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Colin Cowherd
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Colin Cowherd
With card member entrances at select venues and go straight to the action so you can catch every moment. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Learn more@americanexpress.com with Amex. Introducing Instagram Teen Accounts A new way to keep your teen safer as they grow. Like making sure they always have their seatbelt on. All right, buckle up. Good job. New Instagram Teen Accounts Automatic protections for who can contact your teen and the content they can see. Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd@foxsportsradio.com 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. All right, here we go. It is a increasingly busy Wednesday. Live in Los Angeles, it's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. J. Mac. More baseball at 3:45 in the morning. Loved it. I hope. Second night in a row. Little magnesium commitment to MLB action. Early, we've got news on Aaron Rodgers. Very interesting last night. What developed with the warriors and the Milwaukee Bucks. Something that's happening and pretty obvious. So you ready to go? Are we ready to have a killer Wednesday show? He said he is. Oh, so here. It's official. It is official. The Minnesota Vikings, the best option for Aaron Rodgers. It's over. They said, not interested. We're gonna go with J.J. mcCarthy. So now Aaron is left to the offensively tone deaf Pittsburgh Steelers, who just lost their left tackle and Najee Harris and can't get the O line right. Or the New York Giants, who have been in like 8, 9, 10 year rebuild. That's what he's left with. It's got a Nicholas Cage feel. Big production, big personality, big revenue. Once it dips, movie studios and NFL teams are like, yeah, you're a little quirky for us. His best option, more walks on the beach in Malibu. Hey, the JFK files were released. Maybe that'll be it. But his last 30 starts, two different organizations. One of them a really good one. 11 and 19, 24 giveaways and a passer rating below 90. And a lot of moodiness and a lot of drama. And great NFL quarterbacks basically fall into two categories. Great and low maintenance. Lamar Jackson, Mahomes Brady, you know, Breeze. And then great quarterbacks with some maintenance, sometimes high maintenance. Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, Big Ben. And here's what I know, that second group, they never age as well. Ever, ever age as well. And that's Aaron's group now. He's always been, and I don't think I'm taking a shot, a little combative. Even with his family. He's been moody. He's been at times arrogant. You could read Ian O'Connor's amazing book. I did. You could go back to NFL draft night. You can go back to Jeff Pearlman's book or Ian O'Connors when you know he's poking the great Brett Favre in the ribs. That's who he is. And it's okay to be defiant for any of us in our prime, but you better pivot to compliant when you're out of your prime. A lot of movie stars don't and they don't get the offers. And Aaron Rodgers didn't and he's not getting them either. Once you are out of the great years, you could be a high end chef, a quarterback, a movie star, a law partner. You lose your fastball. You got to go from defiant to compliant at least occasionally. And I thought it was very interesting this week as the Steelers are now one of his options. The former Walter Payton man of the Year, the highly respected Team leader Cam Hayward talking about Aaron making teams like the Steelers.
Jason McIntyre
Wait, I ain't doing that. Or darkness Darkness treat retreat. I don't mean any of that crap. Like, either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don't. That's. That's simple. That's the pitch. Like, if you want me to recruit, that's the recruiting pitch. You know, Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want to be part of it, so be. If you don't. No, no skin on my back.
Colin Cowherd
That is one of the most respected NFL players, not just on the Steelers top 10 in the league. I'm not into that darkness retreat crap. Let's be honest. If one of your friends went on one of those outside of Hollywood, it's kind of an eye roll, right? The woods of Oregon. I mean, ayahuasca, I get artists doing that. I'm all for ayahuasca. Never gonna take it. Never did. But I get creative types. But when Cam Hayward's like, I'm not gonna do that darkness retreat crap. I'm sorry. That's what a lot of people are saying. Like Nicolas Cage. Once the production drops, people kind of feel like, yeah, maybe a little quirky for us. Not a bad guy, but little quirky for us. It's now down to the Steelers, the Giants, or, hey, the best option, in my opinion, walks on the beach in Malibu. All right, well, once again, set the alarm clock a little tougher to get up second morning in a row at the 3:50 in the morning. I'm not gonna lie to you. But it was on FS1. And the greatest baseball player ever. Yeah, it's not particularly close. Ever put on a show, a 2, 2 pitch, and he sends one deep out towards right center field. Back at the wall. And it is off the very top of the wall, nearly a home run. And now they're gonna rule it perhaps as a home run it is. They kept it in, but Ohtani cranks one out and he gives the fans what they've been waiting for. His first of the year, man. Is there anybody in sports right now that meets the moment like Shohei? It is very messy. And MJ and Tiger in his prime. Stefan LeBron, dude meets the moment. And never forget this. He's a leadoff hitter. Okay. Why? Because he's so fast. First 50, 50 play, he's so fast, they bat him lean up leadoff. He could also bat second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seven. You could put him anywhere you want. And he could be an all star pitcher. Half of his greatest skill. He's not even using yet. The pitching part. Okay. Mahomes can't play linebacker. Ovechkin's not a goalie. What you're seeing now is making Bryce Harper and Aaron judge all time great players feel small. You get no ego with Otani. So you take him off the Dodgers. They could still win the World Series. You put him on the Dodgers. I don't know who's stopping this freight train. They should change that Major League Baseball video game from MLB the Show to MLB Shohei because it feels like a video game. Leading base dealer, power hitter, four average, All Star pitcher. Again, you take him off the Dodgers. When Freeman and Betts are there and Dusty May's back, Dustin Maybach still can be favorites to win the World Series. You put him on the Dodgers. And just think of the nerves and the electricity playing in Tokyo for Shohei. Yesterday, a couple of hits. Today the home run completely rises to the moment. Babe Ruth didn't run like this. Babe Ruth was cigars and beer and a belly. And this, this cat is totally different. This is the best athlete in America. There's nothing like him. And forget Babe Ruth. There has never been a pro athlete in America like this. I mean, would any of you doubt if he put this into football he'd be a tight end or if he wanted to play basketball. I mean it just when you put him next to other great players, we are watching history. Just put the camera on him. It's Tiger in his prime. Just watching him walk up the fairway is special. Here's Dave Roberts after Shohei puts his.
