The Best of The Dan Patrick Show

Summary

The Dan Patrick Show: The Best of The Dan Patrick Show Release Date: December 19, 2024

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1. Quarterback Futures and Team Strategies

[00:51] Dan Patrick: The episode kicks off with Dan Patrick delving into the future of NFL quarterbacks, presenting a poll question to listeners about which quarterback's future he is most curious about. The options include Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Trevor Lawrence, and Sam Darnold.

[06:42] Dan Patrick: The conversation shifts to Kirk Cousins and his recent benching. Cousins addresses his performance and expresses unwavering support for his team and starting quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. shares how Cousins has been a steadfast supporter, stating, "You know, he's in my corner, the same way I was for him whenever he was a starter." This mutual support highlights the camaraderie within the team dynamics.

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2. Interview with Michael Penix Jr.

[06:42] Michael Penix Jr.: Penix recounts the moment he was named the starting quarterback for his team, humorously noting, "I was actually shopping with my girlfriend at Costco when I got the call." He discusses the pressures and nerves associated with such an announcement and reflects on Cousins' supportive remarks during this transition.

[15:15] Dan Patrick: The discussion transitions to potential destinations for Kirk Cousins if he remains a free agent. Penix speculates on teams like the San Francisco 49ers, suggesting strategic moves such as trading for Jerry Jeudy to bolster their roster.

[22:56] Michael Penix Jr.: Penix evaluates the New York Jets' management issues, criticizing owner Woody Johnson and the franchise's lackluster performance. He highlights the importance of competent ownership, stating, "Leadership starts with the owner. Without strong leadership, the entire feel of the building suffers."

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3. Team Ownership and Management Critique

[09:56] Dan Patrick: The conversation deepens into the impact of ownership on team performance. Penix criticizes the Jets' leadership, emphasizing that poor decisions at the top level can derail a franchise's success.

[13:28] Dan Patrick: Shifting focus, Penix discusses Dion Sanders and his commitment to staying at Colorado. He voices concerns over external pressures and suggestions from media figures, advocating for Sanders to remain focused on his current role rather than exploring other opportunities.

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4. Interview with Chris Collinsworth

[13:21] Chris Collinsworth: Collinsworth expresses his satisfaction with his current position, "I'm happy where I am. I can't wait to see what the future beholds with where I am." He shares his admiration for the Colorado Buffaloes and his dedication to coaching them moving forward.

[32:51] Chris Collinsworth: The discussion shifts to Collinsworth's brief stint with Madden NFL, where he humorously recounts the frustrations of in-game play-calling, especially dealing with Peyton Manning's interceptions. "It’s maddening. Players don’t do it longer than like three years because they go crazy."

[40:36] Chris Collinsworth: Addressing the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback situation, Collinsworth analyzes the team's dilemma between maintaining Sam Darnold and investing in emerging talents like J.J. McCarthy. He emphasizes the importance of strategic decision-making in maintaining a competitive edge.

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5. Madden NFL and Coaching Dynamics

[27:06] Dan Patrick: The episode explores the intricacies of coaching within the NFL, with Penix discussing his role in play-calling and game management. He emphasizes clear communication with quarterbacks to avoid confusion and maximize team performance.

[49:35] Dan Patrick: Collinsworth humorously discusses social media challenges, revealing, "Negative. No, no, no." He shares his experience of navigating social media as a public figure and the impact of receiving both positive and negative feedback from fans.

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6. Emotional Interview with Stephen Wilson Jr.

[57:21] Stephen Wilson Jr.: In a heartfelt segment, Stephen Wilson Jr., a rising musician, shares his deeply personal story behind his double album, "Son of Dad." He discusses coping with the loss of his father and the journey of self-discovery that followed. "Losing him brought me back to help me find myself," he reflects, highlighting the emotional weight of his music.

[62:25] Stephen Wilson Jr.: Wilson delves into his relationship with his father, drawing parallels between his experiences in the boxing ring and performing on stage. "If you can fight another man for three rounds, you can do anything," he shares his father's wisdom, underscoring the resilience he developed through boxing.

[66:45] Stephen Wilson Jr.: Performing an acoustic cover of "Stand By Me," Wilson Jr. connects his personal loss with his music, illustrating the therapeutic power of art. He passionately conveys the essence of his album, stating, "Son of Dad was an exploration process into figuring out who this guy is."

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7. Concluding Thoughts and Final Segments

[75:00] Dan Patrick: As the show wraps up, Dan Patrick emphasizes the importance of listener engagement and community support. He encourages upcoming artists like Stephen Wilson Jr. to acknowledge the show's role in their journey, fostering a sense of gratitude and connection within the audience.

[73:55] Dan Patrick: Closing with light-hearted banter, Patrick shares a humorous exchange with Wilson Jr., reinforcing the show's friendly and supportive atmosphere.

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Notable Quotes:

• Michael Penix Jr. (06:42): "You know, he's in my corner, the same way I was for him whenever he was a starter."
• Dan Patrick (09:56): "Leadership starts with the owner. Without strong leadership, the entire feel of the building suffers."
• Chris Collinsworth (15:15): "If anybody ever got to 17 interceptions when I was doing it, I don't know if they threw it out of the game."
• Stephen Wilson Jr. (57:21): "Son of Dad was an exploration process into figuring out who this guy is."
• Stephen Wilson Jr. (62:25): "If you can fight another man for three rounds, you can do anything."

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Insights and Conclusions:

• Team Dynamics and Leadership: The show underscores the critical role of leadership within NFL teams, both from coaches and owners. Effective communication and supportive relationships between players and management are pivotal for a team's success.

• Player Development and Future Prospects: Discussions around quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold highlight the complexities of player development, team strategies, and the impact of external pressures on athlete performances.

• Personal Journeys and Resilience: Stephen Wilson Jr.'s interview offers a poignant look into personal loss and the transformative power of music. His story emphasizes resilience and the importance of finding one's identity amidst adversity.

• Media and Public Perception: Chris Collinsworth's experiences with social media reflect the challenges faced by public figures in managing negative feedback while maintaining a positive presence.

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This episode of The Dan Patrick Show intricately weaves sports analysis with personal storytelling, providing listeners with both insightful sports commentary and emotionally resonant narratives. The blend of professional discussions and heartfelt interviews encapsulates the essence of capturing "The Best of The Dan Patrick Show."

Transcript

[Dan Patrick]

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[Chris Collinsworth]

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[Dan Patrick]

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[Chris Collinsworth]

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[Dan Patrick]

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[Kevin O'Connell]

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[Dan Patrick]

