they join better-run teams—a la Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Tom Brady.

3. Guest Segment: Dan Orlovsky Discusses Openings & QB Prospects

• Best Offensive Coordinator Openings (17:55–18:54):

  • Orlovsky ranks Atlanta highest, citing talent (Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts) and strong O-line.
  • Dan Orlovsky:
    "So much talent, so many weapons, very good offensive line...there’s just too much talent and a good offensive line." (18:16)

• Orlovsky on the Raiders’ Challenges (19:02–19:59):

  • He calls Las Vegas “the worst roster in football,” warns it’ll take years to build, and names Brock Bowers as the only sure foundational player.

• Head Coaching Openings: Giants vs. Falcons (20:03–20:53):

  • Giants have a QB but other roster holes; Atlanta offers skill position talent and stability in front office.
  • Decision complicated when coaches don’t get to pick their GM.

• The “GM-Head Coach” Dynamic (21:13–22:17):

  • Orlovsky says pre-existing relationships matter; sometimes media overstates the friction created by inherited GMs.

• Cleveland Browns Situation (22:17–24:18):

  • Orlovsky calls the job unattractive due to ownership instability and Deshaun Watson’s decline.
  • Dan Orlovsky on Watson:
    "The last time Deshaun played good football, I think, was five years ago…he looked like a shell of himself athletically." (23:38)

• Running QBs Aging Out (24:18–26:01):

  • Discussion on mobile QBs like Lamar Jackson running less for longevity—good coaching, player health, and adaptation.

• QBs & Coaches Under Most Pressure in Playoffs (28:00–29:44):

  • Orlovsky: Trevor Lawrence faces the most playoff scrutiny after a confidence rollercoaster year.
  • Dan Orlovsky on Lawrence:
    "He thinks he's the best player on the field every time he steps on the field." (29:23)
  • Coach: Sean McDermott’s job in Buffalo might be on the line if the Bills lose.
  • “I just watched the Ravens move off from one of the great coaches in the last two decades.” (29:44)

• How to Evaluate Mendoza & Moore (31:10–34:04):

  • Orlovsky’s quarterbacking litmus test: “Can you see it and throw it?” Mendoza checks these boxes, excels at processing, but faces questions about explosive, adversity-tested plays.
  • Dante Moore: strong when in rhythm (“very pure”), but regresses when play breaks down; compared to Matt Ryan.

• On Arch Manning (34:04–35:45):

  • Orlovsky says if Arch Manning was in this year’s draft, he’d be a “runaway” #1 pick, praising his physical talent, wiring, and “weathered” mental toughness.
  • Orlovsky:
    "Arch Manning is kind of like the throwback 1970 quarterback with modern day training and nutrition. I’m a huge fan of this guy." (34:04)

4. Side Conversation: Breakfast & The Beatles (36:15–39:54)

• Classic Dan Patrick banter:
  • Dan reveals he dislikes breakfast (even on weekends or at hotels).
  • The Danettes riff (hilariously) about breakfast in Italy and U.S. food culture.
• Beatles Debate:
  • Todd Selliman jokes the Beatles are overrated, sparking playful psychoanalysis about why pop stars trigger such fervor.
  • Todd Selliman:
    “I think they're highly overrated. And I think part of it is the...jealousy of seeing how people have reacted in past years...nothing they've done...should have someone move in such a way where they can pass out and possibly die from being near another human being.” (38:53–39:32)

5. Listener Mail: Coaches Quitting Bad Organizations (40:50–41:27)

• Dan explains that unlike college, NFL head coaches almost never quit before contracts end due to the scarcity of jobs (only 32 in the world). He analogizes with his own departure from ESPN, where “nobody leaves until they have to leave.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Chris Shula’s rise:
  “The Sean McVay tree...you know, somebody who babysits for Sean McVay may end up being a head coach one day.” (02:50 – Dan Patrick)

• On overhyping QB prospects:
  “Last I looked, when they do that at your pro day, nobody is rushing you, nobody is covering the wide receiver. It doesn’t make any impact on me.” (12:40 – Dan Patrick)

• On Mike McCarthy ‘lacking personality’ in the coaching race:
  “Mike McCarthy is just like, you could be his neighbor and not know what he did for a living... We want that coach who—man, he looks dashing, he’s young.” (05:15 – Dan Patrick)

• On Deshaun Watson’s decline:
  “He looked like a shell of himself athletically...his body is just kind of started to break down.” (23:38 – Dan Orlovsky)

• On Arch Manning (potential NFL draftee):
  “Not even close. [He’d be the] runaway number one pick. Arch Manning is kind of like the throwback 1970 quarterback with modern day training and nutrition. I’m a huge fan of this guy.” (34:04 – Dan Orlovsky)

• On choosing Atlanta as the best job opening:
  “So much talent, so many weapons, very good offensive line...Atlanta would make sense to either keep Kirk or I could see them adding maybe a second round draft pick at quarterback.” (18:16, 20:03 – Dan Orlovsky)

• On coaches’ credits & Cowboys’ difficulties:
  “If you’re going there to get credit, then you’re going to the wrong place. You’re going to get blame, you’re not going to get credit.” (06:13 – Dan Patrick)

• Classic Beatles take:
  “I think they're highly overrated...nothing they've done...should have someone move in such a way where they can pass out and possibly die from being near another human being.” (39:32 – Todd Selliman)

