Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara

Episode: Super Bowl Picks, Coaching Carousel and TCU Twitter Drama
Date: January 8, 2026

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara return for their first episode of 2026, reconnecting after the holidays to talk sports, football Twitter drama, NFL playoff predictions, and the wild landscape of college and pro coaching vacancies. The show balances in-depth football analysis, personal stories, and the comedic banter that defines "Throwbacks." In this episode, they also welcome regular guest Annie Agar for “Twisted T Trivia.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & KEY DISCUSSION POINTS

1. New Year, Big Changes, and Personal Updates

• Both Matt and Jerry express gratitude for the show, their team, and listeners as they kick off 2026.
• Life milestones: Matt mentions expecting a baby soon; Jerry is sending his son off to college.
  • “A baby popping out here in the next month or so. Yeah. Sending my boy off to college next week.” (01:29 – Jerry)

2. Matt Leinart’s TCU Twitter Fiasco

• Background:
  Matt sent a seemingly innocuous tweet during the USC-TCU game (“Nobody cares, I promise 😂”), which unexpectedly blew up, drawing responses from official team accounts and thousands of fans.
• Notable Moments:
  • TCU Football’s social account chirped at Matt, which Matt found humorous and clarified was not directed at TCU or USC, but at another unnamed program.
  • Jerry wrestles with whether to publicly defend Matt online, exemplifying the complexities of Twitter beefs in sports.
  • “I was a couple drinks in...I want to say this and this is the dead honest truth...That tweet had nothing to do with the USC TCU game...It was a little bit of a subliminal message to another football team.” (03:24 – Matt)
  • “One I didn’t like is from this guy, Cold Garfield...‘Never seen a Heisman winner be this much of a dork’.” (06:13 – Jerry)
  • Matt takes it all in stride, emphasizing he’s not bothered by Twitter trolls unless they go after his family.
  • “People need to know that like, I don’t care that much...Like, it doesn’t hurt my feelings.” (07:11 – Matt)
• Discussion of Social Media Culture:
  • The guys reflect on the double-edged sword of sports Twitter—fun and trolling, but also virulent.
  • “It allows people to be super courageous and super brave…These are the same people you see in a grocery store and they want to come up and get your autograph.” (09:40 – Matt)
• Friendship Dynamics:
  • Matt jokes he's more disappointed in Jerry's lack of online backup than any of the Twitter drama itself.
  • “I’m actually more disappointed in you not being there for me than what people are saying about me.” (10:27 – Matt)

3. Sports Fandom & Twitter Sparring

• Jerry confides he mostly uses Twitter for talking Knicks and sports fandom:
  • “I’m already, like, at war with...Celtics fans, because the Celtics fans are good.” (11:06 – Jerry)
• The guys riff on the absurdity of “mean tweets,” celebrity trolling, and how responding just makes it worse:
  • “You start defending yourself, it makes it worse.” (12:44 – Jerry)

4. College Football: Draft Prospects and Coaching Carousel

a. Upcoming Draft & Quarterback Analysis

• Spotlight on Indiana vs. Oregon and the epic draft matchup between Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and Dante Moore (Oregon):
  • Matt gives a detailed scouting report, believes Mendoza is the “lock number one pick.”
  • Quote: “The most impressive thing for me for him is when the moment is on the line, he’s been really, really good this year...Those are things you can’t teach, dude.” (13:57 – Matt)
  • Dante Moore: Talented, enigmatic, could benefit from another year in college, especially with lucrative NIL deals (~$5–7 million for staying).
• Frozen Takes Callout:
  • Matt calls out a critic (Beaumont Jones) who said Mendoza “ain’t it” as a #1 pick.
    • “So, so Bmani, what is the number one pick in the draft?” (16:55 – Matt)
  • They riff on what it means to “look” like a #1 pick.

b. NIL and the Modern Quarterback

• Jerry: Modern Entourage would be about an 18-year-old million-dollar QB, not an actor.
  • “What it looks like is a college quarterback who’s making $7 million to go back to school...That’s what Entourage looks like.” (19:26 – Jerry)
  • Idea for sitcom or series following a mega-star college athlete.

c. Coaching Vacancies & NFL Draft Implications

• Discuss the best landing spots for coaches—attractiveness of the Giants (with Dart), Baltimore, Arizona, and the Raiders, who have the #1 pick.
• Reflect on the instant impact of coordinators, like Ben Johnson and Liam Cohen.
• Matt and Annie Agar agree Baltimore is incredibly attractive because of talent, but discuss the cutthroat/reactionary nature of NFL coaching hires and firings.
  • “If he makes that kick, Harbaugh is not fired...Isn’t that crazy?” (47:45 – Matt)

5. Wendy’s Fresh Take of the Week: Skiing with Kids

• Jerry’s “hot take”: He is not a fan of skiing, especially as a grown-up beginner with young sons.
  • Memorable Moment: “It is a lot of work to get yourself ready on the lift up the mountain...I’m not a cold weather guy.” (21:39 – Jerry)
• Matt defends skiing as multigenerational family bonding and shares his own “seeing Jesus” near-wipeout in Aspen.
  • Quote: “As you get older, it’s hard. It’s a lot more work...But there’s two things with the kids...to see the joy and you see like your kids charge a mountain, fog back up. That’s awesome.” (25:01 – Matt)
  • “...about five, six years ago, I was skiing in Aspen...And I swear to God, I saw Jesus, dude. I hit a — and I’m like...I fell, and I probably slid...50 to 60 yards...I thought I was gone.” (26:36 – Matt)
• Skiing as a source of family tradition, dangerous injuries, and après-ski culture.

