THE HERD - Hour 3 – Oregon vs Texas Tech, Sam Darnold vs Kyle Shanahan, the Lamar Jackson Conundrum

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd (Hosted by Rob Parker & Kerry Rhodes)

Hour 3: Oregon vs Texas Tech, Sam Darnold vs Kyle Shanahan, the Lamar Jackson Conundrum

Air Date: January 1, 2026
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host (This Hour): Rob Parker and Kerry Rhodes

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Episode Overview

This energetic holiday episode features Rob Parker and former NFL All-Pro safety Kerry Rhodes as guest hosts, dissecting three major storylines: the Oregon vs. Texas Tech Orange Bowl playoff clash, the continuing enigma of Sam Darnold’s NFL career versus Kyle Shanahan’s playoff reputation, and the contentious quarterback decision facing the Baltimore Ravens with Lamar Jackson’s injury status. The duo bring unfiltered, opinionated commentary, frequent real-time game updates, and a few memorable debates about coaching, playoff formats, and the year’s biggest sports storylines.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. College Football Playoff: Oregon vs Texas Tech

• Live Game Updates: The hosts provide real-time reactions to a low-scoring, defensive struggle where Oregon leads 13–0 into the fourth (23:04–23:21, 47:34).
  • Despite dominating stats, Oregon fails to convert red zone chances, giving up potential field goals (07:02–07:23).
  • Texas Tech, coming off a first-round bye, looks sluggish and risks falling to a 0–6 record for teams with byes in the new playoff format.
• Playoff Format Debate: Rob and Kerry challenge the merit of expanded playoffs.
  • Rob critiques the diminished importance of the regular season due to expanded playoff spots (24:34–25:03).

    "In the old days, if you lost two football games in college football, your season was over. And now we're rewarding them by making the playoffs bigger." — Rob Parker (24:34)

  • Kerry acknowledges the underdog appeal but agrees the “bye” system appears flawed if top teams consistently lose (27:10–27:13).
  • Both float reseeding as a possible solution, noting that Miami was severely under-seeded as a #10 despite its talent and record (27:31).
• Notable Moment: The hosts bemoan modern coaching aggression and reliance on analytics ("arm punting," failed fourth downs) over traditional strategies—citing Brandon Staley as an example of negative influence (29:00–29:54).

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2. NFL: The Lamar Jackson Conundrum in Baltimore

• Quarterback Controversy: With Lamar Jackson nursing a back injury, backup Snoop Huntley has delivered a strong must-win performance, leading to media debate (09:25–09:28).
  • Audio Insert: Rob G shares Shannon Sharpe's controversial call to stick with Huntley (09:47).

    "I'm starting Huntley." — (Shannon Sharpe via Rob G, 09:47)

  • Hosts React: Both Rob and Kerry vehemently disagree with sitting a 2-time MVP quarterback unless he’s truly unable to play.

    "If he's 70%, 65, 70%, I'm going to play him over Hunt[ley]. I am. ... my two time MVP quarterback to play him at 70% is still better than Huntley." — Rob Parker (11:06–11:52)

  • Kerry calls out player pundits pushing for benching Lamar, “Even coming from players, coming from Shannon Sharpe, man, please be quiet.” (12:15)
• Implications for Coaching: Both speculate that if the Ravens lose—regardless of who starts—John Harbaugh's tenure should end, comparing his stagnation to Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh (15:07–15:32).

  "If they don't win the game ... John Harbaugh has to be fired." — Rob Parker (15:07)

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3. NFL: Sam Darnold vs. Kyle Shanahan — Legacies on the Line

• Seahawks (Darnold) vs. 49ers (Shanahan) Showdown Preview
  • Kerry and Rob set up the stakes for the divisional battle:
    • Darnold’s pattern: good stats, but questions linger after playoff disappointments — this game is "another big spot for him" (32:15–33:35).
    • The two question if Darnold ever truly wins people over, noting his contracts are more "prove-it" deals (34:04–34:20).
    • Darnold's path to redemption? "Win a division and then win a couple games, like get to the NFC Championship game…he turned his career around." — Rob Parker (36:11).
  • Kyle Shanahan’s Playoff Demons:
    • Rob presents Shanahan’s record: blown multi-score Super Bowl leads (28–3 in Atlanta, two 10-point 4Q leads in SF).