Jason McIntyre
Pants on just like we all do, one leg at a time. But if there's ever a superhero, I think Shohei just seems like a superhero. And in the biggest of games or the biggest of moments, he seems to always deliver.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, phenomenal. And I felt Cubs are going to be a good team. And last year the Yankees and the Padres and the Mets were good teams. But when you watch this all star team that includes Ohtani, man, everybody looks. Everybody looks average. Cubs are a good team. But you go to the bullpen against the Dodgers, we wish you the very best of luck. But they're. And they're doing it right now without a full lineup. They've got two potential all star level pitchers, two all star position players not playing pretty special. Dodgers start the season 2 0. So J. Mac, the Aaron Rodgers news is you and I have kind of been confused by Minnesota. There was the Darnold May resign Daniel Jones last year Aaron Rodgers flirtation. I've not quite Understood. All of it. My take is that November surgery. There's still some questions for J.J. mcCarthy, but this was the best spot for Aaron. Left tackle, receivers coach, momentum, playing doors, know the division. This was easily the best situation. Certainly, you know, he wanted to be in Minnesota. Right. Given the setup there. But I just. You got to feel bad for the guy at this point, you know? Yeah. Nobody wants him. Well, I think. I think people would take him, but it's. The terms are different now. You know, the terms used to be. You know, when you're in your prime and you're great, the terms are your terms. You have the. You have the leverage. You have the pole, the levers. He doesn't. And so it's. It's kind of dried up. And. And also when you get to this age, be one thing. If you're 27 and you're like, listen, I'm gonna. I'm gonna go vacation. I'm gonna come back. I'm gonna train. If you want me, I'm out there. It's not the way it works when you're 40. You, you, you. If you're not training every day, spending a million bucks to get elite and stay elite, you age. I mean, you age fast in this league to begin with. You really age fast when you're not at practice every day. Remember Tom Brady was like, I'm leaving the Patriots. Who's interested? And there were people clamoring for his services. Yeah. Aaron Rodgers now on the market. Kind of crickets. Yeah. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Welcome to a day in the life of an AMEX gold card member. 7:00am Iced coffee with up to $84 back annually at Dunkin locations. 12:00 Pesto zoodles with four times membership rewards points on purchases at U. S restaurants. Up to $50,000. This is so good.
Jason McIntyre
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Colin Cowherd
Spot with up to $100 back annually on eligible purchases at US Frezzi restaurants. What a day. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Cap applies. Learn more@american express.com With AmEx, you can count on T mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T mobile, keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com Keep and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required Card has no cash access and expires in six months. Introducing Instagram Teen Accounts. A new way to keep your teen safer as they grow. Like making sure they always have their seatbelt on. All right, buckle up. Good job. New Instagram Teen Accounts. Automatic protections for who can contact your teen and the content they can see. Prohibition. It's no secret that banning alcohol didn't stop people from living it up in the 1920s. When we're five years into prohibition, the government is starting to go, okay, this isn't working. In fact, you might even say it backfired spectacularly. I'm Ed Helms, and on season three of my podcast, Snap Snafu, we're taking you back to the 1920s and the tale of Formula Six. Because what you probably don't know about Prohibition is that American citizens were dying in massive numbers due to poisoned liquor. And all along, an unlikely duo was trying desperately to stop the corruption behind it. They were like superhero crusaders turning the.
Jason McIntyre
Page on a system that didn't work, wasn't fair, and was corrupt.
Colin Cowherd
So how did prohibition's war on alcohol go so off the rails that the government wound up poisoning its own people? To find out, listen and subscribe to snafu on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we'll get to what Draymond did last night. He was remarkable against Giannis, and I'll get to that in a couple minutes. He was, he was. Shut him down to a large degree. So Steph takes the night off and the warriors win, you know, kind of going away. And it's interesting when you watch Jokic over the last two to three years and you watch Wemby last year as a rookie in this year, it makes Giannis look much more incomplete. He. He doesn't shoot. He doesn't, he never developed a mid range game. He doesn't shoot a three. And so it's all about a physical mismatch and getting to the basket, which he does. But that takes a physical toll on you. All you have to do is go ask Shaq. By the time Shaq hit 32 and 33, he wasn't quite the same player. So Giannis has become sort of like Lamar Jackson, if Lamar hadn't developed into a great pocket passer yet. There's very little dimension to Giannis's game, and especially when you watch Wemby and you Watch Jokic, you just see different dimensions. It's a space and shooting league and he hasn't developed one. So don't get me wrong, he's an all time great and so was Shaq. And he gets to the free throw line a ton, but he's only shooting 60% from the free throw line. I think this morning we saw he has over 100 misses from the free throw line from second place in the league. So again, very much like Shaq. But Shaq played in a different era where Bully Ball was good enough. Bully Ball can dominate. It doesn't anymore, especially if you don't hit your free throws. It's a space and shooting league. And you watch Jokic, he's a point center. You watch Wemby breaking guys down on the angle. So Giannis is a great athlete, but Draymond last night largely shut him down. And here was Steve Kerr after Draymond. That defense tonight on Giannis was incredible. To hold him to five field goals. Draymond showed why he's still one of the great defenders in the world and why he's so important to winning night after night. Yeah, and again, nobody's. I'm not trying to dissuade you that, that Giannis isn't an all time great player and they got a title, but there, there aren't a lot of dimensions. And when you start comparing him, it's like, yeah, it, it does feel like he's easier to defend. You're not going to hold Jokic to five field goals. In fact, Draymond Green would tell you, Jokic is the one guy that nobody can defend. I mean, Draymond can't. Nobody can. Rudy Gobert can't. And that's because there's so many things he can do well. So, I mean, I still think he'd be a great fit to the New York Knicks, but, you know, the NBA. We always talked about Dwight Howard. You know, he aged really fast and you know, the big rebound block shot guy without a lot of post moves. One day it mattered, one day it didn't. And for Draymond to shut him down like that shows you you can defend him. Now, not a lot of guys are Draymond, but nobody's stopping Jokic consistently. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Hey, 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 4p 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 too. 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 podcasts. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich.