AMEX Platinum, the last day vacation brings yet another experience that's a powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Learn [e-mail] with MX Golf's newest league TGL presented by SoFi. It's live on ESPN and ESPN Plus. Sharp electric. How sharp? How electric? Picture this. Two hours of hammer dropping overtime forcing playoffs on the line Golf 24 of the best players on the PGA Tour. Tigers there. Rory's there, Colin Morikawa, Xander Shafley split into six teams. Atlanta, Boston, Jupiter, L.A. new York and the bag. Not your average Sunday pickup game. To learn more, visit tglgolf.com and tune in to the inaugural season beginning January 7th. Keep up. It's golf. Life is an adventure. Share the journey. Check out the all new Wolverine R Max for 1000@ Yamaha Motorsports.com or you can go to your local Yamaha dealer today. Bring the family in. You can get four adults sitting in there comfortably. A lot of cargo space as well. And just remember, always protect the environment. Wear your seatbelt, your helmet, eye protection, protective clothing. Read the owner's manual product warning labels before operating. It's the Yamaha Wolverine R Max 4 1000@Yamaha Motorsports.com Thursday Night Football is on. And it's only on prime video makes the catch Touchdown Tonight. The Denver Broncos visit the Los Angeles Chargers in a game with big playoff implications. This is unbelievable. Coverage begins with 10 TNF tonight. Not a Prime member. Sign up for a 30 day free trial to stream the game. It's the Broncos and Chargers tonight only on Prime Video. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com amazonprime for details. Sonos makes it easy to enjoy a cinematic sound experience from the comfort of your own couch. Sonos works with award winning artists and producers, sound engineers to deliver the highest quality sound. Listen to all the holiday music you want. Watch all the holiday movies and you can do that with Sonos. Sonos products work together so you can build your own sound system and they look as beautiful as they sound. Great. Sound looks great. You're going to be the star of the neighborhood. Sonos has great gifts for everyone on your list. Visit sonos.comforward/dan, you'll save 20% on select products. So that's sonos.comforward/dan to save 20% on select products. That's sonos.comdan. you are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio. It's a Thursday. It's hour one. DAN and the Dan. Dan Patrick Show. Fritz, he is asking that he be referred to as Mary Fritzmas. And I think that's a little pretentious, but we can see how it goes today. Play it by ear. Merry Fritzmas. And it's got a good ring. It's a big night for Fritzi. His Broncos. I think it's us against the Chargers minus it's us. This is the biggest game since Super Bowl 50. The Chargers are giving three against Fritz's Broncos. It's also the R L carriers New Orleans bowl coming up tonight. Set, set your schedule accordingly. Your house Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell will join us coming up later on this hour. Chris Collinsworth, NBC Sunday Night Football and a musician that I have fallen in love with. I got a man crush on Stephen Wilson Jr. And got a heads up probably a month ago, maybe three weeks ago from my brother and my brother said, here's a song that might be the best written song I've ever heard. Well, he got my attention because he has a great ear for music. I listened to it. Then I started listening to more of his songs. And he was in Massachusetts last week going to New York. We had him stop through on a day off and he performed a couple of songs. So we'll bring that interview to you in the final hour of the program. Alrighty. Patrick Mahomes practices and looks like he'll be ready to go. Coming up this weekend, you have the Thursday Night Football. It's a tough stretch for some teams where you got three games in 11 days. And that's putting a whole lot of stress, I would think, on some of these teams this time of the year when you're just trying to stay healthy to get ready for the postseason. And here's Mahomes, who got banged up with the high ankle sprain, but he'll still be playing, it looks like. But this is, this is where if you're a coach, how can you coach your players to play safe or safer, not take risk? Because look at Detroit. I mean, they're so banged up on the defensive side of the ball. And you know, Dan Campbell doesn't coach that way. But can you play to not get hurt? And players will say that's usually when you do get hurt. Seaton, what's the Poll question for the first hour of the program. Well, we got a few options here for you, quarterback whose future I'm most curious about. Your options Here are Cousins, Rogers, Lawrence, other. Okay, so Aaron Rodgers, Trevor Lawrence, Kirk D. Cousins. What about Sam Darnold? Okay, that's a great one. Do you put Brock Purdy in there or does that feel like. Of course they're going to hold on to Brock Purdy? See anybody else that we would put it. No, I think that's. That's the final four. Those are the ones we've been talking about. Speaking of Kirk Cousins, not many backup quarterbacks go to a press conference, but he talked about getting benched yesterday. You know, it's pro football. You know, there's a standard that, you know, I have for myself, the team has for me that unfortunately, you know, I wasn't playing up to that standard consistently enough. You know, it is what it is. You know, you still get ready, you know, one play away kind of a thing, and support Mike and. And just try to help our team, you know, be able to find a way to win these last three to get in the playoffs. Yeah, I'm not surprised that, you know, this would be his approach. He's sort of the Jimmy Stewart of NFL quarterbacks. You know, it's a Wonderful Life. I'll try to make it great for the other guy and, you know, hey, get Mike in there and let him play. Here's Michael Penix Jr. On how he found out he was the starter with the Falcons.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

I was actually shopping. I was shopping with my girlfriend, was at Costco and I got the call and, you know, they. They told me that I was gonna be the starting quarterback, you know, for the rest of the season. And, you know, as you can imagine, it was. It was some nerves. It was excitement, you know, but I was actually getting a hot dog and. And whenever I got the call, I wasn't hungry no more, so.

[Dan Patrick]

All right. Getting your food at Costco, that's how you find out that you're going to be the starting quarterback. Yes, Todd, he wasn't hungry anymore because of nerves or because I shouldn't be eating a hot dog. I'm going to be the starting quarterback. That's not something I should be putting in my body. I don't know. I wasn't there. That was the first thing I thought. Couldn't ask you, I can't eat a hot dog. I'm the starting quarterback. It's a terrible thing to eat or. Oh, my God, I'm so nervous about starting I got no appetite now. Well, I think it's time to go to work. Probably lost his appetite. Time to go to work. I got to leave. Let's go. I got to, I got to watch some film here on the Giants. So Michael Penix Jr. Will get this start. And he talked about what Kirk Cousins said to him.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

You know, he's, he's in my corner, you know, the same way that I was for, for him whenever he was a starter. He said that he was, he was going to come into the building, you know, continue to stay positive and you know, do whatever he can to help me out and, you know, help this team with football games.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. He's 36. He's had a great career financially, I mean, statistically as well. Is he going to be a starter someplace? Could you see him as a one year starter? Probably I could see him. I think he's, I think he's been too good to not be a starter. We talked about destinations yesterday. Maybe the Giants. If they draft a quarterback, would you have Kirk Cousins one year? Yes. Yeah, I was going to actually throw that out as another poll question. We sort of hit it yesterday. But where does Kirk Cousins land? Giants, Browns, Colts? Jets? Boy, I hope it's not the Jets. There was an article that came out and it sounds like it's a mess with the Jets. Dinah Rossini had a really detailed article with a couple other writers with the Athletic and it's just about Woody Johnson, who really sounds clueless. And it's one of those, you can, you can get rid of a quarterback, you can trade a quarterback or you can fire the head coach or fire the gm. You can't do anything with the owner. You know, the Cowboy fans, if you said, hey, would you want another owner the last 30 years? They probably say, yeah, the Washington Commanders would. Yeah, I'm sure they said that. Can we get somebody else in here? But with the jets, it starts there. Leadership starts there. Everything, just the feel in the building starts there. Who is he? What does he know? What decisions do you make? Who does he confer with? And then you find out that they were going to trade for Jerry Judy, who I think has a thousand receiving yards for the Browns. They were going to trade with the Broncos. And then Woody Johnson, I think, found out from his sons that Jerry Judy didn't have a good Madden reading.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Oh.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, yeah. So they didn't make the trade. He didn't have a good Madden reading. But I guess his sons or grandsons, I, I guess the family's more involved in this now, and it is, it is a deep dive into the jets mess. And Woody Johnson doesn't come out of this looking like he knows what he's doing. And there's a reason why the jets, you know, it's Jetsian. They, they just do things and you go, that's just Jetsian. Yes. Mark, is knowing who the owner is a bad sign for a franchise? Like if you know who the owner is for the most part? Well, Robert Kraft did really well in New England, so I, I mean, I would start there. Jerry Buss with the Lakers. I think there's, I think there's certain ownership individuals, not groups, but individuals where you know that it's the Rooney family with the Steelers. But for the most part, I mean, I'd rather not see the owner, hear the owner. You know, when I see Arthur Blank on the sidelines with the Falcons, I just know they're going to lose. It just feels like, oh, there's Arthur. Just stay up there. You know what, you want to congratulate them after the game. You want to bring your girlfriend down there on the field. Hey, look at us. A little photo op and then all of a sudden it's like, we're going to win the Super Bowl. Now all cameras are on me because we're going to lose the Super Bowl. I'd prefer my owner stayed upstairs. Yes. Marvin, you only see the Rooneys at the super bowl podium. Yeah, the only time you see those guys. Yeah, the Mara family with the Giants. But you know, you're looking at what the Jets. I mean, you, if, if you read the article, you'll go, now I know, now I know that we're cursed, you know, and Woody Johnson was the ambassador to Ireland, I think first go around with President Trump and then he got passed over. This time around, I think in the building, they were hoping that he would go back. Like, oh my God, he's not going to be. And I think they called him Mr. Ambassador in the building. Yes. What a mess. What's the reason why we're not trading for Jerry Judy? Have you seen his Madden rating? You base all your information on that. You got all of these analytic guys, data, stats, everything. But when the owner Bigfoots you, there's nothing you can do. He wanted to bench Aaron Rodgers. They fired Robert Sala. I mean they, Joe Douglas, I mean, they fired people mid season. And that's on ownership, owner. It starts there, but it's a mess. You know, if you feel bad about your franchise, read this article. You will feel better about your franchise. Your team, your ownership group. Let's see, what else do we have? Dion Sanders keeps saying that he wants to stay at Colorado, and they've had a pretty good recruiting year. He was on the Pac Man Jones podcast and had this to say. I love where I am.

