THE HERD - Hour 2 - Herd Hierarchy post-free agency, Channing Frye defends SGA's greatness

Summary

---

The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2: Herd Hierarchy, Bam Adebayo’s 83, and SGA’s Greatness

Date: March 13, 2026
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guests: Channing Frye, John Middlekauff

---

Episode Overview

In this hour, Colin unveils his post-free agency “Herd Hierarchy” of NFL teams, shares candid thoughts on Bam Adebayo's 83-point game, and welcomes Channing Frye for a spirited defense of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA)'s style and efficiency. The episode covers franchise-building philosophies, NBA culture debates, and in-depth NFL analysis, blending sharp insights with lively banter.

---

Herd Hierarchy: Colin's Top 10 NFL Teams Post-Free Agency

[03:12 – 12:01]

Theme & Purpose

Colin presents his updated power rankings for NFL teams, reflecting on free agency moves, draft prospects, and coaching changes. He discusses how teams’ offseason decisions may shape the league in 2026.

Key Points & Teams

• #10 – Detroit Lions

  • Coordinator upgrade: "Drew Petzing, new OC, I think is going to be fantastic."
  • Front office stability; expects 2-3 more wins.

• #9 – New England Patriots

  • Schedule challenge: "They go from the historically easiest NFL schedule in 50 years to the sixth toughest."
  • Loss of Stefon Diggs offset by addition of Romeo Doubs; Kevin Byard joins at safety.

• #8 – Philadelphia Eagles

  • Added elite corner Tariq Woolen, forming the NFL's best trio at the position.
  • Nick Sirianni is “very coordinator dependent”; confident in new OC Sean Mannion.

• #7 – Houston Texans

  • David Montgomery's arrival boosts RB tandem.
  • "It’s worrisome that C.J. Stroud has regressed, but they're still winning their division."

• #6 – Los Angeles Chargers

  • Injury-plagued O-line returns to strength, offense expected to lead.
  • "Added Mike McDaniel, one of those coordinators like Detroit’s Drew Petzig. That's going to be worth a win or three."
  • Sneaky acquisition of RB Keaton Mitchell.

• #5 – Denver Broncos

  • Depth, resilience, and defense.
  • "They just picked a bad week to be playing in the divisional round. Team won 14 games, they don’t allow sacks, and yet led the NFL in sacks."

• #4 – Buffalo Bills

  • Josh Allen remains a difference-maker.
  • Bradley Chubb is a “sneaky, smart signing”; DJ Moore’s toughness and reliability.

• #3 – Seattle Seahawks

  • Tough to repeat as champs; loss of Kenneth Walker is significant, not many top RBs in draft.
  • "JSN, Mike McDonald, Sam Darnold, Gray Zable, Nick Omen worry. They've got really good leadership."

• #2 – Chicago Bears

  • Strong running game underscored: "They were the third best rushing team in the league last year... now they have to replace Drew Dolman at center."
  • Defensive regression expected but still top-tier.

• #1 – Los Angeles Rams

  • "Corner Trent McDuffie, top five corner teammate Jalen Watson—they've solved their secondary issue."
  • "In the NFL, you don’t have to be great anywhere. You can’t be bad anywhere."
  • Secondary upgrades considered elite.

• Honorable Mentions: Baltimore (#11) and Jacksonville (#12)

Notable Quote

“Draft may tweak a spot or two, but I doubt it does a lot. And here we go.” – Colin Cowherd [03:09]

---

Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Game: Ethics and NBA Culture

[12:01 – 13:16]

Colin’s Defense of Bam

• "Bam Adebayo is a pros pro, all NBA defense five times, two-time Olympian, very much a Heat culture guy."
• The 83-point game: “He had 31 points in the first quarter. He had 62 after three. If he just played a normal fourth, he scores 71—but he scored 83. That surpassed Kobe and people didn’t like it. … This is not a random guy.”

Bam and Spoelstra's Reaction

• Bam Adebayo, on criticism:

  “First of all, y’ all are blaming me. You should be blaming the head coach. … Let me go one on one the whole game until I started, until I had 70. And then you started to send a double. At that point I got 70 with, like, what, nine minutes left to go in the game. You think I’m not going for it?” — Bam (as quoted by Channing Frye) [12:21]

• Coach Spoelstra:

  "I apologize to absolutely no one, period. I'm not losing any sleep over what other people are saying about it. What's ethical, what's not ... he had already broken a bunch of records, and we're going to go for it. It was just an amazing moment." – Colin channeling Spo [13:12]

Colin’s Broader Sports Ethics Take

• "There’s a lot of stuff in sports that—it’s almost like being an accountant. You’re always looking for loopholes ... What they did in the last couple of minutes of the game is legal, by the way.”
• On tanking: “Today you can say it’s not allowed. I watched it all year with Indiana, I watched it with Utah. It’s allowed.”
• “I just don’t have any problem with a pros pro, a great organization, a great coach, saying, ‘Okay, we got nine minutes left. He’s at 70. We’re going for the Kobe number.’ I’m not losing any sleep over that.”

---

Channing Frye Joins: NBA Debates and SGA’s Greatness

[21:28 – 33:16]

LeBron’s Off-Ball Evolution

[21:28 – 22:45]

• Colin posits that LeBron James, age 41, is adapting to an off-ball role, as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves dominate the Lakers’ offense.
• Channing Frye:

  “Is there a better third option on a team? … The older [LeBron] gets, the less he can sprint, the less longevity he can sprint. … He might not be so off ball in the playoffs. … I think he’s learning to adapt. That’s what makes him scary.” [21:28]

---

SGA’s Scoring Style: Artistry Over Aesthetics

[22:45 – 24:58]

• Colin draws a parallel between SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and Alex English, noting scoring isn’t always about dunks and highlights.
• Channing Frye:

  “Stop complaining and play some dang defense. Stop it. Every time somebody is great, they’re a free throw merchant. Think about this. Joel Embiid, LeBron, SGA, Luka, Jokic … When you’re great, you create advantage that other people can’t stop.” [23:37]
  “Isn’t he the most efficient pull-up jumper guy we’ve seen almost ever?”