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Colin Cowherd
That's the powerful backing of American Express terms applying cap applies. Learn more@american express.com With AmEx, you can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile, keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Cart has no cash access and expires in six months. Introducing Instagram Teen accounts. A new way to keep your teen safer as they grow. Like making sure they always have their seat belt on. All right, buckle up. Good job. New Instagram Teen accounts Automatic protections for who can contact your teen and the content they can see. Prohibition. It's no secret that banning alcohol didn't stop people from living it up in the 1920s. When we're five years into prohibition, the government is starting to go, okay, this isn't working. In fact, you might Even say it backfired spectacularly. I'm Ed Helms, and on season three of my podcast Snafu, we're taking you back to the 1920s and the tale of Formula 6. Because what you probably don't know about Prohibition is that American citizens were dying in massive numbers due to poisoned liquor. And all along, an unlikely duo was trying desperately to stop the corruption behind it. They were like superhero crusaders turning the.
Jason McIntyre
Page on a system that didn't work, wasn't fair, and was corrupt.
Colin Cowherd
So how did Prohibition's war on alcohol go so off the rails that the government wound up poisoning its own people? To find out, listen and subscribe to snafu on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So remember, it was a couple days ago, it was Monday, and I said there are certain sports debates that as an adult, they're beneath you. Like arguing who the 68th best team in college basketball is. Remember, everybody was upset in West Virginia. The governor is going to. There's going to be legal action and oh good, hell, North Carolina only got in because they're a big brand. I don't have a problem with that if it's the last playing game. I mean, again, CBS and TNT pay for the wedding. They can't have one seating chart suggestion. So Anyway, well, the AD was a committee chairman. Oh, boy. They won by 27 last night, led by 40, which is unheard of in college basketball. And they're also favored over number six seed Ole Miss from the best conference, the sec. The hand wringing, the pearl clutching West Virginia outrage once again playing the victim. Oh, my God, people. I mean, again, the JFK files are out. There's a conspiracy theory you can all pursue. It just. It never fails that whenever we bash a team for, like being into the tournament, they get inspired by that, like North Carolina, and play their butts off for the next two games. You see this in college football years ago when a coach would complain about not getting a ball bid he wanted and that bled over to his team and that team would go into a bowl and get housed. And it's like if you enjoyed this 48 hour West Virginia embarrassing temper tantrum for a team that went 19 and 13. The coach was so much about West Virginia, a day later he took the Indiana job. Yeah, he was really. I'm fighting for us. I'm fighting for the university. Private jet to Bloomington. It doesn't matter. Neither West Virginia or Carolina are winning three or four games. But the fact that Carolina, a bubble team led by 40 last night. Again, if they would have been beaten by 40, all you West Virginia fans would have rushed to the Interweb to remind us you were right. So we're here to remind you you weren't. If you lead by 40 and are favored over an SEC team, it's not an egregious poll to get North Carolina in again. You'd have run to the Internet if they got smoked last night. So don't. Well, this doesn't make it right. No, but it makes it legitimate. It's a legitimate team in the tournament. If you're favored in your first official game in the tournament, it's all arguing. Once you get to the end, once you get out of the 1, 2, 3, and 4 seeds and some automatic stuff, well, it's just all debates. So I. I will root for North Carolina. I've said before, I had somebody last night, I remember her name was Jennifer, came up and said, well, you won me $700 last year because I took Connecticut. Looking at your bracket. Well, I said, who'd you take this year? She goes, I went to your bracket again and took Auburn. And so I said, just to let you know, Auburn's not as good as Connecticut. The SEC is great. She took all four of my picks. You know why? You know, it's funny about this. A lot of people are saying, why didn't you take Duke? I am always a little reluctant when your best players are freshmen. And I'm not saying Cooper Flag's not great, but Duke's got a couple of kids that are really young, whereas Arizona's got like a fifth year. Caleb loves like a fourth or fifth year senior. Yeah, it's like, I. I think age matters. We just talked about coaching age. I think it's hard even if you have the best. I mean, look at John Calipari, who's more than capable as a coach, won one title. Why? Because his teams were all freshmen and he would get into these situational moments in a freshman guard who, by the way, will get drafted number four and have a nice NBA care at 18, the pressure of March Madness playing a junior or a senior from Syracuse. I'll take the junior senior in that moment, in that game. That's a great point. Unc, though, has a good draw. They face Ole Miss next. Yes. And Ole Miss is on like a 311 and one against the spread. Street, they're. They're not really playing well. I think UNC could probably take down Michigan State. But your point on Duke is interesting because I Know, Cooper Flagg is a freshman. He's only 18. He started the season as a 17 year old. Yeah, but Colin, you know the stat net rating in the NBA, you look at that a lot. Duke has the highest net rating in college basketball in the last 20 years. Colin, 20 years, that's insane. The last 20 years, the highest net rating in the sport. Yeah, no, I mean, I understand why people are betting him. They've got the best player, it's a big brand and they're very good. I'm not denying that. What I'm saying is the conference they were in this year was not close to the sec. And I think what you're going to see, I think you're going to see Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, you're going to see some of these SEC teams that were in incredibly intense, sold out arenas, NBA bodies everywhere. We saw this for years in college football when the SEC ruled. Teams would go to the SEC from the SEC would be like a number 5 sec team. They'd go to like the sun bowl or some bowl game and they play a number two or three team from another conference and roll them because they've been in all these high leverage, intense games against pro level athletes. So I think the SEC is going to. Now they may not win it, but I think the SEC by the end of this weekend you're going to be like, yeah, so they have 14 teams in the field. Okay, what if they go?
