Best of The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Best of The Herd (January 29, 2025)

The Herd with Colin Cowherd delivers a compelling and incisive exploration of the latest sports narratives, blending sharp analysis with candid opinions. In the "Best of The Herd" episode released on January 29, 2025, host Colin Cowherd delves into the dynamics of professional sports, particularly focusing on the NBA and NFL, and engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Andy Reid, the esteemed head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Below is a detailed summary capturing the episode's key discussions, insights, and conclusions.

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1. Critical Analysis of NBA's Player Management

Bronny James Jr.'s Early NBA Exposure

Colin Cowherd opens the discussion by critiquing the NBA's approach to integrating young prospects into high-stakes environments prematurely. Using Bronny James Jr., son of LeBron James, as a case study, Cowherd argues that rushing him into the Lakers' lineup may not serve his long-term development nor the team's success.

• Cowherd’s Critique:
  "You can't fool the players. Tyrese Maxey went right after him and cooked him. And it's just amazing in the NFL, media, coaches, fans, anybody, you can have real grown-up conversations. There's no walking on eggshells." [03:10]

He highlights Bronny's underwhelming performance, citing his statistics to question his readiness for the NBA level:

• Performance Metrics:
  "He's 6 2, got cooked on defense and has not scored in 38 minutes on the floor. 38 minutes as a pro is the last time he got a basket." [05:16]

Media’s Role in Romanticizing the NBA

Cowherd criticizes the NBA media for not holding players accountable and for romanticizing narratives that prevent honest evaluations. He contrasts this with the NFL's straightforward approach to player performance.

• Cowherd on Media Practices:
  "Not a single NBA reporter would even touch this with a ten-foot pole. What are we doing here? Nice kid, maybe a G League player, but 38 minutes on the floor, hasn't scored a basket." [12:57]

2. Comparative Analysis of NFL and NBA Cultures

Accountability and Seriousness in the NFL

Cowherd emphasizes the NFL's culture of accountability and seriousness, arguing that it fosters more authentic and productive conversations compared to the NBA.

• Cowherd’s Observation:
  "The NFL, you take it seriously because they take it seriously. They don't have to ban phones from their players. Irritating. Okay, so if you didn't see it, and I know you're busy, the Jerry Jones Schottenheimer press conference, by all accounts, was so weird." [14:40]

Head Coach-Quarterback Synergy

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the essential synergy between head coaches and quarterbacks in the NFL. Cowherd outlines what he considers the elite head coach-quarterback combinations, highlighting their impact on team performance.

• Cowherd’s Insight:
  "There are eight combos in the NFL right now that I would consider elite head coach quarterback combo. I don't understand one of them, but there are eight that you can't deny." [05:34]

3. Interview with Andy Reid: Leadership and Coaching Philosophy

Developing Players and Strategic Depth

Andy Reid joins the podcast to discuss his coaching philosophy, emphasizing the importance of teaching, honesty, and trusting his players. Reid elaborates on how he adapts his coaching strategies to fit the evolving skills of star players like Patrick Mahomes.

• Reid on Coaching Adaptation:
  "Yes, four to five years ago. He didn't have the same feel he's got for the game now and wasn't as solid with all of his surroundings there and different options." [43:14]

Mastering the Playoff Mindset

Reid shares his approach to preparing his team for the playoffs, focusing on mastering various schemes and maintaining high energy levels.

• Reid on Playoff Preparation:
  "Normally this time of the year, Colin, you have a pretty good idea what teams are doing. They have a pretty good idea of what you're doing. And it allows really, it allows your guys to go out and play and play Fast." [45:47]

Teaching Beyond Tactics

Reid expresses his pride in teaching players not just the tactical aspects of the game but also fostering honesty and trust within the team.

• Reid on Legacy:
  "I think teaching, I think that's an important thing. Being honest with the guys, trusting the guys, I think those are all, all things I think are important." [42:32]

4. Discussion on Saquon Barkley and NFL Team Strategies

Evaluating Player Trades and Team Decisions

The conversation shifts to the NFL's handling of star players, particularly focusing on Saquon Barkley's move to the Philadelphia Eagles. Cowherd analyzes the strategic missteps by teams like the Giants in retaining key players and the long-term implications of such decisions.

• Cowherd’s Analysis:
  "But the reality here, Colin, is if you are going to pay Saquon Barkley, how much longer is he going to be great for based on the wear and tear in his body, his mileage, his age, all of that." [54:00]

Historical Comparisons and Mistakes

Cowherd draws parallels between past NFL decisions, such as drafting Reggie White and Drew Brees, and current scenarios to highlight recurring mistakes in player management.

• Cowherd on Historical Mistakes:
  "Roger Woodson, Charles Woodson went from to Green Bay immediate Super Bowl. Why? Because old Al Davis thought he was Jerry Jones and was the GM and the owner and at that point was weird and frugal and making terrible decisions." [54:10]

5. NFL Officiating and Viewer Perceptions

Officiating Bias and Technological Solutions

The podcast delves into the controversial topic of officiating in the NFL, addressing perceived biases toward star players like Patrick Mahomes. Cowherd suggests technological interventions to enhance officiating accuracy.

• Matt Castle’s Suggestion:
  "What you'd be able to do is find somebody at every game, put them up top and say you are in charge of paying attention to what's going on on all the different angles." [57:14]

Public Relations and NFL’s Image Management

The potential disconnect between the NFL's handling of officiating and the increasing visibility of controversial calls is examined. The discussion underscores the necessity for the league to uphold integrity through improved officiating practices.

6. Future Prospects and Predictions

Emerging Talent and Draft Predictions

Towards the end of the episode, Cowherd and his co-host Matt Castle discuss upcoming talents like Riley Leonard and Kyle McCord, offering insights into their potential impacts in future drafts and professional careers.

• Cowherd’s Prediction:
  "I'm going to predict he will be a second round pick and I think he has a chance to be the best quarterback in the draft." [47:19]

Podcast Promotions and Future Episodes

The episode concludes with promotions for upcoming podcasts and shows, ensuring listeners stay engaged with ongoing sports discussions.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Colin Cowherd:
  "You can't fool the players. They know the stars, they know the soft spots, they know the weaknesses." [03:10]

• Andy Reid:
  "I think teaching, I think that's an important thing. Being honest with the guys, trusting the guys, I think those are all, all things I think are important." [42:32]

• Matt Castle:
  "These questions are going to keep coming up. And it gets thornier when you're talking about having, you know, partnerships with gambling companies and all of that different stuff." [57:57]

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Concluding Thoughts

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, listeners are treated to a robust analysis of current sports issues, a candid critique of the NBA and NFL cultures, and an insightful interview with one of the NFL's top coaches. Colin Cowherd's ability to engage in honest, no-holds-barred conversations provides valuable perspectives for sports enthusiasts seeking depth and authenticity in their sports commentary.

