THE HERD - Hour 2 - Taking a look at Josh Allen, head coach openings, Nick Wright

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: THE HERD - Hour 2 - Taking a look at Josh Allen, head coach openings, Nick Wright
Date: January 20, 2026
Hosts: Colin Cowherd
Guest: Nick Wright (First Things First)

Overview

This episode delivers Cowherd’s incisive analysis on the NFL’s shifting power dynamics, head coaching shakeups, top quarterback situations—including deep dives into Josh Allen and Mahomes—and the future of several franchises. Nick Wright joins for an opinion-packed segment on Buffalo’s firing of Sean McDermott, Patrick Mahomes’ sustained dominance, the emergence of Caleb Williams, and how the next generation of QBs and coaches are already shaping team fortunes for 2026 and beyond.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL’s Coaching Carousel and Owner Quality

(02:14 – 05:46)

• Main Point: Colin reacts to recent comments about a supposed increase in “bad owners” due to the spike in NFL head coach firings.
• He lists his “inarguably culture and game-changing” top 9 coaches, plus 5 more high-performing coaches (total: 14 of 32 franchises).
• Only Cleveland’s firing of Kevin Stefanski is called a clear mistake.
• Criticism of Aaron Glenn retaining his job with a “zero-interception” defense.

Notable quote:

“How many great coaches are there? …That’s 14 of 32. That’s all it is.” – Colin (03:44)

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2. John Harbaugh’s Introduction in New York

(05:14 – 05:46)

• John Harbaugh is named best available coach and is introduced as the New York Giants’ new head man.
• Colin predicts the Giants will “double their win total” under Harbaugh and outlines key roster needs.

Notable moment:

“We're here with one mission: to earn the right to be called the world champions in New York.” – John Harbaugh (05:32)

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3. Nick Wright Joins: Debating Josh Allen, McDermott’s Firing, and the Bills

(06:52 – 13:59)

• Sean McDermott’s firing:

  • Nick: Mixed feelings; credits McDermott for ending Buffalo’s playoff drought, says the press release firing him was “clunky.”
  • Notes stat: No coach/QB duo has ever won a Super Bowl together past year 5 (Josh Allen/McDermott were in year 8).
  • Suggests Buffalo should “roll the dice” and pursue Bill Belichick.

• Assigning blame for Buffalo’s playoff failures:

  • Nick points to Josh Allen’s turnovers in crucial games.
  • Contrasts Mahomes’ postseason efficiency with Allen’s mistakes.
  • Both agree Allen carries more of his team than Mahomes has needed to.

Notable quotes:

“If you traded Mahomes and Allen staffs, Mahomes is better… but Josh would have one [Super Bowl], too.” – Colin (10:56)
"It's not enough to call him [Mahomes] the best player in the league...he's graduated way past that, the most talented player in the history of the league." – Nick (09:44)
“Josh Allen in the divisional and championship round…is now 2–6 or 2–7, who can keep track?” – Nick (11:47)

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4. The Mahomes Effect & Sports Culture of ‘Next Best Thing’

(12:38 – 13:59)

• Discussion about constant search for the NFL’s “next best” after Mahomes, Brady, Rodgers.
• Nick suggests Allen talk is overhyped without playoff wins.

"Is the reality of being the king is that a king gets old. We fatigue on it." – Colin (12:44)

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5. Caleb Williams: From Chaos to Franchise QB

(13:59 – 16:59)

• Colin and Nick discuss Williams’ rapid improvement with the Bears, now a consensus top 10 QB in a tough division.
• Nick: Williams excels at the hardest-to-teach traits—athleticism, arm talent, creativity, cool under pressure—and is quickly fixing his weaknesses.

Notable quote:

“I would argue, Colin, the four quarterback traits that are super important…he’s a 10 out of 10 on all four of those.” – Nick (15:21)

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6. Seattle, the Rams, and the Darnold Redemption Arc

(16:59 – 20:24)

• Seattle vs. Rams is billed as a de facto Super Bowl due to the NFC’s quality.
• Both Colin and Nick expect the Seahawks to be favorites, but Colin highlights Rams’ higher “cleanliness” (turnovers, penalties).
• Nick: Sam Darnold is close to shedding the “can’t perform in big spots” stigma and could be vindicated if he wins the NFC.

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7. Next AFC Dynasty: Colin’s Case for New England

(20:24 – 24:03)

• Colin sees New England as the top threat to Mahomes’ next six years—more than Buffalo, Baltimore, or Justin Herbert’s Chargers.
• Reasons: Athletic new QB (Drake May), a player-friendly modern coaching shift (Vrabel), impressive off-season roster revamp.
• Nick partially agrees but wants to see Buffalo’s coaching hire.

Notable quote:

“They’re potentially Brady-Belichick with a more athletic quarterback and player-friendly coach.” – Colin (20:56)

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8. The Formula for NFL Success and Roster Building

(45:40 – 50:36)

• Colin reiterates that the “quarterback on a rookie deal plus cap space” is the blueprint for building a contender.
• Contrasts this with teams paying top QBs big money, which limits roster quality (e.g., Mahomes/Chiefs now have a weaker O-line; Allen/Bills lack Pro Bowl defenders).
• Tom Brady’s legacy enhanced by always taking less to help his roster.

Notable quote:

“Zero of the top 15 paid quarterbacks in the NFL today are left in the playoffs. Let me give you three really good rosters that don’t appear to have any holes: New England, Seattle, and Denver.” – Colin (46:46)

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9. Lions OC Hire & NFC Predictions

(37:22 – 40:46)

• The Lions hire Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator is discussed. Colin downplays Arizona’s spotty record, emphasizing Detroit’s superior infrastructure and roster talent.
• Expectation: The Lions will be back in the playoffs, NFC is deep and frisky next season.
• Colin’s bold predictions: Giants will double their win total, Detroit’s over is a “best bet.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Josh Allen’s playoff woes:

  “I know he had four turnovers in about 45 game minutes on Saturday. And then everyone’s like, he needed more receivers. I’m simple. I think he’s a great player.” – Nick Wright (11:37)

• On Mahomes’ greatness and sports culture:

  “The reality of our very fluid, very instantaneous gratification society is when you are the goat and Mahomes is, we can’t wait to push you to the curb.” – Colin (12:53)

