← The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Colin Cowherd Podcast - Most “Interesting” NFL Teams In 2025, Steelers vs Giants For Rodgers, AFC West Shakeup?
01:04:23
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- [00:00]
Colin Cowherd
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. Acquired card has no cash access and expires in six months.
- [00:36]
Greg Rosenthal
It's the last game of the season and with amex, you can save time 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 withamx Geico's motorcycle expertise gives.
- [00:53]
Colin Cowherd
Me the coverage I need like 24.
- [00:55]
Danny Parkins
7 claims I'm on cloud 9 disclaimer.
- [00:58]
Colin Cowherd
Clouds are wholly unable to support the weight of an adult human. What's happening?
- [01:01]
Danny Parkins
Furthermore, clouds are not numbered. Even if you procured a jetpack and searched, you'd find no cloud number nine. However, at that altitude, you'd likely befriend.
- [01:06]
Colin Cowherd
A flock of migrating snow geese, geese who'd encourage you to leave your 24.7geico.
- [01:10]
Danny Parkins
Motorcycle claims insurance behind, as they would take you in and even share their.
- [01:12]
Colin Cowherd
Dinner of crickets and clovers with you. GEICO assumes no liability for any indigestion.
- [01:16]
Danny Parkins
That may occur from a clover cricket dinner. GEICO expertise for your motorcycle what's up everyone?
- [01:22]
Daniel Jeremiah
It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you, with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [01:53]
Danny Parkins
The Volume.
- [02:01]
Colin Cowherd
Danny Parkins Co Host, Breakfast Ball the winner of the Mythical FS1 NFL Picks Championship it should be noted, it's just like the USA Today High School Basketball Championship. It's all mythical, so let's not go crazy on this shit.
- [02:18]
Danny Parkins
Listen, it is definitely true that I only made it a competition between you, me and Nick once I started to crush it and distance myself off the field. So going into next year, If I start 4 and 9. You know, it's just luck, but when I'm crushing it, it's skill. And you guys are in a competition you didn't even know you had entered.
- [02:44]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I had no idea. Yeah, I have had the last three shows in a row. I've had about as much fun as I can have at this point of 30 years of doing it. So because I love free agency, I love the movement, I love when stuff breaks on the show. You know, I just, I sometimes I think, you know, the audience thinks we love football and football season, but I actually find it more challenging when the season's over and we have to sit there for two hours in the morning and figure out ways to be compelling. And there's not a lot out there. So this week it's basically, you've got B level players, sometimes C + players transitioning to bad teams. And yet I had so much damn fun this week and I want to start with the Bears because I honestly, and I don't remember the last time I thought this. It's obvious Ben Johnson now runs the organization because he basically by acquiring a guard, a center, a guard is telling Ryan polls your picks were not good. You know the organization. Well, that's, that's my take is, is there are certain coaches. Vrabel in New England is running the show. Belichick for years ran the show. McVeigh's got a lot of power in Los Angeles, whereas Brett Veets really runs personnel because Andy Reid doesn't want to do it. Sean Payton's running Denver. Didn't it feel like to you this is all Ben Johnson stamp?
- [04:12]
Danny Parkins
So I've heard you say this and I think that you're like 85 to 90% correct. Ben Johnson clearly now outranks Ryan polls. And it's not a straight like who makes more money, but it kind of is. Ben Johnson makes considerably more money than Ryan polls and obviously Ryan polls is stock is down and Ben Johnson's stock could not have been higher. So Ben Johnson has more say. And the Jonah Jackson move is directly tied to Ben Johnson. And that was the first move that happened. They traded a late round pick for a guard from the Rams who had been a former Pro Bowler, but before he was with the Rams he had been with the Lions. And Ben Johnson, obviously the Lions have the best offensive line them and the Eagles in the NFL. He knows how valuable that is. I think Ryan Poles has taken a little too much heat in this regard. He was Matt Ryan's offensive lineman at bc. He is a Former offensive lineman. He was on a practice squad in the NFL as an offensive lineman. His first ever first round pick because the first year he didn't have a first round pick because the previous regime had traded one away to acquire Justin Fields. So his first year, his first draft, he had two second round picks and he took Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker who are both starting players in the secondary. And then the next year when he had the ninth overall pick, he traded down one spot, passed up Jalen Carter. I disagreed with it, but he didn't think their organization was ready for the headache. And he took Darnell Wright who looks like he's going to be the right tackle for the team for 10 years. Maybe not an all pro, but he looks damn good. But he, he's going to get us. And some of the draft people were like should it have been Broderick Jones, the guy who went I think 17 to the Steelers who wasn't able to start for a year plus and definitely is not guaranteed to be a 10 year starter in the NFL? And then so I think first time he had a first round pick he drafted a tackle. He gave Nate Davis money. Nate Davis had a pretty good reputation. Mark Schler has told me that he's like Nate Davis was one of my favorite guards in the NFL when he was in Tennessee. Atlanta tapered off a little bit, Bears paid him and it looks like Nate Davis got paid and stopped trying. So but it's not like that guy didn't have good tape and it's not like people didn't like him and it's not like that wasn't a significant investment in the offensive line. Tevin Jenkins was a former second round pick as a tackle who he moved to left guard. Ryan Poles did and he was a better guard than tackle. But then he got hurt and he can't stay on the field and he never invested in center which was has been a disaster. The Bears literally haven't had a good center since Olin Kreutz. And left tackle is Braxton Jones, who I would not say is good, but I would also not say is bad. He's a replacement level player that Ryan Polls drafted in the fifth round out of Southern Utah. That's a draft win. What happened last year was a mediocre offensive line, got hurt with a rookie quarterback and you fired your play caller and your head coach so you couldn't scheme around it. The offensive line was a disaster. Your quarterback got hit 68 times and it became a fire alarm. Like this is we are going to get Caleb Williams killed. We are like really flirting with David Carr level of sabotage here if we don't overhaul it. So that's long winded and maybe a little bit more in the weeds than people that don't follow the Bears want to know. But like, I don't think it's that Ryan polls doesn't prioritize the offensive line. I think it's that when he took over, he had such limited resources with draft capital that it took a while. And last year was never supposed to be a good offensive line, but it wasn't supposed to be that bad and.
- [08:22]
Colin Cowherd
Right.
- [08:23]
Danny Parkins
I think that anybody would have spent on the offensive line this off season, but Ben Johnson kind of turbocharged it and so he gets credit for it. But I can't. I have a hard time believing that. A smart guy who came up under Brett Veek, who by the way, I'll add one more detail. He was the director of college personnel in Kansas City when they lost that super bowl to Tampa. And in the off season they signed Joe Tuney, they drafted Creed Humphrey and they drafted Trey Smith. Creed Humphrey now set the market at center. Trey Smith set the market at guard. And now Joe Tunis, a Bear. And he was an all pro for a couple of years in Kansas City. So he was in Kansas City when Mahomes got killed in a Super bowl. They brought in three new offensive linemen. He's the GM in Chicago. When Caleb Williams got killed, they brought in three offensive linemen, one of whom is literally the same guy they brought in in Kansas City. So I think Ryan Poles knows about the offensive line, cares about the offensive line, prioritizes the offensive line. He just made a couple of bad mistakes. Nate Davis most principally not investing in a real center probably right behind it. And he underestimated how little depth he had to protect Caleb Williams last year.
