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This is an iHeart podcast guaranteed human pay around the corner and around the globe. Apple Pay is accepted at millions of places worldwide. Wherever you see the contactless symbol in stores or the Apple Pay button online and in apps. Whether you're checking out on iPhone or Apple Watch, just double click pay and be on your way. Add your debit or credit card to wallet and you're good to go. Pay the Apple Way terms apply. I'm Colin Coward from the Herd. Whether you're a seasoned small business owner or thinking about getting started, you'll definitely want to check out season four of Mind the Business small business success stories from iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio and Inuit QuickBooks. In the latest season, hosts Austin Hencwitz and Jenise Torres are talking to self starters about the ins and outs of entrepreneurship and how QuickBooks helps you to get more done in less time. You don't want to miss it. Listen to Mind the Business Small business success Stories on the iHeart app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'll say it up front, I don't usually endorse supplements. Most promise shortcuts. Anybody who's done real work knows shortcuts fail. But I like EM drives. Every morning I put that protein powder in my coffee. It's practical. As you get older, energy dips and weight comes easier. That's biology. EmDrive boost and burn support steady energy metabolism and F burning, so effort actually counts. Clinically tested ingredients find that it sprouts Amazon or mdrive for men.com m drive for men who still show up. This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Okay, Arby's just casually pulled up with a deal that feels a little too good.
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They've got this new meat in three box for 7.99 and honestly, it's stacked with Arby's quality favorites in a way
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that feels kind of ridiculous. For that price, here's what you're getting inside. You pick one sandwich, the classic roast beef, the crispy chicken sandwich, or the crispy fish sandwich.
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Then it just keeps going because also comes with melty mozzarella sticks, crispy curly
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fries, and a peach cobbler roll, which
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is a little sweet treat and so good.
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And you get a small drink to round it all out. So yeah, it's called meat and three, but you're actually getting five items all for only $7.99.
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Pick the sandwich you want, make it
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your own, and get it your way. Available for a limited time at participating locations. While supplies last, prices may vary. Get your meat in 3 box at any Arby's near you today. 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 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. You're listening to FOX Sports Radio. Well, Bruce Feldman's at the combine. He wrote a great piece in the Athletic on Mendoza's journey. And it's interesting. I remember when Indiana started winning this year. I went back and I started like going to cal footage on YouTube and all the numbers and it's, it's, it's, it's not a Trevor Lawrence situation with Mendoza where, you know, his freshman year you're like, I mean I saw Trevor Lawrence in high school. I was like, oh my God, it's, it's. Or a Matt Stafford where Mel Kuiper once said he could have been drafted out of high school. It's been more slow growth, but I'm for that. Aaron Rodgers was slow growth. You know, Andrew Luck jumped off the television set as a true red shirt freshman or true freshman. With that, Bruce Feldman joins us live at the combine in Indianapolis. You wrote this piece on him about his journey. It's a great article and give the audience some understanding. And I, and I tend to think, you know, these, Caleb Williams is so dynamic. The first time I saw him at Oklahoma, I'm like, wow, what is that? That's great. That is an outlier. Most kids are like Drake May, they've got Justin Herbert. Herbert took a long time to develop into something. So was there a time that people had doubts about Mendoza? What do you make of his jersey and jersey journey? And it says ascension over the last, you know, year.
