THE HERD - Hour 1 - The magic of Mike Vrabel, what's at stake for Sam Darnold, Aidan Hutchinson

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: THE HERD - Hour 1 - The magic of Mike Vrabel, what's at stake for Sam Darnold, Aidan Hutchinson
Date: February 5, 2026

This episode centers around three main themes: the reputation and future of quarterback Sam Darnold as he heads into the Super Bowl; the distinctive leadership style and appeal of coach Mike Vrabel; and insights from Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson on both his team and his career mindset. Colin further weaves in discussions about first impressions in sports, franchise transitions, and player value in today's NFL and NBA landscapes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sam Darnold: Player Perception vs. Fan Narrative

• Christian McCaffrey Praises Darnold (Starts ~01:50): Colin shares a quote from Christian McCaffrey, who called Darnold "one of the most talented players I've ever been around," highlighting a disconnect between NFL insider opinion and fan perception.
• The Weight of First Impressions (03:13–06:35): Colin explores how Darnold’s early struggles and infamous “seeing ghosts” moment with the Jets have stuck in fans' minds, creating a persistent "bust" narrative.
• Statistical Support for Darnold (07:35): From his return as a starter on November 27, Darnold leads the league in highest percentage of 100+ passer rating games, reinforcing that he’s "a baller" in the eyes of peers and coaches.
• Players versus Fans: Colin argues that while fans will quickly label Darnold a bust if he throws an ugly Super Bowl pick, "players and coaches will not bail on Sam" (08:00).

“The fans opinion on Darnold is so different than the player's opinion and the coach's opinion... When this guy was at the depths of his career, players were always like, he's a dude.” — Colin Cowherd (02:46)

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2. The Magic and Authenticity of Mike Vrabel

• Vrabel’s Unique Brand (08:25–09:29): Vrabel is described as having a brand of "tough love"—being both hard on players and deeply supportive. This approach, Colin says, is nearly impossible to duplicate.
• Player Loyalty & Reputation: Max Crosby, among others, reportedly wants to play for Vrabel, and he's seen as one of only a handful of coaches with a widely recognized, unique coaching brand.
• Genuine Connection with Players:
  • Chris Long on Vrabel: “Mike Vrabel is who he is. What you see is what you get. Players appreciate that. We also appreciate being told the truth.” (09:00)
  • Vrabel is authentic in both confrontation and caring, much like Sean Payton, who allows spirited back-and-forth without holding grudges.

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3. NBA Transition Woes: Warriors, Giannis, and the Age Problem

• Golden State Warriors’ Dilemma (13:23–16:25):
  • Warriors can’t make young talent develop with the current old core (Kuminga, Poole, Wiseman failed to pan out).
  • "They feel like the old guy that walks into the young nightclub and you’re like, cringy," Colin quips (16:46).
• Giannis' Value & Team Fit: Giannis is deemed a tricky fit for most contenders due to his unique playing style and injury history, while Jokic is praised for his versatility across various teams.

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4. NFL News & Player Updates

• Super Bowl Injury Watch (18:42–20:17):
  • Seattle’s Nick Amanwari is hobbled by an ankle injury, potentially dealing a major blow to the Seahawks’ defense.
• Dak Prescott's Playoff Reality vs. Expectations (20:42–23:24):
  • Dak speaks on the growing pressure of not making a Super Bowl as a Cowboy, while Colin contrasts his first impression (“elite Hall of Famer”) with Darnold’s (“bust”), highlighting how early narratives shape careers.
• First Impression Narratives:
  • Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts are discussed in how their public perception was formed quickly and how it can change.

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5. Interview: Aidan Hutchinson on Football, Coaching, and Mindset

Starts: 26:03

• Hunger and Disappointment: Hutchinson admits watching another Super Bowl as a non-participant “pisses you off a little bit” but maintains belief in the Lions’ potential (27:00).
• Dan Campbell’s Leadership Style: Dan Campbell is described as “authentic,” physically imposing, and comparable only to Jim Harbaugh in his love of football. “He makes me feel a little bit small for sure... He lays it on the line” emotionally after games (28:04).
• On Sam Darnold's Journey: Congratulates Darnold for overcoming a “crazy ride” and making the Super Bowl, calling it “an adversity story... looking your obstacles in the face and just not caring about failure” (29:59).
• Detroit’s Roster, Expectations, and Disappointment: The Lions expect to win now, not just celebrate every small victory: “The overall expectation... is that it’s winning every week. It’s playoffs, Super Bowl.”
• Athlete Longevity & Perspective: Hutchinson emphasizes a careful approach to diet and health, acknowledging how fleeting a professional football career can be, and wanting no regrets: “At the end of this career, I’m going to look back and go, ‘I’m good. I did it all.’” (34:58)
• Personality on the Field: Says he’s a “quiet killer,” preferring to demoralize opponents with relentless play rather than trash talk. “That is the war within the war” (36:40).
• Fun, Brand-Related Banter: Laughs with Colin about his hair and Head & Shoulders sponsorship, keeping the tone light after serious insights.

