The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 1 — September 26, 2025

Main Themes:

• The underappreciation of Sam Darnold and the importance of fit in NFL quarterback success
• The arrival of "West Coast cool" in the Big Ten: the impact of Pac-12 teams joining
• Russell Wilson's fall from grace and debate over his Hall of Fame candidacy

Sam Darnold: The NFL’s Most Underappreciated Winner

Timestamps: 02:00–13:15

Discussion Highlights

• Host Colin Cowherd reflects on Sam Darnold’s career arc, emphasizing how much organizational context matters for quarterback success.

  • Darnold’s journey: USC → Jets → Panthers (asked to save franchises) → Vikings (success) → Seattle (proving elite).
  • “There’s no greater example of where you land matters than Sam Darnold.” (03:39, Colin)
  • Darnold leads the NFL in big plays and is tied for most wins and game-winning drives over the past two years, sharing stats with Mahomes.

• Contrasting environments.

  • Darnold’s improvement: surrounded by better players and coaches, he excels. Jets and Panthers remain mediocre post-Darnold.
  • “Sometimes winners in life can’t elevate every loser … Nobody can help the Jets and the Panthers.” (04:35, Colin)

• Comparing Darnold to Dak Prescott:

  • Darnold: Dak’s intangibles plus better athletic traits—“Dak with better tangibles… Darnold’s got the bigger arm.” (06:12, Colin)
  • Their shared traits: toughness, leadership, teammate respect.

• Seattle’s young offensive roster means Darnold’s wins are even more impressive:

  • “This is a young team … He just plopped into Seattle and it’s already working. That is a much harder win than you think.” (08:19, Colin)

• Seattle Head Coach Mike Macdonald on Darnold:

  • “Sam’s playing out of his mind right now. … He’s just so determined for us to be a great team and a great offense.” (09:10, Macdonald audio)

Notable Quote

• “Four straight seasons with better coaching… his completion percentage keeps going up. When you’ve surrounded him with winners and quality people and quality teammates, Sam wins a lot.” (06:57, Colin)

Kyler Murray: Talent Without Unity

Timestamps: 09:40–15:50

Discussion Highlights

• Colin’s evolving skepticism of Kyler Murray, despite defending his talent.

  • Murray’s lack of leadership/relatability: “He’s not terribly verbal. I feel like sometimes he feels detached. I don’t feel like he’s obsessed with football…” (10:29, Colin)
  • Points to Murray’s poor record in close games: “Why is Kyler Murray… so bad in close games? 19-32-1 in one-score games.” (11:42, Colin)

• The ‘unifier’ trait:

  • Citing examples like Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, and Dak as players who bring teammates with them in crunch time.
  • “When fit hits the shan in life, people aren’t looking for talent. They’re looking for guidance.” (12:22, Colin)

• Kyler’s regression as a runner:

  • J. Mac: “Why isn’t Kyler Murray running anymore?... basically had five carries, but one of them was 29 yards.” (13:46, J. Mac)

• Body language & mindset matter:

  • Colin relays a conversation with an NFL player: “He doesn’t like to get hit. He’s a small guy and he doesn’t like to get hit…” (14:00, Colin)
  • Murray’s postgame comments reinforce lack of urgency and leadership:
    • “It wasn’t clicking… pretty much getting physically dominated the whole first half. … We gotta show up, be ready to go…” (12:53, Kyler)

• Comparison to Baker Mayfield:

  • Baker fights through adversity, while Kyler “just shuts it down.”
  • “There’s something about the ability to unify and lead the way that I always feel like he lacks.” (12:56, Colin)

Notable Quotes

• “Kyler’s got more talent than Baker…I really do. But Baker is fighting to the last play. Kyler’s 8–36–1 when he gets behind.” (12:47, Colin)

News Roundup with J. Mac

Timestamps: 25:28–32:42

Eagles vs. Buccaneers Preview

• A.J. Brown wants Philly’s offense to be more aggressive:
  • “Let’s not continue to keep trying to get our head on the wall… Let’s mix it up and do what we need to do.” (25:50, A.J. Brown audio)
• Colin’s analysis: Philly a tough matchup due to elite interior defense.
• Tampa’s defense scheming specifically to stop the Eagles’ signature “tush push” play (big D-lineman activation noted).

49ers QB Situation & Matchup Notes

• Injury questions for both Brock Purdy and Mac Jones leave Niners’ prospects in flux.
• Colin: “I never know who’s playing [for San Francisco]. I like to go into bets with answers, not questions.” (29:13, Colin)

Cowboys vs. Packers, and WR Comparisons

• Dak versus Micah Parsons narrative fun, but Dak emphasizes the team:
  • “He’s got five guys up front plus tight ends and running backs that he’s got to get through. So then we’ll worry about if he can get to me.” (30:34, Dak)
• J. Mac and Colin debate CeeDee Lamb vs. George Pickens:
  • “When you put him on the field with CeeDee Lamb, he’s not close to CeeDee Lamb. Like, that tells you. CeeDee, on every pass play, separates from good corners. Pickens doesn’t.” (31:43, Colin)

West Coast Teams Bring “Cool” and Change to the Big Ten

Timestamps: 21:35–25:28

Discussion Highlights

• The arrival of Oregon, USC, Washington, and UCLA in the Big Ten shakes up the conference narrative.

