THE HERD - Hour 1 - The future of LeBron James and why he might move on from the Lakers before his career is over, Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Hour 1 (February 19, 2026)

Hosted by Jason McIntyre & Rachel Nichols (in for Colin Cowherd)

---

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode dives into seismic NBA storylines around LeBron James’ future with the Lakers, substantial Giannis Antetokounmpo exit rumors from Milwaukee, and the murky landscape of quarterbacks in the NFL. The hosts also tackle questions about the league's next superstar torchbearer post-LeBron and discuss roster drama throughout the NFL and NBA, with segments on the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The LeBron James Conundrum: Stay, Go, or Retire?

[03:12–14:10]

• Three Options:
  Jason McIntyre opens with the biggest NBA query: LeBron James' post-playoffs possibilities:

  • Remain with the Lakers (likely at a much-reduced salary)
  • Return to Cleveland on a minimum deal (“LeBron minimum deal, Cleveland, James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, maybe he talks himself into that.” [03:33])
  • Retire (“Which does kind of seem random… I can't see that.” [03:44])

• Importance of a Farewell Tour:
  Jason stresses LeBron’s career deserves a celebratory sendoff, comparing possible endings to those of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant.

• Business Savvy & Possible Streaming Farewell:
  LeBron’s precedent-shattering free agency moves (Miami, Cleveland return, Lakers) show he thinks ahead. Jason theorizes LeBron could:

  • Take less NBA money
  • Land a “Last Dance”-style streaming deal (“…what if I had a camera crew… and I signed a developmental deal where they pay me, I don't know, 50 million over five years to produce…” [06:46])

• Ultimate Superteam Exit?
  With LeBron sacrificing salary, Jason floats a dream scenario: Lakers use cap space to land Giannis Antetokounmpo and maybe Luka Doncic, forming an epic superteam as LeBron rides into retirement.

  • “...you’re telling me that isn’t the ultimate farewell tour where LeBron gets a super team because of his generous sacrifice?” [08:28]

---

2. LeBron’s Legacy and the Next Face of the NBA

[21:54–26:56]

• Post-LeBron NBA:
  Rachel Nichols discusses LeBron’s agent Rich Paul’s assertion that his retirement will mirror Michael Jordan’s 1998 exit in impact, suggesting a “collective” of new faces rather than a single superstar.

  • Quote, Rich Paul (clip):
    “I think it's going to be a collective of players, just like it was when Michael left in '98…” [22:10]

• Debate: Who’s Next?
  Rachel strongly believes Victor Wembanyama (Wemby) is “the guy” — a magnetic, competitive force (“…he is the future. And the future is already starting to be here.” [25:14]) — while Jason raises the case for Jalen Brunson if the Knicks win a title.

  • Rachel: “I think Wemby is going to be the most dominant force in the NBA within just a couple years…” [23:03]
  • Jason: “What if Jalen Brunson wins a title this year with the Knicks?... Do we put him in the face of the league discussion?” [25:14]

• European Stars as NBA’s Face:
  Both agree nationality is no barrier; it depends on the player’s charisma and dominance.

---

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: Hints He’s Ready to Bolt Milwaukee

[19:14–21:54]

• Concerning Comments:
  Giannis, speaking to Greek media, suggested his next contract is likely not with Milwaukee:

  • “I don't know if I'll leave. It's not up to me, okay? If it was up to me, maybe I would have already left. In a year and a half when I become a free agent at 32, it will be up to me.” [19:53]

• Bucks’ Troubles:

  • Team floundering at 12th in the East, roster/salary cap woes
  • Failed attempts to rebuild around Giannis (Dame Lillard, Miles Turner)
  • Jason argues Milwaukee waited too long to rebuild (“The best time to rebuild is last year… You got to pull the trigger.” [20:56])

• Advice to Giannis:
  Jason urges Giannis to own his decision, ignore the inevitable backlash, and leave for a contender:

  • “Dude, you’re just gonna have to own it…. Do what you want to do. Who cares what the unwashed masses are saying?” [21:30]

---

4. The State of NFL Quarterbacks: A Talent Drought

[08:45–14:10]

• Quarterback Carousel:

  • Jason laments a “weird place” in the NFL: up to 8 teams might not have a starting QB next year.
  • Free agents like Malik Willis, Jimmy Garoppolo, Daniel Jones, and Russell Wilson evoke skepticism.

• Draft Maybes, Free Agency Whiffs:

  • This year’s draft class is thin (“…there’s maybe one free agent that people are interested in, Malik Willis, who I'm not going to put an asterisk by him because all the stat guys love what he did.” [09:38])
  • Past attempts to patch holes with free agents or journeymen largely failed: Derek Carr, Geno Smith, Kirk Cousins discussed as cautionary tales.

• Teams May Tank for 2027:
  “Jets, Dolphins, some of these teams are going to be incentivized to not go out and spend a lot of money in free agency now, so they can draft high next year…” [13:25]

---

5. Olympic Check-in: Rachel’s Recap

[14:10–14:41]

• Rachel returns from her ninth Olympics, having enjoyed it, praising US Women’s Curling and previewing key hockey showdowns.
• “This was a good one. …Women’s curling team just made it into the playoffs.” [14:15]

---

6. Dallas Cowboys: Defensive Rebuild Under Christian Parker

[26:56–29:55]

• New Approach:

  • Dallas’ new DC vows to design his scheme based on existing personnel, not force-fit his preferred style.
    • Quote, Parker: “How can you put good players in highlighted positions? …If we have guys that are better with zone vision, we're going to play more zone…” [27:27]

• Skepticism Remains:
  Jason doesn’t think the Cowboys’ defense has enough talent as-is to make rapid improvements.

• Bar for Success is Low:
  Rachel: “The bar for the Dallas Cowboys to be successful is very low right now. …Make the playoffs. That will be a success…” [29:40, 29:53]

---

7. Arizona Cardinals & Kyler Murray’s Uncertain Future

[30:04–33:00]

• Kyler on the Trade Block?

  • ARI coach Mike LaFleur is “non-committal”; Rachel and Jason believe team wants to move on.
  • Kyler’s cap hit and possible trade value debated (“…if you do have the cap room, then you maybe take a flyer. …If he doesn't cost you much, maybe you give it a try.” [31:21])

• Is a Rebuild Coming?

  • Cardinals may prioritize cap relief over a return package, “punt and start over like Denver did with Russell Wilson.” [32:21]
  • If no team bites, “maybe they just say we have no takers… We'll just start him and we're going to suck anyway.” [31:19]

---

8. Raiders & Max Crosby: Loyalty vs. Reality

[34:53–46:46]

• Should Raiders Trade Crosby?
  Jason’s axiom: “Loyalty is garbage in sports… These are businesses.” [34:53]

  • Cites Steelers' and Browns' pass-rusher situations.
  • Max Crosby, a “Raider for life” by ink and persona, may be eying a move — he’s notably cagey about his future ("He said, none of that. He hemmed and hawed and sat on the fence. Well, you know what they say. Pooper, get off the pot." [35:53])

• Crosby’s Quotes & the Bears Rumor:

  • Crosby on the “Let’s Go” podcast: “I really don't care what everybody has to say. I used to a lot as a young guy. I really don't give a damn.” [38:53]
  • Jason ponders a Crosby–Bears trade with DJ Moore and a #1 pick as potential return.