"When someone’s like...standing toe to toe with me, he makes me feel a little bit small for sure. But it’s the way he lays it on the line...the authenticity of the reactions and the emotions, you feel that as a player.” – Aidan Hutchinson on Dan Campbell (28:04)

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6. Max Crosby Trade Rumors & Player Value

• Blockbuster in the Works: Raiders' Max Crosby reportedly wants out; Colin says teams (Patriots, Bears, Ravens) would pay a high price, possibly more than for Micah Parsons (38:10, 42:55).
• Crosby’s Relentless Style: Colin prefers Crosby to Parsons, citing better consistency against the run and a “relentless dog” mentality.
• Jay Glazer Confirms Trade Buzz (44:05):

“There’s a couple guys, if they tell you they’re playing, they’re playing... Do you think his time with the Raiders is done? I do. Before the draft, probably, yeah. What kind of haul? ...No less than 20 teams called me.” – Jay Glazer (44:18)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “First impressions die slowly. There’s a reason our parents—look people in the eye, tuck your shirt in, firm handshake—first impressions matter, man. Never had better advice.” — Colin Cowherd (04:09)
• “Nobody is going to be harder on you and love you more than dad and Mike Vrabel.” — Colin Cowherd (08:44)
• “They feel like the old guy that walks into the young nightclub and you’re like, cringy.” — Colin Cowherd on the Warriors (16:46)
• “At the end of this career, I’m going to look back and go, ‘I’m good. I did it all.’” — Aidan Hutchinson (35:58)
• “Max Crosby is the better player… a relentless dog, very much like Aidan Hutchinson or a Miles Garrett. He just doesn’t take plays off.” — Colin Cowherd (42:55)

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Timestamps of Key Segments

| Segment | Content | Timestamp | |---------|---------|-----------| | Christian McCaffrey on Darnold | “This guy’s a dude... one of the best players I've been around.” | 02:09–02:28 | | First Impressions/Chris Webber | The power and persistence of first impressions in sports | 04:10–06:32 | | Mike Vrabel’s Brand & Presence | Tough love, unique stature, coaching reputation | 08:25–09:29 | | Chris Long on Vrabel | “Players appreciate being told the truth.” | 09:00–09:29 | | Warriors/Old Core, Young League | Franchise transition headaches | 13:23–16:46 | | Super Bowl Injury Update | Nick Amanwari’s injury/Seattle defense impact | 18:42–20:18 | | Dak Prescott Playoff Struggles | Dak and the weight of Super Bowl expectation | 20:42–23:24 | | Aidan Hutchinson Interview | On Detroit, Dan Campbell, health, and mindset | 26:03–38:09 | | Max Crosby Trade Rumors | Player value, Jay Glazer’s scoop | 38:10–44:42 |

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Summary Tone

Colin’s conversational, opinionated, and direct style permeates the episode, balancing thoughtful sports analysis with humor and accessible analogies. The athlete interviews add authenticity and candid perspective, with Aidan Hutchinson’s segment providing both insight and levity.

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Takeaway for Listeners

This episode offers a compelling look into how narratives form and harden in sports cultures—whether about quarterbacks like Sam Darnold or coaches like Mike Vrabel—and how differing insider and outsider perspectives can be. The detailed Aidan Hutchinson segment is a must-listen for Lions fans and anyone interested in player psychology and career management. The evolving stories around the NBA and NFL trade markets provide further hooks for fans of both leagues.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Jason McIntyre]

Olivia Culpo here to tell you all about the launch of the new Abercrombie spring denim collection made the way denim should feel. Their denim has always been a staple in my wardrobe and has a wide range of fits, styles and washes. Every jean is available in both their classic fit and Viral Curve Love Shop in the app online and in stores.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio at 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. Now, let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, we're gonna have a good show. Who needs sleep anyway? It is Thursday. We are live in Los Angeles. It is the Herd. Wherever you may be, however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Harvard guy, funny guy, playmaking quarterback now at Amazon. Joining us, Greg Cosell, Aiden Hutchinson, Lian Cohen. Stopping by. So we had Christian McCaffrey. And I've said before in my lifet, Walter Payton's probably the best running back I've ever seen. Barry Sanders is close. I'd say Christian McCaffrey in terms of the ability to do everything, not fumble, catch a pass, make a block, make a run, make people miss, outrun people. He was on our show yesterday, but it was at the very end of our show and he played a couple different times with Sam Darnold, once in San Francisco and once in Carolina. So he knows Sam very well. And he dropped this little gem about slinging Sammy D. When I first met him in Carolina, from the jump, I was like, this guy's a dude.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

And the more and more you see.

[Colin Cowherd]

