The Dan Patrick Show

Hour 3 – Sam Darnold’s Wild Ride, UFOs, UAPs or Whatever They’re Calling Them Now
Date: December 30, 2025
Hosts: Covino & Rich (Steve Covino and Rich Davis), in for Dan Patrick

Episode Overview

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show sees guest hosts Covino and Rich dive into the sports headlines of the week with their trademark humor and lively banter. The hour centers around the surprising career resurgence of quarterback Sam Darnold, his reputation compared to NFL elites, and how circumstances can shape players’ legacies. The latter half of the hour takes a left turn into pop culture territory, as the crew discusses the latest credible UFO/UAP documentary and the government’s ongoing tongue-tied explanations for unexplained aerial phenomena. There’s also the Mahomes trivia showdown, and a spirited debate over the sports impact of LeBron James versus Tiger Woods.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Sam Darnold’s Surprising Company: A Deep Dive

[03:48]

• The hosts debate a football trivia point: Sam Darnold is one of only five quarterbacks to win 13 games in back-to-back seasons (with two different teams, no less).
• Other quarterbacks in this group: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers (with a nod to Steve Young, Joe Montana, and Drew Brees as other consistent winners, though outside this specific stat).

[04:46 – 05:44]

• Context: The NFL’s expanded schedule has made 13-win seasons more attainable, but it’s still rare air and generally reserved for elite QBs and teams.
• Rich and Steve explore how Darnold’s current reputation is hampered by his origins (Jets and Panthers) and previous struggles, even as his stats (and possibly playoff run) suggest he deserves to be viewed differently.

[06:44]

• Big Mike: “[Darnold] enters week 18 with a shot at the number one seed… last year 13 and three, now again.”
• Steve unpacks how rare this back-to-back run is, and ponders what it’ll mean if Darnold truly leads a Super Bowl charge.

What If Darnold Wins the Super Bowl?

[08:26 – 12:34]

• Rich recalls Geno Smith’s famous line: “Sam Darnold was written off, but he didn’t write back.”
• They lay out the question: If Darnold goes to—and wins—the Super Bowl before the likes of Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, or Josh Allen, does he get full credit, or is he always “carried by his team,” Trent Dilfer-style?
  • Memorable exchange:
    • Steve Covino (11:00): “Has a ginger ever won a Super Bowl?”
    • Rich (11:14): “He doesn’t have quarterback face. He’s got red hair. There’s no way he could be that great. Yes. He did it back to back with two different teams. And if he wins a Super Bowl…that gives him a major edge and he should be put in a bigger conversation.”
• The consensus: Darnold’s transformation, perseverance, and success deserve more respect, despite lingering old stereotypes or franchise baggage.

The Path to Quarterback Success

[14:02 – 16:59]

• Comparing Darnold’s non-linear career arc to John Elway, Geno Smith, and current QBs like Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love.
• The crew notes: Some QBs (Mahomes, Wilson) fall into “ready-to-win” teams; others must stumble until their environment catches up.
• Quote:
  • Rich (16:59): “A lot of the legends we grew up admiring…they all struggled in the beginning. So, it’s not a surprise that a guy like Darnold could do that.”

Sports Windows, Regret & the Burrow/Jackson/Allen Debate

[17:44–21:26]

• Annual “Super Bowl window” discussion: how many great QBs assume they’ll one day ‘get there,’ but most (Marino, et al.) never do.
• Recap of near-misses for Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen; skepticism about how hard it is to get “back to the big game.”
• Steve (18:47): “Everyone loves to say, like, ‘Oh, they’ll be back.’ That’s like B.S.…you might never get another shot.”

NFL Trivia: “Showtime Mahomes”

[29:10–37:10]

• Lively Mahomes-themed NFL trivia contest, featuring faux Patrick Mahomes banter and various sports questions (e.g., first Super Bowl stadium, first helmet logo, etc.).
• Mostly played for laughs, with Rich Davis emerging victorious, punctuated by Mahomes’ tongue-in-cheek lament of the Chiefs' “down year.”