- [09:38]
Colin Cowherd
You know, it's, it's, it's, it's interesting about, you know, as I, you know, move my operations primarily here in the next six weeks, primarily to Chicago. How bad all the teams are?
- [09:53]
Danny Parkins
Oh yeah.
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Colin Cowherd
Yet the Bulls have led the NBA in attendance three or four straight years. So the passion the Bears, the passion.
- [10:00]
Danny Parkins
The Bulls people, I don't have it completely committed to that. I mean the Bulls have led the attendance like 20 of the last 25 years. Like since, since. I mean, it's legitimately crazy. Like I can look it up or one of your producers can look it up. Like since Jordan left, like 1999 till now, they've literally led the NBA in attendance more than 80% of the years. It's insane. Go ahead.
- [10:24]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, so it's a sports town that has, it's the opposite of Los Angeles. In la, our owners are the richest. Steve Ballmer, Stan Kroenke. In Chicago, they're some of the poorest. Our owners are in there sort of earning prime. A lot of the Chicago ones outside of Ricketts are not. Our teams are all hyper aggressive and we have star coaches everywhere. Chicago does not. The difference is in Los Angeles, if teams aren't really good people stop going. In Chicago, they don't. So I've always said, and you've never lived in la, but I've always said la, it's a double edged sword is that you have to be aggressive because our weather's so good, we've got beaches and Vegas is so close. Like people just say we're not interested. Like the Dodgers are great and they're like, yeah, we just won the World Series. We're going to spend 450 million more and put 150 into our clubhouse. Because in Los Angeles it's like people move on. I mean Steve Ballmer was rolling, he builds a new facility. People are like, yeah, Luke is in town. There's other stuff. Whereas in Chicago, there, and I haven't been there enough, but I feel like there is a real pride in the city. People in Chicago kind of, kind of look at you sideways if you even mention the weather. It's like, yeah, our winners. You wear a coat. It's just funny. I feel like I'm moving to a city that is sort of diametrically different in terms of ownership, teams, star power and loyalty. And I do think LA is a great sports town. It's better than Miami, which also has beaches and weather. But people here are really, really distracted in Los Angeles and they're not as much in Chicago.
- [12:20]
Danny Parkins
I think that you're 100% spot on. Like there's not a ton to add. I mean I can go deep on like any of those topics. But like, you know, Jerry Reinsdorf owns the Bulls and the White Sox and he cares way more about the White Sox than the Bulls. His son Michael Reinsdorf basically runs the Bulls, but both teams have a bunch of minority partners. Like he doesn't own over them. It's just, it's like a bunch of rich guys that own 1%, 5% and they cobble it together and they go from there. And he, you know, it looks like he's getting right even though he loves baseball, but he's the die hard baseball fan, he hates spending money. They have. There's a crazy thing going around Ishpia. You know the guys who own the song.
- [13:10]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, yeah, I know, Justin.
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Danny Parkins
Yeah. They're apparently. They're apparently buying up minority ownership in the White Sox and they're reportedly in line to be next.
- [13:22]
Colin Cowherd
Yep.
- [13:23]
Danny Parkins
And White Sox fans are cautiously optimistic because there's this, like, funny thing going around Chicago in the, you know, in one of the towns on the north shore of Chicago where, where I was from, where a lot of the wealth in Chicago lives, like on Lake Michigan. Ishpia is building a mega mansion on Lake Michigan that is estimated to be worth more than any single contract the White Sox have ever given out in team history. It's estimated to be like an $86 million mega mansion compound. And I believe the largest contract the White Sox have ever given out is still the $75 million because it was Yasmani Grandal and then it was the left fielder whose name I can't remember because the White Sox are terrible, but the biggest one ever is 75 million. The Cubs ownership and the Cubs organization is excellent. They frustrate some people because they are top 10 in spending and people think they should be top three. But they make a ton of money and they spend them a lot of money, but they don't really operate.
- [14:27]
Colin Cowherd
People and people I know in and out of Chicago, like the Rickets, Tom Ricketts.
- [14:33]
Danny Parkins
Tom Ricketts is as normal of a billionaire like he. He sits. He doesn't sit in the suite, even though he has one. Most of the games he sits in the second row or the first row behind the Cubs on deck circle, and he shakes hands and takes pictures and signs autographs. And you know, the Cubs make a lot of money and they put a lot of money into the team. They break even is like what they say. But the rest of the ownership is pretty brutal. It's pretty brutal. The McCaskey family wealth is all the Bears and there's a million of them in terms of kids and grandkids. And so they don't all want to be in it. And yeah, Chicago is an amazing city. And you mentioned the pride thing, like, pride in the city. I've only. Listen, I've lived in New York where there's a ton of pride. Kansas City, ton of pride. Syracuse, College town and Chicago, that's where I've lived. I've traveled all over the world. World. So I am definitely biased. Chicago is my home. But people in Chicago, Chicagoans, man, they take so Much pride in the city, the people, the neighborhoods. Being Chicago, tough, but Midwest, nice capital of the Midwest. And it's sad that like Chicago became a like political lightning rod word for people around like the gun debate and all of these things when it's so unfair and we don't have to get into it. We can, but we don't have to get into it. And so I think that also kind of like hypercharged Chicagoans in the last, call it 10 plus years where it's like, we know we got some problems and we know we have some gun violence and some poverty and we got problems, but we have a lot of hardworking Chicagoans who are working on it and caring about it, not moving out of the city and doing it. And it just seemed like people were, who don't give a shit about Chicago at all were using it to score cheap political points. And I think that even though the city's always had a tremendous amount of pride in the last, just as our political cycle and the Internet has polarized us even more, I think it's rallied Chicagoans together even more to have a tremendous amount of pride and protectiveness over the city.
- [16:50]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I mean I think I have pretty good taste and my wife's got remarkable taste. Is. I mean our favorite North American city is Chicago.
- [17:00]
Danny Parkins
It's the best.