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Segment Highlights & Timestamps

• Coaching Carousel Breakdown: [01:08–07:04]
• Poll Questions & Ravens/Lamar Debate: [07:04–08:16]
• QB Draft Hype and Mendoza/Moore Deep Dive: [08:31–15:44]
• Guest/Orlovsky (Best Openings, Raiders/Giants/Falcons, Cleveland, Watson, Playoff Pressure): [17:55–30:33]
• QB Evaluation: Mendoza, Moore, Arch Manning: [31:10–35:45]
• Classic Banter—Breakfast & Beatles: [36:15–40:41]
• Caller/Listener: Why NFL Coaches Don’t Quit Bad Jobs: [40:50–41:27]

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Engaging Takeaways

• John Harbaugh’s exit signals both risk and opportunity for Ravens and Harbaugh alike; the coaching market values charisma and narrative almost as much as record.
• Quarterback success can’t be measured in college stats or combine throws alone—system, toughness, and adaptability win out.
• The allure of “can’t-miss” QB prospects is as much about team fit as individual skill; hype cycles are perennial but misleading.
• Dan and the crew blend sharp NFL analysis with warm, quirky digressions on food and pop music—reminding us why the Sports Talk genre endures.

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For anyone who missed the episode, this hour provides a sharp, timely look at the real mechanics underlying NFL coaching searches and QB evaluation—plus a dose of the unique Dan Patrick Show camaraderie and irreverence.

Transcript

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[Dan Patrick]

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[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio Hour 2.

[Dan Patrick]

On this Wednesday, Dan and the Danette Stan Patrick Show. Dan Orlovsky from the mothership will stop by. A lot of coaching vacancies. We'll try to fill those vacancies. John Harbaugh, what's next for him? He'll have his pick and maybe have his pick of a team where your head coach may not be your head coach next year, but we'll talk about that coming up. Stat of the Day is always brought to you by Panini America. The official trading cards of the program. 877-3DP show operator Tyler sitting by. He'll take your calls. Good morning. If you're watching us on Peacock and NBC Sports Network, Tony Dungy will stop by as well. 0 Talk about the playoff games coming up this weekend. And that's okay. The NFL is fine with this. You had Black Monday coaches getting fired. Then on Tuesday the Cowboys fire their defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus. And then all of a sudden the bomb dropped that the Ravens were parting ways with John Harbaugh. I don't know what happens the rest of the week, but we might get to Thursday and start talking about the games that come up this weekend and great games coming up this weekend. Now you do have the one potential blowout with the Rams against the Panthers, but everything else is kind of in that. Three points, two points, one and a half point spreads there. Yes, Todd and I know the regular.

[Todd Selliman]

Season is different than the players, but the Rams already Lost to the Panthers before we put the Rams into the next round.

[Dan Patrick]

So fast. Thank you, Todd.

[Todd Selliman]

Welcome.

[Paulie]

That's Todd Selliman.

[Dan Patrick]

And they lost at Carolina.

[Todd Selliman]

Here we go.

[Dan Patrick]

And the Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is the odds on favorite right now, according to BET online, to be the next head coach of the Ravens. Who would have thought? Chris Shula, he went to College with Sean McVeigh. The Sean McVeigh tree should have saw it all. You got to do. You know, somebody who babysits for Sean McVeigh may end up being a head coach one day. Now, the pizza guy who's delivering to Sean's house, now, he knows Sean McVeigh. How does he know him? He delivered pizza there. His mailman. But Chris Shula, I think he's been with the Rams since 2017. Paul?

[Paulie]

Yes. He started as outside linebackers coach in 17. But your last name. Shula, you went to College with Sean McVeigh. You're destined to be a coach. It's like the skids are greased and.

[Dan Patrick]

You'Re the grandson of the former Baltimore Colts head coach Don Shula. So it's all falling right into place here. Right into place. And we, we talked to a Ravens reporter who said that ownership is not afraid to go and hire somebody with a thin resume. Keep in mind, John Harbaugh was his special teams coach and not necessarily going after the big name. Now, here's a name that hasn't come up. I haven't seen any odds on this guy getting a head coaching job. But Mike McCarthy, it feels like Mike McCarthy, it didn't help going to Dallas, but what he did in Green Bay, I mean, he was every bit Sean Payton. And Sean Payton is recognized as one of the best coaches in football. But Mike McCarthy, he had a Super bowl, eight. Eight division titles, six with Green Bay, two with Dallas. He wins 60% of his games. Harbaugh wins 61% of his games. Mike Tomlin, 62% of his games. They all have one super bowl title. I don't know if Mike McCarthy, Mike McCarthy's lack of personality. Personality, I think, hurts him. Like, he's just not good in front of people. I think we. We like that guy who is got a quip, he's got a comment. He can be snarky, sarcastic, like something there. Mike McCarthy is just like, you could be his neighbor and not know what he did for a living and be like, he's out there probably with, you know, Hawaiian shirt, shorts on water in the lawn. Mike, what do you do? Oh, I. I coach the packers, get out of here. We kind of want that coach. Who? Man, he looks dashing. He's young. Look at these guys like Stefanski, CLIFF Kingsbury, Matt LaFleur. Man, they look great. They got nice haircuts. Sean McVeigh.