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Note: This summary excludes advertisement segments, intros, outros, and non-content sections to focus solely on the substantive discussions and insights provided during the podcast episode.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Bobby Bones]

FDIC hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with a Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Couric]

Hey everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch right in time for a new season of my podcast. Next Question. I'm bringing in some foks friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also gonna have some fun thanks to some of my friends like Samantha Bee and Charlemagne the God. We're gonna take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio at noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Wednesday live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be, however you may be watching, listening, Andy Reid, coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, joining us in one hour from now. Unfortunately, I'll have to do the interview. J. Mac. Andy. You know, we couldn't trust J. Mac with interviewing Andy Reid, so I'm surprised.

[J. Mac]

You'Re not wearing red for the interview today.

[Colin Cowherd]

Colin. So there's an old saying in pro sports. You can't fool the players, okay? You can't fool the pro athletes. They know the stars, they know the soft spots, they know the weaknesses. So last night, AD got hurt, Lakers went into the tank, got blown out by Philadelphia. Well, the Lakers had recently called up Bronnie. Well, Bronnie had his best game as a G leaguer, so of course, let's rush him to the Lakers. So he got on the floor last night. You can't fool the players. Tyrese Maxey went right after him and cooked him. And it's just amazing in the NFL, media, coaches, fans, anybody, you can have real grown up conversations. You can hold players accountable. There's no walking on eggshells. There's a way to measure success in the NBA. You have to pretend that Bronny's an NBA player because otherwise you'll upset the king. So he has a good G league game. Guys go off in G league all the time. Doesn't mean anything. And they get him to the Lakers and they want to play him. And remember, he is a 62 guard. That's a non point guard. I've never seen that existing in the current NBA and go back 20 years to be a two guard. Six, four and a half minimum. Got to be able to shoot some, be a playmaker some. He's 6 2, got cooked on defense and has not scored in 38 minutes on the floor. 38 minutes as a pro is the last time he got a basket. But J.J. redick, instead of just being honest, pandered. Here he is, maybe put him in a tough spot, you know, flying up yesterday and you know, nationally televised game and Philly and all that stuff.

[Andy Reid]

It's, you know, he didn't play well.

[Colin Cowherd]

But he's been playing great, you know.

[Matt Castle]

In the stay ready games and he's.

[Andy Reid]

Been playing great in the G. So.

[Matt Castle]

I have confidence in him.

[Colin Cowherd]

You did not put him in a tough spot. He is 1 for 16 in the NBA from the floor, over seven on threes and can't be A point guard and got cooked defensively. Let's just be totally honest about this. He's a six two guard that can't shoot in a league where seven foot four guys can. He's not an NBA player. He was not a great high school player. He was a good high school player. He wasn't a good college player. He was a college player and he's not an NBA player. And he may be a great kid. I'm sure he is. LeBron's a nice guy. I've met him. But this is what gets 57 million people watch the NFL this weekend. It's tough men, emotionally and physically that you can have real conversations with. Can we stop pretending on this? Come on, let's just stop pretending. This was not a tough spot. Tyrese Max, he's a great player and cooked him. And you rushed him up because, hey, he had a good G league game. Oh, God. This is what the Clippers have done with Kawhi Leonard. It's been years of pandering. Embiid in Philadelphia, the babysitting in New Orleans. With Zion in the NBA, they had to ban phones from players during games. They were using them at halftime timeouts. They had to ban players from using phones during games. You don't have to do that with grownups. They understand. They're at work, they're going to work hard. And I think of the many reasons the NFL is separated from the NBA is the NFL is a serious league. The games matter. It's adults, it's men. It's real conversation. Like there's no, no pandering. We're not going to see Jalen hurts, son. You know, wedged into the Eagles to play running back. No, it's Taquan Barkley. He's better than anybody. And I think this goes back to some of the issues the NBA has. Not a single NBA reporter would even touch this with a ten foot pole. I mean, this thing. What are we doing here? Nice kid, maybe a G league player, but 38 minutes on the floor, hasn't scored a basket. He's a 6, 2 non ball handling guard. What are we doing? What are we pretending? Grown up conversations. Don't be terrified. Walk on eggshells. I've seen it time and time again last night. Came in three turnovers, 0 for 5. Look terrified, nervous. And the Sixers. You can't fool players. Went right after him. You can't fool players. When the red light comes on, you know who can do it and who can't. This continues to be an unserious story. What you don't want to become is an unserious league. The NFL, you take it seriously because they take it seriously. They don't have to ban phones from their players. Irritating. Okay, so if you didn't see it, and I know you're busy, the Jerry Jones Schottenheimer press conference, by all accounts, was so weird. I went home yesterday and watched big chunks of it. So weird. So Dak Prescott said yesterday, hey, my future is tied to Brian Schottenheimer, the new coach. And you know that's a major red flag in real estate. It's about two things. Great location, great kitchen. You'll always sell the home. Location's great, kitchen's great. Rest of the house can be a tire fire. It doesn't matter. You'll sell the home. The NFL is a head coach quarterback league. You can be bad at linebacker. You don't have to grab a great offensive line. You, you can be weak at safety. You don't have. Have to have an elite corner. It doesn't matter. Head coach is great. Coach is great. You're going to be really good. There are eight combos in the NFL right now that I would consider elite head coach quarterback combo. I don't understand one of them, but there are eight that you can't deny. You're getting a really good quarterback and a really good coach, and you can figure it out. Reed and Mahomes, McVeigh and Stafford, both Harbaughs with Lamar and Justin. Matt LeFleur, Jordan Love, Sean McDermott. Josh, you may not love Jordan Love or Sean McDermott, but they're good. Dan Campbell, Jared Goff, Nick Ceriani. Hertz. I can't explain Nick Ceriani. I can't explain his success. I'm not going to try to. His methodology is weird, but the guy wins and they love him and the players love him, and so be it. And, and that's. That's the eight teams. Eight for eight, by the way, in the playoffs. And just ask yourself, where does Shotenheimer and Dak fit in the league? If. If that's the elite eight, where do they fit? Two things are true. Schottenheimer didn't call plays for a 710 team and was given the job. That's strange. And Dak is coming off a second lower body injury, and he got worse after the last one. So I, I'm not. I mean, I know Dak Schottenheimer is better than Derek Carr with no coach, and I think it's better than Will Levis and Brian Callahan. But if you gave me Dave Canales and Bryce Young for the next two years, I'd take the Carolina guys. I take Baker and Todd Bowles today. Absolutely. Mike Vrabel, Drake May. Absolutely. Caleb. Ben Johnson without an argument. So this is a coach quarterback league. And through all the weirdness of the press conference now with a second lower body injury, Dax saying, I'm tying it to Brian Schottenheimer. Just ask yourself where would you put them in the league? Don't listen to me. You think about it now. Where do you stack them? Because there's eight and. And we don't. I. I think Sean McDermott's a good coach. Do I think he's great. I think he lacks some nuance offensively. Sirianni I don't get necessarily. Jordan loves a very talented quarterback. More talented than Dakot. He's not great yet. Little too reckless. LA FL is outstanding. But just ask yourself. I would take Kevin O Connor of the Vikings not even knowing who his quarterback is today. Kevin OConnell. Excuse me. I. I would take him today. I don't even know if they're going to play Daniel Jones, J.J. mcCarthy or Sam Darnold. I would take that. So that's the real warning sign. Kitchen location. You'll always sell a home. Head coach and quarterback are elite. You're fine. I like Brian Dable. There's only so much he could do with Daniel Jones. One of them has to be an A and the other one has to be B plus plus to A minus or it doesn't work in this league or you get fired in this league. So you know that that's as I'm watching this press conference and Dax saying, I'm going to tie it to Schottenheimer. My take is wow. I mean we had reservations before. Wow is where it lands. Andy Reid in 45 minutes. Now, J. Mac, I know you are on this. Brawny is going to emerge as an NBA star. So as I led with that today, I don't want to come across is. I don't. I don't hope the kid doesn't do well. But there is an over. I would say there is a reality of the NBA that continues is that the media that covers it is baseball is romantic. They. They romance the past of baseball. That's not really what NBA is. The NBA is terrified to lose access to stars. So we're all pretending this Brawny thing's a real story. And it's like the minute he's on the floor, the Sixers are like attack this is, by the way, what happens. This is what Brady and Mahomes do when a cornerback gets hurt. You sub in a corner, fresh from the bench and Brady and Mahomes were like, attack.

