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Tom Brady
This is an iHeart podcast.
Colin Cowherd
Guaranteed Human. Remember when people were nice? When we could occasionally stop fighting and come together? Well, here's some good news. The Ripple Effect is here. Hosted by comedian Jenna Kim Jones. It's a show about how powerful it is when we reach out to one another. It's the perfect weekly proof that goodness isn't gone. The Ripple Effect is more than a podcast. It's a reminder that you can start a ripple that changes everything. Listen to the ripple effect on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Lavar Arrington from Up on Game. This message is brought to you by Apple Card It's a great time to apply for an Apple Card. You'll love earning unlimited daily cash on every Purchase. That includes 3% daily cash when you buy the latest iPhone, AirPods and Apple. Watch at Apple through this special referral offer. When you get a new Apple Card, you can earn bonus daily cash. To qualify, you must apply at Apple Co getdailycash Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch offer may not be available elsewhere. Terms and limitations apply.
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Colin Cowherd
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Tom Brady
If you could control the behavior of anybody around you, what kind of life would you have?
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Can you hypnotically persuade someone to buy a car?
Tom Brady
When you look at your car, you're.
Colin Cowherd
Going to become overwhelmed with such good feelings.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Can you hypnotize someone into sleeping with you?
Tom Brady
I gave her some suggestions to be sexually aroused.
Colin Cowherd
Can you get someone to join your cult? NLP was used on me to access.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
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Colin Cowherd
Is it a self help miracle, a.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Shady hypnosis scam, or both? Listen to mind Games on the iHeartRadio.
Colin Cowherd
App, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 herd@foxsportsradio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Now, let's get this party started.
Tom Brady
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Colin Cowherd
Here we go. It's hour two and a Tuesday. Tom Brady's around the corner. Welcome in. We're live in la. It's the Herd. You know, I like going to the super bowl when Fox has it because we travel with a lot of people and the staff's there and we go out for dinner and it's a lot of fun. But I saw somebody said the other day, Megan Rapinoe said, you know, sports is about inclusion, and I think sports is mostly about competition. If it was inclusion, people wouldn't get cut in high school, college, and pro sports. Right? Right. Inclusion's great, but the bottom line is sports is standings. First, last, cut, day. I always think that about the Super Bowl. We're trying so hard to get the super bowl in all these different locations. Put it in Miami. Where in America are you guaranteed to get. Usually now, I know it's snowing in Florida this week, but in my lifetime, where is the weather good in February? It's not California, Louisiana. Second. Arizona's kind of second. Ish. Miami. I am four Super Bowls in one place. Santa Clara. Nobody in San Francisco ever goes, what do you want to do? Have lunch today? Where you want to go? Santa Clara. To me, we're like, the Grammys are held in one spot. Mardi Gras held in one space. They dropped the ball in Times Square. Why do we have to move Super Bowls to multiple locations?
Sports Analyst/Co-host
You know, these owners, they want. They want the action in their hometown.
Colin Cowherd
I went to a Super bowl in Jacksonville. Nothing against Jacksonville.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
2004.
Colin Cowherd
Ish. One hotel. They had to bring in cruise ships for rooms. Yeah. They had such a shortage of taxis in Jacksonville. These are great people. They tried so hard. They had such a shortage on taxis. I was with a producer, Chad. You sat in valet waiting for a. There was no Uber back then. There was no Uber. Lyft taxis were it. And they were calling on local citizens to help. At one point, a van pulls up and he opens the back door, and there was like, surgeon gloves and rope. And I'm like, that's Buffalo Bill. Silent to the lambs. Like, I can't get in the van. Like, Jacksonville's a great town. Should not host Super Bowls. Right. Like in Santa Clara. Nothing against Santa Clara, but it's like nobody in San Francisco goes there for lunch. Miami is such a great place for the beach. It's international, it's fun. It's an NFL city. The weather's good.
Stugatz
Yeah.
Colin Cowherd
There's places to hang out for, you know, and just enough places for players to get into trouble. Yeah.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Hot people everywhere. Do you remember the super bowl in Detroit? It snowed significantly, like 2005.
Stugatz
Ish.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
All the parties had to be indoors.
Colin Cowherd
And Michigan's amazing and Detroit's great. They've redone downtown.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
It's not.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I mean, it's. It is what it is. So we were talking about Mike Vrabel, and so Robert Kraft didn't get into the hall of Fame, which I think he got slighted. How's Jerry Jones in And Robert Kraft is not in. He's got 11 Super Bowls. The New England Patriots had the worst record in the NFL the previous five years to Robert Kraft owning them. Since he's owned them, they have the best record in the NFL. Multiple coaches, multiple quarterbacks. I. I don't. I don't. So anyway, Mike Vrabel was sort of asked about the Patriot job. He. And remember, he was the hot coach on the market.
Tom Brady
You were the hottest name on the.
Colin Cowherd
Coaching cycle this time around. Presumably, you had your pick of job. So personally, professionally, what really separated this.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Choice among the others?
Colin Cowherd
Well, I think that the ability to.
Stugatz
Have open dialogue with.