[Paulie]

Oh, great.

[Dan Patrick]

McCarthy, he's like old school, but I wonder if he gets an opportunity with these coaching vacancies. Yes.

[Paulie]

Paul Mike McCarthy, in five years in Dallas, had 12, won 12 games three different times. I have a theory that guys like Sean McCarthy and the other coaches of the Cowboys should get more credit than they did because they had to coach under that regime where you don't have a traditional GM and traditional system in place.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

So you go in underwater. I know they spend, but I think they should get more credit.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, if you're going there to get credit, then you're going to the wrong place. You can't go in there going, wait a minute, nobody's noticing me. Like, if you do, you shouldn't go there or you shouldn't be asking for attention. You're not getting it. You're going to get blame. You're not going to get credit.

[Paulie]

Yeah, but it seems like they're the only team in the league that doesn't have a objective general manager running the show for personnel. And now you have to go to your owner when you want something done. And that the whole reason the general manager is there, to prevent an owner who doesn't know football as well to make decisions.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, but this isn't changing.

[Paulie]

I know. It's. I guess what I'm saying is that the coach of Dallas is going in underwater when he starts that job. Going in with a head start. Everyone else has a head start.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, nobody's turning the job down. So, you know, that's buyer beware if you're taking that job. Seaton pole question for hour two is going to be what?

[Caller or Guest]

Yeah, we got up there right now. Who is in a better position, John Harbaugh or the Baltimore Ravens?

[Dan Patrick]

Right now?

[Caller or Guest]

John Harbaugh still with a pretty good lead on that.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay.

[Caller or Guest]

I don't know if people. I'm reading through some of the comments, there's a lot of question marks about Lamar's ability to win a big game.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, yes, absolutely. But how much is that on the coaching staff? They. It always feels like they become one dimensional in the. In the playoffs for some reason. And is that on Harbaugh, that on the offensive coordinator? How much is this is on Lamar? You can change coaches. You still don't change your opinion of what you need to see from Lamar Jackson. I mean, he's going to be a Hall of Famer, but you know, you're going to have a career where you go, you know, you've won three of your eight playoff games. Yes.

[Caller or Guest]

It always seems like in big games, the Ravens, someone, somewhere really important, something very important goes away from their offense. It's like, why aren't they running the ball anymore? Where's Derrick Henry? Why did they just throw the ball eight straight times? Why did they just do. What was that?

[Dan Patrick]

It's like, oh, you think we're going to run the ball? No, we're not.

[Caller or Guest]

Yeah, like they're outsmarting themselves or something.

[Dan Patrick]

David in Ohio. Hi, David. Hey, Dan.

[Caller]

Speaking of your new sponsor, dude wipes.

[Dan Patrick]

I think Jerry Jones is going to.

[Caller]

Need some dude wipes after he ever.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Flushed his defensive coordinator down the toilet.

[Dan Patrick]

Thank you. Thank you, David. The. The weekly cowboy roast with our daily cowboy roast with David. We'll talk to Dan Orlovsky about this coming up. Also, as a former quarterback, we look at quarterbacks. The, the previous year we go, man, that guy. Next year in the draft. And then we get to that next year in the draft. And now there's only two quarterbacks who are going to be taken in the first round. You can go back to last year and there probably was five or six first round quarterbacks, but you know, Cade Klubnick, Nussmeier, Lenore Sellers, you know, even Ty Simpson in Alabama, you know, you, it was like, oh my God, next year's class is always better than the current class. And then here we are with Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore. I don't know how good they are, but they're going to be elevated because they're the best of this year's quarterbacks. And I watch Mendoza like full games. I, and, and I told you what a scout told me. Now, the scout did preface this by saying, I haven't met with him. I haven't, you know, I'll get to see him at the combine, but I, I'm going to need to see a little bit more because his numbers weren't great this year. The story was great and he was the quarterback for one of the great stories that we've had. But if you're looking at Heisman Trophy winner stats at that position, his are just, okay, how much of this is the story and how much is Fernando Mendoza? And look, you got to ask these hard questions. Same with Dante Moore. He played it for bad UCLA team. Now you go to Oregon, Oregon can make you look a Lot better. You got to ask these questions and not fall in love with somebody. I gotta know when you know, can you process? This is what guys are going, you know, hey, man, look at him roll left and throw back 50 yards. I couldn't care less because last I looked, when they do that at your pro day, nobody is rushing you, nobody is covering the wide receiver. It doesn't make any impact on me. So I want to. What is it about Mendoza that stands out? Is he another Joe Flacco? And that's a compliment. Like if you said he's Joe Flacco, his career, let's take out the super bowl just regular season, and you have that kind of career. Or he's Kirk Cousins, like we always look, and you go, man, he could be just like John Elway or Tom. No, no, let's don't put that label on him. But he feels like a safe pick. And in today's NFL, we've seen Trey Lance or Anthony Richardson or, you know, you're Mitch Trubisky and you think you've outsmarted everybody. And you have it getting a for that franchise in Vegas. And you get him. He says all the right things, but I want to know what to expect from him. Because we like to do comps like Dante Moore. What if Oregon wins the national title? Do we look at Dante more differently than we do Fernando Mendoza? Different skill set. So people who give you these mock drafts, they're not, you know, with these players, you know, the personality. You got to talk to their teammates. You, you talk to defensive coordinators, who, I mean, there's so much that goes into this. And I, I, I've seen this happen, you know, for a long, long time. Every year we do this with quarterbacks. Be like, man, did you see that game? Man, did you see that throw? The scouts, they take away the clutter. They want to know exactly what's, what's the meat of this. How good are you? What if I give you two, Two plays? Go up on the chalkboard there, diagram it. Now, I'm going to have you change the play right now. Hey, explain to me what happened on this play when you threw this interception. That's. And then you want to know, you want to know their medicals, and you're going to want to know your personality, that, that you have, and then you do your background check on them. So before we go, oh, my gosh, these guys can't miss. They can all miss, depending on where you go. If the Raiders don't have an offensive line, I Don't care how good Fernando Mendoza is, he can't run away from all the pressure he's going to face. If Dante Moore goes to the jets, say a couple of Hail Marys because you don't know. That's why when guys fall in the first round, I always feel like they have a better chance of succeeding because they're going to a better team. Lamar Jackson went to the right team at the right time. Jalen hurts, same way. Tom Brady said to me years ago, if he went in the first round, he probably wouldn't have stayed in the league that long. His words, because he said I wasn't ready. And that's why I know we love this story and Indiana is an incredible story, but I don't want to fall in love with the story. And I'm, I'm just asking these questions because I, I'm not in a position to critique as much as I am ask those questions and they're hard questions because people are going, wait, why are you hating on Indiana? I'm not. I said, it's the modern day version of the basketball movie Hoosiers. It's been that incredible turnaround and story and hopefully Kurt Signetti stays there until he retires. It's been a great story. But you got to ask these questions because at that position we're still. I don't know if Tua can play. Like, I can go down the list of court. Kyler Murray, I don't know if he can play Kyler Murray. He couldn't miss. Man, look at that guy. He's going to be unbelievable in the NFL. And then he's not. So you start to look and you go, why did that guy succeed now? That guy didn't. And sometimes it's where you're drafted. Got an offensive line, who's your offensive coordinator? Who's your head coach? What kind of stability do you have? And that's why I don't know how good Fernando Mendoza is. I mean, that's a great pass to beat Penn State, but why did you need a great pass to beat Penn State? You went to Oregon and won that game in Oregon. That was impressive. The game against Alabama, that looked like, you know, two different levels of college football and those are big moments that you want to see.