[J. Mac]

Benford got hurt for the Bills the.

[Colin Cowherd]

Minute they're out, the minute they went on the floor, attack. So the players are telling you, what are we doing here? 38 minutes without a basket, a 6, 2 non point guard because he had a good G league game. You know. You know what? There's always been a question and we have an answer to it now. There's always been a question, what would it look like if you put a athletic non NBA player in an NBA game? What would he look like that. I think I'm being totally fair. I do not think I'm being unfair.

[J. Mac]

You know, the audience can't see this, but I couldn't make eye contact with you.

[Colin Cowherd]

You were so upset once you started.

[J. Mac]

Unloading on your old rookie who, who was put in by JJ Redick. Like Reddick gave a great press conference. I know we only showed a little clip, but he was like, listen, we're on a back to back. We're in the midst of a six game road trip. I wanted an energy guy, a little spark. So I put Bronnie in early, okay. And it didn't quite work out. You know, the Lakers have a tough stretch here. Four national TV games and I think 10 days.

[Colin Cowherd]

Why does it matter if they're on television?

[J. Mac]

Just the national TV games are a little more. You know, the league really wants all the stars to play. And oh, by the way, Anthony Davis goes down in the first, first half and it's like, oh my gosh, we're getting destroyed. Listen, I think you're going a little too harsh.

[Colin Cowherd]

1 for 15.

[J. Mac]

He's not had a great rookie year so far. But he's 20 years old.

[Colin Cowherd]

Dude, he's 20. What do you see that would lead you to believe he's not a great actor?

[J. Mac]

I see an energy guy early in his career who comes off the bench, provide some fiery, let's go defense. I know it didn't show last night against Maxi, but it's tough to play defense when your rim protector is out injured. I don't know, you know, A.D. he's hurt now. Looks like you might have jinxed him on yesterday's show. Looks like he's going to be out reevaluated in two weeks.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're becoming an NBA reporter. You know, he's an energy guy. What does that mean?

[J. Mac]

He's a 20 year old guy who comes off the bench in a, in a back to back setting.

[Colin Cowherd]

What does that have to do with it? If you're 20 years old, who gives a rip about back?

[J. Mac]

I know it's an 82 game season. Baseball's a long season. Hockey's a long season.

[Colin Cowherd]

He does.

[J. Mac]

It's tough to maintain energy.

[Colin Cowherd]

He doesn't have a basket in his last 38 minutes.

[J. Mac]

Hey, I've had cold stretches in my men's leagues. It happens to the best of us. But Colin, let's be real and I talked about this on my podcast. Like Kansas City Chiefs treated the regular season this year. Kind of like the NBA. They were unserious for the first month. I know they went 15 and two all their games. I understand that. But if you watch what they did, they weren't trying to put up a ton of points. Nothing exotic. And here they had their best offensive output in a conference championship game. I think some of the elite NFL teams, Patriots did this. Are going to start to hold back stuff for the playoffs.

[Colin Cowherd]

What does that have to do with the brawny story that we're supposed to all pretend this is a real thing? If his dad wasn't LeBron, would he be on the team?

[J. Mac]

Probably not.

[Colin Cowherd]

In the NFL would you have somebody's son on the team?

[J. Mac]

That's totally different.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. The NFL prioritizes winning. It's serious business. We don't have to ban phones from you.

[J. Mac]

Well, 90 of NFL guys are done in the league by like 35. You know, you don't see a lot.

[Colin Cowherd]

Of 40 year old the NFL because the rosters are so huge. You could actually cheat on an NFL roster and find a place for a guy in the NBA when you're not the Celtics or OKC and loaded. There's no area to waste a roster spot. But in baseball you have a huge bullpen. I could see in baseball, football, hockey, you could slide a guy on for a quick line. In the NBA you got how many roster spots?

[J. Mac]

Listen, Bronny is averaging 23, 6 and 5 in the G League shooting 45% on threes. There is growth. That's that we can at least admit that a 20 year old showing growth in the G league. I'm not saying he's going to be a star or even an all star.