Segment 2: UFOs, UAPs, and “The Age of Disclosure”

[37:24–43:11]

• Covino and Rich discuss “The Age of Disclosure,” a new documentary about UFOs (UAPs), touting its credible government sources and high production value.
• Key Points:
  • 34 government insiders—career intelligence and military professionals—break silence on the UAP phenomenon.
  • Congressional hearings have confirmed “unidentified aerial phenomenon” traveling at speeds (40,000 mph) well beyond human technology.
  • The guys ponder: Is it aliens, another nation with advanced tech, or something even weirder (time travelers)?
• Memorable exchange:
  • Rich (39:52): “Our best aircraft travel at, like, 4,000 mph. This [UAP] is traveling at over 40,000 mph.”
  • Steve (42:10): “If they’re saying there’s things that are going 40,000 miles an hour going against all science and physics…how do you describe it?”
  • Big Mike: “Just because it’s unidentified doesn’t make it aliens.”
• Humorous skepticism about blurry footage (“travels in a bubble!”), government secrecy, and whether people could ever handle confirmation.

Birthday Debate: LeBron vs. Tiger

[50:37–53:07]

• On the day both LeBron James (41) and Tiger Woods (50) celebrate milestone birthdays, the cast votes on who’s had a bigger impact:
  • Rich: “LeBron…he’s been on our conscious radar for 20 years.”
  • Big Mike: “Tiger transformed a whole sport.”
  • Consensus: Tiger had a bigger impact on his sport (golf), but LeBron is the bigger global superstar.

Notable Quotes & Moments With Timestamps

• On Darnold’s Company:
  • Rich (05:44): “The only reason we question [Darnold] is because of where he came from…He’s a completely different quarterback now.”
• On Darnold Winning a Super Bowl:
  • Steve (10:28): “If Sam Darnold gets to the Super Bowl and wins one before Lamar Jackson, Burrow, Josh Allen…do you have to start really respecting Sam Darnold on a different level?”
• On Second-Chance QBs:
  • Rich (08:26): “‘Sam Darnold was written off and he didn’t write back.’ He paved his own way.”
• On Windows & Super Bowl Rings:
  • Steve (18:16): “So many of these guys will never, ever get there.”
• On UFOs/UAPs:
  • Rich (39:14): “There is unidentified aerial phenomenon. It’s not a maybe.”
  • Steve (42:10): “If they’re saying that there are things that are going 40,000 miles an hour…how do you describe it?”
• On LeBron vs Tiger:
  • Big Mike (51:28): “Tiger transformed a whole sport, though.”
  • Steve (52:48): “Tiger Woods made a bigger impact in his sport; LeBron James is the bigger global star.”

Important Segment Timestamps

• Sam Darnold’s Winning Company, NFL Comparisons: [03:48 – 06:42]
• Super Bowl credit for Darnold? Second-chance QBs: [08:26 – 17:19]
• Super Bowl Windows, Burrow, Lamar & Allen: [17:44 – 21:26]
• Mahomes NFL Trivia Segment: [29:10 – 37:10]
• ‘The Age of Disclosure’ UFO/UAP Documentary Discussion: [37:24 – 43:11]
• LeBron vs. Tiger Impact Debate: [50:37 – 53:07]

Tone & Language

• Highly conversational, playful, and irreverent.
• Frequent jokes and pop culture references (“gingers can’t win Super Bowls!”), poking fun at each other and at sports/media stereotypes.
• Encouraging reconsideration of popular narratives (both in the Darnold debate and the UFO discussion).

Summary

This episode rethinks NFL narratives around “winner” quarterbacks by spotlighting Sam Darnold’s rare achievement—and raising sharp, humorous points about how public perception is shaped by early-career struggles, team quality, and even appearance. The hosts draw on other sports legacies (Elway, Wilson, Mahomes) to illustrate how success depends on timing and environment as much as talent. A spirited detour into UFO/UAP discourse offers both awe at the scale of unknown phenomena and skepticism at our ability (or desire) to understand it. The episode wraps with a duel of icons—LeBron James vs. Tiger Woods—prompting broader reflection on legacy, impact, and global reach.

For listeners: Whether you’re tuning in for sports takes or the UFO banter, Covino and Rich deliver fast-paced, engaging commentary that doesn’t shy away from nuance or the absurd. Even if you missed the show live, this episode captures why sports talk is at its best when it’s both inside and outside the box.