The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3 (Sept 8, 2025)

Main Theme:
The show revolves around NFL Week 1 reactions, focusing on Aaron Rodgers' debut with the Steelers, notable weekend performances around the league, and a wide-ranging, candid conversation with Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez—covering football, his NBA flirtation, and even his ties to Jeff Bezos.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

NFL Weekend Reaction and Rodgers' Steelers Debut

• Aaron Rodgers' Strong Start:

  • Four TD passes in his Steelers debut; discussed whether this was a surprise.
  • Dan Patrick asserted, “I wasn’t surprised. I mean, four touchdowns. No, I didn’t expect that. But I did think, and I do think, I think his over/under is like 23 touchdowns this year. I mean, it might be 23 and eight or something like that, which they aren’t great numbers...” (05:09)

• Media Bias & Rodgers Narrative:

  • Dan: “A lot of people who don’t like Aaron Rodgers... you got to separate who Aaron Rodgers is off the field as opposed to who he is on the field. I still think... if he has protection, he throws the ball as well as he ever did.” (05:18)

• Perception Winners & Losers:

  • Panel discusses who gained the biggest perception boost: Aaron Rodgers, Chargers, Packers, or Daniel Jones.
  • Marvin: “I feel like a two full touchdown lead against a division rival... that Packers 27-13, that seems like the number one answer to me.” (06:17)

Other NFL Takeaways

• Packers Impress, Lions Struggle:

  • Dan: “No running game, really. No imagination on offense. That one stood out. Rodgers didn’t stand out. Danny Dimes... as long as he doesn’t make stupid mistakes..." (06:25)
  • Giants struggles post-Saquon Barkley. (06:25)

• Stat Nuggets:

  • Bills' historic comeback: “First team in NFL history to overcome a deficit of 15 or more points in the final four minutes of a fourth quarter to win a season opener...” (09:47)
  • “Since 2000, teams that are trailing by 15 or more points in the final four minutes are 3 and 2,312.” (09:47)

• Smelling Salts Silliness:

  • Extended riff on the prevalence of smelling salts on NFL sidelines:
    • Marvin: “I was watching more closely than ever on the sidelines to see if I spotted any smelling salts. Oh, I didn’t see any, though…” (08:33)
    • Paulie: “It’s BYO salts.” (08:49)
    • Dan: “Well, they’re probably not being front and center. This might be where you’re a little more discreet…” (08:59)
    • Jokes ensue: “I want my kicker salted up.” “Salt me up. Salt me…” (09:39–09:47)

College Football Quick Hits

• Brief comments on Oregon, Oklahoma, South Florida, Florida, and Oklahoma State games. Dan comments: “I think South Florida is a good team. Should Florida win that? Yeah, they probably should...” (13:13)
• Lighthearted banter regarding watching obscure games on The CW and hypothetical TV tech that selects programs for you. (15:16)

Interview: Tony Gonzalez (24:42–38:42)

[24:42] Dan Patrick welcomes Tony Gonzalez—a legendary tight end now on Prime's Thursday Night Football.

Early Memories & NFL Toughness

• Second career game on MNF vs. Raiders; wild finish.
• Tony: “You go across the middle where they were aiming at your head and trying to knock you out... that was a different part of the game.” (25:44)
• Rivalries and player feuds: “My guy back then that I clashed with was Bill Romanowski. That was...dirty tactics, dirty cheat plays, spitting in your face. I’ve been spit in the face...that’s happened to me in the NFL.” (26:10)
• “What did Romanowski do to you?”—“The punch...the punch in the jaw after the play…” (27:05)

Week 1 Overreactions & Packers

• Tony’s biggest overreaction: “The Packers look like a Super Bowl team.” (27:57)
• Tony: “There is no doubt in my mind...I don’t see them a reason why they can’t beat Philly. If Jordan Love can play like he did...they look like the best team in the league, one, or at least the top two.” (27:57, 28:57)

Great Offenses Need “Closers” on Defense

• On impact defenders: “You play against these guys...DeMarcus Ware...Reggie White, Julius Peppers, Michael Strahan...Closers...where the Packers, they have that guy now.” (29:11, 29:57)

Tight End Legacy, Grudges, and Regrets

• Dan: “Who is the greatest tight end in Kansas City history?”
• Tony: “You gotta look at yourself like you the baddest mfer to ever walk around on a damn foot...If you put me with Peyton Manning or Tom Brady—come on, watch out.” (31:10–31:43)
• “I just wish I would have won a little more. That’s my biggest regret...those guys...they got jewelry. They get to wear big old diamond rings...but yeah, I wish I had one.” (32:39)

The “Good Loss” Debate

• Tony: “Especially early in the season...it’s a teaching lesson. Of course...you play the game as Herm Edwards said, you play to win the game. But you can always teach from it.” (32:45)