[Chris Collinsworth]

I'm a elated where I am.

[Dan Patrick]

I'm happy where I am. I can't wait to see what the future beholds with where I am.

[Chris Collinsworth]

And I love. I love Boulder, Colorado. So I have every intention, every plan in the world to be coaching for the Colorado Buffs from here on.

[Dan Patrick]

I want to finish here. I want to put the flag.

[Chris Collinsworth]

I want my names on the mountains out there.

[Dan Patrick]

I want to put my flag down in Colorado. Okay. If Dion truly feels this way, he should reach out to Stephen A. Smith and tell Stephen to shut up and stop having Dion up for every job. You know, Stephen A saying, oh, he should replace Ryan Day at Ohio State. He should be the next Cowboys head coach. Paul Feinbaum saying, oh, he should go to usc. If you truly believe you're not helping Dion by promoting him for these other jobs. Because if I'm a recruitment, first thing I'm saying is, wait a minute. Are you going to go to the Raiders with your son? What if the Cowboys call? I can't see him at Ohio State. Mike Vrabel would get that job. But, you know, Dion's friends keep promoting him for these other jobs, and it hurts Dion at Colorado because I want to know, are you going to be there? I hope he stays there. He's great for college football, but if he wants to leave, that's his, you know, prerogative. And he would be in joining a long list of coaches who told us one thing and did something else. Yes. Todd, you probably want to say, I want to win national titles as opposed to putting a flag down based on what's going on in the world these days in college football, not the best choice. Thank you, John. Thank you. It's a figure of speech, I think. I don't think he meant it literally, actually put the flag there because it's causing quite the controversy. I don't know if you've been watching some of these games. I have. I have. We were talking about Kirk Cousins. Paulie has a wild card spot for Kirk Cousins where he thinks he would.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

End up the San Francisco 49ers. Imagine you don't want to give Purdy $260 million and can trade for him.

[Dan Patrick]

For almost nothing, but do a Russell Wilson, where the Atlanta Falcons are paying most of it for Next year, possible.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Gap year situation with Kirk Cousins.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, so you would bring him in as the backup to Brock Purdy. Yeah.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Have both of them on the roster and best man wins. It's an.

[Dan Patrick]

It's an interesting option for them at the quarterback position. Yeah. Seaton. So if you want to bring in a quarterback who frustratingly keeps you just short of where you're trying to go, here's another one for you. Yeah, we already got a couple. Yeah. Yeah. Jimmy G. You know, the 49ers have a little bit of a history of disrespecting the quarterbacks who have done well for them, so I wouldn't be surprised if they got rid of Brock Purdy. I don't know. It's that easy to get to the Super Bowl. No, it's really not. Oh, the Rams got rid of Jared Goff. Is Jared Goff better than Brock Purdy? Yes. I'd say yes, right? I'd say yes. That's a push. I guess. I forgot. You are. You're at the front of the class, front of the line with the Brock Pretty fan club. Damn right. That started years ago in college. Brocktober. Yeah. The problem was brockvember and Brock December, but Brocktober.

[Chris Collinsworth]

Magic.

[Dan Patrick]

Every year. It was magic. Awesome. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our [e-mail] and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live. Hey, it's Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio and, of course, the iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's. What's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

To have the time to discuss.

[Dan Patrick]

And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show. Just search Kovino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich. Golf's newest league is coming to ESPN and ESPN Plus. Introducing TGL presented by SoFi. You have three on three team matchups that play on Monday and Tuesday nights. Six teams competing for playoffs in a championship. You're in Atlanta, Boston, Jupiter, Florida, Los Angeles, New York and the Bay. Those are the teams 24 the PGA Tours best. You got Tiger, you got Rory, Colin Moore, Cowan, Xander Shoffley, Ricky Fowler and so many more. Two hour matches during primetime and the matches take place on Monday and Tuesday nights. There's other sporting elements. There's timeouts, there's refs, there's overtime. Players are miked up. They all play in a custom built tech infused arena. It's wild. It's not your average Sunday pickup game. To learn more, visit tglgolf.com and tune in to the inaugural season beginning January 7th. Keep up. It's golf. Sonos makes it easy to enjoy a cinematic sound experience from the comfort of your own couch. Sonos works with award winning artists, producers, sound engineers to deliver the highest quality sound. Listen to all that holiday music you want and all the holiday movies as well with Sonos. Sonos products work together so what you can do is build your own sound system and they look as beautiful as they sound. Once you hear it, you'll ask yourself, how have I survived without this? Sonos has great gifts for everybody on your list. Visit sonos.comforward/dan. You'll save 20% on select products.

[Todd Fritz]

That's sonos.com Congratulations to Easterseals Southern California on their first place win for innovation in Customer service at this year's Unconventional Awards by T Mobile. For Business, Easterseals has used T Mobile 5G to create immersive VR development tools that aid people with autism in addressing transportation barriers. These tools are shaping the way safe and personalized skill building is delivered. And for that, T Mobile congratulates Easterseals Southern California for their unconventional thinking.

[Kevin O'Connell]

Hi everyone, it's Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb from the Today Show. We love this time of year. There's so much to celebrate. That's right, nobody does the holidays quite like today. All season long. Join us for special performances with the brightest stars. Plus festive recipes to whip up the perfect holiday feast and great deals on the hottest toys and gifts for everyone on your list. So join us every morning on NBC to make today your home for the holidays.

[Dan Patrick]

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[Michael Penix Jr.]

What did I keep?

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, Jersey, you know, some, some tough.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Memories of, you know, anytime it was windy or rainy and I couldn't throw the football. But no, I, I've got, I've got, I've got everything. My wife would probably tell you that I keep too much stuff. I got jerseys. I, I, you know, I got a pair of Ladanian Tomlinson's cleats from when my locker was next to him at, you know, his, my last year with the Jets.

[Dan Patrick]

Wait, did you ask him for those or did you take those?

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Can't recall. Let's, let's not go there this morning. Actually. No, I did, I did ask him. I did ask.