      "Kyle Shanahan’s teams have been outscored a combined 58 to 12 in the fourth quarter [of Super Bowls]. 58 to 12." — Rob G (39:11)

    • They criticize his game management, e.g., not running clock or running plays at the end of Super Bowl LI (39:50–40:53).
    • "There's winning football and there's football. It's winning time." — Rob Parker (40:53)
  • Can both Darnold and Shanahan be "Super Bowl or Bust"? The hosts spar over which storyline matters more.

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4. Debate: College Football’s New Normal

• Miami Upsetting Ohio State: Good or Bad for CFB?
  • Kerry embraces upsets (“great for football”), Rob worries about the value of regular season and traditional blue bloods being ousted (24:34–25:03).
  • Discussion underscores uncertainty surrounding playoff expansion, with top seeds underperforming after byes.

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5. 2025’s Biggest Sports Storylines (49:00)

• Rob Parker: Miguel Rojas’ clutch World Series homer that “bailed out” Ohtani and utterly changed Dodgers’ fortunes (49:41–51:00).

  • "That was one out, nobody on in the ninth inning in Toronto. Right? Toronto winning by one run. Miguel Rojas, of all people, to hit a home run in that spot with Ohtani on deck." — Rob Parker (49:41)

• Kerry Rhodes: Luka Doncic’s blockbuster trade to the Lakers—a huge story, but underwhelming in results because of lingering defense concerns (51:14–51:33).
• Rob G: Shedeur Sanders shockingly falling in the NFL draft—a “media-defining” and cross-cultural moment (51:49).

  • "There were people who don't even watch football who knew about that story…they're breaking through on ABC local television… and we're at pick 127." — Rob G (52:26)

• Chris (producer): The NBA betting scandal involving Chauncey Billups and the fallout for sports and gambling relationships (52:45–53:21).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Darnold Narrative:

  “He’s got that with him. ... if he stinks in this one, people are going to be like, 'Well, he won the Rams game, so he's good.' No, no, no, no, no.” — Rob Parker (36:06)

• On Coaching Stagnation:

  "Everything has an expiration date. ... I was drinking the milk and then I realized it was a little lumpy. And then I looked on the date, and I realized it had expired." — Rob Parker (15:49)

• On Analytics Overload:

  “Brandon Staley did more damage to football than I ever thought.” — Rob Parker (29:00)

• On College Football Parity:

  "Miami isn't a slouch of a team...but 0–5 going to be 0–6 is worrisome." — Rob Parker (27:10)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Topic | Timestamp (MM:SS) | |---------------------|---------------------------------------------| | Show/Hosts intro | 03:06 | | College Football – Oregon vs Texas Tech, playoff flaws | 06:52 – 07:52, 22:32 – 27:37 | | Ravens Lamar Jackson debate (Shannon Sharpe clip & discussion) | 09:25 – 13:49 | | Harbaugh/Tomlin on the hot seat | 15:07 – 16:33 | | CFB Playoff Format debate | 24:34 – 27:37 | | Live game coaching/analytics rant | 29:00 – 30:05 | | Sam Darnold “prove it” for Seattle, contract breakdown | 32:00 – 36:11 | | Shanahan’s Super Bowl failures & legacy debate | 38:00 – 41:16 | | 2025’s Biggest Sports Stories | 49:00 – 53:21 |

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Tone & Style

The episode is lively, candid, and tinged with Rob Parker’s trademark snark. Banter between Rob and Kerry is quick-witted, with a blend of nostalgia, frustration, and hope for sports' future. The style is conversational yet knowledgeable, with no hesitation to call out bad coaching, “analytics madness,” or media narratives. The tone is informal, open, and at times, humorously exasperated.

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Summary

Hour 3 of The Herd (Jan 1, 2026) is a fast-paced roundtable on the flaws of CFB’s new playoff system, tough coaching and roster decisions in the NFL, and the defining sports narratives of 2025. Real-time game analysis, sharp debate about quarterbacks and coaches under pressure, and reflections on a tumultuous sports year make it engaging listening for serious sports fans.

Transcript

[Rob Parker]

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[Okta Representative]

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[Commercial Announcer]

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[Rob Parker]

No.

