The Pat McAfee Show 2.0, Episode 1426 – TNF Preview, Shams Charania, Al Michaels, Mike McCarthy, Jack Carr & AJ Hawk (Oct 9, 2025)

Episode Overview

On this Thursday NFL Week 6 kickoff episode, Pat McAfee and the Thunderdome crew dive deep into the upcoming Thursday Night Football battle between the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, analyzing team stats, betting lines, and fan sentiments. Special guests include NBA insider Shams Charania with breaking news, legendary NFL broadcaster Al Michaels sharing stories and industry insights, Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy ranking QBs and previewing the game, and thriller author/former Navy SEAL Jack Carr talking about his new Vietnam-era novel. Regulars AJ Hawk, Conner, Tone Digs, Ty Schmidt, and others bring humor, insider expertise, and lively debate across the NFL, NBA, and wider sports world, all with the show’s trademark energy and irreverence.

Main Topics & Key Segments

1. TNF Preview: Eagles vs. Giants – The NFC East Showdown

(00:00–08:55, 38:48–66:11, 98:32–102:33)

• Pat McAfee sets the stage:
  • Giants host the Eagles; both teams coming off tough losses. Eagles favored by 7.5 points.
  • “This team right here just got embarrassed at home… Sirianni had kibbles and bits for the boys all week trying to find the inner dog…” (01:03, Pat)
  • Deep dive into stats (team rankings, offense/defense breakdown), with neither team’s numbers inspiring much hope.
• Betting angles and public money:
  • Connor notes, “Touchdown road favorites are 19–4 straight up, 14–9 against the spread.” (03:49, Connor)
  • Tone Digs: 65% of the public is on the Eagles (05:21), which is a fade signal based on season-long trends (public is 13–30 against the spread when over 60%).
• Giants optimism and skepticism:
  • Panel debates the impact of injuries, roster moves, schedule difficulties, and motivation.
  • Bruce (Giants fan) breaks down “calamity of errors” but touts Scatterboo to run wild (65:40).
• Legendary coach Mike McCarthy’s insight:
  • “It’s a lot of points in a division game.” (97:22, Coach McCarthy suggests Giants +7.5 is smart, but expects Eagles to win)
• AJ vs. Pat:
  • AJ takes Giants (+7.5); Pat rides Eagles (-7).

2. NBA Breaking News & Insight — Shams Charania

(09:37–26:43)

• Breaking: Eric Spoelstra named Team USA Men’s Basketball Head Coach
  • “USA Basketball is expected to name Eric Spoelstra as the next men’s national team head coach.” (09:37, Shams)
  • Details Spoelstra’s path, Grant Hill’s role, and potential staff changes.
• Olympics, Roster Decisions, and Next Gen USA Basketball:
  • Discussion of injured NBA superstars (Tatum, Halliburton, Lillard) — defining how injuries and rehab can alter Team USA’s roster building (13:59, Shams).
• Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Drama & Knicks Rumors:
  • Knicks were Giannis’ only trade destination; deals discussed, nothing concrete. “One person described it to me as an exclusive negotiating window.” (16:06, Shams)
• NBA Media Landscape Shifts:
  • TNT’s “Inside the NBA” moving to ESPN (22:12) — Shams reflects on his relationships with the broadcast icons.
  • “It’s going to be amazing to continue to see that show now on ESPN.” (23:13, Shams)
• Shams’ Lighter Moments:
  • 110 million+ views on one of his major scoops (“That’s life of an insider.” — 27:38, Pat)
  • The balancing act between being “just the messenger” and the subjectivity of breaking rumors (18:10).

