3 & Out - Best of The Week: Cowboys trade for Pickens, Justin Tucker gets released, Aaron Rodgers' future

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Episode 3 & Out - Best of The Week: Cowboys Trade for Pickens, Justin Tucker Gets Released, Aaron Rodgers' Future

Introduction

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, released on May 10, 2025, Colin delves into the most impactful NFL stories of the week. The primary focus revolves around the Dallas Cowboys' trade for George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the surprising release of Ravens' legendary kicker Justin Tucker, and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers' future. Throughout the discussion, Colin provides in-depth analysis, backed by notable quotes and his seasoned perspectives on these pivotal moves within the league.

1. Dallas Cowboys Trade for George Pickens

Trade Details and Initial Reactions

The episode kicks off with the headline-making trade where the Dallas Cowboys acquire wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Colin expresses skepticism about the move, stating, “The Cowboys trade with the Steelers for George Pickens. My first reaction was, I don't like it. I think it's kind of crazy” (16:30). He questions the Cowboys' decision to trade a third-round pick for Pickens, highlighting concerns about the player’s fit and potential longevity with the team.

Analysis of George Pickens' Fit and Potential Impact

Colin delves into Pickens' performance history, noting, “His five-year stretch is one of the greatest stretches in NFL history... he was clearly not just the best wide receiver one of the best players in the NFL” (15:50). Despite this, he remains doubtful about Pickens' ability to sustain his performance, especially under the new pressures of the Cowboys' franchise. Colin compares Pickens’ situation to that of NBA players who garner more media hype than on-field results, remarking, “All I hear about is this guy and then you watch him play, you're like, am I missing something?” (21:15).

Colin's Perspective on the Trade

Colin draws parallels between the Cowboys' strategy and previous NFL moves, suggesting that Jerry Jones might be hoping to strike gold cheaply. He contends, “Jerry's hoping we get this cheap player and he can help us out. But... middle Golf, you gave a third round pick... the risk here doesn't meet the reward” (18:45). This underscores his belief that the trade is more about short-term gains rather than long-term stability.

2. Justin Tucker’s Release from the Baltimore Ravens

Background and Performance Decline

Justin Tucker, widely regarded as one of the best kickers of the internet era, faced an unexpected release from the Baltimore Ravens. Colin discusses Tucker’s illustrious career, stating, “Justin Tucker is probably the best kicker of the Internet era... he was a weapon” (29:30). However, Tucker's performance took a downturn over the past year, culminating in his release due to “the worst year of his career” with the “lowest percentage of makes” (29:45).

Reasons Behind the Release

Colin attributes the decision to both performance issues and the Ravens’ strategic shift. He explains, “It's because this year he was simply not good enough to worry about his problems... Justin Tucker's problems from a decade ago... we don't have time to deal with that” (30:10). This highlights the NFL's unforgiving nature, where even elite players are not immune to being cut if they falter.

Implications for the Ravens

The release of Tucker forces the Ravens to rely on a recently drafted sixth-round kicker whose reliability remains uncertain. Colin is critical of this move, questioning the Ravens' decision to draft another kicker so soon, “They just draft a kicker in the sixth round. They got no fucking kid” (31:05). This could potentially lead to instability in the Ravens’ special teams unit moving forward.

3. Aaron Rodgers' Future with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Current Situation and Complexity

Aaron Rodgers remains a focal point of uncertainty within the NFL. Colin discusses the complexities surrounding Rodgers' potential trade to the Steelers, noting that “the Steelers owner is like, this is more complex than artificial intelligence. That's kind of a weird thing to say” (40:20). This statement underscores the intricate factors influencing Rodgers’ future, including team dynamics and contractual obligations.

Colin's Analysis and Opinions

Colin has been a staunch defender of Rodgers, highlighting his elite skills despite off-field controversies. However, he acknowledges the growing unease among fans and analysts about Rodgers' potential move, stating, “If this is a situation that is not figured out over the next five or six days, I would say the Steelers should walk away” (42:50). He emphasizes the dangers of making desperate trades, “you never want to do a deal out of desperation” (41:30), paralleling this to private sector lessons.

Comparisons to Other Quarterback Situations

Drawing comparisons to other high-profile quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson, Colin illustrates the precarious balance teams must maintain between talent and personality. He remarks, “Deshaun Watson can be a little emotional... At least I know I can get 10 plus touchdowns” (34:20), contrasting Watson’s volatility with Rodgers’ seasoned expertise.

