The Dan Patrick Show: "The Best of The Dan Patrick Show"

Date: August 19, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Episode Overview

This episode features a blend of insightful sports discussion with major guests Mike Florio (Pro Football Talk, author of “Big Shield”), McLean Way (director of a new Dallas Cowboys documentary), and former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel. The themes cover trending NFL storylines, bold quarterback debates, exclusive insights into the Dallas Cowboys’ golden era, and the evolving criteria for starting and evaluating QBs in modern football. The episode mixes analysis, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and candid locker room anecdotes with signature Dan Patrick humor.

Key Segments & Discussion Highlights

1. Joe Flacco vs. Philip Rivers: Whose Career Would You Want?

Guest: Mike Florio (Pro Football Talk)
Timestamp: [03:00]–[03:49]

• Florio’s Pick: Joe Flacco, for winning a Super Bowl and “humbling himself” to become a backup—a rarity among franchise quarterbacks.

• Memorable Quote:

  • “How many guys do that? Could you imagine Peyton Manning holding a clipboard once his starting days ended? It really is refreshing to see a guy who loves the sport so much.” —Mike Florio [03:24]

• Notable Stats:

  • Browns QB room: six QBs, but only one Pro Bowler (Tyler Huntley).
  • Flacco: Once football’s highest-paid player, transitioned to career backup.

2. Mike Florio's Novel and the NFL's 'Big Shield'

Guest: Mike Florio
Timestamp: [03:49]–[06:26]

• About “Big Shield”: A novel about gambling, the mob, and pro football. For legal reasons, no real team names or “NFL” are used, but clear references exist.

• “It’s a cautionary tale about what can happen with inside information in pro football. … A backup quarterback for the Vegas franchise of a fictional pro football league gets tied in with a mobster.” —Mike Florio [04:27]

• NFL Reaction: Florio expects the NFL to “ignore” the book as a PR strategy, referencing how the league handled the film “Concussion”.

• Humor:

  • “Do you want the NFL to sue you?” —Dan Patrick
  • “If it would help book sales, then … but they won’t.” —Mike Florio [05:45]

3. NFL Sideline Issues: Smelling Salts & Collective Bargaining

Guest: Mike Florio
Timestamp: [06:26]–[07:51]

• Dan Patrick: Questions the logic of “bring your own smelling salts,” noting it potentially masks concussions.
• Florio’s Response:
  • The presence of smelling salts is due to “collective bargaining.” The union negotiates for weird perks (like salts) unless there’s something in it for players to give them up.
  • “The whole thing’s ridiculous. The sooner those things are off the sideline, the better off everyone will be.” —Mike Florio [07:46]

4. Quarterback Chatter: Shador Sanders, Dylan Gabriel, and Browns Depth

Guest: Mike Florio
Timestamp: [07:51]–[09:04]

• Discusses comments by Dylan Gabriel, and whether they were shots at Shador Sanders.
• Browns QB situation: Florio predicts Kenny Pickett “will be the odd man out.”
• “Flacco and the two rookies competing and/or entertaining all of us throughout the course of the 2025 season.” —Mike Florio [08:58]

5. NFL Uniforms: Commanders' Woes and The 'Nikefication' of the League

Guest: Mike Florio
Timestamp: [09:04]–[10:19]

• Paulie (from Dan’s crew) calls the Washington Commanders’ uniforms the worst in the NFL. Florio disagrees, says the Dolphins’ home uniforms are worse.
• “The Dolphins base uniforms are horrible. They should make their throwbacks their full time uniforms. … Those uniforms scream soft.” —Mike Florio [09:24]
• Rant against the constant alternate uniforms in the NFL: “I want to be able to turn on an NFL game and know right away who’s playing ... It’s all Nike’s fault.” —Mike Florio [09:58]

6. The Matthew Stafford Quandary in LA

Guests: Dan Patrick, Mike Florio
Timestamp: [10:19]–[13:46]