• Comparison to James Harden:
  “It’s not as egregious as like when James Harden was getting to the line, but … to get an MVP, you’ve got to get to the free throw line. You can’t just shoot jumpers and layups all game.” [24:23]

---

Revisiting Bam’s 83 Points: Team and Opponent Accountability

[24:58 – 26:48]

• Colin: Reiterates Wizards’ defensive failures allowed history to happen.
• Frye:

  “Again, I don’t care if Jesus was on that court, Bam Adebayo was getting that ball. … NBA players are greedy. … The minute a team just lays down and dies, like the Wizards did that first quarter … For him to have the opportunity to go for 70—man, shoot the ball every single time.”
  “There’s nothing unethical about that because he had to shoot all those shots. So get 83, get 100. I don’t care. Congratulations.” [25:19]

---

Knicks’ Roster, Giannis Potential & Playoff Expectations

[26:48 – 29:47]

• Knicks’ culture and grit: “Jalen Brunson has a real New York, Villanova, high IQ, little undersized, gritty feel.”
• Should Knicks trade for Giannis at expense of OG, Bridges, others?
  Frye: “Nobody is going to be Giannis. My job is to put the best team out there. … But are you sacrificing your future for a chance to win right now?”
• Frye sees regular season malaise: “It looks like they’re a little disinterested in the regular season because nobody cares … I would be bored of the regular season and couldn’t wait till the Garden is rocking if I was a New York Knick.”
• East is loaded: “Boston. Holy crap. The Cavs, when they’re healthy … it’s going to be a monster in the Eastern Conference.”

---

LeBron’s Team-Hopping: Regret or the Right Call?

[29:47 – 33:16]

• Colin questions whether LeBron’s career mobility created a legacy issue in any one city.
• Frye:

  “Absolutely not. … Did you see the talent that he was taking to the NBA Finals? … Because he went to Miami, because he won, because he was on that showcase with those guys, he can now say, ‘Look at this ring, look at this ring.’”
  “Going to LA was like, hey, this time has ended here. … Look at Giannis right now. Giannis should have left two years ago, and now look at the Bucks.”

---

NFL News and Coaching Carousel with John Middlekauff

[33:56 – 43:03]

Mike Tomlin’s Legacy and Future

[34:01 – 35:59]

• Tomlin steps away from Steelers; praised for consistency and underdog mentality.
• John Middlekauff: "Since 07, [Tomlin] has more wins than guys like Harbaugh, Andy Reid, Sean Payton."
• Discussion of Tomlin as top coaching candidate for 2027.

Kyler Murray’s Prospects in Minnesota

[37:39 – 39:57]

• Murray’s athleticism, fit with Kevin O’Connell, and potential difficulties adjusting to more pocket-based offense after lower-body injuries.
• Cowherd: "I think the level of dysfunction in Arizona is only rivaled today by Cleveland and the Jets."

Cowboys Revamping Defense

[40:12 – 42:54]

• Edge rushers, Rashan Gary addition, focus on upgrading front with salary cap constraints.
• Middlekauff: "Cowboys offense is fantastic. If their defense is just solid … Dallas could be sneaky, pretty good if their defense is solid because we know their offense is borderline elite."
• Colin expects Dallas to focus draft picks on secondary and defense.

NFC East Wildcards

• Philadelphia, Giants expected improvement, and Washington as a mystery under new staff.

---

More on the Herd Hierarchy: Scheme vs. Talent

[47:48 – 50:32]

• Colin’s ranking methodology increasingly values coordinators as much as QB/GM/Head Coach.
• John points to 49ers as being left off Colin’s list despite sustained success; Colin counters with loss of key coordinator.
• Discussion of aging players, injuries, and the future of several NFC contenders.

---

Memorable Quotes

• "There’s a lot of ways to score points. … We love watching Dominique and Zion, and not all games are like that. There’s a lot of ways to be great.” — Colin Cowherd [22:45]
• “Stop complaining and play some dang defense. … When you’re great, you create advantage that other people can’t stop.” — Channing Frye [23:37]
• “Again, I don’t care if Jesus was on that court, Bam Adebayo was getting that ball.” — Channing Frye [25:19]
• “Going to LA was like, hey, this time has ended here. Look at Giannis right now. Giannis should have left two years ago … it’s a different era with the salary cap.” — Channing Frye [32:18]

---

Notable Timestamps

• [03:12] – Colin’s Herd Hierarchy Top 10 NFL teams post-free agency
• [12:01] – Defense of Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game, NBA culture and ethics
• [21:28] – Channing Frye on LeBron’s new off-ball role
• [22:45] – SGA’s scoring style and “free throw merchant” debate
• [24:58] – Frye on Bam’s historic night and opponent accountability
• [26:48] – Knicks future, Giannis possibility, and playoff preview
• [29:47] – LeBron’s team-hopping and legacy
• [33:56] – NFL news: Mike Tomlin, Kyler Murray’s fit, Cowboys’ defensive focus
• [47:48] – Coordinator-driven analysis in NFL team rankings

---

Episode Tone

• Conversational, sometimes playful (Channing Frye injects humor and candid stories)
• Opinionated and provocative (Colin stands by strong takes, invites pushback)
• Analytical (detailed breakdowns of both NFL and NBA team dynamics)

---

Conclusion

This hour of The Herd delivers robust NFL team analysis post-free agency, unpacks the intersection of ethics and entertainment in sports (through the lens of Bam Adebayo’s 83), and defends the diversity of NBA scoring greatness. With Channing Frye's candor and John Middlekauff’s roster insights, the hour balances current events, sports culture, and forward-looking debates.

---

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

Guaranteed Human.

[Malcolm Gladwell]

Every small business owner has that one moment that could have broken them. But remarkably, it didn't. Hi, I'm Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business and on season three of the Unshakeables, my co host Kathleen Griffith and I are bringing you more incredible stories of overcoming the impossible.

[Colin Cowherd]

We're really proud to share that the

[Malcolm Gladwell]

Unshakeables is nominated for Best Branded podcast at the 2026 iHeart PodC. Listen to the Unshakeables wherever you get your podcasts and learn [e-mail] podcast JPMorgan Chase bank and a member FDIC Copyright 2026 JP Morgan Chase and company pay

[Channing Frye]

around the Corner and around the globe Apple Pay is accepted at millions of places worldwide. Wherever you see the contactless symbol in stores or the Apple Pay button online and in apps.

[Colin Cowherd]

Whether you're checking out on iPhone or

[Channing Frye]

Apple Watch, just double click pay and be on your way.

[Colin Cowherd]

Add your debit or credit card to

[Channing Frye]

Wal and you're good to go. Pay the Apple way Terms Apply.

[Colin Cowherd]

The March tournament brings volatility upsets and momentum shifts with webull predictions. You can trade strategic positions on college basketball outcomes, react to matchups, and assess probabilities as the tournament unfolds. Whether your bracket is busted or you're on the way to the top of your leaderboard, bring your strategy to your trades in real time. Get started by downloading the Webull app today or visiting webull.com event contractors. Trading is speculative and may not be suitable for all investors. Customers should carefully consider the associated risk before investing. Visit webull.com disclosures this is Daniel Cormier

[Malcolm Gladwell]

from the Daniel Cormier Show.