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[Rob Parker]

Yeah.

[Commercial Announcer]

An afternoon stroll? Sorry, no. A burrito bowl? Happily, yes. How about the clear skies? Can't deliver that. But French fries?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Commercial Announcer]

Get almost almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select Markets. Product availability may vary by region. Seattle for details. 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 FS.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Now, let's get this party started.

[Rob Parker]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Rob Parker]

This is the Herd indeed. With me, Rob Parker and former All Pro safety Kerry Rhodes. You remember he played for the jets and the Cardinals. The jets were actually good when Kerry Rhodes.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yes, we were right there.

[Rob Parker]

Did you go to the AFC Championship game two years in a row, right?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Well, I went one and I got traded to Arizona. I would have stayed with the jets that year. We would have won a Super bowl, though, just to make him even more sick right now.

[Rob G]

There you go.

[Kerry Rhodes]

But I remember.

[Rob Parker]

Yes, the jets were actually good. I grew up in New York. And you were a Jet fan growing up. I was.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Oh, don't say just growing up.

[Rob Parker]

You're done. No, I'm done. I haven't been a fan for, like, 40 years of teams. I'm just not, you know, I'm a reporter.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Right, right, right, right.

[Rob Parker]

I'm not Rob G. Would you stop?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Rob G. Is he a Jeff fan under. Underneath it all?

[Rob Parker]

No, I'm not a fan at all.

[Commercial Announcer]

No.

[Rob G]

But, you know, if the Yankees on Rob G. Let's get that on. And three, just in case.

[Rob Parker]

I just want to watch.

[Commercial Announcer]

And then.

[Rob G]

And then if Aaron judges up, turn down the monitors. I don't need to hear Kelvin. Let's get the sound. I want to hear them call the play by play.

[Kerry Rhodes]

He's trying to hide his. He's trying to hide his partiality here.

[Rob G]

Exactly.

[Rob Parker]

Would you stop?

[Rob G]

And then, you know, Lamar was his guy. We'll get into Lamar Jackson in a few minutes. Lamar was his guy forever. I know, but when Aaron Rodgers is there.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Oh, that ain't what it is.

[Rob G]

Aaron Rodgers got some beautiful balls, right, Rob?

[Rob Parker]

No, that ain't it.

[Rob G]

That's where it's from.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I can't believe. Is that what it is?

[Rob Parker]

That ain't it. It's not. I just don't feel good about them. But anyway, it is the Herd. Happy New Year's Day. Great to be with you. That's right. And to get more of us, all you need to do is check out the new Odd Couple YouTube channel. Just search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube again. That's Odd Couple FSR be sure to hit us up. Hit that subscribe button. Don't stop there. Also, hit the thumbs up icon and comment away. Just search Odd Couple FSR don't forget. Coming up later on in this hour, we're going to talk with Spencer Tillman. Of course, Fox Sports Radio college football analyst will talk with him. And I know people are like, well, Rob, you. You're filling in on the herd. But what about the Odd Couple tonight? Who's doing that show? I'm doing that show. Me and Martin Weiss. Kelvin's off, but we will have The Odd Couple 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific. So be there. Yes. I'm double dipping.

[Kerry Rhodes]

You're doing double duty on the holiday in the first day of the year when people are putting out there, you know, I'm gonna. I'm gonna be more balanced in my life. I'm not gonna do all these things. I'm gonna pay attention to my health and myself. You're just like, I'm going all in.

[Rob Parker]

That's who I am. Kerry, you know me for a few years.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yep.

[Rob Parker]

I'm a worker.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Rob Parker]

And I enjoy what I do. And, you know, when I take off and spend time, if I'm not. If I'm not doing anything with the family, and I mean my extended family, then I'm gonna work. If I have family or I gotta, you know, gonna go visit or do something, then I take off.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Rob Parker]

But if I'm gonna lay on the couch on New Year's Day, I might as well do.

[Kerry Rhodes]

The way I admire you for that. I've kind of looked at you from afar and even getting to know you these. These past couple of years, and you know me, I'm. If I can come in and be here as well, I'm gonna be.

[Rob Parker]

Gonna be here. Just get it done. Right. Yeah.

