The Herd with Colin Cowherd – December 2, 2025 (Hour 1)

Episode: Drake Maye is an elite QB, Jaxson Dart needs to be smarter, the importance of Dak Prescott

Overview

This episode of The Herd dives deep into current NFL and college football storylines, focusing on the emergence of Drake Maye as a truly elite quarterback, questions around Jaxson Dart's growth and decision-making, and the evolving perception and significance of Dak Prescott in Dallas. Colin uses his signature style—direct, opinionated, and analogy-rich—to analyze the state of several teams and big names, with a special attention to quarterback play and organizational health.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Drake Maye’s Ascent to Elite QB Status (00:35–12:50)

• Drake Maye’s Performance: Colin is blown away by Maye’s intelligence, poise, accuracy, and decision-making under less-than-ideal circumstances (e.g., missing key O-line and skill players).
  • “Drake Maye, it’s a different discussion. He looks like he’s going to be one of these guys about every four years that enters the league and is an all-timer. Size, arm, IQ. I mean, Drake Maye, he just doesn’t miss.” – Colin (02:05)
  • Maye’s command on first down is historic—he’s on pace to be the NFL’s best-ever by that metric, ahead of Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees (07:14).
  • Maye’s rare ability: even his "misses" are smart, away from defenders, and he rarely takes hits—a mark of elite field sense.
• Maye vs. Other Young Studs: At just 21, Maye is younger and further ahead than Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, Michael Penix Jr., Jaden Daniels, and Cam Ward (08:55).
• Patriots Parallels: New England, with Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels, feels like an upgraded, more modern version of the Brady–Belichick Pats, with Maye as the “new model” of Brady—tall, accurate, stoic, and a little more mobile (06:50).
  • “Vrabel is Belichick—really cares about special teams, but he’s more player-friendly... Drake Maye has a lot of Brady: accurate, moves well, not taking shots, not a lot of picks. He’s just a little more mobile.” – Colin (06:58)
• Coach-QB Combinations: Colin highlights every elite QB needed the right coach (Montana–Walsh, Marino–Shula, Brady–Belichick)—and Maye finally has his (11:05).

Notable Quotes

• “When you get the quarterback and the coach right, it just doesn’t take that long.” (07:28)
• “Even his misses are in the right spot. He was a little... he took too many shots last year, but this kid—he’s two and a half years younger than Bo Nix... the most accurate of that group, the most poised of that group.” (10:30)

2. Dak Prescott – Rethinking His Place Among the Greats (12:51–16:36)

• Dak’s Value Surpasses Coaching: Prescott is guiding the league’s #1 offense with (now) a third head coach. Colin previously thought Dak’s early success was circumstantial, but now sees clear evidence Dak transcends circumstance:
  • “Translation: the head coach just doesn’t mean that much with Dak Prescott.” – Colin (13:49)
  • His all-time numbers—completion percentage, TD:INT, passer rating—all top 10. “It is time we start having a different conversation.” (14:46)
• Playoff Critiques Are Flawed: Colin notes that playoff success is only part of the equation. Other QBs (Marino, Lamar, Rodgers) also had less-than-stellar postseason results despite elite talent (15:33).
• Dak vs. Russell Wilson: When pressed on choosing between the two for Hall of Fame, Colin chooses Dak, pointing to his leadership, intangibles, late-career improvement, and multi-coach success—even though he concedes it’s a “close” call (15:55–16:24).

Notable Quotes

• “He’s playing better than he ever has in year 10... He just needs a couple of pelts in the postseason.” (15:25)
• “This is the best I’ve ever seen him.” (16:36)

3. Jaxson Dart’s Recklessness and Learning Curve (18:17–25:40)

• Poor Decision-Making Examined: Colin is critical of Jaxson Dart’s willingness to take unnecessary punishment, referencing a brutal hit Dart suffered early in a non-crucial situation:
  • “No quarterback should ever take a hit like that... This is a first quarter game and you’re not making the playoffs.” (20:24)
• Evolving as a Pro: Colin pushes back on Dart’s “this is just my game” mindset—citing how great players like LeBron and KD adapted over time, and comparing Dart to recklessly athletic NBA guards who never changed their style.
• Injury Risks: Points to the Giants’ long drought of durable QBs, arguing Dart must learn to avoid the “blue tent” or risk never reaching his potential.