[John Middlekauff]

This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless,

[Channing Frye]

the official wireless partner of ufc. Power doesn't wait in the octagon or outside of it. You either make the move or you miss the moment. That's why you need a network that's just as powerful as you are. With Total Wireless, you get unlimited 5G data keeping you in the action from the walkouts to the knockouts. Now that's a total power move. Make your total power move today. Visit totalwireless.com or stop by your neighborhood Total Wireless Store. Additional terms apply. See totalwireless.com for details.

[Colin Cowherd]

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 to the industry's Only cloud storage service with triple protection against cybercriminals. Wasabi driving innovation in data storage for up to 80% less than the other guys. Try for [e-mail], 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.

[Channing Frye]

Now let's get this party started.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It's hour two. It's a Friday. We got good stuff. World Baseball Classic's been amazing. I'm still going to defend Bam. Out of bayou. Got it. That guy get ripped apart by the NBA fraternity. I don't get it at all. And he's got a hit. Hysterical. Bite on that. Bam. Adebayou is. You know, he reminds me a little bit of another former Miami Heat player, Udonis Haslam. Good guys, low profile, work their butt off. Just perfect Miami Heat culture, guys. And I mean just the NBA savagely went after him and I don't buy any of it. I'm going to get to that in about five minutes. I'm going to support Bama to buy who's 83 point spectacle in a couple of minutes. But all right, the draft's coming up in April. A draft can absolutely change a franchise if you get the right quarterback. So the Raiders getting Fernando Mendoza, that's going to be a big deal. Okay. But I think really, when I look at teams after a season ends, I look at the coaching hires, I look at free agency and that's about 75 to 80% of what the new league is going to look like. And maybe I'm being optimistic on some of these free agent signings, but a lot of GMs made moves I agree with. So here's my top 10 pre draft. Draft may tweak a spot or two, but I doubt it does a lot. And here we go. Number 10. Number 10. I would say Detroit. I thought they had a coordinator issue last year, not a personnel issue. Drew Petzing, new OC I think is going to be fantastic. Listen, they've had a top five offense in four straight seasons and last year they had a coordinator issue where Dan Campbell had to take over play calling and they were still viable 9 and 8. So I think they're going to improve by two or three wins. I love their front office. You know, I like Jared Goff. Respect Dan campbell. Lions at 10, number nine, Patriots. Now why do I bring them down? Well, they go from the historically easiest NFL schedule in 50 years to the sixth toughest. They lose to Fond Diggs. They add Romeo Dobbs. That's kind of a wash to me. They add Kevin Byard in the back end of their defense who's an interception machine. I love the coaching, the owner, the culture. I just think the AFC had a down year. Lamar's back, right like Mahomes won't get hurt again. The Chargers will be better. Denver Bonix, another healthy offseason. So I think New England at nine, number eight. I think Sean Manion, the new OC is going to work. I thought Tariq Woolen grabbing him at corner. I didn't think it was a position of need. The Eagles now have the best cornerback troika trio in the league by a lot. So it's not like they didn't need, didn't have enough talent defensively. Now they added an elite Pro bowl level corner. I think Manion. Listen, Nick Sirianni is very coordinator dependent, okay? That's just the reality. He needs a Kellen Moore. He needs a Shane Steichen. I think Manion could be good. I have Philly at eight, number seven. Listen, the smart bet take the Houston Texans to win their division again. They added David Montgomery, the running back. I think that is a sneaky addition. So David Montgomery and Woody Marks, that is a above average running back tandem and they just couldn't, they couldn't produce consistent run totals last year. Yeah, it's worrisome that CJ Stroud has regressed, but they're still winning their division. AFC South. They're favored to win it for a fourth year. They won 12 games last year. I think they'll be around that this coming year. Number six, probably lower than a lot of people think. I like the Chargers. Listen. They had the worst O line in the league due to injuries and won 11 games in a good division. They're going to win 11 plus this year. They get Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back at tackle. They have a ton of cap space so they've addressed the interior O line. They also added Mike McDaniel who I think is one of those coordinators like Detroit's Drew Petzig. That's going to be worth a win or three. And they, they got a kind of a sneaky Keaton Mitchell, the running back, the speed back from Baltimore Comes over with Amarian Hampton. So I like what I see. I think this is going to be a team that's offense leads the way, unlike last year where defense had to lead the way. I have the Chargers at 6, number 5, Broncos. People may forget this, but in that divisional round loss to the Patriots, they were missing Bo Nicks, their number one back, J.K. dobbins, and their number two and three wide receivers. They were banged up at the end of the year. The NFL, as you well know, is a league of attrition. And they just picked a bad week to be playing in the divisional round. Team won 14 games, they don't allow sacks, and yet they led the NFL in sacks. I don't think that changes. Great head coaching, great line play. Denver at five, number four. I'll put Josh Allen an inch ahead because he's Josh Allen. I think Bradley Chubb, again, kind of a sneaky, smart signing, gonna give you about 9, 10, 11 sacks. And DJ Moore because the Colston Loveland and Luther Burden exploded last year. At the end of the year for the Bears, people think, well, DJ Moore's numbers drop. DJ Moore is still a number one, never misses starts, tough player. So Chubb and DJ Moore to me are some really nice B plus added elements. Buffalo at four, number three, the Seahawks. I think it's almost impossible to win back to back. I think Kenneth Walker leaving is a real thing now. If it was a great running back draft, I wouldn't worry much. It's not. Zach Charbonnet comes back. They've got kind of a running back by committee after Charbonnet. Listen, JSN, Mike McDonald, Sam Darnold, Gray Zable, Nick Omen worry. They've got really good leadership on this team and really good players, but they had to move off some really nice football players. That's what happens when you win a Super Bowl. Guys want to eat Seattle. I have met three. Number two, the Bears. To me, first round picks, going to be a corner. Second round picks, they're going to go and get a pass rush. I like what I see. Again, a really sneaky stat with the Bears. They were the third best rushing team in the league last year. And you think it's about Caleb and the aerial circus. They ran the ball really well. Now they have to replace Drew Dolman at center. They did with Garrett Bradbury from New England. Not as good as Dolman, but a good solid pro in the middle, anchoring your O line again. They're probably not going to lead the league in takeaways like they did last year. They'll probably drop to somewhere in the upper half in the NFL, but I have the Bears at number two. Number one, the Rams. They solved their dilemma. Corner Trent McDuffie, top five corner teammate Jalen Watson. There was an argument the Rams were the best team last year, but in the NFL you don't have to be great anywhere. You can't be bad anywhere. And last year the Rams really had issues in their secondary. So they've gone out, solved it. Trent McDuffie is an elite corner. And there you go. There's my post coaching hires, post free agency. Top 10 Baltimore 11, Jacksonville 12. Jacksonville lost a couple of key pieces. Don't love that ETN the running back who'd been there with Trevor Lawrence forever. So I got Baltimore 11, I got Jacksonville 12. And that's where we stand today. Okay, so I gotta defend Bam Adebayou. So Bam Adebayou is a pros pro, all NBA defense five times, two time Olympian, very much a heat culture guy, plays on both ends, excellent pro. And a couple nights ago he drops 83. And I defended him, I said okay, got a little doctored at the end. But he had 31 points in the first quarter. He had 62 after three. If he just played a normal fourth, he scores 71. But he scored 83. That surpassed Kobe and people didn't like it. And the pitchforks and the knives came out. And I'm like, guys, this is not a random guy that, you know, he scores, he defends, he's an Olympian, he's a legitimate player. And Spoelstra is not a guy that doctors stuff up. Here was Bam on his critics after an 83 point performance.