4. Additional NFL Insights and Team Strategies

Draft Picks and Team Investments

Colin broadens the discussion to analyze how teams manage draft capital and player investments. He criticizes the Cowboys for trading away valuable third-round picks for uncertain returns, “Giving up a third round pick is the end of the world” (19:50), and contrasts this with strategic investments by other teams like the Steelers and Rams, who leverage draft picks for proven talent with high impact.

Team Culture and Management Decisions

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around team culture and management’s role in shaping player careers. Colin lauds organizations that prioritize long-term success over short-term fixes, “The Patriots had like the least amount of cash spending, especially for all the good teams” (17:25). He underscores the importance of building a cohesive team culture to sustain performance, as seen with the Rams’ recent successes.

Colin’s Predictions and Expectations

Looking forward, Colin expresses pessimism about certain teams’ abilities to navigate their current challenges. “I wouldn't pick them to even win a playoff game” (44:10) regarding the Steelers, and he cites uncertainties surrounding the Cowboys’ recent trades and future prospects. He advises caution, suggesting that teams should balance their immediate needs with sustainable growth.

Conclusion

Colin Cowherd wraps up the episode by reiterating the high-stakes drama of the NFL, emphasizing the delicate balance teams must maintain between making strategic trades and retaining core talent. The Cowboys' acquisition of George Pickens, the Ravens' release of Justin Tucker, and the ongoing saga of Aaron Rodgers encapsulate the volatile and dynamic nature of professional football. Colin’s insightful analysis provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of these developments, highlighting the intricate interplay of performance, management decisions, and team culture in shaping the future of the league.

Notable Quotes:

• “The Cowboys trade with the Steelers for George Pickens. My first reaction was, I don't like it. I think it's kind of crazy” (16:30).
• “Jerry's hoping we get this cheap player and he can help us out. But... middle Golf, you gave a third round pick... the risk here doesn't meet the reward” (18:45).
• “Justin Tucker is probably the best kicker of the Internet era... he was a weapon” (29:30).
• “It's because this year he was simply not good enough to worry about his problems... we don't have time to deal with that” (30:10).
• “If this is a situation that is not figured out over the next five or six days, I would say the Steelers should walk away” (42:50).
• “Deshaun Watson can be a little emotional... At least I know I can get 10 plus touchdowns” (34:20).