- [17:01]
Colin Cowherd
The people I know that live In Chicago, it's 1 8. It's been the best city in America like eight straight years. Conde Nast, like it's great. I always said this. If the parents were the federal government and all 50 states were kids, California's the best looking and the richest and gets the most criticism. They have to literally pay into the federal government every year because they make so much money. Like 28 of the states or more need a check to pay their bills. And those are the states that often criticize the good looking kid in the family. California more. And the second most criticized state is Chicago, which gets voted best North American city over and over. So, you know, I've always said this, that, you know, I've traveled abroad, mom was British, London's my favorite place on earth. And then, you know, Los Angeles and Chicago I love. Cause there's just lots to do. Some people want to live in small towns. I grew up with one. It bored the living hell out of me. There's just not enough stimulation for me. To each their own. I'm not into hunting, you know, it's not my thing. But it is funny that I tell Ann we keep picking these cities that everybody tells us Are awful. And we absolutely love them.
- [18:19]
Danny Parkins
Chicago in the summer. Like listen, I'm a year round and the. Yes, for sure. I'm a year round Chicagoan. Like that's for me, that's my happy spot. I'm incredibly jealous of what you have set up right now at our network. I'm incredibly envious. But there's just something about the world class international city where you can do anything at any time relative to some places. It's also affordable.
- [18:54]
Colin Cowherd
Yes, very.
- [18:55]
Danny Parkins
It's beautiful. And while the traffic with the construction right now on the. On the Edens is hellacious, like when they're doing the construction generally outside of that it's pretty easy. Like it's a pretty easy. It's a great public transportation. Four lane, you know, or lane roads like in downtown.
- [19:25]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [19:26]
Danny Parkins
Alleys for like the trash isn't on the street. Plenty of, you know, you can take a train into Midway, into O'Hare.
- [19:36]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [19:37]
Danny Parkins
To Wrigley, to White Sox Stadium. Basically.
- [19:42]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah. You have a zoo in your downtown. It's awesome.
- [19:46]
Danny Parkins
Yeah. Millennium park, relatively new, beautiful ton of green space. The lake is the water supply to the city. You have a beach with a skyline behind you and a fresh body of water.
- [20:01]
Colin Cowherd
By the way, not just a beach. Even my little area where I live has three public beaches.
- [20:06]
Danny Parkins
Oh yeah. All the north shore suburbs. Yeah. Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe. Are all awesome beaches. Awesome there.
- [20:15]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, yeah.
- [20:15]
Danny Parkins
It's. It's. I mean listen, I, we could do this for hours, man. I. Yeah. Sports, music, culture, food, cost of living, accessibility, cleanliness. You can fly anywhere in the world non stop. You know what I mean? Fly to Tokyo, non stop. Can fly to Hawaii, non stop can fly to anywhere. Obviously in Europe, most places in Asia. It. Yeah. It's. It's the best. It's the, it's the best. I love it. I love it so much.
- [20:44]
Colin Cowherd
But it, but circling back, it is completely polar opposite of Los Angeles.
- [20:49]
Danny Parkins
Oh my God. Yeah. Yeah. No, and listen, I think that that like I love you giving Chicago credit for it. I think that. And we've talked about this a little bit like as both just like guys who love radio and you still do it. Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Philly, Boston, Kansas City. These are great sports radio towns. Great sports towns. And they have a through line of cold weather like great sports town that is warm weather town. Are outliers and often.
- [21:26]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [21:26]
Danny Parkins
You know, like Dallas obviously Cowboys obsessed. I think Mavericks fans are a little underrated in the ecosystem of the NBA. Fans like Mavericks playoff games kind of jump off the screen. But like it's not, it's not a great sports town. Miami, as you mentioned, not a great sports town. Obviously la, good sports town, but they can lose interest in those. In the cold weather cities, you're not losing interest. You don't lose interest and like, and the people from the warm weather cities like, because there's less to do there. Yeah, that's probably part of it. But I think there's also just a little bit of like, man, we all are all in this together. Like these are our teams. We rep it the city pride. And so I loved doing local sports in Chicago and Kansas City because it, it really was in the fabric of civic pride within those cities.
- [22:28]
Colin Cowherd
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- [23:47]
Greg Rosenthal
There's always a new experience to explore from curating the perfect vacation and chilling in the Centurion Lounge before you get there, trying out that new trendy restaurant thanks to Priority Notify with Global Dining Access by Resynchron and getting straight to the action at the big game with Card member entrances at select venues. With AMEX Platinum, you can experience it all. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Access to the card member entrance not limited to the American Express Platinum card. Learn more@americanexpress.com with Amex.
- [24:18]
Jeremy Hobson
We live in a divided country.
- [24:20]
Danny Parkins
I am a lifelong Republican with all.
- [24:22]
Jeremy Hobson
Kinds of different people.
- [24:24]
Colin Cowherd
You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.
- [24:26]
Jeremy Hobson
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.
- [24:35]
Danny Parkins
Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.
- [24:37]
Jeremy Hobson
Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.
- [24:42]
Danny Parkins
Thanks for having me.
- [24:42]
Jeremy Hobson
Jeremy, Neil Degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.
- [24:45]
Danny Parkins
Thanks for having me.
- [24:46]
Jeremy Hobson
And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.
- [24:50]
Danny Parkins
Hi, my name is Venkat.
- [24:52]
Colin Cowherd
I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.
- [24:54]
Jeremy Hobson
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.
- [25:02]
Danny Parkins
We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary and what are we doing here. But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.
- [25:10]
Jeremy Hobson
Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [25:22]
Colin Cowherd
You know, we'll talk some free agency here. You know what's really amazing? So I always give NBA executives a bit of a break. You get maximum these days like two years of college tape on a guy you have to go back to high school tape because and the truth is you could be at Gonzaga and a guard Jalen Suggs and you only face an NBA guard in your out of conference games. I got very little to work on in the NFL. You have often four years and three years of tape and there's NFL bodies everywhere. In the Big Ten, in the sec. I'm getting NFL dude on NFL dude. Multiple years of it yet. This is astounding. The hit rate on draft picks like playing for a few years is 51%. It's just insane. Steve Kim, my buddy always says if you can get three star is a draft like the Vegas dealer, boom, you're good. Is that you get to the fourth round and all my GMs are like you get to the fourth round, it's probably not a starter. If you have the right system and you draft for the system, you have a much better chance. That's why Continuity is so important in this league because Andy Reid, I mean even with Mahomes and Andy Reid and Brett Veach, they have missed on multiple receivers. Now just think about that. They are. I mean, Veach is first or second best GM and he's brilliant who can make anybody work. He got Skymore wide open in the red zone in the super bowl for a catch. Like literally nobody on him in a congested area. And Skymore didn't work. And I can mention multiple other, you know, receivers there didn't work. And I wonder not to, you know, catch off guard, but with all the tape, I think the reason that that draft percentage is so low and I think it's harder is because the NFL pension for coaches is really good and there's a lot of money in this NFL business and virtually everybody feels like they're upgrading. I think in the NBA assistant coaches know, if you're an assistant under Steve Kerr, you might as well sit there for years until the job opens. Like, right, right, like the. Everybody knows if you don't have two stars, you know, it's. You're not going to win in the NFL. There is this sense, hey, is I can make this thing work. I mean, I drafted quarterback every year. And so every assistant in the NFL, every coordinator wants to be a head coach as soon as possible. And it creates this transitional league. And that really hurts drafting. It really hurts drafting. And the money now is so great as head coach that the money is now so great in college and pro in coordinator jobs that everybody is trying to upgrade. It's like being in college with a girlfriend. You're like, just, you're looking at everything right. And I feel like in the NBA, assistants are like, hey man, wait until you get the right gig, you know? So that's my take is why this draft number is so low. There's too much.
