The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: THE HERD - Hour 3 - Defending Belichick
Date: January 29, 2026
Guests: Ian O’Connor (The Athletic), Ben Maller
Main Theme: A deep dive into the controversy surrounding Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub, implications of Spygate, Hall voting politics, and NFL coaching legacies.

Episode Overview

This hour focuses on the debate over Bill Belichick's exclusion from first-ballot induction into the NFL Hall of Fame, dissecting the impact of Spygate, sports media biases, Hall of Fame voting methodology, and coach/front office dynamics. Colin Cowherd is joined by acclaimed columnist Ian O’Connor to provide perspective, and later segments with Ben Maller explore media coverage and current NFL storylines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spygate and the Hall of Fame "Tax"

[00:46 – 05:58]

• Colin Cowherd questions the fairness of holding Spygate against Belichick, emphasizing how the NFL almost never takes away first- and third-round picks as punishment.
• Ian O’Connor insists Spygate merits discussion, but shouldn’t overshadow Belichick’s career post-2007:

  “Let’s take early in the 2007 season when it’s uncovered... If you go forward from that point on... He went to six Super Bowls. He won three of them. He went to nine AFC Championship Games and won 12 division titles.” [02:01]
  He adds:
  “Spygate should have been brought up... but I think it’s a five-minute discussion.” [02:55]

• Belichick’s Staggering Record: Both Cowherd and O’Connor agree Belichick’s coaching record is historic, even removing his first three Super Bowl wins.

2. PEDs, Voting Logic, and Context with Other Sports

[03:10 – 04:09]

• O’Connor draws a parallel between how he voted for Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds for the Baseball Hall of Fame due to their overwhelming credentials despite PED suspicions:

  “When you completely overwhelm the transgression the way Belichick did, then I think, again, you are a no-brainer Hall of Famer and that should have been the case here…” [03:46]

3. Historical Hall of Fame Precedents

[04:09 – 05:58]

• Cowherd notes that even legends like Bill Walsh, Vince Lombardi, and Don Shula waited for induction. Is making Belichick wait really unreasonable?
• O’Connor pushes back, arguing the current rules and Belichick’s achievements demand first-ballot induction. He critiques the Hall’s process for mixing coaches with senior candidates and proposes lowering the voting threshold to the baseball standard (75%).

  “There’s no good excuse for not voting for the greatest NFL coach of all time, no matter how you slice it.” [05:09]
  “That backlog is getting dangerous and it needs to be corrected.” [05:58]

4. Eli Manning’s Hall of Fame Case

[06:29 – 07:56]

• Cowherd and O’Connor discuss Eli’s legacy: great playoff moments and two wins over Belichick & Brady, but only a .500 regular season.

  “Those performances... those throws down the stretch to beat the greatest coach-quarterback partnership... those are tiebreakers that go in his favor.” – Ian O’Connor [07:10]
  The backlog created by current voting rules is highlighted as a concern.

5. Could Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers Reunite in Pittsburgh?

[07:56 – 10:15]

• Referencing O’Connor’s Rodgers biography, Cowherd asks about the plausibility of Rodgers and McCarthy working together.

  “Their relationship is better now than it ever was when they were together in Green Bay.” [08:47]
  “McCarthy loosened him up and made him a more athletic player… never gets any credit for that.”
  Rodgers might stay another year in Pittsburgh if McCarthy coaches; realistic team ceiling is “11-6 at best, winning a playoff game.”
  If Pittsburgh struggles (“3-6”), O’Connor expects pressure to play Will Howard. [09:49]

6. Media and Voter Personality Conflicts

[10:15 – 12:46]

• Cowherd speculates Belichick’s poor relationship with the media may have cost him votes, comparing to Mariano Rivera’s 100% support and good-guy image.
  O’Connor disagrees, attributing Belichick’s snub to Spygate and voting logistics, not personality:

  “I really do not believe that was it. Part of it was... people wanted to punish him for one year because of Spygate...” [11:48]
  “Voting... a lot of people wanted to vote for the senior players instead of the coach and the contributor. And other people assume Belichick was getting in.” [11:56]

7. Robert Kraft’s Alleged Influence on Hall Voting

[12:46 – 14:06 & 30:56 – 31:52]

• Cowherd brings up rumors Kraft “didn’t want to go in the same year as Belichick.”
  O’Connor says that while not a conspiracy, it’s “possible” Kraft lobbied voters:

  “I do know that Belichick would walk by Kraft in the hallway sometimes and not even say hi... I think it’s possible Kraft might have whispered to a couple of voters, and I do think he would love to get into the Hall of Fame ahead of Bill Belichick.” [13:21]
  Kraft’s own HoF case is compared to Jerry Jones.

