The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 1 – Seahawks vs Rams Tonight, Building the Right Roster, Allen vs Mahomes, and the Landscape of College Football (with Joel Klatt)
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this energetic hour of The Herd, Colin takes a hard look at bold decision-making in NFL franchise building, using the Seahawks and Rams as his case studies ahead of their Thursday night matchup. He examines the consequences and intricacies of blockbuster moves, with particular focus on the Rams' trade for Matthew Stafford and the Seahawks' pivot away from beloved figures. The discussion expands to league-wide conversations on quarterback evaluation, the overvaluing of “coolness” in quarterback hierarchy debates (Allen vs. Mahomes), and the challenges teams face in the draft era of NIL. Joel Klatt joins to provide depth on college football’s biggest playoff questions, the portal and NIL’s impact, and coach speculation around blue blood programs.

Key Discussion Points

1. Seahawks vs Rams: Fortune Favors the Bold

(03:32–09:16)

• Bold Front-Office Moves:
  Colin highlights the Rams’ stunning decision years ago to swap a still-in-his-prime Jared Goff (a recent Super Bowl QB) for Detroit’s Matthew Stafford, who had never won a playoff game despite great stats in Detroit alongside Calvin Johnson.

  “That is a big front and center swing by Les Snead and Sean McVay. And it's the kind of move...you put your face on your op. No troll, not anonymous. Right out in front… Fortune favors the bold.” — Colin Cowherd, 07:18

• Parallel with the Seahawks:
  Seattle’s own big swings: GM John Schneider firing beloved Pete Carroll after a winning season, hiring yet another defensive-minded coach in Mike Macdonald, and ignoring the criticism to acquire Sam Darnold as their projected starter.

  “John Snyder...fired [Carroll] off a winning season…the most popular coach or manager in Seattle maybe ever fired him.” — Colin Cowherd, 06:23

• Takeaway:
  The context for tonight’s matchup isn’t just roster strength—it's which team’s front office had the guts to make risky, paradigm-shifting decisions. Both are “fortune favors the bold” organizations.

2. Quarterback Rankings: Allen vs. Mahomes and the Weight of “Cool”

(09:42–14:50)

• Challenging Mahomes’ Throne:
  Colin calls out the NFL media and fans for being slow to recognize shifts at the top, drawing parallels to how Tom Brady was often overlooked for being “uncool”:

  “It always ticked me off that the minute another quarterback who was elite had a great year...they were better than Brady…Because Tom, stylistically, was harder to fall in love with.” — Colin Cowherd, 10:01

• Allen Outplaying Mahomes:
  Citing production and context, Cowherd asserts that, output-wise, Josh Allen has surpassed Patrick Mahomes over the last two years, even without the benefit of championship hardware or elite receivers.

  “The last two years, Mahomes is not even in Josh Allen's league. It ain't close...Josh is bigger and stronger…Allen's number two [in passer rating in 2nd half/OT], Mahomes is 24th.” — Colin Cowherd, 11:59

• Style Bias in Football:
  Despite football’s reputation for substance, “coolness” shades perception, and many remain reluctant to crown Allen for not fitting the archetype.

3. Dallas Cowboys’ Crucial Offseason & Defensive Failures

(18:40–23:13)

• Defensive Woes Spotlighted by Jerry Jones:
  Dallas is dead last in pass defense, a surprising failure for a roster with good pieces. Jerry Jones openly questions the defensive coaching and forthrightly acknowledges offseason urgency.

  “I think if we could have gotten this defense in better shape earlier…we could be sitting here with the kind of wins that would have not had us in this tight spot.” — Jerry Jones, as quoted by Colin, 21:55

• Multiple Pressures at Once:

  • Dak Prescott: Aging, entering final prime years, history of surgeries.
  • Draft Capital: Two first-rounders for the first time since 2008.
  • Coach Carousel: Facing possibility of 4th DC in 4 years and need to secure top coaching after passing on previous candidates.

• Warning for the Future:
  The 2025 offseason is the most crucial Dallas has faced in a decade, especially given a tougher schedule and young, dynamic QBs landing elsewhere in the NFC.

4. News Roundtable with J. Mack, Greg Cosell, and Joel Klatt

(23:13–31:02)

a) Eagles’ Strategic Saving of Jalen Hurts’ Rushing

• (23:45–25:30)
• Analyst Greg Olson and Colin Cowherd note that Philly has intentionally limited Hurts’ runs until late in the season, copying Buffalo’s approach with Allen.
• Saving dangerous QB runs for “got to have it” moments—expect more designed runs in key games.

“Jalen Hurts in the gun as a designed runner is a huge weapon for the Eagles...The smart way...is distribute early, run late.” — Colin Cowherd, 24:05 & 24:54

b) Bears’ Offensive Turnaround

• (26:01–27:25)
• Chicago coach Ben Johnson's O-line focus compared to McVay’s earliest move in LA.
• “The real secret sauce to the Bears is Jonah Dahlman and Tuney…there are major openings, guard, center guard for this offense.” — Colin Cowherd, 26:45

c) 49ers’ Playoff Push and Purdy’s Return

• (28:23–30:56)
• Brock Purdy is FINALLY 100% healthy, says the crew.
• If Seattle wins tonight, betting implications shift: San Francisco could still slide into the #1 NFC seed.