- [28:44]
Danny Parkins
I think that that's, I think that there's probably like a lot of factors and that is a good one. And I think that impacts, it impacts everybody. I mean, it's not the exact same, but we're gonna, we're gonna see it with Sam Darnold, like situation matters. It just matters. He's going to be worse in Seattle. People like, oh, like Kubiak, like, similar system, good offense, it doesn't matter. Donald's going to be much worse. He's going to be much worse. And I know you love him and he's your guy, but I think he's.
- [29:15]
Colin Cowherd
Going to go 24 and 10 from 35 and 13. I think he's going to be about a 23, 24, 10, 12 touchdowns. He'll be a. He'll be a more athletic, cheaper, younger version of Gino.
- [29:28]
Danny Parkins
Maybe that's about right.
- [29:30]
Colin Cowherd
But.
- [29:30]
Danny Parkins
And 14 wins to seven, and we won't talk about him. And he will have gotten paid. And it's like, situation just matters. We do it. We do it all the time. Like, what would have happened if the Bears would have taken Mahomes instead of Trubisky? Which Trubisky have three Super Bowls? I don't think so, but he'd be much better. And Mahomes would still be awesome. But he wouldn't have the MVPs, maybe. Or he wouldn't have all of the rings. Like, we don't. These are unanswerable sports talk questions, but, like, situation matters up and down. So if you want to pinpoint it on the draft, I'm definitely with you. And I'll go back to Ben Johnson in Chicago. Like, Ben Johnson was one of the rare guys who was able to, like, have job offers and turn them down because he knew that they were going to be there again the next cycle. Because he was like, I've got LaPorta and Amon Ra and Gibbs and Montgomery and a top two offensive line and a head coach that everybody loved. Like, he knew his stock wasn't really going to go down. But that's like, I wanted to believe, though, when he took the Bears job, I was like, oh, look at the Bears. Like, he turned job down. Turned jobs down two years ago. He turned jobs down last year. The Bears are the perfect job. This is amazing. And then when he did the interviews, he was like, I knew midway through the year that I was leaving, and the Bears were like, the job that he wanted. Among the jobs this year, you know, he was just. He was just ready to take a job. Just ready to take a job. And so I think. I don't think this is directly addressing your draft point, but I think it matters for all of these guys, Rookies, free agents, assistant coaches. Steve Spagnolo is amazing. Dave Tobes amazing as defensive coordinator and special teams coach. They also happen to coach with Andy Reid, and, like, they're not getting head coaching jobs. So Kansas City just benefits from, oh, you want to hire our offensive coordinator away? Who gives a shit? We have Andy Reid. But no, no one apparently wants to give Steve Spagnolo another head coaching job. That's just the chief's benefit. So the Chiefs benefit from continuity in more ways even than Mahomes and Reed and Veech, they benefit from continuity all throughout the coaching staff. And that has to have ancillary benefits on every. On everybody's graphics.
- [32:10]
Colin Cowherd
That's why. That's why when they miss on sky more, he still can have a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Like they squeeze the juice out of even their misses. By the way, The Rams with 22 Atwell has been a miss. They've squeezed every ounce any if you would have had a new coaching staff that have blown him out and you'd had to. The Rams Tutu at was a great example. They're bringing back. They're like, listen, we're going to bring in Devonte. We're going to keep the kid. We think we got a year to two to win a Super bowl with Matt. Like, let's just keep the continuity. Tutu Atwell was a continuity signing. That's all he was. And I think. And so it's funny when people say, why do you like the Rams so much? The last two years, gm, ops, owner, quarterback coach, like, it's all the same people. I mean, they go through defensive coordinators, but it's the same scouts, it's the same people. So I am my staff at FS1. I would argue in the history of this business, sports talk radio on the radio site, it's the greatest staff ever assembled. It's an incredible staff. I mean, I have writers, I have guest bookers. My guys are could all have other jobs and we just have an incredible environment now. I don't know about TV shows. You know, Stephen A. Smith could have 30 people. I don't know how many. But just as in terms of a radio staff and the humor and the writers and J. Mac, it's an incredible group of people. From graphics on down audio. It's just really strong. And I've told people this before. They're like, how long do you think you're gonna do it? And I'm like, I like everybody so much. And I'm like, it's like. And part of the reason I like it is cause I'm quirky and they all get my bullshit. And there's like. And that's why Andy Reid is a barker. But Spaggs gets it, Mahomes gets it. Kelsey gets so Andy, like at the end of Philly can wear people out. And I think it's just one of those things where if continuity. I read a story the other day, fewer Americans are moving. And I'm like, that's actually a good thing. Mobility is for the young. I don't Want a country where 40 year olds are like me and they're bouncing around. It's probably not healthy for families.
- [34:20]
Danny Parkins
I could tell you that three month stretch was really stressful for mine. I can tell you that. I'm like, we're back to like, we just took a nice family vacation. We're looking forward to another one this summer. Oh, but like together as a family unit. Like, I'm. When, when I get to maybe being in your spot and we can have some time apart, that would be fine. But for now it's, yeah, it's stressful. Let's.
- [34:47]
Colin Cowherd
So I thought it was interesting today where Adam Schefter was almost annoyed with Aaron Rodgers, where he came out and said, pick a team. So I said this on the air today. If you ever tell a corporation, listen, I need more time, I'll get back to you. You have to have the self awareness to know how that lands to the corporation. Especially if you're in a valuable position. It's a big fu. You're literally going back thinking, ugh, what a big. What a prima donna. And I usually tend to think really smart people have excellent self awareness. And I wonder sometimes with Aaron, is he the rare smart dude, doesn't read the room well? I mean, he goes on this darkness retreat in Green Bay and then is shocked when they're like, take a hike. Like, how can you be shocked?
- [35:44]
Danny Parkins
But here's the thing with Rogers, and there's a lot of it. Do we. He talks a lot, but do we believe anything he says?
- [35:53]
Colin Cowherd
Like, what do you mean?
- [35:56]
Danny Parkins
He said he didn't have cell service. Like, he's like, he's like, oh, you live in Malibu in like a $25 million house. You have cell service. Like, it was just. I think that he has a lot of narcissism to him. And he's like, I love the silence. And then he brought a film crew.
- [36:15]
Colin Cowherd
Like, what do you.