[Colin Cowherd]

I it it what set me off is J.J. redick's. I put him in a bad spot. No you didn't. You put him in a spot. He made the spot bad. You didn't put him in a bad spot. A bad spot. You're 20 years old. We're playing the Sixers on TV. Do you want to play? No. It's a really bad spot for me. It's a chance of a lifetime. Put him. That's what sets me off. I like LeBron and I said when. When Bronny came out and played with his dad, I was like, cool. Like Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey senior, both great. Ken Griffey Jr. Is obviously top five, 10 great players of all time. I understood the initial let's play him, but now you're trying to. Like, you're going to guilt me into believing it's a real thing. I gave you the opening game. I give you the fun of it. I'm not. I'm not anti anything, but you can't make me now want to buy into it. Like, I'm done. Like, stop with this.

[J. Mac]

Well, they also got injuries. Gabe Vincent did not play last night. You know, Sheikh Milton, who was part of that DFS trade, Six minutes, like, you know, back to back. I know it sounds like I'm making excuses for. For LeBron.

[Colin Cowherd]

And how about we just measure basketball players like we do pro football players?

[J. Mac]

Why pro football players play 18 games over four months, the NBA season that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Lasts all year and tackle each other at full speed. So you're physically. It's it.

[J. Mac]

There's a level homes is not lining up in the secondary in addition to being quarterback. Like, let's stop with the NBA NFL comparisons. Come on.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, there is no comparison.

[J. Mac]

Of course not.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jason Tatum made his NBA debut at 19 years old. Was he in bad spots? No, he was asked to be good.

[J. Mac]

Wait, Jason Tatum, a top three pick in the draft? A superstar from Duke?

[Colin Cowherd]

This was the weakest NBA draft, some said ever.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, that it was. It was not great.

[Colin Cowherd]

So my question was always, what if it was a good draft? Would you find a spot for him then? By the way, there's stories the Lakers called people not to draft him. You okay with that? I mean, I'm going to win this argument with that. Yeah. Nobody's thrilled with that. I'm not thrilled with any of it. But we all played along for a week. I'm not going to play along anymore.

[J. Mac]

They're fifth in the West. What else do you want? Let him play, the young kid.

[Colin Cowherd]

Come on. Have a heart. Cowherd. I know I come across as. I. I guess it's this. There's two stories to every sports and I wrote it in my first book about this. There's two things happening with every story, the one we feed the public and the truth. Right? What we're feeding the public is nonsense. It's BS. The truth is a 62 non ball handler guard who can't shoot. What are we doing? It makes me be the ogre on the air and the bad guy. But it's like, what are we doing here? Let's be serious. As a sport. Let's, let's talk about serious stuff, real players. And again, I come across as bad guy. Like I'm beaten up on it. But it's like you drafted him. You called teams, told not to draft it. You move him up and now you're reduced to I put the kid in a bad spot. I'm just over it. I'm over with the story. I'm done. No more stories on this. Well, you can do them in her. I will just do this. When you talk about I'll just turn my mic off. I'm done. If you've been thinking about home security, now's the time to join millions of Americans who trust Simply Safe stops break ins. Go to simplisafecollen.com 50% enough. A new system. There's no safe like simply Safe. I'm just going to turn the mic off. This point forward, be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. I'm somebody that likes to experiment with food. My son, my daughter are the same thing. But even when I go to get a traditional meal like steaks, the best chefs know that grass fed grain finished beef delivers an exquisite marbling that produces rich steakhouse flavor you crave. Even with steaks. Keep your eye on it. With all the football this weekend, it was a great time to bust open my Omaha Steaks assortment. Pack air Chilled boneless chicken breasts, ribeye and steak burgers. Gourmet jumbo franks. They're great butcher's cut top sirloins, steakhouse fries and for dessert, caramel apple tartlets. Football plus Omaha Steaks it doesn't get better than this. Every bite at Omaha Steaks is backed by their 100% guarantee. And now's the perfect time to shop during the Omaha Steaks Big Yum event@omaha steaks.com plus get an extra 20 bucks off use the promo code herdherd at checkout. Winter is a perfect time to indulge in classic comfort foods, but it's also a great time to discover something new. And during the Omaha Steak Big Yum event, you can do that. They offer unrivaled quality and variety and every bite is backed by their 100% guarantee. Every steak is extra aged to maximize tenderness and hand cut by master butchers in America's heartland, the fan favorite Filet mignon has earned the coveted distinction of USDA certified tender. Five generations of uncompromising quality dating back to 1917. Bring home the world's best steak experience with omaha steaks. Visit omaha steaks.com save in your favorites and discover something new during their Big Yum event. And for an extra $20 off, use the promo code herdherd at checkout. That's omahasteaks.com an extra $20 off with the promo code herdherd at checkout. If you love iPhone, you'll love Apple Card. It comes with the privacy and security you expect from Apple. Plus, you earn up to 3% daily cash back on every purchase, which can automatically earn interest when you open a High Yield Savings account through Apple Card. Apply for Apple Card in the Wallet app subject to credit approval. Savings is available to Apple Card owners subject to eligibility.

[Katie Couric]

Apple Card and Savings by Goldman Sachs.

[Colin Cowherd]

Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch Member FDIC terms and [e-mail] hey, it's Bobby Bones.

[Bobby Bones]

Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything because we got lots to say. I. I texted you and you texted me back. Now, I don't know if you have the update, but like, all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like, it's all colored. They changed it and the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm gonna be honest, it was a little pink.

[Matt Castle]

There was something sentimental when you like when you send it, it's like, do I send the heart now?

[Bobby Bones]

I don't like the color edition.

[Matt Castle]

It's extremely pink.