Him at practice, that you see the throws you make, you understand why he's a top pick in the draft. And then you're around him more, you're like, this is one of the best.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Players I've been around, period. And it's because of how talent, talent, how talented his arm is. He's. He's way more athletic than people give him credit for.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, he's one of the most talented players I've ever seen. And that's a guy that plays with George Kittle and Trent Williams, the Debo Samuels. I mean, like, you know, Fred Warner, a Bosa. He's one of the most talented players I've ever played with. All Those Carolina teams, they had good players too. So the fans opinion on Darnold is so different than the player's opinion on Darnold and the coach's opinion on Darnold. I mean if Sam throws a, an ugly pick in the super bowl, fans will be like, told you can't play. When this guy was at the depths of his career, players were always like, he's a dude. And by the way, players and coaches gossip like the rest of us and people inside the game know how good he is. And I think one of the reasons is, is because first impressions die slowly. And there's a reason our parents. I hope your parents did this. My parents, my dad did this a lot. Where you know, look people in the eye, tuck your shirt in, firm handshake. First impressions matter, man. Never had better advice. I had a college professor named Howard Hopp at Eastern Washington University. He was a very funny guy, small guy, projected, wore like a interesting hat. And the reason he, when you had a class project, he would make you come up and present it like a business person. And I can remember him shouting at me, cowhead, sit down. I wouldn't buy Triscuits from you. Start over. And it was like first impressions matter. People feed off your energy or your negativity. And Sam's never been a victim. He's got great energy, he's a great guy. And, and that was through the hard times. So you know. But those first images in New York, I'm seeing ghosts on a nationally televised game. But players always knew how bad the jets were. So I think that stuff just gets embedded in our brain, your first impressions. And I'll give you a basketball example. Chris Weber. When Chris Weber came into basketball as a college player, I'd never seen a guy that big with that good of hands and that good of feet. I thought he had the best hands and feet I'd ever seen from a big pre LeBron. I just like he, he had the feet of a guard and the hands of a catch and shoot two guard. But because he called a timeout in the national championship, that gets embedded in your brain. C. Webb is a NBA hall of Famer. He's a five time All Pro in his prime, 25 a game. Tough defender, great rebounder, unbelievable touch for a big guy. He was a great hall of Fame level basketball player. But you say C. Webb and you think that timeout, that image, one second is all that play lasted. One second. Scott Norwood made a lot more kicks than the one he missed in the Super Bowl. But that stuff Gets embedded with people. And when I look, I've said I've used this stat before is that if you go after the jets, he went to Carolina and he got benched for the first time in his career. Then November 27, Sam Darnold started again. From that day to today, Carolina, NERS, Minnesota, Seattle. Highest percentage of 100 plus passer rating games. Winningest quarterback in the league. The dude is a baller and the players and the coaches know it. And if he loses the super bowl, players and coaches will not bail on Sam. Tom Brady lost multiple Super Bowls, one to Nick Foles, but fans will immediately bail on him. He's just seen differently from one group to the next. Okay, so I saw this headline and I really love this headline because, you know, I like Mike Frable and you know, I love Max Crosby. Max Crosby of the Raiders reportedly wants to play. Where does he want to play? This team, that team, the best team, the afc, the fc. Max Crosby wants to play for Mike Vrabel. And running backs and quarterbacks want to play with Kyle Shanahan. Matt Stafford took less to play with Sean McVeigh. You see Vrabel in the tunnel with players emotionally hugging them. And he's not just doing that to the stars, he's doing that to Gunners on special teams and long snappers. That image is so incredibly powerful throughout the league. And there are only five or six head coaches, that's about it in this league that have a brand. That doesn't mean there's only five or six great coaches, but that have a brand. Shanahan schemes, andy Reid, creativity, McVeigh. Energy, innovation. Harbaugh, physicality. And the two words I would use with Mike Vrabel, tough love. Nobody is going to be harder on you and love you more than dad and Mike Vrabel. And Vrabel's brand is virtually impossible to duplicate because of his size and physicality. Apparently he intimidated people in Tennessee like he was intimidating. And there were reports that when he was interviewing for jobs, you know, people remarked about his sheer size and, and presence in the room. And it, it worked against him. I, I can't imagine it would, but those were the stories. So you can't really duplicate him. And the other thing is, there's two things in the league you cannot fake. And I would say among pro athletes, you can't fake a tough guy. Those who know, no, you can't fake being a tough guy. You also can't fake that you really, really deeply care about your players. Players can smell fake tough guys. They can sniff out the guy who says he loves you but doesn't. So Vrabel, to me, is a very unique coach. Chris Long, and he's such a good fit in New England. Chris Long yesterday on the show talked about that.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Mike Vrabel is who he is. What you see is what you get. Players appreciate that. And we also appreciate being told the truth. That's one thing I always appreciate about Belichick was, you know, like, I had coaches that would walk a mile around confrontation and telling you the truth and telling you if what you were doing wasn't cutting it or what we were doing as a team, something needed to change. Hiring Mike Vrabel is going to, is going to turn out to be one of the best decisions a team has made this decade.

[Colin Cowherd]

And by the way, Sean Payton has some of this variable. And Sean Payton, they'll bark at you. They allow you to bark back. And they don't hold grudges. I mean, nobody, nothing pettier than holding grudges. Sean Payton barks at Bo Nix, Bonix barks back. Sean barks back. Bo barks back again, and they don't hold grudges. He loves him. And Vrabel has that quality. And it, even among coaches, you'd think that was universal. It's not. There's pettiness in every industry and Vrabel just doesn't have that. So warriors finally made a trade. Boy, what a big nothing burger that was.

[Jason McIntyre]

The Jonathan Kuminga era ends with a whimper.

[Colin Cowherd]

Woof. Like a real whimper. I've got some thoughts on that. Oh, for the record. So all the money is coming in on Seattle. J. Mac, you have always been a bit of a contrarian. So I said from the very beginning, this number, if you got Seattle at three and a half, I'm much more comfortable. Now it's four and a half, I think. I think bookies are having a hard time not pushing it to five. All the money and what that means, what that means for Sam Darnold, that's around the corner. Live in la, it's 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.

[Stugotz]

Stigatz.

[Jason McIntyre]

Here.

[Stugotz]

I have a podcast empire. It continues to grow and I have brought it here to iHeart. I'm also doing a live radio show from 3 to 5pm Eastern because my wife wanted to kick me out of the house. And it's called Stugatson company Live, which is available in podcast form right when the show finishes every single day. Some of the biggest names in sports, a lot of phone calls.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love you guys show.