- [36:16]
Danny Parkins
These things are just in conflict with each other. I just, you know what I mean? I think that he is a. So I don't know that he knows exactly what he wants. And I think he loves attention. And I think that he, he told Mark Schlerith and Stink has told the story publicly. He did like a week 16 or 17 jets game. And he. Stink said that they talked for almost 30 minutes. 20 Something was about the running game because Stink's insane. And he was like five or ten minutes was about his future. And he's like, Aaron told me point blank, like, I'm only going to keep playing if the situation is perfect. Well, now apparently it's down to the Steelers and the Giants. Imperfect. Imperfect. Now at least the Steelers to me makes perfect sense. That one makes perfect sense. He loves Mike Tomlin. Mike Tomlin loves him. Mike Tomlin. Apparently it's impossible for this guy to have a losing season. Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Duck Hodges, it doesn't matter. It's impossible for this guy to have a losing season. So obviously you're hyper relevant. The fans care. You'll look good in the iconic jersey. You'll get to play against Joe Burrow. You'll play against Lamar Jackson. The AFC north plays the NFC north this year. So the Steelers host the Packers. They go to Chicago. Aaron will eat that shit up. Like, he will like that. To me, that makes sense. He can have an expectation of playing in a playoff game and maybe winning a playoff game that Tomlin hasn't done since 2016. They're not going to win a Super bowl, but that makes sense. If he comes back and he plays for the Giants. I. It's just pure vanity. It's just pure. I want to.
- [38:07]
Colin Cowherd
Okay, so I'm going to argue because we. This was a discussion today on our show and I said because I've moved so many times that I get a yellow pad out pros and cons. And I said, I'm going to be Aaron Rodgers. I don't have to move. I get an offensive coach, I get neighbors and a really good left tackle. And I'm going to have more juice in the building because the coach and the GM are getting fired or they lost Najee Harris and their left tackle. They're completely tone deaf to offense. I'm old and don't want to get hit and they haven't had a good line for seven years. I'll have really no power in the building. And I'm going to have two guys that are both going to demand the ball and neither one runs a complete route tree. I can make an argument selfishly. Like, every time I've ever thought about moving. My take is, who is my Svengali in the building? Will somebody get me Brian Dable's work with Daniel Jones? He's worked with Josh Allen. Brian Dable's been around forever. Mangini calls him one of his best assistants he's ever known. Like, you go into a building with a guy, you can literally be on the same wavelength. I mean, Arthur Smith does not appear to be likable and Mike Tomlin does not appear to care about offense. And you got two receivers who want to be ones. I look at Pittsburgh and think, this is a powder.
- [39:31]
Danny Parkins
Okay, so two things. One, I could be wrong. I obviously don't know the man. I don't think he cares about moving. He'll. He'll, like, like, come on. He travels to Tahiti, in Thailand, and he lived for 15 years in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In, you know, he'll be fine for eight months in Pittsburgh. I have a hard time believing that that is going to be a determining factor for him. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just, I think he'll be fine. He's a very well traveled individual. He'll have as much power in the offensive side as he wants. Who knows, Maybe they'll fire Arthur Smith and they'll hire Nathaniel Hackett. Like, he's an all. He's the offensive coordinator in and of himself. I think he loves Tomlin. I think that they've flirted with each other. They wink at each other on the sideline. He shouts them out when he does the McAfee interviews. I think he's got a respect for him. Conspiracy theory. McAfee today retweeted a video of Rogers talking about Tomlin from like 2021. I think it's happening. I think it's happening. I think he's going to announce it on that show. McAfee is a Pittsburgh guy or a Pennsylvania guy, whatever he is. He's doing some show in Pittsburgh coming out soon. He's calling it big night act. I don't fully understand the McAfee universe, but like, I think Rogers, who's apparently making seven figures from the guy, which is amazing. Good gig if you can get it. I think he's announcing that he's going to Pittsburgh with McAfee at his show in Pittsburgh. And he's a Steeler. That's what I think. Sat.
- [41:14]
Colin Cowherd
All right. You're probably right. I'm just telling you the stuff that matters to me, which is don't have to worry about moving left tackle, offensive coach, great weapon, and I'm going to have power in the building. I'll get a say in the building.
- [41:27]
Danny Parkins
Where do you think he wins more football games?
- [41:32]
Colin Cowherd
Pittsburgh.
- [41:33]
Danny Parkins
Yeah. So I guess. Okay. And this will be the other thing I wanted to say to you, and this is like, like developing more as my media career continues. I just get older or whatever I root for. Interesting powder keg. Great. Awesome. It is so much more interesting if Aaron Rodgers is in Pittsburgh with Mike Tomlin that.
- [41:59]
Colin Cowherd
You know what?
- [42:01]
Danny Parkins
I've said it. I had our guys work up a photoshop of him in a Steelers uniform the day the season ended. Like to me it's made obviously if Minnesota wants him, that's a better situation, obviously. So I see him hold. I can see him holding out for that. Think they're going to go J.J. mcCarthy, we'll see. But and the Steelers would be on national TV six times. They would be hyper relevant and hyper interesting. Good or bad? Good or bad. So I am if he's going to play and we're going to talk about him and he's going to suck all the oxygen out of a room, I would much rather him do it on a 10 or 11 win team than a 5 or a 6 win team. So I'm personally rooting for Pittsburgh.
- [42:45]
Greg Rosenthal
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- [43:17]
Jeremy Hobson
We live in a divided country. I am a lifelong Republican with all kinds of different people.
- [43:22]
Danny Parkins
You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.
- [43:25]
Jeremy Hobson
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.
- [43:33]
Danny Parkins
Anna, I'm calling some last Vegas.
- [43:36]
Jeremy Hobson
Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the middle.
- [43:40]
Danny Parkins
Thanks for having me.
- [43:41]
Jeremy Hobson
Jeremy Neil DeGrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.
- [43:43]
Danny Parkins
Thanks for having me.
- [43:44]
Jeremy Hobson
And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.
- [43:49]
Danny Parkins
Hi, my name is Venkat.
- [43:51]
Colin Cowherd
I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.
- [43:53]
Jeremy Hobson
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.
- [44:01]
Danny Parkins
We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary and what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.
- [44:09]
Jeremy Hobson
Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [44:16]
Colin Cowherd
And now for our next segment, Whiskey Business brought to you by Green River Whiskey, the official whiskey of the Colin Cowherd podcast. If you want to enjoy life's simple pleasures, reach for Green River Whiskey. Whether it's rye whiskey, single barrel bourbon, you're getting over a century of craftsmanship packed every bottle. Hop on over to greenriverwhiskey.com and discover legend in a bottle today. You know, it's, it's interesting. You and I both. That's, you know, I, I like fresh produce. I'm a chef. Just give me the best ingredients. That's all I care about. J. Mac last year before the season said Chicago's the most interesting team. And they were early until they were just, you know, obviously bad. And then by week like 10, you're like, okay, they're not interesting. If let's, let's think about this. The three most interesting teams next year. So I, I think this year the Bears are really interesting because if Caleb struggles again, he may not be the guy. In fact, he's probably not. So rookie quarterbacks. I never think the team is too interesting because it's going to be ugly and you can't make any stern judgments like obviously Jaden Daniels is terrific. He's LaMar Jackson and NFC, it's over. We, we don't have to argue about that. So I think Chicago is my most interesting team.