[Channing Frye]

First of all, y' all are blaming me. You should be blaming the head coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

Get that first.

[Channing Frye]

I was not the one. Let me go one on one the whole game until I started, until I had 70. And then you started to send a

[Colin Cowherd]

double at that point I got 70

[Channing Frye]

with like what, nine minutes left to go in the game. You think I'm not going for it?

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean seriously, you got 71 points, nine minutes. Everybody knows the Kobe number. I'm going to go after the Gobi number. I don't have any problem. SPO could be my favorite coach in the NBA. Spo's like, get over it, people. I apologize to absolutely no one, period. I'm not losing any sleep over what other people are saying about it. What's ethical, what's not. All this stuff happened under two minutes. Like I said, like he had already broken A bunch of records and we're going to go for was just an amazing moment, you know, to be a part of that. And I would do it 10 times out of 10, by the way, when people say that's not basketball. Was Hack a Shack, not basketball. Of course it was. Shaq was a bad free throw shooter. Mike Dunleavy, I was in that arena when he began the Hack a Shack with his Portland Trailblazer team. They couldn't stop him. They started fouling him. Fans hated it. It's real basketball, okay. When I was a kid growing up, Dean Smith used to get a lead in North Carolina and they would run four corners offense and they would freeze out the other team's offense. There was no shot clock. Was that basketball? It was allowed. There's a lot of stuff in sports that it's almost like being an accountant. You're always looking for loopholes and how to manipulate. I have. I mean, you see sometimes in the NFL you bring in like a third tackle and he's an eligible receiver. Well, that's not real football. Yes, under the rules it is. What they did in the last couple of minutes of the game is legal, by the way. Right now I've defended tanking. Tanking. Today you can say it. It's not allowed. I watched it all year with Indiana. I watched it with Utah. It's allowed. So you can try to shut off accountants. They're going to find loopholes. And I just don't have any problem with a pros pro, a great organization, a great coach, saying, okay, we got nine minutes left. He's at 70. We're going for the Kobe number. I'm not losing any sleep over that. I mean, James Harden for years was falling down, taking threes. The NBA had to step in and go, okay, that, that's not going to work. I can guarantee Adam Silver is not sitting there thinking, hey, listen, the next time a Guy gets to 70 with nine minutes left, we've got to outlaw what they did. Nobody cares. I was reading this the other thing, because I said I watched it on YouTube, but I didn't watch it live. Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. The Heat's other two leading scores were out of the game. So who's going to shoot? I don't know. The guy was 70. I'm going to probably give him the ball. I love Bam's reaction and I love SPO's even more. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. FS1 and the iHeartRadio app Stigatz here. I have a podcast empire. It continues to grow and I have brought it here to iHeartra. I'm also doing a live radio show from 3 to 5pm Eastern because my wife wanted to kick me out of the house. It's called Stugac 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. I love you guys show.

[Channing Frye]

It's one of my favorites.

[Colin Cowherd]

A lot of interaction, guys not taking themselves too seriously. Those are just some of the things that you can expect bag from Stugots Co. And Stugots Co. Live. So listen to Stugots Co. Live and our original podcast. Please subscribe, rate and review Stugots 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. All right, Two Truths and a lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwain, 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. A Verizon isn't as expensive as you think. In fact, if you bring in your AT and T 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 build 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. Hello.

[Malcolm Gladwell]

Hello, I'm Malcolm Gladwell, host of Smart Talks with IBM. I recently spoke with IBM's new director of research, Jake Ambetta. We discussed his vision for the future of quantum computing at IBM Research. What we always do is answer, what is the future of computing? Whether it's coming up with new algorithms, coming up with better AI, coming up with quantum, or coming up with just how do different accelerators go together? It's our DNA to answer the question of what is the future? Isn't it a perfect problem for IBM because you kind of need to have a legacy of building stuff, Dustin building actual physical machines. Yeah, it's why I came to IBM. I wanted the experience, the culture of building hard things that others have not done before. Where do you imagine we are in the timeline of this technology? There will come a point when it will mature, right? Yeah. My cell phone is a mature technology at this point. How far are we from that point? With Quantum, by 2029 we'll build the first fault tolerant Quantum computer that is one that can run a very, very large, large problem. To learn how IBM is building the future of computing, visit IBM.com quantum

[Commercial Announcer]

Ready or not, here they come. The new generation of problem solvers, innovators and greatness is here. Girls who are strong, strong, smart and bold, who lift each other up and are forging their own paths forward. They're everything they set out to be and nothing you expect them to be. Our job is to make sure everyone recognizes the potential she already has and to give her opportunities to let it shine. With your support, these girls are well on their way to changing the world whether you're ready for them or not. Girls Inc.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm U.S. transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The sound of a seatbelt it's one of the most important sounds in our car. It means everyone is ready and everyone is safe. The more our kids see us put on our seatbelts, the more natural it is for them to put theirs on too. Make it a priority. Buckle up every time. Hear the sound. Make it a habit. Paid for by NHTSA for delicious meals, you could go out to eat or spend hours in the kitchen. Or you could just make a Marie Callender's meal. Yeah, you heard me. Marie Callender's classic chicken parmigiana bowl is delicious with scratch made marinara sauce, creamy mozzarella cheese and no preservatives. It's high in protein with 30 grams per serving. Marie Callenders what having it all tastes like Total pro smart guy. Love having him on the show. Channing Fry is now joining us live. After Luka dropped 51 last night, you and I were talking during the break. Channing is I had said before this season, I said this could be the first time ever where everybody has sacrificed for LeBron and should have. He told Chris Bosh go in the corner. Kyrie playoff ball. Dwyane Wade. I'm going to run the offense and everybody did and everybody should have. And even last year when Luka was off an injury and out of shape, it was kind of LeBron's ecosystem. And I said this year it's, it's LeBron's going to have to play off ball. Well, the problem for LeBron is not only is he playing off ball to Luka, he's playing off ball to Austin because Austin's having the best year for an undrafted player maybe of all time. So, you know, LeBron, I think this is a tough ask to ask a superstar. I don't think Michael Jordan would have said, you know, I'm going to play off ball. It's like, yeah, I don't think that would have worked. You tell me, how effective can LeBron be off ball?