[Bobby Bones]

Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Couric]

Hey everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch, and I'm exhausted, but turns out the end is near right in time for a new season of my podcast, Next Question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some foks, friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha bee, Roy Wood Jr. And Charlemagne the God. We're going to take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

So there's an argument after Patrick Mahomes. I don't even know if there is an argument. The best player in the game is Saquon Barkley. And I was looking this morning at this season's numbers. He's number one in everything except rushing touchdowns and he's got 18. The kid's unbelievable, all class. And I, I started a company a few years ago and, and I called a bunch of smart people. I called like Mark Cuban, I called people had been very successful and I said, hey, give me a piece of business advice. And you know, all of them have kind of the same messages. But I remember this piece of advice from somebody hit a bunch of doubles and you'll have a successful business because other companies will make mistakes. You don't have to hit home runs, hit doubles. You'd be amazed how often somebody makes a mistake. And that's how Saquon Barkley ended up with the Philadelphia Eagles. Drew Brees became a saint because a Miami Dolphins doctor wouldn't clear him. Mistake. Reggie White became a Packer. He was in Philadelphia. Their owner, Norman Brahman, was so cheap and short sighted, he not only hired Rich Cotite, arguably the worst head coach ever, but he charged players for equipment to maximize profits. It was a second tier organization. Roger Woodson, Charles Woodson went from to Green Bay immediate Super Bowl. Why? Because old Al Davis thought he was Jerry Jones and was the GM and the owner and at that point was weird and frugal and making terrible decisions. And you start looking around Brady in Tampa, Bill thought he was done. Bill couldn't provide him with receivers he started to alienate Tom, and in the end, he had no succession plan. They made a big mistake. Brady, even after all the years in Tampa, was still a top 78 quarterback. So when I look at the Saquan Barkley situation, you had Joe Shane, a GM in New York, who bought into this silly online media narrative that running backs had topped out. They had no value long term. And as we said, it was March 11th or something like that was the day that it happened. I said, he's. Not only is he going to succeed in Philadelphia, but because the Giants O line was so bad and they have no star weapons on the perimeter. You can cheat when you play the Giants against Saquon, you can stack the Boss, but with AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, the safeties are off the line and the O line's first or second best in the league. It's not like he's going to be good in Philly. He's going to be dominant. Don't even listen to any of these people on the Internet. Go pay a running back. Go buy him. This was a huge mistake. And we watched hbo, Max, we watched the Giants and Mara now. Ridiculous. It was so. This is an organization. They paid Daniel Jones and they let Saquon Barry Barkley walk. And I believe this to my core. You do not have to be a genius to get rich. You do not have to be brilliant. You don't have to be like Elon Musk, Zuckerberg tech whiz, to be very successful, hit doubles in life and then wait for other people to make big mistakes. That's it. Just don't take all the wild big swings regularly. An occasional big swing, but I mean, all Philadelphia did was go, well, man, if this guy's rushing for that in New York with no weapons on the outside to keep safeties out of the box in a bad old line. And Daniel Jones, what is he going to do here? I mean, of all Howie Roseman's moves, it's actually not that impressive. It's obvious. The fact that it was available is nuts. It was just another mistake. It could be a Miami doctor, a bad owner in Philadelphia, a grumpy coach in New England. Just wait. That's the only time hall of Fame level talent in their primes available. Right. The free agent market is generally, you know, it's got kind of a Jimmy Butler feel to it where good player aging wants big money. That's always kind of what free agency feels like. I'm not saying Jimmy Butler can't play. I think he would make the warriors better, but I'm not going to build my franchise around him. I'm not giving him huge money. Does he fit? Can he make us better on the Steph Curry timeline? I mean, this was a Hall of Fame talent in their prime, and somebody let him walk like somebody did with Charles Woodson, Reggie White and Drew Brees. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Hey, it's Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis, and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio. And, of course, the iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything because we got lots to say. I texted you and you text me back. Now I don't know if you have the update, but like all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like it's all colored. They changed it and the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm going to be honest, it was a little pink.

[Matt Castle]

There was something sentimental when you, when you send it. It was like, do I send the heart?

[Bobby Bones]

Now I don't like the color edition.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's extremely pink.

[Bobby Bones]

Listen to lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Couric]

Hey, everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch, and I'm exhausted. But turns out the end is near. Right in time for a new season of my podcast. Next Question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some foks, friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha bee, Roy Wood Jr. And Charlemagne the God. We're going to take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, it's Julie Stewart Banks.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm doing a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts and the National Hockey League, and I'm paired up with one of my favorite players, the always quotable Nate Thompson.

[Matt Castle]

I wore nine NHL sweaters, and I.

[Colin Cowherd]

Have story after story to share. And believe it or not, I have.

[Matt Castle]

Plenty to say, and not just about hockey.

[Colin Cowherd]

Believe me, he does. Energy Line with Nate and JSB is the name of the podcast, and it's gonna be quite the ride. We're officially linemates, Nate. We're the Energy Line. We'll have plenty of folks join us.

[Matt Castle]

Current players, some of my former teammates, hall of Famers.

[Colin Cowherd]

And wait till you see some of the connections that Julie has. She has quite the Rolodex. Okay, we'll lean into Nate's playing experience and tap into our interests away from hockey and try to do what energy lines are supposed to do, provide an emotional boost. How do you feel about all that, Nate? I'm vibing, Julie.

[Matt Castle]

I'm ready to roll.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and JSB starting on February 4th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's going on, everybody? This is Justin Pennik from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race. Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics. And of course, Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a crow in the media world as well. Listen to Football Today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run. Andy is 33 and 7 after a by the Chiefs are since he's been there that, I mean that, that I, I'm not sure if Nick Saban was that good against Citadel at Alabama, 33 and 7. He's made more playoff appearances than any coach in league history. Needs three more wins and he's the winningest playoff coach ever. And this weekend he had one of his best poker runs, saving the best plays for the right time. And Andy Reid, coach of the Chiefs, is now joining us. Now, you're a humble guy and so I'm going to try to by the end of this, get you for, for five seconds not to be humble, but I'm not going to start there because I have to massage this a little bit to get to get you. So I'm going to start with this one. So I compared Mahomes to MJ and I, we all watched MJ play and he was always great. And then you'd get into these big game sevens or game sixes and it was like, I'm not even sure Michael was listening to Phil Jackson. He just went up and Mahomes averaged four rushes a game. And then this week he's got 11. So did you coach that? Did you call that or was that Mahomes just doing, hey, this sudden death. I got to make stuff happen because he does this Andy in games where he just, he's the Hulk, he just expands. Did you think he'd run 11 times?

[Andy Reid]

I wasn't thinking 11 times, Colin. I mean he, but we did have a couple of things in for him so he could, he could get out there and move. He enjoys doing that during the playoffs and later in the season. So not recommended early.

[Colin Cowherd]

So when you do a really good job of saving your special play for the perfect moment. Now I was thinking I was talking to a friend the other night. It was an executive in the league, and I said, I'd love to go back and look at Andy's first three or four years as a coach. Did you, when you were young, when you had that special, that big, special play, have you developed into a great poker player? Have you always been that patient? Or is that something as a coach that developed or. Or did you sneak it in in the second quarter, your second year coaching, because you knew you had something that was going to work? Has that developed, or is that always part of you?

