The Pat McAfee Show 2.0 | Episode 1454 | November 18, 2025

Guests: Bruce Arians, Lane Kiffin, Kevin Brown (college commitment), Rich Rodriguez, Darius Butler, AJ Hawk

Overview

This episode of The Pat McAfee Show was packed with football talk, special guests, and some truly unique moments. Pat and the crew—featuring Bruce Arians, Lane Kiffin, Darius Butler, AJ Hawk, and more—recap MNF, dig into coaching rumors and college football news, break down the Raiders and Cowboys, and host a live college commitment from 4-star OL Kevin Brown. West Virginia pride, the current state of the NFL and college football, and Pat’s signature blend of insight and irreverence made for a lively, can’t-miss broadcast.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Monday Night Football Recap (NFL Week 11)

• [04:26] Darius J. Butler broke down Cowboys vs. Raiders:

  • Game started tight—Raiders led 6-3 at the end of Q1 before Dallas took over.
  • Dak found CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, and newly-traded George Pickens for big plays.
  • Javonte Williams ran wild for a season/career high.
  • Cowboys' defense dominated, highlighted by Quinnen Williams’ disruptive night.
  • Raiders fell apart late: “This game just got out of hand. Became an absolute blowout. It was too late to switch over to Monday Night Raw. This one got ugly.” [06:16 - Darius J. Butler]

• Onside Punt Oddity [07:18]

  • Raiders tried a rare “onside punt” after a safety.
  • Pat explained the rules and why it very nearly worked for Vegas.

• Dak & Dallas: Are They for Real? [09:40]

  • Pat and Arians discussed Dak’s leadership but ongoing team inconsistency.
  • “Dak can light it up... one of the best leaders there is. But he can still spin it.” [09:40 - Bruce Arians]
  • Will Dallas ever be “great” in the playoffs? Talent is there, but faith remains shaky.

2. State of the Raiders, Geno Smith & Max Crosby

• Geno Smith Blame Game [12:45]

  • Geno: “If something don’t look right out there, blame it on me.” [12:45 - Geno Smith via postgame presser]
  • Raiders’ offensive woes go deeper than just Geno—offensive line and WR lack major contributors.

• Max Crosby Spotlight [14:17]

  • Pat lobbied for Crosby to be traded to a contender for the sake of all football fans:

    “For the good of ball, we need Max Crosby to be on a team that has a chance.” [16:21 - Pat]

  • Arians: “When your best three receivers are three tight ends, you’re in trouble.” [17:03]

• Raiders’ Path Forward [16:56]

  • Cited need for O-line, better WRs, running Jinty more. Arians and Connor agreed there’s blame to go around, but Geno’s not the problem.

3. College Football Coaching Carousel & Commitment Drama

• James Franklin Hired at Virginia Tech [23:06]
  • Bruce Arians discussed his role in the hire: “He was a number one pick all the way... great recruiter, especially in Virginia.” [23:27 - Bruce Arians]
  • Big for VT; Penn State fans’ conflicted feelings over Franklin’s exit.

4. Interview with Lane Kiffin: Life at Ole Miss

• [25:47–43:11]
• Recent win, vibes in Oxford, and Kiffin’s approach to distractions, rumors, and program culture.
  • Kiffin on enjoying the moment: “Those good old days, you’re in them right now.” [27:55]
  • Refutes “ultimatum” rumors: “Absolutely not true. There’s been no ultimatum, anything like that, at all.” [29:38]
  • On job expectations: “You lose one, you’re out of the top 10. You lose two, you’re out of the top 25. You lose three, you get fired.” [33:25]
• Kiwan Lacy joins to talk handling distractions as a young star: “Just have a mindset of getting better every day...want to know each week.” [31:16]
• Lane’s culture: closeness with players, letting them share spotlight.
• On books & motivation: Kiffin reads The Pivot Year for daily perspective; encourages Pat to pen his own wisdom: “Motivation by Mac.” [41:58]
• Kiffin invited Pat to experience the game day walk at Ole Miss: “Theo Vaughn did the walk. He said it was one of the best experiences of his life.” [43:13]

5. College Football Playoff (CFP) Projections & Insights

• CFP Committee Preview [53:19]
  • Tone predicts top 6: “Ole Miss moves up to number six...Alabama lost, so some shifting.” [53:52 - AP Tone]
  • Debated strengths of A&M, Oregon, Oklahoma, and implications of strength of schedule.

6. Kevin Brown’s Commitment Live On-Air

• [72:14–78:09]
  • Harrisburg OL Kevin Brown announces commitment to West Virginia (WVU), joined by family.
  • Big moment: burns a couch in celebration on air (“couch-burning” being a WVU tradition).
  • Kevin’s dad is a WVU alum, clearly a point of pride.
  • Rich Rodriguez (WVU’s head coach) calls in to celebrate, outlines vision for a return to the Mountaineers’ tough, “hard edge” culture: “A guy that just loves football... if you find that guy...you got everything.” [84:59 - Rich Rodriguez]

7. NFL "BS or No BS with BA (Bruce Arians)" Segment

• Timestamps: [100:23–113:34]

Topics:

