The Pat McAfee Show 2.0, Episode 1402

Date: September 5, 2025
Host: Pat McAfee (with AJ Hawk), Toxic Table, Tone Digs
Main Guests: Dan Orlovsky, Nick Saban, Patty Gasso, Adam Schefter, AJ Hawk
Theme: NFL Kickoff Recap & Week 1 Preview, Special Guests, College Football Primer

Episode Overview

This episode of The Pat McAfee Show launches the 2025 NFL and college football seasons with high energy and deep dives into the week’s games, inside stories, and expert analysis. McAfee connects remotely from Norman, Oklahoma ahead of a marquee Michigan vs. Oklahoma showdown, while AJ Hawk steers the ship in studio with the crew. The first hour is dominated by NFL kickoff talk (Eagles vs. Cowboys), week one previews and picks, and insight from Dan Orlovsky. College football—specifically the Oklahoma game and Nick Saban’s wisdom—takes focus in hour two, with Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso rounding out the lineup. The show also delivers a betting preview and trademark banter.

NFL Kickoff Recap: Eagles vs. Cowboys

(00:01 – 30:00)

Game Atmosphere & Early Takes

• Pat broadcasts from Oklahoma, hyped for both college and NFL.
• AJ Hawk leads with reactions to the Thursday night opener.
• Pat shares travel war stories and excitement for Norman’s football culture.

Eagles vs. Cowboys Breakdown

• McAfee sings the praises of Michigan QB Bryce Underwood (“looks like a 45-year-old man out there”) and pivots to NFL opener analysis.
• Consensus: “That was a great game. It went almost exactly as we thought.” – Pat (06:00)
• Standout moments: Unexpected Dallas rushing game (Javonte Williams), Jalen Carter’s absence, delay drama.

Notable Quote:

“Javonte Williams, I don’t think any of us knew he was going to be the guy for Dallas. Not a name anyone said all offseason.”
— Pat McAfee (07:40)

Key Topics and Moments

• Jalen Carter Incident:
  • “I think this can be a learning lesson—that all eyes are gonna be on him.” (12:59)
  • Discussion on Carter’s spit incident, Dak’s provocation, and social media overreaction.
• CD Lamb Drops:
  • “When this ball is dropped over top, 24-20, and CD drops—not this one, the next one…that can’t happen.” (15:05)
• Game’s Odd Rhythm:
  • Mention of the 65-minute lightning delay, eight consecutive scoring drives followed by eight consecutive non-scoring ones.
  • “The only NFL game in 30 years to start with 8 straight scoring drives and end with 8 straight non-scoring.” (19:55)

NFL Week 1 Preview, Storylines, & Bets

(30:00 – 1:05:00)

Quarterback Clinic: Jalen Hurts & Dak Prescott

• AJ: “How special is this dude? Hurts is so athletic, so calm in the pocket… turns and runs, and backs already turned.” (23:35)
• Praise for Dak’s leadership and presence—“Dak looked unbelievable, and I like him getting in Jalen Carter’s face.” (27:10)

Coaching and Team Vibes

• Sirianni’s cool under pressure on “banner night.”
• Cowboys’ “all-in” atmosphere, resilience post-Micah, and praise for Shotty (Brian Schottenheimer):
  • “Had all three timeouts late… didn’t force anything… I was pretty proud of Shotty, actually.” (32:45)
  • “That was a huge night with a lot of distractions.”

Gambling Angles & Trends

• Recap of bets placed and hits, inside jokes about affecting the over/under, and Twitter/X banter.
• Overwhelming public money on Eagles; “the big break of the night was that…75-80% were on the under.” (35:40)

Dan Orlovsky Joins: X’s & O’s and NFL Outlook

(1:05:00 – 1:37:00)

Immediate Takeaways from Eagles/Cowboys

• “Jalen was perfect… carried the team in many ways… did what it takes to win.” (1:11:30)
• “Defensive penalties… nine for 100+ yards… gotta be addressed.”
• “Opposite Quinyon Mitchell has to be a conversation. That's gotta have your attention.” (1:12:45)

QB Game-planning Against Hurts

• “You gotta have really good rush discipline… sticky coverage… and pursuit.”
• Dan: “He just seems to do whatever it takes to win.”
• Conversation on defensive scheming, importance of containing and spying Hurts, and why the big names didn’t rack up stats (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith).

