Friday Four-Pack 12.26.25
Final Four-Pack of 2025! The Biggest Boston Sports Stories heading into 2026. My favorite moment of the year. NFL Picks, MutStack Notes and more.
Note from Owner of MutStack.com, Dave Portnoy:
No note from Dave this week. Looks like he might have a Go Go Greys runner next week at Santa Anita. And there’s another training up a storm at Oaklawn. Either way, we’ll be on the beat here and on the Barstool blog.
I hope Dave and everyone else had a great and safe Christmas. Shoutout Boxing Day in Canada.
My gift to you is a very short open to the newsletter this week. Like so many other families, ours was unlucky enough to get sick this week. But as a parent, you battle through for the kids… the kids who ignore you and play Xbox for 5 hours on Christmas Day. #blessed
But here we are, the final Four-Pack of 2025. I just said this a few weeks ago for #MutStack150, but a huge thanks to everyone who has subscribed, read, commented, skimmed, loved, or hated here this year. No subscribers = no MutStack. And no MutStack = no job at Barstool, it’s pretty straightforward.
I’m very excited for the year ahead. Dave owns MutStack now, and he said last week we’re staying 100% free, so that’s huge.
New Year’s resolutions are silly, but my own is to be more present. I worry about the future (and the past) too much, to the point where it can be crippling. I’m extremely lucky to be in the position I'm in, and I want to be present in the work I’m doing for Barstool. And here. And present at home with the family, something I failed at multiple times this year. Hell, I failed at this numerous times this week.
MutStack resolutions? More video here as part of the Four-Pack. Planning on attacking the Kentucky Derby Trail harder than ever beginning in January, but the Barstool Blog might be a better place for that. Looking forward to a big run-up to the Kentucky Derby 152. Hopefully, it's a big year for Dave’s Go Go Greys Stables. Maybe some MutStack Merch at some point? My mom might wear a nice MutStack hoodie.
I’d say fewer spelling and grammar mistakes, but we all know that’s not happening.
In the next few months, how about a long playoff run for Drake Maye and the Patriots? And how about the Red Sox spend some money? And we’ll have a Jayson Tatum return. That will keep us plenty busy.
We’ll be back to droning on and on and on in the Four-Pack opens in 2026, but like I said, short open today. Hope you’re able to enjoy time with family these holiday weeks -it can get hectic.
An early Happy New Year’s from my MutStack Family to yours.
Meanwhile, there are some major storylines in Boston sports heading into 2026. I have a personal favorite moment from 2025. The NFL Picks have sucked, but we battle on. Plus, MutStack Notes that include an apology from me.
All ahead in Friday Four-Pack #152.
The only way to ensure a prosperous 2026 is to hit the blue button below.
Well, it can’t hurt, anyway.
On the biggest story in Boston sports heading into 2026…
Last year, I wrote the following about what I thought at the time was the biggest sports story in Boston heading into 2025 - The Patriots and Drake Maye.
They (The Patriots) remain the biggest story heading into the New Year. Because they have the right quarterback in Maye: now they have to make sure they don eff it up.
And I have no confidence that they won’t.
Maye looks legit. His combination of physical skills and poise (on and off the field) make him look like a potential Franchise Quarterback. Capital F. Capital Q.
But his head coach looks completely overmatched and I’d fire him for Mike Vrabel in a second. But Josina Anderson reported Thursday that Mayo is likely to stay but with changes on the coaching staff.
Some thoughts.
I mean, I nailed this. And I don’t give myself enough credit.
It is wild that late in the year, Mayo was still coming back. It’s worth noting that the report came from Josina Anderson, who is now pushing a story that at least two NFL teams want to meet with Bill Belichick about their coaching vacancies - something I do not believe for one second.
Maye and Co. felt like the easy No. 1 story a year ago at this time. I actually think there are a few major storylines for Boston sports heading into 2026, and I don’t know which one stands out.
🏈 Football is king, so it’s probably the Patriots? Not just how their playoff run plays out, but what they do in Year 2 of Maye/Vrabel/McDaniels. The Krafts are not known for breaking the bank when it comes to the roster, but they’ll need to if they want to maximize Maye’s full potential.
Am I being a homer by saying that Maye and Vrabel make New England a potentially popular destination for free agents? Or how about disgruntled WRs who force a trade off their current team in the offseason?
This year’s leap has been beyond the wildest dreams for even the most positive Pats fans - how will the team respond to monster expectations and a tougher schedule next year? Remember, the Commanders were the talk of the NFL last January; they won’t make the playoffs this year.
How will Drake Maye adapt to superstardom?
But that’s all big picture fodder. This year’s team heads into the postseason with one of the most talented and popular quarterbacks in the NFL and a legit chance to come out of the AFC and go to the Super Bowl early in 2026. Crazy.
