THE HERD with Colin Cowherd

Hour 2 Summary – October 21, 2025

Main Theme:
Colin unveils his latest "Herd Hierarchy" NFL power rankings—with lively debate from Nick Wright—and explores hot topics like Bo Nix’s fourth-quarter brilliance, the Chiefs’ continued dynasty, young quarterbacks' trajectories, running game’s importance, and a reflective discussion on LeBron James’ legacy management.

Herd Hierarchy: Top 10 NFL Teams

(Starts at 04:37)

Colin breaks down his weekly top 10 NFL teams, offering detailed rationale and some pointed surprises. Notably, he demotes the Seahawks and questions the Bills' exclusion, while holding Kansas City firmly atop the league.

Top 10 Rankings & Key Analysis

• 10. New England Patriots
  “They don’t beat themselves. Four straight wins, top 10 offense, top 5 scoring defense... Drake May, I didn’t think he’d be this good this quick.” (05:00)

• 9. San Francisco 49ers
  Praises Kyle Shanahan’s resilience despite key injuries. “Nobody’s been as resourceful as Kyle Shanahan and the Niners.” (06:16)

• 8. Green Bay Packers
  “Jordan Love... 69%. You can't find anybody that likes him. Their run defense is excellent. They’ll get better.” (06:41)

• 7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  Calls Todd Bowles underrated: “Probably the best blitzing coach in the NFL... multiple games with takeaways... I wouldn’t drop them too far.” (07:00)

• 6. Denver Broncos
  “Bonix when trailing this season: 11 TDs, no pick. Very Mahomes-like stat in the fourth quarter... Denver at 6.” (07:46)

• 5. Detroit Lions
  “Their run game jumps off the TV set. They get leads and then they get sacks... much better at home.” (08:10)

• 4. Indianapolis Colts
  “Been into the Colts for a month. Best outright record in the league at 6-1... Most efficient offense.” (08:32)

• 3. Los Angeles Rams
  “Not just Stafford and McVay. That defense is suffocating... Big plays, young defense, number 2 in sacks.” (09:05)

• 2. Philadelphia Eagles
  “They can’t run the ball anymore... There’s a French term for beautiful yet ugly, that’s the Eagles.” (09:54)

• 1. Kansas City Chiefs
  “I said it a month ago, this is as good as Kansas City’s been... Mahomes is playing at an absurd level.” (10:39)

On Seattle’s notable drop:
“I had them in last night when I texted Kyle on our staff and this morning I’m like, no, I’m disgusted. That was awful.” (11:15)

Quarterback Debate & Bo Nix vs. Mahomes

(Begins at 11:31)

Nick Wright joins to interrogate Colin’s Bo Nix/Mahomes comparison and challenge some hierarchy choices.

Notable Exchange:

• Nick Wright: “Did you compare Bo Nix to Patrick Mahomes?” (11:53)
• Colin: “Who else could take a 19–0 deficit? Greatest quarter for a quarterback ever. I stand, I die on that hill.” (11:55)
• Nick: “You said he has 11 TDs when trailing, but he also has 11 TDs total. So, that would mean they've all come when he's trailing... Not great.” (12:06)

Nick critiques Denver’s inconsistency:
“13 points in the first 3 quarters combined of the last 3 games... then they've been elite in the 4th quarter of two of them.” (12:52)

On Bo Nix’s playing style:
“Nothing gives you more confidence if you're rooting against the Broncos than when Bo Nix takes a deep shot. But then late in the game, he's been good.” (13:09)

Chiefs’ Dynasty Status Revisited

(13:29)

Nick revisits Colin's earlier eulogies about the Chiefs’ dynasty.

• Nick Wright: “Can we revisit that the dynasty phase is over?... Now I think you feel like the gap between them and whomever is second is about as big as Philly and... as 2 and 10.” (13:29-14:04)
• Colin: “Correct. Yeah.” (14:04)

Bill & Seahawks: What’s Gone Wrong?

(14:11)

Colin explains the omission of the Bills and Seahawks from his top 10:
“They can’t defend the run, which is the worst thing... when you have a great quarterback... Seattle makes too many mistakes.” (14:11-14:52)

• Nick, defending Seattle:
  “I think you might be underrating Seattle... Mike Macdonald has been awesome... Jackson Smith-Njigba is a revelation.” (15:03-16:06)

Young Quarterbacks: Caleb Williams, Jackson Dart, Bo Nix, and More

(16:06)

Colin and Nick dig into the developmental arcs of various young QBs, with focus on body language, situational frustration, and the “franchise QB” litmus test.

• Colin:
  “Body language matters... Kyler Murray... don’t always love his body language... Chicago’s run game is excellent... Watching Ben Johnson’s face and body language when Caleb throws an incompletion is borderline discouragement, bordering on disgust.” (16:06-16:57)

• Nick:
  “I’m a big Caleb [Williams] guy. I’ve cooled a bit... last few games that’s kind of been despite their quarterback play... that Saints defense, everyone threw well on them except Caleb, it seems.” (16:57-18:54)

QB “Franchise or Not?” Lightning Round:

• Jackson Dart: Yes (Colin)
• Kyler Murray: Yes, but time to move on in AZ (Colin)
• Caleb Williams: Yes (Colin)
• Bo Nix: Absolutely (Colin)
• J.J. McCarthy: “Never bought into that... doesn’t have the traits I was looking for.” (Colin) (38:21-38:32)

Dak Prescott’s Big Leap & Dallas Discussion

(18:54)

Colin admits past misreads on Dak, praises his maturity, and Nick marvels at how Dak and George Pickens are exceeding all expectations.