- [45:38]
Danny Parkins
Well, then let's get those weekly hits on the TV show going, buddy. Let's go Chicago.
- [45:44]
Colin Cowherd
Okay, let me think about, let me think about this for a second.
- [45:50]
Danny Parkins
I mean, I think Washington's pretty high on the list.
- [45:54]
Colin Cowherd
I, I will say this. I think Kansas City pulling back for a year because the offensive line is absolutely in flux. Their left tackle has never been a starting left tackle. It's like boys, that's honestly like having a Bentley and finding the cheapest insurance on the market for it. It's like, no, just, just call progressive or something. Okay, let's not go discount insurance. So I think Kansas City, I predicted the Niners in Dallas would pull back last this year. They did. I'm going to, I'm going to say Kansas City is going to pull back for a year. Their offensive line is in flux. I mean if this kid from San Francisco to left tackle doesn't move. Also, Joe Tuney may have been the most had more dexterity than any offensive lineman in the league last year. He's gone. So Chicago, Kansas City are fascinating. How about this? Green Bay. I loved Jordan Love last year gave me pause. What if Jordan Love struggles this year?
- [47:11]
Danny Parkins
Like, what if it's God's ears.
- [47:15]
Colin Cowherd
Chicago's better. Detroit's really good. As long as Kevin O'Connell's coaching Minnesota. They're viable. I, I like, I really like Jordan Love. And then there were times I watched them last year and I'm like, oh, I don't know if the coaching staff right now trust Jordan Love. Like I'm not sure they do. So I'm going to go Chicago, Kansas City, Green Bay and we'll do four. I'm going to say. And I don't know how interesting they'll be. I think New England, Vrabel, Drake may a basically 30% new roster. I do think they'll get Travis Hunter. I think that's going to be a pretty damn interesting team. Those are my four Bears, Chiefs, Packers, Patriots.
- [47:59]
Danny Parkins
Yeah. So let's revisit this after the draft because I'm not at all convinced that the guy that the Chiefs paid is for sure the left tackle. I think is for sure the left tackle now. But I could see them. This is the last year of Kelsey. He's made it clear we don't know how much more Chris Jones has in him. Obviously Mahomes is going to be there and Reed will be there and they're going to be good for a long time. But I could see the Chiefs trading up in the first round for a tackle. I could see that happening.
- [48:34]
Colin Cowherd
Or a tight end.
- [48:35]
Danny Parkins
Or a tight end, yes. I just think I could see a big draft day move for the Chiefs to try to inject a blue chip offensive player. So you know where should your Sanders goes, how far he falls? Is Deion Sanders like coach in waiting? Like, like that? Like does the shadow Sanders fall to 21 and he goes to Pittsburgh and he goes to Mike Tomlin and he sits behind Aaron Rodgers, then they're really damn interesting. Or does he go to the Giants and it feels like a mortal lock that Brian Dabel gets fired and they hire Deion Sanders. Pretty damn interesting either way. So I think that we're going to change a little bit of this out of the draft. I loved what Urban Meyer said on your show, by the way. Side note, parenthetical on Travis Hunter. If you believe Cam Ward is a superstar, then Cam Ward's the number one pick in the draft. If you have any doubt, then clearly Travis Hunter is the number one pick in the draft in my opinion because it's just a value proposition. Like if you think he can be a Pro bowl corner, well that's 25 million a year. And if he can also be a slot receiver, well that's 15 million a year. Even if he's a slot receiver for 12 snaps a game. So I love and I so I think wherever Travis Hunter goes his team immediately becomes interesting. But let's remove the draft from it. To get back to your point, obviously I'm with you on the Bears. I think the Chiefs in an all in situation is a great pick. The thing that I don't agree with on the New England point is is that all the guy the guys that they added are new but not terribly interesting. And while I love Drake May I think he looks like Justin Herbert to me, I was disappointed that they didn't figure out a way to get him a number one. He has nobody to throw the ball to and even if the line is better and Morgan Moses upgrades their left tackle situation no doubt Vrabel they spent all that money on like Carlton Davis and Spillan and and Milton Williams and I'm like man, help your quarterback with a rocket arm please. Like now I know Godwin went back to Tampa. They can't help that. I know the Bengals franchise tagged T. Higgins. Can't help that. You couldn't beat the 58th pick for DK Metcalf. Like Cooper cup better be a patriot. Like do something to help out Drake May in terms of pass catchers because he has nothing in that regard. So to me they need some weapon to totally get there and Green Bay is just not new enough. Everyone's back Watson, Dobbs, Wicks, Reed. They're so young, you know, they're so young that there's just not a lot of turnover there to make them all that interesting though I'm definitely rooting against Jordan Love and the packers in general. Just like the Chicago in in me trying to think who you left out. So. So I think Washington. The reason I said Washington while you were thinking about it is I think Jaden Daniel said the best rookie quarterback season of my lifetime. Yes, no question. I think it was better than Herbert who set the touchdown record better than Andrew. Andrew Lucky 3.
- [52:10]
Colin Cowherd
No clock cam Newton especially if you look at his third down and fourth quarter numbers. It's in their Joe Montana, his 11th year in the league.
- [52:19]
Danny Parkins
They led the league in fourth down conversions. Fourth down conversion with a rookie quarterback. They led the league. It was it was remarkable what he and then he won play. He went to the NFC Championship game. But the guys who've had amazing rookie seasons recently, Justin Herbert, it's been up and down CJ Stroud this past year he won another playoff game. I don't think it was all his fault. He was staring at the sky so much his offensive line was the disaster. Diggs got hurt, Tank Dell got hurt, Nico Collins got hurt at various points. But CJ Stroud did not take another step from his rookie year. Well, we could say plateaued. If Jaden Daniels takes another step like the year two in the system, year two in the league, jump. Well, then he's going to win mvp. He will win MVP like Mahomes won MVP his second year in the league. Like Lamar Jackson won MVP his third year in the league, second year in a system like he will. He will be the MVP of the league.
- [53:29]
Colin Cowherd
Well, also if he's great, not to interrupt, but if he's great again, then we have found our top five quarterbacks. Mahomes, Allen, Lamar Burrow, Jaden. Because we all like Jalen Hurts. But we're like. Well, the line that.
- [53:42]
Danny Parkins
I think it's ridiculous. I think it's ridiculous. Still I. Eagle stands. Kind of. Eagle fans kind of bother me with.