• On rookie contract advantage:

  “Do you want to win trophies? You can’t be the highest paid quarterback.” – Colin (47:55)

• On NFL’s next great AFC dynasty:

  “They are potentially Brady-Belichick with a more athletic quarterback and a very current player-friendly coach.” – Colin (20:56)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Top coaches, owner critique: 02:14–05:46
• John Harbaugh’s Giants intro: 05:14–05:46, 48:48–49:23
• Nick Wright on Bills, Allen, McDermott: 06:52–13:59
• The Mahomes Effect & sports culture: 12:38–13:59
• Caleb Williams as a franchise QB: 13:59–16:59
• NFC Championship (Seattle/Rams) breakdown & Darnold arc: 16:59–20:24, 31:27–36:45
• AFC landscape/New England’s rise: 20:24–24:03, 35:03–37:22
• Lions hiring Drew Petzing, NFC lookahead: 37:22–40:46
• Cowherd’s team projections: 40:14–40:46, 50:36–51:00
• NFL’s formula for roster building: 45:40–50:36

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Tone and Style

Consistently bold and conversational, Cowherd shares impassioned opinions and analytical breakdowns, fielding Nick Wright’s sharp, data-driven takes and criticisms with equal conviction. The episode is banter-heavy and full of candid assessments—sometimes irreverent, but always focused on the underlying structures that make or break NFL teams.

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Who Should Listen?

• NFL fans interested in nuanced quarterback and coaching debates
• Listeners seeking fresh, non-obvious predictions for next season
• Anyone fascinated by team-building, roster strategy, and how contracts shape championship windows

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This episode will leave you with a clear sense of the season’s biggest NFL storylines and a head start on sorting through next year’s likely contenders. The conversation is frank, lively, and packed with next-level football insight.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an I heart podcast, guaranteed human.

[Mike De La Rocha]

A new year doesn't ask us to become someone new. It invites us back home to ourselves. I'm Mike De La Rocha, host of Sacred Lessons, a space for men to pause, reflect and heal. This year, we're talking honestly about mental health, relationships, and the patterns we're ready to release. If you're looking for clarity, connection, and healthier ways to show up in your life, Sacred Lessons is here for you. Listen to Sacred Lessons with Mike Delaroach on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chelsea Handler]

This season on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler, we've got some incredible guests like Kumail Nanjiani. Let's start with your cat. How is she?

[Colin Cowherd]

She is not with us anymore.

[Ross Matthews]

Great, great, great.

[Chelsea Handler]

Way to start. Maybe you will cry. Ross Matthews.

[Ross Matthews]

You know what kids always say to me? Are you a boy or a girl?

[Chelsea Handler]

Oh, my God.

[Ross Matthews]

All the time. I know. So I try to butch it up for kids so they're not confused.

[Chelsea Handler]

Y you're butching it up is basically like an angry woman Doris Day.

[Ross Matthews]

Right now I turn into Bea Arthur.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Joel]

Hey, it's Joel and Matt from how to Money. If your New Year's resolution is to finally get your finances in shape, we've got your back prices, they're still high, and the economy is all over the place. But 2026 is the year for for you to get intentional and make real progress.

[Matt]

That's right. Yeah. Each week we break down what's happening with your money, the most important issues to focus on, and the small moves that make a big difference. Kick off the year with confidence. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Paulk]

I'm John Paulk. For years, I was the poster boy of the conversion therapy movement. The ex gay who married an ex lesbian and traveled the world telling my story of how I changed my sexuality from gay. You might have heard my story, but you've never heard the real story.

[Colin Cowherd]

John has never been anything but gay.

[Nick Wright]

But he really tried hard not to be.

[John Paulk]

Listen to Atonement, the John Paulk story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the Heard 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. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go, hour two. It's Tuesday. Congrats to the Indiana Hoosiers. Our 2026 Fernando Mendoza. Kurt Signetti led national champs. Also congrats to Miam. Really, really played a great second half. Mario Cristobal Kane's going nowhere. So a lot of people are pushing back. You know, I saw some quote yesterday where somebody in the league said we've never had this many bad owners of the 32 current owners because of all the coaching changes. And I'm like, okay, 10 guys got fired. Aaron Glenn inexplicably kept his job. Appears to be over his head. So here's my take. There are nine coaches in this league. I mean, how many great coaches are there? Okay, there are nine coaches. To me. Take that graphic out. There are nine coaches right now that I consider like inarguably culture and game changers. 9. McVeigh. I mean, look at them. Jim Harbaugh, Ben Johnson, Mike McDonald, Sean McVeigh, Sean Payton, Andy Reid, the Meeko, Ryan Shanahan and Vrabel. You don't have to always a trophy. They just change their side of the ball or both sides of the ball. There's another five guys that I think win a lot of games and could very soon be in that. Maybe they should be Dan Campbell, Liam Cohen, John Harbaugh, Matt LeFleur and Kevin O'. Connell. Those are really, really good coaches. That's 14 of 32. That's all it is. I mean, name the franchise that got rid of their coach and you're absolutely sure it was a huge mistake? Shocker, Cleveland. Kevin Stefanski. Yeah, I think that's a mistake when you win two time coach of the year in Cleveland. I keep him and he interviewed for all the top jobs immediately. I'd say that's a mistake. But Aaron Glenn kept his job. And I mean, how do you not as a defensive coach over the course of a season not produce an interception? And that, that is. I don't even know how to explain that a tip pass would fall into your lap. So one coach shouldn't have been fired. Another one maybe should have. I don't know. I'm not bothered by it. Here's John Harbaugh, the best coach on the market. I don't think anybody disputes that. Here's his opening press conference. Pretty Impressive. For the New York Giants, it's a.

