The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3 (December 3, 2025)

Main Theme & Purpose
This hour of The Dan Patrick Show centers around hot-button topics in college and pro football, with a special focus on Mike Tomlin’s future with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the shifting landscape of college football. Dan and the “Danettes” take calls, banter on playoff debates, and host an extended, insightful interview with Super Bowl champion and Amazon analyst Andrew Whitworth, previewing Cowboys-Lions and discussing the deeper issues swirling around coaching changes and player toughness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mike Tomlin on the Hot Seat (05:35–11:43)

• Local vs National Narrative:
  • Pittsburgh fans are increasingly vocal about wanting a coaching change, even acknowledging Tomlin could maintain a winning record. Nationally, Tomlin’s reputation remains strong.
  • Callers from Pittsburgh suggest Tomlin "inherited a Hall of Fame quarterback” and that, since the departure of key talents, he’s failed to evolve the team offensively.
• Dan Patrick:
  • “You haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, and this is a team, franchise, city that expects championships, not just a playoff win.” (06:35)
  • Notes that Ben Roethlisberger publicly suggested "cleaning house," signaling a major shift in Steelers culture.
• Quarterback Woes:
  • The Steelers’ inability to find a franchise QB post-Roethlisberger is likened to Michigan football’s struggles before its recent revival.
  • Paulie: “How about a guy who's 28 years old, in his prime, and I think they'd be right back in the thick of things.” (07:28)

2. College Football “Revolution” and Playoff Expansion (12:15–18:38)

• Massive Changes:
  • Caller Nick in Irvine passionately describes the landscape as revolutionary:

    “We got $30 million payrolls, and it’s going to triple in the next two years… what a revolution is and what it results in are questions you could not have even fathomed five years ago.” (12:46)

  • Dan agrees the sport is “chaotic” and more open, likening the expanded playoff era to a quick fix that lets schools like Indiana and Texas Tech contend for titles (14:58).
• Selection Controversies:
  • Seaton: Expresses frustration that merit is still subjective—“It’s not just wins and losses. …you have to do the WWE part of it, too.” (15:56)
  • Paulie: Highlights the contrast with the NFL’s mathematically clear playoff system versus college’s opinion-driven chaos (16:24).
  • Power rankings in college football carry real playoff implications, unlike the NFL, where it’s settled on the field.
• Brand Bias:
  • Dan and the team discuss whether committee members subconsciously favor big-name programs like Notre Dame for higher ratings (19:03–21:14).
  • Dan: “I think there are certain programs—certainly Notre Dame—the brand is omnipresent, and whether you like them or not, you will watch them.” (17:49)

Memorable Analogy by Paulie (18:38):

“The NFL is like an antiseptic Applebee’s with the same menu, and you know what you’re going to get when you walk in. College football is the dive bar… wires hanging down, shady stuff in the bathroom that’s not up to code. That’s what college football feels like—the seedy version of the NFL, and it’s great.”

3. Interview: Andrew Whitworth, Amazon Prime NFL Analyst and Super Bowl Champion (26:28–41:29)

Cowboys-Lions Preview & NFL Analysis

• Playoff Stakes:
  • Whitworth: “This feels like playoff football already… both teams have a sense of urgency. Cowboys are hot, Lions are banged up but fighting.” (26:28)
• Cowboys’ Defense:
  • Whitworth credits Jerry Jones and coaching staff for turning the defense around, now looking “better than average” and making them legitimate contenders alongside their dynamic offense. (27:36)
• Blocking Preferences:
  • Dan asks whom he’d prefer to block:

    Whitworth: “I always like to go against the big boys… there’s a lot of body to get your hands on. The little guys, Micah [Parsons], it’s just finding a way to get in front of them.” (28:54)

• Quarterbacks: Smart vs Tough:
  • Whitworth: “I’d rather have a tough quarterback… it creates self-belief in the huddle. I’ve played with Carson Palmer, Matthew Stafford—tough guys lift everyone.” (29:41)
• Learning Toughness and Smarts On-Field:
  • Discusses the evolution QBs experience (with reference to Jackson Dart and Josh Allen) and the necessity of balancing toughness with situational intelligence after hits and concussions. (31:04–32:54)