Tight End Evolution Influences

• Tony: “Kellen Winslow Sr., more my genre, Shannon [Sharpe] and Ben Coates...those guys are receiving type tight ends, but I always wanted to do both.” (33:30)

Tony’s Summer League NBA Stint

• Played with Miami Heat in 2002 Summer League; reveals intrigue and conspiracy keeping him off the court.
• “I saw...Stan Van Gundy...he goes, just understand, there was people higher up than me that might have made phone calls to make sure that you didn’t get to play that much...I got a feeling it was probably our GM, Carl Peterson...we were in a contract dispute.” (34:00)
• “Four-hour practices under Pat Riley...I never experienced anything like that.” (34:00)
• Tony insists he could have contributed in the NBA: “I could have played. I wouldn’t have started… but I could have went in the league, got you 8–10 rebounds a game, 8–10 points...call me crazy, I could have done that.” (36:05–36:52)

Fun and Personal

• On going to the Bezos wedding (his ex is now married to Bezos):
  • “They didn’t want anything. My presence. That’s what they said. Okay. It was just show up and bring a positive attitude.” (37:13)
  • Dan: “They had to be registered on Amazon…” (37:24)

Final Moments

• Tony: “You look good, you look like you could take a couple of snaps.”
  • Tony: “Yeah, I could go five yards, turn around, get down. I could do that still.” (38:00)
• Light banter on attending celebrity weddings and potential gifts for the ultra-wealthy.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rodgers' Steelers debut:
  “You got to separate who Aaron Rodgers is off the field as opposed to who he is on the field.”—Dan Patrick (05:18)
• On Packers being legit:
  “No doubt in my mind at this point...I don’t see them a reason why they can’t beat Philly...they look like the best team in the league.”—Tony Gonzalez (28:57)
• On NFL’s dark side:
  “Dirty tactics, dirty cheat plays, spitting in your face. … I’ve been spit in the face… that’s happened to me in the NFL.”—Tony Gonzalez (26:10)
• On TE legacy:
  “You gotta look at yourself like you the baddest mfer to ever walk around on a damn foot...”—Tony Gonzalez (31:10)
• On NBA dreams:
  “I could have went in the league and got you 8–10 rebounds a game and got you 8–10 points a game. No doubt in my mind. Call me crazy, I could have done that.” (36:52)
• On gifts for Bezos:
  “They didn’t want anything. My presence. That’s what they said. Okay. It was just show up and bring a positive attitude.”—Tony Gonzalez (37:13)

Lighthearted Panel Banter & Recurring Jokes

• Smelling salts jokes: “I want my kicker salted up”; “Salt me up. Salt me.”—Multiple (09:39–09:44)
• Jokes about TV tech putting on your spouse’s favorite (wrong) show:
  “No, because my wife did a drive by last night...then it might change over to Downton Abbey. No, we’re not doing that.” (15:49)

Closing Segments & Headlines (45:50–48:02)

• Panel banters about hypothetical post-game headlines, with wordplay on player names (JJ, Johnson, Bears).
• Extended laughs over JJ Watt’s hairstyle and whether hair parted down the middle is “coming back.”
• Banter about bringing gifts to billionaire weddings and shell companies as “presents.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:57] – Start of main show content (sports discussion begins)
• [03:23] – Lamar Jackson/fan incident recap
• [04:33] – Panel debates “perception boost” poll
• [05:18] – Dan’s take on Aaron Rodgers’ perception/media bias
• [07:37] – Recap of poll results; “most inspirational loss”
• [08:33] – NFL smelling salts discussion (lighthearted)
• [09:47] – Bills historic comeback/“Stat of the Day”
• [11:20] – Aaron Rodgers' complicated exit from NY and return to face Packers
• [13:00] – Tony Gonzalez teed up as next guest
• [24:42] – Tony Gonzalez interview begins
  • [25:44] – NFL hits harder in Tony’s day
  • [27:57] – Packers as Super Bowl favorites?
  • [31:10] – Who’s the best Chiefs TE ever?
  • [33:30] – Tight ends who inspired Tony
  • [34:00] – Miami Heat summer league story
  • [37:13] – Bezos wedding anecdote
  • [38:42] – Interview wraps up
• [45:50] – Panel banter, headlines, and closing

Tone and Style:

• Conversational, witty, slightly irreverent; mixture of sports insight, stats, and inside stories.
• Both Dan and Tony lean into candor, humility, and laughs (Tony on Super Bowls, getting spit on, and “coulda been an NBA guy”).
• Banter from co-hosts and staff is pun-filled and warmly self-deprecating.

Summary in One Line:
A lively NFL Week 1 recap focusing on Aaron Rodgers’ big Steelers debut, topped off with Tony Gonzalez candidly reflecting on the game's evolution, rivalries, regrets, and brushes with NBA and tech tycoon royalty.