[Stugotz]

It's one of my favorite, a lot of interaction. Guys not taking themselves too seriously. Those are just some of the things that you could expect from Stugatson Co. And Stugots Co. Live. So listen to Stegotson Co. Live and our original podcast. Please subscribe, subscribe, rate and review Stugats Co. And God bless football. Taylor's livelihood depends on it. Do it today and you can check all of those out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, Two Truths and a Lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwaine, I began my broadcasting career doing play by play for the Las Vegas Stars and I've been a Verizon customer for 15 years. Okay, I lied. All three are true. Verizon isn't as expensive as you think. In fact, if you bring in your ATT or T mobile bill to a Verizon store, they'll give you a better deal. That's right, a better deal on the best network with the most ways to save on plans, streaming and phone deals. So take that AT and T or T Mobile bill to your local Verizon store today. Get a better deal and start saving based on root metrics. Best Overall Mobile Network Performance US Second Half 2025 all rights reserve must provide recent consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

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[Colin Cowherd]

You're now entering the no Bull Zone sponsored by Credible Great rates None of the bull. By the way, shams indicating the Bucks have indicated they are keeping Giannis. They will work on other trades. And my takeaway is what we said all week is that what is. What is the value of Giannis? He's still hurt. He'll be out till like March. He's 31, several injuries. He's not a perimeter player. He has to have the ball in his hands. I think he could screw the New York Knicks up Because Jalen Brunson needs the ball to be effective. He's not as good off ball. Well, Giannis off ball, he can't shoot, right? So, like, he's a great defensive player. That would help a lot of teams, but you have to have an entire camp with him. So the first year you trade for him, it's a sunk cost. So there's just no. I mean, I just. I don't think. I don't think in the current way the game is being played. If you're going to give me a big. Give me Jokic. He can shoot. I'll take Jokic. He works with everybody, elevates everybody and can shoot. Giannis is very team specific. You have to be bad defensively so he can solve your defensive issues. That's why he would work kind of with the Lakers, because Luke is a liability on the defensive end and so is Austin Reaves, and he could be the rim protector, but it would be hard because you'd be taking the ball away from Luca and Austin Reeves. So even with the Lakers, it's a weird fit. So the warriors were interested, but they settled for Kristaps Porzingis. Talented, but can't stay healthy. Jonathan Kaminga, buddy healed out. Kaminga, they've, you know, when I look at what defines the warriors over the last four years, couldn't make Jordan Poole work, James Wiseman work, Jonathan Kaminga work. All have some talent. Moses Moody was okay, but they have not drafted an All Star since Draymond Green in 2012. And this is the one downside to having a great popular superstar. How do you end it? How do you do it? Bulls had Michael Jordan, Jerry Reinsdorf, rest in peace, came out and said, okay, this is the last run. That's why they made the documentary. This is it. You think, okay, all right, all right, start over. Yeah, the Derrick Rose Bulls were interesting for about 45 minutes and. But they've been mostly irrelevant since. And then you think, well, post Tim Duncan. The spurs won a late one with Tim Duncan Kawhi. Yeah, they did. And you think they're brilliantly run. They have not won a playoff series since 2017 and they've drafted brilliantly. So post Kobe, pre LeBron, Lakers were the worst team in the league. They were bad. So what do you do when you have this wildly popular star? There's no perfect answer. You can cut the ties, you can spread it. I mean, they've been trying to make this thing work forever, but the bottom line is the Steve Kerr Steph Curry offense is complicated and Cerebral. It is massive motion. You have to be very instinctive. And a lot of these young guys, Kaminga just never felt like it worked. So the warriors have become very old. They don't get fast break points and very small. They don't rebound well or get points in the paint. They're a hard watch when Curry's off the floor. They're just a boring team to watch. They don't have size, they don't have speed. And so they used to be a draft developed team, right, with Steph and Clay and Draymond, but then they became an acquisition team to fit in with Steph. And the problem is that is not the league. The league is so punitive now on acquisitions. So what they need to be. Because they can't. Young guys don't work there. They don't work. So you've got to be an acquisition team. Well, the NBA punishes you, so. So basically what they do now, get veteran players. It's too punitive. Okc, great team. Young, nimble. Detroit. Built entirely through the draft. You know, San Antonio, super young and nimble. The warriors are old, expensive, slow, small. It just doesn't work. I mean, I. I think they wanted Giannis, but even Giannis. My question was, well, I mean, Steph can't give you 82 games. Giannis can't give you 82 games. They'll be more fun to watch, you know, I mean, you're gonna have two stars, you'll be a playoff team. But I think, you know, I think this is what happens. I think the Bulls struggle with it. Post Jordan, you know, you got post Kobe, you got post Duncan. I don't know what you do. I don't think there's an answer for it, but it feels like, you know what they feel like? The warriors feel like the old guy that walks into the young nightclub and you're like, cringy. You may. You want Applebee's next door. This isn't working for you. I mean, they just don't feel like. They feel like out of touch for what the league is. It's. It's the. The acquisition. Young guys don't work. We know that now. They don't work. Kaminga's got talent. Just doesn't work. Okay, let's go acquire. Guys. That's not what the league is. That. That. That's what Adam Silver has built with all these aprons. He's built a league to really punish you. If that's your game plan, J. Mac with the news.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

No, no, no, no.