• Stafford’s Injury: Persistent back problems. Team and coach (McVay) statements are “tentative”—monitoring him week by week.
• Notable Quote:
  • “He’s John Wayne ... he doesn’t care [about pain]. The fact that he practiced yesterday… it’s all tentative.” —Mike Florio [11:19]
• Rams’ Backup Situation: Jimmy Garoppolo kept in “bubble wrap” as insurance.
• Implications: “It’s not sustainable for 17 regular season games.” —Mike Florio [12:20]

7. Hall of Fame Debates: Stafford vs. Russell Wilson

Guest: Mike Florio
Timestamp: [13:46]–[16:26]

• Who’s more “Hall-of-Famey”? Florio easily picks Matthew Stafford.
  • “Russell Wilson has undermined his case the past few years. ... Stafford ... hasn’t had that dip, and he’s got the Super Bowl win.” —Mike Florio [14:23]
• Discussion of how career trajectory (finish strong vs. start hot) shapes perception.

8. Inside Netflix's Dallas Cowboys Documentary

Guest: McLean Way (Director, “America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys”)
Timestamp: [22:24]–[36:17]

a. Making the Documentary

• Full creative control; Jerry Jones was “an open book,” albeit some content was "painful for him to watch."
  • “When we showed him the documentary, [Jerry] said that there were very painful reminders for him.” —McLean Way [23:16]

b. Documentary Focus

• Early 1990s Cowboys: Jerry buys team, fires Tom Landry, hires Jimmy Johnson, then the “divorce” and eventual swapping of coaches.
• Access to key figures: Jerry (40+ hours of interviews), Jimmy Johnson (7+ hours), players like Irvin, Aikman, Emmitt, Deion Sanders.

c. Notable Stories

• Michael Irvin and Charles Haley skipped a halftime speech to see Michael Jackson’s Super Bowl show.
  • “Michael Irvin and Charles Haley dipped out on Jimmy Johnson’s halftime speech to go watch Michael Jackson do 'Thriller' at the Rose Bowl.” —McLean Way [24:25]

d. The Truth on Jimmy Johnson's Exit

• Rooted in clashing egos and “credit” disputes between Jimmy and Jerry.
  • “Their egos got too big. They had a massive credit argument… but they still have respect and admiration. It’s okay to disagree forever and still get along.” —McLean Way [28:20]

e. Coaching Tree & Jerry’s Philosophy

• Jerry’s pattern: Only Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells were coaches "who didn't need Jerry."
• Jerry picked Brian Schottenheimer for “comfortability,” a surprise for such a historically risk-prone owner.
  • “He's comfortable with Schottenheimer...which did strike me as unique, because this is a guy that has taken risk after risk after risk.” —McLean Way [30:06]

f. 2023 Playoff Loss & Jerry’s Pain

• 2023 blowout home loss to Packers hit Jerry hardest—“It felt like this family had been through a very terrible experience.” —McLean Way [31:48]

g. Does Jerry Care Too Much?

• The Jones family feels a new urgency to win before Jerry gets much older.
  • “All this family wants is one more Super Bowl for Jerry. … They are starting to get that sense of urgency.”—McLean Way [33:16]

h. Micah Parsons and Star Contracts

• Jerry is “comfortable being uncomfortable" and doesn’t get rattled in negotiations, for better or worse.

i. Future Projects

• Way brothers are taking a break after this eight-part series.

9. Modern QB Development: Patience vs. Instant Results

Guest: Chase Daniel (former NFL QB, The Athletic’s Scoop City)
Timestamp: [41:10]–[54:33]

a. Deciding on Starters: Daniel Jones vs. Anthony Richardson

• Richardson has greater athleticism, but Jones offers steadiness and leadership in the huddle.
• “It takes all the pressure off Anthony Richardson. He can provide a spark … It’s a great learning experience.” —Chase Daniel [42:33]

b. Shortened Patience With QBs

• GMs are ready to move on faster now (“two years”—not like "sit and learn" for several years in the past).
• Deep 2026 QB draft class means some teams already have their eyes on the next option.
• “If they don't win this year, Shane Steichen, Chris Ballard—they're probably gone.” —Chase Daniel [43:58]

c. Jackson Dart vs. Russell Wilson (Giants Situation)