Yeah, given it’s football, this is probably the top story heading into the New Year. Two very close honorable mentions:
🏀 The impending return of Jayson Tatum. It’s inevitable. I had hoped the team was so bad this season that Tatum would not rush back from his Achilles injury and the Celtics could add a lottery pick to the roster in the process.
That was a terrible take.
Turns out they're too good, and the Eastern Conference is too shitty. At 18-11, they’re third in the East and more likely to add to the team vs. dump assets at the deadline.
Tatum is reportedly “determined” to return this season. “We’re not putting a timeline on it, as we haven't the whole time,” Brad Stevens said this week. “ I mean, I think one of the things that everybody can see is that we didn't apply for a DPE [disabled player exception] this year, which was a conscious decision for a lot of reasons. But the reality is, he's not going to be back until he's 110 percent healthy, and he feels good about it, and that's a big part of it, right? Obviously, he's itching to play.”
Miami’s Dru Smith tore his Achilles and was back playing nine months later. Tatum seems hellbent on a similar timetable, meaning he could be back around the All-Star break (mid-February). A healthy Tatum puts the Celtics in a clear mix for the Eastern Conference. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried that Tatum was rushing this, and it could impact his play long-term.
How Tatum comes back, how his Achilles holds up, and if he’s 100% for next season are huge storylines.
⚾ As the host of a Red Sox podcast, maybe I’m biased, but this is a significant year for the Red Sox.
Last year’s team made the playoffs, filled Fenway Park, and brought some baseball buzz back to Boston. It helps that Roman Anthony turns out to be one of, if not the best, young players in baseball.
With a labor stoppage looming in 2027, making a deep run this season should be a priority for the team. Except, they’re still not committed to spending like the Yankees. Or the Blue Jays. Or this offseason, the freakin’ Orioles.
AL East FA Spending:
Blue Jays $277M
Orioles $185.1M
Yankees: $29M
Rays: $22.5M
Red Sox: $0.0M 👀
They’ve added about $60 million in trades, which is not nothing, but there’s still work to be done, especially since the team made such a big deal about knowing that they are now in their “window of contention” after the playoff loss to the Yankees.
We need to see more commitment to spending revenue back on the roster - that metric showed them as the fifth-cheapest team in MLB in 2024. BRUTAL for a big-market team. This offseason has given me little faith that there’s been a change in philosophy. Bringing back Alex Bregman (or signing Bo Bichette, I prefer Bregman) feels like a must, as is getting a good return for Jarren Duran.
On paper, it’s a big year ahead for Boston sports. It all starts with the Pats’ playoff run in a few weeks.
On my favorite moment of 2025…
It could have been getting hired by Barstool. Or the Packers winning that same night to cash that bet for Dave. Or the KMS basketball win. Or emceeing The Dozen Live Final. But professionally, this was my favorite moment for 2025.
Live KMS Show in Laconia, NH. I’ve been banned from the show for a year, but Kirk wants me there to be with the basketball team on stage.
Early in the show, without warning, Kirk brings me up on stage. A woman in the crowd offers to shave her own head to get me back on the show after I refuse to do it. Kirk won’t allow it…would have been pretty great.
Back on stage later, again with no warning, and again I shake my head “no” to the idea of shaving my head.
Finally, I get one more chance to end the show. I loved my hair and was not even thinking about shaving it. But between the crowd, an opportunity to lift the show ban, and a chance to make my friend laugh, I finally gave in.
It was a good decision.
The crowd reaction was insane - not a surprise given the energy of the Minifans. It was a fun ending to a live show that Kirk and his producers put SO much work into.
Just being there behind the scenes on the day of is wild. You see a focused Kirk, making sure everything is in order. You watch Blind Mike, just sitting in the green room all day, talking with whoever wanders in and sits down. You see the producers freaking out. And you wonder how this all plays out in front of a live audience.
And then, it’s incredible. The guy is a performer and puts his all into these shows.
I’m glad he’s prioritizing his health and postponing the live show in March. And I join the rest of the Minifans and his friends who are wishing him the best as he steps away.
I never would have shaved my head if not for the live show and Kirk. It’s good to have people in your life that push you out of your comfort zone - it’s a place I can get stuck in more than I’d like to admit. Shaving my head helped me land the job with Barstool. Plus, I look SO much better, which is really the most important thing. If it makes me even 1% less disgusting, I’ll take it.
So, for a final time here in 2025, #thankyoukirk. Can’t wait til he’s back doing content in 2026.
On your Week 17 NFL Picks…
Week 16 Results: 0-3 | Warren ATD ❌ | Cardinals ML ❌
On the Season: 18-30 | ATD bets 3 for 16 | ML Dog 5 for 9
So turns out last week was NOT rock bottom. It was a horrific week for the weekend picks in what is turning into a truly horrific season.
