The Ryen Russillo Show – Conference Title Game Picks & Stidham Optimism w/ Chase Daniel & Ted Nguyen, Plus UFC’s Dana White!

Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Ryen Russillo (Barstool Sports)
Guests: Chase Daniel (NFL analyst, ex-QB), Ted Nguyen (The Athletic), Dana White (UFC President), plus Ceruti & Kyle (Life Advice)

EPISODE OVERVIEW

A jam-packed episode that covers the NFL’s Conference Championship games with in-depth QB/system analysis (special focus on Jarrett Stidham and the Sean Payton offense), the state of the Patriots and Broncos, matchups between the Rams and Seahawks, deep film study, and spirited picks with expert guests. The episode shifts gears as Dana White sits down with Ryen to riff on the UFC’s latest matchups, the business of fight promotion, the new Paramount+ broadcast deal, fighter legacies, and more. As always, Life Advice wraps up the show with workplace etiquette, relationship “tells,” and some banter on ska bands and breakfast food.

NFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TALK: CHASE DANIEL ON STIDHAM, PATRIOTS, AND PICKS

(02:21–39:43)

Stidham’s Big Opportunity & the Sean Payton System

• Chase Daniel breaks down Jarrett Stidham stepping in as the Denver Broncos’ starter in the AFC Championship, his fit in Sean Payton’s system, and why fans shouldn’t expect the offense to shrink:
  • “He’s gonna sling the rock, like he's going to throw the football down the field ... Knowing who Sean Payton is, they're going to be aggressive out the gate. This offense isn't going to change, like, at all.” (03:41)
• Stidham’s athleticism, potential advantage against New England’s disguised pressures, and the challenge of not having full-speed practice reps at this stage:
  • “When you’re a backup QB all year... you’ve been running scout team, you haven’t even been running your own offense ... This Thursday in practice is his only full-speed day.” (08:20)
• The challenges and psychology for backup QBs thrown into huge games. Daniel relates to Stidham through his own backup experience:
  • “You almost want to keep it so simple where you allow the athletic ability and playmaking skills to come out ... but your feet are just so much faster than the drop, and you're not seeing things open because your feet don’t match up with the drop.” (07:02)

On Stidham’s Progressions and Payton’s Offense

• Russillo and Daniel nerd out on how Sean Payton structures progressions to help QBs:
  • “A lot of what Bo [Nix] was running ... is literally just half-field progressions ... I think that's probably what you're gonna get.” (11:47)
  • Daniel explains the NFL’s trend toward pure progression passing vs. coverage-based passing: “Gone are the days of the Drew Brees, Peyton Mannings ... It's all about pure progression passing ... because even I don’t know what the Patriots are doing half the time on defense.” (11:47)
• Russillo posits Payton will minimize cognitive load for Stidham in a hostile environment—expect quick, clear throws.

Patriots Roster Reality & Drake May’s Impact

• Russillo critiques the perception of the Patriots’ roster: “51% roster turnover from the start of ‘24 to now ... I think from a talent standpoint, it’s not a stretch to say it’s the fourth-best roster [remaining].” (15:03)
• Both agree that OC Josh McDaniels is working miracles and Drake May is elevating a “not actually that good” group.
  • Daniel: “He's the assistant coach of the year, in my opinion. It's not even close.” (18:31)
  • “If Matthew Stafford didn't have the year he did, it's without a doubt Drake May [for MVP].” (17:42)
• Daniel points out the Patriots have run a playoff gauntlet: “If you win the Super Bowl ... it's going to be one of the greater accomplishments in a long time.” (22:16)

Daniel’s Picks: Who Advances?

• Daniel actually picks the Broncos to beat the Patriots, citing Payton’s strategic pettiness and the strength of Denver’s defense and special teams:
  • “I just think there's something in knowing Sean Payton—he wants to prove he can do this with a backup QB ... I really think it’s like a 17–13 game. If Denver scores 3 touchdowns, they win.” (20:02)

On the Rams, Seahawks, and NFC Picture

• Daniel is bullish on Seattle but offers key caveats about Darnold’s performance under pressure, with a nuanced breakdown of how L.A.’s Chris Shula can challenge him.
• The segment also veers into Daniel’s career, including his journey as a perennial backup, mindset shift, contracts, ESPN-era stories, and being the butt of “highest-paid backup” jokes:
  • “We live in such a culture that everyone gets so offended ... I like that. I’d even retweet it.” (33:49)

