The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 2: Tush-Push Regulation, Steve Young Interview
Date: October 28, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick (with Fox Sports Radio contributors and callers)
Guest: Steve Young, Hall of Famer, Super Bowl MVP
Episode Overview
This hour of The Dan Patrick Show centers on two main threads: the current controversy over the NFL’s “tush push” quarterback sneak play—its outcomes, officiating, and regulatory future—and a deep, insightful conversation with Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young. The episode features Dan and his crew’s signature blend of humor, insider knowledge, and lively fan engagement, with notable moments dissecting Mahomes’ quarterbacking genius and the true physical toll of pro football.
1. Key Discussion Points & Insights
A. MLB Playoff Recap & Sports Headlines
[02:43] – [07:02]
- Dan recaps a historic, marathon Dodgers game:
- Freddie Freeman’s walk-off HR in the 18th inning after Shohei Ohtani hit two home runs and was walked five times.
- Importance of starting pitching in consecutive games.
- Lamar Jackson expected back for the Ravens in Thursday Night Football.
B. Poll Question: Abolishing Annoying Sports Trends
[07:02] – [08:33]
- Poll: If you could “wave a magic wand” and remove one of the following, which would it be? Options:
- Tush Push
- Intentional Walks
- Load Management
- Other
- Dan’s take:
- Load management is most damaging to an entire sport.
- Intentional walk should require pitchers to throw four balls: “Either that or you walk to the plate and escort the hitter to first base.” (07:20)
- Tush push: Dan predicts it will be banned soon, not because of injury data but due to officiating difficulties.
C. Tush Push: Officiating, Legality, and NFL Policy
[08:33] – [14:55]
- Tech and Officiating Problems:
- Dan, crew, and callers highlight that the main problem with the tush push is officiating (missed fumbles, offsides, ball spotting).
- Marvin suggests mandating gaps between linemen, but Dan counters that the traditional QB sneak is already tightly packed.
- Dan’s Solution:
- “All you have to do is ... you just can’t have players behind the quarterback pushing him. That’s all. Problem solved.” (11:29)
- There’s stats to show Eagles’ sneaks would still be highly successful due to Hurts’ unique build and their offensive line.
- “The Eagles are 92% on quarterback sneaks. The rest of the league is 83%.” – Marvin (13:18)
- Callers weigh in:
- Some believe the NFL is looking to get rid of the play by calling officiating into question (15:02).
- Others argue removing the push won’t solve the officiating challenge.
D. Notable Baseball & Cultural Asides
[17:23] – [20:25]
- Tribute to Brad Paisley (Country singer): Attributed as a "good luck charm" at Dodgers games after playing the anthem before significant wins.
- Light banter about Dan’s cameo in Paisley’s music video and Paisley’s wife, actress Kimberly Williams.
2. Steve Young Interview: Breaking Down QB Excellence, Pain, and Franchise “Truths”
[25:34] – [42:35]
A. NFL’s Shohei Ohtani?
[25:34]
- Dan asks: “Is there a Shohei Ohtani in the NFL?”
- Steve Young: “Patrick [Mahomes] as close as anybody, right?... But no Shohei Ohtani. Pitch and to hit...that game a couple weeks ago, that was the old timer...” (25:34)
B. The Art of Keeping the Play Alive
[26:22] – [28:52]
- Mahomes’ brilliance: compared with younger QBs who get sacked trying to extend plays.
- Steve Young:
- “He doesn’t move unless it’s purposeful...He is a sophisticated passer from the pocket. And so that allows him to get the most out of every play.” (27:13)
- “The young players, they have three plays, but they don't run them right. And they're trying to figure out how to run them.” (28:52)
- Steve Young:
C. Greatest QB Season Ever?
[28:52] – [29:58]
- Young: “No, because it’s era-adjusted...obviously, you’ve gotta be the MVP and win the Super Bowl to make it that list.” (28:57)
- DP: Watching Mahomes is like watching the greatest at what is “the toughest position in all of sports” (29:24).
D. Impact of Rule Changes, Coaching, and Evolution of the Game
[29:58] – [31:57]
- Young explains tectonic shifts after rule changes a decade ago, boosting open play and favoring innovative coaches.
