The Pat McAfee Show 2.0, Episode 1485 — Summary

Episode Overview

Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Pat McAfee & A.J. Hawk, with the Toxic Table, Tone Digs, Ty Schmidt, Conner, Darius Butler, special guests Bruce Arians (Coach BA) and Peter Schrager
Main Theme:
A Super Wildcard Weekend Monday Night Football Recap with dominant Houston Texans performance, followed by the show's real-time reaction and deep analysis to the seismic news: Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach after 19 years. The cast dives into the fallout, history, prospective coaching hires, and the shifting landscape of NFL coaching.

Key Discussion Points and Segments

1. Texans Dominate Wildcard MNF; Steelers Again Sputter

[00:13–09:41]

• Houston Texans trounce the Steelers 30–6, propelled by a suffocating, fundamentally sound defense.
  • Pat: “This Houston Texans defense, I watched it live... they're just always there. They're always on top of you... a never-ending pursuit of greatness with their defense.” (01:12)
  • AJ: “Three takeaways, two defensive touchdowns ... they're only bringing four most of the time and getting four-man pressure on Aaron all night.” (04:03)
• The show marvels at the Texans’ secondary (Stingley, Kamari Lassiter, Petrie, Bullock) as well as the ferocity and execution of Houston’s defensive front (Will Anderson Jr. & Danielle Hunter).
• The Steelers’ offensive woes, notably a staggering 77 straight games without scoring more than 7 points in the first quarter, are lambasted.
  • Fact from E: “77 straight games now that they haven’t scored more than seven points in the first quarter.” (01:40)
• Steelers fans’ expectation of “boring offense” and the malaise of missed opportunities; the conversation turns quickly to the future of Mike Tomlin.

2. Steelers at a Crossroads: The Tomlin Era's End and What's Next

[06:35–46:00+]

• Concerns about Tomlin’s message “going stale” after seven straight playoff losses.
  • Tone: “What other coach in the history of sports ... when you haven’t won a playoff game in nine years, and you’ve lost seven straight ... would even have the ability to come back?” (22:12)
• Heated Pittsburgh debate: is franchise loyalty outweighing results? The show details Steelers’ history of only three coaches since 1969 and that change is rare, but perhaps finally required.
• Speculation builds about:
  • Tomlin’s TV potential (“He’s never lost in front of a microphone ever... the television entertainment industry is going to be very kind to Mike Tomlin.” — Pat, 21:12).
  • The possible final year run-back with Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers, Cam Heyward, etc., or a sea change.

Notable Quote:

"If that's the standard, then the standard bearer has to be held accountable. And nine and eight, and getting blown out in the first round has been ... going on for a long time."
— Bruce Arians on Tomlin’s playoff drought (53:48)

3. Head Coach Search Landscape: League-wide Dominoes

[28:25–73:01+]

• The episode takes a broad look at NFL coaching carousel: Harbaugh's expected move (potentially to Giants/Titans), Ben Johnson buzz, and the surge in popularity for young coordinators with creative resumes but little play-calling experience (e.g., Nate Scheelhaase, Grant Udinski).
  • Peter Schrager: “Here’s his story, 35 years old ... he’s never called plays, so he's the third guy... but everyone raves about this one.” (91:27)
• The tension between hiring retread (more experienced) head coaches vs. up-and-coming coordinators/play-callers is discussed, with Arians emphasizing the danger of “splashy” hires without proven leadership.

Take from BA:

“First and foremost, the guy’s a leader of men ... as a head coach, you're responsible for everybody... I think you’re high risk when you go out for guys that have no experience as being a head coach, or never calling plays.” (46:38)

4. The Fallout: Mike Tomlin STEPS DOWN (Live Reaction)

[122:19–139:51; 2h2m – 2h19m]

• Amid show teasing “insider” info, news breaks during broadcast: Mike Tomlin informs the Steelers he’s stepping down after 19 years.
  • Pat reads aloud: “...informed his team at a 2pm meeting ... that he'll be stepping down as the Steelers head coach. Now, obviously this is a gigantic decision... Mike Tomlin no longer being the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers is an insane thought.” (122:19)
• Emotional reactions from Tone (“he will never, ever be forgotten in the city of Pittsburgh for what he did...”), Pat (“What Harbaugh is doing in Baltimore, crazy. And what Tomlin [did]... now you got 20 NFL teams trying to call Tomlin... TV or another team?”), and the rest of the cast.
• Discussion switches immediately to what’s next—filling the vacancy, with names like Mike McCarthy, Brian Flores, and young DCs floated, but no clear answer.
• Note: Because Tomlin stepped down and wasn't fired, Steelers retain “his rights”, paralleling the Sean Payton situation—he could return to coaching elsewhere but only after a trade or similar arrangement.