On Coaching Carousel & Lane Kiffin’s Move to LSU

• Whitworth on Lane Kiffin to LSU (33:50):
  • “If it wasn’t for the calendar, it wasn’t for the timing… I’d be lying if I wasn’t saying, as an LSU Tiger, I’m excited. But it’s tough. The idea that you promised these kids this, and you’re leaving… that’s happened since I was in college.”
  • Shares how Nick Saban recruited him with the “four-year versus forty-year decision” speech, then departed for the NFL after four years.
  • “People need to make their own decisions… I don’t think I could’ve done it [left midseason], but Lane Kiffin needed to make his own.”
• NIL & Linemen Pay:
  • Dan counters old-school thinking, insisting linemen now command big NIL money because college football is “won in the trenches.”
  • Whitworth agrees, affirming both college and NFL success are “about winning up front,” referencing the Lions’ own struggles after losing key linemen. (37:39)
• Ceiling for Cowboys:
  • Whitworth: “There’s not a team that’s unbeatable this year… Dallas is built to score with anyone. How good and healthy the defense can be will decide their ceiling.” (39:10–40:48)
• Brian Kelly Accent Joke:
  • Dan ribs Whitworth about southern accents:

    “I think Brian Kelly’s accent is better than yours.” (40:48)

  • Whitworth replies that it gets thicker every time he visits Louisiana.
• Notable Quote:
  • “If you don’t have the foundation of what creates football success, you’re living in a pretty temporary building. At any point it can be cut out from underneath you.” (38:00)

4. Final Thoughts & Fun

• Chris Paul’s Exit from Clippers:
  • Dan comments on how “the best player the franchise ever had” was “kicked to the curb,” symbolizing the team’s lack of tradition and retired jerseys. (25:00, 48:00)
• Iconic College Football Stats:
  • The crew recalls Barry Sanders’ record-breaking Heisman season, with Paulie highlighting his 2,628 rushing yards in 11 games. (48:31)
• Uniform Rant:
  • Paulie complains about modern Kansas basketball jerseys, likening the font to the “Golden Corral” sign (“It’s very off-putting!” 47:44).

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dan Patrick on Tomlin:

  “But you haven't won a playoff game since 2016, and this is a team, franchise, city that expects championships, not just a playoff win.” (06:35)

• Nick in Irvine:

  “We got $30 million payrolls, and it's going to triple in the next two years. ...what a revolution is and what it results in are questions you could not have even fathomed five years ago.” (12:46)

• Seaton on playoff selection:

  “It's sort of that gymnastics thing... You're still getting judged. It's not just wins and losses.” (15:56)

• Paulie’s analogy:

  “The NFL is like an antiseptic Applebee’s... College football is the dive bar with the pool table and stuff all over the place...” (18:38)

• Andrew Whitworth on toughness:

  “When they’re tough and going to survive down to down, going to play with physicality, there’s a self belief that is created around them.” (29:41)

• Whitworth on NIL and trenches:

  “If you don’t have the foundation of what creates football success, you’re living in a pretty temporary building…” (38:00)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 05:35 – Steelers fans on Tomlin; local/national media perspective
• 11:43 – Steelers talent drafting woes
• 12:15 – College football playoff revolution, caller Nick
• 15:32 – Subjectivity and selection committee/artistry in college football
• 19:03 – Brand bias in college playoff debates
• 26:28 – Andrew Whitworth joins, Cowboys-Lions, NFL parity
• 33:50 – Whitworth on Lane Kiffin, coaching loyalty, and NIL
• 39:10 – Cowboys playoff ceiling, NFL contender parity

Summary Table

| Segment | Topic | Notable Quotes / Insights | |----------------|------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:35–11:43 | Mike Tomlin Hot Seat | “Haven’t won playoff game since 2016” – Local impatience vs. national view | | 12:15–19:21 | College Playoff Revolution | “What a revolution is… $30 million payrolls…” – Debate on fairness | | 19:21–21:14 | Brand Bias/Selection Committee | “I think that history causes some people maybe to think one way or another…”| | 26:28–41:29 | Andrew Whitworth Interview | “Rather have a tough quarterback... creates self belief…” | | 33:50+ | Lane Kiffin/Coaching Loyalty/NIL | “It’s always been a part of it… now because of the calendar, it’s an issue”| | 39:10+ | Cowboys/Lions Playoff Outlook | “Not a team that you sit there and go… without question, making a run” | | 47:44+ | Offbeat topics (Uniforms, History) | “Kansas jersey looks like Golden Corral…” |

This Hour Delivers:

• Honest, inside perspectives on pro coaching futures
• A lively debate on college football’s chaotic, brand-driven ascension
• Candid, big-picture NFL playoff and player analysis
• Great caller contributions blending wit and insight
• Whitworth’s football wisdom for fans of all ages

Anyone, even without listening, will walk away with clear views on the Steelers’ crossroads, playoff arguments, and why “foundation” and “toughness” matter as much in the studio as on the field.