[Paulie]

Yeah, Paulie, I'm looking back at some old drafts and you know, we talked about Sam Darnold. Doesn't work out in one place. Almost declared a bust. Now he's to the one seed. Even a guy like Malik Willis, he had a chance with the Titans. You look at him right now with the Green Bay packers as a backup. He may get his own shop next year. He's really impressive because he's on a franchise that knows how to work with quarterbacks.

[Dan Patrick]

But you go and you're supposed to be the savior. There's no quarterback who's a savior. If I put Mahomes on Tennessee, he, he's a, he's a curiosity now. He's once again, he's one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. But it's who you have with you. Basketball, you can be a savior. You can. Football, you can't. As great as you are, you still need a whole lot of help. And nobody would know that better than Dan Orlovsky.

[Paulie]

Oh, thought you were going to compliment him.

[Dan Patrick]

All right, so we'll get some more phone calls coming up. Tony Dungy will join us a little bit later on as well. We're back with Dano right after this Dan Patrick Show.

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[Dan Orlovsky]

Hey, it's Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington.

[Kelvin Washington]

From the Odd Couple on Fox Sports Rad. And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from 7 to 10pm Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, we are excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show.

[Dan Orlovsky]

That's right, you can now watch the.

[Jonas Knox]

Odd couple live on YouTube every day.

[Kelvin Washington]

All you got to do search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube again.

[Dan Patrick]

YouTube.

[Kelvin Washington]

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[Jonas Knox]

This is Jonas Knox from Two Pros and a Cup of Joe. And are you ready to tackle your financial goals? Kick off your journey with WE Bull who makes it simple to start investing powerful tools, next level data and an easy to use platform for stocks, ETFs, prediction markets and more. Whether you're on the go or trading overnight, We Bull is built for you and your schedule. Don't sit on the sidelines, visit we bull.com or download the app and take control of your financial future today. Start with just one do. That's webull.com Webull Financial LLC member SIPC FINRA investing involves risk. For more information visit weble.com disclosures Dan Orlovsky.

[Dan Patrick]

You can catch him on NFL Live every weekday at 4 Eastern. Former NFL UConn quarterback back with us. Good to see you buddy. I'm going to let you pick. You're going to be the offensive coordinator with these openings. The best opening as an Offensive coordinator is where Atlanta.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So much talent, so many weapons, very good offensive line. I'd like to keep my offensive line coach, Dwayne Ledford, who if you talk to anybody in the NFL has done a great job down there and is one of the best offensive offensive line coaches in the NFL. I understand there's a significant question mark and void at the quarterback spot with the, you know, Michael Penix inability to consistently perform and be on the field. What's going to happen with Cousins? It sounds like he'll be a free agent but Bijon Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, there's just too much talent and a good offensive line.

[Dan Patrick]

But being a former quarterback, I would have thought the Raiders or the Giants. Now what would scare you about the Raiders?