We’ve run into a little bit of tough injury luck, but not enough to excuse this record. Road game for me this week, working on this in Connecticut, so maybe that will help shake things up—odds from DraftKings as of Friday AM.
The Side
BROWNS +3 VS STEELERS (-102). The Steelers will play this game without a suspended DK Metcalf and will have to pound the ball against a Browns defense that’s still a Top 5 DVOA unit against the run. It’s supposed to be warm, windy, and wet Sunday in Cleveland, and in a game with a very low total, taking the points is fine with me. Note the Browns have won five of six at home against the Steelers. And we have this - if the Packers beat the Ravens Saturday night, the Steelers would also clinch the AFC North, making this game pretty meaningless. Isn’t there a chance the Steelers rest a bunch of their players in that scenario? Do they really want Rodgers getting bodied by Myles Garrett? I’d probably play it anyway, but if you think the Packers win, +3 now makes sense.
The Total
SEAHAWKS AT PANTHERS UNDER 42.5 (-110). I can’t believe the Panthers beat the Bucs in a game where Bryce Young could not top 210 passing yards. Turns out that’s because the Panthers want to run, and they want to play slow - they run the ball 4th most in the NFL in neutral-pace situations per FTN, and they play at the 5th slowest sec/snap pace. As road favorites playing an early game out East, Seattle is bound to run the ball and try to get out of Carolina without being upset like the Rams were a few weeks ago.
The Prop
JOSH ALLEN OVER 30.5 RUSH YARDS (-113). Allen has gone over this number in five of the last seven games. And I’ve always believed he runs more in big games. If the Bills win their final two games, they’ll get the 5-seed and likely face the Steelers in Round 1 of the playoffs. I expect they’ll go all out to win Sunday, leading to plenty of Allen rushing. I will not be scared off by his foot injury, but I might wait to see if the line moves down because of it.
The ATD (two this week)
TREY MCBRIDE +105. I try to play +250 or better, but McBride vs. a historically bad TE defense is an auto-play. Sitting on a monster game here.
MICHAEL MAYER +320. No Brock Bowers this week (IR) and the Raiders finally face a weak defense. Should play a ton.
The ML Dog That Mut Says Is Barking
TEXANS +110 AT CHARGERS. Massive advantage for the Texans’ DL in a game where Justin Herbert will be under constant pressure.
On your weekly MutStack Notes…
⚾ There’s a weird tone to Episode 7 of Dirty Water - A Boston Sports Podcast. We’re all in agreement that the Wilson Contreras trade is a good one for the 2026 Red Sox. But, this can’t be all they do, right? There are still moves to be made for Craig Breslow. Watch and subscribe on YouTube and listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
‼️Seems my Dirty Water co-host KutterisKing has been busy on this Friday.
🎙️So yeah, the Fall Book Boston radio ratings are next week, not this week. I was off by a week. Hand up - that’s on me. I’m sorry. We’ll get the full review with commentary next Friday in the first Stack of 2026.
📺 Saw a lot of hate online for the Netflix production of the NFL games on Christmas. So, I started watching at home on the good Wi-Fi, and I thought it was excellent. Drew Brees is not my favorite, but the production was solid. Then I watched some of the game on a weaker Wi-Fi/router set-up at my mother-in-law’s house, and it looked terrible. I assumed it was just her connection. But it was much worse than at home. Very weird. But on good Wi-Fi, Netflix > Amazon Prime, and I don’t think it’s super close.
But yes, Brees/Noah Eagle was tough. Brees suggesting the Vikings take a safety with seven minutes left in the game would be national news if the game didn’t happen on Christmas.
🏈 A family Christmas Party will keep me from Fenway Park for UConn/Army on Saturday, but it’s hard to overstate the importance of this UConn football season. Convinced a very good player (All-American Skyler Bell) to come back rather than transfer to a bigger school. Won some big games. Lost a good coach. Hired a good coach. In the process, they showed they are a good fit for the ACC. And can say they were one of two teams (the other being Indiana) not to lose a game in regulation this season. Go Huskies.
⚾ On January 22, David Ortiz is coming to New Hampshire and The Brook Casino. Been a lot of great events with Boston sports legends at The Brook, and this one might be the biggest yet. Looking forward to being a small part of a fun night in NH.
🎥 The trailer for the 2026 movie about John Madden is out. I want to love it, but this is not a confidence-builder.
I think that’s enough Stack for this week. And for this year.
Appreciate all the support in 2025, and pumped for 2026. Good luck with all your bets this weekend. And thanks for reading.
There is a market for the merch! You think Dave and I wouldn't be wearing that shit right now? Justin Jefferson to the Pats this offseason. These Pats are built way different than last year's Commies.
A Mutstack merch tease one day after Christmas? #ThankYouMut