[Dan Patrick]

He might be one of, he might be one of the most underrated players of all time.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Totally agree.

[Dan Patrick]

I mean his stats are crazy. I went over those two days ago. I was just looking. I go, gosh, he's not meant when we talk great running backs of all time. He's one of those we got to come back to and go, oh yeah, you're right. Lt was great.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Now there's no doubt. And how he did it too. I mean there were some games he was 30 plus carries. There was other games he had 10 plus catches. I mean, super, super impactful.

[Dan Patrick]

You wouldn't have got your chance if Brady didn't get hurt that year.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

It was, you know, it was actually, you know, when it happened, that was back, that was back kind of, you know, before some of the rules that we have now with the, you know, where you have to clearly define who the third quarterback is. So, you know, there was, there was a moment in that, in that. When, when Tom went down where Matt Castle and I weren't sure who was going in the game. And then Matt went out there and, and you know, we were. If I, if I recall correctly, there was a moment early there where we were backed up and he threw Randy Moss a big completion from, you know, standing in the shadows of his own goal post and he, the rest was history. From there. He, he had an unbelievable year. That was a, that was a really interesting year because, you know, you're, you go to New England, you think you're going to be watching the greatest quarterback of all time, you know, go to work every week and then something catastrophic like that happens. And then just to be there side by side through that with Matt and, and, and Matt and I became really close and watch him go through it, and he was so prepared for the moment. Had been there for a pretty good chunk of years, kind of just learning and growing and developing and then watch him go out and execute every week and shoot. We won. If I don't, if I recall right, I think we won 11 games and didn't make the playoffs. It was, it was kind of a one of one thing.

[Dan Patrick]

Do you do the nobody believes us type speech?

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Well, you know, it was to me at the beginning of the year, Dan, it was easy to say, to give that speech because that would have been accurate at the time, you know, but I did have a feeling about this team even going back into the off season. New additions arrive and you're kind of just seeing the team come together and it seemed like every few days. I remember vividly a conversation I had with Harrison Smith second or third day of training camp. And I, I just kind of walked up to him and we were talking and kind of assessing, you know, it was during special teams. And I said, harry, I think we be pretty good. And he's like, I, I think so too. And, and we kind of just kept on having good days and, and my whole focus was just. It really wasn't about, you know, motivating from a standpoint of, hey, nobody's talking about us, or the wind projections or anything like that. I didn't get into all that. It was just trying to get these, to truly see if we can maximize every day. And it's, it's, it can be a cliche if you're, you know, if you're, if you're not authentically believing it, that that's the most important thing for this team this year. But I truly did feel between our, you know, having a new quarterback and just, you know, so many new faces on the defense and flow, kind of bringing that group together every single day, we had to maximize the time we had. And if we didn't, you know, I, I didn't necessarily think we would reach our, our potential or, you know, as early as we needed to, to have the kind of impact, to get the confidence going, to start really believing. And we were able to rip off five in a row to start the season. And we, you know, I tell our team this sometimes because I want them to remember it, especially the totality of our roster, but we won all three preseason games, Dan. I'd never won a preseason game before, so that was, you know, I was hoping that wouldn't be the marquee moment of the year for us. But, you know, outside of losing two games in five days by two to Detroit and, and then going playing Sean and, and the Rams on the road on a short week, this team hasn't, hasn't lost outside in the other, you know, 15 total opportunities. So proud of what we are, but means absolutely nothing. Got a heck of a challenge this week going to Seattle. Mike McDonald's got a, you know, that, that's, that's a tough watch on tape for an opposing team because he's, he's doing some really good things on offense, defense and special teams.

[Dan Patrick]

Kevin O'Connell, who I think is going to win the coach of the Year. I don't. Does that matter to you?

[Michael Penix Jr.]

I, you know, I'm lucky I don't have a vote because there's a lot of really good coaches in our league, man.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, who would you vote for for Coach of the Year if you can vote for yourself?

[Michael Penix Jr.]

I can't envision a scenario like that, but if I can't vote for myself, I would probably say, you know, I think Dan Campbell in our division, coaching against him. You know, that team is always really well prepared, tough. They've truly taken on the Persona of their head coach, which I think is, you know, what, what means, what means the most in this position. Haven't done it now for three years. I think Mike Tomlin would be. There's nobody I respect more than Mike Tomlin and what he has consistently done his whole career. And I just love, anytime I get a chance to be around him, he, you know, I always take something from it and just love, love, love him. But I would say probably one of those two guys can't, can't sleep on Dan Quinn either. That's, I know that's, that's been a heck of a year for them as well.

[Dan Patrick]

Take me back to when you were offensive coordinator with the Rams. So like Cooper Cup's year, how crazy was that? And, and if you're calling plays, it seems like had to be pretty easy if you're calling plays with, with Matthew Stafford playing as well and Cooper cup having the Triple Crown year.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Well, I think what people don't give Cooper enough credit for is the position he plays in that offense. He, you know, he may. Everyone remembers the third down catches and Matthew hitting them, you know, on a, you know, a huge play against the Niners to kind of, kind of break a game open when we had to have it, or The Tampa Bay 4th down throw down the middle in the playoffs, you know, or two minute throw, I should say. But what they don't see is when he's such an integral, integral part of the run game and the physicality and the toll that takes, you know, and the jobs he's willing to do, the football intelligence. So it was, I mean, watching him, you know, I used to say there should be a fourth column. That year he won the Triple Crown, you know, pancake blocks and, you know, amount of times he had to block a defensive end or a linebacker. And if there was that, I think people would recognize that year even more than what they did in the moment. And just watching him and Matthew Stafford was one of the, one of the kind of highlights of my career, honestly, Dan, because, you know, in the mornings these two guys are meeting as if they're almost coaches and really talking about the nuances of things that, and I remember I would just sometimes just, you know, get a conversation started or be present for one that they were having and just kind of sit back and recognize how one of one that situation was because of where both those guys were at their careers. But also just the football intelligence of two human beings that can play the game at a high level. But some of the things they talked about were so beyond football 501. It was, you know, you know, sometimes I would sit there and just hope they didn't call on me to answer a question.

[Dan Patrick]

What's your role with Sam Darnold?

[Michael Penix Jr.]

I think my role with him is just I tried to, I tried to not, you know, be so heavily involved because I think Josh McCown and Grant Udinsky in that room, we've got a really good kind of support system directly for him in that, in that room. What I try to really be is, you Know really three things is the play caller giving him as much play intent of what I'm thinking so I can eliminate any gray. I think one of the big things I've always thought a quarterback needs to know is that I'm not going to be standing or sitting in the room on Monday morning holding the clicker and say, hey, why didn't you do this? Hey, this guy's open. Why didn't you throw that? Like what I try to say is give clear, concise, hey, this is what we're trying to get done. If that doesn't happen, if I give you a bad play, like here's what I want you to do with it. Here's, here's where you know your, your outlet or your checkdowns are going to be and let's live to fight another down. Let's not try to, you don't need to be Superman for, for us here. Although I do think he's made some Superman esque throws this year with the talent he has and his ability to throw it. And that's what I'm, you know, most trying to do on a one, on one level. And then there's the element of how we're going to manage the game together because I do think the benefit of being the play caller and the head coach is a lot of times, you know, I, I can, I can, I can kind of help the management overall when we're going to be ultra aggressive, when we're going to be, you know, kind of in a mode of hey, our defense is playing great. I'm going to give you this play call but let's make sure we ensure three points or let's make sure that no matter what we end this possession with or end this down with possession of the football, because if the way our defense is playing, if we don't do things to lose the game right now, we got a great chance to win it. And there's just a lot of times in the game where that can get away from you if you don't have that direct line of communication with the quarterback. So I know those are probably the two things and, and then just, you know, overall, just, you know, just how we put it all together, just making sure that he's an extension of me out there and I feel really good about. Sam's done a phenomenal job, Dan. He really has.