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C
Oh yeah, there was a massive amount of doubts. He was a, at one point a two star quarterback recruit in Miami, which is obviously South Florida is a college football hotbed for talent. And one of the coaches who had tried to recruit him at fiu, it's not a powerhouse, but Mendoza grew up just a few miles away from their campus. And this coach said he was begging for us to take him. And our quarterback at the coach at the time just didn't see it. And he was like, basically was like 20 pounds less than he is now and a little goofier. But that was basically him. But you saw something, he led them Miami, Columbus High School, which by the way is Mario Cristobal's old high school. He led them to some wins over some, you know, national powers that he played and still, you know, he was committed to Yale. He had no FBS offers until right before signing day of his senior year. Cal took a chance on him and he went there and as you said, like he had some promising moments and I think he kept developing. And then big credit to Kurt Signetti. He saw something more than what a lot of other people saw. And Signetti had a connection to the family because he had signed Alberto Mendoza, Fernando's younger brother and you know, felt like, all right, this is a really special family. This kid has a lot of work ethic. We're going to see it. And I think you look at some of the kind of arcs of this former two star guy with zero sense of entitlement, you know, high academic guy. And he's not, he's not Justin Herbert in terms of the, you know, he's not quite, he's big, but he's not that big. He's moves pretty well but doesn't run like. And he doesn't have that, you know, cannon for an arm. But Justin Herbert, as you said, Colin was like not a big recruit. He was in Oregon's backyard and really blossomed. Yeah, also really high academic guy, you know, like a 4:2 in biology. This is a high academic guy. And so Chandler Whitman Murr, who was worked with the Chargers when Justin Herbert was there and was the quarterback coach last year for Indiana, he saw a lot of similarities in kind of their wiring and I think those are the things. It doesn't mean that this guy is going to be a can't miss. This is not a good quarterback draft. He is not, you know, Caleb Williams in the wow factor. But in terms of the intangibles and the biggest thing that I would say is in his favor is one of the coaches who played him this year in the playoffs said you can affect him but you can't rattle him. And what he meant by that is you may get him on a play and he may throw a pick, but he'll come back the next series and it's going right back to work. So he's dwelling on it and that's huge because you go back to the Oregon game, throws a pick six in the fourth quarter, gets on the field the next, you know, the next series and leads him to a 75 yard touchdown drive. Did it against Penn State, did it against Iowa. And I think that kind of resiliency and that mental Focus. That does bode well if he's going to be the first pick of the draft with the Raiders.
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Listen, and it's easy for me to say this, right, because I work at a network that has the Big Ten, but there is growing evidence between Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana winning titles in succession that the nil, and we kind of predicted it, that these are bigger universities than the sec. The endowments are greater than a lot of the SEC schools. But I mean, I look at the top of this draft and the top two SEC guys are just corners. I mean, it used to be Georgia, Bama, it was linebackers, defensive tackles, edge. Those are all Big Ten in Miami guys now. I mean, that can't be lost on you, right? It does feel like we've had a complete sea change in a sport we both love in like three years.
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C
It is remarkable. I mean, and you see it in the postseason game results, right? And I think what has happened is the Big Ten is. And it was. You know, Ohio State's been super talented. They were when Urban was the head coach there. But I feel like you look at Oregon, right, what they've got. Obviously Signetti worked miracles in Bloomington, but you go through, there's other talent that now has been cycled to other places because of the nil, also because of the portal. And I think that the ability to transfer, you know, Georgia is still really good. They're not what they were a couple of years ago. Alabama is not what they were a couple of years ago. LSU certainly wasn't. And so you're right. I mean, it was eye opening when I think I was on my in the airport on the way to fly down here. And Dale Jeremiah, you know, our friend from NFL Network who does a great job evaluating draft, he put out his like top hundred list. And I'm looking and I'm like, there's not a lot of SEC guys. I was expecting maybe there'd be four in the top 20. There were only two. There was 10 from the big 10. There was more from Miami than there were from the entire SEC. There was more from the Big 12. That was something that nobody would have expected. But obviously Texas Tech is spending a lot of money and they're making shrewd evaluations, too. But it's like this is eye opening. You know, there's a bunch of other SEC guys further outside of the top 20. But like, to see where it is now, it's pretty staggering.
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Yeah, it is. You know, there's a couple players in the draft that are fascinating. The kid At Oregon, the tight end. So he is such a different shape as a tight end. So when I watched Oregon this year I'm like, he doesn't have the. I want my tight ends to be like six, five and a half or taller. Your takeaway on the the combine. Are there a couple of players in this combine that we, we need to watch over the next couple days? That could be really important. Combine doesn't matter for quarterbacks, especially Mendoza when he's the top of the class. Are there a couple guys though? First roundish guys that come. The combine really matters.
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Yeah. And I think the guys who will really light the combine up. That tight end you're talking about, Kenyan Sadiq from Idaho, you know, not like it's a hotbed there, but there are some good players. Colson Loveland, another good tight end it was at Michigan, came from Idaho as well. And this guy, he was on my freaks list in the summer. We did a combine freak story at the Athletic yesterday. He's the number one guy. I mean he is as you said, he's not 6 6, but he's about 250 pounds. He vertical jumps 42 inches. He's really explosive. He was a matchup nightmare. You look at seeing some of the things he does now, the consistency as a rece could be better but he really blossom there. He's, he's a willing blocker and he's going to be an interesting chess piece. He's more, I don't want to say he's the longest size of Brock Bowers, but Brock Bowers also isn't that, you know, six six Greg Olson sized guy or certainly not Gronk size. But I don't think he's quite as good a football player as Brock Bowers, but he's every bit as explosive if not more explosive. And I think there's a bunch of offensive coaches who would love to get their hands on Kenyon Deke.
