Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: Chargers rise as the Eagles fall, what is wrong with Jalen Hurts?
Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts & The Volume

Episode Overview

Colin Cowherd opens the show with a deep dive into the thrilling Chargers' overtime win against the Eagles, analyzing the resilience of Justin Herbert and the Chargers' coaching staff amidst adversity. The episode pivots to a critical assessment of Jalen Hurts and the systemic issues plaguing the Philadelphia Eagles, as well as broader NFL and college football conversations including Buffalo Bills scenarios, college football independence, NIL impact, and the evolving landscape of quarterback development.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Chargers' Grit vs. Eagles' Collapse

• Chargers' Resilience and Coaching Prowess

  • Justin Herbert's performance was heroic, playing through a recent hand surgery, with most of his offensive line and key players injured, and still managing a gutsy win.
  • Jim Harbaugh and ascending coordinator Jesse Minter were praised for their impact on culture and toughness.
  • Herbert was pressured on 68% of throws, the most of any QB in a game all season (04:22).

• Contrast with the Eagles' Excuse Culture

  • Colin critiques the narrative that Philly's setbacks are mainly injury-based, noting LA dealt with more severe personnel issues.
  • The Eagles’ talent-laden roster should have overcome missing a right tackle compared to LA’s multiple absences.
  • "All I've heard all year with Philly is ‘Well, Landon Dickerson isn't 100%. You know, Lane Johnson's out.’ Sorry, not Sirianni. I'm done listening to it." (04:37)

Notable Moment & Quote

• Harbaugh on Herbert:
  • "He’s a superhero. He is a competitive maniac... even stiff arming guys with a broken hand. He had surgery a week ago." – Colin Cowherd, paraphrasing Harbaugh (07:49)

Jalen Hurts: A Circumstantial Quarterback? (08:35)

• Hurts' Troubles and Limitations

  • Hurts had a disastrous game: 4 interceptions, 1 fumble, and a passer rating just above 31.
  • Colin argues Hurts excels only with ideal circumstances (healthy O-line, top coordinator, etc.).
  • "Some QBs are hot air balloons—dependent on the weather. Justin Herbert and some QBs are fighter pilots. Just give me the coordinates." (09:00)
  • Eagles are 0-5 in their last five games when Hurts is asked to throw 30+ times.
  • Colin critiques Head Coach Nick Sirianni as being overly reliant on coordinators and unable to fix problems mid-season.

• Failure to Fix Offensive Mess

  • The Eagles, despite all their talent (Saquon, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith), are offensively in disarray due to overdependence on perfect conditions and lack of resilience.

Notable Quote

• "I love so much about Jalen Hurts but he's a circumstances quarterback if everything’s lined up. That’s not what Herbert was last night." – Colin Cowherd (11:15)

• Nick Sirianni Post-Game on Hurts’ Struggles:

  • "This game is the ultimate team game... He always has the ball in his hands, and I know he'll wear a lot of that and own that. And I gotta do a better job of helping him." (11:55)

NFL Hierarchy & Division Races

• Chargers vs Chiefs, Market Perceptions

  • Discussion on the upcoming massive Chargers-Chiefs matchup and the betting markets’ persistent respect for the Chiefs despite recent struggles.
  • Colin and co-host note the Chargers might be better than the Chiefs right now.

• Buffalo Bills’ Do-Or-Die Scenario

  • Preview of the Patriots vs Bills; discussion centers around Josh Allen's ability to salvage the Bills’ season and repeated reliance on his heroics to cover up coaching deficiencies (26:25).
  • Colin: "Once again it was Josh Allen saving Sean McDermott's job. That's what it feels like to me." (26:25)
  • Both agree that even if Buffalo loses and drops to a wild card, they're still dangerous with Allen (28:00).

• Baltimore Ravens Controversial Non-TD

  • John Harbaugh laments another ambiguous NFL catch rule after Isaiah Likely’s TD was called back.
  • "The catch rule? Clear as mud. Mud is not clear." (29:06)

College Football: Independence & Scheduling Woes

• Notre Dame’s “Bad Look” with Conference Drama

  • Colin staunchly criticizes Notre Dame for their independence—arguing they want conference perks without full commitment, especially when complaints arise about ACC favoritism (20:02).
  • "Sorry Notre Dame. It’s a bad look. Notre Dame has loved their independence. Last time they won a Natty there were 25 independent programs. Now even BYU figured it out. Join a Conference." (21:18)
  • He compares them to “South Bend with Benefits,” mocking their reluctance to ‘put a ring on it’ with the ACC.

• Scheduling Impact on Playoff Hopes

  • Notre Dame’s weaker schedule due to partial conference status has come back to haunt them; Colin advises, “Take the L. It’s not working.” (22:54)

QB Development & The "Influencer" Phenomenon

• Shadour Sanders: The Quarterback Influencer?

