The Pat McAfee Show (PMS 2.0) 1478

TOP 5: NFL Week 17 Recap

Date: December 29, 2025
Host: Pat McAfee, with AJ Hawk, Toxic Table, Tone Digs, Darius Butler, and more

Episode Overview

This episode of The Pat McAfee Show delivers an energetic and highly detailed overreaction Monday recap of NFL Week 17, focusing on the Top 5 most compelling storylines, major performances, and notable games. With Pat and the crew dissecting big games and star players, the discussion blends in-depth football analysis, quirky analogies, passionate rants, and plenty of locker room banter—all in classic McAfee style.

Top 5 Headlines & Discussion Points

1. Derrick Henry’s Historic Dominance (00:33–08:42)

Theme: “Long Live the King” – Derrick Henry’s 200-yard, 4-TD performance, making NFL history with his 7th 200-yard game.

• Career Arc: From high school and Alabama standout to NFL “defensive end at running back”—initial struggles, then transformative talk with Eddie George led Henry to unleash his size/power running style.
• Historic Numbers: Passed Adrian Peterson (6) and O.J. Simpson (5) for most 200-yard rushing games ever.
  “He passed Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson... Now Derrick Henry has seven.” – Pat McAfee (02:58)
• Science of Derrick: Pat runs through “Derrick Henry physics”—mass (252 lbs) × velocity (22mph) = 5,500 joules of energy.
  “That would be 5,500 joules of energy, which is equivalent to 45, 90 mile an hour fastballs simultaneously hitting you.” – Pat (03:45)
• Game Impact: Baltimore realized late-season they must lean on Henry: 36 carries, 200+ yards, 4 TDs vs. Packers. “Green Bay knew it was coming, Baltimore knew it was coming. But it’s nothing you can do about it…” – Darius Butler (04:55)
• Demoralizing Force: Discussion on how Henry crushes defenses for four quarters, especially as games drag on. “It is a lot of pressure to keep... your defense on the sideline so you don’t have to eat more Derrick Henry’s knees.” – Pat (07:08)
• Coaching Questions: Crew critiques Ravens for occasionally abandoning the run, stressing Henry’s indispensability. “They give him the ball, great things happen… What is it? Do they just worry he’s gonna get hurt?” – Pat (07:42)

2. Steelers vs Ravens: AFC North Showdown Looms (08:42–14:44)

Theme: “The Inevitable” – Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, set for a high stakes, win-and-in, Week 18 Sunday Night Football clash.

• Classic Rivalry: Framing it as one of the NFL’s greatest, with playoff ramifications—lose and go home.
• Steelers’ Run Defense: Tone Digs analyzes recent stats; containment of Derrick Henry is game’s focal point. “Steelers the last three weeks have given up 78, 15 and 63 yards rushing… But they scored 10 unanswered in the fourth quarter.” – Tone Digs (10:05)
• Primetime Pressure: Tone expresses “inevitable dread” as a Steelers fan; primetime exposes a team’s flaws. “Once we move past the disappointment of yesterday, we will then be able to focus on this matchup…” – Tone Digs (10:05)
• Betting Angles: Discussion on spread history between Harbaugh and Tomlin; the underdog trend. “The dog in this series between Harbaugh and Tomlin is 25, 8 and 3 against the spread.” – Tone Digs (12:59)
• Locker Room/Local Flavor: Reference to fan dynamics, and the ‘Ryan Kennedy’ sideline subplot. “I respected him sitting in there and explaining his entire situation, especially when it comes to animal cruelty and racism.” – Pat (13:46)

3. Broncos & Chargers: AFC West Chaos and Bo Nix Surge (14:44–21:12)

Theme: “Epic Week 18 Looms” – Playoff seedings at stake, Bo Nix ascends, Chargers’ unending woes.

• Denver’s Turnaround: Bo Nix and Sean Payton put Broncos in position for AFC’s #1 seed. “Big Bo Nix is actually spinning it right now and it feels like he’s under complete control of the offense.” – Pat (15:44)
• Broncos’ Salary Cap Gambit: Highlighting Denver’s willingness to take a historic cap hit to rebuild.
• Justin Herbert’s Plight: Recurring theme—Herbert’s talent wasted behind a failing offensive line despite franchise attempts to remedy. “It feels like he’s running for his life a lot… Have faith in Herbo, but damn, I feel bad for that guy.” – Pat and Darius (17:20–18:41)
• Chronic Chargers Curses: Reflection on repeated heartbreak, injuries, and front-office missteps. “It’s a broken record over and over… Will they ever figure it out, I don’t know.” – Tone (19:24)
• Defense & Coaching Futures: Speculation about defensive coordinator leaving for head coaching jobs.

4. Patriots Rise Again: Drake May & Vrabel Era (21:12–26:50)

Theme: “The Not So Evil Empire Is Back” – New England Patriots’ stunning turnaround under new leadership.

• Drake May’s Historic Feats: Best single-game QBR since 2006; pulled third quarter, would’ve likely had 7+ TDs. “First ever QB with 90% completions, 250+ yards, 5 TDs in a game—removed with 5:30 in the third.” – The Toxic Table (23:38)
• Team Transformation: Vrabel’s coaching, player buy-in, Stefan Diggs’ leadership uplift the culture.
  • “Winning with a smile on your face, that is new.” – The Toxic Table (24:12)
• Comparison to Past Dynasties: Patriots fans debate if it’s a true “second coming” or something unique.
  • “He’s not the second coming because he’s kind of the first coming—no one’s ever done what he’s doing.” – The Toxic Table (23:29)
• Locker Room Vibe: Vrabel’s intensity and relatability; famous sideline confrontation with Christian Barmore.
  • “A lot of coaches… avoid those types of conflicts. Vrabel just steps right into it.” – Darius Butler (26:23)
• Patriots’ Road Warriors: 8–0 on the road, uniting around a new motivational sample: “We can pack our culture.”