[Kerry Rhodes]

But I'll tell you what, after we get done, back to my bed the night.

[Rob Parker]

You and Rob G. Cause of course Rob G ain't doing double dip in Rob G. Hell, no. I know. Rob's done like. Like, he's like, okay, nice. All right, we did the herd. I'm driving back home. We'll see you on Friday. Is today Thursday?

[Rob G]

I won't even be here on Friday.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Rob G. Will you at least listen to the show at home?

[Rob Parker]

Are you kidding? No. He can't stand the show when he's doing it. No. Yeah. All right. Rob, do you got an update on this Oregon Texas team?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Rob G]

Big game in the Orange Bowl. College football playoff quarterfinals. We've been Talking about it throughout the show. Very tight game, six to nothing. Even though Oregon has dominated in every major category.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah, this is an upset alert as far as, like, domination. You could lose this.

[Rob G]

They had a third and two at the 33 yard line, or so they call it. Deep shot, incomplete right field goal, right. They bypass the field goal once again. They go forward on fourth down, Dante Moore scrambles, gets tackled, short ball back to.

[Rob Parker]

So that's two field goals that's given up. Right.

[Kerry Rhodes]

They should have 12 points, six nothing.

[Rob G]

Texas Tech has the ball.

[Rob Parker]

Crazy. And Rob, if this score holds, this keeps going back to what you were talking hour one about. You know, first round buys, zero and five in these playoffs so far. Texas Tech had a first round buy. It'll be 06. Like, like. And look, they're still rusty.

[Kerry Rhodes]

They're.

[Rob Parker]

They're off. Wow.

[Rob G]

Well, what's in their favor is they're off and going down by six.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Exactly.

[Rob G]

So hopefully by now they're warmed up and they should be good here in the second half.

[Kerry Rhodes]

If the formula sticks. Sticks to being true. Yep. 100%.

[Rob Parker]

All right. One of the biggest games, of course, is Sunday night football. Right. The Ravens. That's in Pittsburgh. Correct. That game is in Pittsburgh against the Steelers. And the winner wins the division and it's the playoff and a home game.

[Kerry Rhodes]

And gets to host a game.

[Rob Parker]

I mean, host a game. So somebody's coming to Pittsburgh or Baltimore.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yes.

[Rob Parker]

For that game. And Rob G. Lay it out here because there's a lot of stuff talking about.

[Rob G]

There's some consternation in Baltimore.

[Rob Parker]

Absolutely.

[Rob G]

Like that word. That's a big word.

[Rob Parker]

That is.

[Rob G]

I learned that from Southern Connecticut Tech State University.

[Rob Parker]

Whatever.

[Rob G]

Home of the fighting Rob Parkers in the press box.

[Rob Parker]

Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.

[Rob G]

That's right. So big game. Of course, now the Ravens have had must win games each of the last two weeks. They had a win last week to set up this week. Lamar hurts his back in Week 16. Snoop Hundley starts in Green Bay. Must win. Gotta have a game. Plays great. 16 of 2207 and a touchdown. He ran for another 60 yards. The big story, of course. Derrick Henry, I was going to say.

[Rob Parker]

Exactly. Yep.

[Rob G]

Runs 36 carries. Shouted 1990s football right there. 36 carries.

[Rob Parker]

Wasn't it in the week before that where they didn't even give him the ball in the second half?

[Rob G]

They didn't give the ball in the last drive.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah, yeah, right.

[Rob G]

Yeah, he didn't. He didn't touch the ball after they got up by. I think 11 points.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah.

[Rob G]

36 carries, 216, four touchdowns. So flash forward to this week. Lamar Jackson gets his first Wednesday practice in about two months, comes back from his back injury. We don't know exactly how much he did. They haven't said that yet. We do know he's wearing a big flak jacket to prevent. Protect his back in his midsection.

[Rob Parker]

I thought that was a fashion statement. Okay, I'm wrong.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Nope.

[Rob Parker]

So.

[Rob G]

And even as of Today, Thursday at 2:00pm Eastern, John Harbaugh still has not said who is going to start on Sunday, Lamar Jackson or Snoop Huntley. But if you ask mutual friend of ours, friend of the show, Shannon Sharp, he has an answer what he thinks should happen. Take a listen.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I'm starting Huntley. What? What? You playing Madden? Nope.