- [53:49]
Colin Cowherd
This, but I don't remember a time most of my life there have been three great quarterbacks, maybe four in the league and then it kind of peters out to have five first ballot level hall of Fame talent. If Jaden comes out and even duplicates last year with much better players around him, then we've got five first ballot guy. And by the way, now I'm moving because of his mobility, I'm moving Stafford to six. And he. I believe he. Especially if he could get in that super bowl circle again, win or lose, you're gonna have a hard time keeping him.
- [54:29]
Danny Parkins
I think Stafford, now that he has a ring is pretty. I will be shocked if he's not a Hall of Famer with where. Where his.
- [54:35]
Colin Cowherd
I mean, just think about this. He's not far from his prime, okay? For him to be the sixth best quarterback in the league, mostly because he doesn't move. The other guys move the NFL. Like I've said this. We're in the golden age of quarterbacking, folks. Like if he's six, if Herbert and.
- [54:55]
Danny Parkins
Hertz are seventh, can we not forget about her?
- [54:58]
Colin Cowherd
We are at an all time high.
- [54:59]
Danny Parkins
By the way, do you have a line to Harbaugh? Can you like.
- [55:03]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [55:04]
Danny Parkins
Can you tell him to throw a little bit more, please? Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. But you use the Bentley analogy. I know that the winning went up and I know the passer rating was very good and I know he loves to run the ball. Can you just. From the Football Appreciation Society. Don't let my guy. Let my guy, Justin Herbert not be 26th in the NFL and attempts again or whatever he was. Please.
- [55:33]
Colin Cowherd
Well, they lost Palmer, so Now they have lad McConkey. They need a tight end in the first round and a receiver in the third. Like, it's one of those things where. And I've said this about Jim Harbaugh, it's kind of fascinating. San Francisco, he had Michael Crabtree. It was an O line, D line. Physicality. John Harbaugh is the same way. What's the one thing the Ravens haven't had? Wide receiver talent. They've always been a little shy, the Harbaughs. It's their nature. He could have taken Michael Thomas, who he loved. He took Joe Alt. It's who they are. Their DNA is. We want to intimidate you. We want to physically, like, listen, they let go of Mike Williams and Kenan Allen. They kept Bosa and Khalil Mack. That was very clear. Their DNA.
- [56:13]
Danny Parkins
I know. I just. As a guy who loves Justin Herbert, I want to. I want to see the guy throw a little bit more. What were we just talking about? I'm sorry, I feel like I lost my train of thought on. Oh, but so J.D. but Washington, what Houston did off of C.J. stroud's rookie year was correct. Oh, my God. We have a quarterback. He turned our franchise around. We won a playoff game. We have a ton of cap space and a stud quarterback who we know we have to pay on a cheap deal. Let's go all in. And Stefan Diggs was crazy expensive. Daniel Hunter was crazy expensive. They paid mix and like, mixing didn't really work. He was fine. It wasn't really his fault. The offensive line was a disaster. Diggs was working, then got hurt. Daniel Hunter was fantastic. Washington is in the exact same spot. And we've now seen what they've done. Like, they. Debo, we're going to give Kingsbury and Terry McLaurin and Jaden Daniels, we're going to give them a toy and see how it works. We are going to trade a ton of capital for one of the best pass blocking left tackles of his generation to protect our investment. And then they paid Kinlaw, I think too much money. But they didn't want to get too much weaker on the defensive line when they lost Allen and they brought in Ken, like, so maybe they'll do one more trade or for a move or whatever, but they're going to maintain Cath flex. But we've seen their moves. D tackle, left tackle, Debo Samuel. Plus what they had in the draft. They're better. And Philly got worse. Now Philly got worse by design and we know it. And they should because they didn't want to pay Milton Williams $100 million so they could pay Jalen Carter $150 million next year. Philly's top 10 players are still all excellent. They deserve to be the favorite. But I think that what Jaden Daniels did and like year two, does it plateau? Does it go down? Does it go up? Because he's got way more talent and he should be only more comfortable in the NFL. So of the. To me, they are very high on my list of interesting. The division, the teams they play, sleeping giant base, the ownership change. Like Washington's very high on my list of interesting.
- [58:39]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, Jaden Daniels the quarterback reminds me of Sean McVay the coach. Like you're like a month in and you're like, yeah, he's way ahead of where he should be. Like McVeigh was going up against good coaches and you're like, how were they so bad last year? And how are they like going when, when he had golf go toe to toe with Mahomes at the Coliseum, remember? Because there was going to be a game in Mexico and you're like, okay, we're looking at maybe the greatest young coach by far in league history. Maybe John Madden, Sean McVay. You know, people have said you guys are getting high on him. It's like, no, no, like, like I can remember Jordan's rookie year and it's like, oh, that's. I haven't seen that. Like the hand size, his just his ability to just play hard every second on the floor, which Urban Meyer says that about Travis Hunter. It's like, like 65th snap. He's literally racing down the field blocking people. Like he has a motor that never stops. I think Jaden Daniels is one of those. Oh yeah, this is, this is Lamar Jackson. I watched Lamar his first year. He started week 11. They got to the playoffs and I went and watched him in person. I think it was against the Chargers. They didn't know, they didn't know how to defend him. It's like, you know, everybody was like on eggshells, like, don't commit. It was the non committal defense. Like he was, he was terrifying people.
- [60:02]
Danny Parkins
The, the rookie quarterbacks who have won at a very high level. You know, Dak Prescott had that awesome winning rookie season where he didn't really throw any interceptions. Russell Wilson, Big Ben, every rookie quarterback who's one big in my lifetime, they weren't the reason. None of them, like, they, they didn't, they Weren't except James. That's my point. That's my point.
- [60:34]
Colin Cowherd
And luck.
- [60:34]
Danny Parkins
But, but one big like they in the NFC championship game, they won nine one score games this year. Like he was like fourth quarter comebacks, third down, fourth down passing, running playoff wins. Now like listen, the, the counter argument is 91 score playoff game, not 91 score wins. And they beat Tampa by three in the wild card round. They lose that game, we are at least having a little bit more doubt about, about Jaden Daniels. But I just, I'm, I'm not going to invoke Michael Jordan, but I also was two when Michael Jordan was a rookie. So I'm not completely dismissing what you're saying but I just, I'm with you. I'm pretty positive he's great and his team should be much better in terms of, around him.
- [61:33]
Colin Cowherd
Well, they won't be in as many one score games. So the truth is you go, oh, they were nine and one and one score games. They will not be in ten one score games.
- [61:42]
Danny Parkins
And so, so to me that, that's, that's, they're just again the whole premise was like most interesting. I'm with you on Bears, I'm with you on the Chiefs. I'm less so Patriots. And, and I know we're just doing this off the top of our head, but Washington is very, very high on the list. Trying to think of the AFC team that you left out. I mean, listen, I think, I do think Harbaugh Herbert is incredibly compelling.
