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Hour 2 – Tush-Push Regulation, Steve Young - The Dan Patrick Show | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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Hour 2 – Tush-Push Regulation, Steve Young

The Dan Patrick Show

Tue Oct 28 2025

Summary

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)

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.

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Transcript

Dan Patrick (0:00)

This is an iHeart podcast. Thursday Night Football is on. This week it's an AFC clash as the Baltimore Ravens meet the Miami Dolphins. Coverage begins at 7pm Eastern, and it's only on Prime Video. Not a Prime member. Simply sign up for a 30 day free trial. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details.

Commercial Announcer (0:21)

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Dan Patrick (1:29)

I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of any. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people.

Caller/Guest (1:43)

We got clear facts.

Covino or Rich (Fox Sports Radio Hosts) (1:44)

Maybe we could calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America. You know the Dan Patrick Show. You might think that we're a multinational media conglomeration. It's not true. We're actually a small business. There's only a dozen of us here who make this whole ship operate. And you know what? FedEx office understands that running a business can feel like navigating unchartered waters. And each decision is a bear of a task. Finding the best way to build your business. Well, that, as they say, is a tough nut to crack. So let their in store team members make packing and shipping a piece of cake with on site pack and ship and roll with the punches with custom printing. Because helping you achieve your business goals is just another day at office. Get started at office.fedex.com that's office.fedex.com from.

Dan Patrick (2:43)

Tailgates to watch parties. Celebrating all season long means more moments with the coolest people in your life. Cheers to 50 years of Miller Light, the great tasting light beer for people who love beer and they've loved it since 1975. Perfect time to celebrate game day with friends and family and a great tasting light beer. It's always Miller time. It's a taste you can depend on. Great beer trusted by us for 50 years. And it's brewed for taste. Simply put, it just hits different and it's simple. Simple ingredients, malted barley for rich balanced toffee note flavors and the iconic golden color. Nothing like pouring that beer out and just watching it. 96 calories, 3.2 grams of carbs per 12 ounces. It's still iconic 50 years later. Go to millerlight.com Patrick. You'll find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Light pretty much anywhere that sells beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on FOX Sports Radio. Maybe I should keep my voice down a little bit. Those in Los Angeles who stayed up watching that game or anywhere else in the country, certainly on the east coast where it was close to 3 in the morning. East coast time 6 hours 39 minutes. Imagine you get walked four times intentionally, another time maybe unintentionally intentionally. And you also hit two home runs and you're not the headline. Freddie Freeman with a walk off home run in the 18th, 18th inning and it sounded like this little delivers Freeman. It's one high in the air straightaway center field Marshall at the WAL. Freddy Freeman. Mr. World Series ends the marathon at midnight. That's courtesy of AM570LA Sports Dodgers Radio. What a game. 18 innings, had a little bit of everything there. Both bullpens exhausted, spent, emptied. And you got Shohei Ohtani who hits two home runs, gets walked five times and he'll be on the mound tonight. That's another thing that you may not be aware of. It's back to back to back games. So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and now all of a sudden the importance of your starting pitching. Taking a little bit of the pressure off the bullpen that will be on display tonight. Stat of the Day brought to you by Panini America. The official trading cards of the DP show this week. Primetime debut of coast to Coast. Tuesday you can see the Knicks taking on the Bucks and out west the Clippers and the Warriors. Check your local listings or you can stream both games on Peacock, which is where you'll find our show. Thank you for downloading the app. Good morning to our radio affiliates, 877-3DP. Show operator Tyler sitting by. Take your phone call. Hall of Famer, our favorite, Steve Young will join us in about 20 minutes. We'll talk to Kevin Millar, Major League Baseball Network. He was there in attendance last night in Los Angeles. Reggie Miller will join us coming up as well. They're expecting Lamar Jackson back for the Ravens and the Dolphins. That'll be on Thursday, which is interesting because I thought they might hold him out and give him an extra, you know, 10 days of rest and as you get ready to go into the second half of the season. But you got to win these games. You can't let these. Because I, I do think they're going to go on a run. Now, can it be a run where they win four or five in a row? I do, I do think that they're not as bad as their record, although that defense has been very suspect. You got to get Lamar back. And then maybe, you know, the AFC north is not that competitive. The Bengals just losing to the Jets. You certainly have the Browns in there. And the Steelers are a good team. Ish, but not formidable. All right, poll question for hour two is going to be what? Seaton.

Caller/Guest (29:58)

Yeah, I think. Okay, first of all, let's. Let's back up. I mean, real Quickly, a little history lesson. We do this every time. Ten years ago, they changed the rules, and the rules where you can't launch defenders in the head first. And so it opened the game up, and so it changed so that now you can run college plays, you can run the slip screens, you can run all the cool stuff and fun stuff. And Patrick is the person for today's game. And then, let's not kid ourselves, the innovative minds who jumped into that rule change. Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVeigh, Sean Paton. Those are the big four that jumped in and had a tactical advantage for a little while. So you've married one of the most innovative minds and continually innovative, Andy Reid with Patrick Mahomes. That's what I watch every week. I do. I don't watch just Patrick Mahomes every week. I watch Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes every week. And how they have combined to create all this fun stuff. And then Patrick refined his game. I appreciate what you're saying, Dan. This is a time for us to watch Patrick Mahomes and just sit back in awe of the athleticism, the brain, the intuition, and the presence. One thing I remember when I watched him Monday night, I was there in Denver when he first started, and he was. He was. I was standing around the sidelines, and I. And I have a. I've watched quarterbacks my whole life, and I had this feeling. It's like he looks like he's playing the backyard. Like, just his prep. This is how he feels. Like. It's just nothing, really. He's kind of laughing and having a good time. And here's his first start. He's scrambling left and right. At the end of the scramble, he. He takes the ball from his right and throws it and puts it his left and throws it for completion. Maybe Kelsey or something. I can't remember. And I'm like. And then he stood up. He's like. How about. I think he said. He said to the ref, how about that? And I thought to myself, I could only dream of being that guy that could just, like, be in the backyard, but yet playing the best football in the world. I think he's. He's. He's a magical person.