For a comprehensive understanding of the latest NFL developments, this episode offers a strategic deep dive into critical team decisions and their broader implications within the league.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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Then they drafted a kicker. A week later, they said bye bye to their legendary special teamer. And kind of, I don't want to say out of nowhere, but a little out of nowhere, a week after the draft or two weeks after the draft, the Cowboys trade with the Steelers for George Pickens. We dive into that. So you got to love football. And that's what we will be talking about today. And before we dive in to some football talk, you know, I got to tell you about my friends, my partners and the official ticketing app of this podcast, Game Time. Best ticketing app in America. I was watching my Washington Capitals just get worked. The final score was 2 to 1. It should have been 10 to 1. They got their butt kick. But God, these hockey games look fun. I've never been to a playoff hockey game, but if I ever got the opportunity, I would love to go. I've been a lot of NBA playoff games starting when I was in high school. 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And my first reaction was, I don't like it. I think it's kind of crazy. And I know they're getting a lot of praise because the Cowboys in action over the years. I mean, last year Jerry made the comment, we're all in. And then they didn't really do anything aggressively. Listen, let me say this about Jerry Jones because we talk about this a lot. Perception can come become reality. And sometimes the perception or the narrative about a human being, about a player, about a team is true. Like the jets are chaotic, right? George Pickens is not easy to coach. Mike Tomlin has expressed those concerns over the years. We're not just guessing based on his body language on television. Listen to a Mike Tomlin press conference about George. Jerry Jones, super rich guy, spends a lot of money. Let's pump the brakes there. Because there's a big difference in the NFL of just every team's paying players. Every team in the NFL has a high expense for their roster, right? And there's a. There's a minimum you have to spend. But there's a big difference in just having your roster and paying for players. Obviously, some guys make a lot of money. Some guys make the league minimum and spending actual cash. For example, last year the Browns and over the last four years, no team in the league has spent more actual cash that signing bonuses. That's money. Not just base salary. Throughout the season, two players than Jimmy Haslam. I think I saw in an article recently it was almost a billion dollars last year. The Eagles and the 49ers spent an astronomical amount of cash. I mean, we're talking the cash they spent was more than the actual salary cap. That's how you can manipulate. It's what Howie and Jeffrey have been doing. Same with the 49ers. You give these guys big contracts and then you spread out the signing bonus over the life of the contract. And when you think Jerry Jones, you're like, God, he's giving Dak Prescott all this money. CD Lamb, all this money, spending all this money, but relative cash to the rest of the league. Jerry Jones didn't even crack the top 15 in the NFL. This was the thing with Robert Kraft. For a long period of time, everyone's shitting on Belichick like that frugal a hole. He doesn't want to pay any of his players. It's actually the owner guys. He loves empowering his coach that's able to get the most out of guys for cheap. The patriots for like 15 plus years had like the least amount of cash spending, especially for all the good teams. Belichick took all the crap on that. It was actually the owners and I think Jerry who. Listen, the Cowboys are well run when it comes to the draft. There is no disputing they draft good players, they have built Good teams in multiple iterations, from the Jason Garrett crew to the Mike McCarthy crew with homegrown guys. But I think recently we have two examples of. And listen, I've said this for a long time, being cheap is a disease. It's something you get when you're young and most people never shake it. And whether you don't, whether you're at 40 years old, whether you are a multimillionaire or someone making 30 grand a year, that you don't shake that. And when I see Jerry Jones when it comes to some of these moves, I go, he's this like, oilman hoping to strike gold for cheap. Look at the Trey Lance contract, or, I mean, transaction that the Cowboys did a couple of years ago. It's like, Jerry, he can't win the backup job in San Francisco for Kyle Shanahan. You think you're getting a deal with a 4th round pick? What are you doing? Well, what happened over the course of the next couple of years? He couldn't win the backup job in Dallas. What just happened today is the. Jerry Jones traded a third round pick for George Pickens. It's like one. I remember Billy Beane used to do this because his owner was really cheap. And in fairness to the owner, the franchise didn't make any money. They had no revenue. So combination of both, they would. Every couple years from basically 2000 to like 2018, they would have to trade all their sweet players and they would go to all the usual suspects. The Cardinals, the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Dodgers, the Giants would pillage their team and Billy Beane would in return, trade those guys for like three or four prospects. And every single time he would hit on like 50% of them. And when he was making these trades, it wasn't always like, I want your first, second and third best prospect in the minor leagues, he'd go, I want the fourth guy, I want the ninth guy and I want the 15th guy. After a couple cycles of him building