[Dan Orlovsky]

That's the worst roster in football. There's such a lack of talent on the football team. I mean the only person that you can confidently say you is a trademark foundational piece is Brock Bowers and he's outstanding. Genti still a little bit of a question mark. We don't really know how good he is and it's not all his fault. The offensive line was very bad. I think they'll end up trading Mac Crosby just for value and so I number one pick all that. There's just so many. I think it's three years from now before you really get the necessary pieces to have a chance to play consistently good offensive football. I'm with you on the Giants. That would be the one that was. Would be very close to me neighbors is health huge scatter boo. I'm a huge Jackson Dart fan. I was coming out. Everyone knows that. So Atlanta is not this head and shoulders above the Giants for me. But I just think because of the pieces there and the division as well.

[Dan Patrick]

Best opening right now is where probably.

[Dan Orlovsky]

The two that I was just talking about Atlanta and New York, you know but they're different and it's almost like a 180New York. You have a quarterback but you still need other pieces. The offensive line is not good enough outside of the left tackle and then you probably need a second or third pass catching option. Theo Johnson had some moments but you've got a quarterback. The problem is it's a general manager who has to win now. He has to win now. And so it's a very short window that immediate success has to happen. Where in Atlanta I talked about those pieces. You're also as a head coach going in the same timeline as that general manager and you're going to. I think Atlanta would make sense to either keep Kirk or I could see them adding maybe a second round draft pick at quarterback. But like you're in lockstep timeline wise with the general manager.

[Dan Patrick]

And I'm wondering about John Harbaugh and or Kevin Stefanski, how much say they would have Liam Cohen goes to Jacksonville and says, I don't want that gm. The Giants got their GM already in place. How difficult is that to sell? Let's say John Harbaugh, hey, come in. And we already have our gm.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Yeah, I would imagine it's a challenge. You know that part of that is, do those guys have a previous relationship? Do they get along? Do they think they can work together? You know this. Just because we're friends doesn't mean we can work together. You know, what would be the plan? I don't know if those are questions. I've never been in the situation, Dan, where if John Harbaugh wants the Giants job but wants to make sure that he protects his back with, okay, if this isn't necessarily going great early on, I don't know even if you address that in interview questions with the mayor of family, but if you're the mayor of family in Harbaugh, well, what happens if you guys decide to move on from Joe Shane, then do I get to pick the general manager? Do we have a list of people we're already planning on if that becomes the worst case scenario. And so I do think it presents a challenging situation. Kyle, I remember years ago went to San Francisco and then brought on John lynch in his own, you know, kind of decision. So, you know, I don't. Sometimes a lot is made out of that and sometimes I don't know if it's as big a deal as we make it out to be.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, then you got the Brown situation. Like, how attractive is that job if with ownership and you got the GM in place?

[Dan Orlovsky]

I don't find it overly attractive. I think Andrew Barry's done a nice job. I do. All of us analysts can't talk out of the both sides of our mouths. We have for it feels four or five years now talked about the Browns and said, man, this is such a good, young, talented roster. If they could just figure out the quarterback position. So we can't say that over the course of what feels like four or five years, but then also not or say, how is Andrew Barry still there? You know, I do think he hasn't been perfect, but I do think he's built a good football team for the most part. But then you've got the ownership and they just Fired a coach who's a two time coach of the year, that assumption on my end, but by all accounts was forced to have a quarterback signed to a ridiculous contract. He's. When was the last time a coach won in Cleveland? You know, they just move on from them. And so I understand that there's two first round picks, but you know, I think there's other places that are much more desirable.

[Dan Patrick]

But you got Deshaun Watson, you're paying him. He was healthy enough to practice. So why don't you open up the opportunity for him to kind of try to prove himself for this one year?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Oh, that ship is sailed. I mean, DeSean, the last time DeSean played good football, I think was five years ago, 2021. And I would tell you, Dan, the thing that stood out the last time I think we saw him playing on the field, which I believe was maybe 20, 23, was he looked like a shell of himself athletically. I mean, desean's dealt with some, some injuries now. I mean he's, he's got, I think at least two, if not three ACL tears. He's got the Achilles, he had the shoulder. I mean, I think just physically his body is just kind of started to break down. I just don't think athletically he's what he was five, six, seven years ago.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, he stopped running, you know, and you're right, he kind of lost that athleticism or that willing willingness to, to take a hit. I brought this up before with Lamar Jackson. He went from 11 rushing attempts to around five. And, and I don't. Is that a concerted effort on his part or the offensive coordinator, you know, collaborative. But it running quarterbacks, mobile quarterbacks do eventually stop trying to run as many times as, you know, they did when they're younger. Is that what happened with Lamar?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Yeah, but collaborative. It's the smart thing to do. It's the right thing to do from a coaching perspective of not asking that player after he's, you know, kind of built up the career that he has and has taken hits to continue to do that six, seven, eight plus years into your career, specifically in September, October and November. Now as you get into December and playoff football, you probably ramp it up. And I think that's what a lot of people expect from like the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills as they get, they get into these playoff runs and then I think it's certainly part of the player to sit back and go, all right, availability, my health, I got to be at my best when it's needed. The Most, it's a long season. That one game that's been added, people probably think it's only a small thing. It's a huge deal for these organizations in these quarterbacks. They expect to be playing 19, 20 games, maybe 21. And so I do think it's a self preservation reality. And Lamar was banged up this year to begin with. We were talking about it consistently on NFL Live that he was getting tackled in one on one situations more than I had ever seen. And so, yeah, it was one of the storylines for the Ravens this year.