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Yeah.
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Another guy on the other side of the ball who fits in that freaks category is Sunny Stiles from Ohio State.
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Yes.
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I mean he, he looks like he was created in a lab. You know, he's a guy going to, going to broad jump 11ft. He's a guy who's going to vertical jump over 40. He's big, he's six four plus, he's 240 plus and everybody loves, you know, he is really versatile. There could be four Ohio State Buckeyes go in the top eight or at least in the top 10 in this draft. I mean to speak to the talent that Ryan Day at Amass there and three of them are going to be on defense.
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Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Fox Sports Radio is taking over YouTube and you can be a part of it. Just go to YouTube and search Fox Sports Radio. Hit that subscribe button and smash that notification bell and catch all the videos from your favorite shows. Two pros and a cup of Joe Dan Patrick, Colin cowherd, Stu Godson Co. Lie Covino and Rich, the Odd Couple, Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington, the Jason Smith show with Mike Harmon and the
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Ben Ma Show Fox sports radio on YouTube.
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Subscribe. Hit that thumbs up icon and comment away Pay around the Corner and around the Globe Apple Pay is accepted at millions of places worldwide. Wherever you see the contactless symbol in stores or the Apple Pay button online and in apps, whether you're checking out on iPhone or Apple Watch, just double click pay and be on your way. Add your debit or credit card to wallet and you're good to go. Pay the Apple way Terms Apply. All right, two Truths and a Lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwaine, 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 ATT 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 US Second 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 apply. I'm Colin Coward from the Herd Whether you're a seasoned small business owner or thinking about getting started, you'll definitely want to check out season four of Mind the Business Small Business Success Stories for My Heart Media's Ruby Studio and Inuit QuickBooks. Mind the business is part entertainment, part instruction manual, part inspiration. Each episode features practical tips and success stories that will resonate with entrepreneurs in any industry. In their latest season, hosts Austin Henkewicz and Janiez Torres are covering topics on the forefront of running a small business. They're talking to self starters about everything from how AI helps them work smarter to weathering market uncertainties and enjoying the benefits of being your own boss and using Inuit QuickBooks to help you get more done in less time. You won't want to miss it. Listen to Mind the Business Small business success Stories on the iHeart app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Make your game day legendary with MGM Rewards. From unforgettable tailgate and viewing parties to world class dining, thrilling nightlife and entertainment that keeps energy going long after the final whistle, this is where fans come to celebrate. Show off your team spirit, cheer with friends and earn rewards on every experience you love. Because every play is bigger and every moment feels unforgettable in Las Vegas. So what are you waiting for? Make your game day legendary with MGM Rewards. Visit mgmrewards.com for details. Yeah, the Ty Simpson's interesting. I a lot of people have, I don't know, projected that the Rams have, you know, they never have first round picks. Now they have two. And Stafford's probably off this year MVP level season. He was the MVP that Stafford's gonna, I mean he, he was healthy. He was great. He'll probably sign another two year deal. He loves playing and the team is great and they're in the super bowl run so why not play? So Ty Simpson could sit because he didn't have a lot of college starts. He could just sit and that would in my opinion most of the time they should sit. What do you hear about Ty Simpson? I mean he just doesn't have enough starts, but he does have a good arm. He had Kaylin DeBoer is a great coach so he's been learning like kind of a pro style offense. Didn't have a run game so he had to carry the offense. What do you make of him?
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There's been some good buzz here about him. Colin, in Indy, you'd mentioned the Rams. That's been, that's been some chatter out there. There's been a couple other teams where you hear they're going to probably take him in the first round. He has a good arm. He made a lot of really pressure throws.
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He did.
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And I think he had no run game. By the way.
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You're right.