“This team is dangerous offensively…Keep an eye on the Niners in the Super Bowl. Niners, Buffalo. Can I sell you on that? Brock Purdy versus Josh Allen.” — Greg Cosell, 30:39

5. The NFL Draft & New Realities of NIL

(31:05–39:52)

• Giants and the Mendoza Decision:

  • Colin lays out the Giants’ looming challenge if they secure the #1 pick: Draft generational QB Fernando Mendoza or keep Jackson Dart (who has had a strong rookie year).
  • NIL changes draft dynamics: “There's a scarcity of quarterbacks…because they can make 4 or 5 million in college.”

• Valuing Jackson Dart:

  • Despite injury concerns (“always in the blue tent”), Dart has impressed, likened to a young Herbert.

  • His trade value is much higher due to the dearth of NFL-ready QBs in this NIL era.

    “Now…NIL quarterbacks in college securing the bag…it makes Jackson Dart way, way, way more valuable than he would be otherwise.” — Colin Cowherd, 32:21

• Tom Brady on Mendoza:

  “I love everything about his game. Certainly his leadership is what stands out to me.” — Tom Brady, as quoted by Colin, 35:22

• Bottom Line:

  • Giants, and other less dynamic organizations, might lack the nerve to trade Dart for a legendary prospect, yet boldness is needed.
  • Mendoza “is an easy guy to scout...it's a very pro style offense…Big kid, smart kid, great story.”

6. Joel Klatt on College Football Playoff, NIL, and Coaching Carousel

(41:57–50:39)

a) NIL and QBs Staying in School

• “You can probably make a similar amount [as a top-20 pick] in college and then increase your draft stock to get up there into the top end of the first round...” — Joel Klatt, 42:14
• NCAA experience, reps, and not rushing to the NFL increases draft value and long-term potential.

b) Evaluating Indiana’s Upside in the Playoff

• Their defense is national-title caliber; QB Mendoza plays his best late in games.
• “Clearly one of the two or three best teams in the nation. And I'll be very surprised if they're not in the semifinals. And I'll be pretty surprised if they're not playing for a national championship.” — Joel Klatt, 44:02

c) Oklahoma vs. Alabama, Playoff Atmosphere

• Oklahoma’s pass rush and defensive strength give them the edge.
• “They're elite in two of three areas…offensively they struggle...But I'm going to go with environment, I'm going to go with defense. And because of that, I think Oklahoma wins.” — Joel Klatt, 47:01
• Anticipates an electric home playoff crowd: “…the palace on the Prairie is going to be one of the great environments.”

d) Michigan Head Coaching Search

• Michigan’s job remains “one of the premier jobs in the country,” but administrative uncertainty complicates the hire.
• Top candidates: Kalen DeBoer, Jeff Brohm.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On NFL Quarterbacks & Perception:

  “Cool matters a lot in basketball's culture, not nearly as much in the football culture. But Josh Allen's pretty cool, too. And Brady stacking trophies, that's pretty, pretty cool, too.” — Colin Cowherd, 13:22

• On Coaching Boldness:

  “It’s a lot more courage front and center. No troll, not anonymous. Right out in front.” — Colin Cowherd, 07:59

• On College Football Environment:

  “I’m getting goosebumps thinking about the environment…they’ve been waiting for this…Norman is going to be on fire. And because of that, it’s going to be tough for Alabama to win.” — Joel Klatt, 47:46

• Fun Aside:

  “Tomorrow is blazing five day picks—we’re locked in by Wednesday, I already bought three jet skis. That’s how I feel.” — Colin Cowherd, 51:20

Important Segment Timestamps

• Seahawks vs Rams, Aggressive Franchise Moves: 03:32–09:16
• Allen vs. Mahomes, "Coolness" in QB Debates: 09:42–14:50
• Cowboys’ Defensive Failures & Offseason Outlook: 18:40–23:13
• Eagles, Bears, 49ers News Blitz: 23:13–31:02
• Giants’ Draft Conundrum, Jackson Dart vs. Mendoza: 31:05–39:52
• Joel Klatt on Playoff, NIL, Coaching Carousel: 41:57–50:39

Tone and Style

Cowherd’s signature blend of sharp analysis and playful irreverence shapes the hour ("I already bought three jet skis"). The conversation is brisk, skeptical of consensus thinking, and ultimately celebrates smart, courageous decision-making—whether in the NFL front office, the draft room, or the college football coaching ranks.

For Listeners

This episode is a must if you want to understand not only tonight’s Rams vs. Seahawks game but also the big-picture NFL and CFB storylines—how organizations change their futures with daring moves, the evolving quarterbacks market, and why boldness at the top of a franchise (or program) matters more than ever.