Jason McIntyre
I don't know, like, you know, they.
Colin Cowherd
Lose like five games on Thursday. That that's possible. Are people going to. Oh, SEC overrated. Yes. 14 teams. Well, yeah, people will say that and they will have teams lose. Ole Miss could be one of them. Yeah, but if you. And again, you watch more college basketball than me. But I came to you mid January on the air, remember a couple of times I said, are you watching some of these SEC games? They jumped off the tv. More skill from the perimeter, more. I would say more balance. Offense, the defense, like the Big Ten. Michigan is size, Michigan State is defense. Wisconsin, I'm not sure what they are offensively. The Big Ten's got a style. SEC's got better athletes and I think they have just more dexterity. Offensively. What's your excitement level on watching the games like all day? Are you like in front of. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I. Marshmallow. Unless you want to go to a watering hole at some point and. No, no, no, I just sit down. I like how they bring in new games. Kind of red zone it where you're getting, you know, I think it's one of the great weekends in sports in America. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. 19 years in the NFL. How about that second oldest player looks great to Aaron Rodgers by the way who always appreciated you. Mercedes Lewis, the former UCLA Bruin. God, you were drafted back in 2006 by the Jags that I remember your college career. So we were talking during the break. It is interesting. I can remember now I'm old enough to remember when Benny Cunningham for the Steelers was like he make it a targeted game and then you'd see Kellen Winslow and you're like well that's a once out of 20 year player. It feels like there's a lot more Kellen Winslow ish guys coming out of college. What is the single biggest change at tight end from this past year to your rookie year?
Jason McIntyre
Well, I would say obviously I came in at a time where it was more run, heavy play action, pass, let's control the clock being an extra extension of the line and if we need you to stretch the field, great, here you go. Catch a bone to come back and come block this power play. Right. So as far as the change though, every like Titans now are more spread out and I think the responsibility of the tight end is changing as time, you know, as time goes on. Right. Like you when I came in it was like okay, you have your number one tight end and then you know you'll have two, two tight ends behind me. But they're not really going to be expected to do much work. Right. It's stressor teams and if I need a break or my shoe comes untied, I come out, somebody comes in. Now what you're seeing, teams are starting to get more guys, you know, more depth at these different positions to kind of take the workload off of the number one guys. So for instance, Travis Kelsey, right, Elite pass catcher, you know what you're going to get out of him, you want to keep him as fresh as possible so you're going to have him there and then who's behind him?
Colin Cowherd
Noah Gray.
Jason McIntyre
You're going to have Noah Gray, who's your guy that can kind of do it. All right. And then the guy behind nor Gray is going to be the more of utility guy, special teams guy. All in an effort to keep the number one guy healthy. Right. And continue to, to develop the guys behind Travis. But that's what it's More geared towards now. And I like it. It's kind of like when you think of, like the running backs and you have like your. Your guy is going to run in between the tackles, your bruiser, and then you got your guy that's catching, you know, catching the ball out the backfield, pitches, sweeps and things of that nature. But it keeps guys fresh. And throughout the course of a year, you need that.
Colin Cowherd
Some of. Some of what you've done is, you know, I mean, I remember when you came out of college, it's like, could this guy play in the NBA? Remember Dave Winfield, the baseball player? You had a Dave Winfield quality. You're like, he just decided to play a sport. You could have played more than one. So. But I wonder how much of 19 years is just mindset. Do you think that matters?
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, I think that's a good point. Obviously, the physical part of this game, you know, what you're signing up for. I've been playing football since I was 7 years old, and it's something that I've grown accustomed to, but my mentality is what sets me apart. And having a routine and my adaptability as well. The game is going to evolve. It's going to, you know, continue to evolve. And if you want to have a long career, then you have to find ways to kind of keep that edge and do the same. And obviously, when I came out of ucla, pass catcher, setting records, touchdowns, all of that got to Jacksonville. Those first three years was kind of like a culture shock because we didn't pass the ball at the rate, you know, I caught the ball in college. But what that did was prepare me for what the road was going to be ahead, right? And that was getting that gristle on my bones and really embracing the grind. And I've been able to weaponize the grind throughout my career. And, you know, nowadays, when the expectations are a certain way, I've already been through that. I know what it looks like. So I'm able to lead from the front and help the guys that are coming behind me and let them know that, like, this is truly a privilege to be in this league. And if you want to play for a long time and, you know, you want to have a really successful career, it's about the grit and the grind, and that's what I thrive off of.