• Daniel argues Jackson Dart should play early; provides more spark than Wilson.
  • “If you are Brian Daboll and…you don't play Jackson Dart and you don't make the playoffs and you ride with Russell Wilson, your jobs are gone.” —Chase Daniel [46:16]

d. Judging Rookies Fairly: Dylan Gabriel & Shador Sanders

• Sanders gets extra scrutiny, Gabriel had miscues but generally played well.
• “He gets so much fanfare for other reasons that I think we grade him on a different scale.” —Chase Daniel [47:33]

e. Joe Burrow & Preseason Danger

• Burrow still takes hits preseason. Daniel and Patrick wonder why.
• “If you go down with his injury history ... I do love that the head coach is playing the starters … but I would say to Joe, you don't need to take the hit.” —Chase Daniel [49:04]

f. Stafford: Toughness vs. Longevity

• Stafford’s back issues are a concern because his throwing motion is core-dependent.
• “He's an iron man … but with a back injury it ... it's really difficult.” —Chase Daniel [50:59]

g. Flacco vs. Rivers: Who Had the Better Career?

• Daniel, like Florio, picks Flacco for his resilience and longevity:
  • “He just continues to do it, and I wouldn't be surprised if he plays well.” —Chase Daniel [53:07]

h. Browns' QB Dilemma & Rookie Runway

• Will Gabriel/Sanders get a real chance before the team’s draft assets push them to seek new QBs?
• “Eight to ten games—that’s what you need. If Flacco’s 2-5 through seven, make a switch.” —Chase Daniel [54:02]

Notable Quotes

• “Genius is evenly distributed. Opportunity is not.” —Dan Patrick & Noah de Barrasso [02:30–02:32]
• “I want to be able to turn on an NFL game and know right away who’s playing. ... It’s all Nike’s fault.” —Mike Florio [09:58]
• “The whole thing’s ridiculous. The sooner those [smelling salts] are off the sideline, the better off everyone will be.” —Mike Florio [07:46]
• “If you get them in the same room and ask them who deserves credit for the Herschel Walker trade, you’re never going to get the same answer.” —McLean Way [28:54]
• “If you don’t play Jackson Dart and you don’t make the playoffs … your jobs are gone. In my opinion.” —Chase Daniel [46:16]
• “You have to play. You actually have to go out there and do it.” —Chase Daniel [46:32]

Summary Table: Major Topics and Guests

| Topic | Guest(s) | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|------------------|------------| | Flacco vs. Rivers Career Path | Mike Florio | 03:00–03:49| | “Big Shield” Novel, Inside Info, NFL Reaction | Mike Florio | 03:49–06:26| | Sideline Protocols: Smelling Salts, Marijuana | Mike Florio | 06:26–07:51| | Browns QB Depth; Gabriel vs. Sanders | Mike Florio | 07:51–09:04| | NFL Uniforms & Branding Problems | Mike Florio | 09:04–10:19| | Rams/Stafford’s Back: What’s Next | Mike Florio | 10:19–13:46| | HOF Worthiness: Stafford vs. Wilson | Mike Florio | 13:46–16:26| | Cowboys Documentary: Inside Jerry’s Mind | McLean Way | 22:24–36:17| | QB Patience: Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson | Chase Daniel | 41:10–44:27| | Giants QB Dilemma: Russell Wilson vs. Jackson Dart | Chase Daniel | 44:27–46:38| | Dylan Gabriel/Shador Sanders Rookie Grading | Chase Daniel | 46:38–48:47| | Joe Burrow’s Preseason Risks | Chase Daniel | 48:47–50:02| | Stafford’s Durability and LA Rams Future | Chase Daniel | 50:02–51:50| | Browns QBs: Flacco, Rookies, and 2026 Draft | Chase Daniel | 53:05–54:30|

Conclusion

This “Best Of” episode delivers on “insider access”—serving up big personalities, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and savvy, sometimes blunt football analysis. If you missed it, you’ll want to tune in for the Cowboys documentary scoop, Mike Florio’s legal tightrope with “Big Shield,” and high-level QB debates that mix humor and hard truths about NFL careers.