[Rob Parker]

You talking about real life? Yep.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Man, please, you tripping.

[Rob Parker]

Just run the same form. There's no need to start hu.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Huntley, you can't.

[Okta Representative]

Huh?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Because I know he's back there. So I'm gonna ask him to do more. Is Lamar gonna be able to get out of harm's way like Huntley did last night when Green Bay. Has he looked like Lamar Jackson since he's gotten back?

[Rob Parker]

No, not the one.

[Commercial Announcer]

Why not?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Because he's coming off injury. So therefore, start Huntley.

[Rob Parker]

Thank you. Oh, my goodness. All right. And there you go. My thing is. Is cut and dry. Is that another turnover? Yeah, by Texas Tech.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Strip sack. Yep.

[Rob Parker]

Unbelievable. Where were they? This is. Oregon's gonna have the ball in the red zone. Wow. Wow. At the five, I think.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Rob Parker]

This is gonna be ball game here Probably. Yeah.

[Kerry Rhodes]

They score a touchdown here.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah. It should be ball game. But. But here. Here I am. If Lamar's hurt, Carrie, I don't want him to play if he's not. If he's hurt. Yeah.

[Kerry Rhodes]

What does hurt mean to you?

[Rob Parker]

I mean, he can't perform like. Like he's out there. Like you're trying to. Like there's a touchdown. Is that a touchdown?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah, it looks like a touchdown.

[Rob Parker]

Okay, so it's. Finally. They broke through. Yep. And what I mean is he really shouldn't be out there playing. And I'll give you an example. Kevin. Kevin Durant in the NBA Finals.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yes.

[Rob Parker]

Okay. We all knew he shouldn't have been out there, right? Would you agree with that?

[Kerry Rhodes]

I agree with that.

[Rob Parker]

I. I don't think, like, they claim all the doctors cleared them and all that. I'm like, well, who are the doctors? Take their degrees. Because everybody was like, what is he doing out there? And of course it Happens he wound up getting hurt. Yep. If he's 70%, 65, 70%, I'm going to play him over Hunt. I am. Yes, I'm so I'm going to play him and I'll try to protect him, try to make sure, you know, get the running game in there as much as we can establish it and then, you know what I mean, where I'm not asking him to be Superman. Right. But I want my two time MVP quarterback to play him at 70% is still better than Huntley.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yes, yes.

[Rob Parker]

Right.

[Kerry Rhodes]

And specifically going into this game where if Baltimore doesn't know the blueprint for them to win right now, this isn't last year, this isn't the year before where they were an unstoppable, unstoppable offense and they had an unstoppable player in Lamar Jackson where he could do things that other guys couldn't do.

[Rob Parker]

He had a ridiculous. They were unreal last year.

[Kerry Rhodes]

This isn't that year. So you played last week in a musk. Gotta have a game. You ran Derrick Henry 36, 37 times and you won the game. You're telling me a 70% Lamar Jackson can't turn around and hand the ball off and instill more fear and give more fear to the defense with him being back there, even if he's not like this stuff coming out about playing Tyler Huntley over Lamar Jackson, even if he's 70% doesn't make any sense Coming from players, coming from Shannon Sharp, man, please be quiet.

[Rob Parker]

I agree.

[Kerry Rhodes]

It doesn't make any sense.

[Rob Parker]

I can't get over because if you don't win that game, you can't live with yourself, Rob, if you don't, if.

[Kerry Rhodes]

They don't win this game, wholesale changes are coming and I think they're coming anyway.

[Rob Parker]

But the Ravens that we know or have known the last few years, winning 70, 73% of Lamar's game, this is going to all change. Okay? This is, this is. So I want to go down with my two time MVP quarterback now. Like again, if he really can't play and is of course injured, I'm not putting a guy out there if I really know, but he's at practice. Like if he didn't practice all week and you're trying to play him on Sunday, that's ah, yes. You know this. Yes. You're not practicing all week, you can't play on Sunday. I'm sorry. You gotta practice, you gotta practice. So he practiced on Wednesday. Rob G even said it, first time in a couple months. He's had a Wednesday practice. I gotta feel like he's going to play.

[Kerry Rhodes]

He's going to play.