Colin Cowherd
So Cole Comet, Notre Damer, I met him at the USC Notre Dame game. Really engaging guy.
Jason McIntyre
That's my guy.
Colin Cowherd
Really nice guy. And so you were in Chicago. I'm. I'm moving the base of our show to Chicago. And I'm going there after the show and wife's family's there is. You know, J. Mac is like, I can't take the cold weather. Now you're a West coast guy. Can you at least acknowledge to J. Mac Chicago's a fun time?
Jason McIntyre
I will say this, obviously. I played 12 years in Jacksonville, five in Green Bay. I just finished my second in Chicago. I think the city of Chicago is probably one of my favorite cities I've ever been in. And I was born in Long Beach, I went to ucla, right. Love, love la. This is where I'm from, this is where the family is. But Chicago is probably one of my favorite cities to ever be in architecture, everything, man, the food is amazing, the.
Colin Cowherd
People are just great. People dress up.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, no, it's. And you mentioned the cold. Like, yes, it is cold. We do understand that. But like I feel like I dress the best when it's cold. You know what I mean? I can layer up. I can wear my trench coats with my hoodies and everything.
Colin Cowherd
Okay. I tell him that, you know, you know when I tell my wife this, yeah. I'm like, man, you are. In the winter. She's got layers that come on.
Jason McIntyre
Yes.
Colin Cowherd
Like that's got good looking people.
Jason McIntyre
Yes, that's what it's about. Like I'm telling you when it's hot outside, sometimes when I'm in my house, I don't even know what I'm wearing. Like I'll leave out with swim trunks, with a hoodie just because I'm like, well, maybe cold. You know how LA is. It's like, yeah, it says 78, but the breeze, like I don't give me something that I know if it's going to be 60. I'm addressed like it's 60 and I know exactly what I'm walking into. So I enjoy it. Like it's a good time.
Colin Cowherd
So we do worry a little about Caleb Williams. And I've said this, I love him personally, I think he's a good guy. His and I think this was a fair, not even a criticism, it was a fair kind of summation of him in college sometimes. And I think a lot of this was he didn't trust his own line. He just wouldn't out them publicly. Is that he was kind of a big play guy. Instead of taking the layup, which that's the NFL Mahomes takes a lot of layups.
Jason McIntyre
No doubt.
Colin Cowherd
You know, Michael Jordan about twice a night was jaw dropping. Other than that, Michael hit a lot of 18 footers, come down and Then he was a little prone to go wild, play over, just boom, boom, boom. Did you sense a little bit of that early in him growing out of that?
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, I think, you know, when you have a guy like Caleb and the ability that he has to get that ball out of his hand and throw off platform and make it look. Make hard stuff look very easy. And if you're doing it in college and you've been able to get away with it in college, obviously the natural progressions when you come into the league, you're going to try to do some of those things. And so I think, you know, in his defense, obviously with our offense last year, the firing of coaches, it was a lot going on and he was just trying to do the best job he could at trying to take on all the information. Obviously, the, the offense kind of like shifted midway through the season. Like, it was just. It was just a lot going on for him. And I think that, you know, obviously bringing Ben Johnson in and being able to pair him with Caleb and Caleb's ability to kind of be who he is and Ben is going to be able to get in there and get into his mind and kind of create this offense around Caleb so that, you know, he understands the structure and how things should work in the NFL and, you know, you're not going to question Ben's ability to put guys in position to make plays.
Colin Cowherd
Right.
Jason McIntyre
You know, I'm looking forward to watching it. It's going to be.
Colin Cowherd
Are you going to play again?
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, yeah. I mean, I'm at 19. Obviously, that's all fine and dandy, but 20, just, you know, where. I don't know where yet. You know, there's been a few teams probing to kind of see if I'm going to continue to play. So it's all on the universe's hands and I'm just going to do my job like I've always done this off season and train my butt off and I'll be ready when that.
Colin Cowherd
Would you like to go to Chicago?
Jason McIntyre
Of course. That's best case scenario.
Colin Cowherd
Okay? It is.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah. Yeah.
Colin Cowherd
What's second best case scenario? You know, Chargers could use a. They could use a tough guy.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah. I'm going to leave that open to interpretation. I'm not going to, obviously, for me to put Chicago out there. I've been there the last two years. I'm familiar with. You got guys, the process and you know, that work and what they expect and what's expected of me. Right. And obviously they got. They fired their coaching staff, but they kept My tight end coach, who I've had the last two years there, and so would be great to finish my career with him. Jim Dre is somebody that I respect a lot, and he, you know, brings the best out of us in that room. And being able to continue to watch Cole commit, kind of develop and do his thing as he comes into his own and, you know, would just be a blessing. So, you know, obviously, what I can control is being my personal best and working out and doing my thing, and I'll be ready when that time comes.