FILM ROOM: TED NGUYEN ON SCHEMES & MATCHUPS

(40:43–60:25)

Rams Run Game vs. Seahawks Front

• Ted spotlights the Rams’ rushing efficiency:
  • “Terms of success rate...they are the most efficient run game in the last 25 years ... They don’t have explosive backs, but maximize every run.” (41:03)
• How Seattle plays light boxes yet stops the run, and what makes N. Emawari (Seattle’s hybrid nickel/safety) special: “He’s their nickel ... but able to defend the run like a linebacker ... taking on George Kittle and Juszczyk, pushing them back.” (45:01)

Sam Darnold’s Turnover Problem

• “Darnold, 30th in the NFL in interception percentage ... Shula and the Rams just do a really good job of pressing on that weakness with their coverage disguises.” (46:45)
• Nguyen’s pick: Rams – “I don’t trust Darnold in big games just yet.” (48:21)

AFC: Stidham vs. Patriots Defense

• Ted warns not to sleep on Stidham: “He’s a much, much better QB than people anticipate ... The drop-off from Bo Nix to Stidham is not as big as people think.” (49:12)
• Both Russillo and Ted discuss Bo Nix’s “inconsistent but not high ceiling” game, and why Stidham may avoid many of Nix’s worst habits (though not his pocket escape-artist strengths).
• Ted highlights how the Patriots now have their expected secondary healthy, with Carlton Davis and Christian Gonzalez making it difficult to attack either side of the field: “They’ve really taken off defensively in these playoffs ... but they have played some of the worst OLs.” (55:04)

Drake May, Playoff Performance, and Pick

• Nguyen: “He just hasn’t been that good in the playoffs. He’s lived on explosive plays ... but the turnovers are an issue ... The defense has been carrying them.” (56:51)
• Ted’s pick: Denver (and he’d take Denver plus the points). (58:15)

THE ALLIANCE: POD PICKS & BANTER

(60:28–67:12)

• The regular crew (Ceruti, Kyle, Russillo) commiserates about picking against the Patriots and whether there’s too much pro-Denver momentum.
• [Picks segment:]
  • Kyle: Patriots -2.5 alt spread, or Stidham interception (“I bet you they didn’t pick the Patriots last week either.” – 61:19)
  • Ceruti: Matthew Stafford over 2+ TD passes (65:18)
  • Russillo: Sam Darnold over 250 passing yards (65:50)
  • Parlay: Pats -2.5, Stafford 2+ TDs, Darnold 250+ yards = +411 payout. (66:44)
• Ongoing friendly digs about roster talent, algorithm-fed content, and “should government regulate content?”

UFC, FIGHT BUSINESS & MEDIA DEALS: INTERVIEW WITH DANA WHITE

(67:12–93:22)

On UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett

• Dana previews Gaethje vs. Pimblett: “Neither of these guys are ever in a boring fight ... Patty Pimblett is undefeated in the UFC ... stylistically, Pimblett probably wants to get it to the ground ... Gaethje wants to keep it standing.” (67:27)

On Longevity, Legends & Fighters’ Declines

• “Nowadays, not just in the UFC, these guys... Jon Jones just came back and won the heavyweight title ... In fighting, you don’t know when it’s the end ... until they put together a couple of those [bad] performances.” (68:47)
• Best/easiest guys for matchmakers: “Conor McGregor ... when there was a change of opponent, it wouldn’t even faze him ... When you looked at Conor at that time, everything was very high stakes ... and usually guys were the worst to deal with. Conor was never like that.” (71:57)

On McGregor’s Future

• “He’s the biggest star ever in the sport’s history ... Is it done, though? ... I don’t know the answer to that question.” (72:41-72:53)
• Why Conor’s different: Most fighters come back when they burn through their money, but “He’s been able to make a lot of money in the Octagon and out of it ... he doesn’t have to fight anymore.” (73:26)

On UFC’s Paramount+ Deal

• Why choose a single broadcast partner?
  • “To be able to have everything on the same channel ... not for us, but for the fans ... For the entire year, it will cost you less than what a pay-per-view was last year ... you get all the UFC [events], movies, shows...” (80:27)
• Dana’s philosophy: “I don’t need five years [to know] ... we made the right decision ... the fights, no matter where they end up ... but for the fans.” (82:02)
• Entertaining story on network exec “Philippe Dumont” and the lessons learned during previous TV deal eras.

