Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: Hour 3 - Drew Bledsoe Stops By The Herd
Date: December 16, 2025
Featured Guest: Drew Bledsoe (Former NFL Quarterback, Entrepreneur)
Host: Colin Cowherd

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of The Herd’s third hour, Colin Cowherd welcomes former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe for a wide-ranging conversation. Topics span from quarterback career arcs, team culture, and the state of NFL franchises, to specific player performances, and even Bledsoe’s thriving post-football wine business. The discussion is candid, laced with nostalgia, football insight, and practical wisdom—perfect for sports enthusiasts and anyone interested in leadership, team dynamics, and the unique challenges faced by NFL quarterbacks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Quarterback Longevity & Transition to Retirement

• Physical Toll vs. Arm Strength
  • Bledsoe reflects on how, even in retirement, quarterbacks maintain their arm strength, but it’s the physical wear—especially on the legs—that prompts retirement.
  • Quote: "You can always throw it. That doesn't really go away. It's being able to take the hits and do the rest of it." – Drew Bledsoe [04:42]

Young Quarterbacks & the Evolving NFL

• Year Two Jump for QBs

  • The second year is highlighted as pivotal for young quarterbacks, where the speed of the game slows down, and their growth accelerates.
  • Bledsoe discusses how foundational support (coaching, team building, good play callers) accelerates development (using Drake May as an example).
  • Quote: "Year two generally is a time when you can make a big jump because everything really starts to slow down." – Drew Bledsoe [05:45]

• Quarterback Arm Talent & Decision-Making

  • On completion percentage: Big-arm QBs (like Caleb Williams and Josh Allen) sometimes struggle initially to accept taking “easy throws” instead of always seeking the big play.
  • Mahomes and his strategic play progression serve as the modern example.
  • Quote: "There's a switch that has to happen. You're like, okay, let's take the easy ones...when we have to, we can make a big throw down field." – Drew Bledsoe [08:06]

Team Chemistry, Culture, and Leadership

• Culture’s Impact
  • Bledsoe emphasizes that prominent, unhappy players pose a threat to team culture, regardless of roster size, drawing from his own experience.
  • Leadership inside the locker room, not just from coaches, is vital to reintegrating or managing difficult personalities.
  • Quote: "If you're a prominent player and you're unhappy...you really can affect even, even a locker room of 60 guys." – Drew Bledsoe [15:03]
  • Example: Patriots’ ability to handle “difficult” personalities due to strong locker room leaders like Vrabel and Bruschi.

Size Matters—Literally—for QBs

• Survivability and Success
  • Cowherd posits, and Bledsoe agrees, that size is key for NFL quarterback longevity and touch on Tua Tagovailoa’s struggles as evidence.
  • “All things being equal, it's better to be bigger…you got a couple extra inches of viewpoint down the field.” – Drew Bledsoe [17:47]

Team and Player Performance Analysis

• Sam Darnold’s Journey and Aggressive QBs

  • Discussion on Darnold’s career arc: early struggles, resurgence with the Rams, and personal assessment of his interception risk.
  • Bledsoe defends QBs known for aggressive deep balls (e.g., Andrew Luck, Favre, Elway).
  • Quote: "Sam's a heck of a player...it's something that's an easy fix for him." – Drew Bledsoe [19:30]

• Matt Stafford Underappreciated

  • Bledsoe campaigns for Matthew Stafford to be recognized among the elite, citing consistency and arm talent.
  • Quote: "He should be the MVP...He needs to be in the conversation more, Colin." – Drew Bledsoe [21:29]

Post-NFL Careers & Wine Business

• Bledsoe shares enthusiasm for his vineyard, likening team-building in the wine industry to football team dynamics.
• Quote: "At the end of the day, we get to sit and drink wine and call it work. So life's good, man." – Drew Bledsoe [21:42]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Physical Toll of the NFL:
  "You can always throw it. That doesn't really go away. It's being able to take the hits and do the rest of it." – Drew Bledsoe [04:42]

• On Leadership and Locker Room Culture:
  "If you're a prominent player and you're unhappy...you really can affect even, even a locker room of 60 guys." – Drew Bledsoe [15:03]

• On Second-Year Quarterbacks:
  "Year two generally is a time when you can make a big jump because everything really starts to slow down." – Drew Bledsoe [05:45]

• On Stafford's Place Among Elite QBs:
  "He should be the MVP...He needs to be in the conversation more, Colin." – Drew Bledsoe [21:29]

• On Post-NFL Life:
  "We call that working. Colin, I'm gonna go to work. I have to. Have to go try to go try some wine." – Drew Bledsoe [21:29]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [04:42] – Bledsoe on arm strength and quarterback aging
• [05:45] – Year two leap for young QBs, Drake May and the coaching effect
• [08:06] – Completion percentage & big-arm QBs’ learning curve
• [15:03] – Team culture, leadership, and managing difficult personalities
• [17:47] – Size, quarterback durability, and Tua’s recent struggles
• [19:30] – Sam Darnold analysis: turnovers and aggressive quarterbacking
• [21:29] – Matthew Stafford MVP case and top-tier QB conversation
• [21:42] – Team-building in business and wine, Bledsoe's post-NFL passion

Episode Flow & Additional Insights

• The conversation toggles fluidly between on-field performance, off-the-field leadership, and tangible examples from both Bledsoe’s playing and business days.
• Bledsoe consistently emphasizes the importance of organizational structures—be it play-calling in football or team cohesion for business success.
• There’s a recurring theme of respecting the game's evolution: awareness of how more reps and advanced coaching are shaping younger QBs differently today than in Bledsoe’s era.
• Matt Stafford's underappreciated brilliance and how generational narratives in the NFL sometimes bypass consistent performers.
• The episode closes with lighter conversation about Bledsoe’s winery, once again tying the positive aspects of “building great teams” in every arena.

Summary for Newcomers

This episode is a goldmine for NFL enthusiasts interested in the “why” behind QB success/failure, the intricacies of building and preserving winning cultures, and how principles of leadership translate across sports and business. Drew Bledsoe provides honest, experience-rich insights—with humor and humility—that will resonate well beyond just football fans.