Podcast Summary: THE HERD - Hour 2 (February 12, 2026)

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host: Colin Cowherd (with J. Mack and guest Trent Dilfer)
Episode Theme: Quarterbacks who overcome adversity, Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors drama, NFL & college football quarterback development, plus shifting dynamics in college/NFL football and the NBA.

Episode Overview

This episode dives into several of sports' most compelling narratives: the challenges young quarterbacks face and how adversity shapes them, the fallout of Jonathan Kuminga's Warriors exit, the flaws in NBA player development choices, reflections on how the NFL and CFB handle player growth and money, and keen observations on trends across football and basketball. Special guest Trent Dilfer joins for an in-depth quarterback discussion, sharing candid insights on adversity, success, and the evolution of sports careers.

Key Topics and Insights

1. The Jonathan Kuminga-Warriors Drama & G League Ignite Experiment

• Colin calls out the failed player development pipeline of the G League Ignite program.
  • “Jonathan Kuminga, Jalen Green, and Scoot Henderson were G League Ignite guys. A four-year experiment...that went belly up and should have.” (04:28)
  • Points out how all three—Kuminga, Green, and Henderson—were highly-touted but failed to reach their full potential, especially compared to college-developed stars.
• Comparison to College System:
  • “Why in the world would you choose G League Ignite over Duke and Kansas and Michigan State? ... You don't get elite coaching in the G League; you don’t play in packed arenas... That’s like an NBA environment, a playoff environment.” (05:14)
  • “Find me one G League Ignite star in the NBA. There isn't one.” (06:40)
  • NBA’s push for alternatives to college has not produced better results; college basketball still provides essential development and marketing.
• Steve Kerr’s Response to Kuminga’s Exit:
  • “He’s a really good young guy. It’s obviously been a rocky road...in and out of the rotation. I really hope he finds his way.” (03:53-04:26)

2. Quarterbacks Overcoming Adversity and Development

Featuring: Trent Dilfer Interview (08:17 – 23:33)

• Dilfer’s Candid Views on Adversity:
  • “What makes you wired to be a championship quarterback is the adversity, the grind, the failures...The good stuff comes out of the hard stuff.” (09:29)
  • “Every young player has to go through that pain point...so they’re freed up, you’re playing because you love football, for your teammates, for the job, for the passion.” (10:40)
• Comparisons: Drew Brees, Sam Darnold, Arch Manning
  • Dilfer and Cowherd discuss QB journeys that begin with setbacks and develop resilience, referencing Brees’s early struggles and Darnold’s difficult first stops.
  • “Sam was wildly talented…but he went into a bad situation. It took the hardening of bad situations.” (10:41)
• On Quarterback Pay and Team Construction:
  • Dilfer criticizes the current CBA for punishing teams who pay QBs market value.
  • Suggests teams should be able to offer equity or outside-business incentives to franchise QBs: “Networks come for you the minute you’re off the field if you’re a winner. ...Agents aren’t going to let you bet on TV deals. But if they could bet on equity, they’d take less [salary].” (12:32 – 15:05)
  • “Anybody would take less if they knew they could get an equity stake...that would bring in hundreds of millions.” (14:37)
• Fernando Mendoza (QB Prospect) Evaluation:
  • “He’s tremendously talented...compliant, a great learner. He’s played very remedial quarterback; their passing game is simple, it’s ‘one, two and go’... He should sit a year.” (16:06 – 19:06)
  • Stresses the importance of the right coaching and development context.
  • “If you don’t build the building around his development...he could have a Sam Darnold experience.” (18:44)
• On Facing Elite Defenses / Supporting Young QBs:
  • Memorable analogy: “The Seattle Seahawks defense was two semis pinning [Drake May] on Highway 70 in the middle of America. No quarterback could have thrived in that environment.” (20:46)
• Dilfer’s Vulnerability & Self-Reflection:
  • “I am back after a complete failure in college football. Back to where my roots are, high school football...more transformation than transaction.” (08:17)
  • Cowherd and J. Mack praise Dilfer for owning his setbacks.