  • Old stereotype: “PAC-12 teams are soft…can’t handle the Big Ten’s physicality.”
  • This weekend seen as a regional, territorial “statement” with significant games (Oregon at Penn State, USC’s stretch, Ohio State at Washington).
  • “I think the Big Ten was top heavy and at times plodding…West coast teams are more creative, more inventive.” (22:35, Colin)

• Impact on West Coast programs:

  • Big Ten forces teams like USC, Oregon to bulk up front, improve physicality.
  • “In a weird way, joining the Big Ten has made USC a better program. They’re now a run-first program.” (23:45, Colin)
  • Washington’s coach Jed Fish highlights national recruiting advantages and exposure:
    • “So many different areas that we’ll be able to attack … We were in the national championship game two years ago, so people know who Washington is…” (24:59, Jed Fish audio)

Mahomes, the Super Bowl Bubble, and KC’s Offensive Struggles

Timestamps: 32:47–37:58

Discussion Highlights

• Colin warns Mahomes and KC are hitting their ceiling considering depleted offensive weapons.

  • “We have found officially the limit on how much even a superstar, legendary quarterback can do.” (32:47, Colin)
  • Mahomes’ passer rating in last 22 games now lower than recently benched Russell Wilson.
  • Causes: Missed draft picks, aging Travis Kelce, cap squeeze after QB contract, weird injuries/suspensions.

• Changing landscape due to QB contracts.

  • AFC: Paid QBs = worse rosters, more holes (KC, Buffalo, Baltimore, etc).
  • NFC: Better teams with young or cheaper QBs (Baker Mayfield, Darnold, Jalen Hurts).

Notable Quote

• “When you pay the quarterback … you just get more good players [elsewhere with team-friendly deals].” (36:33, Colin)

The Russell Wilson Hall of Fame Debate

Timestamps: 43:04–53:23

Discussion Highlights

• Wilson now benched—once universally praised, now heavily criticized.

  • Recent week: Tony Gonzalez and Richard Sherman questioned his legacy—“If there’s ever been a guy who’s played himself out of the Hall of Fame … it’s Russell Wilson.” (45:13, Tony Gonzalez via Colin)
  • Colin explores why Russ became disliked: his perceived inauthenticity, desire for superstar status, lack of close relationships with teammates (e.g., no players at his wedding).

• Seattle’s success was a collective, not individual, effort:

  • “That great Seattle team was a collective … Marshawn Lynch, Pete Carroll, the Legion of Boom, the 12th Man … Russell was a star, but his teammates felt like he wanted superstar treatment.” (47:22, Colin)

• Hall of Fame criteria:

  • “If you have a career that ends poorly … you had to be unbelievable in the meat of it.” (50:00, Colin)
  • Comparison: Aaron Rodgers carried Green Bay through lean years; Russell never had to carry a team in his prime—he always had an All-Star roster around him.

Other Noteworthy Quotes & Moments

• “Aaron [Rodgers] is a little bit more of a bailer than a baller. … He’s not a foxhole guy.” (15:51, Colin on QBs who struggle from behind)
• On Darnold: “My comp for him when he came out was … Andrew Luck. … Look at the numbers, it’s Andrew Luck these last two years.” (15:02, Colin)

Tone & Style

• Colin’s tone is conversational, confident, occasionally self-deprecating—directly addressing both his long-time listeners and critics.
• Frequent use of “I don’t know” and “I really do think…” to present strong opinions with room for nuance.
• Banter with co-host J. Mac stays sharp, energetic, and focused on evidence (“stats matter”, “body language counts”).

Key Segment Timestamps

• [02:00] – Sam Darnold’s underappreciated career and talent
• [09:40] – Kyler Murray’s close game struggles and leadership questions
• [21:35] – West Coast teams transform the Big Ten
• [25:28] – NFL News Roundup (Eagles/Bucs, Niners, Cowboys/Packers)
• [32:47] – Mahomes/KC’s offensive plateau and “Super Bowl bubble”
• [43:04] – Russell Wilson's Hall of Fame debate and legacy

Summary Takeaways

• Fit and environment outweigh raw talent in NFL QB success—Sam Darnold’s emergence as a reliable winner illustrates the crucial role of coaching, roster, and organizational stability.
• Quarterbacks must unify and lead, not just excel athletically—Kyler Murray’s limitations as a “detached” leader contrast with resilient, unifying QBs like Baker Mayfield and Mahomes.
• Big Ten’s “West Coast infusion” is transforming conference football—teams like USC, Oregon forced to grow more physical, while Big Ten benefits from creativity and national reach.
• Russell Wilson illustrates how perception and context can shape a legacy—his run in Seattle not just about his talent, but a sum of rare circumstances. Hall of Fame debates hinge on whether stars “carry” teams.
• Mahomes and elite paid QBs expose NFL roster building trade-offs—the more resources spent on an MVP, the less margin there is elsewhere, making previously “invincible” teams look mortal.

For listeners who missed this hour:
You’ll walk away with a sharper understanding of how context shapes NFL stars, why leadership style matters more than stat lines, and how college realignment is shaking up the conference hierarchy. The hour is packed with strong opinions, stats, and behind-the-scenes color that will get you ready for the weekend’s biggest games.