[Rob Parker]

Right.

[Kerry Rhodes]

The fact that Harbaugh hasn't said it yet, that's just. That's for them.

[Rob Parker]

And if they lose, it's okay from the standpoint, you put your best people in and it wasn't your night and you lose. And now maybe this was the ending of what we had here. We failed. We didn't get to the Super Bowl. We didn't, you know, it didn't even give ourselves a chance. Yeah. I told you I picked them the last three years. I know you've been picking them because.

[Kerry Rhodes]

On paper, on paper, they should win.

[Rob Parker]

When I remember week one and they go to Buffalo and put up 40 points and lose that game, do you remember, like, of course I remember looking at the score going, oh, my God, like, you know, like, this is the second year of Derrick Henry and Lamar together, and they went up to Buffalo on the opener and put up a 40 piece and lost and then wound up losing that game.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah. No, this team, we know it. We both watched them very, very intently. And we know the makings and the inner workings of that team and that organization, those players. And this would be. This would be an abysmal loss and an abysmal season if they don't win this game, Rob, and make the playoffs. And so this, this. I'm going out with my. With my top guns, too. There's no way I'm. If he's 70%, I'm not playing them.

[Rob Parker]

If they don't win the game, regardless to. Who's the quarterback. John Harbaugh has to be fired.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I agree.

[Rob Parker]

I just think it's time. And. And he won a Super Bowl. They've won a lot of games, but every year has been disappointing. And Mike Tomlin, too. Mike Tomlin is another guy who. Enough with the finishing above.500 record. Whatever. They haven't won a playoff game since 2018.

[Kerry Rhodes]

2018? Yeah.

[Rob Parker]

Dude, that's a long time. You can't keep living off of the one super bowl, which I'm not taking away from him or whatever. And it doesn't mean you can't go somewhere else and be a new voice and win. Tony Dungy got fired in Tampa Bay and won in Indianapolis.

[Kerry Rhodes]

And it doesn't make you a bad coach.

[Rob Parker]

No, it doesn't. It just means that the time here, everything has an expiration date. Yeah, right. Yeah. I was drinking the milk and then I realized it was a little lumpy. And then I looked on the date, and I realized it had expired.

[Kerry Rhodes]

If you. If it took you that long to realize the milk was. Then that's. That's the real problem.

[Rob Parker]

I couldn't. I couldn't imagine drinking lumpy milk. I mean, like, seriously. Yeah. Am I right?

[Kerry Rhodes]

No. And that's the thing, Rob. You just need a breath of fresh air.

[Rob Parker]

You need a new voice.

[Kerry Rhodes]

A new voice, man, they're tired of hearing the same message. And how many times can you change it with you still being authentic to who you are.

[Rob Parker]

Right? Yeah. And that's where it is. And John Harbaugh, I said they've had way too many disappointments for you to.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Feel good about every way you can be disappointed, Rob.

[Rob Parker]

I agree. It's crazy. All right. Should the Ravens start Lamar Jackson over Snoop Huntley on Sunday night against Pittsburgh? 8 7, 7, 4, 8 4, 3437. That's 8 7, 7, 4, the Herd. We'll continue this conversation next with you. It is New Year's Day. It is the Herd. Rob Parker with Kerry Rhodes sitting in for Colin right here on Fox Sports Radio. And you know what you need to do? Stick and stay. And get up off that hangover, usa. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Okta Representative]

These days, it seems like AI agents are just about everywhere. You turn every field and every function. But without identity, you can't trust they'll serve your business instead of jeopardizing it. Fortunately, OKTA helps you get identity right by securing your AI agents identities, giving you a single layer of control, a single standard of trust. So whether an AI agent supports a single user or your entire enterprise, with Okta, you'll turn risk into opportunity. Secure every agent. Secure any agent. Okta secures AI.

[Rob Parker]

This is Julian Edelman from Games With Names. This message is brought to you by Pizza Hut. Because if you're yelling Hut on Sundays, why not yell pizza first? So Pizza Hut just put out one of the coolest, like, funniest challenges maybe ever. Pizza Hut. What is it? Basically, if a quarterback says pizza before they say Hut, Pizza Hut will give that quarterback city a pizza party. Is this real? Yeah. Isn't that crazy? You think coaches are bringing this up in team meetings?