3. NFL News: Joe Flacco, Transactions, and Backup QBs

(28:09–38:48, 80:16–84:03)

• Joe Flacco’s Rapid Impact in Cincy:
  • Traded to the Bengals, starting on Sunday; praised for “reciting the whole play like perfectly” (30:15, Chase Brown via Connor).
  • Pat: “If Joe Flacco is in a situation that he likes ... look out for the Bengals to be a problem.” (30:53)
  • Ty’s despair: “If the Bengals beat the Packers on Sunday, there is a good chance... I’m going to head upstairs, bring a toaster, plug it in and drop it in the bathroom.” (31:50)
• Cleveland QB Carousel:
  • Stefanski not naming backup QB for strategic reasons—forcing Steelers to prepare for three QBs, including rookie Shedeur Sanders (34:08).
  • Pat praises Shedeur: “He has an aura about him that is magnetic for people and for cameras.” (35:40)
  • Debate over performance, potential, and NFL decision-maker perceptions.

4. MLB Postseason Heartbreak & New York Sports Pain

(38:48–44:19, 132:24–133:38)

• Blue Jays eliminate Yankees, New York sports misery:
  • Ty mourns: “It hurts. I mean, I’ll be honest with you… Being a Yankees fan is very similar to, ironically, being a Packers fan or being a Steelers fan…” (40:23)
  • Detailed breakdown of why the Yankees underperformed in the playoffs (41:30–43:56).
  • Pat and crew riff on the broader New York gloom (Knicks, Rangers, Jets, Mets).

5. Guest Spotlight: Al Michaels – NFL on Prime/Football Storytelling

(44:19–56:45)

• Al Michaels joins, in high spirits:
  • Pat jokes: “AL maybe, maybe, maybe I should start tapping into your bank account...”
  • Al’s reflections on Thursday Night Football’s importance, streaming’s rise:
    • “The league wants streaming to work, there’s no question about that…” (50:44)
    • “We’re not going to stop this runaway train... when I’m at Forest Lawn, we’ll be streaming everything.” (51:41)
  • Al on Philly’s overreaction to success: “The sky is falling in Philadelphia; they have won 20 of 22 games. What? I mean, I don’t get it. This is crazy.” (46:03)
  • On the Giants’ new era: Praises rookie QB Jackson Dart’s “moxie” and bright future alongside Scatterboo (48:36).
• Classic Al Michaels humor:
  • “If you don’t eat a vegetable, there’s a chance I’m on the Oprah show in, like, 2096 and say, ‘This is the key to life…’” (51:49)
  • Signature candor on antisocial media haters: “If you go onto antisocial media, Mother Teresa would have been a bank robbery.” (52:30)

6. NFL Quarterback State of the Union – Mike McCarthy’s Top 5

(86:11–96:57)

• Coach McCarthy’s Top 5 QBs (First Five Weeks of 2025):
  • 5. Daniel Jones – “Definitely off to a great start... Situational numbers... distributing football.” (87:10)
  • 4. Matthew Stafford – “Great anticipator, phenomenal confidence on the inside throws... still Pro Bowl level.” (89:23)
  • 3. Dak Prescott – “Love the way he’s distributing the football... 71.3% completion percentage.” (90:22)
  • 2. Baker Mayfield – “Playing great football at the most important time... he’s the man.” (91:29, 92:27)
  • 1. Josh Allen – “There’s never a play that can’t be made... he’s playing it unbelievable right now.” (93:34)
• Wisdom on positional value and organizational culture:
  • “If you haven’t had a quarterback and you’re starting over, there’s always growing pains. You don’t ever get to skip those steps.” (77:31)
• Drake Maye’s "coming out party":
  • “Composed throughout the game, and that is so big for particularly where he is in his career, being so young.” (79:22)

7. Special Guest: Jack Carr – “Cry Havoc” and the Storyteller’s Journey

(104:14–132:13)