• Locker Room Leadership Post-Crosby:

  • Raiders’ rookie QB Fernando Mendoza praised for leadership qualities, but Jason questions if a young player can lead a franchise right away.
  • Rachel: “It would be great for the Raiders if they could keep him and help sort of bridge the gap with Mendoza, who I…love…He is going to be very popular in that locker room right away.” [44:02]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On LeBron’s next move:

  • Jason McIntyre: “So what could he have in store for us this summer?... Is there a world where LeBron says, you know what?... I signed a developmental deal where they pay me… to produce some fun stuff for a streaming service. And oh, by the way, my farewell tour.” [06:46]

• On Giannis’ comments:

  • Jason McIntyre (paraphrasing Giannis): “‘I don't know if I'll leave. It's not up to me, okay? If it was up to me, maybe I would have already left. In a year and a half when I become a free agent at 32, it will be up to me.’” [19:53]

• On quarterbacks in the NFL:

  • Jason: “There are 32 teams and we don't have enough good quarterbacks.” [10:36]
  • “For every Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield who hit in Tampa… it's littered with Geno Smiths.” [12:38]

• On Wemby as the NBA’s future:

  • Rachel Nichols: “He is everything Americans like. His English is excellent… He is a magnetic presence. He physically looks so different from any player we've ever seen. I just think he is the future.” [24:34]

• On Max Crosby:

  • Crosby: “I really don't care what everybody has to say. I used to a lot as a young guy. I really don't give a damn.” [38:53]
  • Jason: “You can't be… tatted up with the Raiders and then demand I want to go to Chicago or I want to go to this contender. Raiders are going to send you wherever they're going to get the best offer.” [42:52]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:12] LeBron’s future, Lakers superteam theory
• [05:17] LeBron's business/narrative mastery
• [06:46] Streaming farewell tour possibility
• [08:45] NFL QB landscape/lauding scarcity
• [13:25] Tanking for next year’s QB class
• [14:10] Rachel’s Olympics return & curling/hockey highlights
• [19:14] Giannis’ comments, Bucks’ futility
• [22:15] Rich Paul on post-LeBron NBA future
• [24:34] Rachel’s “Wemby is the future” argument
• [26:56] Cowboys DC Christian Parker’s new philosophy
• [30:04] Cardinals & Kyler Murray trade talk
• [34:53] Raiders' Max Crosby conundrum & loyalty in sports
• [38:53] Max Crosby’s direct quote on his future
• [42:52] Jason on realities of NFL trades and team-building

---

Conclusion

A lively, opinionated take on the biggest NFL and NBA topics — the Lakers’ potential post-LeBron era, LeBron’s legacy, Giannis possibly bolting Milwaukee, an NFL with a quarterback gap, Dallas and Arizona’s rebuilds, and the nature of player loyalty in pro sports. Both Jason and Rachel blend sharp analysis with humor and debate, setting up a dynamic episode full of insight into the future of both leagues.

---

Useful for listeners who missed the episode: this summary captures both the arguments and the flavor of discussion, providing a roadmap of sports’ present and future drama.

Transcript

[Jason McIntyre]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Every sports fan knows Step away during a close basketball game, a gold medal moment, or a win or go home matchup. And that's when everything happens. Unless you've got Sonos. With Sonos, you can group your sound bar with the kitchen so the game follows you while you grab a snack. Head outside during a break, add a portable speaker and the game comes with you. Big moments deserve big sound everywhere you are. Explore Sonos sound bars and [e-mail] we all want the best without having to pay the most. That's where Verizon comes in. Get this now you can take your AT and T or T mobile bill into any Verizon store. They'll look at what you're paying and give you a better deal. Period. You get the amazing coverage you want while keeping more cash in your pocket. Visit your local Verizon store to start saving today. Must provide recent consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms and conditions apply. This is Lavar Arrington from Up on Game. This message is brought to you by Apple Card It's a great time to apply for an Apple Card. You'll love earning unlimited daily cash on every Purchase. That includes 3% daily cash when you buy the latest iPhone, AirPods and Apple. Watch at Apple through this special referral offer. When you get a new Apple Card, you can earn bonus daily cash. To qualify, you must apply at Apple Co getdaily Cash Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch offer may not be available elsewhere. Terms and limitations apply. Wasabi is purpose built to free your business from skyrocketing storage costs and fees from the big guys. Wasabi is the go to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams around the world. Check out Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage. Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service with triple protection against cybercriminals. Was Wasabi driving innovation in data storage for up to 80% less than the other guys? Try for free at wasabi.com, wasabi Hot Cloud Storage, proud partner of the Volume Podcast Network. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

[Rachel Nichols]

Now let's get this party started.

[Jason McIntyre]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Hello and welcome. It is a beautiful Thursday in Los Angeles. It's me, Jason McIntyre, in for vacationing. Colin Cowherd. He's in parts unknown. Have not heard from him yet, but I don't think he's going to be wearing skis. I'm joined today by Rachel Nichols, fresh from Milan at the Olympics. Rachel, great to have you. We are going to talk Olympics on the show. There's some interesting storylines percolating overseas.

[Rachel Nichols]

I've been back for less than 12 hours and the first place I wanted to come was here with you.

[Jason McIntyre]

Oh, of course, the topics, the morning meeting, heated knockdown dragons, Good stuff this morning.

[Rachel Nichols]

This would be a great show.

[Jason McIntyre]

We got great guests, folks. I'm fired up. I know people say this is a slow week. You know, I'm like, there's a ton of stuff, you know, let's dive right in. We are going to get to Giannis and these crazy comments that he made. We'll get to those. But I, I need to start with this LeBron James situation. I don't know if you guys had heard, but over the last week, probably the biggest story in the NBA is, well, what's going to happen with LeBron after the Lakers lose in the playoffs? Because nobody outside of me think that they're a legitimate contender in the West. And, you know, basically LeBron, everybody's nailed it down to, okay, he's got three options so he can stay with the Lakers cheaper than that max deal that he's making. Now, he ain't sniffing 50 mil, we know that. Or, you know, maybe he goes to Cleveland on the cheap. And a bunch of folks in Cleveland have already broke it down. And hey, you know what? LeBron minimum deal, Cleveland, James Harden, Donovan, Mitchell, maybe he talks himself into that. And then there's door number three, which is just, he could straight up retire, right? LeBron just walk away. Which does kind of seem random for LeBron. I can't see that. You know, the all time greats, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, they got farewell tours. How could LeBron, a guy who's played longer than all those dudes, how could he not get a farewell tour? And so at the All Star break, they asked LeBron. So Braun, you know, you kind of got an uncertain future, really? This is the first time in your career that that's been the case. What, what does the future hold? Have you given it any thought? Are you going to retire? And listen closely and look at the body language of what LeBron James said here. I Want to live when I know you guys know, I don't know. I have no idea. I just want to. Just want to live, that's all. And how is your personal uncertainty for the summer and beyond, for your career play as a factor in your urgency here? Nah, we gearing up towards the postseason, so it has nothing to do with that. Same motivation, same mind factor. Just, you know, this is. We've got past the marathon, and now the sprint is about to start.