playoff teams from scratch, if he called you and said, hey, we will trade you this All Star, but we want your 3rd, 8th and 17th best prospect, maybe you should go, I really want this All Star, but what you see in these guys that maybe we don't. And if the Pittsburgh Steelers got on the phone and said, hey, we got a wide receiver for you, do you know what I'm saying? Click, not interested. Obviously, they got out of the Antonio Brown business somewhat of an outlier situation. He was clearly not just the best wide receiver, one of the best players in the NFL. Thing got Weird. But his talent was immense. Bizarre situation. The Raiders were really the only team interested. A little desperate at the time, but that situation, he is way better than these next two guys. Honestly, his five year stretch is one of the greatest stretches in NFL history. So, yeah, he kind of went cuckoo, but he was an elite player. But these last couple guys, Chase Claypool and George Pickens, lot of talent, a lot of physical attributes. But you know what? Both times it happened, Tomlin clearly went. And Tomlin's a defensive guy, but he's the head coach. Team culture, all that stuff is his baby. He goes, I'm out. I'm not into this. This guy is not good enough. He got Ryan Poles to bite for a second rounder. Now he gets Jerry Jones to bite for a third rounder. At least when Ryan Poles made that deal, it blew up in his face. Chase Claypool had a couple years left on his contract. Jerry Jones gets George Pickens for one year left. It's like, I see it a lot with Maria because she's in real estate. Some of these people get into these deals and like, we're going to lowball this guy for 200 grand on the house. And what happens? Yeah, that's a no, no deal. Not going to happen. It's like, yeah, I would love to do that too. You're not going to get a yes on the other side. No one wanted this guy except Jerry because he's like, we're going to get lightning in a bottle here. Probably not. And what we've witnessed last year with George Pickens, like, I wouldn't be in business with that player. Now, I'm not acting like he is not really physically gifted in a great 5050 contested catch ball in theory. But you put him in a situation with a first year head coach, which I don't want to say he's over his head. He hasn't coached the game. But a guy that one was not getting a head coaching job anywhere else. Ton of pressure. Because the Dallas Cowboys you have. It also puts a lot of pressure on your quarterback who, you know, physically has some limitations, but really hangs his hat on leadership. It's like, you got to corral this guy. You also get this player who has one year left till his payday who's going to be thinking a little, me, me, I, I. Because that's what he naturally does anyway. And the pressure goes on the coach. And Jerry's hoping we get this cheap player and he can help us out. But here's the thing. It's like, well, middle Golf, you gave a third round pick. I got no problem doing this. Giving a third round pick for a player I'm going to extend. Cost of doing business. I also have no problem giving a third round pick for a player in the middle of a season that I think can help me go on a playoff run. We see it all the time, right? Teams that are 6 and 3 or 7 and 2, they're like we were missing a wide receiver. It's a little risky, but here's a third round pick for this player. It's a rental. Totally get it. But if you're the Cowboys and I would say draft capital is going to be pretty important given that you have high priced players having good players in the third round on your roster. I looked, I X' ed out of the deal. But 20, 23 third round picks because I just wanted to go over some players that like you're not guaranteed anything and I'm not acting like giving up a third round pick is the end of the world, but. The Rams drafted Byron Young from Tennessee with pick 77. The Green Bay packers took Tucker Craft. The Denver Broncos took Riley Moss, the corner. The Miami Dolphins took Devin A. Chain, the sweet running back. The 49ers drafted their starting safety, Jair Brown. Kobe Turner, another really good player for the Rams, drafted in the third round. The Dallas Cowboys drafted Demer Demarvian. How do I, I don't even know. I've just called him overshone. But now he got injured last year, but Overshone was pretty sweet. Like you get a lot of really talented players in the third round who are on very cheap contracts and to, to trade that for a player who is a rental. And if this gets weird and you don't resign them, you go, well, we get a comp pick. Well, depending how weird it gets, that determines his value. So to me this has, it's different because this guy's established I'm a starting player in the NFL unlike Trey Lance. But to me there are too many similarities and parallels to that situation. It's like Jerry, you guys run a draft and I think you know what, these guys are just solid here. They just have a pretty good plan and they execute it. This feels like he's freelancing, wheeling and dealing, hoping to get that million dollar home for 400 grand. It's like Jerry, that's not really how this works. Especially when you are acquiring this player from that team. At that position I'd be out and I didn't do much like canvassing of the different takes, but I Would imagine most people are like, God, they needed a wide receiver. They get some talent. They didn't have to give away much. I look at the opposite and I'm not some draft hoarder. Like, sometimes you got to give up picks to get players. I don't love what the Steelers did because I don't even know who their quarterback is. They gave up a second round pick for DK Metcalf, who I think through three years had more touchdowns or as many touchdowns like any player in NFL history. I know it slowed down a little bit after