Colin Cowherd
With Robert and Jonathan was something that was critical.
Tom Brady
Elliot and his staff, obviously, what I believe and what everybody else believes is a. As a young, dynamic quarterback.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah. He said open dialogue with the owner. Mike McCarthy had the Dallas Cowboy job and left on his own accord because they didn't have open dialogue. What Jerry perceives as open dialogue is not really open dialogue like Robert Kraft. You can push back. I mean, I always thought it was interesting. Belichick was so deeply bothered that Robert Kraft one time stepped in and had a personnel opinion. Remember that? Like he said, you're not getting rid of Brady. We'll move off Jimmy Garoppolo. That was the one time Robert Kraft stood up and said, no, no, no, no. I'm going to be. I'm going to meddle in football. You do realize Kraft was right and Belichick was wrong, is that Jimmy Garoppolo was not the future. Tom won another Super Bowl. Tom was still great. Tom was great seven years later when he was in Tampa and decided to retire. So, you know, it's when you can get an owner who. And I. I've said this. A lot of these owners, a lot of these billionaires, they Strangely still, like pinch pennies on coaches. It's just. I remember when the Chargers had an opening and I, and I know Dean Spanos because he's told me this a couple different times, occasionally listens to our show, and I was literally sending a direct message to him on the show. I'm like, pay for Jim Harbaugh. Pay for him. They'd gone, in my opinion, kind of cheap on coaches, and it had cost them. I'm like, SoFi, the LA market, it's not San Diego. Pay for Harbaugh. I had dinner with Dean six months later, he's like, it's better than I thought. There are so many unintended or unknown benefits to hiring a Vrabel and a Peyton or, or, or, you know, a, a John Harbaugh now with the Giants. That will pay itself over the next two years on stuff you didn't even understand. So here, here was Albert Brer yesterday on sort of Mike Vrabel's path to this Super Bowl.
Tom Brady
What he's evolved into is the total package as a head coach. Leadership, relationships scheme, game management, roster building.
Colin Cowherd
I, I just think when you're talking.
Stugatz
About the totality of what a head coach is, Mike Vrabel checks every single box.
Tom Brady
I just think Mike has grown into becoming the total package as a head coach.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, and I, we. I said this yesterday. Most ex players, you know, a lot of guys who had become head coaches in the NFL, maybe they played college football, but they weren't like NFL players. Of note, there's an argument Vrabel is the best ex player that's been a head coach, you know, an ex player of some renown that, you know, now Mike Ditka qualifies, I don't think. I think Vrabel, soup to nuts, is kind of manages the whole component of coach better than Ditka did. I think he's just. I just, you know, the NFL tends to be a credit league, so if you're bad and get good, everybody wants credit. And I've said this before, I think the Patriots are underrated. Very rarely does a team get to a Super bowl and they're underrated. But because the Patriots lost to the Steelers and the Raiders in September and people just sort of, okay, they're at the one o' clock window games, and I remember when they kept losing early and I've got it on tape, I kept saying, folks, do not judge the Patriots in September. Between free agency and the draft, they've got like 12 new starters. You got to give this team to late October and I said it. That's, that's why I've, I've said most of the year when the Patriots were winning, you got to forget the Steelers loss and you got to forget the Raiders loss. Okay? No. Starters do not plan preseason free agents draft picks. This team will be fully baked by Thanksgiving. And they are. And with that, Tom Brady, he is joining us now live. Seven time super bowl champ. So you were known for preparation. I think a lot of things you were known for. But more than anything, almost a, almost a healthy obsession, right? Most successful people, a little bit or unhealthy obsession. One of those two, I'll be, I'll be diplomatic. But I would say this. Sean McVeigh admitted after losing to the Belichick, he said I over prepared the game. Got into my head. Is there a danger for like a Drake May or a Sam Darnold thinking man, I've got to be locked in. All of a sudden it's paralysis by analysis. You, you went to so many that you could judge them based on that. Your first one, your second one, is there a danger in that?
Tom Brady
First of all, I'm going to apologize for the drill that's going on above my head right now. I'm in an apartment. They're literally doing, I don't know, redoing the kitchen or something. I'm trying to figure this out. You know, I think being over prepared, at least in my opinion, I wasn't the type of player that could ever feel like I was over prepared game. The more information I got, the better. I loved having two weeks to prepare for this super bowl game. Over a period of time, it just got more important for me to double down on all the processes that I thought could prepare me for the game. And the more you were to give me, the more I could handle. I love that part of the preparation. Now I will say some players don't do great with that.
Colin Cowherd
That's right.
Tom Brady
So some, some players are opposite. Some players, they just want to know what they need to know and then they want to go out there and play free. I totally understand that. I think a guy like Ray Lewis, a guy like Ed Reed, they wanted as much information as they could get. That would be their way of preparing and feeling like I have all the answers to the test. Now I get to go out there and play very freely. So could there be a danger in over preparing? Maybe overthinking, but not over preparing. I mean, you got two weeks to prepare this game. You're going to remember for the rest of Your life. That's the best part about this game. Win or lose, you will be remembered for this game for the rest of your life. So you want to make sure to the best of your ability, going into the game, you feel like you give your team the best chance of succeeding, which means you have to prepare as if this is the only thing that's going on in your life. Which the reality is that's all that should be going on in your life.