- “We’ve married one of the most innovative minds...Andy Reid, with Patrick Mahomes. That’s what I watch every week…I watch Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes every week.” (30:27)
- On Mahomes’ uniqueness:
- “He looks like he’s playing in the backyard…he’s a magical person.” (31:27)
E. Contenders & Pretenders: Teams Still Proving Themselves
[32:05] – [33:53]
- Young: Not sure about Eagles, Packers, Rams; Colts still “have to prove it to you in January, February.”
- DP: Colts feel like the Vikings of last year—hot but questionable at playoff time.
F. Regular vs. Postseason Intensity
[33:32] – [35:27]
- Young: Regular season is meaningful but “it’s also not January.”
- Best teams keep focus and energy steady, don’t play “up” or “down” to circumstances:
- “The mature teams...don’t look like they’re trying extra hard. They’re still focused, they’re mature about it.” (35:13)
G. The Toll of Pro Football—Pain, Mentality, & Lasting Impact
[35:27] – [41:12]
- Young says the ability to disregard the pain, especially the inevitability of getting hit, is what separates pros from everyone else:
- “Football is the truth...no one at the moment of impact thinks, ‘Oh, I’m getting paid.’”
- "The pro game forces you—it’s a referendum on whether you love it or not." (36:54)
- “The guys that play forever...actually never think about it [the pain], which is weird.” (37:38)
- On James Wilder’s toughness: "That dude is not a loser. That means the toughest human being I think I’ve ever met in my life." (39:18)
- Anecdote: Young recalls a massive hit from “The Fridge” William Perry—believes he's going to die, body “didn’t break.”
- On catastrophic injuries: sometimes don’t hurt right away due to adrenaline; football players are “the toughest human beings I have ever known.” (39:18)
H. Tampa Bay Memories & Playing Through Dysfunction
[41:12] – [42:35]
- Humorous story about Young’s only completion during a blizzard in Green Bay being a shovel pass for -4 yards because he was desperate for a completion.
- Reflects on Tampa Bay: “It was fun to be on a team that was so dysfunctional, but...such good guys.”
3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On abolishing the tush push:
- “Plain and simple. That’s it. They can’t get it right...We just can’t officiate it, can’t do it correctly...I think that’ll be the reason why we get rid of that.” – Dan Patrick (07:20)
- On Mahomes’ playmaking vs. younger QBs:
- “He doesn’t move unless it’s purposeful...That’s how it’s so hard to stop.” – Steve Young (27:13)
- On pain in football:
- “There are so many guys that start in the league...and they find their way out...What happened to that guy is he didn’t love football. He thought about, ‘Wow, this is gonna hurt.’” – Steve Young (36:54)
- On regular season vs. postseason:
- “The mature teams...don’t look like they’re trying extra hard...they’re about trying to find out how good we are.” – Steve Young (35:13)
- On the uniqueness of Mahomes and Ohtani:
- “This is a time for us to watch Patrick Mahomes and just sit back in awe...” – Steve Young (30:27)
4. Timestamps for Important Segments
- [07:02] Poll Question on annoying sports trends
- [08:33 – 14:55] In-depth discussion of NFL “tush push”: officiating problems, rules, fairness, stats, callers’ perspectives
- [17:23 – 20:25] Cultural aside: Brad Paisley, Dodgers, and country star “good luck”
- [25:34 – 42:35] Steve Young’s interview: Mahomes as Ohtani, art of play extension, team trustworthiness, pain, love of football, Tampa stories
5. Engaging Takeaways
- Dan and Steve Young provide rare insight into what separates a merely athletic quarterback from a transcendent one, using Mahomes as the current gold standard.
- The “tush push” debate encapsulates the tension between innovation, player safety, officiating, and football tradition—expect the league to cite officiating as the reason for a ban.
- The truest factor separating career NFL athletes from everyone else, per Young: pain tolerance and the love of the game that overrides self-preservation.
- The show maintains a fun, conversational tone—even in storytelling about country music videos, blizzard games, and the unlucky legacy of James Wilder.
In summary:
This episode is a sports fan’s deep-dive into current gridiron controversies, the evolution of quarterback greatness, and the underappreciated toughness of pro football players—all delivered with Dan Patrick’s distinctive wit and warmth, and enriched by Steve Young’s firsthand wisdom and storytelling.