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I mean that was a huge piece of it. He started to wear down later in the season. He's also a really more dynamic athlete than I think a lot of people realize. Again, he was a one year starter last year. I think he started 15 games. He got pounded by Indiana in the playoff where they were. Alabama got embarrassed. I like him though, this is not a deep quarterback draft at all. He is one guy I think has first round talent and again, if you put him in the, in the right environment where he does get to learn behind somebody, he's a coach's kid. A lot of people really like him. I think, you know, he came on pretty fast and then it kind of fizzled out a little bit. But I, there's a lot to like. I mean, there's no, you know, you're. I don't think anybody's talking about like, oh, he could go on the top eight. That won't. I don't see that happening. But I think somewhere later in the first round as somebody sits there and goes, you know what, we can work with him and develop him because I think he'll do well in interviews again. His dad's a head coach at an FCS school. A lot of people really like the makeup and the athleticism is, is actually really good.
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We've had a history. I mean obviously Tom Brady gets drafted in the sixth round, Brock Purdy in the seventh, Dak Prescott in the fourth, Kirk Cousins in the fourth. Russell Wilson was remarkable Wisconsin and he went in the third. Like there's going to be an undersized quarterback or a small school quarterback. There's a kid, Cole Payton, and a really good pro at North Dakota State program, which they're on my TV about three times a year and they are big and physical. Is, is he the gem? Is he the guy that's going to go, you know, third round? I mean, it feels like about every second to third draft, Bruce, we just. There's a guy that we didn't spend a lot of time talking about and you look up and he can play. Is it this kid?
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I don't know if I would in terms of he's not a really polished quarterback. He's more in the mode, quite honestly, a Taysom Hill where he's a big athlete. I mean, he will test very well. He made vertical jump around 40 inches. He was really more of a running quarterback. But he started to blossom a little bit this past year. It's funny because maybe the best prospect from North Dakota State is actually the former quarterback Trey Lance's younger brother Bryce Lance, who's a big receiver and he'll test great and he had, he was a big play guy in that offense. But I think you'll see Cole Payton get end up. Maybe he'll be in the fifth or fourth, fifth round range and I'm interested to see how people use him because he is a really big, athletic guy. He's still really raw. And as you said, in this draft, I don't think there's a ton of quarterbacks people get too excited about. You know, I could see Garrett Nussmeier from LSU again, a coach's kid who had a disappointing senior year at LSU and everything went wrong. I could see him generating some buzz here because I know people are going to like him and like his makeup. The question is like consistency. So. So you're going to probably see some of these teams end up maybe reaching a little higher for some of these guys who maybe didn't, you know, didn't do that much in terms of, to help themselves on the season, but probably can in the postseason in the post post in the draft run up where people are just kind of reaching, going, you know what? This is not a deep draft. We're going to take a flyer on somebody in the third or fourth round.
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Yeah, teams need backup quarterbacks, too. Bruce Feldman, NFL Combine. Go read his Fernando Mendoza piece. It's fantastic. As always, Bruce, I appreciate it.
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C
My pleasure. Thank you. Colin.
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Good, good stuff on Fernando Mendoza. So, yeah, it doesn't bother me at all is that you often get, it's pretty consistent when somebody like Cam Ward is a no star quarterback or a two star quarterback. They're incredibly grateful, they're incredibly driven, they're pretty humble because they didn't get anything handed to them. So, I mean, half of the five star quarterback recruits, and I follow this dorky recruiting, half of them never pan out. Now, 90% of the two star recruits never pan out. But when they, when you do get that two and three star guy that pops, there's almost always humility and gratitude. And I, you know, I think personality is a quarterback trait. J. Mack with the news.
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C
No, no, no, turn on the news.
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This is the Herd line news. All right, let's start with Everybody's favorite quarterback, C.J. stroud. Except when it comes to the postseason. He had a dreadful one, turning the ball over seven times in two games. Colin, just terrible showing from him, but rumors have been flying. I don't want to say this show started them, but his agents, David Mulagueda. We remember how Mulagueda got Marca Parsons out of Dallas. Now there's chatter. Is Stroud gonna be on the move next? Will GM Nick Casario of the Texans shut all that down? Yesterday at the combine, it's Morano.
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Like we're not trading a guy. He's a quarterback, so he's gonna be
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C
playing Quarterback for the Houston Texans in 2026.
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So anything beyond that, I mean, again, that's your world.
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C
You guys can speculate on that. But we're not trading C.J.