Colin Cowherd
So, you know Aaron. Well, I said I kind of thought he would. Minnesota works. I would have gone to Minnesota. I could see Aaron at this point saying, you know what? I kept telling people, I think he likes New York. I think he's a smart guy, likes the city. It's fabric. I think New York is like Chicago, big, smart cities for, you know, museums and architecture. And there's just. There's always somewhere to go in New York and Chicago or London. I could see him going to New York. They got a left tackle, offensive coach, weapon, great running back, draft. But I could also see Aaron saying, listen, man, I'm 41, a little bumpy at the end. First ballot, hall of Famer. If you had to guess today, retirement, Steelers, Giants. Do you have a guess?
Jason McIntyre
My guess would maybe be the Steelers.
Colin Cowherd
You like the Steelers? They don't have a left tackle. That worries me.
Jason McIntyre
I think. I just think that him coming from the jets, obviously already being in New York, I don't know, me knowing a Rod, I don't know if he would want to just go right over to the Giants after being with the Jets. Like, I just. I feel like he want more of, like, just a. Something completely new, completely different, potentially get out of New York. I know him and Tomlin have a really good relationship.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
Jason McIntyre
And a good, you know, rapport there. And it's just a still city. I feel like that's the piece that they would need to potentially put them over the top as well. But if I, you know, was having a conversation with Aaron right now about coming back, I would just say chase joy, not happiness. Happiness is fleeting. If you don't find joy in football and everything that comes with it anymore, as far as, you know, being scrutinized and everybody picking you apart from the outside, you've done enough. You know, you are one of the best that have ever done it. And like you said, first ballot and a really good friend of mine. So I just, whatever it is, take the time to kind of figure that Out. He always knows he can lean on me and hit me up whenever he wants to kind of sort through it. But he's definitely done enough. So it'd be interesting to see.
Colin Cowherd
Is he misunderstood?
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, I mean, I think for people that don't know me, I would be misunderstood as well. You know what I mean? Like it's just one of those things like if you don't know somebody personally, you're gonna form your own opinions based on secondhand and third hand information that you've gotten. And does a Rod kind of provoke it a little bit because he knows.
Colin Cowherd
I think I've said this before, he can be combative, no doubt with his family. I'm not making stuff up and I've said and I, I've met Aaron once at the SBS very, very quick and even in that little 45 second moment he's got a big opinion and he'll tell you and he didn't know me and I'll never say what was said, but my take is that's who he is.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, I mean, yeah, exactly. I mean I, that's just who he is. And if you don't really have the time to kind of like sit there and get to know him and be with him on the day in and day out basis, your opinion is probably going to be just like everybody else's opinion that don't really know him. And so, you know, I'm grateful to have had those moments with him and you know, we've actually spent holidays together and you know, spent a lot of time together kind of picking his brain and it's just a different psychosis that makes you great. And he's one of those guys and he loves football. Yeah, he loves it man. Just how he prepares, how he comes to work, you know, a lot of people don't understand too is and I'll leave it with this, you know, friendships and connections as far as who you respect at the professional level, even really at the college level is based on how you come to work and what you, what you do in the film room, how you are on the field, how you treat people around the building like that, that's your value. And if you're one of those guys that does it the right way and he is and how he leaves from the front in the building, you're going to be best friends. And if you're not, you know, he's going to find out real quick. You know, a rod is one of those guys like he's not, he's not necessarily going to pull you aside and hey, man, I don't really like this. He's just not going to talk to you, you know what I mean? And, like, that's just what it is.
Colin Cowherd
Everybody's different.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah.
Colin Cowherd
Who's the biggest trash talker you line up against? Career and currently a guy that, like Max Crosby. He said he's like a radio announcer. Like, he's just talking.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah. So dang. Max. Max does talk a lot, but Max backs it up a lot, so he could. He could say whatever. Yeah, he's. He's a dude and he's one of those guys. Whether it's Max Crosby, Miles, Gary, whenever I've gone against those two guys, I know that the night, like, the night before, my body feels different. Why? Because I know that, like, come Sunday morning, I'm gonna need all of what I have in order to get my job done. And I think that's the beauty of competition in general. And if I don't feel that, then there may be an issue and I have to, like, sometimes muster that up. Right. And.
Colin Cowherd
And Max is one of those guys. Yeah, it's just different.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, it's just different. You just know that you're gonna get. You're gonna. You're gonna get a handful of every single play, non stop. This is what it is. Whether you block them. Great. Just know that the next play, he's coming after you and. But that's what I thrive off of. Like, that's. You don't have guys like that no more. Like, Max is an old school guy.
Colin Cowherd
He is a raider from the 70s.
Jason McIntyre
You know what I mean? Like, he's just an old school guy. And like, I think for me, that's what I appreciate more, are guys that are that way. And you're going to have guys that talk a lot, but if you're not backing it up like that, then it becomes whatever, right? Like you can watch the film and he jumps off the film every single place. So you know what you're getting, right? And you know, those are the type of guys you respect every day, so.
Colin Cowherd
Man, we only get you like twice a year.
Jason McIntyre
I know, man, I gotta.
Colin Cowherd
You're busy. You have a life.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah. I gotta stop by more.
Colin Cowherd
Well, no, no, no. It's not your responsibility. I'll just have to fire my guest booker. It's no big deal. So you. Do you still live over by my favorite restaurant?
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, so I'm still over there. I'm actually now in Studio City, though. I moved down. I just wanted to try something a little different. It Was Mendocino was kind of far.
Colin Cowherd
Oh, yeah.
Jason McIntyre
You know, coming back this way. But I'm enjoying Studio City and I'm there for now, so we'll see.
Colin Cowherd
Man, I'd love to see you with the Bears.