Rule Changes: Kicking Game

• New “K ball” rules for kickers/punters:
  • “I think it’s a 10-15 yard swing for kicking and punting. This is a big deal.” (1:18:10)
  • More broken-in balls allowed; predicted more long kicks/punts this season.

MVP Picks and Team Previews

• Jordan Love (Packers): “Supremely talented, ton of experience, perfect scheme fit.” (1:24:00)
• Discussion on McCaffrey’s injury report, importance to Brock Purdy and 49ers.
• Sunday Night: Ravens vs. Bills:
  • “No one has more pressure than Baltimore. Lamar’s gotta win a Super Bowl.”
  • “Buffalo’s all in, but 1-53, Ravens have the best roster.” (1:29:30)

Deep-Dive: NFL Week 1 Game Picks

(1:37:00 – 2:45:00, interspersed and then full segment after Saban & Gasso)

• Chiefs/Chargers in Brazil
• Raiders/Patriots: “Rabel era begins in New England as Pete Carroll era begins in Las Vegas.”
• Steelers/Jets: “If the Steelers lose, the season’s over.”
• Miami/Indy: “Honoring Jim Irsay…ring of honor… Colts are dogs at home.”
• Bengals/Browns: “Zac Taylor 1-11 in first two weeks. I still think Bengals win, but Browns keep it cagey.”
• Full slate, odds, and lines discussed, with Tone Digs providing line details.
• Strong emphasis on betting lines (best numbers found via ESPN Bet and elsewhere).
• Convo on emotional vs. logical picks for fan-favorite teams.

Nick Saban Segment: College Football Wisdom

(Run: ~2:00:00 – 2:30:00)

Handling Sudden Adversity (Post-Bama Loss Reflections)

• “When you have a negative consequence, if you don’t teach and identify what needs fixed, it affects morale.”
• On Kalen DeBoer’s challenge replacing Saban:

  “He’s a good coach, always had success…maybe hadn’t had this kind of scrutiny, but he’s reaching out to a lot of people.”
  — Nick Saban (2:06:15)

Coping with Fan & Media Pressure

• “Bama expects you to win every game…the standard is really, really high. You have to protect your players from that.”
• Insights into transferring, NIL, and keeping team focus in modern era.

Jalen Hurts

• “He’s only going to get better. Worker, committed, great teammate…has made amazing improvements since the championship game.”

Rebuilding Programs, Patience, and Player Development

• Applied to Alabama and other coaches (Belichick at UNC, Bill’s challenges at the portal, etc.)
• “You win with people, have to develop the roster…people need patience.”

SEC, Big Ten, and Money in College Football

• “That geographic advantage the SEC had may be changing…name, image, and likeness, money and alumni in the north are a factor.”
• “I think Texas & A&M have old-time money…Big Ten has more alumni, more money.”
• On playoff schedules: “It’s better for the game if you play competitive schedules; I hope we change the metrics.”

Notable Quote:

“I always wanted to play someone good the first game…I wanted to see where our team was.”
— Nick Saban (2:22:00)

Oklahoma Softball Coach Patty Gasso Interview

(2:30:00 – 2:45:00)

Life in the SEC & Softball’s Rise

• “SEC is a gauntlet. Winning the regular season and tournament was one of my proudest moments.”
• Discussion of NIL in women’s sports: “Not everyone has the same kind of money, but the sport is growing.”
• Banter with Pat about his failed attempt to hit her pitchers; “Don’t call it a riser…it’s a rise ball.”