[Dan Patrick]

Can Josh Allen limit his. I mean, he seems consistent. He's running seven times a game.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Yeah, I just think it's situational when Josh has done it. You know, it's. Josh used to run seven times a game and five of them were just to go do it and try to run through the whole defense. It seems a little bit more strategic nowadays for Josh where, you know, I'll do it on a third down, I'll do it in the red zone, I got the conversion, I'll go out of bounds or I'll slide and not necessarily try to prove how tough I am. And so it seems to be a little bit more of a concerted effort to be situational and strategic.

[Dan Patrick]

Talking to Dan Orlovsky of the Mothership, Adam Schefter reporting that the Giants will interview Mike McCarthy. I was just mentioning his name, you know, 10 minutes ago that he's kind of off the radar, but I'm wondering why he's off the radar. His resume is similar to Sean Payton, Mike Tomlin and Harbaugh.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Yeah, he's a good coach. Obviously Mike McCarthy's had a lot of success. I think that there's, there's places that make sense. You know, last year I was like, man, I would entertain him in Chicago to get Caleb to play a little bit more on structure. There's a part of me that feels that way with Jackson Dart, but I also think Jackson Dart probably has to live and should live in a little bit more of a, of a Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson a create a creative world where that's emphasized. I would also say this. It has to make the Giants take a little bit of a step back and go, wait, why did our offense in Dallas look the way it did were stretches in 20, 23 and 24. And I know there was no George Pickens, obviously. And then it looked like the way it did under Brian Schottenheimer in 2025, where it was one of the best offenses in football. That has to be at the forefront of the Giants. And if this conversation is a real thing between them and Mike McCarthy, give.

[Dan Patrick]

Me the quarterback under the most pressure in the playoffs.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I'm not giving you Josh because Josh is the clear, runaway, obvious answer. Okay.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I'm going to say it's Trevor. Dan. I called Monday night football in 2024, let's call it 14 months ago, on the road. He was playing up in Buffalo. They got destroyed, and he was awful. And I remember being on the call, not even on the call, in the meetings beforehand, being like, something just seems off with him. He just doesn't have the confidence right now. And then you watched it play out in the game and in the booth. I'm like, oh, my gosh, is this the beginning of Trevor Lawrence being an afterthought in the NFL? And it was just. You could tell he did not have any belief in himself. And then they hire Liam, and there's a little bit of friction maybe early on in the season. And there's the moment against the Bengals pinning on his chest, and everyone's making a big deal out of it and whatnot. And then right now, he's the hottest quarterback in the NFL going into the playoffs. It's the hottest pass game in the NFL going into the playoffs. They've got him thinking less, they've got him reacting more. He thinks he's the best player on the field every time he steps on the field. And so it's. It's the. You're watching it play out in real time of like, this is the guy you were. This is the guy you were at Clemson. This is the guy you were drafted be the number one overall pick. You're playing this weekend against the guy that people thought you could be like. And so I would say just the way he's played this year. And, you know, guys go into different groupings in different areas when they go do what they've done in the regular season, in the postseason.

[Dan Patrick]

I say Trevor Lawrence, the coach under the most pressure. Sean McDermott, is he coaching for his job?

[Dan Orlovsky]

I hate answering this question. Yes. But my job is to be honest. Yes. And I think the world of Coach McDermott, I think he's a great football coach. But what we're watching in the NFL right now is these organizations that have high expectations. If those expectations are not met, these people move off from it. And I just watched the Ravens move off from one of the great coaches in the last two decades. And if Buffalo falls flat and does not win this weekend, is it outrageous to think that they decide to move on from Sean McDermott. Maybe they hire John Harbaugh. Maybe that's the coach that they choose to go and replace that move. But, yeah, I think so, because just the expectations are high.

[Dan Patrick]

I mentioned this at the top of the hour that Indiana is a great story. Fernando Mendoza is a great story. But I got a separate great story from are you a great player? And it feels like Fernando Mendoza, who. His Heisman numbers were probably middle of the pack if, you know, if he didn't throw interceptions. But how do you. How should we evaluate him and Dante Moore since they're the two quarterbacks who are above everybody else? But that I don't know if they're just the best quarterbacks this year, so I don't know how good they are. Yeah.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So I would say with Fernando, I think the starting point is, can you see it? And can you throw it? And those boxes are checked. Yes. That's a clear declaration that he can see it and he can throw it. Those are. Those have to be foundational traits for quarterbacks.