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B
that's obvious. He's not going anywhere this off season. That's obvious. But
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don't you have a source on this?
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I. I'm not saying anything like that. If you just start putting some breadcrumbs together, Colin, you can start to see like something could be afoot. I'll just leave it at that. I'm just curious. Where are you on Stroud? Has he been a top 10 quarterback?
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A
Well, I mean, listen, it was troubling. He just. Really bad turnovers. He wasn't as accurate. I mean, I never thought he was super accurate when he moved. I think he's. He's a guy that, you know, if he moves a little bit in the pocket, I think he throws a beautiful ball. But listen, you can't he. In the postseason, he struggled. They can't seem to get their O line right or their run game right. If Woody Marks isn't playing, they don't have a run game. So I. I mean, I'm. The numbers don't lie. He did not have a very good year.
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He helped get them back to the playoffs, I think. I believe they started owing three climbed out of that hole. Now, the backup quarterback did show well a couple games, but like Nico Collins, in and out of the lineup. Remember, due to his injuries and the concussion, C.J. stroud himself was concussed. Like it was a trying season. The fact they got to the playoffs and won a game I thought was impressive.
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But his touchdowns have gone down every year. And it's. I mean, he. It was interesting. Like, the season ended, he went and got a new look and a new haircut and a new look, and he. You know, he's. He's cycling through some stuff here. I like his coach. They've struggled to keep wide receivers and running backs healthy, so not all of it's on him. Yeah, no.
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B
I still think. Would you say he's top 15 quarterback?
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A
Oh, absolutely.
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B
But top 10 is a bit rich
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for your blood, based on the regression over the last two years. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
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B
Interesting story to watch here in the coming years, Colin. All right, let's go to the Vikings. Obviously, they are still catching heat for dumping Sam Darnold, who then went on to win a Super Bowl. Meanwhile, J.J. mcCarthy, my guy, bit of a struggle bus, so he missed his rookie year. Then he came back in year two and was kind of up and down he was. It was a soft benching, as they're calling it. Anyway, the. The GM gets fired. That was McCarthy's guy. And their new EVP of Football Operations spoke about how the quarterback situation is being approached this offseason, saying the team needs a level of baseline quarterback play. I would say that's a shot. And said he will be casting a wide net when it comes to improving the quarterback play. That's another shot. So who do you. Which veteran do you think they go after? Kyler Murray tua. Kirk Cousins, second tour of duty in Minnesota. A quarterback I'm not aware of. The Mac Jones, Malik Willis. What do you think?
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I think the Niner connection to San Francisco is pretty strong, I would guess. Mac Jones. Do you have to give up like a 3 or a 5?
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B
I need more than that, bro.
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A
Come on.
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B
He's on the cheap and he could be your starter all season. And oh, by the way, you're in the nfc. The last thing the Niners need Mac Jones to go there. Thrive with Koc. They win 11 games and make the playoffs. I'm sure you saw the stat. The Niners have the most travel of any team in NFL history next season because they got to go to Australia and like we don't know what's going on with the receiving room. You're the Niners. I don't think you can give up Mac Jones.
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A
Yeah. Because Brock Purdy gets dinged up. Yeah. Being. Being honest.
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B
Stop taking unnecessary jab at my guy, Brock Purdy. But in all seriousness, Tua. If the Dolphins cut him, you're telling me eight games of tua. If he has to start eight games,
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A
I'm not going to pay that salary.
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B
No, no, no. The Dolphins are going to have to cut him. No, I don't think anybody.
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A
I would take Mac Jones over to him.
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B
What about Kyler Murray? If the Cardinals cut him, you're not paying. You're paying. Bargain basement deal.
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A
No, I don't think he fits what Kevin o' Connell wants to do. I'm not sure. Kyler Murray, I think he has a market. It's not a good one. It's not good teams. I think the good teams are. I mean, it's. I think people that have worked with Arizona, people like Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Keim, I mean, they've left Arizona and they've been frank about what it's like. You know, it's not ideal. It's not a. It's not a great football operation.