- [62:11]
Colin Cowherd
I think they're going to win their division.
- [62:12]
Danny Parkins
You think they're going to be the Chiefs?
- [62:15]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I think the Chiefs. Listen, I, I think this yet. Yeah, I think, I think, yeah, but you know, he didn't hear it. There was static in his ear. He didn't really hear it. But I do think to win like they did last year, they went from the worst defense to like the third best. It's like, okay, that was all coaching. It was the exact same players. And you know that they, not every defensive player knew that system wrote like some of these young guys are like, hey man, we are learning on the fly here. So I just think they also will draft as well as anybody in this sport for the next two years because of Harbaugh's connection to college football. So I think they're going to go get four to five. I mean last year they went in the fifth round and got two corners like both can play. It's like, okay, they're going to draft different than everybody else. It's the Pete Carroll out of usc. The first four years, they hit on everybody, like third, fourth, fifth, sixth. They were hitting on everybody. It's one of those built in advantages and I think it will pay dividends again this year.
- [63:18]
Danny Parkins
Are you a believer in Pete Carroll this time around?
- [63:25]
Colin Cowherd
There are ceilings with Pete. His fascination with Geno Smith is his ceiling. He doesn't care enough about quarterbacks as I don't think. I think the difference between offensive coaches and defensive coaches in this league is the urgency at quarterback. I mean, Andy Reid's moving off a Pro bowler.
- [63:48]
Danny Parkins
Yeah.
- [63:49]
Colin Cowherd
Sean McVeigh is moving off Jared Goff. Like defensive coaches. You get me? Geno. I can win a lot of games with Gino. And, and I think, I mean, I mean, Aaron Glenn, hey, I go in a lot of games with Justin Fields. I think defensive coaches think differently. It's in their DNA. And I think Pete looks at Gino as, hey, man, he'll. He'll complete a bunch of passes, stay out of trouble. And I just. So I think Pete, that's the ceiling for Pete. That, that would infuriate me. Mike Tomlin's got a lot of this. He just. I mean, right now, Steelers don't have a quarterback. Ron Rivera in Washington, I got Sam Howe.
- [64:25]
Danny Parkins
I think Geno's underrated because he was under pressure more than basically any quarterback in football the last three years and still completed 68% of his passes and won a bunch of games and threw for a bunch of yards. So I think Geno's underrated, but he's obviously not great and he's older and I'm with you in your overall premise. There's obviously a million differences between someone like me and these athletes and coaches. Obviously that doesn't need to be said, but I'll say it anyway. But one of the biggest differences beyond the athleticism is I would be like, I'm going to go coach against Andy Reid, Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh and Bo Nix, Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes. Like, the right. The path to winning seems borderline impossible. Like, borderline impossible. These guys clearly don't think that way. Like, they clearly have such ego, belief, confidence. Wherever that line blurs between delusion and confidence, all of these guys seem to have it. They are the 1% of the 1%. But like, when people like Aaron Rodgers should go quarterback the Raiders, I was like, I think he's smarter than that. I don't think he wants to go to a team with a ceiling that is seven wins. Like, what is the bet? And I'm Rambling, but, like, when Max Crosby was like, I want to be a Raider for life. A small part of me, I think less of you. Like, it's cool. It's cool. It's admirable. Your name will be in the ring of honor. But I'm bummed. I want to see Max Crosby in his prime on a great team. Miles Garrett. It was just about the money. You could have gotten the money without saying you didn't want to go from Cleveland to Canton. They were going to pay you. You said you wanted to win, and then you're back. Like, I. In football, I want to see these guys be straight mercenaries and see the best players in their prime play on the best teams. And I know these guys don't run from challenges, but I was like, pete Carroll, at his age, thinks he can turn the Raiders into a winner in that division with no quarterback. Like, I think you're crazy. I think he's crazy.
- [66:57]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, well, he. Yeah. I mean, there's no right.
- [67:02]
Danny Parkins
There's no way. There's no way he wins big in that spot. Right.
- [67:07]
Colin Cowherd
He'll argue. We got to play these guys anyway. If we're any good in the afc, you're going to. Might as well face them two times, have them have our kind of. You know, I think. I mean, Chip Kelly told me he looked at the Raiders Chiefs games every play, and he told me, we can match up with them. He goes, if we get a good quarterback, we can match up with them. He goes, we. We had them beat twice. So I think. And I do think Kansas City last year was beatable. So I know.
- [67:33]
Danny Parkins
Listen, I. And the league is designed for parody, and a big favorite in the NFL is 10 points. So of course, there. There's. There is. There is some truth to it, but you got a cleaner path in the AFC South. You know, you just like. Like teams most likely to host a playoff game next year, but if you had to, there's 100 grand on the table. You get to pick it up.
- [68:00]
Colin Cowherd
If you're right, Buffalo, Buffalo, Baltimore, Houston, Philadelphia.
- [68:10]
Danny Parkins
See, I think. But I think Baltimore and Philly, like, at least in those situations, it's like, well, Burrow is there. Jaden is there. Like, they. There's those. They've real. Other team, like Buffalo is the number one pick. Buffalo's won the division five years in a row. They've got the MVP of the league. They've got the most talent. No other team is particularly compelling. I think Houston might be my number two pick. Rest of the AFC south sucks. And I think Kansas City should still be there. Like, I'm surprised to hear you having the Chargers catching them, but it's just I would be looking for do I have a quarterback? Like, if I was looking for a job, do I have a quarterback and do I have a path to winning? Like, a reasonable path to winning? And I was so I don't think that there is really one in Vegas.
- [69:04]
Colin Cowherd
Danny Perkins. That was a good hour.
- [69:07]
Danny Parkins
Anytime, buddy. This was fun. As always. The volume.
- [69:15]
Colin Cowherd
This is Nikki Glazer from the Nikki Glazer Podcast. On a more serious note, I'm still thinking about that commercial with Tom Brady and Snoop Dogg hating on each other. Because when you listen to the reasons for hating someone or something, you realize just how stupid they really are. There is too much hate in this country and it's gotta stop. So join us at iheart and Standing Up To It. If you see hate, speak up, call it out and you can learn more by following at what's up with Hate?
- [69:42]
Daniel Jeremiah
What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [70:12]
Jeremy Hobson
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.
- [70:43]
Danny Parkins
What's up, everyone?
- [70:44]
Greg Rosenthal
Julie Swerbinks here, along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.
- [70:47]
Danny Parkins
We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go, the Name Energy Line.
- [70:52]
Greg Rosenthal
With Nate and jsb.
- [70:53]
Danny Parkins
Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right? Exactly.
- [70:59]
Greg Rosenthal
And you'll never know who will drop.
- [71:01]
Danny Parkins
By to join us. Julie is pretty well connected she has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.
- [71:07]
Greg Rosenthal
Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts.
- [71:12]
Danny Parkins
Or wherever you get your podcasts.