that as the quarterback situation, but it was clear, like, unique player, I mean, and can take over and dominate. They gave him up a second round pick and then they extended him. So it's like we just acquire this player and he's not going anywhere. Now we can argue it's like, do you give that much money to a player at a position when you don't have a quarterback? That's fair. But at least the logic. If we are going to trade a second day pick for a player, we're going to make sure that guy's on our team for a while. And Jerry kind of does the opposite. We'll just play it out. We'll just see what happens. Well, if I'm a betting man, I'll. I'll tell you, I would imagine that George pick is not going to be on this team for that long. So to trade a valuable pick where you have literally found sweet players for cheap is a head scratcher. And I think this is more Jerry being Jerry and trying to like win the deal and go, God, we got a steal here. Like, no, there aren't really steals when making these trades. Anyone could have had this guy. And clearly people were like, yeah, not that interested. And from a Steeler standpoint, like, they wanted out of this business. And I don't blame them. Like, they have recent history of going like, this is not going to work. This is not a formula, not fair to our other players to have to deal with this. And it's like, yeah, you definitely couldn't have George and dk, but at least DK has proven that he can produce at a really, really high level. Can be, I don't know, a Pro bowl level guy. It isn't just all like, George Pickens feels to me much more like an NBA player. A guy that everyone in the media constantly talks about. Then you look at his stats, you're like, what? And then you watch him in the biggest games, you're like, am I missing something? Am I Not watching the right game here, what's going on? All I hear about is this guy and then you watch him play, you're like, leaves a little something to be desired. And listen, it's not like DK is the perfect player, but I've seen him in some big fucking games over the course of his career and show up and make place and it's like, so it's like, okay, if I'm going to have to deal with some similar stuff, he's been a guy that, that yellow flags come out. He can be a little emotional. At least I know I can get 10 plus touchdowns, right? Last I checked, I think George Pickens career high is 5. Yet when you hear people talk about him, it's like four touchdowns, five touchdowns, three touchdowns. You think the way he's discussed, especially now in Dallas, he's like, you know, has 30 career touchdowns, is 12. I just think sometimes the hype can outweigh the actual individual. So totally understand. If you're doing with the Steelers, this is a guy that you are not going to extend. They have turned George Pickens and Chase Claypool into a second and third round pick on top of getting to use them until they realize we don't want to use them anymore. So like that's really, really good business. And the Cowboys are on the opposite end of this. I mean, we crushed Ryan Poles for that. Listen, I'm not acting like George Pickens isn't a better player than Claypool, but I think it's in that similar world. I just, I don't understand that move. Like, is this something the best GMs in the league would do? And I think the answer is unequivocally 1000% hell no. So, and I've been a supporter of the Cowboys. Hell, I picked them last year to make the playoffs. Don't think I'm going to do it this year. But I'm not acting like they're, you know, some terrible team. I just think the risk here doesn't meet the reward. And like, like I said with that Billy Bean example, the Steelers are the team when it comes to wide receivers. I'm just not doing a deal with you. I don't want to be in that business. I'm out. Right? They got rid of what's his name last year, Deontay Johnson. And it just got weird and it got weird fast with everybody else. It was like he's on four different teams, getting cut, wave traded. Like this is a bizarre situation. When Mike Tomlin tells you I'm not interested anymore at that spot. I think you should listen to him. So. I don't know, man. I just think. I think the Cowboys have really, really benefited. Washington was pretty bad for 20 years and specifically those couple years before, you know, Josh Harris bought the team and Adam and Dan Quinn showed up with Ron Rivera who felt like he, you know, was kind of going through the motions and they're going to be good now. Obviously the Eagles are really, really good. Even the Giants like have some talent and I don't know how good they're going to be. But listen, they're just not some joke team. Well, they can be, but it's, it's going to be difficult to win three games in your division. So I think that they have really, I wouldn't say been on cruise control, but given over the last decade, the Giants have been bad and Washington's been bad and they won a lot of those games. And that could be different now. Like you could go one and three in those four games. And I'm assuming next year you're probably going to lose both of the Eagles because even when you were good, it was really hard for you to beat The Eagle. The NBA 82 game grind is done and now the real fun begins. The NBA playoffs are here and it's time for the high stakes drama, clutch moments and jaw dropping plays. Can't wait if you're looking to make the playoffs even more exciting. DraftKings sportsbook has you covered as an official sports betting partner of the NBA. From the play in games all the way through the finals. Now the time to back your favorite players and teams and as they chase glory. All season long, DraftKings has been your go to spot for NBA player props. And that doesn't stop now. 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[Colin Cowherd]