[Colin Cowherd]

Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

[Jason McIntyre]

It's been a huge week in the NBA column, but we're starting with the NFL because there is actual news in the super bowl, and it's not great for Seattle. Nick Amenwari, the great young talent in the secondary, a great chess piece who can play in the box in the secondary, injured his ankle at practice yesterday, and we have video footage of him walking into the hotel last night. If you have not seen this, it's not great news for Seahawks fans. Here's Amanwari getting out of an suv, and you can see he's clearly laboring. Unless he's hamming it up for the cameras. Colin, this does not look good. That is a pronounced limp. Now, maybe you shoot him up with.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, that's Wednesday night.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. I mean, okay, so he's got a practice Thursday. We'll see what happens today at practice. Then he's got Friday, Saturday.

[Colin Cowherd]

Young players heal very quickly.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, depending what. All right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, that just doesn't look great.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's not natural.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's what I looked last night out of a car.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's what I heard. I was getting some reports about you last night. Getting after it. Obviously. Aminwari is what really makes his defense go.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

Their secondary is loaded.

[Colin Cowherd]

Witherspoon, he's so versatile. And, you know, safety's a position in the league. That's in vogue now. Yeah, like, a lot of the really good teams are safeties are moving up draft boards, so. And it's a very cyclical league. Nobody likes running backs. Now everybody wants running back. These two teams run the ball. Safety has become a kind of an alpha on these defenses. A versatile safety who can cover, who can pass rush. This kid can get sacks, tackle, and he's a great tackler. So this is a.

[Jason McIntyre]

He can match up with your wide receiver, your tight end, your running back out of the backfield.

[Colin Cowherd]

All of it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Like, he's all over the board. This would be a big blow to Seattle if he's unable to play. But it's. It's still Thursday. Hopefully he'll be fine in. In time. All right, let's go to the next story. The Dallas Cowboys. Colin, you know, they haven't been to an NFC championship game since 1995. My goodness. So embarrassing. And of course, Dak Prescott's at the super bowl, and he's getting asked on his chances of making a Super bowl in the future.

[Colin Cowherd]

Monkey, gorilla. You know, he grows. He gets bigger each year that we don't make it. And that's real, you know, talking to Micah, just, you know, it's like, it's one of those things, you know, you become a rookie, you get in here and, you know, everybody thinks they can win the super bowl. And they think, how eas. When you have a year like I did as a rookie year, you think you'll have multiple opportunities to get back. And you sit here in year 10 having opportunities in the playoffs and not doing what you wanted to do as a team. And definitely individually, it hurts. And every year, you know, it just means even more. You know, it's interesting. He's a little bit of the opposite of Sam Darnold. So the first impressions of Darnold is bust. Yeah. But inside the league, everybody's like, he's one of the best athletes I've ever seen play the position. Dak comes onto the scene as a fourth rounder, Dallas Cowboys, big brand, offensive coach, very quick. The best offensive line in the league. The initial imagery of Dak is this guy's a Hall of Famer, isn't it?

[Jason McIntyre]

Like 24 touchdowns, two picks, 13 and three.

[Colin Cowherd]

They had the best online very quickly had Zeke. So the early belief on. On Dak, after like two years was going to be a Hall of Famer. This is an elite player. And Dak has sort of plateaued because he's not a great athlete. He didn't have a big arm. Darnold's a much more talented player. But Darnold's initial. The embedded part of Darnold is can't play. Seize goes the initial part with Dak. So my take on Dak has always been he got overvalued because he walked into a really good. If you have the best offensive line in the league, I mean, for a quarterback, it's hard. It's hard to fail.

[Jason McIntyre]

I think he started as a third string quarterback in preseason. It was Romo who got hurt. Then there was a backup whose name escapes me. And then Dak comes in. People are no expectations. He was. It was amazing.

[Colin Cowherd]

He had a game at the Coliseum, I thought it was a preseason game or something. And people went, yeah, dude, he was good. But. But as you later found out, there are limitations when you put them in playoff games against elite teams. He's been a very average postseason quarterback.

[Jason McIntyre]

So I got a surprise question for you. It's not on the sheet here.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Jason McIntyre]

How many career playoff wins for Dak Prescott?

[Colin Cowherd]

Two.

[Jason McIntyre]

Correct. Sam Darnold has two this postseason. Drake May has three already. And I look at Dak and I'm like, he hasn't been great in the playoffs. But Colin has Jerry Jones put a great team around him?

[Colin Cowherd]

No. My. My argument is just on the imagery. The initial first two years of Sam was. Can't play the initial because of what he in in Dallas was unbelievable player. The truth is today if you ask gm Sam's more talented. But those first impressions die slowly.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. I mean Brock pie my guy. 5 playoff wins. 5 first impression for Brock was like oh, he didn't lose a game. Remember the first. First time when he came in as.

[Colin Cowherd]

The backup and now has reality set in with Brock A little bit. He gets dinged up. There are. He can be a bit reckless. He does need to have a little better protection. Yeah but the first impressions. I mean by the way first impressions of Jalen Hurts. Was it. Whoa. Wow. Seeing a. I heard two. Two things last night at a Super bowl party. The Jalen Hurts locker room stuff is not good. He is not popular.