[John Harbaugh]

Profound honor to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the New York Football Giants to be on the biggest stage in the biggest sport. I know the challenges. I understand the expectations. I know the fans are hungry for a winner. We're here with one mission to become to earn the right to be called the world champions in New York. And that's what we plan to do.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I'm not getting Ben McAdoo vibes there. I'm sorry that, that sounds looks his sports coat fits. He was the best coach on the market. Maybe he's one of the top nine or 10 coaches. Certainly an argument winning playoff record. I, I, I've said this before. Four years in a row I've picked a double your win total team. Mine's the New York Giants. They got to get a right tackle. Upgrade it tight end. Everybody in the league can more use more linebackers that run well and corners that can cover. Probably could use one of each. But I, I think they're going to be really good really quickly. And with that, Nick Wright is joining us live, host of First Things First. All right, let's start with Sean McDermott. I said it's always easy to do the Pittsburgh thing. Hey, status quo. We're good. It's hard to do what Buffalo did. Eight playoff wins. Hey, we couldn't beat Mahomes. Well, welcome to the party. Right. Like I'm okay with the firing. It was clunky. They can't spell admirable. And they probably shouldn't have used that word they use.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, let's just it was admiral. Yeah. A typo in the word six of the press release for a coach that, you know, got you back to the playoffs before Josh Allen got there. To McDermott's credit, they broke that playoff drought with Tyrod Taylor. You would have liked a little more care, you know, to his dismissal letter. I so I am a little conflicted on this. I have said, I said to you before the year started, Colin, the most important stat of the NFL season was every single coach and quarterback combo ever that has won a Super bowl together won their first super bowl within five years of being together.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Nick Wright]

Which meant Harbaugh and Lamar, year eight nervous. Josh and McDermott, year eight nervous. And now we find ourselves both of those coaches have been dismissed, albeit for somewhat different reasons. But similar to what you're saying, at some point you might need a fresh start. I also felt that the level of devastation in that bill's locker room on Josh's face and Dion Dawkins face and the coach calling the Buffalo News whining about an obvious interception probably meant. Yeah. In order to recover from another devastating postseason defeat, that they need to make a change. So I understood all of that. Where I'm conflicted is this. I do think Sean McDermott was better at his job than Brandon Bean had been at his.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Nick Wright]

And I don't. So I was surprised that not only did Bean stay, Bean got promoted.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

But I also. This is a big risk and it's a big roll of the dice because if it, if you're win now super bowl window, this moment. And I'm going to go. First time head coach Davis Webb, first time head coach Joe Brady, Brian Dable, who I, you know, I was not overly impressed with his tenure with the Giants. It all feels risky. I would, I personally, Colin would hope that western New York is too cold for his girlfriend to live full time. And I would ask Bill Belichick to take the job. That's what I would do. I would say, Bill, three years break the wind record. You see the Patriots are climbing back to prominence without you. You can't feel great about that. What if you come in, reclaim dominance over the AFC East? So that's, that's what I would do if I were the Bills, but it's a risky move. But before you move off the Bills, can I ask you a question, please?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Okay. So what do we, where do we do the blame pie for a guy who is just roundly called. It's not enough to call him the best player in the league. That's, that's, he's, he's graduated way past that. The most talented player in the history of the league.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Who had a four turnover playoff game, missed the game winning touchdown twice. And one of the turnovers was the single worst fumble in the NFL since Nathan Peterman was starting. I'm just curious what we do with that, my friend, Mr. Cowherd.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, listen, sometimes the very talented artist doesn't win the Grammys. The slightly less talented artist does. I look at it this way, is that. And you know, I think Mahomes is great, but there are, there are some value additives to inheriting maybe the best GM in the league not named Howie Roseman and Edney Reed. And I think whereas Mahomes came into pro football is kind of raw immediately he was efficient. He didn't throw a lot of picks. And whereas the best coach, arguably Josh Allen's ever had left and it's been kind of Ken Dorsey, it's Brady, it's Dabel. A defensive coach who doesn't have a feel for the tush push last year. I've said before, I think if you traded Mahomes and Allen staffs, Mahomes is better and would have trophies, but Josh would have one, too. So I think Josh. I always feel like Josh has to carry a part of the team where I've never felt. I mean, Mahomes did. Has always mostly had, outside of left tackle, a really good supporting group.

[Joel]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And listen. Yeah. And Josh. Josh has just had the number one defense in football multiple years and had the rushing champ this year and had more turnovers in that game and than Patrick Mahomes has had in every single AFC championship, divisional game, wild card game he's played combined. And by the way, in those games, he is 14 and three with 42 touchdowns and three interceptions. Josh Allen in those rounds, in the divisional round, in the conference championship round, I believe is now 2 and 6 and. Or note it would be 2, 2 and 6, 2 and 7, who can keep track? I know he had four turnovers in about 45 game minutes on Saturday. And then everyone's like, he needed more receivers. I'm simple. I think he's a great player.

[Colin Cowherd]

But you know what?

[Nick Wright]

I am a little. Let me just real quick. I. I'm a little conflicted with this.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay?

[Nick Wright]

Everyone's logic seems to be the Bills had to do it this year because the boogeyman, Patrick Mahomes wasn't in the playoffs. And oh, yeah, by the way, even though they didn't do it, he's better than the boogeyman. That's where I'm like, wait, was it. Why was it so important the Chiefs not be there if the Bills are better and Josh is better? That's my question.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so this is the reality for Mahomes. When Brady was dominating the league, everybody's like, aaron's the new best player. What? And then when Brady is playing Mahomes and stacking them, people are like, mahomes is better. And then Mahomes becomes the best quarterback. Tom retires, and everybody, myself included, is like, no, no, no, Josh Allen is actually better. Is the reality of being the king is that a king gets old. We fatigue on it. LeBron's not the best six years ago. I'm telling you, it's this new guy, Giannis. This is the reality of our very fluid, very instantaneous gratification. Society is when you are the goat and Mahomes is. We can't wait to push you to the curb.

[Nick Wright]

That's all true. That's fair. With the little addendum of Rogers in his third year as a starter went to and won a Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes in his second year as a starter went to and won a Super Bowl. And Josh Allen is turning 30 and is yet to be in a Super Bowl. And you have not only elevated in Bass Mahomes, he's the most talented player ever. The most. Forget it, Jim Brown.

[Colin Cowherd]

Eat it.

[Nick Wright]

Aaron Rodgers. Forget you. It just feels a bit much. But maybe I'm being unfair now we can move on.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, Fun debate. Okay. So Caleb Williams, you know, the fingernails. He's moody, he's erratic. I did an essay last week where I said we've just got to judge him differently. He's not everybody else. And I said it took me a while to get there. For the record, he has gotten a lot better. He is better now than he was nine weeks ago. He's just. He stays in the pocket now because he's better in the pocket now. That's why he stays.