Jason McIntyre
Oh, man. Let's see what happens.
Colin Cowherd
I'm in the burbs now, too.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, no, they have my number.
Colin Cowherd
Boring. But, you know, I like it.
Jason McIntyre
Like, I like being just far enough away, but if I want to go get it, you know, I mean, it's la.
Colin Cowherd
So maybe who's the biggest personality in the Bear? Like, a funny guy. Every locker room's got a funny guy.
Jason McIntyre
I would say DJ Moore. DJ is like. He's unassuming, too. Like, DJ's quiet at, like, face value. But, like, once you get to know him, his pranks, jokes, like, he's. He's a dude. I love dj.
Colin Cowherd
He's also a great player.
Jason McIntyre
No doubt.
Colin Cowherd
Mercedes Lewis, what a pleasure. Maybe we'll go into business someday.
Jason McIntyre
Let's do it.
Colin Cowherd
I got a podcast company.
Jason McIntyre
Sign me up.
Colin Cowherd
Very popular. Kids like it.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, we've been talking about this for a long time now. And I got one more that I want to get. Get 20 and then.
Colin Cowherd
Wow.
Jason McIntyre
Let's get it, man.
Colin Cowherd
Not like you'd need it, but you're gonna have quite a pension.
Jason McIntyre
Hey, you know what's funny about that is, like, you don't really think about those things because you're. You're literally in the grind. And then guys don't necessarily play for this long, so you don't really even. Yeah, but here's the wild thing. Yes, there'll be a pension there, but it's more. So, like, some of the things you can't even have access to, to your 45. I'll be 41 in May. Like, who finished this plan? And then, like, if I wanted to, it's like, oh, yeah, cool. Two or three years, I could just.
Colin Cowherd
You could be president, like, in 42. The number on presidency. Think I just retire Bears and run for office. Believe me, we could. We could use lots of leadership.
Jason McIntyre
Oh, my gosh.
Colin Cowherd
Mercedes, great seeing you, buddy.
Jason McIntyre
Likewise. Appreciate you, brother.
Colin Cowherd
Appreciate it. This is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glazer Podcast. Have you guys seen this new commercial from Stand up to All Hate? It's basically Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady going back and forth with reasons that they hate each other. But then when you really listen to them, the reasons for the hate are just so stupid. I don't know. This. This commercial really got me. It's a strong reminder that hate in our country continues to be out of control. So join us at iHeart in standing up to it. If you see hate, speak up. Call it out. Your voice is a powerful tool in this fight. You can learn more by following OTs upwithhate. Prohibition is synonymous with speakeasies, jazz, flappers, and, of course, failure. I'm Ed Helms and on season three of my podcast Snafu, there's a story I couldn't wait to tell you. It's about an unlikely duo in the 1920s who tried to warn the public that prohibition was going to backfire so badly it just might leave thousands dead from poison. Listen and subscribe to snafu on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We live in a divided country and our media couldn't be more polarizing. That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Each week we hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Mark Seale. And I'm Nathan King. This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture. This podcast is based on my co host Mark Seal's best selling book of the same title. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire, and many others.
Jason McIntyre
Yes, that was a real horse's head.
Colin Cowherd
Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd (Released March 19, 2025)
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest: Jason McIntyre
Platform: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
In the "Best of The Herd" episode, host Colin Cowherd engages in an insightful and dynamic conversation with former NFL tight end Jason McIntyre. The discussion traverses multiple high-profile sports topics, including the latest developments surrounding Aaron Rodgers, Shohei Ohtani's exceptional baseball performance, the NCAA basketball tournament dynamics, and shifts within the tight end position in the NFL. The episode is punctuated with Colin’s characteristic blend of humor and analytical commentary, complemented by Jason’s insider perspectives from his extensive football career.
Aaron Rodgers' Team Options and Performance Concerns
Colin initiates the conversation by delving into the uncertain future of Aaron Rodgers following his departure from the Minnesota Vikings. He remarks:
"Once you are out of your great years, you could be a high-end chef, a quarterback, a movie star, a law partner. You lose your fastball."
— Colin Cowherd [05:15]
Jason elaborates on Rodgers' diminished leverage in the market:
"The terms are different now. You know, the terms used to be when you're in your prime and you're great, the terms are your terms. You have the leverage. You have the pole, the levers. He doesn't."
— Jason McIntyre [05:40]
Potential Teams and Retirement Speculations
The discussion touches upon Rodgers' possible destinations, with Jason speculating:
"My guess would maybe be the Steelers."
— Jason McIntyre [39:11]
Colin counters by expressing concerns about team fit:
"You like the Steelers? They don't have a left tackle. That worries me."
— Colin Cowherd [39:14]
Jason reflects on Rodgers' possible preferences and relationships within the NFL:
"I feel like he wants more of just something completely new, completely different, potentially get out of New York."
— Jason McIntyre [39:18]
Character Analysis of Aaron Rodgers
Throughout the segment, Colin and Jason analyze Rodgers' personality traits and their impact on his career trajectory. Colin notes Rodgers' combative nature:
"I think I've said this before, he can be combative, no doubt with his family... that's who he is."
— Colin Cowherd [41:14]
Jason adds a personal perspective, highlighting the complexities of Rodgers' character:
"If you don't really have the time to kind of like sit there and get to know him and be with him on the day in and day out basis, your opinion is probably going to be just like everybody else's opinion that don't really know him."