I read this quote the other day about Jimmy Johnson when he was the coach of the Cowboys, and he gave an example where he caught, I think like a practice squad guy sleeping in a meeting and he cut the guy the next day. And I don't know if this was like a story he told after the fact or maybe he gave this quote in a, in a press conference over the course of the week after he cut the practice squad player and they asked him what would he have done if Troy Aikman had been sleeping in the meeting. And he said, well, I would have woke him up and said, troy, we're meeting. And, and I think that speaks, you know, in football is not that much different than life. Certain people, especially in certain industries and certain businesses are just going to be treated differently. And I think when you look at football specifically, there are a couple positions where the margin for error for you either being a distraction, a problem, or simply not good enough. The, the, the leash on your career or your status with that team is basically nil. 0 does not exist. There is no leash. You get a much longer leash when you are a great wide receiver, a great offensive tackle, a great pass rusher, obviously a great quarterback. Look at Deshaun Watson. All the shit that was going on around him when he was demanding a trade and the teams that were interested, he convinced one owner. Now you could argue the craziest owner in the sport, but to give him $230 million simply because everyone at the time thought he was a high end Pro bowl quarterback clearly was not the case. But even Russell Wilson, who had never been in trouble like Deshaun Watson was like kind of weird, you know, team, not really into them. Pete Carroll, these guys are kind of over them. And the Denver Broncos like what do you want? Multiple ones, a brand new contract. Russell, you're our guy. Because he's important and he's much more important than most guys on the team. I would say the least important guys on a team in terms of the hierarchy from a coaching staff and definitely a front office are the specialists. Not that you don't need them to win. Having a good kicker and having a good punter is important, but Justin Tucker just learned a valuable lesson. He is going to go down, at least in my life, as probably the best kicker of the Internet era. I use that a lot because that's kind of my high school to current, right? Basically 2000 till present. And I would say if you needed a kicker in his prime on your team, you would choose him. He was a weapon. I mean game winning kicks from like 65 plus yards, obviously he was so accurate. He was incredible. And then over the course of the last 12 months, obviously most recently you will think of his Desean Watson situation. But the reason he was cut today isn't just that simple. It's because this year he had the worst year of his career. Lowest percentage of makes of his career. And it felt like even before I went to his just wiki page to see the percent when you were sitting there on the couch on Sunday having the four box up on YouTube and the Ravens, he was missing a lot of big kicks. Honestly, it felt like he missed a lot more than the stat sheet set. So when I saw the headline today that the Ravens had cut Justin Tucker, it wasn't because they have any idea whether this is true or not. And honestly, maybe they do at this point. It's because he's simply not good enough to worry about his problems. Whether he's in the wrong or whether he's in the right we don't have time to figure that out. And your position. They just draft a kicker in the sixth round. They got no fucking kid. If this kid from Arizona that they just drafted is going to be any good. We see constantly, guys, the 49ers draft a guy in the third round, he could not be trusted. He might be a bust. And Jim Harbaugh once considered him at the University of Michigan. I think it was like death, taxes and moody. He was that automatic. The 49ers get him. Can't make a kick to save his life, so no one has any clue. Justin Tucker famously pretty sure. Undrafted free agent and used often as an example of why listen, kicking is pretty random. This is not like quarterbacks or pass rushers. You can find these guys on the street after the draft. But today was about like it's just too loud. And whether you're a kicker, whether you're a punter, whether you're a long snapper, and I would also put the backup quarterback in this situation, your leash does not exist. The conversation around you is, is zero. The moment it gets loud, noisy, see ya. We got enough other issues and enough other problems and winning in this league is hard enough. If we're the Ravens, we got one goal and that's to win the afc. Why can't we beat the Chiefs and beat the Bills? Like that's all we're worried about. We don't have time to figure out your off the field issues as a 35 year old kicker. And that's why they cut him today. Not because, I mean indirectly because of this situation that he's dealing with from like a decade ago. But it's like we don't got time to deal with that bullshit. Welcome to life. Blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high octane world of sports, Vice Sports brings an exciting and diverse range of.