[Dan Patrick]

I'll leave you with this. If every current NFL head coach took part in a passing contest.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

I know there'd be probably 32 participants, but I don't know if we would classify all 32 as passers of the football.

[Dan Patrick]

Now Harbaugh, you know, thinks that he could win this.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

No doubt. He's probably got cleats on as we speak in bed. And he, he probably, you know, I know for a fact, I've seen him, he, he still throws it probably as well as anybody, but I wouldn't sleep on, on Cliff there in Washington. I know, you know, he would qualify as a coordinator currently, but I know.

[Dan Patrick]

He, he thinks he's not eligible. Kev, he's not eligible.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

He's not eligible. Then I'm putting myself in there. You got Zach Taylor, Sean Payton.

[Dan Patrick]

Can he still throw it?

[Michael Penix Jr.]

I don't know. I don't know. Probably. But, and, and don't sleep on the, the McVeigh LaFleur. You know, Kyle's a former receiver, but all those guys, they all think they can throw it. They, they.

[Dan Patrick]

Andy Reid won the punt passing kick contest when he was 13 years of age.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

It all makes sense now, of course.

[Dan Patrick]

Good luck with the game against Seattle. Great to talk to you and congrats.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Yeah, I always appreciate you, Dan. Really do. Thank you for having me on.

[Dan Patrick]

Thank you, bud. That's Kevin O'Connell. Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Golf's newest league is coming to ESPN and ESPN Plus. Introducing TGL presented by SoFi. You have three on three team matchups that play on Monday and Tuesday nights. Six teams competing for playoffs in a championship. You're in Atlanta, Boston, Jupiter, Florida, Los Angeles, New York and the Bay. Those are the teams 24 the PGA Tours best. You got Tiger. You got Rory, Colin Morco, Xander Shoffley, Ricky Fowler and so many more. Two hour matches during primetime and the matches take place on Monday and Tuesday nights. There's other sporting elements. There's timeouts, there's refs, there's overtime. Players are mic'd up. They all play in a custom built tech infused arena. It's wild. It's not your average Sunday pickup game. To learn more, visit tglgolf.com and tune in to the inaugural season beginning January 7th. Keep up, it's golf. Sonos makes it easy to enjoy a cinematic sound experience from the comfort of of your own couch. Sonos works with award winning artists, producers, sound engineers to deliver the highest quality sound. Listen to all that holiday music you want and all the holiday movies as well with Sonos. Sonos products work together. So what you can do is build your own sound system and they look as beautiful as they sound. Once you hear it, you'll ask yourself, how have I survived without this? Sonos has great gifts for everybody on your list. Visit sonos.com dan you'll save 20% on select products. That's sonos.com dan congratulations to Easterseals Southern.

[Todd Fritz]

California on their first place win for innovation in customer service at this year's Unconventional Awards by T Mobile for Business. Easterseals has used T Mobile 5G to create immersive VR development tools that aid people with autism in addressing transportation barriers. These tools are shaping the way safe and personalized skill building is delivered. And for that, T Mobile congratulates Easterseals Southern California for their unconventional thinking.

[Kevin O'Connell]

Hi everyone, it's Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb from the Today Show. We love this time of year. There's so much to celebrate. That's right, nobody does the holidays quite like today all season long. Join us for special performances with the brightest stars. Plus festive recipes to whip up the perfect holiday feast and great deals on the hottest toys and gifts for everyone on your list. So join us every morning on NBC to make TODAY your home for the holidays.

[Dan Patrick]

The all electric EQS sedan from Mercedes Benz is luxury and innovation on a truly magnificent scale. It's not just the flagship of the Mercedes Benz electric lineup, it sets a whole new standard for all luxury electric vehicles. You're going to marvel at this epic 56 inch touch sensitive hyperscreen featuring self upgrading next generation AI and a beautiful intuitive interface for both driver and front seat passenger. You'll experience next level comfort in an exquisitely spacious near silent cabin that makes this flagship feel more like you're piloting a spaceship. And you'll appreciate the graceful aerodynamic design that almost completely eliminates drag for an outstanding operating range of up to 350 miles on a single charge. The EQS is an object lesson in just how far electric mobility has come. The vehicle is all electric. The feeling is all Mercedes take a test drive. Learn more mbusa.com EQS let's welcome in Chris Collinsworth Sunday Night Football. Come on in and join the conversation there Chris. Good day.

[Chris Collinsworth]

We'll just tell me to shut up all the time. It doesn't matter what I'm talking about.

[Dan Patrick]

Do you look at the comments after a game?

[Chris Collinsworth]

Negative. No, no, no, no I do not.

[Dan Patrick]

Did you?

[Chris Collinsworth]

It's. Huh?

[Dan Patrick]

Did you?

[Chris Collinsworth]

Well of course. You know when I first got on social media I had four followers and my kids told Me that I had to sign up. So I signed up and I signed up. And so after the game, I was sitting there and. And I had four people. So I said hello to all of them. I, you know, I went back on and, hey, how you guys doing? I thought that's what social media was. I had no idea. And they're like, dad, no, you just, you just get on because. And then they started showing me how to do it. The thing that, the thing that I found in. In our business is that generally people are very, very nice. I mean, you. We travel all over the country, we go in, they want to talk to you, they want to talk, you know, blah, blah, blah. Hey, love your show. Great. This is a great. But it's still like that one and whatever. It would be 1 in 50, 1 in 50 that goes, hey, aren't you Chris Collinsworth? And like, yeah. And, and generally the first question is, why do you hate the. Whatever their favorite team is? Right. That's. That's the first one. And, you know, then it's something along the lines of what? You know, honestly, I think you suck. And it just, like, it hits you like a ton of bricks because you're so used to people being so nice and coming up and, and, and being friendly and saying nice things, and then it's like the rest of the day, you're walking around kicking the can down. You know, you're like, all bummed out.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. Because I. And I'm not on social media, but, you know, we have a social media presence with the show. I think if there's something that we make a mistake on or I made a mistake on and somebody wants to correct me, I'm fine with that. But the other stuff, you know, I appreciate people listening or watching, but I don't need to read your appreciation for the show. You're. You're already, you know, showing me appreciation with that. But then you'll get. People say, I hate you so much, but I watch every day. I mean, like, damn.

[Chris Collinsworth]

Thank you.

[Dan Patrick]

Thank you.

[Chris Collinsworth]

Appreciate that.

[Dan Patrick]

Your reaction to Kirk Cousins not only being benched, but to have a rookie who hasn't played much with three games to go.

[Chris Collinsworth]

We did an Atlanta game early on against Kansas City, I think it was. And even then, Dan, they were talking about, oh, my goodness, we've got one here. And they, you know, I'm sure they haven't come out and publicly, you know, done that, but they were really excited about what they were seeing, and they really did not want to play him. They really wanted it to you know, be the whole Jordan love. You know, just let him sit and let him watch and let him learn and, and, you know, because there's a whole cadence to being the quarterback. You know, you have to go to, you know, the press deal on Wednesday or whenever that thing is, survive that. You have to do it after the game. You've got a million different obligations. It's almost like being the head coach of the, of the team, and it's hard. And so then you have to budget your time and generally quarterbacks are going in on their off day on Tuesday and learning the game plan and, you know, it's just, there's a lot that goes into it and, and seeing the, the live defenses and what they're going to do and then what they're going to do to him will be completely different they've done to other guys. So I think they were really hoping they were going to make it through the year, but once they got to this point and it looked like the season was breaking a little bit and they were, they had to have it now I think they're putting him in to win. I, I don't think this is anything like, hey, let's take a look. It's. I, I think at this point they really feel like he's the best option to win.