— Jason McIntyre [40:53]
Ohtani's Multifaceted Talent
Shifting gears, Colin praises Shohei Ohtani's unparalleled contributions to baseball:
"Is there anybody in sports right now that meets the moment like Shohei?... So, you take him off the Dodgers... You put him on the Dodgers."
— Colin Cowherd [07:20]
Comparisons to Legendary Athletes
Jason draws parallels between Ohtani and other sports legends:
"He's a leadoff hitter. Okay. Why? Because he's so fast. ... He's not even using yet. The pitching part."
— Jason McIntyre [09:00]
Impact on the Dodgers and MLB
Colin emphasizes Ohtani's transformative effect on the MLB and team strategies:
"They're doing it right now without a full lineup. They've got two potential all-star level pitchers, two all-star position players not playing pretty special."
— Colin Cowherd [09:30]
Tournament Selections and SEC Performance
Colin and Jason dissect the selection process for the NCAA basketball tournament, focusing on the prominence of SEC teams:
"The SEC jump off the TV. More skill from the perimeter, more... balance. Offense, the defense, like the Big Ten."
— Jason McIntyre [26:10]
Impact of Conference Strength on Tournament Outcomes
Jason predicts the potential success of SEC teams based on their rigorous conference play:
"I think the SEC is going to... you’re going to see Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, you're going to see some of these SEC teams that were in incredibly intense, sold out arenas."
— Jason McIntyre [27:38]
Discussion on North Carolina's Tournament Standings
Colin expresses support for North Carolina, critiquing West Virginia's camp:
"If you lead by 40 and are favored over an SEC team, it's not an egregious poll to get North Carolina in again."
— Colin Cowherd [35:06]
Jason concurs, highlighting the SEC's depth and competitiveness:
"And if you... SEC by the end of this weekend you're going to be like, yeah, so they have 14 teams in the field."
— Jason McIntyre [27:40]
Changing Responsibilities and Team Strategies
Jason shares his insights into how the tight end role has transformed over his 19-year career:
"The responsibility of the tight end is changing as time goes on. ... more depth at these different positions to kind of take the workload off of the number one guys."
— Jason McIntyre [29:39]
Strategic Player Rotations
He discusses the strategic use of multiple tight ends to maintain player freshness:
"Like you think of the running backs and you have your guy that runs in between the tackles... but it keeps guys fresh."
— Jason McIntyre [31:27]
Jason McIntyre’s Career Longevity and Mindset
Colin and Jason explore the mindset required for a prolonged career in the NFL:
"I've been playing football since I was 7 years old... my mentality is what sets me apart."
— Jason McIntyre [31:54]
Jason underscores the importance of adaptability and grit:
"It's about the grit and the grind, and that's what I thrive off of."
— Jason McIntyre [33:22]
Potential Retirement and Career Moves
Jason contemplates his future in the NFL, balancing team opportunities with personal aspirations:
"I'm at 19. Obviously, that's all fine and dandy, but 20, just, you know, where. I don't know where yet."
— Jason McIntyre [37:00]
He expresses a fondness for Chicago, considering it a favorable location for potential team relocations:
"Chicago is probably one of my favorite cities I've ever been in. The architecture, everything... the food is amazing."
— Jason McIntyre [33:30]
Casual Banter about Chicago and the Chicago Bears
Colin and Jason engage in light-hearted discussions about life in Chicago and the Chicago Bears:
Colin: "You're busy. You have a life."
Jason: "I gotta stop by more."
— Colin Cowherd & Jason McIntyre [44:29]
Jason highlights the camaraderie within the Bears' team:
"DJ is like... he's a dude. I love DJ."
— Jason McIntyre [45:19]
As the conversation winds down, Colin and Jason exchange friendly remarks, reflecting on their professional and personal rapport. Colin humorously suggests potential future collaborations:
"Maybe we'll go into business someday. I got a podcast company."
— Colin Cowherd [45:36]
Jason affirms his commitment to excellence and preparedness for future opportunities:
"I'll be ready when that time comes."
— Jason McIntyre [37:25]
Colin Cowherd [05:15]:
"Once you are out of your great years, you could be a high-end chef, a quarterback, a movie star, a law partner. You lose your fastball."
Jason McIntyre [05:40]:
"The terms are different now. You know, the terms used to be when you're in your prime and you're great, the terms are your terms. You have the leverage. You have the pole, the levers. He doesn't."
Jason McIntyre [39:11]:
"My guess would maybe be the Steelers."
Jason McIntyre [40:53]:
"If you don't really have the time to kind of like sit there and get to know him and be with him on the day in and day out basis, your opinion is probably going to be just like everybody else's opinion that don't really know him."
Colin Cowherd [07:20]:
"Is there anybody in sports right now that meets the moment like Shohei?... So, you take him off the Dodgers... You put him on the Dodgers."
Jason McIntyre [29:39]:
"The responsibility of the tight end is changing as time goes on. ... more depth at these different positions to kind of take the workload off of the number one guys."
"The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd" episode offers a rich exploration of contemporary sports narratives, enriched by Jason McIntyre's veteran insights and personal anecdotes. From dissecting Aaron Rodgers' career crossroads to celebrating Shohei Ohtani's extraordinary talents, the episode delivers a comprehensive coverage of pivotal sports developments. Additionally, the discussion on the evolving role of tight ends in the NFL provides valuable perspectives for enthusiasts and aspiring athletes alike. The engaging dialogue, underpinned by notable quotes and authentic camaraderie, makes this episode a must-listen for sports aficionados seeking depth and nuanced analysis.