[John Harbaugh]

Yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

And so I've come around. J. Mac said this yesterday is we have to just own this. He is a top 10 quarterback in the league because this team isn't very good and the coach is brand new and it's hard to win here in a division with green band Detroit. And I think we all just have to own it. He's another number one pick. That looks damn good.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, I mean, I am. Think about how much growth he had just in the last 12 months he left last off season or less last season. And it's like this guy takes the worst sacks of any quarterback we've seen in a decade. And he cut that out of his game entirely. And then we were in the first week of the regular season and we're like, oh my God, the Bears pre snap, they can't get plays in. They have these formational things. He, by the midway point of the season had fixed that entirely. Now he. And he said it. His accuracy is what he needs to attack next. Along with his footwork. He oddly, that preseason or training camp video of Caleb missing the throws to the little the net with the holes in it and then getting all upset. That was actually a little telling. He did struggle somewhat on the easy stuff, sure. But I would argue, Colin, the four quarterback traits that are super important and are the hardest to teach or impossible to teach are raw athleticism, arm talent, creativity and coolness under pressure.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

And he's a 10 out of 10 on all four of those. So if the stuff that's hardest to teach, he's great at, he already has made two plays this postseason on fourth down with the game on the line that are two of the greatest plays I've ever seen. I just believe he'll get better at the other stuff. Just like he got better at Tate not taking sacks. But think about how far he came at on September 20th. There were, pardon me, there were talk shows in your adopted hometown of Chicago being like, what would this team look like with Tyson bagent? And on January 20th, we're saying, is that the single greatest throw we've ever seen in NFL history to tie a playoff game?

[Colin Cowherd]

So, you know, at this point, I feel lucky. I picked New England as my double your win total team. They're in. Wow. I picked Seattle as my surprise playoff team. They're doing very well. I loved Bo Nix from day one, although he had a bad month this year. So I, I'm. And I, and I've said this before, I think Stafford's going to go down as better than Aaron Rodgers if he wins a second Super Bowl. I think the resumes, you'll stack him up and you'll go, okay, it was better early, he's better late. He had to go through dysfunction. But I will say this with Seattle, the, the Sam Darnold thing is delicious, is that I know what's going to happen if they win. People will say it's the defense, it's the coach, it's the run game. Where are you on Seattle being the favorite? Do you think they should be? And where are you on Donald Darnold if he by chance wins the Super Bowl?

[Nick Wright]

All right, so here's the weird part about my answer. Your first question. Seattle obviously should be the favorite. They have been the best team all year. I know they just lost Charbonnet, but they're healthy, they're at home. They can beat you in every different way. I'm also picking the Rams, so I believe Seattle deserves to be the favorite. But I also think the Rams have shown they play them very well and play them tight.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And I just, I don't think the Rams have played even close to their best game yet this postseason. But if it's tight late, I will absolutely. Like, I trust Stafford and I do think Stafford. I don't know. I hadn't thought about the Rogers comp. But he is assuming he wins MVP this year, which he's going to. That alone makes him a Hall of Famer now. And if he does that and wins the super bowl, then it's a whole nother tier of quarterback. And by the way, the only quarterbacks in a quarter century to win league MVP and the Super bowl same year. Kurt Warner 99 Mahomes in 22. And it could be Stafford or I guess theoretically Drake may if he wins it this year as well. Now to the second part of your question. What will we say about Darnold if he wins it? It's very interesting because I think he is. Even if they don't win it, he is one solid game in the NFC championship away from removing the biggest. Yeah, but about him, which is. And big spots. Do you trust him? He was fine in week 18 when they were playing for the 1 seed. Last week was weird because they won so instantly. But he didn't make any big mistakes. He was fine. He just needs to avoid disaster this weekend to shed that. And then from there, if they win the Super Bowl, Colin, then you're just like, hey, he won as soon as he got to a stable place and became the starter. He got 14 wins in with the Vikings and threw for 4,000 yards and they were playing for the 1 seed late in the year. Then he got 14 wins and threw for 4,000 yards with the Seahawks and they were playing for the one seed and got it. I mean, that's a lot of words to say. You will be vindicated. Your decade long belief in this player, you will finally be fully and totally vindicated.

[Colin Cowherd]

I will say this. I do believe Mahomes will win another super bowl. And I think Bo Nix has validated his efficiency and talent. But I want to concentrate on this because if you told me there is one team that is suddenly going to be for the next six years of Mahomes prime, a problem, it would not be Buffalo, it would not be Baltimore, it would not be Herbert, it'd be Denver. It would be New England.

[Nick Wright]

Oh, New England. Interesting. Okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

They are potentially Brady Belichick with a more athletic quarterback and a very current player friendly coach. They have pivoted in the two areas you have to. In football. Quarterbacks now have to move, right. Secondly, coaches have to be player friendly. McVeigh's tough. Mike McDonald, D', Amico, Ryan's are tough. They hold players accountable. But players love them. They're good guys. They're player friendly. They have modernized in New England brilliantly. Same owner, same coordinator. A prototype for Belichick and Drake May. Nobody can dispute. This is darn good. Really fast. I think. Oh this. I think this of all the AFC teams is the problem potentially. I'm not saying they won't win another, but this would worry me as a chief fan. Not Buffalo. Baltimore Joe Burrow.

[Nick Wright]

So I want to see who Buffalo hires as their head coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Nick Wright]

Because despite all, you know, my fair cogent analysis about a four turnover playoff game, I still have massive respect for Josh Allen.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

And so I need to see what Buffalo does there. But almost everything else, you just remove the Chiefs from it. Do I look at the Patriots as next team up in the afc? Undoubtedly. And now listen, I have, I have doubted the Broncos all year. I have been wrong all year. I have doubted Bo Nix all year. I thought he played the best game of any quarterback this weekend and he deserves credit. And that injury is such a gut punch. With that said, I believe Drake May is clearly and obviously in a caliber above Bo Nix as a quarterback. I also think while Sean Payton, another guy that is kind, you know, has rubbed me the wrong way while everyone else loves him, he's been brilliant all season for that team and his play calls were great on Saturday. You give. So you give him massive credit. Just the fact that Vrabel is so much younger than Peyton, I feel like. Yeah. And allows him to grow with Drake May is so optimistic for them. So I, I agree with your kind of general thesis, which is this Patriots team is very for real. Now with all that said, as much as I love Drake May, he got to stop fumbling the ball. They are they. The only reason they won that Texans game is because the Texans couldn't pick up Drake May's fumbles. But in between the fumbles, he's so sharp and he's so tough and he's got such a good arm. Listen, we've talked about it all year, Colin. If you have the quarterback and you nail the coach, there is no rebuild. Caleb and Ben Johnson won the division and we're in round two in year one together. Drake May and Mike Vrabel won the division and are in round three in year one together. They have the right coach and quarterback. They're going to be together a long time.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nick Wright. Good stuff. I'll reconsider my Josh Allen comments. That would only be reasonable. I mean I've been a little.