3. Evolution of College Football, NIL, and Transfer Market

• College Football Now ‘Transactional’
  • “College football is very transactional, right?...What are you going to pay me to come on your team?” (26:19 – 27:24)
  • Dilfer, Cowherd, and J. Mack observe that the initial chaos of NIL and the transfer portal is settling as schools become more strategic: “Most power schools are paying the guys who are really, really great…There’s a lot of good B-players you don’t have to pay a fortune.” (27:47 – 28:45)
  • “The magic number is 8: You won’t screw up chemistry if you bring in about eight guys.” (28:45)
• Older Coaches Succeeding in Administrative Environment:
  • “It’s largely a head coach now, a transactional administrative job...If you can write some checks, you can solve a lot of problems.” (26:24 – 27:24)

4. NFL Quarterback Development & Trends in Offensive Football

• Under Center vs. Shotgun: The Pendulum Swings
  • “The NFL is constantly evolving; it was an under center league, then shotgun, now the better teams are going back under center.” (41:23 – 42:28)
  • Stat: Washington was dead last in under-center snaps last season—changing with a new OC.
  • “When a quarterback never takes his eyes off the defense, it’s a huge advantage as defenses get more sophisticated.” (41:23 – 42:28)
• Valuing Running Backs and Tight Ends Again:
  • “Three years ago, it was, ‘nobody wants a running back.’ ... Isn’t it amazing that the MVP of the Super Bowl was Kenneth Walker?” (42:52 – 43:35)
  • NFL’s cyclical nature is praised for keeping the sport dynamic and unpredictable.

5. NBA All-Star Game, International Stars, and What’s Missing

• Kevin Durant Takes a Jab at International Stars:
  • “You should ask the Europeans if the world team is going to compete...Luka and Jokic, they don’t care about the [All-Star] game at all.” (44:20)
  • Cowherd: “He’s not wrong. Jokic has no interest. ... KD can be very funny.” (44:54)
• NBA’s Problems—And Its Sporadic Brilliance:
  • “I could do a show on four or five things the NBA needs to change...but come playoff time, the games will be incredible.” (45:30 – 46:04)
  • Comparison to college: “33 games in college basketball; NBA 82. College guys got to go hard...NBA, 82, guys take a week off here, a week off there.” (46:04 – 46:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On QB Adversity:
  Trent Dilfer: “What makes you wired to be a championship quarterback is the adversity, are the hard things, are the failures.” (09:29)

• On G League vs. College:
  Colin Cowherd: “Find me one G League Ignite star in the NBA. There isn't one.” (06:40)

• On Football’s Team Nature:
  Cowherd: “Football, more than any sport, is truly collaborative...even as a receiver, look at Larry Fitzgerald—way better with Kurt Warner.” (11:22)

• On Quarterback Pay Structure:
  Dilfer: “I've always thought...teams shouldn’t be punished for massive quarterback contracts. If not, they should get equity deals or business stakes outside the salary cap...that's where real money is.” (12:32 – 14:37)

• On Facing the Seahawks Defense:
  Dilfer: “The Seattle Seahawks defense was like being pinned between two semis on Highway 70...No quarterback in history could thrive in that environment.” (20:46)

• On Owning Failure:
  J. Mack: “What Trent Dilfer just said was pretty incredible. I mean, he owned it. He was like, ‘I was a failure.’ That’s refreshing.” (25:38)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Starts – 00:00
• Jonathan Kuminga/Warriors/Criticisms of G League Ignite – 03:53 – 07:50
• Trent Dilfer Interview Begins – 08:17
  • Adversity and QB Development – 09:29 – 11:22
  • Quarterback Contracts/Team-Building Innovations – 12:32 – 15:05
  • Fernando Mendoza QB Analysis – 16:06 – 19:05
  • Great Defenses, Drake May’s Struggles – 20:46 – 22:58
  • Dilfer’s Candid Self-Assessment – 23:01 – 23:33
• NIL, Transfer Portal, and Changing CFB – 26:14 – 29:08
• Max Crosby Trade Rumors & NFL Free Agency Value – 35:20 – 38:59
• QB Play: Under Center Trends, Offense Evolution – 40:16 – 43:35
• Kevin Durant, All-Star Game, NBA’s International Stars – 44:20 – 46:21

Final Takeaways

• Success in sports—especially football—requires enduring and learning from adversity. This theme underscored the entirety of Dilfer’s segment and Cowherd’s overall philosophy.
• Player development environments matter deeply. College still offers more holistic, competitive, and well-marketed basketball education than NBA’s minor leagues.
• The landscape of both college and pro football continues to shift, with NIL, transfer portals, and evolving contract norms talked about openly and candidly.
• NBA faces unique challenges with international stars and All-Star Game engagement, while its on-court product remains cyclical but often brilliant in the playoffs.

Tone: Conversational, insightful, and candid. Colin Cowherd’s signature mix of blunt honesty and researched, big-picture insight is prevalent throughout, matched by Trent Dilfer’s vulnerability and deep football wisdom.