[Andy Reid]

Well, I had a great teacher, Mike Holmgren, so he always said, you know, keep one more bullet in that gun there so that you're ready to go and you've got it down the stretch. These games are so close, so you want to make sure you. You're able to save something. I probably wasn't as patient, though, when I was younger, but I was taught that at a young age.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, you guys played better against Buffalo. I thought your first drive, urgency, efficiency, you attacked. I don't know if you save your best for it, but it does feel like Buffalo brings out the best in you. When you look over that film, do you feel that?

[Andy Reid]

Yeah, I would say that it's a. It's turned into a unique rivalry. I think Sean McDermott does a heck of a job up there, and that team's well coached. And so our players know that. They know they're going to get. They're going against good football team, they got good talent and they're going to execute. They don't make a whole lot of mistakes. And so you've got to be on your A game and that, you know, we're all in this for the competition. And these players are so stinking competitive. They. I think they thrive on that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, yeah. So we all know that high school and college coaches, part of their job is to develop players, but it's also part of your job. But sometimes in the media and fans think, well, he's a pro player, he doesn't need development. I think it's fascinating to watch Xavier Worthy. So I watched him in college and I said, when you picked him, I said, I think he's a gadget guy. I'm not sure if he's a 12 catch guy or 12 target guy. You have developed him over the season into a volume guy. Can you take me through the process of that? And is he what you envisioned?

[Andy Reid]

Yeah, probably that and a little bit more. I was lucky to have desean Jackson. So he and desean are the same body type. Sometimes you put the little guys in a certain category, but they listen. He, he, he's done everything we've asked him to do, plus a little bit more. And that's kind of where you got to go with it. Colin, Some guys aren't willing to do the things that we've asked him to do. I think Hollywood has been a good example to him. Hollywood is not the biggest guy either, but he wants to do everything. And so he comes up through that room and has a good example there and, and has really just stepped up and gone. But you can be a great coach and, and teacher, but if the player's not willing to do the things, then you know it's not going to work. So he's, he's so willing to do everything.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're the best tackling team in the NFL. My buddy John Middelkoff, former scout for the Eagles, you may know John, and John always says, this team tackles better than any team I can ever remember. Is that a Spags thing? Is it, is it a reality that you still have physical practices? Not all teams that are talented tackle like you do. Where does that come from?

[Andy Reid]

Yeah, I actually hired middle class and I think he says, good, it's the homer deal. But he, yeah, Spags does a great job. We work on it year round. So it's, he doesn't miss a beat with that. He has guys out there, they're either tackling those giant donut things or they're tackling each other. So it's, but it's, it's part of the game. I mean, you always hear that if you've played football, you've heard the coach say, this game's about blocking and tackling, right? So you've got to. And that's true. You got to be able to do both or you're not going to be very successful.

[Colin Cowherd]

Some of your best players, Chris Jones and Travis Kelsey among them, are older players. Many, you know, Veech and you have built a really nice layering system. Excellent. Young, middle age and a couple of guys that are older. Let's take Travis Kelsey, you're developing a Noah Gray, you're developing. I had, I had theorized during the season. I said, I think they're trying to develop their receiving targets over the course of a season. They'll get the Travis. They know what they get from Travis. Do you coach Travis a little differently just because of his age, experience? You know, when the red lights on, he'll be good. Do you, do you look at him Differently than other players on your team?

[Andy Reid]

Yeah, I'd probably say yes, to be honest with you, because I've been around him for so much, so long, and we've had him my whole duration here and, and drafted him and so on. So I know, I kind of know where he's at physically, mentally. I know what he can do in games and, and, and so we try to utilize him. I also know what's around him, which helps him because for a while there we were banged up a little bit and guys were trying to learn and you know, he was being double teamed and that wasn't as good for him. But Travis would be a heck of a football coach. He's able to get up there and explain things and teach these young guys exactly what he sees and feels. Not that they all have that same talent, but he's got a good feel for the game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Years ago I asked Pete Carroll, I was sitting in his office at USC and I said, what are you proudest about about your team? And he said, I never for this. He said, you have to play nearly perfect to beat us. He goes, we play so hard. We play so hard. Now this is where I'm going to ask you not to be humble for 10 seconds. I'll never ask you this again. This is the only time if there was a room of great coaches and they were talking about Andy Reid and they said, here's Andy's best quality. With Andy's teams, what is the thing that you want to be remembered for beyond trophies, but that you're proud of and your team? And by the way, it may be players and you, but, but what matters to you beyond the winning in your legacy?

[Andy Reid]

Yeah, I think teaching, I think that's an important thing. Being honest with the guys, trusting the guys, I think those are all, all things I think are important. I hope I'm, I'm doing that part of it. So I would tell you that those are probably the things that, that I'd look for.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, people would call you a great teacher. So Michael Vick once told me, he said, with Andy, Andy lets you be you, but he coaches around what you can do now. You've had Mahomes now for so many years. Are you coaching Patrick differently today in big games than you did like four to five years ago?

[Andy Reid]

Yes, four to five years ago. He didn't have the same feel he's got for the game now and wasn't as solid with all of his surroundings there and different options. So yeah, we do it different with him now. Have a Lot of trust in him and what he, what he knows and what he can do at the line of scrimmage. And he's very accurate with that. So it's definitely different.

[Colin Cowherd]

Has he ever talked to in or out of something on the sidelines when the cameras at CBS go on and you're now it'll be at Fox when we have the cameras on you. Has he ever talked to in or out of something late?

[Andy Reid]

No, but he'll have an idea. But normally he just goes, just call it. You know, he just wants you to call, he wants you to call what's on your mind and, and you know, he'll go run it. He doesn't get into all that. But I, I asked him like, what do you like here? I have no problem with that. Matt Nagy does a great job with that. So it's, we try to keep it as open as possible. And as you know, you're a quarterback, normally if the quarterback likes something, it's going to get done.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, the, I know you've looked at the tape of Philadelphia. It is a green wall of talent. They, they got dudes, Andy. It may be the only team you match up with all year and they have more Pro bowl kind of level players. What it, when you pop that tape in all your years, what is the first thing that jumps out to you with Philadelphia?

[Andy Reid]

Yeah, I tell you, their skill position and their D line jumps out at you. They've got great skill. They've got a quarterback that can deal it. Their offensive line is strong. They've been banged. They were banged up a little bit, but they're strong. And then that D line and their speed on the second level, the linebacker level and the in the back end with the secondary shows up.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Do you.

[Andy Reid]

He's done a nice job there.