[Channing Frye]

Is there a better third option on a team? Like, I don't think there is. Think about that as like your best. Your best player has their best defender, then your second best defender, guards, Austin Reaves. And now who's guarding LeBron? I think at the end of the day, we're having this conversation because he's 41 and because Luke is great and Austin Reaves is turning into that dude that I think everyone sees. But also I think LeBron is okay with. You know, you guys take this seat when you need me, I got it here. Like, I think we're. He's. The older he gets, the less he can sprint, the less longevity he can sprint. So if you give him a playoff series, he might not be so off ball. Right? He may be the guy that wins you a series. Think about the impact Andre Guadala had for Golden State, right? He wasn't leading them in scoring. He was leading them in almost every other category. Setting up the offense, being an anchor defensively. But I think during the regular season, after doing this for 22 years, I don't know if he really minds it as much as. And I think he's learning to adapt. So to me, that's what makes him scary. And think about, okay, LeBron had 18 and you're third in the West. Like, congratulations. Like, who would have thought, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

So I defended, I defend SGA. And I say the leading scorer in the NBA in the 80s was not Michael Jordan. It was Alex English. Okay, okay. Now, he played in the high powered offense, but he like sga. It was leaning. It was. It was angle jumpers. It wasn't dunks. It was getting to the free throw line. And I think people bang on SGA because it's not aesthetically pleasing. We love watching Dominique and Zion and Barkley and. And Drexler and not all games. There's a lot of ways to score points. Channing, Kiki Vandaway scored a lot of points. I don't remember any dunks. So a lot of people call him a free throw merchant. He's averaging eight made free throws a game. I'm like for his usage. That doesn't seem outrageous to me. Does it to you?

[Channing Frye]

No. Stop complaining and play some dang defense. Stop it. Every time somebody is great, they're a free throw merchant. Think about this. Joel Embiid, LeBron, SGA. Who else? Luka Jokic. Like every single MVP. Think about how many times Giannis went to the free throw line. Is he a free throw merchant? Like when you're great, you create advantage that other people can't stop. And you know who complains? The guys that are the defenders that can't stop them. Right. Look at Jalen. Jaylen Brown's job is to defend your best player. And when that player SGA gets to the free throw line, he's getting a rhythm and so you're trying anything to stop that. But isn't he the most efficient pull up jumper guy we've seen almost ever?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Channing Frye]

Does he not? His consistency over the years garners him to get to the free throw line minimum 10 times. And maybe you don't like it, but that's what the greats do. Jordan did it, Kobe did it, Dirk did it. I mean, D. Wade got to the free throw line. It's part of the game. Stop complaining. It's how he plays. Play better defense. It's not as egregious as like when James Harden was getting to the line, but they had to stop. But think about what James Harden did to get an mvp. Like you got to get to the free throw line. You can't just shoot jumpers and layups all game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, so I defended Bam at a bayou. I'm like, guys, he had 31 after the first quarter and Tyler Herro late in the game, you know, they didn't have their other Norman Powell, Tyler hero. They're not in the game late. He's got 70 with nine minutes to go. And Bam's like, we think I'm not going to go for it. I mean 70 with nine minutes left

[Channing Frye]

again, I don't care if, if Jesus was on that court, Bam Adebayo was getting that ball. What you allowed, the Wizards allowed him to get 70. I'm shocked they didn't go for 100. NBA players are greedy. Especially a guy like Bam who averages what does he average, 22, 24. For him to have the opportunity to go for 70, man, listen, I wouldn't have shot the ball. I would have set four screens for him. Shoot the ball every single time. The minute a team just lays down and dies, like the Wizards did that first quarter, I was there when Kevin Love, at 34 in a quarter, he just didn't have the conditioning that Bam does. And to get. I watched every single shot. 62, I think after three quarters, 71, whatever he had. Yeah, man. Again, I don't care how you got to do it, but the Washington Wizards are allowing you to do this. They've allowed you to think that that was possible because they just laid down and didn't want to play defense they didn't want to commit to. Sometimes you got to take a tough foul. Sometimes you got to. You got to say, hey, we're losing at football or we're losing a basketball. Maybe we're going to play some football. And I know it's dirty, but if you were on a veteran team, somebody would have laid him out. And that's just. Things happen. So congratulations to Bam. Is nothing unethical about that because he had to shoot all those shots. So get 83, get 100. I don't care. Congratulations.

[Colin Cowherd]

The. You know, we've talked a lot on this show about the New York Knicks, and my favorite Knick of all time was Bernard King. It wasn't Ewing or Carmel. I loved Bernard King. And I remember Dominique Wilkins saying, I didn't mind guarding Jordan. He goes, I couldn't sleep at night if I had to guard Bernard King. You could just put 40. There was no way I was stopping him. But I think Jalen Brunson has. It feels like New York, Villanova guy, high iq, little undersized, gritty. He's got a New York feel to him. He's a tough guy. He's a Villanova guy. And I also think OG Bridges, Hart, I think Carl Anthony's crazy talented. But there is. There is an argument that they're missing. And once Hardenstein left, like, they lost defense, right? What do you do when the team's really good and how do you go about maybe having to sit Jalen Brunson down and go, okay, do we have to get rid of OG Karl Anthony draft picks to get Giannis? Do you go to Jalen Brunson and ask him privately, or do you just make the deal?