[Dan Patrick]

Explain that, though. See it, throw it.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Yeah. So a lot of times with quarterbacks, it's, can you see what the defense is presenting you? He was on with Pat the other day, and he uses the phrase, every play is a puzzle, and I have to figure out what that puzzle is. I often say, every play, the defense presents to you a question, and you have to know what that answer is. And the question is often, do you have a problem? What's the front? What's the coverage? Where's the blitz? What's the weakness of the coverage? So you have to see kind of all of that moving in a very short period of time. Can you see that? Or are you a guy that can't? Because some guys can and some guys can't. And then, Dan, there's levels to it. What happens if you can see it, but it takes you 2/10 of a second too long? That's an eternity in the NFL. Brock Purdy's one of the greats to do it. I can see exactly what you're doing. Brady was talking about it years ago when he was going into the Super Bowl, I think into the Chiefs. He was like, I knew exactly what they were doing before they knew what they were doing, you know? And so Fernando can see it. And I think that's one of the things that's become clear is the more that people have watched him is like, if you allow him to know what you're in, you're Dead. He's going to carve you up. So can you see it and then can you throw it? I hate the phrase this guy can make all the throws. I don't care. There's thousands of people on planet earth that can make all the throws. You have to make the right throw at the right time. So that's what I mean by that. This 18 yard in route versus cover three is a different throw. Versus cover two is a different throw. Versus cover one is a different throw. When I have to move in the pocket is a different throw. When the backside linebackers two yards more into the middle of field than he is. And so that's deep, deep football talk. So I think he can do that. You know, how great is he when it comes to the plus plays? How great is he when he hasn't necessarily dealt with a ton of adversity at Indiana this year? And then my. With Dante Moore. You know Dante Moore, Dan. He reminds me of Matt Ryan a little bit. If it's in rhythm, it's lovely. It's lovely. It's pure, it's rhythmic. It's like the consistency of that. It's very smooth. When he has to move, when he has to be off time just a second, I think that person becomes a little bit more realistic and average. Matt had this really sudden athleticism in the pocket that allowed him to play at a consistent level. Dante's got to develop that, but he's very pure.

[Dan Patrick]

We were talking about this pre show. If Arch Manning was in this year's draft number one overall.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Not even close. Not even close. Not even close. He'd be the runaway number one pick. Arch Manning is kind of like the throwback 1970 quarterback with modern day training and nutrition. I'm a huge fan of this guy. He's physically remarkably gifted. He's intelligent when it comes to the football, understanding of speed and space, all that. I think he's wired the right way.

[Dan Patrick]

He's.

[Dan Orlovsky]

When you watch him on a sideline, he's ultra competitive. I think he's weathered a lot. He's going into the NFL or when he does, he's going to have weathered so many different storms and we know that's a huge deal. So many different finger pointings and adversity and hype and falling short and getting punched and getting back up. You got to have that skill, you have to have that trait to be elite outside of the physical things. And so yeah, he would be number one. Runaway.

[Dan Patrick]

Wow.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Run away.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. I thought he would be a top 10 pick, but I You know, when we had this conversation before, I was told that, you know, NFL scout said, no, he would be the number one. He would be the number one pick.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Run away, Dan. Run away.

[Dan Patrick]

He didn't say that. He wasn't that confident. He just said he'd be the number one pick.

[Dan Orlovsky]

And add in the context of this, the 1, 2 pick are las Vegas and New York. I mean, these are huge markets, you know, obviously massive organizations when it comes to, like, at least visibility. And so, yeah, number one runaway.

[Dan Patrick]

And then you'd have Brady as the owner in Vegas, and it was.

[Dan Orlovsky]

The pick would already be made.

[Dan Patrick]

Great to talk to you as always. Thank you.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Thank you, sir.

[Dan Patrick]

Dan Orlovsky of the mothership. You can see him on NFL Live every weekday afternoon at 4 Eastern. We'll take a break. Your phone calls coming up. Tony Dungy next hour.

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[Dan Patrick]

Nothing like a breakfast burrito. You know, it just kind of hit the spot. A little hot sauce on there. Everybody's smiling. Everybody's in a good mood. Yeah.

[Paulie]

Paulie, I have a buddy who does not like breakfast.

[Dan Patrick]

Like, I don't like breakfast.

[Paulie]

Really?

[Dan Patrick]

No.

[Paulie]

You mean the time of day or the food types?

[Dan Patrick]

I'm. I rarely eat breakfast.

[Paulie]

What about on a day off? Like a Saturday, Sunday?

[Dan Patrick]

No, it's really, really rare. Guest hud.

[Todd Selliman]

You're on vacation at a hotel and you don't. That's not like you go to a cafe or they have a nice buffet breakfast in the lobby. Nothing.

[Dan Patrick]

That's.

[Todd Selliman]

No, really.

[Dan Patrick]

No, not at all. I could go down there and you can stay in a hotel and then you open up those big metal canister, you know, containers, and they're like those dried eggs in there.

[Todd Selliman]

I pull up a chair to that.

[Dan Patrick]

I don't know if you have to.

[Todd Selliman]

Bring it to an actual table. You can just kind of eat it from there. People don't like when you do it.

[Paulie]

They borrow.

[Dan Patrick]

Fritz.

[Todd Selliman]

Sir, you can't pull up a chair to the thing. You got to take a plate and bring it to it.

[Paulie]

But do you think it's healthish, health time of day or breakfast foods or all the above?

[Dan Patrick]

Just not. I was never a breakfast fan growing up. I mean, I had cereal. I had frosted many wheats when I was on vacation. Like, my son got them for his daughter. I'm like, these are mine. Yes.

[Caller or Guest]

I've Become a big breakfast guy. And I don't think that I realized it until I went to Italy with my family. And breakfast, not really a big thing there. They really don't do breakfast. And I was like, babe, you realize we could be billionaires by inventing breakfast in Italy, right? Nobody here eats breakfast. They don't have eggs here. I found myself after a little while having like breakdowns be like, they don't eat eggs. Who doesn't need eggs for breakfast?