Culture & Motivation

• “We have almost everyone back...great freshman class, number one in the country. We’re ready.”
• SEC intensity: “Lots of game faces—everyone’s so serious.”
• Family ties: Her son is hitting coach at Arkansas—"It’s business."
• On team motivation: “They’re out there every day working before we even start official practice.”

Closing Rivalries & Fun

• Texas rivalry still top. Some “salty” new ones forming in SEC.

Betting & Picks Segment

(Last Hour; various timestamps based on games, see picks section above for breakdown)

• Each game previewed with odds, key injuries, team narratives.
• Crew debates emotional vs. statistical picks (Steelers, Colts, Packers, etc.).
• Reiterates importance of betting line shopping.
• Notable: “This is week one. If the Steelers lose, their season is over.” — Ty Schmidt

Pat McAfee Show Signature Moments

• Banter, Teasing, and Running Gags:
  • “CD’s nuts” joke at CD Lamb’s expense.
  • Repeated play-by-play of missed flyover by cameraman Ryan.
• “Behind the Scenes” Reality:
  • Show frequently references producers, behind-the-glass team, in-jokes about missed shots, and crew chemistry.
• Quotes on Football’s Joy:

  “We’re in the good old days right now. Every team except Alabama has hope.” — Pat McAfee (close of show)

Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Javonte Williams...not a name anyone said all offseason.” — Pat McAfee, 07:40
• “There’s a difference between spitting on somebody’s sternum...and on the ground in front of ‘em.” — Pat McAfee, 13:30
• “If the Steelers lose, the season’s over.” — Ty Schmidt, 1:44:00
• “Jalen was perfect...whatever it takes to win.” — Dan Orlovsky, 1:11:30
• “No one has more pressure than Baltimore...Lamar’s gotta win a Super Bowl.” — Dan Orlovsky, 1:29:30
• “That was a huge night with a lot of distractions [for Shotty and Dallas].” — Pat McAfee, 32:45
• “Don’t call it a riser—it’s a ‘rise ball’ in our sport!” — Patty Gasso, 2:35:20
• “We should have more of an NFL model: more good games, better for the fans, better revenue for the schools.” — Nick Saban, 2:26:00

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01 – Show intro, Oklahoma segment, Thursday Night Football initial recap
• 06:00 – Deep Philadelphia/Dallas breakdown, Jalen Carter incident
• 15:00 – CD Lamb drops, Dallas almost steals it
• 19:55 – Lightning delay, scoring stats
• 23:30 – Jalen Hurts & Dak Prescott deep dive with AJ Hawk
• 30:00 – Sirianni, Shotty, Cowboys culture, Eagles maturity
• 35:00 – Gambling trends, over/under
• 1:05:00 – Dan Orlovsky joins: Eagles/Cowboys X’s & O’s
• 1:29:00 – Ravens/Bills/Lamar/Josh Allen pressure
• 2:00:00 – Nick Saban joins: Alabama reflections, Kalen DeBoer, NIL & pressure
• 2:30:00 – Patty Gasso on Oklahoma softball, rise ball, NIL for women, SEC shift

Tone & Style

The show maintains its irreverent, energetic, locker-room culture—mixing serious football analysis with jokes, in-jokes, and crew ribbing. Quotes and exchanges, especially with Saban and Patty Gasso, retain their original direct, candid, storytelling flavor—broadly accessible to casual and serious fans alike.

In Summary

This episode marks a full-throttle, all-football return: NFL kickoff reactions, passionate betting takes, expert breakdowns from Dan Orlovsky, wisdom and dry asides from Nick Saban, and a rare check-in with Oklahoma’s Patty Gasso—plus all the laughs and inside perspective that define The Pat McAfee Show. The read: both the Eagles and Cowboys look like playoff teams, Jalen Hurts and Dak are real dudes, college football’s balance of power may be shifting north with NIL, but football culture (and betting madness) are alive and well everywhere.

For NFL and college football fans alike, this is required listening to get hyped and ready for week one.