Colin Cowherd
So there's a different way of asking this question, is that, you know, you look at a lot of film and there you have a pretty good understanding. All your years in the league, man, we don't match up in this spot. I'm going to get some. I'm going to get some. Our pass pro is going to be pushed to the limit against Justin Tuck and Strahan. And you know, you kind of know going into games, did you ever go into a Super bowl and think, we have better personnel and if you did, did it affect the way you played? Did you think, okay, just, Tom, let's just. Don't, don't throw, don't throw that seam route. Could you. Did you ever battle that psychology of we are going to wear this team down, we got better players?
Tom Brady
I have a feeling you're referring to 2007 undefeated Patriot team that lost the Giants. Am I wrong or what the hell is going on here? You're bringing up my worst, my worst football memory. I mean, there, there were days where I felt like going in. We were, you know, on paper, you know, however it would match up, okay, we've got a great chance. And honestly, when I do my games for Fox, a lot of times people on our crew will say, well, who do you think is going to win? And I always kind of say, well, if they were to play 10 times, I think this team would win seven and this team would win three. And that's, you know, because on any given day, if a quarterback goes over, goes out and turns it over three times, guess what, you're not winning. Right? So the reality is the best team in a one game series doesn't always win. That's why I always think basketball, baseball, a seven game series does identify the best team because, you know, you got seven chances to get it right. In football, you got one chance to get it right. That's really the challenge. You could have an off day. Or we're up there in Seattle during the last game of our year in championship weekend with me and Kevin Burkhart and we watch the punt returner from the Rams, muff the punt. Seattle jumps on the ball, gives them all the momentum, Seattle goes on, takes advantage, and then that ends up being one of the big turning points in the game. So that's how finicky the game is. It's a real challenge to win this game and to do everything right over the course of the season to get to this game and then to win this game requires a lot of good things happening and things still bouncing your way. So that's, that's really the challenge and the hard part about winning this game.
Colin Cowherd
So you had a line about Darnold, and I can tell whenever a broadcaster has a, a really good line, I can tell because I remembered a week or two later, and you said this during the Seahawk game and I, I followed Darnold since late high school, and I'd never heard it been put this way. You said, you know, Sam's more explosive than surgical. And I thought, oh yeah, that's exactly right. But what's interesting is with the jets in Carolina and maybe Minnesota, sometimes he had to be dynamic and not surgical. When I watched them against the Rams, I thought, oh no, he's being surgical. Because outside of jsn, yeah, it's a run team and a defensive led team. And I'm wondering, when I watch Sam, I thought that's exactly what he is. And then the Rams game, I'm like, oh, no, this is actually surgical. I'm wondering if he recognizes what, what he's surrounded by. And Tom, Sam realizes, really this is about, it's surgery. I don't want to be as explosive. Do you think that's part of it?
Tom Brady
Sure, I do. I think there's different ways to win every single week. And you always have to find kind of the formula for success in a given week, depending on who's in for you, because you could have some injuries and who's out for the other team or where you want to try to attack the coverages of the other team. Some teams call and there's probably more in vogue than, you know, in the last five, six years since really the Rams with Brandon Staley played more of a shell type defense. A lot of variations and too high defenses, which are built to protect the deep part of the field and forces the quarterback to make surgical decisions on the underneath parts of the field. So when you decide to play this top down approach, well, you better find a surgical passer that can throw to tight ends, that can throw to running backs, that can find and be okay with six or seven yard Gains to advance the ball. Okay, now, differently, there's some teams that come up and want to press you at the line of scrimmage and try to defend the short parts of the field and make you earn higher, more challenging completions down the field, which are less percentage of happening. But they will say, all right, we're going to get up here and try to take away the short stuff and we're going to force you to hit the hard ones. That's another style of defense. So you have to go in and out of different modes at different times. Sometimes you could be explosive, sometimes you could be surgical. Sometimes when they're all inside, you got to throw the ball outside. Sometimes when they're deep, you got to throw it short. When they decide to cover short, you got to throw it deep. When they're all inside. It's. It's just that's how you have to develop a style of play over a period of time. That's why I think it's really important for quarterbacks to. They have to go to the line of scrimmage with a plan. And what's my plan on this play? What did the coach call? What did he call that play for? This is all part of processing information. As I walk to the line now I get to look at the defense. All right, now what are they in? Is the coach to play? Call the coach? Is the play that the coach called, is it going to work against the defense that I'm seeing? That's the judgment the quarterback has to make. When you have a very highly intellectual quarterback, let's look at Matt Stafford, who's going to probably win mvp. That's how he's walks to the line of scrimmage now. He's got 17 years of wisdom. He can now say, great. There's a very high percentage chance that this play is actually going to work. Let's run it. That's how you continue to take growth as a quarterback and level up every single year. Because the processing amount of the processing information, the speed of processing information can get better as you get older. And that's why I think you see a lot of success from quarterbacks in their mid to late 30s.