[Nick Wright]

Well, here's what I. Here's all I would just as a favor to you. We always have to leave ourselves room for when the guy actually accomplishes something. So if he's the best player in the league and the most talented player ever before he ever gets to a Super bowl, then what are we going to call him when he wins it, give him the Nobel Peace Prize. Can't do that. Starts international conflict. There's nowhere to move with it like you got to. So just give yourself a little room to upgrade. That's all I would say.

[Colin Cowherd]

Good stuff, buddy. Nick Wright, first things first. Yeah. You were so lucky, man. What a great football season. I mean, college was unbelievable. I, I, I agree with my boss who told Urban Meyer chaos. I, I've never enjoyed college football this much. I never had this much fun. Watching college football feels like 35, 40% NFL. Well, the NFL is better. They got more mature, older players. Oh, college football's now gotten older. They've got a real playoff system. Well, college football's got that. They pay their players like they should. Players are getting older because they're staying in college. I don't know. I love what I'm watching. The herd. One more herd.

[J. Mac]

The herd streams 24 hours a day.

[Colin Cowherd]

Seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search herd to listen live or on.

[J. Mac]

Demand whenever you'd like.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, it's Cavino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio. Now, in addition to hearing us live weekday from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, we're excited to announce a brand new YouTube channel for the show. Yup, that's right. You can now watch Covino enriched live on YouTube every day. All you got to do, search COVINO and RICH FSR on YouTube again. Go to YouTube. Search COVINOENRICH FSR. Check us out on YouTube. Subscribe. Hit that thumbs up icon and comment away.

[John Paulk]

I'm John Paulk. For years, I was the poster boy of the conversion therapy movement. The ex gay who married an ex lesbian and traveled the world telling my story of how I changed my sexuality from gay to straight. Once upon a time, I was on 60 Minutes, Oprah, the front cover of Newsweek, and you might have heard my story, but you've never heard the the real story. So join me as I peel back the layers and expose what happened to me in the midst of conversion therapy to shine a light on what the X Game movement does to people and the pain it continues to cause.

[Mike De La Rocha]

I had lost £150 because if I couldn't control my sexuality, I was going.

[Colin Cowherd]

To control my weight. It sounded like, and this is the word I used, a cult.

[John Paulk]

And as I looked too, at the harm I did from within. Listen to atonement. The John Paulk story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mike De La Rocha]

A New Year doesn't mean erasing who you were. It means honoring what you've survived and choosing how you want to grow. It means giving ourselves permission to feel what we've been holding and knowing that it's okay to ask for help. I'm Mike De la Rocha, host of Sacred Lessons. This podcast is a space for men to talk openly about mental health, grief, relationships, and the patterns we inherit but don't have to repeat. Here, we slow down, we listen, we learn how vulnerability becomes strength and how healing happens in community, not in isolation. If you're ready to let go of what no longer serves you and step into the year with clarity, compassion, and purpose, Sacred Lessons is your companion on your healing journey. Listen to Sacred lessons with Mike Delaroche on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Sacred Lessons with Mike Delarocha and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app today.

[Chelsea Handler]

This season on Dear Chelsea, with me, Chelsea Handler. We've got some incredible guests like Kumail Nanjiani. Let's start with your cat. Is she.

[Colin Cowherd]

She is not with us anymore.

[Ross Matthews]

Okay, great, great, great.

[Chelsea Handler]

Way to start. So this is a great beginning, and hopefully you'll be able to. I don't know, maybe you will cry. Amanda Seyfried.

[Colin Cowherd]

Life is so short. If you feel something like that, you have that fire in you for this experience.

[Chelsea Handler]

It's not for a guy.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's for the experience of being in love. And, like, it's bigger than a guy.

[Chelsea Handler]

Elizabeth Olsen.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love swimming naked so much. And I know you love taking pictures of yourself.

[Chelsea Handler]

Yes, I love to be naked. I just want to be in my brown underwear all the time. Ross Matthews.

[Ross Matthews]

You know what kids always say to me? Are you a boy or a girl?

[Chelsea Handler]

Oh, my God, all the time.

[Colin Cowherd]

I know.

[Ross Matthews]

So I'm always like, hi. I try to butch it up for kids, you know, so they're not confused.

[Chelsea Handler]

Yeah, but you're butching it up is.

[Ross Matthews]

Basically like an angry woman.

[Chelsea Handler]

Doris Day, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

No.

[Ross Matthews]

I turn into Bea Arthur.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt]

New year, new goals. And in this economy, a better money plan is more necessary than ever. I am Matt.

[Joel]

And I'm Joel.

[Matt]

We are from the How To Money podcast. And every week, we help you to spend smarter, save more, and make sense of what's going on out there.

[Joel]

If you want 2026 to be the year you finally feel in control of your money, we're here to give you the tools and advice to help you make it happen. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, welcome back. Lot of stuff going on. Congrats to the Indiana Hoosiers. Robert Salas got a new gig. Will he hire Mike McDaniel, the former Dolphins coach, to be his clever OC they got Cam Ward. They're not paying him for another four years. I think Tennessee keep your eye on that division, which we've always thought's a little weak and wonky. But Houston's defense, Jacksonville's offense, the overall personnel of Tennessee is not good. But if they get Salah and a top offensive coach with Cam Ward, they're going to have massive cap space. Raiders in Tennessee going to have massive cap space. Here's J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, turn on the news.