5. Jets Dysfunction & Historic Futility (26:50–35:15)

Theme: “All-Time Bad” – The New York Jets match century-old futility marks.

• Organizational Dysfunction: Franchise compared to the 'Oorang Indians'—an early-1900s team formed to sell dogs, notorious for four straight 23+ point losses.
  • “Anytime you’re in the same conversation as the Oorang Indians… it’s not going well.” – Pat (30:20)
• Coaching & Roster Woes: Defensive head coach Aaron Glenn presides over a historically interception-free defense. “They have zero interceptions on a season. Zero. None.” – The Toxic Table (29:11)
• Fan Disgust: Discussion of a viral field goal promotion gone wrong and infamous fan “Fireman Ed” retiring…again. “I used to run towards fires, not away from them. Why am I standing up to cheer for a dumpster fire?” – Pat (34:50)
• Hopeless Outlook: Crew laments Jets’ ownership, “butthole operation,” and warns their AFC East competitors will rule for decades unless radical change comes. “Jets are not going to win for another 20+ years unless there’s changes.” – The Toxic Table (34:28)

6. Game of the Year: Bears vs. 49ers – SNF Thriller (35:34–41:03)

Theme: “The Sunday Night Epic” – Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers, instant classic with playoff overtones.

• Coaching Chess Match: Offensive masterminds Ben Johnson (Bears) vs. Kyle Shanahan (Niners); stacked coordinators on both sides.
• Explosive Start: First play—Bears pick-six on Brock Purdy. Bears take early 7–0 lead.
• Christian McCaffrey’s Stamina: Praised for always being “explosive, on the field, never tired.”
• Brock Purdy’s Growth: From “game manager” to back-to-back 5-TD games despite missing weapons.
  • “Back to back games now for Brock Purdy being responsible for five touchdowns.” – Darius Butler (39:30)
  • “Purdy crushes that thing… a little juke here, stays clean, gives the Hulkster… Santa Clara, you got an absolute dog here.” – Pat (37:41)
• Final Moments: Bears drive to the 2.5-yard line with 4 seconds left; Caleb Williams’ pass falls incomplete—Niners win.
  • “All he had to do was score a touchdown… Is anybody open? Final answer: No.” – Pat (38:44)
• Big-Picture Reactions:
  • “Usually you can find some corner of the Internet bitching… but most agree: this was a great game.” – Darius (39:30)
  • Defense is a concern for both squads as playoffs approach.

Additional Notes & Memorable Quotes

• Eagles’ Gritty Win & Defensive Resurgence (41:09–43:03):
  • “Their defense since week eight giving up 15 points per game; Cooper DeJean has been phenomenal. This team is poised to make a run.” – Darius (41:26)
• Josh Allen’s Rare Miss:
  • “Josh Allen missing that throw. Abnormal. Completely abnormal.” – Pat (41:51)
• Pat’s Emotional Sign-Off:
  • “We appreciate you all for allowing us to do this for a living. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice.” – Pat (43:06)

Segment Timestamps – Quick Reference

• Derrick Henry’s Historic Night: 00:33–08:42
• Ravens vs. Steelers Preview: 08:42–14:44
• Broncos, Chargers AFC West Race: 14:44–21:12
• Patriots’ Resurgence with Drake May: 21:12–26:50
• Jets’ Dysfunction & Historical Context: 26:50–35:15
• Bears–49ers: Sunday Night Classic: 35:34–41:03
• Eagles, Bills & Playoff Picture: 41:09–end

Notable Quotes (with timestamps)

• “He passed Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson... Now Derrick Henry has seven.”
  – Pat McAfee (02:58)

• “That would be 5,500 joules of energy, which is equivalent to 45, 90 mile an hour fastballs simultaneously hitting you.”
  – Pat (03:45)

• “Green Bay knew it was coming, Baltimore knew it was coming. But it’s nothing you can do about it when you got a guy like this.”
  – Darius Butler (04:55)

• “Steelers the last three weeks have given up 78, 15 and 63 yards rushing.”
  – Tone Digs (10:05)

• “Big Bo Nix is actually spinning it right now and it feels like he’s under complete control of the offense.”
  – Pat (15:44)

• “First ever QB with 90% completions, 250+ yards, 5 TDs in a game—removed with 5:30 in the third.”
  – The Toxic Table (23:38)

• “I used to run towards fires, not away from them. Why am I standing up to cheer for a dumpster fire?”
  – Pat (34:50)

• “Back to back games now for Brock Purdy being responsible for five touchdowns.”
  – Darius Butler (39:30)

• “Josh Allen missing that throw. Abnormal. Completely abnormal.”
  – Pat (41:51)

Final Takeaway

This action-packed episode weaves through historic performances, infamous collapses, legendary rivalries, and classic gridiron chaos, all with the show’s trademark mix of laughs, stats, and genuine football love. The rapid-fire banter, deep dives into player and coach legacies, and no-holds-barred takes make it essential listening—and this summary ensures you don’t miss a beat.