[Colin Cowherd]

He has. Do you envision how games are going to go? Do you have a sense like Buffalo? If I said you, it's going to kind of look like this, like you came out attack dog. I mean, your first drive look felt like it was kind of scripted a little bit, but I could tell you'd seen something in the coverage. You went right after it. Do you have a sense of what games look like before they happen, or do they develop and sometimes you just sit back, watch it develop and call it as it goes.

[Andy Reid]

Normally this time of the year, Colin, you have a pretty good idea what teams are doing. They have a pretty good idea of what you're doing. And it allows really, it allows your guys to go out and play and play Fast. And so I'm always telling the guys that every step you take in the playoffs, the games get a little faster. Well, that's why, you know, it's not just an effort thing, it's that you've mastered kind of all these different schemes that we've got in and, and, and you can play fast and it's, it goes that way, both sides and special teams.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. I did a story at essay this week and I said, I, I, I hope you don't retire. I mean, I cannot imagine retirement, even if you love golf, is nearly this fun. Do you ever take a breath and go, damn, this is fun. This is, this is a good time?

[Andy Reid]

Yeah, no, absolutely. I mean, I love doing what I'm doing. And so how many guys have an opportunity, there are 32 of us in the whole world and that have an opportunity to do this. And then I'm around these kids, so I'm getting older, losing my hair, no red hair left. And I go out there and I'm with a group of guys that are somewhere between 22 and 35 every day and they bring all this energy. So, and if you're limping, they're going to get out to you and make fun of you, you know, so I've got to try to stand up straight and go right and do my thing.

[Colin Cowherd]

It is great to see you. You look great and I'm so. I know you gave us 10 minutes and you're busy as heck and I appreciate it, coach. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Very interesting. I'm reading out of the Senior bowl where Albert Brear is going to join us. That Riley Leonard, Notre Dame quarterback, had some impressive throws. Very interesting. Everybody knows I love Riley Leonard and Kyle McCord, by the way, at Syracuse. I will say this right now, I'm going to predict he will be a second round pick and I think he has a chance to be the best quarterback in the draft. You think? I'm out of my. Is he there, by the way? Is Kyle McCord there? No, he's not.

[Matt Castle]

No, he's not here. I watched Kyle McCord quite a bit, you know, when he was a, when he was a junior. So yeah, he's got an interesting story and I think it's sort of indicative of the whole class, you know, Colin, where there are, I mean, two guys who I think have a good shot to go in the first round and Shador Sanders and Cam Ward. Then after that it's just sort of this big mishmash of players that have their pluses and their minuses. Jackson Dartford, bold misses in that group. Will Howard from Ohio State may have played himself into that group. Kyle McCord, Jalen Milro. So it's interesting from that standpoint, like, I don't know that any of these guys would have gone over the top six last year, even Shador Cam. But you know, there are a lot of guys, I think who have a chance to help themselves quite a bit over the next three months and that should make it exciting.

[Colin Cowherd]

So, you know, we have all these coaching situations going on. I went back and looked at the Jerry Stephen Jones press conference. It was at minimum uncomfortable at times, a little cringy. I said this and I'm trying to be fair. It's starting to feel like the old Al Davis Raiders where they're kind of doing their own thing. They're not really. They're not amongst the league. They're kind of on their own island. What was your take on that press conference? Using air quotes to talk about. He goes, we're in a drought. Well, yeah, it's 29 years. It is a drought. It's not make believe by us.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, I mean when I would check in with people about where their search was and this is the way it's been, you know, for the last couple of years in a number of different areas. Like there's this is up to Jerry, refrain to almost everything. And you do wonder if it's time for Stephen who's, you know, I mean, grown up in the business. You know, you can say what you want about him being the owner's son. Like this is really his life's work as the football team. Is it time for him to have a little bit more control over things? And you know, I think you're right. Like to look at the way this happened now. I. Brian Schottenheimer is a good football coach and one of the more well liked guys you'll find in the NFL. There are a lot of people out there rooting for him. That doesn't mean the process wasn't a mess. And you know, you, you, the first thing you think of and you know when you talk to other teams about this is the Cowboys looked unprepared to do a search.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Matt Castle]

You know, they're the second week of January, which is kind of mind blowing when you consider the fact that they're the ones who sent Mike McCarthy into the contract year in the first place, knowing this was a possibility from the very start and you know, really didn't have much of the groundwork done and to hold McCarthy to his contract for an extra eight days and then launch your own coaching search after you've sort of jeopardized your ability to talk to the Lions chief's assistants. It was messy in about a million different ways. And so, you know, I think you come out of this saying like, how is it possible that the Cowboys weren't more prepared to do a coaching search? And the other piece of evidence that they weren't prepared is how insular the whole thing was. They had two renewal candidates, Leslie Frazier and Robert Sol. And other than that, every name you heard was connected to the franchise. People the Joneses know, whether it was Brian Schottner or who they wind up hiring. Jason Whitten, Deion Sanders, Kellen Moore. There's just something that's so insular about the whole thing, you know, and so I think there are big picture questions here, separate from whether or not Brian Schottenheimer's success as the head coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, I think Pete Carroll to the Raiders fits. I actually like Spy Tech, the kid from Tampa. I feel like, oh, my God, did the Raiders get it right? There are no A plus plus quarterbacks. Milro, Shador, Cam, Riley, Leonard. They're all. They're all don't. They don't feel transformational. What do you. What do you think? What do you think? Raiders have to get a quarterback in the division with Herbert, Bo, Nixon, Mahomes, which creates real urgency. Well, it would be a guess. I mean, there's a Darnold, there's Kirk Cousins, there's Russell Wilson. There's some options out here. If you had to guess where Pete goes in the quarterback, because you're not winning in that division without a quarterback. The coaching and quarterbacking is too good. Where do you think they go?

[Matt Castle]

I think the easy answer is Russell Wilson. And that at least allows you to tread water where you're not forced to do something you don't want to do in the draft. Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, before.