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B
My only concern with McCarthy is Kevin O' Connell is clearly Entering this season, you know, on a warm seat, you go playoffs, you move on from Darnold, you regress, you gotta bounce back. This is a big year for klc. I like him. I know you like him as well. They gotta make the right decision. Final story is a guy we haven't talked about on the show in weeks, Shador Sanders. Colin? Yes, Shador. Back in the news because apparently, according to new head coach Todd Monkin, it sounds like it's Shador Sanders against DeSean Watson for the starting quarterback job. And here's what Monkin had to say about Shador.
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A
What you see is elite playmaking ability that's in him. You've seen it, we've seen it. You saw it in college, you saw it on tape last year. Sure, there's, there's a ways to go, but what rookie isn't? I mean, what first year player doesn't have a long way to go? I think it's an open competition. I mean, I, I don't know why it wouldn't be an open competition.
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C
I don't mean that saying it harshly,
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A
but I don't think there's enough on film over the last couple years one way or the other to say, boy, we have a startup quarterback yet, whether internally or externally,
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B
I don't love hearing that Shedeur has elite playmaking ability when the tape from last season shows none of that. You even said he looks slow trying to escape, right? I mean, where's he getting elite playmaking ability? Maybe Colorado?
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A
I would give him the starting job. I. Because I, I think you want a quarterback in a year and I don't want any excuses if they move off Shador. So I would give him starting nod. I don't think he's going to be a great quarterback. He doesn't have any great traits. He's not a great athlete. He's not big. He didn't have a huge arm. He didn't have any trait. He didn't have a wow trait. But I do think he can make plays. I don't think his judgmental was great on or off the field, but there's something there. So why not play him? I mean, everybody in the world knows they want to get Arch Manning. Their owners connected to the Mannings. Everybody knows it. So let's shoot our play, have some fun, stink and see where it lands.
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B
So that now, now you earlier said that the NFL does not have a tanking thing. We now have the Browns. You're saying go get Arch Manning. The jets go get Arch Manning.
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A
Yeah, but that's not the Dolphins. The jets are going to be bad because their coach is incompetent. And the Browns are going to be bad because they don't have a quarterback. So why not play Shador, the popular kid who has more big play potential than Dylan Gabriel? That's not tanking.
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B
What about Arizona?
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A
That's all we have.
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B
Aren't they in the same boat? Like, don't pay Malik Willis, go out there, trot out Quinn Ewers or whoever and stink and go for an elite quarterback?
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A
That's tanking. That's just. Listen, we're not going to commit to Malik Willis isn't tanking. It's just we're going to wait for a quarterback.
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B
Well, wait, if you don't have a quarterback and you don't want to chase Malik Willis, isn't that like a soft tank?
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A
No, that's like saving your resources for one year. You remember, at $30 million.
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B
Great idea, by the way.
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A
That's what Sam Darnold's making. Okay, $30 million for a singular player is a commitment. Just because I don't want to commit to that doesn't make it tanking.
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B
Well, I guess the argument would be if you get Malik Willis at 30 million, he's gonna win you six, seven games.
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A
Exactly. And that's not the goal. Arizona's been winning six games forever.
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C
Thank you.
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B
But I guess we quibble over the words. I just feel like what they're doing is similar to the NBA. Not apples to apples, NBA saying we're sitting our guys.
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A
Tanking would be Cleveland not playing a healthy Miles Garrett. That would be tanking. Not playing Shador Sanders, but not playing your top three players. That would be tanking. If they're healthy. Just late scratches. That's tanking. Yeah.
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B
They're not doing that mouse kid.
- [30:12]
A
Nobody? Yeah, J. Mac with the news.
- [30:15]
B
Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping by.
- [30:18]
A
The Herd lie news in Chicago, 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. Security usually means extra steps and complications, but with Apple Pay, secure payments are simple. Your transactions are authenticated with face id, touch ID or passcode, so security is built in when you check out. Plus, your name isn't shared with merchants and they don't see your actual card number. Whether you're shopping in store, online or an app, protecting your money should be simple.
- [30:57]
C
Pay the Apple way.