[Jason McIntyre]

The narratives. Listen, I got to defend my guy Hurts. I'm dug in. You know, defending Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts. Let's put some respect on his name. Final story. Colin, Sean McVay and Les need are locked in for next season. But now the question becomes what about Matthew Stafford? The likely MVP should return for his 18th season. I'm told he's coming back. But Snead addressed that future. Here we go.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

At the macro level, I think we.

[Colin Cowherd]

When Matthew's on the horse, we go.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Let's make the most of our time with Matthew and we're well aware that there will be a time where we have to transition. So we're kind of. You kind of do both at the same time where. Because there will be two different teams with or without Matthew. Obviously with the position he plays and how important that position is and how.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well he plays it, I actually think it's pretty cool. I've thought about this with the Rams. They have two firsts this year. Don't worry about a quarterback. And it's not a great quarterback draft. Just stack the team because the following year you're probably going to have to give up all sorts of draft picks to get your quarterback. And the Rams are still very young on defense. So why not just ride with Stafford instead of worrying about his replacement? You got Garoppolo as a backup. He's capable to win games, stack, take every one of these picks and make sure they fit with Stafford and just. And just make a run at the Super Bowl. I mean Sean McVeigh's made two Super Bowls. He gets to three he's on a short list of coaches who can do that. We're so worried about replacing players. You don't get many Max Crosbys. You don't get. You don't get many Patrick Surtan for the Broncos. Those are once a decade players. Don't worry about replacing them. Just stack players around them. You may never get. The Rams will probably never get a quarterback ever again as good as Matt Stafford. I'm not drafting his replacement until I have to.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by the Herd lie news. Speaking of great players, he has been as advertised, Aiden Hutchison of the Detroit Lions. He is joining us now live. I'm not sure if I've ever. A Michigan man through and through is joining us live. You know, it's interesting you. When you, when you go to an event like this and you're watching Seattle and New England, do you have mixed emotions? I mean, do you. Are you sitting there thinking, oh my God, this is my whole dream, this is my whole life. It's like playing at Michigan. If, you know, if you can beat Ohio State, it's great and Michigan's great, but if you, if somebody went four years to Michigan and never beat the Buckeyes, you're like. Feels a little unfulfilling. Do you, when you're at the Super Bowl, Aiden, are you like, this makes you hungrier? It's, it's kind of. How do you feel this week?

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Yeah, I mean, at this point, with this being my fifth super bowl without being at the super bowl, you know, it pisses you off a little bit because we know the talent we got on our team and we know like what we're capable of. We just got to put it together and play complimentary football and we'll be all right. So that's, that's what we got to do next year if we want to be in the big Show.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, we've talked a lot about Mike Vrabel this week and that his physicality, his size, it's hard to duplicate Mike Vrabel. Dan Campbell's probably the one guy in the league that is sort of Vrabel NFC version where they're just not many human beings the size of Dan Campbell. And I don't think you can be. I don't think you can coach like Dan unless you're Dan. Right. Like that kind of. I mean, to me, he's such an authentic guy. Have you ever, in your entire life and all the coaches you've had high School, college, pro. Have you ever had anybody that's even like Dan Campbell?

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Yeah. You know, I mean, him and Harbaugh were similar in that way for their love for football, but Dan is. Is different in the way that you said it. It's. It's like he, for one, he's like, towering. Like, I, I feel. I don't feel small in front of many people, but, like, when someone's like, kind of like, has broad shoulders and like, standing toe to toe with me, he makes me feel a little bit small, for sure. But. So there's that factor. But it's also the way he lays it. He lays it on the line. Like, even post games, like, if it's a tough loss or even, even a great win, the authenticity of the reactions and the emotions, it, like, you, you feel that as a player. And even when, you know, stuff wasn't going right for us this year, it was kind of up and down, a win, loss, win, loss. We couldn't, we couldn't really find a streak and. And he was really imploring us to just stay in the fight, like. Like we're going to catch fire at some point. And, you know, we ended up missing the playoffs, man. I think there's, there's no lost belief in him.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, you had Sam Darnold in your division a year ago, and I've always said we were talking about. On the show today, whatever the initial impressions are, it could be of an actor's first movies. If they're both great, you just think, great actor, and they could go 12 years without a hit. Sam Darnold's initial impressions are, oh, he can't play. But every time Christian McCaffrey came on my show yesterday, he's like, I played with him in Carolina and my first impression was, that's one of the best players I've ever played with. So the fans are like, yeah, guys interception players I've talked to are like, oh, I love Sam. Sam is a baller. He could be a linebacker. What were your impressions when, like, Minnesota moved off him? Were you actually. I mean, he was so good. Were you kind of surprised?

[Aiden Hutchinson]

For sure. That situation is one. That Minnesota situation is just. It can go either way, and it's whatever way the owner and the gm, they want to take that team, and they ended up wanting to move on from him. And now he's in the Super Bowl. So it's, you know, all I got to say is I'm not going to. We're going to. I don't want to talk about Minnesota. I just want to say congrats to Sam, you know, because I think he's, he's had a crazy ride in the NFL and to be where he's at and having a good chance at winning the super bowl like that is. Talk about an adversity story. Overcoming adversity and, and looking your eyes, obstacles in the face and just not, not caring about failure and just keep moving on like that. To him, he embodies that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, the, you know, it's the NFL's crazy. Max Crosby was a fourth round pick. That's just crazy. Brady was a sixth round pick. And then there are guys like you that are just physically look different, play different, you're an easy comp. It's like, okay, that guy's a first round pick, that guy's top first. But they're not many after about 15 picks. I've had GMs tell me for years it's kind of 15 guys that are different. And then it's a bunch of really potentially good players. Is. I look at Detroit and I said this many times, I think your front office is excellent. I'm like, there's a lot of dudes on that team. There are a lot of dudes in Detroit. Does that make losing tougher? Does that make disappointment tougher? Knowing in that locker room you got fourth round guys like Omaron St. Brown, like, you got guys everywhere. Did that make it tougher this year?