Colin Cowherd
So when you went into these Super Bowls, a majority of them, you had Josh McDaniels. Did he. Did he pace it? Did he add stuff late? Was the install clean? And he kind of knew, going in first two days. Here's what it is. You're smiling as I say this. What was it like?
Tom Brady
I mean, there was some of the coolest Things I ever remember working with Josh in those moments and having those two weeks to prepare, knowing the magnitude of what we were playing for. You have 60 to 70 plays left in the entire season. That's all you got. So why have 300 calls on the call sheet? You're not going to call them all anyway. Why don't you try to just thin it out to the plays that you feel give you the best chance to win and that your team can execute well. So a cool story. 2014, we're playing the Seahawks in the super bowl and we have four days of practice in Foxborough. We're playing against the Legion of Boom. Man, that was a legit defense. Unbelievable. We have three days of practice down in Arizona where the game's being played. It's Friday night after we've had seven practices and we go out to dinner with my family. Come back from dinner, it's about 9:30. I'm walking from the parking lot up to my hotel room on Friday night and I said, I called Josh, I said I'm not feeling great about the red area. I just, there's a lot of moving parts and I feel like if I look to the right, the defense going to move the right and that's going to take away the guys I'm thinking about. I look to the left, they're all going to move and they're just going to move with my eyes and cover our receivers and I don't think we can gain any leverage. Can we just go through the plan one more time? He And I at 10 o' clock on Friday night, after seven plays are done, are watching red area film of the Seahawks defense. All the hay's in the barn. Practice is over. We got no more shots of practice. Josh and I come up with about three or four plays on that Friday night between a 10 and 11 o' clock at night. We walk through the plays. That's one particular play you just showed on the screen was one of the plays that we installed on the Saturday morning, the Sunday before the game that we put in. We walked through them and we threw touchdown passes on two of those, two of the plays that we installed on that Saturday morning. So talk about feeling like you could be over prepared. No, you could be prepared and then you can go to the next level, which is cross every T dot every I. Because in that game, that game came down to smallest margins. And what does it take sometimes? That's what it takes. And that's the trust and confidence that he and I built in one another.
Colin Cowherd
Did you tell teammates of the changes or were there things that were singular with you and Josh or did you have to tell everybody? Guys, this is what we're doing.
Tom Brady
Yeah. Guys, these are the plays. We're going to add three or four plays. We're not going to get a chance to practice them. They may not come up, but we're going to walk through them to make sure we're ready to go. We walk through them two or three times and then boom, you cut it loose. But there's no full speed reps, there's no ability to get out there on the practice field and run. It's just, hey, got all these weeks together, but I think this play can give us a good easy chance. And what I wanted to do was I wanted a really good hard sell play action so I could get Bobby Wagner. Yeah. To kind of step up in the line of score so I didn't have to worry about him because I couldn't look off Earl Thomas and Bobby Wagner. A lot of times they would line slightly opposite. So if I looked off Bobby Wagner, well, it brought Earl Thomas more into the play and if I looked up Earl Thomas, it brought Bob Wagner more into the play. So I wanted a hard sell play action where I could kind of take the linebacker out of the play and now I could just work off one defender. It's a very challenging style to play, but that they played. But it took us and, you know, a lot of years of working together to come up with a few kind of breather plays down there in a low red zone. That gave me a clean, decisive throw where I could just focus on making one clean read and making a great throw to score.
Colin Cowherd
Coaches will deny it publicly, but how much do you think Mike Vrabel is leaning into? We're underdogs. Darnold's going to be mvp. We're lucky to be here. How much is he leaning into that?
Tom Brady
No. 1 Brable. He's probably got every bit of underdog material up everywhere. We were 14 point underdogs in 2001 Braves as part of that team. Believe me, Colin, if you pick the Seahawks, I'm sure he's going to be telling the entire team that. Colin Coward picked the Seahawks. We're underdogs. That's just the mentality and you know, that's okay. I mean, someone's got to be that. Patriots have had an incredible season. I think what they've done is surprised everybody. It's so many guys that have come together, coaches, players that are new, great communication, great toughness they played in a lot of tough environments, and, you know, they certainly deserve to be representing the afc, you know, in this Super Bowl. It's, it's going to be a great game. These teams are, have played so well all season long. They've been clutched. They play good defense, they play good offensive and explosive plays, surgical plays. They run the ball. They've had explosive runs. They've really found a lot of different ways to win, and that's why they're, that's why they're playing in this game.