Notable Quotes

• “Smart people, including football players, evolve. Lots of things are cool at 19... but when you’re the face of the New York Giants… no quarterback should ever take a hit like that.” (20:45)
• “For the record, Drake Maye, first year, spent some time in the blue tent. Stay out of it.” (23:34)
• “This is a top five hit in the league this year. What are we doing?” (24:30)

4. Lane Kiffin to LSU – College Football Coaching Carousel (25:43–29:50)

• Lane Kiffin’s New Job: Discussion shifts to Lane Kiffin becoming LSU’s head coach and the general instability and drama in college football’s coaching world (25:44).
• Kiffin’s Credentials Debated: Colin is bullish, predicting LSU will win a national championship under Kiffin, while J. Mac is more skeptical ("The guy's never won anything, ever. Can we settle down with Lane Kiffin?") (27:10).
• Conference Landscape: SEC has five new coaches, it’s “wide open,” and Colin argues LSU’s talent and transfer portal prowess make them immediate contenders.

5. Kansas City Chiefs & Playoff Outlooks (29:55–33:11)

• Chiefs’ Recent Struggles: Quick debate about KC’s playoff hopes—with skepticism from Colin and J. Mac, but emphasis on Andy Reid’s unwavering confidence ("We're going to try to tickle your tonsils on every play, every game" – Andy Reid, 30:18)
• NFC vs. AFC: NFC is now stronger and deeper; excellent teams could miss the playoffs, whereas AFC feels shaky without Burrow, Mahomes, or a healthy Herbert (49:18–53:58).

6. Detroit Lions & Playoff Pressure (31:56–33:48)

• Lions’ Bright Spots and Woes: Despite 11 Lions leading Pro Bowl voting at their positions, Colin doubts their playoff credentials, seeing a downward trend and offensive coordination problems amid a brutal NFC playoff race.
• Cowboys-Lions as Playoff Elimination Game: The upcoming matchup is seen as must-win for both teams.

7. Kevin Stefanski and the Browns’ Organizational Instability (33:48–37:53)

• Defending Kevin Stefanski: Colin strongly defends the Browns’ head coach, arguing that his record—despite a revolving door of QBs—proves his worth, and firing him would be a “very Cleveland thing.”
  • “If Stefanski’s on the market, he’s going to get a job. And it may be really close to Cleveland... could be in-division.” (36:46)
• Franchise-Level Perspective: Colin details how the market for coaches/self-awareness separates real franchises from dysfunctional ones.

8. College Football Playoff Debates: Scheduling, Body of Work, and Selection (38:53–49:18)

• Big Games > Soft Schedules: Colin argues voters should focus on how teams perform in their biggest games rather than penalizing for strong schedules (40:30).
• Texas, Notre Dame, Miami Debates: Detailed breakdown of who deserves playoff consideration, why close Ohio State loss shouldn’t eliminate Texas, and that head-to-head wins aren’t the only metric.
  • "I am always willing if you schedule a tough game early... The tougher your schedule—and Texas had a gauntlet—I’ll give you a bad loss." (47:24)
• Urban Meyer Agrees: Meyer joins in to say Texas shouldn’t be penalized for scheduling Ohio State (47:55).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Drake Maye’s potential:
  “He is on pace to be the greatest quarterback on first down in the history of the game for a single season. Number two is Aaron Rodgers. Number three is Drew Brees.” – Colin (07:14)
• On Dak Prescott’s late peak:
  “He’s playing better than he ever has in year 10. He just needs a couple of pelts in the postseason.” – Colin (15:25)
• On Jaxson Dart not evolving:
  “I don’t want to hear ‘this is my game.’ No, it’s not. Smart people... evolve.” – Colin (20:45)
• Andy Reid’s unique phrase:
  “We’re going to try to tickle your tonsils on every play, every game...” – Andy Reid, via Colin (30:18)

Important Timestamps

• Drake Maye emergence & Patriots parallels: 01:35–12:50
• Dak Prescott’s changing legacy & Hall of Fame debate: 12:51–16:36
• Jaxson Dart’s big hit & lessons for young QBs: 18:17–25:40
• Lane Kiffin to LSU, SEC landscape: 25:43–29:50
• Chiefs and playoff scenarios: 29:55–33:11
• Lions' Pro Bowl votes, playoff elimination talk: 31:56–33:48
• Stefanski’s job security & franchise self-awareness: 33:48–37:53
• CFB playoff criteria, Texas/Notre Dame/Miami: 38:53–49:18
• AFC/NFC playoff picture, Patriots’ opportunity: 49:18–53:58

Conclusion

This hour is classic Colin: persuasive, unsparing with criticism (Jaxson Dart, Browns, Lions) and praise (Drake Maye, Dak Prescott, Kevin Stefanski). If you missed it, you’ll come away knowing why Drake Maye could be the NFL’s next generational QB, why Dak’s career deserves a renewed appraisal, which programs and coaches are set up best for the future, and why football’s playoff systems—both pro and college—are never as simple as “best record wins.”