[J. Mac]

This is the Herd line news. Yeah, I'm, I'm, I like this Titans team. I'm digging into stuff all season. So fun. But we still got an NFC championship game this weekend. Colin. That is going to be pretty damn good. Seattle hosting the Rams Sunday on Fox. See Seattle, two and a half point favorite. This is their first trip to the NFC title game since 2014 against the Niners. That was the memorable Richard Sherman game. Obviously the two meetings between the two this season have been nothing short of phenomenal. You had the breakdown, I think on Monday about how I think the one point was the difference in both games combined. I will you did not note that Sam Darnold has six interceptions in eight quarters against the Rams this season. Seems like it's noteworthy. Mike McDonald said he wouldn't want it any other way. I think a lot of people are calling this the actual super bowl given the pooh pooh platter in the afc.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I think there was about a four or five year run. I mean between the Patriots and Brady and the Chiefs and Mahomes, it did feel like at the top it was like the SEC for 20 years in college football. It felt like the championships were going to go through the afc. I don't think there's any question now that the best rosters and coach, I mean look at the coaching right now in the NFC. McVay, Shanahan, McDonald, like at the top there's some, I mean Matt LaFleur, Dan Campbell's been great. There is some really good coaching happening out west and I do believe Seattle in the ramp. Listen, it's the number one offense. Rams against the number one defense. Seattle, it is best of best. I think New England would be an underdog to both. Denver on with Jared Stidham would absolutely be a touchdown. Plus underdog to both. Like, I think New England is the last hope for the AFC to hoist a trophy because Denver's not doing it. Bo Nicks gave him a shot. Denver's not winning the Super Bowl.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, well, this NFC situation is interesting because Seattle has emerged as the best team late in the season. But let's be real. Conley for being 100% authentic. The NFC suffered from brutal injuries this year. Jaden Daniels was in this game last year. He was injured and Washington was terrible. Okay. We saw the Lions get hammered by injuries. Laporta offensive line everywhere. We saw the Niners riddled with injuries. Micah Parsons goes down. The packers could be here. I think Seattle should be thrilled they're here. I think the Rams deserve it. And the more we talk about, the more I think the Rams are probably the side. I'm just hoping that the public bets it up to three so I can get the full field goal. You like Seattle in this game? I sense.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I think. I think the line's right. I think Seattle. I talked about this Sunday after it happened. I think Seattle should be a field goal favorite. Special teams, if they become a factor. And Matt Hasselbeck said this on the show yesterday, you may just be better to just kick the ball through the end zone and not risk kicking the ball or punting the ball to Seattle. Special teams in games like this matter a lot. I mean, when you have two great coaches, two very productive quarterback. By the way, Stafford can be reckless as well as Darnold. Stafford's got before Sunday, had seven picks in seven games. Stafford can be reckless. But the difference between Seattle and the Rams is this. The Rams are a cleaner team. They don't turn the ball over as much. They don't get penalized. I mean this past week in Chicago, no drop passes. So you're getting. It's really best of the best. And so to me, a three point favorite for Seattle feels about right. My take is LA is the bet. Seattle's the deeper roster. Louisiana is probably the best. If I get Stafford McVeigh in that offense and a field goal, I don't care where the game's at. They just won in, you know, feels like minus 11. They can win in Seattle.

[J. Mac]

How much does experience matter to you, McVay? Huge edge. This is McDaniels so second game. And by the way, he. Sorry, not McDaniel. Mc McDonald. This is his second playoff game and he didn't even have to coach the fourth quarter against the Niners. Okay. So he's never been in one of these 10 spots. And, and same deal for Darnold. Like, he coasted. I think he had what, 17 pass attempts or something ridiculous. Like, I, I, I think Seattle's going to be in some trouble. Let's go to the AFC and Colin. I, I don't know. I, I heard a rumor you might be skiing during the AFC championship game because there's not a lot of excitement around Stidham vs May. Sorry Broncos fans. Obviously Vrabel and company are very excited to be here. Here he is talking about the tall task after the Texans game.

[John Harbaugh]

Be the best defense that we've played.

[Colin Cowherd]

To date because it's the next one. And that's just how this goes.

[John Harbaugh]

They're playing with a lot of confidence.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're good on the perimeter, really good up front. The athleticism. They have size. They put a lot of pressure on you. So it's just how this thing goes. Each and every week they get tougher. Like even Brady struggled going to Denver. It's mild high. It's tough. I think listen, Zach Allen, like he the first thing he said, they're very good on the edge. Also, Cortland, Sutton and Mims is going to put pressure on New England's corners. New England for the record. New England secondary, dude, they are, they are really well coached and really athletic in that secondary. Jarrett Stidham, watch out because those, that is a that New England secondary when Christian Gonzalez is out there. They got playmakers. They you could if if you had to do a crazy prop. A pick six is not crazy against New England because Zach Allen and that rush they're going to get in Jared Stidham's face.

[J. Mac]

That's actually I like that. That might be your best prop bet of the season. Just casually dropping it on a Tuesday. Pick six. Interesting. Yeah, I mean, let's be real. This Broncos defense is a little overrated. Denver. Denver's defense could not stop Josh Allen. I remember the Trevor Lawrence game they hung 34 on on the Denver defense in Mile High. We saw Jordan Love just go up and down the field until the injuries killed him. I'm looking at some other games like they struggled to stop Jackson Dart earlier this season. I don't know if this is any. They're nowhere near the class of the of the Houston Texans. We would agree with that. Right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Like, I think the best roster going forward right now feels like Seattle. The best defense feels like Seattle the best offense feels like the Rams and a team. The Rams have holes. Corner and special teams, Seattle and New England, those rosters don't have holes. Yeah, I mean, Seattle is spectacular on special teams. New England's good enough on special teams. So I think the Rams have a really high ceiling, but they can have a floor. Carolina almost beat him twice and both games it was the same thing. They were struggling to make stops on the sideline.

[J. Mac]

All right, final story. Colin. Let's go to the Detroit Lions. You and I were hot oh, Mike McDaniel would be a great fit with the Lions. I guess they weren't interested. There are conflicting reports on that, but the Lions have hired a gentleman by the name of Drew Petzing who was with Arizona for three seasons and then he was quietly dismissed. I started to do some homework on him and mixed bag of results in his time in Arizona. Detroit Lions fans are not exactly geeked right now given the potential of this offense. I mean, you got Gibbs, LaPorta's coming back amon radio. This is an offense that's on par with the Rams.