[Channing Frye]

I think you. You lay it out and you say, hey, this is what we need for our future, to get an opportunity to get Giannis. No offense to og, Mikhail Bridges, or whoever else you're going to pick. Nobody is going to be Giannis. Nobody's going to be Giannis. But again, are you sacrificing your future five, six, seven years for a chance to win. But if I'm a gm, give me Giannis on my team all day. My job is to put the best team out there. And to me, I looked at, like, who the Knicks lost to. I think they've lost. The last four losses are to, like, the Cavs, Pistons. Like, they only have one bad loss in a month and a half and everyone's like, well, your defense is bad and you only lost to the Pacers. I think, like way back in February sometime for me, I just think this team has really high expectations. They are. I think it looks like they're a little disinterested in the regular season because nobody cares where they are. They are interested in the off season because that is what everyone's going to judge them. I was in New York when they went to the Eastern Conference finals. The whole city was electric. I would be bored of the regular season and couldn't wait till the Garden is rocking if I was a New York Knicks. So right now, are they going to be looking kind of like, how can we win without doing as as much as possible? Because we need to be healthy for the playoffs. I think that's what's happening. So I'm not really taking it too much. More like a grain of salt. I think the Knicks are competing, but the east is turning out to be a monster now because that matchup, you know, they may have the Heat. I think they're third. Let's say they go to. They play 3, 6 in Miami Heat. That's still going to be a tough matchup.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Channing Frye]

And then you look how Orlando's been playing now. Boston. Holy crap. The Cavs, when they're healthy, you know, all these teams, it's just, it's going to be a monster in the Eastern Conference.

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to circle back one more question. Channing Fry for our radio audience. One of my favorite guys. Thirteen years in the NBA, played with Kyrie and Dwayne and LeBron and Grant Hill and I, I threw this out there. LeBron James is still really good individually in the team construct. With the Lakers, he shouldn't have the ball as much. And I, and I do Wonder, you know, LeBron was very mobile and his messaging MJ made the sport global. LeBron made it mobile. That you had to at least consider moving. And the downside to that is that you're always like a consultant. You don't feel like a true family member. KD's got this, too. You kind of bounce around the league and you did some of this. You bounce around the league and you don't. You miss that Kobe, Derek Jeter, John Elway thing. Do you think going back and looking at everything for LeBron, if you had to get inside his head and say, okay, you wouldn't have gone to the Lakers, you would have stayed with Miami. You would have done Cleveland and Miami. Because I look at LeBron and I think he may not even get a statue in la because eight years, you know, now it's minute restrictions. He's got a Covid title. Do you think LeBron has any regrets in his career about his mobility?

[Channing Frye]

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Like, look, they traded Luka away in the middle of the night. Did you see the teams? Now this is. We talk about all time great. I don't care if you got a 1, 2, or 3 on your list. Did you see the talent that he was taken to the NBA Finals? So he is, as a player, is supposed to just say, I trust you with my career. He would have never been in the conversation. Or. That's not true. He might have been in the conversation if he had stayed in Cleveland. Might. If he had never. If he. Because he went to Miami, because he won, because he was on that. That floor, that showcase with those guys, he can now say, look at this ring. Look at this ring. When he came back, it was the right time for him to come back to win a chip and then go to the finals four more times with that team. Right. And only won once. Then going to LA was like, hey, this time has ended here. Because I see the writing on the wall. We're in the cap. Like, we're on the. On the apron now we have to rebuild.

[Colin Cowherd]

It happens.

[Channing Frye]

Like, look at Giannis right now. Giannis should have left two years ago.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Channing Frye]

And now look at the Bucks. So he's stuck there, basically. And so is that good for him? Think about Giannis on the Knicks. We'd be watching Giannis going for a title right now. Giannis, probably. They already got a jet burned up to go back to Greece. Like, it's not. It's not. It's a different era with the salary cap, with all these things. They traded Tyrese Halliburton, what, the first year, second year of his career. Like, what? He didn't want to do that. But think about now, he might get a statue in Indiana when he's done. Unless something happens. And I don't think. I don't think it says you should just go to team to team to team, but I think if you're strategic and your team goes to the finals or you're competing for a chip every year, then you're making the right decision, especially if you're an all time.

[Colin Cowherd]

Great. Channing, as always, it's great talking to you. We're going to bring you back as we get close to the playoffs and into the playoffs. I love having you on the show, my man.

[Channing Frye]

Appreciate you. Thank you, guys.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. Channing Fry, he's just full of wisdom and insight and he's played with great coaches and great players. And yeah, that, that, that to me is the downside of kind of bouncing around to the better jobs is you're not like family anywhere. And a lot of you watching the show have bounced around for jobs and commerce. And there is sort of that envy of the cul de sac. You lived on the same cul de sac, you barbecued with the same families for 35 years. And you don't get that if you're chasing commerce. And that's what LeBron did. John Middelkoff with the news.

[Channing Frye]

No, no, no, Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the herd line news.

[John Middlekauff]

Well, speaking of bouncing around, Mike Tomlin spent almost two decades with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he's going to be a free agent. He stepped away, and since stepping away, we haven't heard much from him. And last night he was at a Steeler event and he had some thoughts on his tenure with the Steelers.

[Channing Frye]

It's often said, you know, we're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time. Like, you have to choose. And, you know, I think our experience here in Pittsburgh and with the great Steeler organization exemplifies that. Man, we were here for a long and really good time.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think that's a good way to put it. I do think at the end it was time for a new voice. Whether McCarthy's the right voice, he is the right side of the ball. But I mean, Tomlin, I mean, the one thing when I think of Tomlin is he was a great underdog coach because that leaned into his strength, motivation. Like if he went into a game and nobody gave him a shot, that's when Pittsburgh was at its most dangerous. They always, they weren't always great as a favorite. They were very good as a dog. And I mean, they were always relevant under Tomlin, which in this league you can't say that about outside of maybe the packers or Belichick's Patriots, a lot of teams aren't even relevant year after year.

[John Middlekauff]

Well, think about this. Since 07, he has more wins than guys like Harbaugh, Andy Reid, Sean Payton. What do those three guys have in common? They're all on new teams. You know, Belichick kind of got washed

[Colin Cowherd]

out of the league.

[John Middlekauff]

But those three guys, Sean Payton, just in the AFC Championship game, Andy Reid goes and wins Super Bowls. If you tell me that John Harbaugh, and rightfully so, was the number one target. The Giants went all in. They gave him $100 million. If Tomlin chooses, who knows, he'd go have a Gruden, a Madden. He could be a TV star. But I think the NFL's better with him in it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[John Middlekauff]

Don't you think he's the clear number one candidate this next coaching cycle in January of 2027?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, yeah, and I think, you know, it's interesting because, John, you and I have discussed this, is that the nil, actually, in most instances, LSU is an exception, firing Brian Kelly. But the NIL keeps top college coaches in. If they're thinking, you know, if Ohio State ever lost their mind and thought, we're going to get rid of Ryan Day, well, you've got 25 million a year in nil payments, facility upgrades. You want to pay 68 million to get rid of Ryan Day. I've said this about Lincoln Riley. In a different era, Lincoln would be in Trouble. They're spending $30 million on the USC payroll this year and 300 million on a facility they're not writing a $70 million check. So the truth is, a lot of these college guys who could, you know, be on the precipice of leaving, I think are going to stay in college. They've got big contracts. And so, I mean, either hire a hot coordinator or you hire Mike Tomlin. And that seems pretty obvious to me.