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Absolutely, dude. I mean that's, it's, we're no longer, it's no longer 2022 where if we win a game, everybody's screaming in the locker room cheering. It's, it's just the expectation at this point. And when we're not doing that and not even. I don't care what people say about us, I don't care what reporters say. Like the overall expectation for what guys believe we should be capable of is that it's winning every week. It's playoffs, super bowl, like the fact that we haven't made one. It does piss me off at this point because I know what we can do. And I know, but don't get me wrong, I know in my whole heart I believe that we're going to go and, and we're going to win it one day. And do I know when that will be? No. But I do know it will happen.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. You know, I look at this super bowl and I think these are very similar teams. Defensive coaches, athletic quarterbacks that like to throw the ball downfield, really good secondaries, front sevens with a lot of Dudes that are got range and can move offensive lines. Okay. Okay. There's a couple players each O lines got like a really good gray zable for Seattle is a dude Charles Cross pretty good. It's just interesting when you look at these two teams and I know you're concentrating on the Lions but when you look at these two teams, do you think there's one team you go oh, that team has an edge here. Do you see it that way? Honestly.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

I haven't watched a ton of these teams but like you said, it's like if you say the offensive lines are okay, like I think really good quarterback play with mobile quarterbacks like they can in, in football now. Like that can really like when we play ball more. For example, like it doesn't matter who the O linemen are. You could beat them but you got to then get Lamar down and it's. And that's a whole nother task, you know. So it's. Offenses definitely make it challenging now with their mobile quarterbacks. Even if you win on the rush, you then got to take down a quarterback who's running a four or five and, and can juke you out, you know. So it's, it's, it's a tough task. But again you're right. Defensive minded teams, this is going to be very defensive game and it's going to be fun to watch. As a defensive player myself, you know.

[Colin Cowherd]

You had, you, you played and you're playing all the games and you show up every week and you had come off an injury the previous year. And for players like you like it's one thing like in baseball, I guess pitchers have arm injuries, but a shortstop can play for 20 years in the NBA. You know, guys play for a long time. Your position is so violent and you're literally. I mean the collisions you are in weekly are just like. I don't. I've said this before to fans. You have no idea what football is like from tv. Go stand on the sidelines. It's. I mean I, I'm six to one. I'm a bigger than average American. It's terrifying. Like God, do you, do you think about that? That you are living a dream. Michigan first round pick got the financial set. Do you think about that when you play this game as man I better cherish every freaking snap now. You have a good coach coach, you have a good front office. Half this league doesn't. How do you like, how do you think of yourself and your career and your future because you're still young in a sport where you age quickly.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

That's right. That's a great point. That's why I'm really, since college, since when I was kind of in the middle of college, I prioritized longevity, I prioritized diet and my health because I knew, man, if this game that I love so much really depends on my longevity and how long I can stay athletic, how long I can stay injury free, like, why don't more guys than take care of their body, you know, if you really love this game. So man, I have so much passion. When I got that taken away from me last year, hurt, you know, not being able to go out there, especially with a good ass team, number one seed in the NFC last year, like that hurt. And so being able to play this year with a really fun defense, really good guys, it was, it felt like I was back and, and again, to your point, it's this NFL experience is very fleeting and I understand that. And that's why I really try to do everything I can to play as long as I can. And so at the end of this career, I'm going to look back and go, I'm good. I did it all.

[Colin Cowherd]

You guys, when I. You remind me of Max Crosby and I, I know Max and I love Max. I just. And that you're, you're willing to talk a little bit during a game. Like you, like you're a verbal guy. Do you, I mean, not even maybe intimidation, not. Do you find yourself verbalizing stuff during games? Is this like almost. It's a performance for you? It's three hours of being relentless. I mean, does your. I've had, I've had pass rushers tell me this and I haven't had other players tell me this. I've had pass rushers tell me, bro, I have to change personality like it is. I am a different human for 58 snaps on Sunday. Is that you or you're kind of just the same intense guy?

[Aiden Hutchinson]

No, man, that, that switch flips and to me I'm not as vocal on the field. I'm like, I like to be more of a quiet killer. Like, like I, like I won't say anything to old linemen, but if I'm. When I'm beating them, getting them, getting them, getting them, like you see the, you see the wear down, you see the, the demeanors change a little bit and to me like that is the war within the war. You know what I mean? It's not necessarily what you say, it's when you start cooking like that, that when the demeanors change, momentum's flipping and you feel it. That's when football's fun.

[Colin Cowherd]

Man, you got quality hair. Head and shoulders must be helping you with that quality head of hair, Aiden. That's all I got to say. That's a good. They are, man.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

They are, man. I'm out here with head and shoulders tackling dandruff with every wash, staying consistent every day. They've been a great partner with me and man, staying consistent with them. Keep keeping that, that dry scalp nice and moisturized would be good, man. You look like you've been using it to yourself, man. You got a good head of hair, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. My, my age starts with a six and I still got hair.

