PMS 2.0 1451 - Thursday Night Football Preview, Heather Dinich, Mike McCarthy, & AJ Hawk

Summary of PMS 2.0 1451 - Thursday Night Football Preview, Heather Dinich, Mike McCarthy, & AJ Hawk

by Pat McAfee, ESPN

2h 57m•November 13, 2025
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Overview of PMS 2.0 1451 — Thursday Night Football Preview, Heather Dinich, Mike McCarthy, & AJ Hawk

Pat McAfee’s Nov 13, 2025 episode (Thunderdome) is a Week 11 NFL kickoff special centered on tonight’s Thursday Night Football (Patriots vs. Jets) and a wide-ranging sports roundtable. The show features guests Heather Dinich (college football analyst), Mike McCarthy (coach interview), and AJ Hawk (co-host/guest), plus recurring panel talk on betting, college football playoff committee news, women’s college basketball standouts, MLB awards, and pop-culture sidelines. The Patriots-Jets preview — Drake Maye’s MVP surge and Mike Vrabel’s defensive identity — is the episode spine; much of the show riffs off that primetime narrative.

Main segments

  • Patriots vs. Jets (TNF) preview

    • Game environment (Foxborough primetime; Pats heavy favorite, -12.5)
    • Patriots’ strengths: Drake Maye (MVP frontrunner), Josh McDaniels’ offense, Mike Vrabel’s defense and run-stopping front
    • Jets’ profile: excellent running game, historically poor passing numbers, defense improving under Aaron Glenn
    • Hosts’ consensus and public betting lean strongly toward Patriots (Pat/hosts predict a blowout; many panelists take Pats -12.5)

  • Heather Dinich — College Football Playoff committee update

    • Mack Rhoades (Baylor AD & CFP chair) stepped down amid an internal investigation (reported incidents with Baylor staff/player)
    • Likely replacements: Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek nominated to be chair; Utah AD Mark Harlan nominated to fill the committee vacancy
    • Dinich explains CFP rules (Big 12 AD replacement likely), process (internal votes/management committee confirmations) and timelines

  • Mike McCarthy interview (NFL coaching perspective)

    • McCarthy praises Rob Gronkowski’s career and impact; applauds Patriots’ current construction and Mike Vrabel’s system
    • On matchups: notes Patriots’ balance (run/defense), Drake Maye’s ceiling and McDaniels’ continuity benefits, and Jets’ rebuilding traits
    • McCarthy takes Patriots -12.5 (after host prodding) and stresses how hard it is to win in the NFL despite narratives

  • AJ Hawk appearances & locker-room coaching observations

    • Comments on Gronk’s legacy, team culture, and on managing rookie workloads/injury risk
    • Adds perspective on in-season roster/integration issues (rookie wall, GPS/load management, QB health)

  • Other sports & news snippets

    • Baylor sideline allegation and its CFP committee fallout (Outkick reporting)
    • Rob Gronkowski sentimental one-day return/retirement as a Patriot coverage
    • Cooper Kupp returning to SoFi as a visitor/return storyline
    • Women’s college hoops breakout stars discussed (referencing Audie Crooks, Hannah Hidalgo, Caitlin Clark/Megan Anderson mentions)
    • MLB: Paul Skenes wins Cy Young (mentioned), Pirates rumored offseason spending talk
    • LeBron/KD/Kyrie pickup of G-League/offseason events and content angles
    • Light, fun studio segments (U-ball/hackysack-inspired lawn game, Thunderdome banter)
    • Betting note: NFL memo reported to teams/league to limit or prohibit certain in-game/prop markets to protect integrity (reaction/discussion on sportsbooks/prediction markets)

Key takeaways / main insights

  • Patriots are heavy favorites (public and panel) — narrative: young MVP QB (Drake Maye), top-tier run defense and aggressive identity under Mike Vrabel, plus established coaching continuity (Josh McDaniels).
  • Jets are improving in run game and have signs on defense, but passing numbers are historically poor and they’re underdogs to an energized Patriots team in primetime.
  • CFP leadership upheaval: Mack Rhoades’ stepping down immediately impacts committee optics mid-season; internal replacements (Hunter Yurachek as chair, Mark Harlan to committee) will be processed quickly.
  • Betting & integrity: NFL appears to be moving to restrict risky prop and “one-person-play” markets after high-profile gambling-related concerns; prediction markets and off-shore props flagged as concerns.
  • Women’s college basketball is producing breakout stars drawing national attention — notable single-game and season performances highlighted as an emerging content draw.
  • MLB/MLB business: Cy Young winner Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh) highlighted; talk about possible team payroll moves and free-agent spending from smaller-market clubs.

Notable quotes & moments

  • Pat McAfee on Patriots primetime atmosphere: “Tonight’s one of those buzzsaws…42–0.” (exaggerated game projection to emphasize Patriots’ perceived dominance)
  • Panel quips & culture moments: Rob Gronkowski as “keeper of the light” (ceremonial/nostalgia), playful “taco dominance” discussion (Scotty Miller/Scat Pack shoutouts), and repeated banter about GameDay/Pitt vs Notre Dame weekend vibes.
  • Heather Dinich on CFP transition: “The chair is open…most likely a Big 12 AD will be nominated and get in quickly.”
  • Mike McCarthy on Gronk: “A dominant, pure wide-tight-end…connection with Brady was as good as there’s ever been.” (on Gronkowski’s place in history)

Guests & highlights

  • Heather Dinich (ESPN): CFP committee changes, Baylor situation context, nominees, and how the committee fills chairs mid-season.
  • Mike McCarthy: coach’s take on Patriots, Vrabel, Gronk, QB continuity, head-coach play-calling/structure, and picks — he ultimately sided with Patriots -12.5.
  • AJ Hawk: veteran linebacker perspective on defensive identity, player management and Gronk appreciation.

Recommendations / what to watch next

  • Watch tonight (Week 11 TNF): New England Patriots vs New York Jets on Amazon Prime — major primetime tone-setting opportunity for the Patriots.
  • Monitor CFP committee developments (Mack Rhoades investigation; official confirmation of Hunter Yurachek as chair and Mark Harlan’s committee seat).
  • Watch Pitt vs. Notre Dame (GameDay in Pittsburgh) — local event atmosphere and playoff-relevance storyline.
  • Catch women’s college basketball highlights this week — reported breakout games (Audie Crooks, Hannah Hidalgo, others) are producing viral moments and are content-rich.
  • For bettors: note NFL’s stated intention to curtail certain in-play/prop markets — be cautious about small, “one-play” props and emerging prediction market mechanics.

Quick episode logistics & promos

  • Episode date: Thursday, November 13, 2025 — Week 11 NFL kickoff.
  • Promos/read mentions included: PrizePicks, AT&T, Manscaped, DSW; plus standard Thunderdome banter and recurring ad reads.
  • Closing: Pat heads to Pittsburgh/Gameday (Pitt vs ND) and wraps with picks/conversation continuation.

If you need a one-line TL;DR: The show pushed a primetime narrative that New England — led by Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel’s defense — is back and favored heavily over the Jets, while the episode’s prominent news beat was the CFP chair shakeup (Mack Rhoades stepping down; Hunter Yurachek/Mark Harlan motions), plus engaging detours into women’s hoops, MLB awards, and betting-integrity talk.