[John Middlekauff]

Yeah, like, Signetti makes $13 million. These college coaches make huge money. I do think there are two jobs to keep an eye on. He got his career really kind of jolted early on before he became a head coach. Tampa Bay, if things get weird with Todd Bowles. And listen, Jerry Jones, the Cowboys, if it doesn't go great with Brian Schottenheimer, they've made a lot of moves. I think Mike Tomlin is going to have multiple offers in January of 27. Okay, you and I disagree on this one a little bit. I know you're high on Kyler Murray and the in the Minnesota situation, we can dive into it. But first, well, let's take a listen to Kyler and his draw from growing up a Minnesota fan.

[Colin Cowherd]

Ever since I started playing tackle football, I Was seven years old. I was seven years old. Genuine, genuine fandom, you know, ran deep. Vikings gear through and through. A lot of purple in my household. I cried real tears whenever, you know, whenever Brett threw that interception, I would cry real tears that day. How about that? He loves football, John.

[John Middlekauff]

Well, here's my thing. Kevin o', Connell, his success as a coach has come with pocket quarterbacks. You know, Darnold can move, but he did a lot of his damage from the pocket. Same thing with Cousins. Kyler Murray is a mobile playmaker, right? Yeah, well, and listen, there's no disputing. He's one of the great American athletes of all time. He was the number one overall pick and the 10th pick in baseball.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[John Middlekauff]

You know, so he is an elite athlete, but is he anymore? He's had multiple lower body injuries. Is he still quite as fast? Listen, he's 5 9, so he's not going to stand there like Sam Darnold, six, four, and be able to see. Yeah, this is. Kevin o' Connell likes to pass, but he's going to have to do it a little bit different with this type player. And my other question is, they got him for free, right? They paid $1.3 million. Would they have wanted him if he cost 10 or 15 million? We'll never know.

[Colin Cowherd]

Neon, I think that's a fair question. I think what makes Malik Willis so attractive is $20 million, $22 million. And I like Malik. I think your concerns are legitimate. But this team won nine games with J.J. mcCarthy, who is not a big strapping guy and also moves pretty well. I, I guess my take is Arizona is on a short list, John, and I mean a really short list of a dysfunctional place.

[John Middlekauff]

I mean, it might be one.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, that's what I'm saying. I mean, they've ruined a lot of good players, good GMs and good, good coaches who have moved on and done just fine with their lives. I think the level of dysfunction in Arizona is only rivaled today by Cleveland and the Jets. That's it. I think. I think Vegas will become much less dysfunctional this point forward. So I, I think you're going to watch Kyler and go, oh, Kyler's in a good mood. Kyler's a little more verbal. Kyler's a little better, you know, more stationary. I think a lot of it is he felt like he was metaphorically and literally running for his life in Arizona, I'd imagine. What?

[John Middlekauff]

Remember Ben Johnson did this with Caleb? Body language, the way you carry yourself, harped on that last year in OTAs and in, in training camp. I would imagine that'll be a big thing with Kevin o'. Connell.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[John Middlekauff]

Okay. Last but not least, the Cowboys, who they've made a lot of moves here.

[Channing Frye]

Right.

[John Middlekauff]

They've added edge rusher Rashad Gary from Dallas, who obviously had a lot of success with the Green Bay picker Green Bay Packers. Gary played for the Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker as a rookie and they're also reuniting him with with Kenny Clark. Jerry said the Cowboys are not in the, you know, Max Crosby market right now, but won't rule anything out. What do you think's going on with all these Dallas defensive line moves? I mean, Colin, they've had a ton, from Micah to all these guys to going after Max Crosby. A lot of moving parts in Dallas.

[Colin Cowherd]

I will say this between Rashawn, Gary, Quinn and Williams, Kenny Clark, DeMarvi and overshone. And I think they're going to spend their first two picks. John, My guess is it will be corner and safety or safety and corner. My take is their front now is good. That's an above average front. And because you're paying all those guys and those salary cap hits go up, you got to get cheap on the back end of your defense because as you know, Dak CD Pickens, that's expensive. So they're a very top heavy franchise with seven guys eating all the cap. So I think what they have to do, and they just got a number three pick from San Francisco trading the defensive lineman of the Niners. My take is their first three picks will be back into their defense or maybe a tight end with their number, their third round pick. But I think they're going to go heavy defense and cheapen up that side of the ball.

[John Middlekauff]

Here's what I know. We all like the Giants because of the coach, but the quarterback has to prove that he could stay on the field.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right?

[John Middlekauff]

The Cowboys offense is fantastic. I mean, Dak has really turned into a consistent top 10 quarterback, really good player. If their defense is just solid. Like say what you want about Schottenheimer, his rapport with Dak, the offense, the wide receivers, what he did with George Pickens. Dallas could be sneaky, pretty good if their defense is solid because we know their offenses borderline elite. I mean, who's to say they couldn't win 10 or 11 games next year and compete to win that division and be a playoff team?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mean, the mystery team in that division to me is Washington. Now, Philadelphia is too talented. If Sean Manion's fine. They're going to win double digit games. I think the Giants are going to clearly double their win total. And Dallas with this defensive front should be competent. It should be a competent team. Washington's the mystery. Dan Quinn had to replace his staff. You've got Adam Peters, who is viewed by some as a basketball guy masquerading as a football guy. I feel like I kind of know what Dallas is going to be. They're going to move the ball, they're going to have a better pass rush. They don't have an elite coaching staff, so they won't win a lot of the close games, the situational moments, but they'll be noticeably better on the defensive side.

[John Middlekauff]

One thing you know about the Cowboys, they nail a lot of first round picks and this year they got two in the top 20. So they could be dramatically more talented on defense come the start of the year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep. John Middlekopf with the news. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. All right, two truths in a lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwain. 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. A 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 reason Consumer Mobile Bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply.