[Dan Patrick]

The situation with Minnesota, like, it's a, that would be a good quarterback dilemma, I would think, the way Barkley's playing. J.J. mcCarthy, you know, got a chance to sit this year, maybe sits next year. Like, what do you do with Sam Darnold if you were running the Vikings for the future?

[Chris Collinsworth]

They really like J.J. up there. I mean, really like him. The plan. My opinion of what the plan was was that they were going to let Sam Darnold walk at the end of this thing. At least that's what it was early in the year. And, but not many teams go on a run like this, right? I mean, this is, this is pretty special. And they have a chance with the way they play defense and the way that Brian Flores is so good at just bringing that constant pressure and disrupting and making big plays and all the things that they do. And then Sam Donald has this, you know, JJ is just unbelievable. And, and Addison has, you know, proven what he can do. And, and this is, this is a team with a chance to win it. I, I don't think there's a team currently that I would just go, oh, nobody's beating them. Right? I just don't think there is right now. We've seen, you know, The Chiefs struggle, Detroit's got some injuries. Buffalo's had their moments, but Josh Allen's hot and all those sorts of things. But could the Minnesota Vikings win at all? Yes, and that was always my question. Everybody's. That's the whole thing. Everybody's got a plan till they get punched in the face. Everybody's got a plan until you win a Super bowl or you make it to the super bowl or you make it to the championship game. And I was trying to determine what was the cutoff at which Sam Darnold would have to be your quarterback. Right. I mean, there's no going back if you win a Super Bowl. Sam Darnold has to come back and be the quarterback, doesn't he? And. But the, the belief in what they saw out of the draft process with JJ McCarthy was so strong, even if they made it to the championship game, I'm not sure. I'm just not sure that they don't.

[Dan Patrick]

Switch the jj Chris Collinsworth will be on the call with Mike Tirico. That'll be Sunday night. It's the Bucks and the Cowboys. Okay. The Cowboys are still a big rating straw. Is that why. But is that why you don't flex out of that game?

[Chris Collinsworth]

I think it had a little bit more to do with Tampa in this circumstance. And believe me, do you know how involved I am and which games we get on Sunday?

[Dan Patrick]

Zero.

[Chris Collinsworth]

They give me the same call they give everybody else. It's all sort of driven by the ratings, but ultimately it's driven by the league. And I think sometimes, and I, I'm. I'm just making stuff up. But I do think there are teams that they want to get in front of a national audience before they get to the playoffs. Right. Like Denver. Let's. Let's put them somewhere where that people are going to see them, because that was a surprise team. I don't think you call Tampa surprise team because they made it to the playoffs a season ago, but maybe not all the national exposure. So let's get them out front and center. You know, Baker Mayfield's player of the week. They've got, you know, Mike Evans had a. Had a tremendous game a week ago. Let's, let's get an audience used to that so that when we get to those playoff ratings, people, people know what.

[Dan Patrick]

To expect if Christian McCaffrey's career ended today. Is he a Hall of Famer?

[Savannah Guthrie]

Yeah.

[Chris Collinsworth]

I mean, he was the best player at his position for a couple of years. I would say probably at least. God, with what these running backs are doing this season. It's, it's hard to know what the expectation is at the running back position, but Christian McCaffrey was my first overall pick in my fantasy league. So yeah, I've got a little perfect personal. You're mad at it having the heart on that one, so. But you know, I, he is a very unique player. Marshall Falk, like is how I would describe him. And you know, when Marshall Falk was healthy and playing well, that ability, that one, two punch, the tough running inside and what he does as a receiver, what, what they probably have missed the most this year is the ability to do, you know, that little horizontal motion that they do with him and they just create one on ones. Well, teams were having to double team him at the running back position, which was opening up Debo and all those guys I you to get one on one routes and it's why you saw some big plays down the field. So, yeah, it's tight.

[Dan Patrick]

But yeah, yeah, I, I don't think he's a Hall of Famer. I think Tiki Barber is more of a Hall of famer than McCaffrey. If, if I'm just looking at numbers, if I said I'll give you a player A and player B, you would go with Tiki Barber's numbers over his, you know, Ricky Waters. Look at his numbers. That 10,000 yards rushing. He was a great receiver out of the backfield. Fred Taylor, 11,000 yard. You know, there's, there's, it's weird how we're trying to grade running backs because Roger Craig was a wonderful running back and was doing this hybrid stuff back then for the Niners. So I, I don't envy hall of Fame voters trying to tell me who a Hall of Famer is at that position.

[Chris Collinsworth]

Yeah, it's my position. My position on the position has probably evolved over time. We had James Brooks here when I was playing, and James was a tremendous receiver and the ability for him to be basically a wide out helped our offense so much. And I think that today, even though, you know, some of these running backs can certainly, you know, King Henry can certainly catch the ball, you know, Barkley can catch the ball, but McCaffrey is a receiver and a running back. And I think in today's game, where the rules allow you to hold, don't allow you to hit the quarterback, don't allow you to really attack the receiver, God, would I have loved to play in the era where they couldn't hit you right there, you know, when you, if you don't have to think about that one, Dan, you know, if you're running over the middle and they hit you in the back, I want you to think about your body a little bit behind you, right behind you. The back of your head's hard, you've got ribs all the way down, you've got soft tissue. If you get hit in the butt, doesn't hurt that much, get hurt hitting the hamstring cap. None of that stuff hurts. It's like it's all made salt. Your eyes are what has to protect the front of your body, right? Because everything here hurts. But that one right there, right underneath the chin, that really hurt. And. But you get hit in the stomach and obviously the privates, and you get hit in the thighs, you get hit in the shin. Think how much it hurts to get hit in the shin. Everything in front of your body has to be protected by your eyes. And I don't even know why I got in that. But that's. It's a really interesting thing. Someday when you're at a cocktail party and you're about three beers and you're going to love that story, you're going to say, you know what? Think about football players. And they have to protect the front of their body with their eyes.

[Dan Patrick]

Did you wear a protective cup?

[Chris Collinsworth]

I did not know. I don't know of anybody that did. I could barely stand to wear it in baseball because it was like, you know, you always walked like a cowboy. No matter what, you got to kind of walk around that thing, you know, you can't. You can't. You can't just swing straight, you know, that's not good.

[Dan Patrick]

Before I let you go, the first of its kind. Madden NFL cast on Peacock during the Texans and the Chiefs. Were you a voice on the, the Madden game at some point?

[Chris Collinsworth]

Yes, I was for like three years. And I know why John quit. Like, it's. It's. The Madden is maddening. So let me tell you what they do. I'm not even kidding you. They get it. You get a book. I wish I had a book around here somewhere. I mean, this thing's like this thick, and you're there for three or four days and you just take the book and I'm not kidding you. I'm sitting there and I'm reading this thing. I was like, all right, I'm on this chapter and it's like, Peyton Manning just, just threw his second interception of the game on that outcut. Peyton Manning back to pass. Oh, he just threw his third interception again. I got up to Peyton Manning just through his 17th interception in the first half. And I said, I am not kidding you. If anybody ever got to 17 interceptions when I was doing it, I don't know if they threw it out of the game. I said, somebody shoot that sop. That ain't Manning out there. I mean, it's like you lose your mind after a little while doing this game and nobody ever does it longer than like three years. That's it. They're out there. You go crazy.