Memorable Quote:

"Football got better today. If Mike Tomlin's becoming a national, kind of, voice for the league, for the sport as a whole."
— Pat McAfee (136:19)

5. Broader NFL and Sports Storylines

(Selected, interspersed through 46:00–118:59)

• Texans' DC Matt Burke and HC DeMeco Ryans draw praise as coaching candidates.
• Candidates for Lions, Chargers, Ravens OCs are debated (e.g., Cliff Kingsbury, Mike McDaniel, Dan Orlovsky—humorously, for the Lions).
• Head coaching structures—How GM/coach power dynamics affect franchise success, referencing Browns, Colts, Bears.
• College football asides: IU vs. Miami National Championship, transfer portal/Era changes.

6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Texans Defense:

“This Houston Texans defense... a never-ending pursuit of greatness... if they go on a run, it’d be Texans defense won that Super Bowl, going back to Baltimore.”
— Pat, (06:03)

Steelers Inevitability:

“...here, we're gonna sign up for it again next year, run back the same exact lineup, same coach, same exact staff, and I'll see you on this day next year after another 25-point playoff loss.”
— Tone Digs, (09:41)

Coaching “Recycling”:

“Some guys haven't called plays. They’re just quarterback coaches. Now you’re expecting them to be a head coach and the play caller…this cycle is going to be about re-hiring ex-head coaches…”
— Bruce Arians (45:10–45:50)

Tomlin the TV Personality:

“He’s never lost in front of a microphone ever. I’ve never seen a bad session from Mike Tomlin…think about him on TV with one-liners. The television entertainment industry is going to be very kind”
— Pat McAfee (21:12)

Tomlin’s Farewell and Legacy:

“Thank you to Coach Tomlin for 19 years... to be in the playoff race every season, and for a lot of those seasons to have Super Bowl aspirations ...”
— Tone Digs (124:03)

Succession Thoughts:

“Who is the right answer now for the Pittsburgh Steelers? I guess they have to find that out for the first time in 19 years.”
— Pat McAfee (128:16)

Important Timestamps

• 00:13 — Breakdown of Texans’ dominant win; Steelers’ offensive ineptitude.
• 01:40 — Stat: 77 straight games <7 points scored in Steelers’ 1Q.
• 06:03 — Is this a Ravens 2000–style defensive run?
• 09:41 — Steelers fan exasperation, future uncertain (“run it back” malaise).
• 22:12 — Tone's big-pic question: “What other coach...would still be kept after seven playoff losses?”
• 46:38 — Bruce Arians on leadership and risk with inexperienced hires.
• 53:48 — Arians on playoff failure: “If that's the standard, the standard bearer has to be held accountable…”
• 91:27 — Peter Schrager on Nate Scheelhaase, the emerging new coaching candidates.
• 122:19 — [Breaking News] Tomlin Steps Down: raw, real-time show reactions.
• 124:03 — Tone Digs’ emotional thank you to Tomlin.
• 128:16 — Immediate questions about next Steelers coach.
• 131:26 — Rap Sheet: Tomlin “plans to step away”; speculation immediate.
• 136:19 — Pat: “Football just got better today. If Mike Tomlin’s becoming a national…voice…”

Concluding Thoughts

Vibe:
The episode is charged—from raucous football analysis and inside-NFL riffing to an almost surreal, emotional processing of a genuine sports era ending in real time. The cast’s blend of irreverence and insight shines, especially as they pivot from breakdown to major news and then responsible reflection on what Tomlin meant to the Steelers and NFL.

For New Listeners/Fans:
You’ll leave understanding not just what happened in the Wildcard game, but why it matters in the bigger picture of NFL leadership, coaching culture, and fan identity. The podcast’s conversational, sometimes chaotic, but always expert approach is on full display—with memorable one-liners and heartfelt thanks to a coaching legend who redefined consistency.

Noteworthy Speaker Quotes

• Pat McAfee on Tomlin’s exit (122:19):
  “Mike Tomlin no longer being the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers is an insane thought.”

• Bruce Arians on head coach requirements (46:38):
  “I think first and foremost, the guy’s leader of men... you have to be a leader of men and have a plan.”

• Tone Digs on Tomlin’s legacy (124:03):
  “Thank you to Coach Tomlin for 19 years, one Super Bowl, two appearances, multiple AFC Championships...incredible job, will never be forgotten in the city of Pittsburgh…”

• Pat (on the outside NFL perspective):
  “Outside the Steelers fan base, this guy is cool, awesome, always wins—must be nice, Steelers fans, you’re complaining about not winning a Super Bowl, but you’re in the playoffs every year.” (131:09)

• Darius Butler (128:41):
  “I have the utmost respect for Mike Tomlin and the job he’s done. I personally can’t see him coaching anywhere else... but we shall see.”

For Your Reference: Roster of Noted Potential Steelers Replacements (brief mentions)

• Mike McCarthy
• Brian Flores
• Young defensive coordinators (e.g. Chris Shula)
• (Long-shot) Jim Harbaugh
• Others floated: Offensive minds, local ties

This episode doubles as a time capsule for a seismic shift in the NFL coaching landscape and a masterclass in unscripted, insider sports talk.