[Colin Cowherd]

When you talk about talent, I would say this. You and I didn't spend a lot of time watching or discussing Arizona. But if I had a takeaway from Arizona this year is with a defensive coach. Their defense went into the toilet. Offensively, Arizona, I looked up a lot during the season and they were scoring 27, 28 points.

[J. Mac]

Jacoby Brissette, too was a quarterback, Right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Right. So. And I think they've got some nice offensive pieces, but I thought Arizona's offense, everybody's banging on this guy. I'm going to tell you right now, the O line at Detroit is the gold standard compared to what he dealt with in Arizona. The ownership's better in Detroit. The front office is better in Detroit. So I, I mean my takeaway is everybody's criticizing this move. I watched enough Arizona to think multiple times this year their offense is kind of interesting considering it's Jacoby Brissette. I was kind of impressed with it.

[J. Mac]

I mean, they did lose their running back spacing on his name. He went down midway through the season and Marvin Harrison missed a million gains and they still were putting up points. Michael Wilson emerged.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

So I guess I'm not going to render a judgment yet because there's too much talent on this Lions team to just totally go in the tank.

[Colin Cowherd]

Top 10 in passing, offense and third down offense. I don't know that I, I think this guy is going to work in Detroit. I feel like today is he Ben Johnson. There may not you get a Ben Johnson. Like there's always one or two coordinators that are top of class. That was Ben Johnson. I think Detroit solved their biggest dilemma, which is Dan Campbell had to take over play calling. Coaches don't want to do that. I think this guy's going to work. That's my opinion.

[J. Mac]

The other problem, Colin, the NFC is like nine or ten teams deep. Honestly.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

Jaden Daniels is. Let's not forget him. Let's not forget Tampa, which cratered. Okay. This is a really tough conference. Lions probably get back to the playoffs. But I'll tell you this. Minnesota Vikings, they're going to be frisky next year with a healthy J.J. mcCarthy.

[Colin Cowherd]

How many games did Detroit win this year? Nine.

[J. Mac]

Nine. I think they were nine and eight.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. They're over. Under is only going to be about 10. One of the best bets on the board is take Detroit's over.

[J. Mac]

Over 10.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Because this guy is not going to instill great Vegas confidence or media confidence. Detroit's really good. They have a. They went and drafted last year. Interior lineman. It wasn't a sexy draft. Detroit knows what the hell they're doing upstairs. Dan Campbell builds a culture. They had an OC issue last year and they just solved it. In my opinion. Detroit is back to being a formidable, capable NFC championship contender. I'll stand on. The Giants are my double the win total team and Detroit is back in the playoffs.

[Joel]

Okay.

[J. Mac]

So I cannot. This is going to be a fun off season because you've got now Detroit and the Giants in.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

I'm curious who you're pulling out of the playoffs because I think by my. My notes right here say you got nine teams currently in the playoffs, Colin, in the nfc. So we got to winnow that down here in the coming months.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. Brock Purdy could.

[J. Mac]

Oh, no, not my guy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Come on J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by the Herd line. Usually I usually wait till the off season. New York Giants are my double the win total team. And my Detroit Lions are back into the playoffs team. I'll say it right now. Do we tape this show? Are we back to taping? Okay. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd. Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[John Paulk]

I'm John Paulk. For years I was the poster boy of the conversion therapy movement. The ex gay who married an ex lesbian and traveled the world telling my story of how I changed my sexuality from Gay to straight. Once upon a time, I was on 60 Minutes, Oprah, the front cover of Newsweek, and you might have heard my story, but you've never heard the real story. So join me as I peel back the layers and expose what happened to me in the midst of conversion therapy to shine a light on what the X Game movement does to people and the pain it continues to cause.

[Mike De La Rocha]

I had lost £150 because if I couldn't control my sexuality, I was going to control my weight.

[Colin Cowherd]

It sounded like, and this is the word I used, a cult.

[John Paulk]

And as I look too, at the harm I did from within, listen to Atonement, the John Paulk story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mike De La Rocha]

A new year doesn't mean erasing who you were. It means honoring what you've survived and choosing how you want to grow. It means giving ourselves permission, mission to feel what we've been holding and knowing that it's okay to ask for help. I'm Mike De la Rocha, host of Sacred Lessons. This podcast is a space for men to talk openly about mental health, grief, relationships, and the patterns we inherit but don't have to repeat. Here, we slow down, we listen, we learn how vulnerability becomes strength and how healing, healing happens in community, not in isolation. If you're ready to let go of what no longer serves you and step into the ear with clarity, compassion, and purpose, Sacred Lessons is your companion on your healing journey. Listen to Sacred Lessons with Mike Delarocha on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Sacred Lessons with Mike De La Rocha and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app today.

[Chelsea Handler]

This season on Dear Chelsea, with me, Chelsea Handler. We've got some incredible guests like Kumail Nanjiani. Let's start with your cat. How is she?

[Colin Cowherd]

She is not with us anymore.

[Ross Matthews]

Okay, great, great, great way to start.

[Chelsea Handler]

So this is a great beginning and hopefully you'll be able to, I don't know, maybe you will cry. Amanda Seyfried.

[Colin Cowherd]

Life is so short. If you feel something like that, you have that fire in you for this experience. It's not for a guy. It's for the experience of being in love and like, it's bigger than a guy.

[Chelsea Handler]

Elizabeth Olsen.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love swimming naked so much.

[Chelsea Handler]

And I know you love taking pictures of yourself. I love to be naked. I just want to be in my bra underwear all the time. Ross Matthews.

[Ross Matthews]

You know what kids always say to me? Are you a boy or a girl?

[Chelsea Handler]

Oh, my God.

[Ross Matthews]

All the time. I know. So I'm always like, hi. I try to butch it up for kids, you know, so they're not confused.

[Chelsea Handler]

Yeah, but you're butching it up is basically like an angry woman Doris Day.

[Ross Matthews]

Right now I turn into Bea Arthur.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt]

New year, new goals. And in this economy, a better money plan is more necessary than ever. I am Matt.

[Joel]

And I'm Joel.

[Matt]

We are from the how to Money podcast. And every week we help you to spend smarter, save more, and make sense of what's going on out there.

