Overview of PMS 2.0 1548
Pat McAfee’s show centered on a wide-ranging sports roundtable built around guest host Tyrese Haliburton and visits from Matthew Tkachuk, Jeff Passan, Peter Schrager, and Ben Stiller. The conversation moved from NBA playoff storylines and injury recovery to NHL postseason intensity, baseball’s rising popularity, NFL offseason chaos, and Knicks fandom—while keeping the usual McAfee-show mix of humor, debate, and celebrity banter.
Tyrese Haliburton: Recovery, the Pacers, and the NBA Playoffs
Haliburton opened up about his comeback from the Achilles tear in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and how shingles temporarily set back his rehab.
Recovery update
- He said shingles paused his return for about three weeks after he had started playing five-on-five.
- He’s now back to playing five-on-five and expects to be full-go for a team mini-camp soon.
- Offensively, he feels good; defensively, he still feels a step behind.
Playoff takes
- He praised Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs for bouncing back after a loss.
- He said Minnesota needed to hit jumpers to beat San Antonio because Wemby makes the paint a different challenge.
- He liked the Knicks’ position in the East and thought Jalen Brunson and SGA remain examples of elite scorers who get defended differently.
On flopping and star treatment
- Haliburton argued that NBA fans overblow complaints about flopping.
- His view: stars get fouled more because they’re elite scorers and create contact better than others.
- He agreed the theatrics can be annoying, but not enough to outweigh the reality that top players are getting hit.
On leadership and media pressure
- He said franchise players in any sport have to accept that their words can be twisted.
- He framed that as part of the job, not something to complain about.
Matthew Tkachuk: Hockey Playoffs and the World Championship
Tkachuk joined to talk about the NHL playoffs, his recovery, and the upcoming IIHF World Championship in Zurich.
Recovery and rhythm
- He said surgery after last season affected him, but playing in international competition helped restore his rhythm.
- He credited frequent games, hitting, and competitive reps for getting him back to confidence.
NHL playoff observations
- He said the Avalanche vs. Wild series has looked like a heavyweight battle.
- He praised Carolina as fast, relentless, and very tough at home.
- He noted that teams that cruise through early rounds often need adversity before winning it all.
- He thinks Colorado remains a serious Cup favorite.
Team identity and grit
- Tkachuk said teams talk about being tight, but not all of them truly are.
- He highlighted Colorado, Minnesota, Buffalo, and Montreal as groups that look genuinely connected.
- He loved seeing players block shots and sacrifice their bodies, calling it part of playoff hockey.
Triple gold chatter
- The hosts pointed out that if Tkachuk wins the World Championship, he would join the rare triple-gold club.
- He said he’s going to Switzerland to win, not to vacation.
Jeff Passan: Baseball Is Hot, and MLB Could Still Blow It
Passan joined to break down why baseball is trending up and why the sport should be careful not to sabotage its momentum.
Cubs and Pete Crow-Armstrong
- He said the Cubs are good at everything: defense, contact, power, and depth.
- He praised Pete Crow-Armstrong as a major spark and the kind of player who lifts the whole atmosphere at Wrigley.
Shohei Ohtani and pitching
- Passan said the Dodgers want Ohtani to pitch a full season, but history suggests pitching can slightly reduce his offensive production.
- He emphasized that the Dodgers are still loaded and will get even better when stars return.
Sign stealing and pitch tipping
- He explained that sign stealing remains common in baseball.
- He also described how pitch tipping is still a real and exploitable issue, with teams using advanced technology to detect glove and hand-position differences.
Why baseball ratings are up
- Passan cited:
- More parity
- A stronger regular season
- Better rule changes
- More teams with real hope
- He warned that the 2026 CBA negotiations could threaten the sport’s current momentum if owners push too hard for a salary cap.
Peter Schrager: Aaron Rodgers, Cowboys Draft Film, and NFL Front Offices
Schrager covered the latest NFL news and explained why the league feels like it’s in constant motion.
Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh
- He said the Rodgers-to-Steelers reports should not be treated as confirmed until Rodgers is actually in town and signed.
- He acknowledged local reporting suggests Rodgers is expected to visit Pittsburgh and likely play there.
- Tone Diggs had flipped from anti-Rodgers to pro-Rodgers once the reports gained traction.
Cowboys documentary and team-building
- Schrager liked the recent behind-the-scenes draft content showing how the Cowboys built their board.
- He said Dallas has significantly improved their defense by adding multiple pieces instead of relying on one star.
- He also spotlighted Christian Parker, the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, calling him a rising, high-energy voice.
Eagles front office notes
- He explained the promotion of Adam Berry, brother of Browns GM Andrew Berry, and noted how often people confuse the two.
- He mentioned the Eagles keep adding strong football minds to the front office.
Ben Stiller: Knicks, the Met Gala, and Making Comedies Again
Ben Stiller joined as both a celebrity guest and a serious Knicks fan.
The Met Gala vs. Knicks playoff game
- Stiller explained why he missed a Knicks game for the Met Gala:
- He had accepted a friend’s invitation months earlier.
- He didn’t know the playoff schedule yet.
- He felt bad canceling on a friend who secured the table.
- He said he watched the game on his phone and knew he’d get criticized for it.
- The crew treated it as proof that he’s fully embedded in Knicks culture.
Knicks fandom
- He described a lifetime of New York sports fandom:
- Growing up with the Yankees and Knicks
- Taking his son to games like his father did for him
- He said the Knicks are about love, not fan-competition, and he had to check his ego at the door.
Severance and creative process
- Stiller said Severance came from a spec script by Dan Erickson and grew into a long-term creative collaboration.
- He praised the whole production team and said he’s never been happier making something.
- He hinted at how much work goes into the show’s world-building.
Comedies and movie nostalgia
- The crew talked about classic Stiller/Adam Sandler-era comedies and how they helped define a generation.
- Stiller said he’d be open to returning to legacy comedy worlds if it brought people back to theaters.
Other Notable Topics
Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless returning
- The show heavily promoted the return of Stephen A. Smith vs. Skip Bayless debate TV.
- The crew treated it like a throwback to the origins of modern sports media.
- Some on the panel loved it as a spectacle; others joked they’d rather avoid it.
WWE Backlash picks
- The crew also did rapid-fire wrestling picks:
- Bron Breakker over Seth Rollins
- Iyo Sky over Asuka
- Roman Reigns over Jacob Fatu
- The Miz was discussed as a long-shot “due” candidate
May Madness / lacrosse
- The show also previewed the NCAA lacrosse tournament, jokingly calling it “May Madness.”
- Princeton, Notre Dame, Richmond, Albany, and Jacksonville came up as teams to watch.
Main Takeaways
- NBA playoffs remain the central sports story, with major attention on the Knicks, Pacers, Thunder, Timberwolves, and Spurs.
- Tyrese Haliburton’s recovery is progressing, though shingles slowed him down.
- Hockey is having a huge moment, and Matthew Tkachuk thinks the sport’s best teams are still in front.
- Baseball is enjoying real momentum, but Passan warned the league could ruin it if labor talks go badly.
- NFL offseason drama is already fully underway, especially around Aaron Rodgers and the draft.
- Ben Stiller is fully locked into Knicks fandom and brought a mix of humor and sincerity to the show.