[Dan Flores]

Programming that goes beyond the game.

[Colin Cowherd]

From action packed live events to gripping behind the scenes documentaries, to hard hitting investigative pieces and in depth profiles of athletes, coaches, teams. Vice Sports captures the raw energy, drama and passion that makes sports truly unforgettable. Catch live events and other exclusive sports programs Only on Vice TV. Go to Vicetv.com to find your cable channel. AI is redefining what's possible for your business. Are you up for the challenge? Microsoft is helping leaders like you get AI ready faster with unified data and simplified platform management. Unlocking up to 150% improved output across industries. Leaders are turning to Microsoft AI tools and guidance to rise to the challenge. For the NBA, that means using AI powered insights to deliver more personalized fan experiences. For BMW, it means innovating their development process safely and securely, and for Lego House, it means creating new interactive experiences for people to explore. With Microsoft's trustworthy AI tools and guidance, you can drive greater impact. Business leaders Microsoft surveyed saw an average of 3.7 times ROI per $1 invested in generative AI. Whatever challenge comes next, let Microsoft help you keep pushing forward. For more details, visit Microsoft.com challengers There are moments in life when you get to make a real difference, and this is one of them I want to tell you about. Folds of Honor. They provide educational scholarships to spouses and children of fallen or disabled military members and first responders. Think about that for a second Families who've lost everything or rebuilding their lives, and this organization steps in to make sure their kids can still go to college or a spouse can get the training they need to keep moving forward. Since 2007, they've awarded nearly 62,000 scholarships. Last year, about 7,000 qualified students didn't receive funding, and this year that number is expected to grow to nearly 10,000. So if you've been looking for a way to give back to do something meaningful, this is it. Go to foldsofhonor.org give what you can. It all matters. Let's honor their sacrifice, educate their legacy, and unite around all those who serve.