- [30:59]
A
Terms apply. 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 and 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 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 apply. I'm Colin Coward from the Herd Whether you're a seasoned small business owner or thinking about getting started, you'll definitely want to check out season four of Mind the Business Small Business Success Stories for My Heart Media's Ruby Studio and Inuit QuickBooks. Mind the business is part entertainment, part instruction manual, part inspiration. Each episode features practical tips and success stories that will resonate with entrepreneurs in any industry. In their latest season, hosts Austin Henkewicz and Janiece Torres are covering topics on the forefront of running a small business. They're talking to self starters about everything from how AI helps them work smarter to weathering market uncertainties and enjoying the benefits of being your own boss. And using Inuit QuickBooks to help you get more done in less time. You won't want to miss it. Listen to Mind the Business Small business success Stories on the iHeart app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Make your game day legendary with MGM Rewards. From unforgettable tailgate and viewing parties to world class dining, thrilling nightlife and entertainment that keeps energy going long after the final whistle. This is where fans come to celebrate, show off your team spirit, cheer with friends and earn rewards on every experience you love. Because every play is bigger and every moment feels unforgettable in Las Vegas. So what are you waiting for? Make your game day legendary with MGM Rewards. Visit mgmrewards.com for details. Yep, new Laker ownership already pushing the Lakers in a new direction. Lon Rosen has come from the Dodgers. He's back to being an executive with the Lakers. And they hired Tony Bennett. Not the I Left My Heart in San Francisco singer. It's Tony Bennett, the coach of Virginia that built a very successful program despite never scoring in the 70s. But, you know, Brad Stevens worked with the Celtics. I could see it working. You know, knows the college game. Lakers have multiple draft picks. And as Rachel Nichols talked about, you know, she talked about this earlier, is if you want to be in the Luka business, build around him. You probably can't be in the LeBron business going forward. Here's Rachel.
- [34:16]
C
There is a big sort of, let's
- [34:18]
A
go to the summer, let's get there, let's move forward. And while the lakers have said LeBron is welcome back in the organization, it's very clear that building around Luka does not involve LeBron James. I don't really blame some sort of the lazy plays or the not getting
- [34:35]
C
to the rim as much or some
- [34:36]
A
of the falling apart that we've seen, because I think everyone's mind on that
- [34:40]
C
team is we're going to fight as
- [34:42]
A
hard as we can, but we all know we're not Finals contenders right now. Yeah, no, I mean, the other thing that has not only surfaced, but it's become true. And we. We remarked on this multiple times this week, is it can't take a year for something to work like, it can't take a year. Dwayne Wade and LeBron worked 15 games in. Fifteen games in. You're like, oh, crap, they're really, really good. And their styles weren't perfect fits. KD worked instantly. They were a year in. The net ratings are bad. When LeBron and Luca are on the floor together, you can't tell me you believe in data and analytics and then just not use it. For Luke and LeBron, they're the worst Laker tandem, the worst on the team, the worst tandem. So the net ratings, the plus minus now when Luca, and we've been on this now for six months, when Lucas on the court with Austin Reeves, actually, it's fine because Luca is the clear attacker, he is the clear centerpiece, and Austin plays off him. But asking LeBron, an inconsistent deep shooter, to play off anybody at this point in his career, it's not going to work. I remember the first game back. Remember, LeBron didn't start the year. He was injured, and then he came back for a game, and everybody said, oh, my God, they play together great. And I said, take a deep breath. It's a game. Is LeBron, over the course of the next 50 games, going to be fine being Lucas Valet? And the answer is no. Austin Reaves has no problem. Undrafted guy, grateful, humble. He had no problem being the valet to Luca. LeBron's not going to do that. And the other thing is they've got draft picks. LeBron's game, it would have fit much better. It would have never fit ideally with D. Wade or Luca, but it would have fit much better. It would have fit much better with Lucas seven years ago when. When LeBron was still in his prime, because he was still seven, eight years ago, an elite defender. He's not LeBron. Go look at how many LeBron games he's best in the first quarter. I mean, he's really a very effective first quarter player, but he doesn't have the juice and the energy to give you those 40 plus nights on both ends of the floor. So it just doesn't work. And you want to be somewhat. You want to be classy and elegant and a little artistic on the separation, but nothing should take a year. It's like if you're married, if you're in therapy three times a week, that's too much work. You know, marriage and relationships shouldn't need therapy three times a week. I got a year of Luka and LeBron. I've