Colin Cowherd
So you, you know, you always get asked about, you know, the last week about Belichick, but I, I, I, I defended Robert Kraft this morning. And I said, the Patriots had the worst record in the league for five years before Robert Kraft owned them. From the day he bought them until today, they have the winningest record. And I said, wow. And I said, go to the Yankees with George Steinbrenner. 37 years, won seven titles, had 23 different managers, sometimes Billy Martin for a third, fourth time, different GMs and players. I said, we don't like to admit because owners are billionaires and they've got their own plane and the quarterback, the coach, the coordinator. I said, but most business people I know, I work at Fox, most of us make seven to ten decisions a day, and the smarter people make the right one 90% of the time. And so I said, if you're going to be outraged by Bill, and Bill will get in, then you should be equally outraged that Robert Kraft, who has more Super Bowls than the rest of the AFC east, the AFC south, and the AFC north combined, you, you don't understand. I mean, Washington changed owners, Tom, 24 years, embarrassing. The next year they're in the NFC Championship. I do not believe in coincidence, so I want to just address the craft part of this and that he was not necessarily a meddler. But I don't believe it's a zany happenstance that you guys literally coaching hires, draft development trades in season. Could you give me a sense? I know you were close, are close with Robert Kraft. I don't think, I think fans just think it's all players and coaches. I'm like, no, no. It's the same crappy teams drafting at the top every year. It's the owner, it's not the coaches. Just your thoughts on just a great.
Tom Brady
Point that you make. And it always starts at the top. And the leadership, the figurehead of the organization is for the Patriots, RKK. And it's, you know, being there for 20 years with him. And watching the nuances of that ownership role was something for me to learn a lot from. How he managed different personalities, how he could fill in the gaps when he saw them and where he saw them. He just did the most unbelievable job and seeing it firsthand of being a part of it. Recognizing the importance of that role in a football organization. I believe that the owner is the chief accountability officer and you hold everyone to a standard and you expect everyone to live up to that. And believe me, when the owner's sitting in their team meeting room, the players are sitting up a lot straighter, the head coach's message is directed a lot more intently. And rkk, his office was at the stadium. He would sit in there in team meetingups. He would be out there on the practice field. He would be there at every road game shaking people's hands as they walked off the field. There's an importance of football that, that in Patriot football that RKK does not take lightly. And not only that, look at the contributions that he's made to the league, to the NFL in general, to negotiate media rights deals. This is the most popular sport in America. It's, you know, the thousands of hours that he spent bringing this game to life for the fans, that doesn't go unnoticed. Certainly now that I'm in tv, I understand the amount of work it takes for Fox to actually broadcast the game. The partnership that Fox and its partners have with the NFL. It's extremely important. That working relationship is so critical to this game being, you know, spread throughout our entire country and bringing a lot of joy to people's lives. So to me, it's not a matter just like Bill of if they're going to get in, it's just when they're going to get in.
Colin Cowherd
Right.
Tom Brady
They're tremendous at what they've done in the league and maybe it's not trending so well for ex Patriots. Maybe I should be a little concerned here. But, you know, I think at some point this thing is. Is going to go in everybody's direction the right way.
Colin Cowherd
You know, it's, it's. What's interesting, I want to cap it with this is, is that, you know, Bill could come off as very hardened because Bill is. That is his personality. And do you think it hurt him for that 24, 48 hours when he didn't get in? Just what you know, of Bill, I.
Tom Brady
Actually think in some ways it rallied a lot of people who played for Bill and made sure they reached out to him to express, you know, how much they appreciated him, which I'm sure felt good for. For Bill. And I said before, it doesn't. Look, we all want everything in life to happen on our time frame and our time schedule. We want everything to go when we want it to go, but the reality is that's not life. I actually think it's going to work in his favor when he does get in because there's going to be a lot of people that realize the impact that he made on their life as a coach, as a player, and they're going to be there to celebrate him. And this was another opportunity for everybody to reach out to him and tell him how much they appreciate him, even though he didn't get exactly what he probably deserved here the first time around.
Colin Cowherd
All right. Okay. Well, I didn't hear the construction. According to you, it's. It's quite a job. Did you? I can't hear it.
Tom Brady
Geez. All right, good.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, great. Senior Zoas. Tom.
Tom Brady
See you, my brother. Take care. I'll see you guys soon. Okay. Bye, guys.
Colin Cowherd
Bye. Bye. Yeah, I think it's. I said this about Kraft, is that the Roger Goodell picks an owner. My understanding he picks an owner, a singular owner, to negotiate with the networks, Fox and NBC and all these networks. My understanding it was Robert Kraft. If the commissioner has 32 billionaires that he can pick and he picks Kraft, pretty good indication that he trusts him. That's a big responsibility in LA. It's the herd. One more herd.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
The herd streams 24 hours a day.
Colin Cowherd
Seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app search herd to listen live or.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
On demand whenever you'd like.
Stugatz
Stigatz here. I have a podcast empire. It continues to grow and I have brought it here to iHeart. I'm also doing a live radio show from 3 to 5pm Eastern because my wife wanted to kick me out of the house. 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.
Tom Brady
I love you guys show. It's one of my favorites.
Stugatz
A lot of interaction. Guys not taking themselves too serious seriously. Those are just some of the things that you can expect from Stugouts Co. And Stugatson Co. LIVE. So listen to Stegotson 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.
Colin Cowherd
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. Verizon isn't as expensive as you think. In fact, if you bring in your AT&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 U.S. 2nd 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 applied what if mind Control is real?