[Dan Patrick]

It'll be a Noah Eagle. Todd Blacklidge. That'll be Saturday at 1 Eastern, the first of its kind. Madden NFL cast on Peacock, but Chris will be on the call with Mike Tirico. Melissa Stark. That'll be Bucks Cowboys Sunday night, 8:20 Eastern. My best to the family. Merry Christmas to you. Thanks for joining us.

[Chris Collinsworth]

Merry Christmas and keep reminding people you protect the front of your body with your eyes.

[Dan Patrick]

Thank you. That's Chris Collinsworth there. Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio. Golf's newest league is coming to ESPN and ESPN Plus. Introducing TGL presented by SoFi. You have three on three team matchups that play on Monday and Tuesday nights. Six teams competing for playoffs in a championship. You're in Atlanta, Boston, Jupiter, Florida, Los Angeles, New York and the Bay. Those are the teams 24 the PGA Tours best. You got Tiger. You got Rory, Colin Morikawa, Xander Shoffley, Rickie Fowler and so many more. Two hour matches during prime time and the matches take place on Monday and Tuesday nights. There's other sporting elements. There's timeouts, there's refs, there's overtime. Players are mic'd up. They all play in a custom built tech infused arena. It's wild. It's not your average Sunday pickup game. To learn more, visit tglgolf.com and tune in to the inaugural season beginning January 7th. Keep up. It's golf. Sonos makes it easy to enjoy a cinematic sound experience from the comfort of your own couch. Sonos works with award winning artists, producers, sound engineers to deliver the highest quality sound. Listen to all that holiday music you want and all the holiday movies as well. With Sonos. Sonos products work together so what you can do is build your own sound system and they look as beautiful as they sound. Once you hear it, you'll ask yourself, how have I survived without this? Sonos has great gifts for everybody on your list. Visit sonos.com dan you'll save 20% on select products that's sonos.com dan congratulations to.

[Todd Fritz]

3Am Innovations on their first place win for Innovation in Community at this year's Unconventional Awards by T mobile. For business, 3am used T Mobile 5G to enable Florian, the first AI enabled incident command platform for first responders. Florian's features include real time tracking of personnel on a 3D map and voice activation. AI is used to filter out background noise until it hears a trigger word such as Mayday, increasing situational awareness on the ground and improving on site safety. This will shape rapid response moving forward and for that, T Mobile congratulates 3IM for their unconventional thinking.

[Kevin O'Connell]

Hi everyone, it's Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb from the Today Show. We love this time of year. There's so much to celebrate. That's right, nobody does the holidays quite like today all season long. Join us for special performances with the brightest. Plus festive recipes to whip up the perfect holiday feast and great deals on the hottest toys and gifts for everyone on your list. So join us every morning on NBC to make TODAY your home for the holidays.

[Dan Patrick]

The all electric EQS sedan from Mercedes Benz is luxury and innovation on a truly magnificent scale. It's not just the flagship of the Mercedes Benz electric lineup, it sets a whole new standard for all luxury electric vehicles. You're going to marvel at this epic 56 inch touch sensitive hyperscreen featuring self upgrading next generation AI and a beautiful intuitive interface for both driver and front seat passenger. You'll experience next level comfort in an exquisitely spacious, near silent cabin that makes this flagship feel more like you're piloting a spaceship. And you'll appreciate the graceful aerodynamic design that almost completely eliminates drag. For an outstanding operating range of up to 350 miles on a single charge. The EQS is an object lesson in just how far electric mobility has come. The vehicle is all electric, the feeling is all Mercedes. Take a test drive. Learn more mbusa.com EQS I'm looking forward to sharing this with you. Stephen Wilson Jr. Currently on tour throughout the rest of the year and into 2025. He has a double album, it's called Son of Dad and he just released an acoustic version of Stand By Me. You can stream that and you can buy it wherever you get your music. You can also find tickets and more information about stephen@stephen wilsonjr.com he came in this was last week that we had him in on a Monday. He had just done a show show in Boston. He was going to do a show Tuesday night in New York City and I had been following him, kind of obsessing with him for month six weeks. And I said, would you come in? And he said, yes. So they stopped in on their way to New York. And after the show on Monday, we taped it. And he started out with a song. It's called Father Son. And here is Stephen Wilson Jr.

[Savannah Guthrie]

He was named by my grandma she got it from the bible.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

And he.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Passed it on me like granddaddy's R me up like sweet concrete of the sample I fought it like hell hell he became around I tried to be different trying to go against the grain didn't make no difference I just ended up the same I've never known better. You want to change my name Gotta drain my blood God damn I am my father son Yeah, I left town just to get out of his shadow and he sent me a 20 just to get back on the sad I put up a good fight but I didn't win a battle Guess the tree don't grow very far from the airport I'm never more better.

[Dan Patrick]

Bones.

[Savannah Guthrie]

You want to change my name Gotta drain my blood God damn I am my father son I am my father song.

[Dan Patrick]

I.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Wear his blue jean jacket in his name like a bad. I used to hate being called Junior I don't mind any longer Never know better cause every bones you want to change my name Got a drink? I'm dead Everything I am everything was God damn I am my father son I am my father son I am my father son.

[Dan Patrick]

Father son it's the album is son of dad. What are you running from in that song? Why are you running?

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Like running from your dad?

[Dan Patrick]

His name legacy.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Well, I'm a junior, Dan. With that comes a big shadow. So I grew up in my dad's shadow. He was my best friend and my corner man, my champion. And it was a very comfortable shadow to live in. He had a really big personality, and really everybody knew him and nobody knew me. I was just his boy. And I was really good with that, to be honest. I was a very quiet kid. And when he died, that shadow was gone and the light was all on me. So I had to kind of figure out who I was and all of that. So, you know, I'm Stephen Wilson Jr. The junior is very important, especially in the sport of boxing. My dad was a fighter, I was a fighter. And like Junior is like, you're an appendage of your leg, of your father's legacy. You're carrying your father on your shoulders in the ring, out of the ring, and I carry him on my shoulders, on stage. And, you know, there's a bit of a Running away from him was trying to figure out who I am. I wasn't trying to get away from him.

[Dan Patrick]

Figure out yourself to go back.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Exactly. And a bit of a prodigal son kind of thing going on there. But like, losing him brought me back to help me find myself. And this whole record son of dad was an exploration process into figuring out who this guy is.

[Dan Patrick]

But you talk about boxing. Is there any comparison correlation of getting on stage to getting in a boxing ring?

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Absolutely, because I was very quiet. My dad threw me in a ring at like age 7 and had me fighting kids. And then eventually I ended up fighting adults. And I think my dad didn't really know what to do with me because I was a lot different than him. I had his eyes and his name, and better than that, I was like nerdy academic. But I think him teaching me to box early was. He was preparing me for the world, I think, because I think he knew I was going to be exposed to a lot of heat and.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, this is a business. You got to fight.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Exactly.

[Dan Patrick]

I mean, you're, you're on the undercard in a lot of these places you go to.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Absolutely. And, and my dad was a showman. Like, I remember him going out before he would fight and say, I'm gonna put on a show for these people. My first stage was a boxing ring. It wasn't a stage at all. And that's where I learned to be in front of people as a shy kid. And once you fight a man, like once you. Like I fought in the Golden Gloves and all that stuff, once you start fighting men like it, it's a totally different thing. Like, it's like a pressure cooker turned up to 11 and playing in front of 40,000 people or 20,000, whatever that is, it's. That's a huge thing for a. A shy kid like me, but it ain't fighting another man in front of a bunch of people. So if. If fighting in the golden gloves was an 11, that show was maybe an 8. So I can easily. Like that. Oh, I can handle an 11.

