The Ringer Fantasy Football Show – Week 15 Recap: Peak Pitts, Mahomes and Micah Go Down, Bo Nixes Love, Daddy Josh, Grandpa Rivers, and Buzz Nutter (Dec 15, 2025)

Episode Overview

Hosts Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, and Craig Horlbeck deliver a thorough, unrestrained recap of NFL Week 15 and its seismic impact on the 2025 fantasy football landscape. It’s an episode filled with sharp takes on aging legends, bust-out performances, catastrophic injuries to stars, and the existential pain of rooting for cursed franchises. The guys riff on the wildest fantasy swings, quarterback comeback stories, and the eternal quest for a competent kicker, while weaving in bizarre stats and running bits that make this pod a must for fans and fantasy players alike.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Sunday Night: Vikings vs Cowboys – The JJ McCarthy Rollercoaster

• Minnesota Vikings top the Dallas Cowboys, 34-26.
  • JJ McCarthy looked "confident, pretty swaggy" and even did the gritty after a touchdown (03:00).

    “He just looks like he has all his confidence back, which is great... the NFL just needs more good quarterbacks and he still has a chance, I think, to be one.” —Danny Kelly (02:30)

  • Mechanics talk: Coaches wisely stopped trying to "fix his swing on the course" (04:56).
  • Justin Jefferson fantasy disaster: only 22 yards, and just 37 yards the last three games. (07:56)

    “We're kinda approaching all-time fantasy disaster for Justin Jefferson... 37 yards in Weeks 13, 14 and 15 is a calamity.”
    —Craig (07:59)

• Kicker Chaos: Brandon Aubrey’s two brutal misses after a fake field goal “broke his brain.”
  (08:37)

The Return of Grandpa Rivers: Colts vs Seahawks

• Philip Rivers starts for the Colts at 44, leads improbable late-game surge (09:32)
  • Blake Grupe hits a 60-yard field goal while on smelling salts (09:53).
  • Hosts debate whether Rivers looked good, bad, or "slower than the speed of smell." Rivers’ arm likened to underhand lobs, but praised for his veteran savvy and joy on the field (12:24).

    “His passes look like they wouldn’t get a ticket in a school zone.”
    —Heifetz (12:24)

  • Vivid imagery: Rivers described as "a dad at a corporate kickball game" who returned to the NFL for “peace and quiet” (13:38).
  • Rivers’ long history and age referenced throughout.
  • Is this a legitimate model for other retired QBs? The guys joke about a "senior tour" for NFL QBs (22:44).

AFC Power Shift: Mahomes and Micah Go Down

• Chiefs officially miss the playoffs; Patrick Mahomes tears ACL (24:24)

  • First AFC title game since 2010 without a Mahomes or Brady at QB (25:55).
  • End of an era vibes, as both the Chiefs and other AFC titans collapse simultaneously.
  • “It’s a midlife crisis for all these guys right now.” —Heifetz (27:20)

• Packers battered: Micah Parsons (ACL), Christian Watson (likely broken collarbone), and star right tackle Zach Tom all go down (27:42).

Bo Nix and the Broncos: Statement Win

• Bo Nix lifts Broncos to 12-2, clinched playoffs, 11 straight wins (28:30)
  • Nix shows “fluid mobility, great touch passes, and Josh Allen-like improvisation,” playing his best career game (30:07).
  • Broncos win after Micah Parsons’ injury; hosts note this ruthless shift as Denver stepped hard on Green Bay’s throat (31:52).
  • “Probably raised the tier of quarterback Bo Nix is in my head.”
    —Heifetz (33:22)
  • Broncos defense now considered elite, and the team is cited as a real AFC Super Bowl contender.

Rams-Lions Fireworks – Offensive Bonanza

• Rams defeat the Lions 41–34, second straight 40+ point game (37:34)
  • “Absolute fantasy goldmine” as Puka Nacua (181 yds, 9 rec) and Amon-Ra St. Brown feast (39:01).
  • "Puka and Jackson Dart: blue tent all-stars"—constantly hurt but always bounce back for big plays (40:17).
  • "McVay gets Puka open every week; team is a total buzzsaw."
  • Stafford’s dumb interception aside, Rams fit the bill as dominant NFC #1.

Buffalo Comeback, Josh Allen “Daddy Mode”

• Bills overcome a 21-0 Patriots lead, win 34-31 via Josh Allen heroics (44:49).
  • Vrabel's quote on Allen: “What do you want me to write you, an essay about the MVP? ... He’s 6-5, 240, he’s fast, big, strong and gets paid $60 million a year.” (43:37)
  • Gentle debate: how much does “dad strength” help Allen? (43:39)
  • Patriots can still take the division, but schedule gets tougher.

Peak Pitts: The Kyle Pitts Explosion

• Falcons win Thurs Night; Kyle Pitts goes off for 11 rec, 166 yds, 3 TD (50:56)
  • "21% of Kyle Pitts’ career touchdowns came in this single game." (51:39)
  • “7% of Kyle Pitts’ career fantasy stats just came on Thursday.” —[Hayden Winks via Heifetz] (51:32)
  • Existential questions: What do fantasy players do with Pitts now? Is he finally for real? Lengthy, irreverent analogies about bodily functions and fantasy player's dilemma (53:08).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (w/ Timestamps)