Tom Brady
If you could control the behavior of anybody around you, what kind of life would you have?
Colin Cowherd
Can you hypnotically persuade someone to buy a car?
Tom Brady
When you look at your car, you're.
Stugatz
Going to become overwhelmed with such good feelings.
Colin Cowherd
Can you hypnotize someone into sleeping with you? I gave her some suggestions to be sexually aroused. Can you get someone to join your cult?
Tom Brady
NLP was used on me to access my subconscious.
Colin Cowherd
Nlp, AKA Neuro Linguistic Programming, is a blend of hypnosis, linguistics, and psychology. Fans say it's like finally getting a user manual for your brain. It's about engineering consciousness. Mind Games is the story of nlp, its crazy cast of disciples, and the fake doctor who invented it at a New Age commune and sold it to guys in suits. He stood trial for murder and got acquitted. The biggest mind game of all, nlp, might actually work. This is wild. Listen to mind Games on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Stugatz
Stugatz Here I have a podcast empire. It continues to grow and I have brought it here to iHeart. I'm also doing a live radio show from 3 to 5pm Eastern because my wife wanted to keep kick me out of the house. It's called Stugots and company Live, which is available in podcast form right when the show finishes every single day. Some of the biggest names in sports, a lot of phone calls.
Colin Cowherd
I love you guys show.
Tom Brady
It's one of my favorites.
Stugatz
A lot of interaction. Guys not taking themselves too seriously. Those are just some of the things that you can expect from Stugots Co. And Stugots Co. Live. So listen to to Stugatson 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.
Colin Cowherd
It is obviously the first super bowl for not only Sam Darnold, but Drake May. And I had Tom Brady on for about 20, 25 minutes and one of the things I asked him is, you know, it's one thing Tom when you've been to your second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth super bowl, but a lot of quarterbacks that get there don't get back. Is there a danger in over preparing analysis by paralysis for a young quarterback getting to his first Super Bowl?
Tom Brady
The more you were to give me, the more I could handle. I love that part of the preparation. You know, I will say some players don't do great with that. I think a guy like Ray Lewis, a guy like Ed Reed, they wanted as much information as they could get. That would be their way of preparing and feeling like I have all the answers to the test. Now I get to go out there and play very freely. So could there be a danger in over preparing? Maybe overthinking, but not over preparing.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I mean I, it's interesting kind of the narrative out there. This isn't a great super bowl and I honestly think it's the same team. Seattle is a better version of New England. They're both athletic, big quarterbacks that move well. One's got a little more experience. Both offensive lines are kind of the weakness of the team. I think Seattle's is a little bit better, especially on the left side. Both defenses are excellent. I would say both secondaries outstanding. Two defensive coaches both blew out nine teams. I think Seattle is a slightly better version of New England. So I think it's a great matchup and there's a reason there are four, four and a half, potentially five point favorite but weakness, strength, coaches, quarterbacks. It's I feel like strong run games with both. I, I think it, I think it's great matchup. I think Seattle is just a slightly better version of New England in la. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Cam Hayward, four time Pro bowl defensive tackle, one of the really smart guys in the NFL. Be joining us next hour. J Mac with the news.
Tom Brady
No, no, no, no.
Colin Cowherd
Turn on the news.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
This is the headline news. Start with the LA Rams offensive coordinator. It's an open spot. It's a really good job. Obviously, working under the McVeigh tree sets you up for success. Mike LaFleur has moved on to the Cardinals. One of the big names is someone we'll get to in a second. But here's what McVeigh said about an internal candidate.
Colin Cowherd
I did think that this was something that could occur, you know, so we've.
Tom Brady
Got great candidates in house. You know, you obviously just based on the rules, and I think what is the appropriate thing? You know, you're going to do an extensive search to really just dive into, you know, what's going to be the best way to bring in new people. And we've had a lot of reps at it for a lot of the right reasons. But I am excited about diving in, and it never fails. Every time me and my wife go on vacation, somebody's usually getting a head job, and then I'm spending too much time on my phone.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Yes, you and I know the feeling. Anytime you're on vacation, well, now people.
Colin Cowherd
Will say, colin, you don't like in house candidates? I don't mind them when the offensive coach is the offense. Like if Shanahan loses a coordinator and goes in house, or, you know, Kevin o', Connell, Dan Campbell, not a scheme guy needs to get the best replacement for Ben Johnson. There are offensive guys in this league I don't worry too much about.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Look at this coaching tree on the screen. This is ridiculous. Working under McVay, Zach Taylor, who's with the Bengals, we don't think he's great, but whatever. Liam Cohen gets to the playoffs in year one in Jacksonville, Kevin o', Connell, one of the sharp young minds, and of course, Matt LaFleur in Green Bay.
Colin Cowherd
Liam Cohen gets overlooked. Look what Liam Cohen did. In a year, they won 13 games. Not only that, but Trevor Lawrence, people were out on him like an MVP candidate. Yeah, I mean, it's like Liam Cohen gets lost because Jacksonville, you know, it's dad's that college country. Jacksonville was a mess. Me, I love Trevor Lawrence. I was kind of done.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Nah, I was not. You sell stock too early. You love to bail.