• Colin:
  “With Dak Prescott—and I’ve said he’s Kirk Cousins with a star—I feel like it’s the ultimate ‘Colin was wrong’... All those pieces leave and Dak puts up huge numbers.” (19:54-20:24)
• Nick:
  “The Cowboys offense performing the way it did when CD was hurt was stunning... Dak being one of the most entertaining, high-octane QBs... If they just had the 19th defense, they’d be right there.” (20:24-22:18)

NBA Corner: LeBron James’ Image & Authenticity

(22:18)

The segment arcs to legacy management, focusing on LeBron vs. Russell Westbrook’s personalities and public criticisms.

• Colin:
  “LeBron’s at brand protection legacy stage now... He’s protecting his empire. There is this rub that LeBron... is a bit too calculated...” (22:18-23:31)

• Nick:
  “Russ has a lack of self-awareness since he stopped being MVP-caliber... For Russ and his fans, it’s never Russ’s fault. As for LeBron: People have been trying more than any athlete of my lifetime to find some cardinal sin... Now what people have come down to is ‘I don’t like the cut of his jib and I think he lies about reading books he hasn’t read’ – give me a break.” (23:31-26:19)

• Memorable quote:
  “LeBron James has been the ambassador of this league for a quarter century... does not have a substantial misstep to his name.” (Nick Wright, 25:12)

Comparing Bo Nix and Mahomes: Stats & Philosophical Divide

(26:25)

Colin reads off Bo Nix's college winning percentage vs. Mahomes.

• Colin: “Bo Nix’s college winning percentage was 70%. Patrick’s was 44.” (26:25)
• Nick: “Another piece of data that shows Bo Nix is nothing like Patrick Mahomes.” (26:34)

Major League Baseball & Dynasties

(45:10)

Discussion pivots to MLB: Dodgers, Yankees, and dynasty definitions. Colin lauds both the Dodgers and Chiefs for adaptability and not letting pride get in the way of solving problems.

• Colin:
  “If you win as much as the Dodgers have... and can win back-to-back, that's a dynasty... The Dodgers never get in their own way. Chiefs never do. Everybody makes mistakes. The key is: move off mistakes; be nimble.” (45:10-48:06)

• Dave Roberts (Dodgers manager):
  “We’re in a big market. We’re expected to win... Our ownership puts it back into players... I think we do as good a job as anyone.” (47:37)

• On best-run franchises:
  “The Dodgers are the best-run sports franchise in North America... It's not just the money—Yankees have it, they don't spend it smartly.” (48:06)

Rapid Topics & Other Highlights

• On the growing importance of the running game:
  “Teams running the football consistently: Detroit, Seattle, Chicago... Here comes the crappy weather, here comes the bad weather... Now you have to have a run game.” (34:47-35:15)

• On Max Crosby trade rumors and NFL trade deadline philosophy:
  “I don’t like giving up the soul of a franchise. Max Crosby is the Raiders. Micah was not the Cowboys—Dak is. Jerry’s the Cowboys… Anyone making a big swing that’s not a Super Bowl team at the deadline should be selling.” (39:39-40:53)

Memorable & Notable Quotes

• “[On the Eagles] There’s a French term for beautiful yet ugly. I think whatever that term is, that's the Eagles.” (09:54, Colin)
• “[On LeBron] The guy has been the spokesman, the face, the ambassador of this league for a quarter century. ...not a scandal on or off the court.” (25:12, Nick Wright)
• “[On Bo Nix/Mahomes] Bo Nix’s college winning percentage was 70%. Patrick’s was 44.” (26:25, Colin)
• “Move off mistakes; be nimble. That’s what the Dodgers and Chiefs do.” (48:06, Colin)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:37 – Herd Hierarchy Power Rankings
• 11:30 – Nick Wright joins; Bo Nix/Mahomes debate
• 13:29 – Chiefs Dynasty revisited; Bills & Seahawks excluded
• 16:06 – Young QB evaluations (Caleb Williams, Dart, Bo Nix, etc.)
• 18:54 – Dak Prescott analysis, Cowboys talk
• 22:18 – NBA: LeBron’s legacy and Westbrook discussion
• 26:25 – Bo Nix vs. Mahomes winning %
• 45:10 – Dodgers, MLB dynasties, organization management

Tone & Takeaways

Colin’s tone alternates between passionate, analytical, and occasionally self-deprecating. Episode is rich in data, analogy, and strong opinion—as always sparking energetic debate, especially with Nick Wright pushing back on his boldest takes.

This episode is essential for fans invested in the evolving NFL landscape, franchise-building philosophies, and debates about “dynasty” in modern sports. The QB-centric discussions and comparisons (especially Bo Nix vs. Mahomes) are must-listen highlights, as are broader reflections on leadership from LeBron to Dave Roberts.