6. NFL Playoff Preview & Super Bowl Picks

a. Biggest Playoff Storylines

• Key Matchups:
  • Eagles vs. 49ers: Both are Super Bowl-caliber, but neither is getting clear favorite status.
    • “I think you have two teams that very well could win the Super Bowl. The winner of this could win the Super Bowl.” (29:24 – Matt)
  • AFC without the perennial giants (no Mahomes/Chiefs, no Lamar/Ravens, no Burrow/Bengals) is “wide open” (31:08).
• Is this the year for Josh Allen and the Bills?
  • Matt: “Is this the year that Josh Allen and Buffalo get over the hump?” (31:52)
  • Jerry is skeptical about the Bills’ receiving corps.
• Dark Horses:
  • Jerry likes the Broncos’ chances with Bo Nix at QB.
  • Predicts Packers as a surprise NFC Super Bowl team due to a possible hot streak.

b. Official Super Bowl Picks (37:56 & 39:56)

• Matt:
  • Bills vs. Rams, with the Rams winning and Matt Stafford as MVP.
    • “You have to put him as one of the greatest of all time.” (36:12)
• Jerry:
  • Broncos vs. Packers, Broncos winning, and a defensive Super Bowl MVP (Bonito).

c. Wildcard Contenders

• They discuss which #1 seed is most vulnerable (“Seattle Seahawks up in Seattle” – Jerry, 39:30).

d. Quarterback Prowess

• Matt on Matt Stafford:
  • “There’s two quarterbacks in the modern era that are elite throwers…One is Aaron Rodgers and one is Matt Stafford. I’m just telling you right now...” (36:49)

7. Guest Segment: Annie Agar & Twisted T Trivia (40:38–61:32)

• Annie discusses Packers-Bears playoff anxiety, the impact of Ben Johnson’s schemes, and coaching personalities she’ll miss for content.
• “Twisted T Trivia” sees Annie compete against Matt, struggling with sports trivia and getting tripped up by the Jets' playoff drought.
  • Annie: “It's a weird seat...your brain kind of goes dead.” (60:40)
• Annie confesses being a diehard fan on football Sundays, live-tweeting with “two phones.”
  • “I tweet. I live tweet during the game...I'll bring out the two phones.” (62:03)
• The guys prod Annie about Bears-Packers stakes; Annie admits losing to the Bears would devastate her.
  • “I would lose to any other team in the NFL and feel significantly better than losing to the Chicago Bears, specifically this year.” (61:25)

NOTABLE QUOTES

• Matt, on Twitter drama: “People need to know I have fun on there. That was not a dig at TCU...I just love my TCU squad.” (09:40)
• Jerry, on defending friends online: “I'm actually more disappointed in you not being there for me than what people are saying about me.” (10:27)
• Matt, on Mendoza: “The most impressive thing for me for him is when the moment is on the line, he's been really, really good this year...Those are things you can't teach, dude.” (13:57)
• Jerry, on modern Entourage: “It’s not Timothy Shalam, it’s Dante Moore going back to Oregon, maybe a million bucks.” (20:01)
• Jerry, on skiing: “It is a lot of work to get yourself ready on the lift up the mountain...I'm not a cold weather guy.” (21:39)
• Matt, on stafford: “There’s two quarterbacks in the modern era that are elite throwers. One is Aaron Rodgers, one is Matt Stafford. I’ve seen them both…” (36:49)

TIMESTAMPS FOR CRUCIAL SEGMENTS

• 00:38 – 10:34: TCU Twitter drama and social media reactions
• 13:57 – 20:01: College draft QB debate; what defines a #1 overall pick
• 21:24 – 28:43: Skiing: family dynamics, injuries, and après-ski culture
• 29:24 – 39:56: NFL playoff preview, storylines, and Super Bowl picks
• 40:38 – 61:32: Annie Agar joins for playoff talk and Twisted T Trivia

TONE & STYLE

Fast-paced, irreverent, and deeply insider—equal parts friendship banter and expert-level football breakdown. Candid about professional pressures with frequent off-the-cuff humor.

LISTENER TAKEAWAYS

• Even innocuous tweets can explode into unexpected sports drama, and big names can get trolled mercilessly.
• The NFL Playoffs are wide open in 2026—expect upsets and wild cards.
• The NIL landscape in college sports is rapidly changing the meaning of “star athlete” and could inspire the next iconic sports comedy.
• Coaching changes are as much about narrative as performance—one missed kick can end a coaching tenure.
• Skiing remains hazardous and hilarious, especially for sports dads trying to keep up.
• In football, as in entertainment, the unexpected hot hand can rewrite legacies—from the draft to the Super Bowl.

For more hijinks, banter, and unfiltered sports takes, catch every new episode of “Throwbacks.”