[Matt Castle]

Before Carroll and Spytech were hired, one thing I had heard was the football people there were going to be under a mandate to go find one. And they let the Giants spend a lot of time on the road. Their scouting department did looking at the quarterbacks ahead of the end of the college season. So there's a lot of groundwork that's been laid there to take a quarterback. But I think you and I both know the worst thing you can do is overdraft a quarterback and take yourself out of the market. For quarterbacks for two or three years and get it wrong. So, you know, I, I think the smart thing to do, I think what Pete Carroll will look to do and John Spytek will look to do is to find somebody that they're comfortable treading water with for the next couple of years. And again, like, to me, like, Russell Wilson is the one that sort of makes sense for them because Pete has the background with them. He's familiar with what Pete's going to be trying to establish from, you know, a cultural standpoint and look like I think a lot of the friction between Seattle and, and Russell, like, I think the Seahawks have been proven right on a lot of that stuff. Like Pete Carroll knew how to play Russell Wilson, he knew how to deploy Russell Wilson. And I think, you know, Russell had to find out for himself in a lot of different ways that his, his, his desire to go out and be Peyton Manning or Tom Brady and throw the ball all over the yard and run the offense out of the shot. Yeah, it wasn't realistic. And you know, and I think that's one thing Pittsburgh didn't really, really well with him last year is get him back to what he does well. And there's nobody who knows what he does well better than Pete Carroll because I think he got it right for a lot of years.

[Colin Cowherd]

Saquon Barkley, I was saying this. Whether it's Reggie White, Drew Brees to the Saints, Reggie White, Charles Woodson to the packers, to get a great all time player in their prime in the market, somebody has to make a big mistake. The Eagles, if you remember, they had an owner that made players pay for equipment. They hired Rich Cotite. That was a bad ownership situation. Let Reggie White go. Al Davis got old Charles Woodson, great player, lets him go. Doctors in Miami would know. Key, okay, Drew Brees, Saints pick up on him. Somebody has to make a mistake. Are you, are you surprised A little. That there hasn't been more fallout on the Giants handing their rival a Walter Payton, Barry Sanders level great player and that he now humiliates them? It's not quite Babe Ruth to the Yankees, but it is a rival. And he humiliates you every Sunday and yet the GM retained his job.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, I think it's, I think there's the hard knocks thing. Definitely made it worse. You know what I mean? Like in the optics of all that, definitely made it worse. You know, that said, I think you look at it and it's, I don't think it's. The situation is created the same when you're talking about an older running back for all teams, Right. And you know, I look at like the three teams that did really well signing running backs, because what they saw, all three of them, the packers, the Ravens, and of course the Eagles, they saw that the market had been depressed at that position to the point where now a great running back was an incredible value. And they, they all got incredible values. Derrick Henry in Baltimore, Josh Jacobs in Green Bay, and Saquon Barkley in Philly. But the reality here, Colin, is if you are going to pay Saquon Barkley, how much longer is he going to be great for based on the wear and tear in his body, his mileage, his age, all of that. And are you going to be good enough to be able to maximize him? Right. Like, in other words, are you going to be able to rebuild that thing fast enough where Saquon Barkley is going to be a great player on a championship level team the way he is in Philly? And I think for the Giants, the answer to that was no. Well, like we, like we are not going to be on a championship level fast enough where we can put this guy in position to be the best player on a championship level team, which I think is a big reason why they let him go. Now, you could argue that they should have done them the year before, and that's a fair argument. That's 100% something you can look at and say, yes, they should have gotten that done, especially with what they paid for Daniel Jones. But I think where they did it, you just look at it. The guy is, you know, going into his seventh year at that point. And historically running backs don't do great after that point. Yeah. And you say to yourself, we're just not going to be at a championship level fast enough to maximize what Saquon Barkley is.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finally, I don't make anything of it. I heard it for years. I was in East ESPN for 11 years in Connecticut. Oh, the league wants Brady to win. They get all the calls. I don't make anything of it. I thought it was a first down. It's go either way. But do you think the league is sensitive? I mean, the game got 56 million viewers. Do you think they're sensitive to all this? The league wants Taylor Swift, Mahomes and the Chiefs to win.

[Matt Castle]

The league officers everything. And they do have rabbit ears. And, and that's what happens when you stuff an office with lawyers and PR people. Their training is to react. Right. So they're always reacting to something. And certainly the way that game is officiated has given them a lot to react to. But here's the bottom line, Colin. And I feel really strongly about this, and this isn't new for me. I've said this for a while now. You have the technology to get these things right. And the reality is, the reason these things have become a bigger deal is because we can see more now. Because at every game you have 15, 20 different angles, Crystal clear, high definition. So you, as the viewer on your couch at home in Southern California, Colin, have the benefit of all of those cameras.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right, right, right.

[Matt Castle]

Yet we're not giving the officials the benefit of that. So, like, it still makes no sense to me why you can't find somebody at every game, put them up top and say you are in charge of paying attention to what's going on on all the different angles. And you have the power to buzz down to the official and make a change. If there's something that is wrong or egregious, that happens, and then at least the fan knows that you've done everything that you can to try and get it right. These questions are going to keep coming up. And it gets thornier when you're talking about having, you know, partnerships with gambling companies and all of that different stuff. You know, I just think, like, you owe it to the public to try to make sure that they know that you're doing your very best to get as many of the calls right as you possibly can't. And I don't think they're doing that yet. And so I think you get there and then maybe that helps a little bit with all of this. And look like the reality of it is, like, I hear people in New England, where I live, complaining about. About Mahomes getting calls, which might be the most death thing I've ever heard, based on the benefits that they had for 20 years with Tom Brady as a quarterback. The reality is guys like that are just going to get officiated differently. It is what it is. You know, it's Brady, it's my homes. The way Michael Jordan was officiated when he was. When he was. When he was with the Bulls, you know, it's just sort of a reality of it. And again, I think the best the NFL can do is is pull every lever to try to get as many of the calls right as they possibly can. And I think you use the technology to get yourself there.

[Colin Cowherd]

Albert Brear at the Senior Bowl. Always appreciate. Keep your eye on Woody Marks, USC running back. Keep your eye on Woody Mark.

[Matt Castle]

I'll take an I'll head right back out there, keep an eye on him for you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, I watch your Buckeyes. You can watch an occasional Trojan. We only send a couple to the NFL every year. Good. Good seeing you, Albert.

[Matt Castle]

All right, thanks, Colin.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with a Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Couric]

Hey, everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch, right in time for a new season of my podcast, Next Question. I'm bringing in some foks friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun thanks to some of my friends like Samantha Bee and Charlamagne the God. We're going to take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

What's up, everyone? Julie Swearbinks here, along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Matt Castle]

We're doing a new podcast together.

[Colin Cowherd]

Here we go. Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Matt Castle]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and Julie Starting on February 4th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everyone? It's Justin Pennik from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast with Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We roll three times a week. On Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays. Breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're gearing up for the NFL playoffs. I hope you can join us. Join in with us three times a week. Listen to Football Today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast and you will be glad you did.