got out of shape. Luka last year coming off an injury, in shape Luka this year. And Austin Reeves was available both years. So I've got. Well, they've only played so many games together. That's because Lucas hurt and LeBron's old. So I've got more than enough data that tells me, yeah, LeBron and Luke on the floor together, it's not great. It's bad defensively and it's not exactly a great fit offensively. So the highest scoring duo on the Lakers this year is Luka and Austin Reaves. LeBron and Luka are the seventh highest scoring Laker duo. Now. Try to figure that out. How in the hell is that possible? So the future of this franchise is J.J. redick, Luka and Austin Reaves. Outside of that, I'd move everything, including the furniture. I'd move everything. It's J.J. redick, Luka, Austin Reeves, and I would move Austin Reaves if I got the right offer. But it is nice to have a second shot creator when Luca goes to the bench and Austin is a. A bucket getter, a free throw getter. Hustles his butt off. Limited defensively, but the whole damn roster is. But I'm not anti Austin Reeves. I think you can win a championship if Austin Reaves is your fourth best player. And I think you can get to a conference final if Austin Reeves is your third best player, if he's Your second best player. I mean, let's be honest. If you moved, if you let LeBron go and you moved Austin, Reeves and a bunch of picks to get Giannis, wouldn't that feel better? Giannis and Luka, that's actually a great fit because you can protect Luke on the back end. That's actually a really good fit. But yeah, I mean, it's. The numbers are in. The numbers. Messi goes to Miami, instantly works. Katie to the warriors, instantly works. It can't look like this. Randy Moss to the patriots worked instantly. LeBron and Luca, seventh best Lakers scoring duo. I mean, it's not much of an argument. And Austin and Luka, number one scoring duo. So there you go, J. Mac. Sometimes J. Mac, I just got to sit you down and say, listen to your mentor. Here's how the world works.
- [39:59]
B
Self appointed mentor. If we're being real, remember a year ago, the Lakers were like, oh, shucks, you want to trade us Luca? Of course we'll take him. We'll figure it out later. They steal Luka from Dallas and then now they're figuring it out. They're seeing LeBron and Luka doesn't quite work together. That's fine.
- [40:17]
A
Yeah.
- [40:18]
B
LeBron has an existing contract. It ends at the end of this year. Yeah, I don't think there's anything to worry about. I mean, again, like you said, go get Giannis, figure it out. Find the role players.
- [40:27]
A
Well, they brought in Tony Bennett. You know why? Because they're draft picks. They're realizing what the leagues become is what San Antonio, Detroit and OKC are. Draft and develop teams. That's the new cba. And so they brought Tony Bennett on. Like, we need to nail these three draft picks, assuming you keep them. Fair. Fair point. All right, we're done. Check out that Fox Sports app. Think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. So bring us your bill. Walk in, running, pogo sticking, teleport. If you can ride on the back of a rollerblading yakker flying on the way of a majestic falcon. Any way you can bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. On the best network based on root metrics. Best overall Mobile Network Performance, U.S. second Half 2025. All rights reserved. Must provide a very recent postpaid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms conditions and restrictions apply. Whether you want to maximize your performance or form healthier habits this year, knowing what your body needs can help put you on the right path. With Quest, you can buy your own lab tests online@questhealth.com no doctor visit required for purchase. Quest has a huge selection of tests, including the new Elite Health Profile, a panel made for men and women and tracks 85 plus health markers affecting the heart, liver, kidneys, hormones, metabolism and immune system, delivering a ton of insights in one snapshot. For a limited time, save on select lab tests@questhealth.com with code herd10. That's herd10 at checkout. Terms apply. Make your game day legendary with MGM Rewards. From unforgettable tailgate and viewing parties to world class dining, thrilling nightlife and entertainment that keeps energy going long after the final whistle, this is where fans come to celebrate, show off your team spirit, cheer with friends and earn rewards on every experience you love. Because every play is bigger and every moment feels unforgettable in Las Vegas. So what are you waiting for? Make your game day legendary with MGM Rewards. Visit mgmrewards.com for details. Most people think their insurance will cover them if disaster strikes. But here's the truth. Many are wrong. You pay your premiums. You assume you're protected. Then the fine print hits. Exclusions, loopholes, limits. Suddenly that coverage you counted on isn't really coverage at all. That's why I like my policy advocate. They take your actual policies, home, life, auto, break them down in plain English. They show you what's really covered and what isn't. Cost 27 cents a day. That's it. Less than a cup of coffee. Before you assume you're covered, go to mypolicyadvocate.com let them review your policy. You might be shocked at what you'll find. MyPolicyAdvocate.com this is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.