Colin Cowherd
I'm a day trader.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Yeah. Basically the guy to watch here is Nate Shieldhouse. He interviewed with the Browns and a bunch of other jobs. He seems like the odds on favorite to be the next OC with the Rams. All right, let's move on to. Oh, this is spicy. We haven't talked about your guy Aaron Rodgers lately. Always something with Aaron Rodgers. All right, so Mike McCarthy gets the job in Pittsburgh. He's installing his new staff, and he's expected to bring on a gentleman by the name of Frank Signetti Jr. Signetti as an offensive advisor. Could Kurt Signetti's brother. Okay, here's the interesting thing. Okay. Frank has a negative history with Aaron Rodgers dating back to their time with McCarthy in Green Bay. According to report, Rogers in 2018 was upset that the packers did not renew Alex Van Pelt as the quarterback coach. And they went with Signetti.
Tom Brady
Yes.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Rogers was allegedly so ticked off, he refused to speak to Signetti, and the two had to communicate through backup quarterback Tim Doyle. I know you love Rogers. I don't know some level of petty to not talk to your quarterback coach.
Colin Cowherd
Listen, we. We all know the game with Aaron like, it's, It's. No, it's, it's ain't. I mean, we just know. I mean, I, I know two guys in the Packer locker room that played with Aaron and they both have said the. Basically the same thing. Aaron depends on the day. Sometimes good Aaron, sometimes moody Aaron. It is what it is.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
That's not a guy that. By the way, we haven't even talked about this. Rodgers is probably done, right? There was no victory tour. No. Like, hey, here's a rocking chair present, or is that just an NBA thing?
Colin Cowherd
But like, I mean, ask yourself this. Do you think Mike McCarthy knows about Aaron and Frank Signetti?
Tom Brady
Of course.
Colin Cowherd
Well, then why would he hire him?
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Yeah, I think Will Howard's going to be their guy.
Tom Brady
You and I would agree.
Colin Cowherd
Yes. I mean, I think the hiring tells you that. Mike McCarthy. This is a very intentional hire by Mike McCarthy.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
So, you know, there's a big actions versus words thing. A lot of young people will learn this. They'll give you lip service and say all the right things. But their actions speak louder, Colin. They're saying we're not rebuilding. They say that in Pittsburgh, if they go with Will Howard. Is that a rebuild to you? I mean, I'm going to wait to see the free agent moves, but this is a quiet rebuild in Pittsburgh. McCarthy, I'm sure, was given guarantees. Hey, take your time.
Colin Cowherd
You never have more leverage. Two times a coach has leverage in the NFL after a Super bowl and first year with a team. McCarthy has real leverage here. They are disappointed in Pittsburgh, so Mike can. Can push the discomfort to a little higher degree. If Mike goes 7 and 10, you lose the leverage. Mike has staff leverage here. And I think what he's doing. What have his two hires been? Frank Signetti Sr. And the O line coach. I love that the news out of Pittsburgh is offensive improvement. So I think McCarthy is putting his stamp. You have. Listen, I don't care who you could be. Brian Callan, your first year in Tennessee, you're the guy everybody follows up. Everybody, you know, they follow behind you, they want to lead, they want to be behind you over the Hill. So McCarthy is making his tweaks. What's your signals? The end of Aaron.
Tom Brady
Yeah.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
By the way, Aaron Rodgers, fun fact. Final pass in the NFL was a pick six against the Houston Texans. Remember that? In the playoff game to a pick six. And then he was like, it's over. They're down 30 to nine or whatever. And then he went to the bench. Fun way to end his career. I just had to get that in our final story. Let's go to Denver. Colin, though. Denver Broncos obviously lost the AFC championship game. This is kind of fascinating. I did not realize this. We know they moved off O.C. joe Lombardi.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, right.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
And they're going to promote Davis Webb to be the new offensive coordinator. Davis Webb, a hot young name out there. Did you know Joe Lombardi had been with Sean Payton for 15 years?
Colin Cowherd
Oh, yeah, it was his guy. He was with him in New Orleans for years.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Fifteen years. And he moved off him just to keep Davis Webb. Well, that is stunning.
Colin Cowherd
Well, Webb is the young 15 years. I listen, what do you have to stay with people.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
I don't know what you do. But moving off just because Davis Webb is getting some nibbles out there in the market, you're gonna move off your guy at 15 years? 15 years is a long time, bro.
Colin Cowherd
Come on. See, I look at it the opposite. 15 years is a long time to be with Joe Lombardi.
Tom Brady
Okay.
Colin Cowherd
Joel Lombardi should be. Hey, I made a lot of money with Sean Payton. You don't get. You don't get that just got you.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
An AFC championship game. Why are you trying to tell me something? Three years together, you know what I'm saying?
Stugatz
You.
Colin Cowherd
You look at it like, where's the loyalty? And my, my take is a 15 year relationship. Coach, coordinator, a lot of success. Lots of success. Fourth down gets.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Oh, I'm sure Joe Lombardi had that fourth down call. Sean Peyton. I'm sure down that up.