8. Hall of Fame Voting: Flaws and Fixes

[31:52 – 36:35]

• The process is critiqued as “political” and “inexact.” Cowherd expresses no outrage at Belichick’s first-ballot snub, referencing similar situations in all sports halls of fame.
• Sports writers are defended as being more “current” and informed than many ex-players or coaches who may not follow the entire sport.

  “I like people that vote to be dispassionate, informed, but dispassionate.” [33:15]

• Proposals: increase number of voters, rotate voting members, allow voting for all worthy candidates on the short-list.

9. Current NFL Discussion: Patriots, Spygate Discourse, and Media Motivation

[18:22 – 22:36]

• Media attention is predicted to focus on Belichick/Spygate during Super Bowl week, especially toward Mike Vrabel, now Patriots coach and former Belichick player.

  “I think Vrabel would just shut that down. I mean... that would be unfair. I think as a media member... that's an unfair position to take.” – Cowherd [19:38]

• Maller says chasing viral moments drives tough questioning; Cowherd finds this opportunistic.

10. NFL Front Office Moves and Coaching Dynamics

[22:36 – 25:16]

• Discussion of Falcons’ hiring process and QB questions posed to Kevin Stefanski—Cowherd supports direct questions about coaching roster plans (“That is a question I would have no problem asking…” [23:26]).
• The importance of coach-GM alignment and why some franchises struggle when that’s missing.

11. Coach-Player Bonds: Emotional Sidebar

[26:21 – 29:14]

• Ben Maller and Colin debate public displays of emotion by new Buffalo Bills coach Joe Brady, who became emotional thanking players.

  “Thank you for allowing me to be myself. Playing for me and being you with us. I may be calling plays still, but I'm no longer the offensive coordinator.” – Joe Brady (quoted by hosts) [26:52]

• Cowherd defends coaches’ emotional attachment to players, referencing stories of Mike Tomlin’s positive influence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Spygate’s Lasting Impact:

  “Spygate should have been brought up... but I think it’s a five-minute discussion.” – Ian O’Connor [02:55]

• On Belichick’s Resume Overwhelming Transgression:

  “When you completely overwhelm the transgression the way Belichick did... you are a no-brainer hall of Famer.” – Ian O’Connor [03:46]

• On Hall Voting Logic:

  “There’s no good excuse for not voting for the greatest NFL coach of all time, no matter how you slice it.” – Ian O’Connor [05:09]

• On Media Relations and Hall Voting:

  “Mariano [Rivera] was such a pleasure to deal with… it did matter to the voters.” – Colin Cowherd [10:24]
  “I really do not believe that was it.” – Ian O’Connor [11:48]

• On Kraft/Bill Dynamics:

  “I think it’s possible Kraft might have whispered to a couple of voters, and... would love to get into the hall of Fame ahead of Bill.” – Ian O’Connor [13:21]

• On NFL Hall Political Nature:

  “All hall of Fames... get political. It is, it’s inexact, it’s opinion.” – Colin Cowherd [31:52]

• On Emotional Connections:

  “Thank you for allowing me to be myself. Playing for me and being you with us...” – (Joe Brady, via Cowherd) [26:52]

Important Timestamps

• Spygate’s Impact & Belichick’s Record: [02:01 – 03:10]
• PEDs and Voting Standards Comparison: [03:10 – 04:09]
• Debate on Voting Methodology: [05:09 – 05:58]
• Eli Manning Hall Debate: [06:29 – 07:56]
• Rodgers-McCarthy Steelers Speculation: [07:56 – 10:15]
• Personality vs. Performance in Voting: [10:24 – 12:46]
• Kraft’s Possible Voter Influence: [12:46 – 14:06] & [30:56 – 31:52]
• Hall of Fame Voting Politics: [31:52 – 36:35]
• Media’s Role in Spygate Discourse: [18:22 – 22:36]
• Front Office & Coaching Dynamics: [22:36 – 25:16]
• Emotional Coaching Moments: [26:21 – 29:14]

Conclusion

This episode provides a nuanced look at the intersection of sports legacy, ethics, and politics in Hall of Fame voting, centering on Belichick’s case. O’Connor’s reporting and historical perspective offer clarity: Spygate warrants mention but not the degree of punishment leveraged through the Hall’s voting mechanisms. Colin and his guests also explore the human and structural factors that continue to shape how coaching legacies are remembered, all with the energetic, conversational style that defines The Herd.