[Joel]

If you want 2026 to be the year you finally feel in control of your money, we're here to give you the tools and advice to help you make it happen. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[J. Mac]

Sunday on Fox with a trip to Super Bowl 60 on the line, Matthew Stafford and the Rams take on Sam Darnold and the top seeded Seahawks. The NFC championship presented by Intuit TurboTax. Sunday at 6 Eastern, 3 Pacific on Fox.

[Colin Cowherd]

One by one, teams are hiring their next head coach. The New York Giants got John Harbaugh. He is the best coach on the market. Atlanta got Kevin Stefanski, Ivy League sharp offensive guy. Love that hire. The Titans got Robert Salah, was the best defensive coordinator in football this year, doing it with a banged up Niners team. Miami got Jeff Halfley, been a college head coach, you know, kind of the opposite of McDaniel. No flash at all. Could be very good. The two best openings, and this is kind of instructive here, the two best openings, we think Baltimore and Buffalo because of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Those are the two best openings. Are they? What did this season show us? What did these playoffs show us? If you have a superstar quarterback and pay him a lot, your roster is not going to be great. Kansas City pays Mahomes a lot. Battle line. Buffalo pays Josh Allen a lot. No Pro bowlers on defense. Zero. Listen to this. Zero of the top 15 paid quarterbacks in the NFL today are left in the playoffs. Let me give you three really good rosters that don't appear to have any holes. New England, Seattle and Denver. New England and Denver quarterbacks on their rookie deals. And Seattle has a GM that doesn't miss in the draft. And Sam Darnold is on a very team friendly deal. So I look at this and I say to myself, well, Buffalo's the best Job, you're not going to have a lot of cap space. Well, Baltimore is outstanding. Well, what happens when Lamar Jackson renegotiates his deal? I mean, again, Baltimore drafts well, but there are limitations. If Tom Brady was never the highest paid quarterback in the league. Tom got it. Tom gets a lot of things. He got it. Do you want to win trophies? You can't worry about ego. You can't be the highest paid quarterback. So Robert Sala to the Titans and whoever coaches the Raiders were. Fernando Mendoza. I get high end quarterback talent and, and number one and two in the league in cap space. That's Denver. That's what Chicago, Chicago went and bought Joe Tuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dolman. An entirely new interior O line. Just went and bought it. What did they do this year in Chicago? Much better. Avoid sacks. Well, their offensive line was great. So here's John Harbaugh who was the best coach on the market. He's not going to pay Jackson Dart anything for four years. I mean, this is the recipe. This is Bo Nicks in Denver. This is Drake May. If Jackson Dart can stay out of the blue tent, they need a right tackle, a tight end and probably a corner. But here's John Harbaugh.

[John Harbaugh]

Our focus is simple. It starts with building a team that is physical and tough, that's capable of overwhelming their opponent from beginning to end and especially at the end, that understands how to finish, that is smart and disciplined, that plays the game the way it should be played. Nothing will be taken for granted. It will always, always be all about the team. The team, the team, the team. Thanks, dad, for that. It'll always be about that. Now it's time to go to work.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. The again, our perception, my perception I'm thinking about this, this morning is Buffalo's the job. Baltimore, that's the one you want. New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas. Yeah. Massive cap space. Look at what New England did to reinvent their roster in one year. I mean, New England had the worst receiving corps in the league. The slowest. Not anymore. They, they, they drafted very well. I, I look at the Giant and the other thing with the Giants is when you get the quarterback and the coach right, it creates such clarity. They obviously need a right tackle. That'll be their first pick. Everybody in the league needs faster linebackers in a great corner. I think they need to go out and get another tight end. It's always, you know, there's always tight ends out there. Third, fourth, fifth round. But this feels pretty good. At least one of the New York teams has their act together. Big Blue is coming back. I'll say it right now. 10 and 7 at worst, 12 and 5 in play.

[J. Mac]

Hey, by the way, you know the New York media, a bunch of sharks, they're just. They just cannot wait to tear this apart. They are grilling Joe Shane on so the coach doesn't report to you who has final say over the roster. They're stirring the pot already. It's going to get ugly in New York. I. I'm going to go ahead and disagree. With 10 wins. Colin, go seven and a half, eight.

[Colin Cowherd]

How many steak dinners you owe me? I've lost.

[J. Mac]

Oh, please.

[Colin Cowherd]

Cattle farm lies.

[Mike De La Rocha]

A new year doesn't ask us to become someone new. It invites us back home to ourselves. I'm Mike De la Rocha, host of Sacred Lessons, a space for men to pause, ready, reflect, and heal. This year, we're talking honestly about mental health, relationships, and the patterns we're ready to release. If you're looking for clarity, connection, and healthier ways to show up in your life, Sacred Lessons is here for you. Listen to Sacred Lessons with Mike Delaroach on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chelsea Handler]

This season on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler. We've got some incredible guests, like Kumail Nanjiani. Let's start with your cat. How is she?

[Colin Cowherd]

She is not with us anymore.

[Ross Matthews]

Great, great, great.

[Chelsea Handler]

Way to start. Maybe you will cry. Ross Matthews.

[Ross Matthews]

You know what kids always say to me? Are you a boy or a girl?

[Chelsea Handler]

Oh, my God.

[Ross Matthews]

All the time. I know. So I try to butch it up for kids so they're not confused.

[Chelsea Handler]

Yeah, but you're butching it up is.

[Ross Matthews]

Basically like an angry woman.

[Chelsea Handler]

Doris Day, right?

[Ross Matthews]

No, I turn into Bea Arthur.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Joel]

Hey, it's Joel and Matt from how to Money. If your New Year's resolution is to finally get your finances in shape, we've got your back prices, they're still high, and the economy is all over the place. But 2026 is the year for you to get intentional and make real progress.

[Matt]

That's right, yeah. Each week we break down what's happening with your money, the most important issues to focus on, and the small moves that make a big difference. Kick off the year with confidence. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Paulk]

I'm John Paulk. For years, I was the poster boy of the conversion therapy movement, the ex gay who married an ex lesbian and traveled the world telling my story of how I changed my sexuality from gay to straight. You might have heard my story, but you've never heard the real story.

[Colin Cowherd]

John has never been anything but gay.

[Nick Wright]

But he really tried hard not to be.

[John Paulk]

Listen to Atonement the John Paul story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.