[Maria]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone let's face it in therapy. By talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a $0 copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P A CE80 to match with a licensed therapist. Today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80.

[Dan Flores]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network Hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores and brought to you by Velvet Buck, this podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best selling author and Meat Eater founder Stephen Rinella.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'll correct my kids now and then they'll say when cave people were here and I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves.

[Dan Flores]

So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Well, I saw that the minority owner for the the Steelers said that the Aaron Rodgers trade situation is more complex than artificial intelligence. I've also always defended Aaron Rodgers because I thought for 15 plus years, even when people thought he was doing weird shit, he was an elite player. And some of his weird stuff I wouldn't even consider weird I was in total agreement with. But I get like some people thought he was selfish, not always normal. The Gudekins thing I definitely didn't agree with. It's like you're in a pretty good spot but at this point in time, like it is starting to get a little bizarre. And if this is a situation that is not figured out over the next five or six days, I would say the Steelers should walk away. But they can't because they don't have any other options. And I think anyone in any line of work in the private sector will learn you never want to do a deal out of desperation, whether that deal is for a dollar or whether that deal is for $100 million. When you are desperate, that's where you get put in compromise situations and you do things that you regret. And I listen. The Steelers are desperate because no well run organization would want to be just waiting for the phone call. And at first I just thought listen, he's dealing with some stuff. Totally. Listen, he's older player but when a minority owner is going to go on CNBC and say a comment like that, I mean there are a lot of different variables here and I think whenever he signs because I do think it's inevitable, I wouldn't bet my life savings on it. I just think that they are headed in a similar direction as they've been the last couple years. I wouldn't pick them to even win a playoff game. And you're depending on a 41 year old guy who. You know, I always say this about, like when you're drafted by a play, by a team. Like, ultimately, the Steelers had the most to lose with George Pickens, right? They, I'm pretty sure he was second round pick. Let me double check that. So they drafted him. Yeah. 52nd overall pick. So when I invest a second round pick, I'm invested in you. I want to see this work. And then you show signs like, I'm going to go the extra mile. The equivalent for George Pickens is like a fifth, sixth, seventh round pick. He might have been traded last year. So it's not worth the headache. I don't have the time. But I've invested a lot of, you know, draft resources in you. I'm in now. He's on the Cowboys. His equity with a team and a coaching staff is diminished greatly. It immediately is probably cut in half. Like, they look at you much more now. Not that every team doesn't look at their players like this in some vein, but when I draft you, it's more than just you're my asset. You're a guy that can just score some touchdowns. Like, I get to know you, you become a part of my organization. We know each other's families. It just, it is different. I mean, there's no disputing that. And now he's in this cycle of just who knows. And we've seen it constantly with a lot of guys that become kind of issues and they become that quickly. I said this about Aaron Rodgers, like now that he's in this weird spot where he's like, I'm gonna go to the Steelers, like, yeah, it's cool. But like, if it doesn't go well, they won't give a shit about you. We saw once Robert Sala and Joe Douglas were gone, like, Aaron Glenn didn't care about you. He didn't have any draft capital or your equity based on iou because I told Woody Johnson that we should trade a first and a second round pick to acquire you. Not my problem. I didn't want. I could say I didn't want you. I thought he was slipping the last year when we played him in Green Bay. So I think these guys got to be very, very careful. And it kind of, it's kind of sad where the Steelers are. Good move today. I give them credit. But just in terms of their organization waiting at the, just whenever Aaron Rodgers Feels like giving Tomlin a call saying I'm in, which could happen, I guess at any moment, but feels like we're no closer today than we were yesterday. The Los Angeles Rams kind of genius. Because I think a huge part of OTAS now, it's less about for new coaches. For sure, it's really important. We'll get into that in a minute. But for a team like the Rams, for Andy Reid, for the Harbaugh, Jeffrey John Harbaugh, for Kyle Shanahan, that have had like a core of guys for a long time, like OTAs, you're not teaching everyone from scratch everything. It's about a bonding experience. These OTA practices are kind of a joke. I mean, I've been going the last four or five years and they are much less intense than they were 10, 15 years ago. And I'm not saying that as like a shot. Like you could argue they've always been a little overrated. But it's much more about spending time together, depending on where you live, maybe going to a hockey game or an NBA game as a group, going to big dinners and just getting to know each other. Now, part of the trip to Maui that the Rams are going to make, I'm sure has to deal with a sale between the organization getting money from Hawaii. But I also think this is a built in way to just bond. I know Coach Reed and I know the Steelers and I know Sean Payton was like this for a long time in New Orleans. Really believed in getting away for training camp because it just kind of isolated the group. And I remember when I was with the Eagles, they no longer do this. We used to go to Lehigh and you would just go pro. I forget exactly how far away was away from the facility. Probably hour, hour, 15, 20 minutes. And you were just up in this area. Wasn't much to do, just kind of as the group, the players, the coaches, the trainers, the equipment staff, the scouts. And it was like, that's kind of it. When the fans come for practice and they leave and you're just kind of stuck there for several weeks. And I do think there is a bonding element that is really, really positive. Especially in a day and age when, let's face it, and I'm guilty of this too, we're spending a lot of time on our phones. We're always on our computers, we're always just. We can isolate pretty easily and you get to go to Hawaii for a couple days. Pretty cool. If I was a rant, if I was a Rams player, I'm sure they're taking, chartering the plane over there approaching like a road trip. You stay for three or four days on the water, do some walkthroughs, catch some balls, get a little sweat on and have some cocktails by the pool. So sounds like a good time. The other, the other news was we were supposed to have a bunch of trades during the draft. Ended up not happening. It sure looked like Dallas Goddard was going to get traded. Now looking back, maybe it was the Eagles hoping for him to take a pay cut and you know, just believe in like listen, you don't have that many options and the teams that would be interested, it might suck like you might not be your team might not be any good. So you can take a little haircut here and you can continue to be trying to be defending champ. Who knows we're going to be favored to win it again. Like we're going to be really good. And I do wonder if Howie and the organization by just saying like yeah, he's on the team as of now, like they would make comments like that was trying to pressure like listen. And I'm sure behind the scenes they're telling him we want you to stay, but we need you to play at this number. And it's worked recently if you build the right culture and you are a winning team. The Rams just hit it with Stafford, who clearly took, I think the report was 20 plus million dollars. He took less to stay in with the Rams. The 49ers have done it multiple times. With Kyle Juszczyk, it's like, we want you here, but you got to take a cut and he'll like, look around. He's like, I'm just going to stay. I like playing here. And to me that speaks to like now some of these guys. I never blame, like Milton Williams for getting $26 million a year, but taking a little haircut to stay at a place where you know you can win, where you know they like you. There is value to that and clearly Dallas Goddard saw that in staying with the Eagles, the volume AI is redefining what's possible for your business. With more unique challenges to solve and higher stakes than ever, Microsoft helps you stay ahead. Our trustworthy AI tools and guidance can empower leaders like you to drive greater impact. And with Azure's simplified platform management, we're helping businesses go further, faster, unlocking up to 150% improved output. Whatever challenge comes next, let Microsoft help you keep pushing forward. For more details, visit Microsoft.com challengers There are moments in life when you get to make a real difference and this is one of them I want to tell you about Folds of Honor. They provide educational scholarships to spouses and children of fallen or disabled military members and first responders. Since 2007, they've awarded nearly 62,000 scholarships. If you've been looking to give back to do something meaningful, this is it. Go to foldsofhonor.org give what you can. Together we can honor, Educate, Unite.

[Maria]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone let's face it in therapy, by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits, or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a zero dollar copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P A CE80 to match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80.

[Dan Flores]

Why is a soap opera Western like Yellowstone so wildly successful? The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6, where we'll delve into stories of the west west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to an iHeart podcast.