[Todd Selliman]

Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

But they, they eat dinner at nine o' clock at night. Yeah. And you know, they probably start working at, you know, 10 or 11 o' clock in the morning.

[Caller or Guest]

Real culture shock for me.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Caller or Guest]

Your coffee is in a cup of this big. You just shoot it down and then that's it. You don't sip on it all day. And then no breakfast, no eggs.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes, Todd.

[Todd Selliman]

They also don't seem to believe in ice or dryers. Everything seems to be hanging on a line. And I think ice is very dangerous and unhealthy to have something cold drink.

[Dan Patrick]

By the way, you got the Beatles T shirt on.

[Todd Selliman]

Go Beatles.

[Dan Patrick]

Nobody loves the Beatles like you do.

[Todd Selliman]

It's horn oats.

[Kelvin Washington]

Beatles.

[Todd Selliman]

Why Billy Joel?

[Dan Patrick]

Why are we doing that?

[Todd Selliman]

A friend of the show sent this in the other day. He didn't leave a note, so I couldn't thank him either on the air or send him a note back. And it was just a box and it wasn't ticking or anything, so I felt safe enough to open it up and it was a Beatles shirt. So obviously he gets the joke about me ripping on the Beatles. So I thought as a shout out if he's watching or listening to wear the shirt.

[Dan Patrick]

But why is it you don't like the Beatles? You just say they're overrated?

[Todd Selliman]

I, I like some of their songs. I think they're highly overrated. And, and I think part of it is the. To psychoanalyze myself for a moment. The jealousy of seeing how people have reacted in past years, looking at old clips of the Beatles or Elvis or they're crying and screaming, throwing things on the stage or the boy bands like New Kids on the Block and stuff. For people to have such a reaction where they're gonna faint or they're crying or they just, they need medical attention because they're near this person or group. I find that fascinating. And maybe part of me wishes I could have that kind of reaction doing stand up comedy or singing on stage.

[Dan Patrick]

Wait, so you don't like the Beatles? In part because girls would cry and faint and scream.

[Todd Selliman]

Because I think nothing they've done or anyone has done in the world should have someone move in such a way where they can pass out and possibly die from being near another human being and partial. Could be some jealousy that how great would it be to sing or tell the kind of jokes that people would just all line up in a stadium and have some kind of emotional reaction where they're laughing to the point of passing out, oh my God, I'm in the same room as so and so.

[Dan Patrick]

But you were making fun of the simplicity of the Beatles lyrics.

[Todd Selliman]

Yes, I was.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes.

[Todd Selliman]

Not all the songs, but they know just some of it is like you really. It feels like something like while you're showering, you can come up with some of those lines.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, when they started, yes, I want to hold your hand, those kind of things. But then as they evolved and got more complex, they were doing things that people are still trying to figure out how they did back then.

[Todd Selliman]

Well, she loves you and yet that can't be bad. And she loves you. So you should be glad, I guess, if you think about it.

[Paulie]

Yes, Paul, your kiss is on my list. Your kiss is on my list. Because Your kiss. Your kiss is on my list.

[Todd Selliman]

And again, to my point, if anyone fainted or passed out or started running on the stage because hall and Oates are playing, I, as a huge hall and Oats fan, would find that insane.

[Dan Patrick]

Nobody is fainting.

[Caller or Guest]

I think if anyone's likely to run on stage and faint because hall and Oates is here, it's you.

[Todd Selliman]

But I went to a few concerts and I was able to control myself to the point where I just sat in my seat and enjoyed it.

[Dan Patrick]

Curtis in Illinois. Hi, Curtis. What's on your mind?

[Caller]

Morning, D.P. just about the Kevin Stefanski firing, I thought it was kind of odd, like it couldn't have worked out any better for him. But the thing that I don't understand is as a coach of a truly horrible organization that just does stupid thing after stupid thing, how come you never see an NFL coach position themselves to write out their contract and quit a bad organization to take the next job? It seems like in the NFL you never see that, but in college, it happens three times a year.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, yeah, it's commonplace in college because there are so many opportunities for a coach. There's only 32 jobs, and how often are those jobs open? You kind of hold on for dear life. But I think the Browns did Kevin Stefanski a solid by letting him go because you had ownership that was choosing to go with you know, maybe Shador Sanders and I don't think Kevin Stefanski wanted to attach his name to an offense that was going to be led by Shador Sanders. He'll get an opportunity. He's a very good coach. He's highly regarded. You know, same with John Harbaugh. This could be a really good thing for John Harbaugh. You know, I didn't, I didn't leave the ESPN. I was there 18 years, so I was there as long as John Harbaugh was in Baltimore. And I realized I needed to leave. But nobody leaves espn. So John wasn't going to leave the Ravens until he had to leave. And I kind of forced myself to have some clarity and say, I gotta, I gotta get started again. Like, I'm bored with this. I'm not getting any better. And sometimes you're the last to find out about that. Tony Dungy will join us. More of your phone calls as well. New Poll Question 8773, DP Show Email Address dpdanpatrick.com and our Twitter handle @dpshow Final hour on this Wednesday, straight ahead.

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