• “He just looks like he has all his confidence back, which is great... He did the gritty. When he scored that touchdown, he was like celebrating.”
  —Danny Kelly on JJ McCarthy (02:30)
• “We're approaching all-time fantasy disaster for Justin Jefferson... 37 yards in Weeks 13, 14 and 15 is a calamity.”
  —Craig (07:59)
• “Philip Rivers’ passes look like they wouldn’t get a ticket in a school zone.”
  —Heifetz (12:24)
• “He looked like a dad at a corporate kickball game out there… He was popping out of that jersey.”
  —Craig on Rivers (13:38)
• “It does feel like the closing of a chapter, certainly… this is the first time Mahomes has not made the playoffs.”
  —Danny Kelly (24:40)
• “Bo Nix is getting the experience of a playoff situation every single week.”
  —Craig (32:50)
• “Puka Nacua has the determination of a pit bull… his energy bar is at 110% while everyone else is at 100.”
  —Danny Kelly (39:03)
• “What do you want me to write you, an essay about the MVP? He’s 6-5, 240, big, strong, fast and gets paid $60 million a year.”
  —Mike Vrabel, quoted by Heifetz (43:37)
• “We're not that bad!” (imitating Saints chanting)
  —Danny Kelly (77:42)
• “21% of Kyle Pitts’ career touchdowns were just on Thursday.”
  —Heifetz (51:39)
• “His arm had no juice. It was remarkable he wasn’t picked off 10 times.”
  —Craig on Rivers (12:11)
• “Sometimes a great piss is better than a bad cum.”
  —Craig (54:09)
• “The AFC South, as much as we make fun of it, is so much better than what we thought the AFC North was going to be.”
  —Heifetz (68:38)
• “Philip Rivers completed his first NFL pass 21 years ago when he replaced Doug Flutie in a stadium that no longer exists, for a team that no longer exists. He played today.”
  —Danny Kelly (14:26)
• “McBride and Pitts together forever, build the ship out of Kirk Cousins and Kyle Pitts.”
  —Craig/Danny Kelly (57:36)
• “Buzz Nutter is center on the 1956 Baltimore Colts. That is correct.”
  —Craig (114:01)

Additional Segments & Running Themes

Field Goal Frenzy & “Ball Massaging” Bit

• Lengthy and hilarious discussion about modern field goal inflation due to “ball massaging” and the NFL’s rules making kicks too easy (18:31).

  “We have to stop massaging the balls. Is that correct, DK?”
  —Heifetz (20:11)

  • Shared concern for the integrity of game-winning drives when 44-year-old Rivers can get into range with minimal effort.

“Old Guys Not Washed”—Senior NFL League Idea

• Would you watch a “40-and-over” seven-on-seven league with retired all-time QBs and announcers?
  (22:44)

Fantasy Standouts & Oppenheimer Awards

• Massive games for Kyle Pitts, Trey McBride (134 yds, 2 TDs), Colby Parkinson (22 pts, 2 TDs) (57:34-58:52).
• Travion Henderson breaks loose (47:09).
  • “He’s got the juice... shot out of a cannon.” —DK (61:04)

Burn Book / Disappointments

• Tyler Warren and Ashton Jeanty flame out past relevance (118:18).
• Discussing cruel fate of perennial underachievers and which players “burned” their managers at the most crucial times.

Intrusive Thoughts & Existential Dread

• On the length of the NFL season: “Football’s too long. We all know it.”
  —Craig (98:28)
• The endless pain of Jets fandom and the existential woe of fantasy sports.
  (117:01)

Outrageous Stats & Deep Cuts

• Jets: 14 straight games without an interception, tying NFL’s post-1940 record—with a defensive head coach (116:16).
• Jaguars’ coach Liam Cohen: Already 4 wins away from being the 5th most winning in franchise history after half a season
  (113:07)
• Buzz Nutter: Center for the 1956 Colts. Real name: Madison Nutter. Ran a beverage company after retiring (114:01).

Fun & Irreverent Segments

• Fart or Shart: Pete Carroll and Raiders’ season literal/figurative toilet metaphors (85:11); Zach Taylor & Bengals (88:48).
• Puke or Fluke: Josh Allen’s ritual vomiting—does it make him tough or is it just weird? (91:21)
• Deadpan Washed Coach Jokes: Speculating which retired QBs could still gut out 16 points.
• Binturong Tangent: The Southeast Asian bearcat that “smells like popcorn”—plus, why? (120:13)

Episode Timestamps for Key Segments

• Vikings vs Cowboys/JJ McCarthy: 02:14 – 08:22
• Philip Rivers’ comeback game (Colts-Seahawks): 09:09 – 15:16
• AFC power shift/Mahomes/Parsons injuries: 24:03 – 28:22
• Bo Nix/Broncos take (with Parsons injury impact): 28:30 – 35:38
• Rams-Lions offensive explosion: 37:34 – 42:32
• Bills-Patriots/Allen’s comeback: 43:37 – 49:57
• Kyle Pitts’ peak game: 50:48 – 53:37
• Old Guy NFL League/Seniors Flag Football: 22:44 – 23:53
• Oppenheimer Award/Fantasy Glory: 48:48 – 53:15
• Kicker/Field Goal “ball-massaging” convo: 17:46 – 21:17
• Jets Interception Futility: 116:16
• Segment, “Good Piss vs Bad Cum”: 54:08

Useful for Non-Listeners

This summary distills the core of the episode’s analysis, humor, and irreverence—making it clear who shined in NFL/fantasy Week 15, who crashed, why certain storylines matter for fantasy and real-life fan pain, and capturing the hosts’ gallows wit and camaraderie. If you missed the pod, you’ll know who to add/drop, how the NFL hierarchy is shifting, and which random trivia can win a bar bet.

Closing

If you’re deep into the playoff hunt, a long-suffering fan, or just here for the old-guy NFL memes and odd stats (Buzz Nutter forever), Week 15 was one for the books. As always, set those lineups, find the ever-elusive “good piss,” and watch out for the binturong.