• Jack Carr joins the Thunderdome on release of his new novel:
  • “Cry Havoc” – a Vietnam, 1968 espionage thriller:
    • “I wanted to transport everyone back to 1968... If you had walked into my office... it looked like I was invading North Vietnam.” (105:51, Jack)
    • “What I think is most interesting is how the media realized in Vietnam they could influence policy, influence events, influence people’s perceptions.” (106:40)
  • Praise for authenticity and honoring veterans — “I wanted to make sure I honored them by getting those details right.” (107:42)
• Writing, improvement, and AI threat:
  • “The goal is always to improve... This book is better than the last one... just like in the SEAL teams...” (109:47)
  • Reflects on future projects, Hollywood, AI risks, and rebellion against “digital tyranny” (115:21, 128:06)
• Military anecdotes:
  • Explains the human side of being a sniper, BUDS training stories, and the mentality of modern special operators (110:25, 121:15)
• Sports tie-ins:
  • Picks Giants +7.5 as an underdog story (129:02).
  • “Honoring the story… If I focus on the story, then I’m honoring that reader… who’s spending time with me…” (118:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Pat on Eagles/Philly fan base:
  • “This team right here just got embarrassed at home… Sirianni had kibbles and bits for the boys all week trying to find the inner dog…” (01:03)
• Connor’s stat of the day (betting):
  • “Touchdown road favorites are 19 and four straight up, 14–9 against the spread and the under is 14–9.” (03:49)
• Tone on NFL betting trends:
  • "If the public is 60%+ on a side, they're 13–30 ATS this year. ...65% are on the Eagles tonight." (05:21)
• Ty on the Yankees:
  • “It hurts… Being a Yankees fan is very similar to, ironically, being a Packers fan or being a Steelers fan… this will just go on for eternity.” (40:23)
• Al Michaels on Philly panic:
  • “[The Eagles] have won 20 of 22 games. What? I mean, I don’t get it. This is crazy.” (46:03)
• Mike McCarthy on Baker Mayfield:
  • “He hasn’t changed. He’s always been feisty, maybe a little more up and down in his younger years, but he’s always played the position super competitive…” (73:01)
• Jack Carr on relentless improvement:
  • “Every time, I always want to improve... I want to be a better author today than I was yesterday. ...You want to be a rebel today? You pull out a book instead of the phone.” (109:47, 128:06)
• Pat on breaking news:
  • “That’s life of insider. This tweet, 109.9 million views at this point.” (27:44)
• AJ Hawk (on picking Giants):
  • “I don’t like to be swayed by the public, but Bruce does sway me a bit when he talks about his Giants in such glowing fashion. But give me the Giants plus seven and a half here tonight.” (101:41)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:00–08:55, 38:48–66:11, 98:32–102:33 — TNF preview, Eagles vs. Giants; betting, stats, picks.
• 09:37–26:43 — Shams Charania NBA news: Spoelstra as Team USA coach, Giannis drama, NBA on ESPN.
• 28:09–38:48, 80:16–84:03 — NFL news: Flacco in Cincy, Browns’ backup QB mystery.
• 38:48–44:19, 132:24–133:38 — Yankees’ elimination, NY sports woes.
• 44:19–56:45 — Al Michaels interview: TNF, football/fan culture, broadcast evolution.
• 86:11–96:57 — Mike McCarthy’s Top 5 QBs, wisdom on organizational culture.
• 104:14–132:13 — Jack Carr on “Cry Havoc,” writing, SEALs, storytelling, military/civilian mindset.

Episode Tone & Takeaways

Energy:

• High-octane, rapid-fire exchanges; frequent humor, playful trash talk, and sincere admiration among hosts and guests.

Original Voice & Candidness:

• The show’s special sauce—insider-level intelligence, blunt appraisal, and love for the absurd that brings sports, celebrity, and national security talk into a shared, relatable space.

Value for New Listeners:

• In-depth football preview and betting education (statistics, emotional factors, historical context).
• Unique “big picture” view on why sports media, personalities, and storytelling matter—from NBA shifts to military thrillers.
• Quotes and analysis from major sports insiders and legends.
• Infectious camaraderie and a culture of always “bringing the juice,” even when dissecting heartache or adversity.

Signature Sign-Off:

• “Be a friend, tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. Buy this book…” (134:42)