Colin Cowherd
Joe Lombardi is fully aware of Sean Payton's personality. And I think one of his quotes was, you know, Sean was just got into the mood. He wanted something new. And I think when you coach with Sean Payton. He's very emotional and he wears his emotions, leads with his chin. And I think you just, you realize that we shall.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
I'm going to monitor this next year, see how Davis Webb, the immortal Davis Webb, he had such a great NFL quarterback.
Tom Brady
Well, you don't.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
We'll see.
Colin Cowherd
I don't.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
I know nothing about the guy.
Colin Cowherd
We'll see then maybe not take shots.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Well, I'm not, I'm just, that's a reality. He did not have a great NFL career.
Colin Cowherd
Well, he was as a player.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Yeah.
Colin Cowherd
How many great players are great coaches?
Sports Analyst/Co-host
That's a good question.
Colin Cowherd
I would argue being a serviceable rotational player where you had to do all the little things. Right. To get on the field. Yeah. It's like in baseball. A lot of, like, managers are catchers. Why they wear the gear. It's the hardest position to play. You see the entire game. You call the game. It's an intellectual position where you don't have to be the twitchiest or this or that. You basically have to be one of the smart guys playing and dealing with the emotions of a very emotional pitcher.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Yeah. The backup quarterback is, is going to be a good coach because you know what? You got to be smart and bow.
Colin Cowherd
Them to say career backup. Kevin OConnell's a good coach.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
There you go. I mean, the stars, they make a lot of money. They were grinding. They don't need to. What are they returning for? They're not coaching. Why would you want to coach after you made a lot of money as a starter for 10 years?
Colin Cowherd
Brutal.
Stugatz
No.
Colin Cowherd
J. Mack with the news.
Tom Brady
Well, that's the news.
Colin Cowherd
And thanks for stopping by the herd live. I don't want Davis Webb to think I'm out where this show's out here taking shots is that Davis Webb played and Davis Webb now getting a coaching opportunity. And I, I, I root for all these young, like, former players. That coach, I think, is a cool thing because it's really, really hard. And a lot of them made money, so they don't necessarily need the job and you have to sacrifice time with your family. So, like, players that go to coaching, like, tip of the cap, like, it's hard. And they know how hard coaching is because they, they're in these rooms with these coaches who have baggy eyes and put on weight and live on coffee.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Yeah. So interesting. He's been with the Broncos since 2023. He had, he threw 40 NFL passes in his career. He was in the league. Third round pick, interestingly, six, five. You know, looks the part. We'll see. I mean, again, I I. You go to the AFC championship, you're on the doorstep of the Super Bowl. I mean, if b Knicks plays in that game, Colin, they might. They probably win that. They're at home. I And then. Are you moving off Lombardi?
Colin Cowherd
Well, I mean, wasn't it interesting when Bo Nicks was listed as out? The line shifted, like, way more than you know. People always like Bo Nicks is, you know, maybe he's worth a couple points. The line dramatically shifted. Yeah, Vegas told you. No, Bo Nick's a good player. Solid above solid. Gino Brock Purdy.
Sports Analyst/Co-host
Gino says is not solid.
Colin Cowherd
Come on. Okay. Cam Hayward, Jordan Palmer around the corner on a Tuesday, live in Los Angeles at the Herd.
Tom Brady
This is an I heart podcast.
Colin Cowherd
Guaranteed human.
Episode: THE HERD - Hour 2 - Why Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft both belong in the HOF, Tom Brady
Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest: Tom Brady (Super Bowl Champion, Fox Sports Analyst)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
In this engaging episode, Colin Cowherd dives deep into key NFL storylines ahead of the Super Bowl, focusing on the legacy of Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick while making an emphatic case for their Hall of Fame inclusion. Special guest Tom Brady joins the show for an extended, insider discussion on high-stakes game preparation, quarterback psychology, coaching dynamics, and the often-overlooked influence of NFL ownership. The episode is rich with anecdotes, first-hand experiences, and candid assessments relevant to players, coaches, and the broader NFL landscape.
Obsessive Preparation:
Game Psychology and Upsets:
Adaptability in Quarterback Play: “Explosive vs. Surgical”
Insider Super Bowl Prep Story:
Colin on Kraft’s Impact:
Brady on “Over-Preparation”:
On Vrabel’s Coaching Credentials:
Brady’s Super Bowl Prep Anecdote:
Brady on Owner Influence:
The conversation is candid, energetic, and infused with both professional insight and light banter. Colin’s characteristic mix of analysis and humor pairs well with Brady’s thoughtful but relaxed responses, delivering a conversational deep-dive that’s accessible to fans and insiders alike.
This episode offers a smart, entertaining look at Super Bowl dynamics, the critical (yet underappreciated) role of NFL owners, and the multi-layered process of success in professional football. From late-night game planning meetings to the nuances of coaching hires and the psyche of quarterbacks, Colin and Brady provide rich perspective peppered with memorable stories and clear-sighted analysis—making a compelling case for the Hall of Fame legacies of both Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick.