THE HERD - Hour 3 - AJ Brown should be upset, the Steelers good start, 49ers can't stay healthy, Brian Baldinger

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hour 3
Date: September 30, 2025

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Main Theme

This episode dives into current NFL storylines including the impact of new signings and injuries, the dynamics behind AJ Brown’s possible frustration in Philadelphia, the Steelers' offensive turnaround, the persistent injury woes of the 49ers, and offers insight into player motivations and organizational strategies across the league. The episode features NFL analyst Brian Baldinger as a guest and discussions from Jason McIntyre and Nick Wright.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pittsburgh Steelers’ Offensive Turnaround (02:39–04:56)

• Colin Cowherd praises the Steelers for suddenly figuring out the run game, attributing some of it to veteran leadership and smart signings.
• Brian Baldinger emphasizes the under-the-radar pickup of Kenneth Gainwell and explains how offensive coaches (like Sean Payton, Sean McVay, Andy Reid) rebuild O-lines quickly and that Aaron Rodgers’ presence is modernizing the offense:
  • "They had to go all the way to Dublin to find the run game... Kenneth Gainwell got his first start... gave 'em 100 yards rushing." (03:49–04:27)
  • Rodgers’ quick releases are “like Ali jabs out there... short pass, long run, that’s kind of what it is.” (04:27–04:56)

2. San Francisco 49ers’ Endless Injuries (04:56–06:24)

• The 49ers face another season of mounting significant injuries ahead of a tough matchup with the Rams.
• Baldinger identifies the core issue: "If your best players you’re paying the most amount of money to aren’t playing, then you’re not getting your bang for your buck." (05:29–06:24)
• Emphasizes the challenge of facing a young and healthy Rams defense.

3. A.J. Brown’s Role & Frustration in Philadelphia (06:24–08:38; 32:20–36:38)

• Discussion arises about whether AJ Brown is justified being upset with his use in the Eagles’ offense and whether he might seek a trade for better usage and legacy.
  • McIntyre: "He is now playing for the Hall of Fame... would you understand if he said, 'listen, I’m not going to go public, I'd like to be moved at the deadline… You don’t use me, I got you a trophy. Could you move me?'" (06:24–07:27)
• Baldinger explains Brown’s unique mentality:
  • "His mentality is like an offensive tackle. He wants to absolutely obliterate the opponent... But if he doesn’t ever get that chance... that's what frustrates him. It’s not the lack of targets." (07:27–08:38; 36:04–36:38)
• Cowherd and Nick Ceriani discuss whether it would be selfish if Brown asked out and note the Eagles' offensive coordinator changes as a root cause for offensive struggles.

4. Dallas Cowboys — The Risks of Trading Micah Parsons (08:38–10:24)

• The impact of moving star players on team morale and performance:
  • Baldinger: "When you have star players, sometimes you gotta kiss their ass... Jimmy Johnson wouldn’t get rid of Micah Parsons, no way... They have no pass rush right now." (09:32–10:24)

5. Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold Resurgence (10:24–12:26)

• Conversation on the evolution of two quarterbacks from the same draft class. Darnold’s improvement praised as a result of better coaching and surrounding talent:
  • Baldinger: "If you spend a year in San Francisco... this is what quarterbacks are supposed to get coached. He’s got a good offense, a good system, a go-to guy. Sam can do this." (11:04–12:26)
• Baker characterized as an ultimate competitor, winning against the odds.

6. Caleb Williams’ Struggles & Ceiling (12:26–14:06)

• Concerns about Williams’ ability to hit routine plays despite his arm talent. Baldinger believes in his development; stresses need for strong quarterback coaching in Chicago:
  • "He is missing some layups. But he's also got some wow factor too... I think this thing is going to work... We need Chicago to be good, that market to be good. They've been dying for a long time." (12:59–14:06)

7. Buffalo Bills & New England Patriots — Rivalry and Rebuilding (19:36–21:46)

• Praise for Bills running back James Cook:
  • Josh Allen: "He is shot out of a cannon. His contact balance is unbelievable." (19:56–20:16)
• Discussion of Patriots’ progress, need for a top receiver, and optimism about Drake Maye’s future rivalry with Allen.

8. Raiders’ Ashton Genti and the Colts Matchup (21:47–23:33)

• Genti’s “Halloween lineup” stance and breakout performance noted by Pete Carroll: "He had a great game and he looked fantastic for us... to have a running back that is a real threat, allows us so much balance." (22:06–22:45)

9. NBA News: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Uncertain Commitment (23:33–26:40)

• Giannis clarifies his desire to chase championships, sparking rumors of a Milwaukee exit:
  • "I want to be in team that allows me and Kisman Chase to win a championship... That's never going to change. I want to win another championship." (23:58–24:19)
• Discussion: Should the Bucks trade him now while his value is high?
• Comparison to Celtics, Knicks, and the Western Conference.

10. Organizational Strategy: When to Trade NFL Stars (27:12–28:53)

• Cowherd stresses the importance of trading players at the right time rather than waiting until their market collapses.
  • "What you want to do in sports is you want to be ahead of stuff. You don't want to be behind..." (27:12–28:53)
• Miami Dolphins and Tyreek Hill serve as the case study for missed opportunities.

11. MLB Postseason Outlook (36:38–40:24)

• Brief rundown of the matchups, bullpen importance, and predictions:
  • "Impossible to win a Super Bowl with a bad O-line, impossible to win the World Series with a bad bullpen."
  • Likes Phillies, Brewers, and Padres as postseason threats.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brian Baldinger on A.J. Brown:
  "It's not the lack of targets or the lack of use. It's that he can't use his physical skills to beat Marshawn Lattimore up, to beat Trayvon Diggs up, like, to pound these guys. And that's what irritates. I've talked to AJ about it. He's not a me me guy, but he doesn't get that opportunity that frustrates him." (07:27–08:38)

• Colin Cowherd on trading at the right time:
  "What you want to do in sports is you want to be ahead of stuff. You don't want to be behind stuff." (27:12–28:53)

• Josh Allen on James Cook:
  "He is shot out of a cannon. His contact balance is unbelievable. His jump cuts are awesome. Glad he’s on our team." (19:56–20:16)

• Giannis Antetokounmpo:
  "I want to be in team that allows me and Kisman Chase to win a championship... That’s never going to change." (23:58–24:19)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Steelers’ Offensive Line & Gainwell Signing — 02:39–04:56
• 49ers Injury Discussion — 04:56–06:24
• A.J. Brown’s Use in Philly — 06:24–08:38; 32:20–36:38
• Cowboys Locker Room & Micah Parsons — 08:38–10:24
• Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold — 10:24–12:26
• Caleb Williams’ Ceiling — 12:26–14:06
• Bills/Patriots/Rivalry & RBs — 19:36–21:46
• Raiders RB Genti Breakout — 21:47–23:33
• Giannis & NBA Trades — 23:33–26:40
• NFL Trade Strategy — 27:12–28:53
• MLB Postseason Rundown — 36:38–40:24

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Overall Tone and Additional Observations

The episode is fast-paced, conversational, and unapologetically opinionated—typical of Colin Cowherd’s style. Banter between co-hosts and guests mixes technical football analysis, personal anecdotes, and assertive takes on sports management, making the content both informative and entertaining for listeners who want real insight with personality.

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For those who missed this episode:
Expect deep dives into the nuances of NFL team-building, player psychology, and the business of sports, with pointed takes on both player and front-office motivations, all in the distinctly energetic, sometimes blunt language of Cowherd and company.

Transcript

[Brian Baldinger]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

[Jason McIntyre]

Now let's get this party started.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

[Jason McIntyre]

One of the surprises has been this year at Pittsburgh, and it's interesting because my primary complaint about the Steelers for the last several years is they can't.

[Colin Cowherd]

Get the O line right and they.

[Jason McIntyre]

Can'T consistently run the ball. And then Aaron Rodgers shows up and their pass pro is good. And I thought Sunday was as progressive, as smart, as capable. I mean, they lost najee Harris, they lost their left tackle and Brian Baldringer is going to join us. He played in the NFL for 13 years, NFL Network. And as I watched them, I thought to myself, baldy, this is something you would know that I wouldn't is that I do think guys like Sean Payton and Sean mcvan, Andy Reid have a greater sense of the offensive line and they've been able to rebuild offensive lines very quickly. I think offensive coaches tend to see that world better. But there is something about Aaron coming to Pittsburgh. And I finally, I watched that run game and I'm like, oh, this is a 20, 25 offense. I mean, can a quarterback help a run game? A veteran quarterback?

[Brian Baldinger]

Yeah, absolutely. You know, they only ran. They only threw it 22 times the other day, but they had to go all the way to Dublin to find the run game. They'd struggled, but Kenneth Gainwell got his first start. It was an underrated signing. Andy Wyto, who's win the Pittsburgh front office now with Omar Khan. I mean, he helped draft Kenneth Gainwell out of Memphis when he was in Philadelphia. They signed him this off season to be a backup and special team player. But he's always been a good player. He just played behind Saquon last year. Didn't notice him, but I mean he gave him 100 yards rushing, made some, you know, some good runs and some good catches as well. But they got the running game going. And then Aaron Rodgers, I mean it was like Ali jabs out there.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Brian Baldinger]

You know, this is a ZN right here, west coast offense. But he hit it, hit DK right there in stride. He goes 80 yards. I mean, they did that to Jerry Rice, they did that to Sterling Sharp. I mean that play has been around for a long time. And short pass, long run, that's kind of what it is. But look how quickly he's getting rid of the football. He just doesn't want to get hit anymore. But he still has that ability to just hit these pot passes and bounce it up with the run game. So the offense looked real good against a very talented defense.

[Jason McIntyre]

So there's been kind of an unsolvable dilemma with The San Francisco 49ers who now play on a short week and go on the road. That and against a younger, athletic, physical Rams defense, it does not bode well. They face. I've never seen a team this banged up for four years in a row. It never ends and they're banged up again. I thought the CBA limited practices. Is it hitting there? Is it, is it a medical Staff that may be over their skis. I mean, what explains this?

[Brian Baldinger]

Well, I mean, you could, you could say, okay, Fred Warner never misses a game in eight years. He started every game, you know, and he's their best defensive player and has been. But yes, I mean, Nick Bosa goes down, you know, Kittle goes down. Ayuk is, you know, on the mend. You know, McCaffrey basically missed the season last year. Purdy has got a bad time. You go through all the great players. I mean, that, you know, the problem is that if your best players you're paying the most amount of money to aren't playing, then you're not getting your bang for your buck. And so that's an issue right now. And that, you know, that, that catches up to you because the Rams rebuilt that defensive line through the draft. There's not a guy that's 25 years old in that defensive line right now. Yeah, and they're all, they're all pretty interchangeable led by Jared Verse. So. And they're healthy. So it's going to be a problem in what becomes a home game for San Francisco at Sofi on Thursday night.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, it is, is it not? So I made this argument earlier today. A.J. brown's got a trophy and he's got his money. He is now playing for the hall of Fame. And I've always supported football players. I've said, listen, basketball guys don't get tackled. Baseball guys, if they're non pitchers, can play forever. Hockey guys, again, long careers, football players, interior linemen, football players, certain positions. You get about six great years. And I look at A.J. brown and they're trying Baldy, but nine targets in seven yards every other week. And he, and he came from Tennessee that also struggled to get him the ball. Would it be. Would you be a bad teammate or would you understand if he said, listen, I'm not going to go public, I'd like to be moved at the deadline. I'm not useful here. I've been a good guy. I've taken it for the team. You don't use me. I got you a trophy. Could you move me? Would you be shocked? And is that a bad teammate?

[Brian Baldinger]

Well, I would be shocked. You know, it's a, it's a good situation in Philly. I mean, they're down 26, 7 to the Rams two weeks ago, and they just, all they did was feed AJ Brown. He was a difference in the game, but that was because it was dictated by the situation, being down in the third quarter by that amount of margin, the Thing about AJ Is this. It's different than other wide receivers in that his mentality is like an offensive tackle. He wants to absolutely obliterate the opponent in front of him. He wants to take every corner the way Lane Johnson takes every defensive end or Jordan Mylotta takes. Everybody takes every defensive end and wants to drill him into the. Into the dirt and have meat brass. That's what AJ Wants to do. But if he doesn't ever get that chance, then that's what frustrates him. It's not the. It's not the lack of targets or the lack of use. It's that he can't use his physical skills to beat Marshawn Lattimore up, you know, to beat Trayvon Diggs up, like, to pound these guys. And that's what irritates. I've talked to AJ about it. He's not a me me guy, but he doesn't get that opportunity that frustrates him.

[Jason McIntyre]

So there's always been this sense that you can't fool the players. And when the Cowboys traded Micah, a lot of people said, well, you're going to lose the locker room. Because everybody loved Micah. And my take was, well, they all love Dak and they all respect CD Lamb. Micah had his podcast. You know, Micah was always kind of a C ball, attack ball guy. I don't know if that. I mean, I watched Dallas last couple of weeks, Brian. It looks like they have great spirit. I think they're playing better than their talent. I thought that the good argument to not trade him was, he's a good player, but you may lose the room. And Schottenheimer's not Andy Reid. I don't see it. I don't see an affected football defense.

[Brian Baldinger]

Give up 40 on Sunday. You see the defense give up 37.

[Jason McIntyre]

To the Giants, but they were bad with him.

[Brian Baldinger]

No, they weren't that bad. They weren't giving up 37 or 40 points a game. In fact, I don't think they've ever given up 40 points when Mike is out there. Look, when you have star players, like, sometimes you got to kiss their ass. Like, you got to, like, baby them. You got to. You can't treat them all the same. And so Mike has got a different personality, but so many defensive linemen and pass rushers are different. They're just different. They're not your offensive line sitting around, taking out the trash at night. Like, these guys are different animals. And so you gotta. You gotta be. I mean, Jimmy Johnson wouldn't get rid of Mike Parsons, no way. Bill Parcells wouldn't get rid of Micah Parsons. And I'm not saying that's why they got rid of him. I'm just saying when you get a great player, you figure out a way to keep them because they have no pass rush right now. And that's one of the reasons why Russell Wilson could look like Russell Wilson, you know, circa 2015.

[Jason McIntyre]

The. It's funny, this week Baker plays Sam Darnold. They came out in the same draft. I was a huge Darnold guy, not as much Baker. I thought he needed to grow up. When, when Baker had some early success in Cleveland, Sam, for about five years, it was ugly. Are you shocked by this or were you. Were you always a. He just needs the right spot or did. Or did you think, you know what, he's overwhelmed his delivery slow, he's a little reckless. I mean, Baker showed moments early. Sam didn't. Are they play this week? Are you shocked by the resurgence of Darnold?

[Brian Baldinger]

I'm not shocked just because I know Sam. But you know, if you spend a year, you know, with, you know, the way he did, you know, in San Francisco and you watch, oh, this is how quarterbacks are supposed to, you know, get, get coached. This is what quarterback the luxury of having Debo and Iuk and Kittle and McCabe. Oh, this is what it's like when you have, you know, just all those riches around you, what you can do with the ball. How Brock Purdy played like he saw some other places and he's like, okay, you know, and now he's got, you know, a similar situation right now where he's got a good offense line in Seattle. He's got a good coaching click to be act, got a good system. He's got a go to guy in Jackson, Smith and Jigba. He's got enough pieces around him in the run game like Sam could do this. I believe in Sam. And he's, he's a good athlete. He's smart and he's diligent and so he's got everything it takes to be really good. Baker was a walk on at Texas Tech. He. All he did was compete. He walked on at Oklahoma, you know, like, yes, he was the number one pick, but he took Cleveland to a playoffs and won a playoff game. Like, Baker's just a fiery, fiery competitor that just refuses like what he did last week against Philadelphia. He made those 70 yard touchdown throws like he gave it everything he had in that heat to try and, you know, to beat the Eagles. They just came up a little Short.

[Jason McIntyre]

Finally, Caleb Williams. There is no questioning the horsepower, but man operations, baldy. I mean, false starts, dirting screen passes. Can you be really successful? Multiple playoff wins. If the layups are a struggle. I know the firepowers there. I see the arm. Can you win a bunch of games if you're a guy that's the floor can get really low really fast?

[Brian Baldinger]

Well, he was playing with two, you know, rookie backup tackles last week and still had a decent game. Theo Bennett, Benedett out there and Ozzie Trappille. And that's not ideal, but however, he is missing some layups. But he's also got some wow factor too. I believe in Ben Johnson. I think, you know, just what he did with Tyson be the preseason. Colin, like, you know, he was always talking about Beijing like he was in the game, a contract and all this stuff. I think everything was to motivate and to light a fire under Caleb. Like, take the hard coaching. Don't fight it, Take it. He's doing better from the pocket than he did before. He's not bailing so quickly.

[Jason McIntyre]

He's.

[Brian Baldinger]

He's staying there and making his reads when he can. He's still probably a little too, too wild out there a little bit. But I think. I think this thing is going to work. And so we need it to work. Honestly, Colin, we need great quarterbacks in this league. We need great quarterback coaching. We need Chicago to be good. You know, we need that market to be good. They've been dying for a long time, so we need this thing to work for this week.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

[Nick Wright]

Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod, pushing the same, same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sportsbook and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight fire with Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

Cool.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. I said there are organizations in sports because of the packers success knocking on your door up north. I think Chicago probably is in a situation, baldy, where it's like, guys, if we give it three years, we give it three years. We have to make it work. Because you know, if he goes to another organization and he gets a McFarlane.

[Brian Baldinger]

Reclamation project, the way we're seeing this whole league right now.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's right. And you don't want that. So I, I do think. I, I think he's getting better. And I, I am, I am at in Ben. I trust guy as well. Baldy, you did a red eye. You're probably tired. You had to deal with the terminal at LAX that we all dread.

[Brian Baldinger]

Not my favorite. Not my favorite. I got my walk in for the day though. Trying to get to my gate though.

[Jason McIntyre]

I know what gate it is. Great seeing you, Brian, as always.

[Brian Baldinger]

Yep, thanks. Concert. Talk to you soon.

[Jason McIntyre]

You bet. I just got good news today from the staff. Delta is going to fly LA to Chicago. I've been slumming it with other airlines. I get my, I get my Delta. I flew Delta non stop for like eight years and they don't do o'. Hare. And now when does that come? Isn't it amazing, June? Isn't it amazing? You'll be like, delta doesn't fly to o'. Hare. Good luck finding a good flight. That's it just changed my life. J. Mac with the news.

[Pete Carroll]

No, no, no, no.

[Jason McIntyre]

Turn on the news.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

This is the Herd line news.

[Nick Wright]

All right, let's start with the Buffalo Bills. Colin 4 and oh, best team in the AFC by a mile. Josh Allen has been excellent. But how about my guy, James Cook? 401 rushing yards, that's good for second in the NFL and leads the league with five rushing tuddies. Allen spoke to what Cook brings to the offense.

[Josh Allen]

It seems like he's getting better each and every week, which is hard to imagine the way that he kind of has this patient to hit the hole. But when he hits it, I mean he is shot out of a cannon. His contact balance is unbelievable. His jump cuts are awesome. Glad he's on our team.

[Jason McIntyre]

Interesting game this week against the team that can run the football, the New England Patriots. A rival you'd like the Patriots here, huh? I just think. All I know is this Josh Allen and Drake May for the next 10 years are going to Face each other twice a year because the Patriots have their guy now. Josh is way ahead of him, but I. I'm telling you, New England is not far away. New England is. New England is. You know, Buffalo needed James Cook to change kind of their sensibility offensively.

[Colin Cowherd]

I.

[Jason McIntyre]

You and I had talked about this and AJ Brown, I think they need the number one receiver in New England because I think they're. They got their left tackle, Will Campbell, they've got a back, they like. They've got their quarterback, they've got their coach, they've got their coordinator. I do not think New England's far off.

[Nick Wright]

What was it, the 42 unanswered points against Carolina that sold you? I mean, come on, let's slow down just a little bit, my friend. The number is eight and a half. You're taking the points in the divisional matchup, huh?

[Jason McIntyre]

I'm taking the points.

[Nick Wright]

I wonder if the Bills were so bad against the Saints that they were looking ahead to this matchup. I mean, they were putrid against the Saints. Saints rushed for like a buck 85.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's what I'm saying. You can run the ball on Buffalo.

[Nick Wright]

And I saw 160something of those yards were after contact. So Buffalo not wrapping up. Now, Will Milano, the great linebacker, and Ed Oliver, will they return this week? Interesting.

[Jason McIntyre]

Okay.

[Nick Wright]

All right, let's move on to Ashton Genty. A lot of Raiders fans on the staff, they got a wedge. Ashton Genti in there. He had a hell of a game against your Bears. 155 yards, three touchdowns. The one major difference in Genti was that he was back to his upright stance in the backfield. I'm sure you saw that. Pete Carroll talked about it.

[Pete Carroll]

You guys have all said it. Everybody's been saying he just needs to break one run or whatever. Well, he did, and he had a great game and he looked fantastic for us. And. And Raheem looks really good, too. I thought the two complemented well. And I thought Chip did a nice job of taking what was there in the running game. And it was a big game for us, you know, so. So when I come out of the. Away from, you know, watching the film last night, I saw nothing but upside. And because the ability to run the football, to have a running back that is a real threat, a running game that's a real threat, allows us so much balance.

[Nick Wright]

So, of course we have. Here's the images. Genti kind of a little bit bent over and then standing straight up. They call that the Halloween lineup because, you know, Michael Myers In Halloween just was, like, scary. Standing straight up.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Boy, look at the triceps on Genti, huh?

[Jason McIntyre]

No, he. He's a pass receiver. He's a. He's a clever player. I mean, they. They've got their tight end. He's all banged. The. Brock Bowers is all banged up. That's Jacoby Myers, Brock Bowers, Aston Genti. Now Colton Miller got banged up. Their left tackle. That ain't great because. And the other thing is, the Colts have a very good offensive line. Max Crosby is a force, so if they can slow him down, I think the Colts eat. I think this is a really good matchup for the Colts.

[Nick Wright]

Final story is very spicy. NBA media day was yesterday. Colin and Giannis talked kind of openly about demanding a trade in the off season. And he could have. And then he didn't show up for media day because he had Covid. Is that still a thing? I didn't know. So he was on zoom. I mean, listen, Milwaukee Bucks fans are panicked about this. Here's Giannis on Zoom yesterday, talking about a trade.

[Giannis Antetokounmpo]

I want to be in team that allows me and Kisman Chase to win a championship. It's not the first time I had the same thoughts. Last year, I had the same thoughts. Two years ago, I had the same thoughts. But five years ago, 20, 20, 20. So it's never going to change. I want to be among the best. I want to compete with the best, and I want to win another championship.

[Nick Wright]

So it gets even worse. So one of the owners of the Bucks afterward was like, hey, well, you know, he talked to us about this summer. He's committed. He wants to win a title in Milwaukee. And reporters asked Giannis. He goes, I don't recall that conversation. Listen, I know you're Mr. Midwest now and you love use of Milwaukee.

[Jason McIntyre]

I do.

[Nick Wright]

Colin, they better get rid of him now. Like, just get trade Giannis now, get a max return. Because the longer you wait, the fewer suitors there are for this. I mean, he's a top three player in the league.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. And that's why they're reluctant to let him go. I'm going to a Milwaukee Bucks game this year.

[Nick Wright]

Just one?

[Jason McIntyre]

No, I've got it circled. I'm going to watch a Milwaukee Bucks game here against the Bulls. But, oh, listen, their thing is, we're never going to get another Giannis. And my thing is, you got a title. Not every market gets multiple titles. It's not a sexy free agent market. You could get a ton for him. I think two youth. I think three years ago. They got old. Yeah, I just would. And I'm not, you know, these guys that work in these pro front offices are smart people. I just thought three years ago they were getting very, very old. Chris Middleton was showing health issues and you know, Brooks Lopez and it was like, guys, you got to make some moves. And they didn't. They.

[Nick Wright]

Well, they did, they went after Dame, right?

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, yeah, but that didn't solve anything. Dame was, Dame was a poor defensive player and you know, Drew Holiday is an excellent guy and an excellent defensive player. So you did that to get situational. You know, they wanted a late game, late shot block three guy. They got it. But it was a big loss defensively. So it was. You got some here and less there. And I, I, it's very easy for me to say I would have moved him Giannis last year or, or I, but I would have made more moves three years ago because I saw here, here comes the Celtics. And I mean right now, to me, Jason Tatum's a mile ahead of schedule for the Celtics.

[Nick Wright]

Are you following this on Instagram? I'm not out for the year, folks.

[Jason McIntyre]

It's like, wow, he will play at the. I think he'll play after the all star game. It looks like Halliburton probably won't. So I think Boston's going to end up being the toast of it and I think, you know, we'll see what the Knicks and the coaching.

[Nick Wright]

But I on my Knicks, they gotta be the favorites in the east, don't they? Jason with Celtics kind of out and.

[Jason McIntyre]

The pace is playing in the second half.

[Nick Wright]

Have you seen their starting lineup, Colin? Hey, I mean it's not worse than the Bucks, but they've lost so many people from that championship team. How about Giannis? Can the Lakers find a way to get Giannis in exchange for LeBron an expiring deal and get picks and that's not okay. Just gotta get excited for the Lakers and my new neighbor, Luka Doncic.

[Jason McIntyre]

He's not your neighbor.

[Nick Wright]

Not next door, but like a three minute bike ride.

[Jason McIntyre]

J. Mac with the news.

[Brian Baldinger]

Well, that's the news and thanks for.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Stopping by the herd lie news.

[Jason McIntyre]

It is. It's so much easier for me to just say trade this guy, trade that guy. But it, you know, it's like I said at the top of the hour of Miami, I mean, Tyree Kill, there's no value now. I said last year, he's banging on your coach, he's banging on your quarterback. Nothing against him, but he has a market. Somebody needs him. They waited. You know the old saying, strike when the iron's hot. And you know Tua you do get, the longer you wait, the greater chance he gets hurt. You could get a nice pick for Tua. If you could get a third round pick, form a couple of fours or something like that, then he could trade up and get your next quarterback. He's got a bigger cap hit next year, I think, than Justin Herbert. What are you doing? So Mike McDaniel, I do think, I do think he's a really good offensive coach, but I, you know, it's like, if you think about it, do it. What you want to do in sports is you want to be ahead of stuff. You don't want to be behind stuff. There is an NFL team right now that this past draft, it's not public, but they're going to move off a really, really high end defensive player and everybody and they drafted a position that they didn't need and they sold it like, oh my God, he just jumped off tape. They're a, they're a year out from moving a pretty good player, not a great player, but a pretty good player. That, that's what you have to do. And I think Miami keeps being incredibly patient and they're getting burned. Tyreek Hill now has no market. You could have gone out and gotten a third round pick for Tyreek Hill and now, you know, you cross your fingers if it's you hope he has more games in him.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

Cool.

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[Jason McIntyre]

So Philadelphia and A.J. brown became a big topic today. So I've said I usually am a big believer in don't chase the money, you know, chase good management. There's a sea of money if you're talented. But pro athletes are different, especially football players. Their careers don't last long. And so if you look at the two worst halves of throwing the football in the NFL this year, we have a graphic for our TV audience. Philadelphia has both of them. That is with the best offensive line in football. That is with Saquon Barkley. That's with an offensive leaning staff. That's with Jalen Hurts. And my take is A.J. brown's got a ring, he's got his money. You know, he, he's playing for legacy here. I, I, I would understand if he said quietly if you want to trade me at the deadline, I get it. I mean The Eagles started 20, 23, 10 and 1. Remember they had new coordinators. Steichen left. They ended up falling apart down the stretch and losing six of seven. They have a new offensive coordinator and is is part of the problem that now they're so gifted that they can kind of win games where they have horrible halves. But in back to back weeks they have been dreadful offensively. Rams first half, buck second half. I mean as bad as the Titans like cannot pick up first downs. Punt, punt, punt. And Nick Wright earlier on a potential under the radar tell the bosses, don't tell anybody else AJ Brown trade.

[Nick Ceriani]

Something is off right now about their offense but they're winning anyway. If they're not going to change that, then I would not begrudge if I if AJ Brown were like, hey, you know, a team that wants to throw the ball, that needs a star receiver that my former head coach is the head coach of in New England. Why don't you see if you can work something out. He's been very honest. He wants to be a dominant individual player and he feels correctly that will help his team.

[Jason McIntyre]

So Nick Ceriani has been better than I thought, but he's not known as a schematic genius. Remember when Nick Ceriani took the job? He called plays. It was awful. He handed it off to Shane Steichen. Then they got hot. Nick Ceriani is a vibe guy. He's a CEO. He's a culture guy. Dan Campbell, the same Dan Campbell's not a scheme guy. Schottenheimer scheme guy. Andy Reid, scheme guy. Sean Payton, scheme guy. A lot of guys are culture builders. A lot of that is like Mike Vrabel is a really smart guy but he, he's going to build that toughness and that culture that Sirianni. So Sirianni is very dependent on his offensive coordinator. Styken home run. Brian Johnson had to fire him. So he's got a new coordinator in there and you're seeing there's absolutely no excuse for this team having the two think about this the entire league it the Titans haven't had two halves as bad as the Eagles? Is it the coordinator? Whatever it is. But I, I, I get, I mean, I don't think it's selfish. Again, if, you know, it'd be one thing if you were, you know, a, a, a lawyer and you were 29 years old and you're like, hey, I want to be a, I want to be a partner in the firm or I'm out of here. And it's like, bro, you're 29. You just got out of, you know, law schools five years ago. You got 60 years to practice law. But it's different for football players. Again, a golfer can golf forever. Basketball players, even ones that have serious injuries, can play 15, 20 years. Brian Baldinger was talking about A.J. brown earlier and his mentality that makes him such a unique player.

[Brian Baldinger]

The thing about A.J. is this. It's, he's different than other wide receivers in that his mentality is like an offensive tackle. He wants to absolutely obliterate the opponent in front of him. He wants to take every corner the way Lane Johnson takes every defensive end or Jordan. My lotta takes every defensive end and wants to drill him into the earth, into the dirt and have meat grass. That's what AJ Wants to do. But if he doesn't ever get that chance, then that's what frustrates him.

[Jason McIntyre]

So, you know, listen, A.J. brown's right. He's been a good, good teammate. I mean, even reading the book thing, he's, he's been a little nuanced with it. He's not tried to blow up the locker room, but, you know, I get the frustration. So Major League baseball postseason officially starts this afternoon. The Cubs and the Padres. That's a good series. If the Padres get a lead. Good luck. Great bullpen. We can put up the postseason bracket. I, I, I have no idea. Detroit was really good and fell apart. Probably take guardians. Red Sox are going to miss one of their top pitchers. That's not good. Probably take Yankees, Mariners, Jays by. I think the Mariners are going to get out of the American League. I don't think the Yankees have good enough starting pitching. National League. I think the Reds are pesky. I'd take the Dodgers, but the Dodgers have a bad bullpen. Blue 26 saves. So I think the Reds compete with them. Probably take the Dodgers, Phillies, brewers get a buy. Padres, Cubs. That's go either way. Who's the favorite in that series? Padres. They got some big sticks. So do the Cubs. Padres have probably the better bullpen. I think Philadelphia beats the Dodgers after the Dodgers beat the Reds. I'D probably take Philly again. Philly's got the sticks. They've got solid starting pitching and a better bullpen. I think the brewers are going to. They can hit for power. Led the baseball National League in singles. Great. Good enough staff, good manager, great bullpen. I don't know. Cubs, Padres. There's a lot of dudes in that series. That is a good series. There is a lot. I mean, it's amazing. Look at this. You've got small market Cleveland, smaller market Seattle, a Canadian team, two legendary Eastern brands, Boston, New York. You've got the $100 million Reds budget, the Dodgers and the Phillies. And then you've got small market. Also. The Cubs are favored to win over the Padres. Yeah, very close. That's what it feels like. Yeah, I. I said before, it's impossible to win a Super bowl with a bad offensive line. The Kansas City Chiefs twice, once against Brady and once against the Eagles, had Annie Reed Mahomes in a great defense. Go to the super bowl and get crushed. I don't think you can win the World Series with a bad bullpen. I think you're talking about the best situational hitters, the best sticks. And if you're bleeding runs, 8th, 9th, Dodgers. I mean, Dodger fans will tell you they could have won with a. Not even a great bullpen. With a good bullpen, they could have 18 more wins. Not with a great bullpen. Even great bullpens blow leads like they lost 26 leads late. So I think there's a lot of. I think the Padres are dangerous. Although the Dodgers have had their postseason number, I think the Phillies are good enough to win it in Chicago. They're going crazy for the Cubs. I'll take Milwaukee. You know, they say, Everybody says, well, the, the salary gap in baseball, it doesn't matter in the postseason, but it, it does help you in the regular season. Well, it can't help that much because Milwaukee has been the best team in baseball and a Canadian team got in. It can't help that much. San Diego's not major market, so we have a history of salary distortion not mattering in the postseason much. Go look at the last 13 World Series champs. It doesn't matter much. It may help in the regular season, but who cares? We watch baseball tonight on that's when we watch it. See you tomorrow.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Brian Baldinger]

This is an iHeart podcast.