[Jason McIntyre]

Okay.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Hey, if I could be like that, I'd be blessed. Okay? Because, because, you know, and luckily, I think genetically I might be all right, but you never know. But I think I'm looking good for 25 right now. We still got everything intact.

[Colin Cowherd]

A couple of good. This is, this is a hairpiece. I just don't let anybody know a little too bad.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Yeah, that's right.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. Good to see you, buddy.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

Good to see you, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

Aiden Hutchinson, great, great player, man. We right now in the NFL we got some pass rushers like I understand, but like we talk quarterbacks, we have got some pass rushers in this sport that are all time good. Jay Glazer reported this week Max Crosby is done with the Raiders. They're going to get a haul for Max Crosby. I, I think you can get a bigger than Micah Parsons Hall. I, I really believe that. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Boy, I hope the Crypto bros are doing okay today. I mean, first the fuzzy monkeys on NFTS broke them. Now what is it down to a nickel 66,000.

[Jason McIntyre]

It's almost been halved in three months. Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, not great. When you go out tonight, Steakhouse. Try paying in bitcoin. See how it works. Crap coin. All right, so super bowl betting report. Okay, well, I'm going to play a little sociologist psychologist here. According to the market, all Seattle money, 1.76 billion to be wagered legally in this game. 4 1/2 point favorite Seattle getting all the money. So what, what does that tell me? If Seattle loses, there's going to be a lot of angry betters. And betters can never look themselves in the mirror and go, yeah, I took the wrong team. I do a segment every Monday called Calling Right Calling Wrong. Viewers and fans never acknowledge it's them so it will be. They'll blame two people if Seattle loses. Number one Sam Darnold and number two the officials. It could be both. It'll probably be one. And so I've said this before, if Drake May loses, crickets if Darnold loses. Because all the Darnold critics now, you don't hear a peep from them after the LA game. They've all disappeared. It's like there's a power outage in America. No anti Sam Darnold takes. They'll come flying back because they bet the Seahawks if they lose. And for all you people that believe the NFL is rigged and you're a sorry lot, it's been a bad season for you. Patrick Mahomes did not make the playoffs. Lamar Jackson did not make the playoffs. Joe Burrow did not make the playoffs. Star quarterbacks Josh Allen did and then lost on the controversial play. Yeah, yeah. The league was rigging Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix to advance. Both New York teams are unwatchable. Yet the Jags made the playoffs and so did the Panthers and oh by the way, the two biggest brands, Cowboys and Packers. You could even argue the Steelers. Cowboys didn't make the playoffs. Packers bounced early. Steelers humiliated in the playoffs. So bad year to believe the NFL is rigged. Yeah, let's put that kind of nameless, faceless Patriot team where the coach is the biggest star and, and Sam Darnold who largely viewed by the fans an hour ago as a bust. So you can just see what's going to happen if Seattle loses. That means 75% of betters are going to lose and they've got to blame somebody because. Because betters will not blame themselves. Here's the other story is that Max Crosby is reportedly according to Jake Laser Jay has been on a heater, is done with the Raiders. So here is, this is actually the Raiders. This actually is not terrible for the Raiders because Max Crosby has not translated into success. Right. Like, like they haven't had the right coach and the right quarterback and I think they now have both. But Max is going to get you an absolute haul. Really good teams, good teams that probably could talk themselves into winning a Super bowl with Max. New England, the Bears and the Ravens all could use Max Crosby. Okay, The Patriots could use him. The Ravens could use him. The Bears could absolutely use him. I could absolutely see in all three teams giving up a first round pick or more. And here's the thing. Micah Parsons five star recruit goes to big brand. Penn State first round pick goes to the Cowboys is viewed one way. But to me, he's a splash player who disappears against the run and has been overwhelmed by really elite left tackles in the postseason. Max Crosby goes to Eastern Michigan, fourth round pick, goes to the lowly Raiders. For a long time, he's viewed another way. To me, Max Crosby is the better player. Max Crosby's much better against the run. Max Crosby is not a splash player. Max Crosby is a relentless dog, very much like Aiden Hutchinson or a Miles Garrett. He just doesn't take plays off. So. And Mike is good. I'm not saying that, but I always felt, and I've had GMs tell me this, Micah is a splash player. He makes very memorable plays and he's very good. And Green Bay's defense was not as good when he got injured. I'm not saying Mike is not a first round talent, but Crosby is better against the run. I think you get a more consistent effort. So if the Raiders do move off him, they're going to get a haul. A haul. When I talk to executives around this league and I say, like, who do you think is a guy who's a great player? Take out quarterbacks. And I've asked this question for it. Take out quarterbacks. Give me three guys in the league you die to have. Like, without question, Max Crosby gets named. Here was Jay Glazer this week on his future.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

There's a couple guys, if they tell you their plan, they're playing, it's not open for discussion. They're playing. There's certain guys, they need it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Do you think he think his time.

[Aiden Hutchinson]

With the Raiders is done? I do. Before the draft, probably, yeah. What kind of haul do you think realistically, a Max Crosby gets in general, he probably more than Micah. So the day it happened, no less than 20 teams called me.

[Colin Cowherd]

20 teams on max Crosby. He's only played with one defensive Pro Bowler. He's been double. Everybody knows you got to stop one Raider. He's Saquon and Matt Stafford, he just needs the right fit. This is an I Heart podcast, guaranteed human.