Evolution of the Sport & Global Reach

• “If you look at the pre-Zuffa era [pre-2000], and now ... the training, everything is in one place. When we first bought [UFC], Chuck Liddell had to go to four different gyms!” (85:44)
• On old school fighters today: “You bring 26-year-old Mark Coleman or Chuck Liddell back, he’s still a problem.” (86:57)
• “Now you’re talking globally ... Australia, Hawaii ... you’ve got one of the best camps there now ... If you have a fight with the right people, the ceiling is 8 billion [fans].” (89:39)
• Most passionate fight cultures: “England, Paris, Rio, Australia, Canada ... If we get two, three, four of those ‘holy shit’ moments, it’s just a unique experience.” (90:41)

ALL STAR BALLOT & NBA CHAT

(93:23–96:53)

• Russillo goes over his NBA All Star picks:
  • East: “Brunson, Cade, Jalen Brown, Maxi, Giannis. No issues.”
  • West: “SGA, Jokic, Luka, Wembanyama, Curry are the starters... but I picked Ant [over Steph]; only about 30 of us didn't put Wemby in, due to games played/minutes reasons.”
• On judging criteria and why Kawhi had a “better case” than Wemby, but Wemby will start.

LIFE ADVICE: WORKPLACE SICK DAYS, AWKWARD DAD MOMENTS, & BREAKFAST FOOD

(96:53–End)

Sick at Work in 2026: The Ethics Have Changed

• Office culture: Is coming in with a cough now “grinding,” or just being “the guy everyone hates”?
  • Russillo: “No one gives a shit you didn’t miss work because you were sick anymore. Stay at home.” (107:01)
  • Ceruti: “Now… not going to the office as much, like there's really no excuse. If people want you to call out, call out.”
  • Kyle: “Just say your doctor says you’re not contagious if you want to save face.”

Only-Child Ska Band Singer Writes In

• Banter on whether calling out only children or ska bands is too harsh; lots of tongue-in-cheek self-awareness.

Breakfast Diner/High-End Coffee Concept

• Listener pitches a split-level greasy spoon/espresso bar; hosts daydream about breakfast quality and consistency at home vs. restaurants.
• Ceruti: “I do think there is a food component that I'd be interested in ... plus great coffee, I'm interested.” (104:21)

Meeting Your Girlfriend’s Dad: The “Ref’s Call” Dodge

• Listener and girlfriend’s dad share a knowing glance during a TV shot of an adult film actress during a college football game. Advice: Don’t bring it up; let it pass.
  • Ceruti: “It’s weirder for him to know. Never discuss.”
  • Russillo: “How would you even start that? You’re fine.”

NOTABLE QUOTES & MOMENTS

• Chase Daniel on Sean Payton & Stidham:

  “He’s gonna sling the rock ... Knowing who Sean Payton is, they're going to be aggressive out the gate. This offense isn't going to change.” (03:41)

• Daniel’s humility on being the high-paid backup:

  “I like that. I’d even retweet it ... What happened to busting everyone’s balls?” (33:49)

• Ted Nguyen on New England’s defense finally healthy:

  “Now it's coming together because Christian Gonzalez finally feels healthy ... Then you have Carlton Davis, extremely opportunistic. ... They've really taken off defensively in these playoffs.” (55:04)

• Dana White on the Paramount+ move:

  “To be able to have everything on the same channel... for the entire year, it will cost you less than a pay-per-view.” (80:27)

• White on fighter evolution:

  “Chuck used to have to go do boxing, then kickboxing, then jiu-jitsu ... now all of that is in one place. ... The evolution of the sport—not just the athlete, but the training—is wild.” (85:44)

• Russillo on the new reality of sick days:

  “No one gives a shit you didn’t miss work because you were sick anymore. ... Stay at home.” (107:01)

FINAL THOUGHT

Packed with X’s and O’s, insider locker-room stories, scene-setting film study, and unfiltered personality, this episode is a must-listen for fans looking to understand both what’s happening on the field (and in the octagon) and how those worlds are changing behind the scenes. The show offers candor, deep analysis, and plenty of comedy—whether you’re here for the picks, the philosophies, or just the inside jokes about ska and breakfast sausage.

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