[Rachel Nichols]

Hmm.

[Jason McIntyre]

Spoken like a true poker player. Very good poker face there from LeBron. Almost like he's playing chess. You know, my son plays competitive chess now, and you know, the players he's facing, they're locked in, right? They're not showing no tells, and they're reading the board 5, 10, 15 plays in advance. Chess is oh, so great. Great game. And, you know, historically, LeBron's always been a few steps ahead. You know, for the longest time in the NBA, free agency was, hey, are you going to stay or are you going to go? And I'll never forget back in the day, Grant Hill and Tim Duncan, they were two big name free agents and they took a tour and they met with other teams. Ultimately, they're not leaving. Interestingly, LeBron said, I'm not doing any of that. I'm going to host a special, a TV special to announce that I'm leaving Cleveland for Miami. And, oh, by the way, I'm bringing Chris Bosh. Totally flipped free agency on its head. A seminal moment in the NBA. No player had ever done that, okay? So then time runs out in Miami, and he says, you know what? I'm going to go back to Cleveland, okay? And, oh, by the way, I'm going to bring Kevin Love. LeBron flipped everything because he knew what was coming. He was ahead of the curve. And he didn't stop there. He said, I'm now going to go to the Lakers, move my family to la. And he could see, he could read the tea leaves. He knew Anthony Davis was coming. He had Anthony Davis in his back pocket. A year later, AD comes, and the Lakers wins another title. LeBron just wins wherever he goes. So what could he have in store for us this summer? And the theory starting to make headway on the Internet. It seems like perhaps LeBron's idea of playing it age 41 and 42 is maybe he does take a lot less money from the NBA. But on the side, is there a world where LeBron says, you know what? I saw that last dance from Michael Jordan, what, 20 years after he retired, 25, what if I had a camera crew following me around from Peacock, Amazon Prime, Apple, one of these streaming services. And I signed a developmental deal where they pay me, I don't know, 50 million over five years to produce some fun stuff for a streaming service. And oh, by the way, my farewell tour. And we air that after we win the title. Now, remember I mentioned Jabbar had a farewell tour? I think they lost in the second round of the playoffs. Michael Jordan with the Wizards farewell tour, you guys remember that didn't make the playoffs. Kobe Bryant's obviously was very famous Deer basketball. And that ended, you know, obviously very. He had amazing final game. But they didn't make the playoffs. Why would LeBron do all this? Well, what if he takes a lot less money and the Lakers can now trade for Giannis and we're going to get to Giannis shortly because he's saying some, some stuff that's starting to sound like he's out. And if the Lakers can get luka, Giannis and LeBron James and there is a world where they keep Austin Reaves in this scenario, you're telling me that isn't the ultimate farewell tour where LeBron gets a super team because of his generous sacrifice taking less. So the Lakers can now bring in Giannis to join forces with Luka. You've got the best team in the league. You've got a super team. He goes out with a super team and a title. Come on, folks. That's the stuff. Dreams are made of that right? There is a streaming show. Everybody is watching now. I want to pivot to the NFL and kind of a troubling situation on the home front. So we know this draft is really only a one quarterback draft. We've had Daniel Jeremiah on Lance early on. Universally, Fernando Mendoza is the guy. And maybe Ty Simpson is a second round pick and works out. Maybe Nussmeier, maybe Club Nick. You hear a lot of maybes, not a lot of love. So I came into the morning meeting and I was like, guys, I'm looking around at the league and I think I got seven teams, maybe eight that don't have a quarterback. And I'm not even including the Raiders because we're pegging them to get Mendoza. So wait a minute, we got seven teams without quarterbacks. There's maybe one free agent that people are interested in, Malik Willis, who I'm not going to put an asterisk by him because all the stat guys love what he did. Yeah. So I love what he did with a great receiving core in Green Bay and a great Coach. Okay in LaFleur. Okay. Yeah. Willis looked great. In a small sample size, he looked terrific. I mean, you know, guy fills in for a few games. Yeah, you can look outstanding. So what does that mean? You're going to give him 30? You're giving him the Sam Darnold special? You're going to give him the Baker deal, the Daniel Jones deal? Off that body of work with LaFleur. So now it gets a little scary. Let's move Willis to the side. You're telling me teams like the jets, who have no quarterback, the Miami Dolphins, who are trying to unload tua, it's clear that he's not in their plans. And it's going to be Quinn Ewers. You tell me. The Arizona Cardinals, who are desperate to get off Kyler Murray, they're either going to trade him or cut him, according to every reporter on the planet. You're telling me the Cleveland Browns, who don't have a quarterback, may decide between, I don't know, Dylan Gabriel Shedeur and Deshaun Watson? I mean, folks, you look down the list. We got a lot of teams with no quarterback next year. That's just the tip of the iceberg. I mean, I could toss the Atlanta Falcons in there. Is it Michael Penix? Is it Kirk Cousins? Folks, we're in a weird place in the NFL. There are 32 teams and we don't have enough good quarterbacks. Look at this list of free agent quarterbacks. Daniel Jones is coming off an Achilles. Everybody thinks he's staying in Indy. I can't see anybody making a move. Justin Fields has no market. Aaron Rodgers, you want to wait for his latest Darkness Retreat to end before you make a move on him? I'm sure GMs cannot wait. Yeah, Aaron, Take all the time you need. Darkness Retreat. You want to go surfing? Ayahuasca. Do your thing, bro. We'll catch up with you in. Oh, yeah. The draft's coming up. Russell Wilson. I'm going to remind you that free agent quarterbacks are a huge risk. The Denver Broncos traded for Russell Wilson, then gave him like, 245 million. Had to pay another team to take him. Be buyer beware. Kenny Pickett. I. I don't know what that guy's doing. Jimmy Garoppolo, Is he going to be a starter next year? Really? And then Mitchell Trubisky, Tyler Huntley. Come on, what are we doing? So, folks, you look at these teams and it's like, what are the Minnesota Vikings going to do? They got to bring in a. A quarterback because J.J. mcCarthy was the GM's guy and it's pretty clear Kevin OConnell's lukewarm on him. All these stories coming out of Minnesota. I mean, you keep going down the list, folks. There are not enough good quarterbacks in this league. And my big thing is, okay, free agency. So Sam Darnold was a hit. Amazing. Hey, if Seattle can find Sam Darnold and win a Super bowl with him, why can't other teams? Look at the Colts went and got Daniel Jones and they were at 1.7 and 1. Well, let's take a quick little 22nd time out here. Daniel Jones, top 10 pick, he had some pedigree. I mean, guy was a top 10 pick. Sam Darnold was a top 5 pick. He had a lot of pedigree. The guys on that list that we just showed you, Kenny Pickett, he went 20 and was criminally overdrafted. Has shown you nothing. You tell me what any of these guys have shown you to prove that maybe it's worth taking a flyer on. Or do you want to get stuck with the next Derek Carr? Do you remember the Saints? They gave up a lot of money to Derek Carr. Would that result in total train wreck and disaster? Okay, Atlanta Falcons, we're all in on Kirk Cousins. Yeah. How did that end up? I'm just telling you, these free agents, I know the saying is, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Okay? And sure, some of these guys will occasionally hit, but for every Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield who hit in Tampa and got a playoff win there, it's littered with Geno Smiths. Remember Pete Carroll pounding the table last year for Geno Smith? Yeah, Pete Carroll, blown out, dusted. Look at the Atlanta Falcons front office and coaches who were all in on Kirk Cousins. They're gone. I mean, folks, it is a major roll of the dice. And I know the NFL doesn't like the word tanking, but if you look at the list of potential quarterbacks for next year in the draft, and I know we do this every year, oh, my gosh, the quarterbacks are so good. Hey, take a look at that Notre Dame quarterback. Go see what they're saying about him. Okay. It's more than just Arch Manning, I do believe. Jets, Dolphins, some of these teams are going to be incentivized to not go out and spend a lot of money in free agency now so they can draft high next year and hopefully find their franchise quarterback. So, Rachel, we got a monster show today. NFL, NBA, a little Olympics. I'm fired. Up by the way. Overall, like you've been to the Olympics before. I've never been.

[Rachel Nichols]

Ninth Olympics. I just finished ninth. Yeah, man.

[Jason McIntyre]

Would you give it. Incredible. Mediocre.

[Rachel Nichols]

This was a good one. It is a good one. And it was the setup is unusual because it's the furthest spread out Olympics. But it all worked and some of the competition we've seen and some great stories. Women's curling team just made it into the playoffs.

[Jason McIntyre]

And you're big on curling, huh?

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah, I'm on the board at USA Curling. Jason, Fun fact about me, I did

[Jason McIntyre]

not know know that until like two hours ago.

[Rachel Nichols]

But you know, gold medal hockey game tonight for the women's U.S. canada. I mean there's all kinds of great stuff going on. Eileen, goo controversy. We've got all kinds of stuff.

[Jason McIntyre]

I'm excited to talk about that. But coming up next here, there's an NBA star who opened his mouth over the weekend, said a lot and all of a sudden fans and maybe the front office are panicking. That's next year on the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Fox Sports Radio is taking over YouTube and you can be a part of it. Just go to YouTube and search Fox Sports Radio. Hit that subscribe button and smash that notification bell and catch all the videos from your favorite shows. Two pros and a cup of Joe Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Stu Godson company Live Covino and Rich, the Odd Couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington the Jason Smith show with Mike Harmon, the Ben Ma Show Fox sports radio on YouTube. Subscribe hit that thumbs up icon and comment away. This month, iHeartRadio is celebrating the stars of the 2026 Winter Games. The pride of Starksboro, Vermont, Ryan Cochrane Siegel carries one of the most famous names in American skiing history. A super G specialist with a silver medal already to his name, he attacks the mountain with a smooth technical style that separates him from the pack. Known for finding speed where others find trouble, he drops into Milano Court looking to upgrade his silver to gold. For Cochrane Siegel, skiing fast is a family tradition. For more Winter Games gold search olympics on the iHeartRadio app. This time of year, the action doesn't stay in one room. Basketball on the main screen, winter competition all day games that demand your attention. With Sonos, your entire house stays connected. Play the game in the living room, music in the kitchen or bring it outside when friends come over without missing a moment. One system. Incredible sound in every room from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Sonos makes game day better at home Explore Sonos sound bars and [e-mail] if you're the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, you know having a trusted partner makes all the difference. That's why hands down, you count on Grainger for auto reordering. With on time restocks, your team will have the cut resistant gloves they need at the start of their shift and you can end your day knowing they've got safety well in hand. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. You are now entering the no Bull zone sponsored by Credible Great rates with none of the bull. So Giannis Atenokounmpo was at All Star weekend and gave an interview to something called Cosmo tv. I had to look that up. Wouldn't you know it, they're a Greek media organization. So they caught Giannis over All Star weekend and he gave some eye opening quotes. They just popped late last night. Giannis, when asked about the Bucks. I don't know if I'll leave. It's not up to me, okay? If it was up to me, maybe I would have already left. In a year and a half when I become a free agent at 32, it will be up to me. What? Okay, remember, the Bucs can offer an extension in October of this year. He's already saying when I'm a free agent, meaning I don't want the extension. I mean Milwaukee. How else are you seeing that? Here's where it gets worse. So just so you guys know, The Bucks are 12th in the east right now, okay? They're, they're not even a playing team. Giannis has been hurt. Everybody and their mom at Milwaukee knows the best path for the Bucks. Let's shut Giannis down. Let's not be very good and let's try to get as high of a draft pick as possible. This draft is loaded. Anybody watch college hoops last night? Oh my gosh. Acuff the guard on Arkansas went off. Yeah, I think he had 49. There's a kid on Tennessee who had a monster game. Boozers playing Michigan this weekend. Everybody knows Darren Peterson. We're going to talk about Darren Peterson later. He got hurt again last night. Had a huge first half Dabanza. I watched him drop 35 on Arizona. This draft is loaded. If you want to keep Giannis, you. You probably should be bad and try and hope the ping pong balls bounce Your way. Maybe there's a frozen ping pong ball or something for the Bucks and Giannis gets a running weight mate in Milwaukee. But the reality is you read these quotes and it kind of sort of feels like a Greek tragedy, right? It's over for the Bucks and Giannis. So what are we doing exactly in Milwaukee? Like, why are we hanging on to this? Well, maybe we can keep him in Miles Turner. We made a Hail Mary play for Miles Turner and that Damian Loader thing, it didn't totally work out, but, you know, we're not in that bad of a salary cap situation. News flash. It's abysmal. The roster's not good and Giannis doesn't clearly does not want to be there in the long term. I keep coming back to this idea. I forget who put this out there a few years back. The best time to rebuild is last year. When you get the chance, you got to pull the trigger. It's got to be done quickly. And the Bucks hemmed and hawed and tried all this stuff with Damian Lillard and none of it has worked out. And they're now 12th in the east. They can't win a playoff series to save their life with Giannis the last few years. And the big problem here is Giannis, cuz he's terrified of being the bad guy. And we've been saying this for now like six months. Like, dude, you're just gonna have to own it. You're not gonna make everybody happy. I know in America we have this huge pain avoidance thing. Nobody wants to face the tough questions, the tough consequences. Everybody's kicking the can down the road, or we're dodging it. I'm afraid to face pain. Like, no, face the music, Giannis. Either Milwaukee's going to dislike you, which is probably the case when you leave, or the rest of the league is going to be angry that you went to the Lakers or the Heat or the Knicks. You're not going to make everybody happy. So why are you even bothered trying do what you want to do. Who cares what the unwashed masses are saying? How could you leave us, dude? The only reason I'm here is because you guys drafted me. That's it. Like, okay, that's my first job in basketball. I got drafted by you guys. Man, that was fun. We won a championship. That was great. You know what? I kind of want to go see America. I want to go live in Miami or New York or la. What's the problem with that? This. I just. I don't like how NBA fans are like, well, our small market team drafted you. You got to stick with us. You guys know Kareem Abdul Jabbar, the legend who was once the goat ditched Milwaukee for la? Totally. I'm sure at the time there was outrage. You know what? People get over stuff. They're on to the next brush fire. You know, something else is going to happen in the league or sports in general or music or politics, and they're going to move on to the next target. Giannis, who cares what they say? Just tell Milwaukee to get you out of there because we need you competing for a title. Kind of like Steph Curry in Golden State. But that's another story for another day. Let's go to Rachel Nichols with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline news.

[Rachel Nichols]

If you think Steph Curry is leaving Golden State, we'll have to have conversation later. But anyway, let's talk about LeBron and the life after him for the NBA. LeBron said again this past weekend, as you noted, he's still unsure about his future. But his agent, Rich Paul, said on his podcast that whenever LeBron does retire, it will have the same impact as when Michael Jordan retired in 98 when he left the Bulls.

[Jason McIntyre]

Take a listen look at the league today, talent wise. Yeah, there's a number of guys that you can say could probably be the face of the NBA at some point. I think it's going to be a collective of players, just like it was when, when, when Michael left in, in. In 1998. It was a collective. If there was one, it was Kobe. If you had to choose one. I don't know. I don't know. Who do you think it was? There's Kobe, there's Shaq. I don't think it was. I don't think it was one person. I think it was a collective. I think you had Iverson, I think you had Vince. I think you had T. Mac. I think you had Kobe and Shaq. I think there were storylines with all of them as a collective.

[Rachel Nichols]

All right, Jason, you know that I don't agree with this. I agree that I think Wemby is going to be the most dominant force in the NBA within just a couple years. I do think he's right about the post to MJ 1998 era. Yeah, we kind of forget when Kobe. It wasn't the same. But still, while he's right about that 19 at the time, it wasn't. It wasn't the same. There's, you know, who's going to be the Next, Jordan is Grant Hill. Jordan Hill is Harold Minor, baby Jordan.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, Jerry Stackhouse.

[Rachel Nichols]

Jerry Stackhouse, all of that. So Rich is right about that. I don't think it's the same here. I think Wemby, by the way, is going to come to the front sooner than a lot of people think. He's already most of the way there. And then also, remember at that point, you know, Jordan won six out of last eight titles. LeBron's not in that position right now.

[Jason McIntyre]

No, you could argue that it's a LeBron Curry league right now, could you not?

[Rachel Nichols]

And by the way, Steph is going to last longer than LeBron, I think. Although LeBron might be here till he's 50. Who knows?

[Jason McIntyre]

Wait, you mean you think Curry will be in the league at 42?

[Rachel Nichols]

No, no, I think that he is 37 while LeBron is 42. So if LeBron retires in the next year or two, Steph will still be there.

[Jason McIntyre]

Steph will have a few more years. Yeah. I mean, ultimately, I think the league is going to be fine. Honestly, Rachel, I think this whole, like, NBA has a star problem is, like, vastly overblown. I think you agree with me. Like, it's. This is just like middle February. There's not a lot to talk about, and people want to bash the NBA. Well, the tanking and the ratings and all this stuff. And it's like, what are we doing? We just bashing the league? I mean, the league's on fire right now.

[Rachel Nichols]

The ratings are up, by the way, and that's partly because they're on NBC now, which is broadcast, as opposed to cable, for the last however many years. Again, I just think people are underestimating Viktor Weyaba. I think that. That he is not only. He's going to win defensive Player of the Year this year, assuming health. Assuming health for the next few years. This guy is so competitive. He is everything Americans like. His English is excellent. There's not like a language thing there. He's so smart. He's funny. He's not afraid to say incendiary quotes. And when you see him out there, he wants it. I think he is a magnetic presence. He physically looks so different from any player we've ever seen. I just think he is the future. And the future is already starting to be here.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, Rachel, what if Jalen Brunson wins a title this year with the Knicks? And I think that's in play. I know a lot of people are, like, out on the Knicks. That's fine. Do we put him in the face of the league discussion. I mean, undersized guy. Remember Steph Curry, how he rose to the top?

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

Jalen Brunson's on. You know, he was drafted, I think by Dallas and now he's in New York and totally thriving to be the

[Rachel Nichols]

face of the league. You can't just win one title, right? Face of the league is a larger conversation that requires much more sort of put in of equity of being the best for a long period of time. But again, I think that you are looking. You already have a guy. You have a guy in the league who has already shown he is exceptional. I believe we've talked about this on the show before. He is. Wemby is going to be a top 10 player of all time by the time he's done. He could even be a top five player of all time by the time he's done. That is how firmly I believe in this kid. Look at him every offseason. All the things he does to get better, all the ways his mind works. He's in Central park playing chess. He's doing all the things right. And he has the fire. He wants to win. I think, I think Americans will continue to coalesce around him. He's already incredibly popular.

[Jason McIntyre]

He basically got the All Star game to be competitive by just taking it to existence single handedly.

[Rachel Nichols]

I mean, this is the guy. He is the guy. I'm telling you, he is the guy.

[Jason McIntyre]

And we didn't mention Cooper Flag. I think he's got a chance to be the guy.

[Rachel Nichols]

Absolutely. But he's younger and he's younger. It's still getting into it. I just, you know, I think Rich is right about what happened post Jordan. People kind of don't have the hindsight on that. Those of us who live through it, we get it. But I, I don't think it's gonna be like that after Michael. I mean, after Jordan. I mean, it's LeBron. LeBron. Time difference, probably.

[Jason McIntyre]

People who think it can't be a European, it can't be the face of the NBA. Why not?

[Rachel Nichols]

I, I, I think it depends on the European.

[Jason McIntyre]

Totally agree.

[Rachel Nichols]

Right?

[Jason McIntyre]

Everybody's different. Yeah.

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah. So 100%. All right, let's move on. We got, Oops, sorry, my papers are a little shifted here. Let's move on though, to the Cowboys introducing new defensive coordinator Christian Parker at the start. Star. Now, remember last year's debacle right under Matt Eberflus. Parker says Dallas is going to try to figure out the defensive strategy by. I know this is crazy. Jason, I know it's crazy evaluating the defensive personality he has and building around them as opposed to, of course, installing his game top down. Take a listen.

[Jason McIntyre]

We'll get our head out of the sand at some point, but right now we got tunnel vision on building things the right way. Of course you want to have your core principles and foundational beliefs, you know, but as you kind of move forward in the process, what do your guys do? Well, how can you put good players in highlighted positions? How can you create one on ones for certain guys, how you can protect certain guys? You know, if we can win on blitzes, on a running back, then we're going to blitz a lot. You know, if we got good man to man corners, we're going to play, man, you know, if we have guys that are better with zone vision, we're going to play more zone. So, you know, you want to build a package that has diversity and scheme and then you want to, you know, tailor it to the players that you have.

[Rachel Nichols]

I love hearing this. What do you think, Jason?

[Jason McIntyre]

This guy says all the right things and he's highly thought of in Dallas. I'm just looking at their defensive depth chart, Rachel. They don't have any dudes. The secondary is among the worst in the league. I know it's young and you know, the guys had injuries last year. The linebackers, other than overshone, they don't grade out well. The defensive line has talent, but, I mean, unless you're looking at drafting like six defensive guys or not resigning Pickens and somehow filling that with a big free agent or two, I don't see how they turn this defense around that quickly.

[Rachel Nichols]

Just remember that this whole package of defensive personnel and the scheme last year and everything else was thrown into such chaos. Micah Parsons left with less than a week before the beginning of the season. So what they look like now, who they went through the season with, all of it was a little bit of chaos and building on the fly. You have this guy here who again, I. I hate it when coordinators came in and they're like, this is the scheme we're going to have because your personnel might not fit that scheme. And I love that he's talking about, I mean, what in Philly it was. They could do a lot of different things. He wants this to be more of a Swiss army knife defense. And he's going to actually build around the personnel he has. And that personnel, I think is going to change a lot before they take the field for their first game next season.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I mean, we're still, we still got to see what happens at the draft and free agency. But as of now, do you. Where do you have Cowboys in that division? I know you're a Washington fan. Yeah. But come back here. But still, the Eagles at the top, they have a lot of questions.

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

People like what Harbaugh means to the Giants and Jaden Daniels will presumably be healthy. I mean, there's a world where Dallas is four in the division.

[Rachel Nichols]

Look, the bar for the Dallas Cowboys to be successful is very low right now. You're sitting here being like, oh, well, the Eagles are on top and Washington's set to make a comeback if Jaden's healthy. Not talk about their super bowl chances. Right. Okay. We don't need to talk about that.

[Jason McIntyre]

Playoffs.

[Rachel Nichols]

Right? Right. Make the playoffs.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. Wee.

[Rachel Nichols]

I mean, that's, That's. That will be a success there. Regardless of what Jerry Jones says, that will actually be a success for the fans.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rachel Nichols]

I don't know. All right, let's get to our third story and go over to the Cardinals. Mike LaFleur, non committal about Kyler Murray's future in Arizona. LaFleur said he had, quote, no timeline even for making a quarterback decision. So really the question. I think we all know they're shopping him, right, Jason? So what value do you think he has around the league?

[Jason McIntyre]

So it's interesting. I kind of was digging deep into this situation and like, teams that make sense. Right. We would agree Kyler Murray is not going to be playing outdoors in a division where there's snow and poor weather. So I think the market shrinks automatically for that. But when I was saying earlier, like, Sam Darnold was a top five pick, rehabbed his career. Daniel Jones was a top ten pick, rehabbed his career. Baker Mayfield, top five pick. Kyler did go one. There is talent there. I mean, Minnesota's got a smart guy, Kevin o', Connell, leading the way. The problem is, you know, you do have to go outdoors to Green Bay and Chicago. Is it still worth taking a chance on Kyler Murray playing indoors with, I mean, Justin Jefferson? That's not bad. But then again, Kyler couldn't thrive with Marvin Harrison and Trey McBride. So, I mean, it feels like he's definitely out of Arizona, but, I mean, maybe there's a world where they're like, we have no takers. We don't want to take the cap hit. We'll just start him and we're going to suck anyway.

[Rachel Nichols]

Well, I mean, look, that cap hit is significant.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rachel Nichols]

The cap hit is 52 million. The guaranteed salary is like 36 million. You know, if you're the Vikings, if you're one of these other teams, I think the question is how much does he cost? Right. If he costs a third round pick, I mean, there's a point. If you do have the cap room, then you maybe take a flyer. It's kind of like in the NBA with the Wizards with Anthony Davis. He costs them so little, it doesn't matter if he only plays 50 games. Yeah, if Kyler Murray costs you a lot in terms of a trade or it costs you a lot because of your salary situation and you don't have the room for him, then it's not worth it to take a flyer on him. If he doesn't cost you much, maybe you give it a try.

[Jason McIntyre]

So what if it gonna cost you a lot? And they say we wanna pick in addition to Kyler, you know, we're gonna give you a third. I need a fourth two. I need a fourth back.

[Rachel Nichols]

Good luck with that. We wish you the best.

[Jason McIntyre]

The problem is Arizona has a lot of guys. I like the running back. Connor McBride's awesome. Harrison Wilson. They got guys everywhere.

[Rachel Nichols]

Look, it might be worth it to them to not get a lot in trade, but just get the cap relief

[Jason McIntyre]

and just kind of punt and start over like Denver did with Russell Wilson.

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

The problem is they had Bo Nix to draft. Arizona doesn't. Maybe they can. Maybe LaFleur loves what he sees in Cade Klubnick and that's his third round target.

[Rachel Nichols]

I mean, look, he is the type of guy that I can see wanting to develop his own quarterback. Right. If you look at the tree he comes from, the Kyle Shanahan gang and all of that. And Sean McVay, I can certainly see him looking at Kyler Murray and saying, you know what? I'd rather take my chances with having my own guy and building him from the ground up again, though I think it really depends on what they can get for them and who wants to take him on and whether that cap hit is just going to be too much for them.

[Jason McIntyre]

I know you know the NBA very well. I guess it was Daryl Morey who subscribed to this 5% theory. If you think you got a 5% chance to win the title, you got to go. If not, maybe you just punt. And look at the division, Rachel. Yeah, they're not overtaking the Rams. Seattle just won the Super Bowl. The 49ers, I just saw that they have the most travel in NFL history next season, but they're still going to be Good.

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

So you don't really have a chance. So maybe you just say we move off Kyler. We're going to be terrible next year and we're playing honestly for 2027. Like that's not the worst idea in the world.

[Rachel Nichols]

I mean, how'd they, how'd they get Kyler in the first place? They had a rotten season the season before, 100%. And we all knew. And we all knew what was going to happen at the end of it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Oh, yeah. All right. Rachel with the news. Well, that's the news.

[Rachel Nichols]

And thanks for stopping by.

[Jason McIntyre]

The Herd lie news, right. There's a big time NFL defensive player who's chirping a lot. Sounds like he could be joining forces with one of his star friends. We'll talk about that next here on the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Every sports fan knows step away during a close basketball game, a gold medal moment or a win or go home matchup. And that's when everything happens. Unless you've got Sonos. With Sonos, you can group your sound bar with the kitchen so the game follows you while you grab a snack. Head outside during a break, add a portable speaker and the game comes with you. Big moments deserve big sound everywhere you are. Explore Sonos sound bars and [e-mail] the

[Rachel Nichols]

fastest racing on earth returns to Fox. Alex Palo Joseph, Newgarden, Patoa, O'. Ward, they're all leading the way as the 2026 IndyCar season launches in St. Petersburg March 1st live on Fox.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right, let's go to the NFL and the Las Vegas Raiders. So I have never really been like a huge Raiders fan outside of a like an eight minute span when they had Bo Jackson back in the day. But moving out here to la, you know, you've been out here a while. A lot of Raiders fans, lots of them, including on the staff of the show. So I, this whole Max Crosby thing has caught me by surprise. If you guys have followed my takes over the years, you know, I'm, I think loyalty is garbage in sports. I just, I'm not a believer in that. Sorry. These are businesses. The owners don't care about the players. It's all about the bottom line. That's the reality. Okay. That's just how it is. I know you don't want to believe that that's the reality of sports. We like to say there's loyalty, but come on. Okay, if you're not a star and you're not delivering, you're out. Like, that's just how it goes. So I'm kind of torn on Crosby. If you followed my take on TJ Watt two years ago, I said, the Pittsburgh Steelers are going nowhere. I know TJ Watt is the heartbeat of this team. They should trade him and get whatever they can and start the rebuild. They didn't do that. Watt still has zero career playoff wins, and all of a sudden, now Steelers fans are like, well, maybe we move off what should have done it two years ago. Miles Garrett. Last year, I was like, holy hell, this team's looking. I would trade Garrett. I would get a hole. I would get multiple picks. I would. Miles Garrett will go to any contender. He could maybe win a Super Bowl. Browns. No, that's our guy. We got to keep Myles Garrett. Now he breaks a sack record. Awesome news. Wonderful season. They're drafted at the top again. They're going nowhere. By the way, shout out to Miles Garrett and his girlfriend for the Olympic success, Chloe Kim. Another great story, which brings us to Max Crosby. They're not going anywhere. The Raiders are not winning anything next year. Why wouldn't you just trade Max Crosby? I mean, I've gone back and forth on this. I'm like, he is the heartbeat of the team. So I said that. And somebody said, well, maybe they need a heart transplant. And that's Fernando Mendoza. And that's not a bad take because Mendoza is totally different. But I want to drill down on Crosby for another second here. Huge Raiders fan on staff. He reminded me, Max Crosby's got, like, Raiders tattoos on his body. He is a Raider. Yet when he came on the show, super bowl week, he had the opportunity to say, I'm a Raider. I want to be a Raider. Raider for life. I want to be here. He said, none of that. He hemmed and hawed and sat on the fence. Well, you know what they say. Pooper, get off the pot. And Max, it's time to just come out and do it. Pull the band aid off. So what? There's going to be a small term where a lot of Raiders fans are angry at you and they send you DMs. Who cares? We just did with this with Giannis. You're never going to please everybody. Okay? Make yourself happy. And so Crosby went on a podcast this week, the let's Go Podcast, to talk about his future in Vegas. Listen to this. Everyone's put me up. Did you say this? Did you? It's. I can't control that. You earn that as a player. You know, if. If I wasn't Doing the right things. And if I wasn't the person and player I was, you know, people wouldn't be talking about all the nonsense. But that's what comes with it. I really don't care what everybody has to say. I used to a lot as a young guy. I really don't give a damn. People could have their own opinions. I know what's going on. I know my truth. And I don't need to sit here and keep, you know, rehashing it to people that don't know what's going on. So I don't even. I don't even waste time with it, really. You've had multiple opportunities to speak your truth. Sounds like a TikTok influencer and you haven't done it. And again, I know Max is upset at me because I said he wasn't a top five defensive end addresser in the league. He is only 28, two time second team all pro. He's elite. He's top seven edge rusher in the league. He's 29 in August. Still got some prime years ahead of him. But Max come out and say, guys, can you trade me now? It got ugly last season. The Raiders were like, hey, we ain't going nowhere. We got to lock up that number one pick. Let's get our good guys sitting out. They say Crosby's got to sit out. They sidelined him, said he was hurt. How did Max Crosby respond? He went to his like his, I don't know if it's like a basketball court at his house, whatever you want to call it, and started shooting jumpers. Is that not a big middle finger of the franchise? Shut me down. Now, he did end up having to have some kind of surgery, so maybe he needed to be shut down. But that apparently didn't go over well. And depending on what Raider fan you talk to, there is some headbutting, shall we say, going on within the organization and he doesn't like it and he wants out. Maybe he doesn't want to reset, but this is where it gets interesting. He's leaving all these breadcrumbs without leaving, without saying what he really wants. Just say it, bro. Here he is, Max Crosby. Guess who he's praising out there in the world. Wouldn't you know it? Caleb Williams. Just to be open and honest, bro, like we talked about earlier. But respect.

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

Different level, bro. You're one of those guys for sure. And you're just getting started.

[Rachel Nichols]

Yep.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know, I don't even know you. You understand yet how good you can be?

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

And that's the scariest part.

[Rachel Nichols]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know what I mean? Just keep that mindset. Keep doing what you're doing. Damn. Sounds like a bromance is emerging between Caleb Williams and Max Crosby. And now one of these writers at ESPN speculates, well, what about a Raiders, Bears trade? Said Max Crosby to the Bears and the Bears would send, I don't know, DJ Moore, who's going to be done in Chicago very soon. Soon. DJ Moore and a number one pick to the Raiders. That seems like a slam dunk. Now, I don't know why the Raiders wouldn't start entertaining or shopping him. Get everybody to drive up the price. And I think part of that has to do. And I'm guessing here speculation on the Raiders part is they have a new guy coming in in Fernando Mendoza. And I'm on record. I freaking love this guy. My jets don't know how to tank. Clueless organization. Should have had Mendoza. And you got all these draft guys coming out. I don't know about Mendoza. Well, guys, did you watch Mendoza? Have you listened to him speak? Have you been on his LinkedIn page? I have. It's impressive. This guy is everything you want in a quarterback. He's everything you want. A neighbor. If he's dating your daughter, Mendoza, that's a win. This guy's going places. He's a leader. But I think it would probably help to have Max in the locker room. Right, Max? Show him the ropes. A true Raider. Hey, man, I'm tatted up with the Raiders. Mendoza, can you be that guy? I think it's going to take some time. Now, I'm not drawing a direct parallel and I know some people will disagree, but there was a lot of stuff when Mike McDaniel goes to the Dolphins. Oh, he's a nerdy guy from Yale. Listen to the way he talks at Prescott. He's not winning over a locker room. He got the Dolphins to the playoffs twice. Didn't mesh with everybody, but he had two. Had his best season of his career at McDaniel. He's a smart guy. I thought he was successful in Miami. They didn't win any playoff games. Hey, it's tough to win playoff games in the afc. But I do believe there is a world where smart, level headed individuals can succeed. I think Mendoza will. But I do wonder if those two are going to be copacetic in the locker room. I don't know. So here's Mendoza on our show, super bowl week. And again, I love this guy. Here he is. Listen to him talking about the Raiders and The NFL. I think it comes from not wanting to let my teammates down. And I always trust my offensive lineman. And I know that if I sit in the pocket and I deliver a strike, not only is it going to deflate the defense, it's also going to inspire my team. Wow. Fernando could get back up and deliver the next play. Oh, that's something we want to play with. That's something we want to play for. When it was a Penn State game, the Oregon or the national championship, whenever it was the high pressure moments, it was that Cal experience where we won some close games and we also lost some close games. Like the NFL, the margins are very, very small. And it kind of gave me that experience to help the Indiana Hoosiers go 16. And now listen to this guy. He's a college kid, so I'm just gonna. He graduated from two business schools, okay? The guy's doing big time internships in the summer. He is a dream quarterback for the Raiders. I'm a little surprised. Crosby wants nothing to do with him, but Crosby has bigger fish to fry. Now, I don't know if it was this morning or yesterday or whatever, but Adam Schefter came out and said that the Raiders are looking for a Micah Parsons type package for Max Crosby. That leads me to believe they are shopping him and he's going to the highest bidder. Okay, you can't be. I'm a Raider for life. I'm tatted up with the Raiders and then demand I want to go to Chicago or I want to go to this contender. Raiders are going to send you wherever they're going to get the best offer. Now, my guess is that's to a team with a quarterback on a rookie deal. I don't think there's a way Buffalo could pull it off, but, man, you know, Buffalo could certainly use him opposite Bosa, assuming they bring him back. But Chicago makes a ton of sense. Rachel, your Washington commanders.

[Rachel Nichols]

Yes, they do.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, Dan Quinn could work wonders with Max Crosby. I mean, I'm. Any other rookie quarterbacks, I'm missing Drake May in New England. I think he's talked about Vrabel.

[Rachel Nichols]

I don't.

[Jason McIntyre]

This is tough, though. I don't believe in loyalty in sports. You may be different. You've been covered sports for a while. What would you do with Crosby?

[Rachel Nichols]

I mean, look, he says, I know my truth, right? And you're upset. You're like, say your truth. You've had lots of chances to say your truth. He doesn't owe you, Jason McIntyre his truth. Right? He and the Raiders are talking about whatever the truth is. Maybe he wouldn't mind going somewhere else, but isn't demanding to go somewhere else. I think it would be great for the Raiders if they could keep him and help sort of bridge the gap with Mendoza, who I also, by the way, I love this kid. He is going to be great in the locker room. I mean the first thing he said to you guys at the super bowl was I don't want to let my teammates down. I know it's a cliche, but I got to tell you guys love hearing that and think about all the big stars. That sentence never comes out of their mouth. So I think he will be very popular in that locker room right away. I think he is a natural leader. I don't think if Max leaves, I don't think that it's going to be a terrible struggle for the Raiders, but it would be much better to your point because they're not trying to. It's not. They're not going to win a lot either way. But I do think that Max being there will be a great handoff. It's just a matter of again, I mean we want to make these decisions in black and white in February. I think they have to know what's the package they're being offered. Of course, someone says to Schefter we want a Micah Parsons like passage. I do too.

[Jason McIntyre]

We all do.

[Rachel Nichols]

Let's see what they actually get offered. Let's see where he might actually go. That may influence how much he wants to go or not. Right. And you know, is there bad blood from the whole basketball and the injury and the sit to tank and all of that or is it they have everyone over it by March. Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, and I also could be wrong. I just struggle with the idea that a rookie quarterback is going to come in and lead a locker room. Now it did happen kind of with Caleb Williams in Chicago or not really the first year. I mean the coach, it was a disaster. Jaden Daniels in Washington was pretty successful.

[Rachel Nichols]

Absolutely.

[Jason McIntyre]

They did have a veteran coach in Dan Quinn. I mean the Raiders have a first time head coach right. In Kubiak. So I mean a lot of factors are at play.

[Rachel Nichols]

Is he gonna lead the locker room the way Tom Brady did? Is his height with the Patriots? No, he's not gonna do that in his first year. But is he gonna be well liked and like Jaden, have people believe in him? Absolutely. I think this kid, look, we never know on the field, injuries, everything else. Sometimes it's not the right fit. But I think this kid has all of the stuff in terms of the intangibles, in terms of the off the field stuff. When you talk about leadership in the locker room, gu in him wanting to go to the mat for him, I think this kid has it all.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, it, it'll be interesting when you think Vegas, the city, Max Crosby, you know, sure. Cool guy, works. You think Mendoza? I don't necessarily think Vegas, but that's not a bad thing, is it? I mean, maybe the hangover type.

[Rachel Nichols]

Vegas is a lot that isn't just the tourists who come there, by the way. And in Nevada, someone, you know, someone with that name, I think it's going to go well.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right. Coming up next here on the Herd, second half of the NBA season. Five smoking hot predictions. That's next.

[Rachel Nichols]

Think Verizon is expensive?

[Jason McIntyre]

Think again. Anyone can bring their AT&T or T

[Rachel Nichols]

mobile bill to a Verizon store today

[Jason McIntyre]

and we'll give you a better deal.

[Rachel Nichols]

So bring us your bill.

[Jason McIntyre]

Walking, running, pogo sticking, teleport. If you can ride on the back

[Rachel Nichols]

of a rollerblading yak or flying on

[Jason McIntyre]

the wings of a majestic belt falcon. Any way you can bring your AT&T

[Rachel Nichols]

or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. On the best network based on root metrics.

[Jason McIntyre]

Best overall mobile network performance.

[Rachel Nichols]

U.S. second half, 2,025.

[Jason McIntyre]

All rights reserved.

[Rachel Nichols]

Must provide very recent postpaid consumer mobile

[Jason McIntyre]

bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal.

[Rachel Nichols]

Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply.

[Jason McIntyre]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.