  • Colin is puzzled by the intense popularity of Shadour Sanders, calling him “the first quarterback influencer,” likening his social media/influencer draw to the hype LaMelo Ball enjoyed.
  • "Shadour's not winning, and his popularity also isn’t tied to productivity. I think there's a LaMelo Ball thing here... he’s our first quarterback influencer." (33:58)

• QB Prep: Talent vs. Readiness

  • Explains why Dylan Gabriel looked better earlier—better program/coaching at Oregon—but sees Shadour's higher ceiling eventually taking over, stressing natural talent takes time to mature (36:04).

• Coach Kevin Stefanski’s Perspective:

  • On keeping Shadour in: "He has constantly and consistently gotten better... he's very intentional about getting better each and every game." (37:34)

Jordan Love: The NFL’s “Uncrowned” Star (43:40)

• Why Is Jordan Love Underappreciated?
  • Colin outlines all the traits he seeks in a franchise QB, noting Love is great but still under-recognized nationally.
  • "If you had Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love both available...every GM in the league would take Jordan Love but you’ll get pushback." (44:23)
  • Predicts Love will finally get MVP attention if Packers keep winning.

The NIL Era: Changing College Football’s Quarterback Pipeline

(46:39)

• NIL’s Unexpected Benefits
  • Pays players, giving them financial literacy and experience before the NFL.
  • Keeps talented but not-yet-ready QBs in college longer, leading to more maturity and fewer NFL busts.
  • "The NIL is going to grow the middle class of quarterbacks." (49:02)
  • Now, elite college QBs can earn millions, decreasing the rush to the NFL and improving the product at both college and pro levels.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "The Chargers are now 9 and 4. They lost a Bosa, both Pro bowl level tackles, on their third string running back and last night their quarterback's off hand surgery—and they beat a stacked Eagles roster." – Colin Cowherd (04:22)

• "This team is 13 and 4 the last two seasons after week eight. That is coaching, culture, toughness, resilience." (06:33)

• "Jalen Hurts is a circumstances quarterback. If the O line's perfectly healthy, if the OC is great... he's really successful. Justin Herbert’s doing it with no ifs." (08:35)

• "Herbert's pressured 68% of the throws. They should have been blown out." (05:49)

• "If you don't get Justin Herbert, you don't get it. That kid's taken a beating, a record setting beating. He's under siege." (05:23)

• "Nick Sirianni is totally coordinator dependent." (12:17)

• "Notre Dame, people that love their independence, guess what? When times get tough, you want that conference behind you… All you are, Notre Dame, is South Bend with benefits." (21:18)

• "I think Shadour Sanders is our first quarterback influencer." (33:58)

• "If you had Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love both available...every GM in the league would take Jordan Love but you'll get pushback on that." (44:23)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:51] Chargers stuns Eagles, Herbert & Harbaugh praise, resilience talk
• [07:49] Harbaugh gushes about Herbert
• [08:35] Jalen Hurts’ performance; “circumstances quarterback” argument
• [12:16] NFL division leaders & coaching discussion
• [14:35] Previewing Chargers vs. Chiefs, playoff talk
• [20:02] Notre Dame-ACC independence/scheduling critique
• [33:58] Shadour Sanders “QB influencer” segment (comparison to LaMelo Ball)
• [43:40] Jordan Love MVP, Packers, QB traits
• [46:39] NIL’s positive impact on CFB/QB development

Tone & Style

Cowherd’s tone throughout is confident, slightly irreverent, and highly opinionated. He blends analysis with storytelling, is quick to call out perceived excuses, and doesn’t shy away from hot takes (“South Bend with benefits”, “circumstance quarterback”, “quarterback influencer”).

Summary Takeaways

• The Chargers’ gritty win over Philadelphia exemplified the importance of coaching, culture, and QB resilience—contrasted sharply with the Eagles’ dependency on everything being ‘just right’, especially for Jalen Hurts.
• Hurts and Sirianni both fall into “circumstantial” categories; the team’s structure doesn’t allow for adaptability or overcoming adversity like LA did.
• The Buffalo Bills must keep pushing (thanks to Allen), while the NFL’s QB hierarchy is slowly shifting—Jordan Love is now (quietly) elite.
• Outside the NFL, college football’s conference drama (Notre Dame) and new NIL realities are remaking team allegiance and player development.
• The NIL is boosting the “middle class” of quarterbacks—prolonging college stays, raising player maturity, and benefiting both college and NFL programs.
• Influencer culture is creeping into football, exemplified by Shadour Sanders’ rise.
• LA pro sports are cited as a model for ownership and spending.

This summary captures the episode's nuance, memorable lines, hottest takes, and essential football analysis for both NFL and college football fans.