[Malcolm Gladwell]

Hello. Hello, I'm Malcolm Gladwell, host of Smart Talks with IBM. I recently spoke with IBM's new director of research, Jake Gambetta. We discussed his vision for the future of quantum computing at IBM Research. What we always do is answer, what is the future of computing? Whether it's coming up with new algorithms, coming up with better AI, coming up with quantum, or coming up with just how do different accelerators go together? It's our DNA to answer the question of what is the future? Isn't it a perfect problem for IBM because you kind of need to have a legacy of building stuff. Yes, building Actual physical machines.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Malcolm Gladwell]

It's why I came to IBM. I wanted the experience, the culture of building hard things that others have not done before. Where do you imagine we are in the timeline of this technology? There will come a point when it will mature, right? Yeah. My cell phone is a mature technology at this point. How far are we from that point? With Quantum, by 2029 we'll build the first fault tolerant Quantum computer that is one that can run a very, very large, large problem. To learn how IBM is building the future of computing, visit IBM.com quantum

[Commercial Announcer]

Ready or not, here they come. The new generation of problem solvers, innovators. And greatness is here. Girls who are strong, smart and bold, who lift each other up and are forging their own paths forward. They're everything they set out to be and nothing you expect them to be. Our job is to make sure everyone recognizes the potential she already has and to give her opportunities to let it shine. With your support, these girls are well on their way to changing the world whether you're ready for them or not. Girls Inc.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm U.S. transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. We all seem to be in a rush these days, from work to driving our kids around. But when you're behind the wheel, please do not speed. A few minutes saved by going faster is never worth the risk. So follow the speed limit, enjoy the drive, maybe bring some snacks for the kids. And know that along the way you're getting quality time with your family, paid for by NHTSA for delicious meals you could go out to eat or spend hours in the kitchen. Or you could just make a Marie Callender's meal. Yeah, you heard me. Marie Callender's classic chicken parmigiana bowl is delicious with scratch made marinara sauce, creamy mozzarella cheese and no preservatives. It's high in protein with 30 grams per serving. Marie Callender's what having it All Tastes like. All right, coaching's all done, free agencies wrapped. Here's my top 10 teams for a variety of reasons. A couple of teams I like just because of coordinators they've hired. I have Detroit and the Chargers I feel really good about because I like the coordinators, the offensive coordinators they hired. The Seahawks lost a great coordinator. I'm going to drop them down. I think one of the things John, that I've noticed is that we've always talked about quarterbacks, general managers, head coaches, coordinators. I mean one of the reasons I like Minnesota is Brian Flores. You know, I now with an offensive coach, Chicago. I Don't care about their new offensive coordinator because I think Ben Johnson's very scheme centric. He's great at it. Anybody here too high or too low in your opinion?

[John Middlekauff]

No, I mean, I think the NFC coming into the year is pretty good. I think we still got some major question marks with C.J. stroud, how he's going to play. You know, in some of these big games. He was not good in the playoffs. The health of the Chargers is always a concern. The Bills have a brand new coach I like. You know, I like the Bradley Chubb, DJ Moore, you know, I did look and then I grabbed my binoculars to double check because I did. The 49ers, Colin. They beat the Rams in Los Angeles. Brock Purdy outplayed Caleb. They beat the Bears on that Monday Night Football game. Yeah, Seattle, they beat them as well. I know the last two games didn't go as well. Oh, and they beat the Eagles in the, in the playoff game. I don't see the 49ers. They won 12 games and I think you agree they have one of the best coaches in the league.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, they lost Salah, so again, that is a major law. I thought Sala was as good a coordinator as the sport had last year.

[Channing Frye]

I agree.

[Colin Cowherd]

I also. Big touch year for Kittle, for Trent, for McCaffrey, Bose off an injury. Warner off an injury. When I don't. And that's why the Mike Evans moves. It's like, guys, your top seven, you could make an argument their top seven players, none are in their prime. I guess Brock Purdy is.

[John Middlekauff]

Yeah, I would say this about Mike Evans. Last year he broke his collarbone. He is fits their mold. Fred Warner, Kittle, Trent, very serious. He had 24 touchdowns the previous two years. Dre Greenlaw, who was kind of off in Denver, he is back again. These are older players, some injuries, 12 wins last year and beat a lot of those teams that I see on your list. And they have an elite coach. But I'm with you on the sale. Raheem Morris, right, is not a good head coach, but he's a fantastic number two. He's Sean McVeigh's right hand man. So I think that, I mean, listen, the NFC west is packed with really good teams. The Broncos, right? It got a little weird with Bo and Sean. It'll be interesting that their team's really good on paper. I think they're kind of an interesting team. Do they take that next step and be like a true super bowl contender or they come back to the pack a little bit?

[Colin Cowherd]

I think Denver is. I think we know what Denver is because a Bo Knicks had 61 college starts. I think you saw a ceiling by the beginning of this year like this. By October, late October, I'm watching Bo Nicks and I feel like I kind of know what he is. Athletic, accurate underneath, fiery guy. Wish he was a little bigger. Good arm, not great, I feel like, because all those college starts, I feel like I kind of know what he is. With Drake May, when he came in, he was unpolished. So I'm like, I don't even count the first year. And then late second year, you're like, oh, this guy's actually really, really good. But I kind of feel like Denver, this is what they are. Is what they are Good enough to win a ring. I think it's close.

[Commercial Announcer]

Think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today

[Colin Cowherd]

and we'll give you a better deal.

[Commercial Announcer]

So bring us your bill. Walk in, run in, pogo sticking, teleport if you can, ride on the back of a rollerblading yak or flying on the wings of a majestic falcon. Any way you can bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal on the best Network based on RouteMetric's best overall mobile network performance US 2nd/2025 all rights reserved. Must provide very recent postpaid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Ready or not, here they come. The new generation of problem solvers, innovators, and greatness is here. Girls who are strong, smart and bold, who lift each other up and are forging their own paths forward. They're everything they set out to be and nothing you expect them to be. Our job is to make sure everyone recognizes the potential she already has and to give her opportunities to let it shine. With your support, these girls are well on their way to changing the world, whether you're ready for them or not. Girls, Inc.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm U.S. transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. We all seem to be in a rush these days, from work to driving our kids around. But when you're behind the wheel, please do not speed. A few minutes saved by going faster is never worth the risk. So follow the speed limit, enjoy the drive, maybe bring some snacks for the kids. And know that along the way, you're getting quality time with your family, paid for by nhtsa. Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular stores. Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the cost of optional benefits, plant features and tech. Prices and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third line free via monthly bill credits. Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required. Enjoying a healthy dinner that tastes great

[Commercial Announcer]

means eating out at a pricey restaurant, right?

[Malcolm Gladwell]

Wrong.

[Commercial Announcer]

Healthy Choice Simply Steamers are delicious and healthy.

[Colin Cowherd]

The Tray n Tray Steam technology delivers

[Commercial Announcer]

crisp veggies and tender protein in tasty selections like Healthy Choice Simply Steamers Grilled

[Colin Cowherd]

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo. It's a satisfying meal with 28 grams of protein and nothing artificial. Healthy Choice Simply Steamers what having it

[Commercial Announcer]

all tastes like this is an I Heart podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

Guaranteed human.