[Dan Patrick]

What?

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

I can easily handle an 8. So my dad set the bar so high for me for what I could handle. You know, he literally told me, if you can fight another man for three, three rounds, you can do anything. Like, literally, there's very little on planet earth that you can't do after that. And I think if he, he just had to prove it to me and, and allow me to prove it to myself that I could do it.

[Dan Patrick]

When you listen to the album, you can hear the love and admiration you have for your dad. And he passed away six years ago. He was 59 at the time. I want you to play one more song, and I think people are really going to get a grasp of what your father meant to you. But is that guitar gonna hold up?

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

It might or might not. It's held together by the bonds of masking tape.

[Dan Patrick]

How would you describe that? You know, this is on tv, but also on radio. It's. It's. You know, Willie Nelson has trigger.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Yes, sir.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, I mean, this is.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

And Willie Nelson's my hero as a guitar player, singer and songwriter. He's.

[Dan Patrick]

He's.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

He's the goat. So, yeah, I learned how to play a lot of guitar from him because he plays classical nylons, or we call them gut strings with a pick, which is not very common. And he plays through an amp. Not very common either. I basically steal everything from Willie.

[Dan Patrick]

That's okay. Not alone. Yeah.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

And this guitar, you know, because I play with a pick, it just. It destroys it. These are meant to be played with your fingers, and they're designed to be. To be played like that, not like this. So this just shovels away, and there's, like, piles of sawdust on the floor after each show. And as I literally leave my guitar behind every show, like, there's, like, pieces of its DNA on stage every night. And I personally, I like that better than preserving this guitar forever or whatever it is. I'd rather. I think guitars are meant to be played, not hung up on a wall and treasured. And I. I think this is what this guitar is meant to be. Meant to be doing is just shedding itself on stage every night. And this is what it looks like after.

[Dan Patrick]

Once again, the double album is Son of Dad. And you just released an acoustic cover of Stand By Me. Benny King came out in the early 60s, I believe that cover song. And you can find tickets more information about Stephen adam@stephen wilsonjr.com that's ph. Steven with a ph Wilson.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Like the volleyball.

[Dan Patrick]

Like the volleyball, yes.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

And Junior like Dale Earnhardt. Oh, that's what I. That's another helpful.

[Dan Patrick]

And. And what's interesting about when my brother sent me a link to Stand By Me and then another song called I'm A Song, he said, this I'm A song might be the best song I've ever heard. And so I sent it to Seton immediately. And Seton goes. I've played it five. Five times in a Row now. And then he started sending it to people. I've been sending it to people. And then when I realized you were in Massachusetts coming through to New York, and I thought it'd be great to have you come in, so.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Well, thank you so much, Dan.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

It really means a lot for. I mean, the kind words that you all said on the air. I was really just.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, I thought I'd be doing a disservice to my audience if I didn't let them hear what I heard, because, you know, it's. It's. And the I'm A song is a powerful, powerful song. And anybody who's lost their dad, you. You can't help hear this and then stop on hearing it. Like, it's just there. And I love the songwriting. That's what stood out.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

It was my dad's favorite song of mine. He saw me play it at Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. Yeah, about. In Nashville, which is a little songwriting cafe. And he recorded it on his iPhone, because there was no recording of it. I didn't have a demo of it to send him. So he would listen to it over and over on his phone from a video recording that he got at Bluebird Cafe. And one night, we were watching fights, and we just got back from a tractor pool. And for some reason, this was just a few months before he died. We didn't know he was going to die. Neither did he.

[Dan Patrick]

And you played it at his funeral.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

I did. Because in that conversation, while we were watching fights, he just stopped and said, hey, you know that song you played at Bluebird Cafe? I'm a song. Because he remembered the title and everything. And I was like, yeah. He's like, that's. That's my favorite song, Stephen. And I was like, oh, cool. Thank you. You're biased. And he's like, no, I need you. I need you to listen to me. It's my favorite song ever. And, you know, I just had to, like, kind of choke back some tears and look at that left hook, you know, I had to, like, change the. Change the subject real quick. And that really stuck with me. So when he died, I only knew that was the only way I could think to honor him, was to play that song at his funeral. And it was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I did it, and I did it for him. And I didn't play that song for years. I couldn't after that day. And when I released Son of Dad, the album release being the operative word, this one came back, and I feel like, this song is my dad. Because he was a song. He really was. And this is called I'm a Song.

[Savannah Guthrie]

I'm a show in San Antonio, middle of the rodeo, Daddy saying that you used to hold when you walk back to the car. I'm the sound of the county fair Ferris wheel kisses high up in the air a sip of brandy when your soul is bare and you need to share your heart I'm the words it'll hit you that'll get you where you're going so you never go there alone I'm a melody glued to the memory that you can't shake when it comes on. I'm the part of you that you listen to right now in the radio all night long I'm a song.

[Dan Patrick]

Whoa.

[Savannah Guthrie]

I'm a song, whoa whoa. I was there the day you learned to drive the first time that you got high I even helped you realize that she wasn't right for you. You fall down, I pick you up I helped your boy become a man when your best friend died I helped you cry and finally turned loose I'm the words it'll hit you, it'll get you where you're going so you never go there alone. I'm the melody blue to the memory that you can't shake when it comes on I'm the partying so listen to Riding in the radio all night long on a song whoa, whoa I'm a.

[Chris Collinsworth]

Song.

[Savannah Guthrie]

I'm a song, I'm a part of you you listen to Riding in the radio all night long I'm a wor. It'll get you where you're going so you never go there alone. I'm a melody glued to the memory that you can't shake when it comes on. I'm the part of you that you listen to Riding in the radio and a song whoa, whoa I'm a song, I'm a song, I'm a song, I'm a song, I'm a song.

[Dan Patrick]

Heavy.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Yeah.

[Michael Penix Jr.]

Heavy.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

It can be at times. It's a hard one sometimes for me to get through.

[Dan Patrick]

You cry during performances?

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

When you're on stage.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

I try not to. Everybody else cries, so I get to as well. I. I really. I don't try to. I don't want to, but sometimes it just happens and I. I'm done fighting it.

[Dan Patrick]

The album, it's a double album. It's called Son of Dad. It's Stephen Wilson Jr. He's on tour and you can find more information. Also tickets. Stephen at Stephen with a Ph. WilsonJr. Dot com.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Yes, sir. Thank you, Dan.

[Dan Patrick]

Thank you for coming in and good luck on the road. So when you get big, you go to the Grammys and all of that. Don't be afraid to shout us out. You know, I mean, just a simple little, you know, I hold this up. I want to thank the Dan Patrick Show.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Yes, sir, I will.

[Dan Patrick]

I want to thank my dad and the Dan Patrick Show. You can do it in that order. And the Bluebird if you want to. Yeah.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Thank my dad and my publicist, Dan Patrick, for yes.

[Dan Patrick]

I mean, is that asking too much?

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

I don't think so. Thank you, Dan. For real. Thank you for the kindest words and your time.

[Dan Patrick]

Once again, I'm humbled. It hit me and I wanted to share. So this audience is loyal and that's what I love about it. I want them to know and share what I. I'm sharing with my brother, with Seton, and now with them. So before I start to cry, get out of here. And good luck on the road and thank you again, me and you both.

[Stephen Wilson Jr.]

Thank you, Dan. God bless you.

[Dan Patrick]

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