• Analytics Ruining Ball? BS

  • “Kick the damn field goals and put points on the board.” [101:09 - Arians]
  • On analytics departments: “I would probably, if I was back in coaching, I would say yes. Shut the fuck up.” [103:41]

• Wild NFC Races: No BS

  • “You’re going to have to have 10 [wins]... December football is going to be outstanding.” [109:38, 108:21 - Arians]

• Chiefs Most Disappointing Team: No BS

  • “Most disappointing team in the league is the Kansas City Chiefs.” [110:38]
  • “Something’s missing and, and I don’t know what it is.” [111:13]

8. Bruce Arians & Quarterback Leadership

• On cadence and expectations: “We need a little bit of leadership out there... Not even just in football, just in life in general.” [59:31 - Arians]

9. NFL Report Card Drama

• Debate over validity, method, and impact of the NFLPA team “report cards.”
• Arians: “To my knowledge, not every player gets his voice heard. It’s a bitch chest for a few guys...” [139:08]
• Players want anonymity; league demands more transparency.

10. Bonus: Pittsburgh Pirates Actually Spending Money?

• Tone & Ty discuss reports of the Pirates finally looking to spend in free agency.
• Pat remains deeply skeptical: “That’s bullshit. That sounds like that’s not real. That’s them saying, we thought about it. We’re primed to do it.” [149:24]
• “If Jet [Passan] says it’s true, it’s true.” [150:20 - AP Tone]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s football season, baby...We’re in the prime time of everything football fans look forward to.” — Pat [01:56]
• “For the good of ball, we need Max Crosby to be on a team that has a chance.” — Pat [16:21]
• “Those good old days, you’re in them right now. Someday, 10, 20 years from now, you’re going to be saying, man, remember that run we had at Ole Miss?” — Lane Kiffin [27:55]
• “You lose one, you’re out of the top 10. You lose two, you’re out of the top 25. You lose three, you get fired.” — Lane Kiffin [33:25]
• “Kick the damn field goals and put points on the board.” — Bruce Arians [101:09]
• “The most disappointing team in the league is the Kansas City Chiefs.” — Bruce Arians [110:38]
• “A guy that just loves football. Not likes it, but loves it and needs it...then you got everything.” — Rich Rodriguez [84:59]
• “If someone spits in your face, do what comes natural.” — Mike Tomlin, relayed by Arians [135:27]

Structural Summary with Timestamps

Opening Vibes & MNF Recap

• [00:00]–[11:57] Football is heating up mid-November. Crew recaps MNF blowout, Cowboys’ playoff prospects, emotional context of the Cowboys/Raiders game post-Marshawn Nealon tragedy.

Raiders, Max Crosby, and Geno Smith Deep Dive

• [12:12]–[21:45] Raiders' perpetual state of chaos, coaching changes, and Max Crosby's deserving more.

College Football: Hires, Rankings, Culture

• [23:06]–[54:28] Discussion on major coaching hires (James Franklin to VT), Kiffin interview (25:47–43:11), CFP projection debate, Ole Miss playoff hopes.

West Virginia’s Big Win—Kevin Brown’s Commitment

• [72:14]–[82:53] On-air commitment, couch-burning, Rich Rodriguez phone-in, discussion on program ethos.

NFL, Analytics, and Disappointments: “BS or No BS with BA”

• [100:23]–[113:34] Arians’ takes on analytics, playoff races, Chiefs, coaching instincts.

Closing, Odds & Ends

• [144:07]–[150:54] Pittsburgh Pirates and MLB, player recovery discussions, show banter.

For New Listeners

• This episode blends sharp Xs and Os analysis with classic Pat McAfee Show looseness—expect deep dives into football culture, “behind the scenes” conversations, and lighter segments.
• The Lane Kiffin interview (25:47–43:11, 55:43–58:44) and Kevin Brown’s commitment (72:14–78:09) are must-listen moments if you care about college football or leadership culture.
• Bruce Arians' reflections pull no punches—his stances on analytics, team leadership, and what’s still “real football” come through with conviction.

TL;DR Key Takeaways

• Cowboys blew out the Raiders; Dallas is loaded with talent but playoff doubts linger.
• Raiders, despite heroic players like Max Crosby, are organizationally adrift; Geno Smith takes heat unjustly.
• Lane Kiffin is thriving at Ole Miss—zero truth to ultimatum rumor, focused on fun, player development, and winning the Egg Bowl.
• James Franklin is Virginia Tech’s new head coach, thanks to input from Bruce Arians.
• Kevin Brown, 4-star OL, commits to West Virginia live on the show—couch-burning returns as tradition.
• CFP rankings debated; strength of schedule and key wins matter more than ever.
• Analytics dominate football but old-school “feel” (per Arians) still rules in big games.
• Chiefs are Arians’ pick for most disappointing NFL team of 2025 so far.
• NFL player report cards: good intent, messy execution, and lingering controversy over accuracy/transparency.
• Pittsburgh Pirates rumor to spend in free agency met with deep skepticism.

Final Word

This episode is pure Pat McAfee Show—fun, fast, football-obsessed, and not afraid to mix tradition with the ever-changing landscape of today’s sports world. Whether you care about the NFL, college ball, or just want to laugh with pros who genuinely enjoy the game and each other, PMS 2.0 delivers.