[Kerry Rhodes]

You think a pizza party is worth a false start?

[Rob Parker]

Or what if they got the other team to jump off sides with a Pizza Hut?

[Okta Representative]

Hey, whatever it takes this time of.

[Rob Parker]

Year, 100% this weekend. Let us know if you hear Pizza Hut. I know. I'll be listening.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Podcast Host]

Learn [e-mail] as we head into 2026, it's safe to say that 2025 was a year like no other. So much news, so much disruption, and yes, so much division. That's why we're wrapping up this season of Next Question with a look back at everything that's happened. Things are coming at us with such a velocity, we thought it was important to take a moment, connect the dots and explore what it all means. We're summing up the first year of Trump's second term with David Graham on Project 2025 and how many of the goals have been implemented. Richard Haass on foreign policy and the changing world order. Jessica Valenti on reproductive rights and the terrifying consequences of abortion bans. Tina Brown on the year scandals here and across the pond. The President has upended everything from pardons to the press, so we're covering it all. Listen to Next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Radhi devlukia and I am the host of a really good Cry podcast. This week I am joined by Anna Runkle, also known as the Crappy Childhood Fairy, a creator, teacher and guide, helping people heal from the lasting emotional wounds of unsafe or chaotic childhoods. We talk about how the things we went through when we were younger can still show up in our adult lives, in our relationships, our reactions, even in the way we feel in our own bodies. And Anna opens up about her own story, what helped her notice the patterns she was stuck in and how she slowly started teaching her body that it is safe now. So when I got attacked, it was very random. Four guys jumped out of a car and just started beating me and my friend and they broke my jaw and my teeth. I was unconscious. Then I woke up and I screamed and I screamed because even though I didn't know who I was or where I was, something in me was just like, hold on, wait, they could kill me. And I'm not going to let that happen. I'm not going to let that happen. I'm going to get through this. And I did listen to a really good cry on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Rob Parker]

It is the Herd here on FOX Sports Radio. Rob Parker and former all Pro safety, of course, Kerry Rhodes sitting in for Colin. Make sure you check out my show, the Odd Couple with Rob Parker and kelvin Washington, weeknights, 4 to 7 Pacific, 7 to 10 Eastern, right here on FOX Sports Radio. Don't forget Spencer Tillman from Fox Sports, of course, he's a football analyst. He'll be joining us in about 10 minutes. We'll do that a lot still to get to in this final hour of the Herd on New Year's Day. Hope you had a great New Year's Eve, a safe one. And and here we are for you working hard for your entertainment dollar. And also to wrap up the show. We're also, Kerry, going to talk about the biggest sports highlight of 2025. I think there's one that's head and shoulders above.

[Kerry Rhodes]

You think there's only one?

[Rob Parker]

Yep, I think there's only one. And it's not even close. I'm dead serious. And there are a lot of things that happen this year. A lot of stuff happened right sports wise. But I really believe it's just one Miami. Of course, we could go back to that. It's 13, nothing to update you on the Oregon Texas Tech.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Well, the game just started for the teams that had buyers. They like to fall, fall behind by two touchdowns and then come back. So we'll see what happens.

[Rob Parker]

It's right because Ohio state was down 14. Exactly right. And now here we go, Texas Tech down 13, nothing.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Down, down 13, nothing on the move and it's fourth and one here. It's a big, big play here where.

[Rob Parker]

The Miami, let's just go back there. Miami beating Ohio State. Good, bad for college football. Just you're okay with it?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah, you know, I'm okay with it, I think. Oh, that's a terrible, terrible call.

[Rob Parker]

What was that? Oh, my God.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I decided to do a little read option, but they had, like, a wildcat situation with the.

[Rob Parker]

But you knew he. You. You knew he wasn't getting there. I could see when it went right. Yeah, he was not getting there.

[Kerry Rhodes]

It's terrible calling.

[Rob Parker]

What are you doing? Okay, I'm sorry.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah, I know. Did he fake it to the quarter? Was that the quarterback?

[Rob Parker]

I just.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Anyway, yeah, that's. That's not good. But, yeah, we talked about Miami and, And beating Ohio State yesterday, and is it good for football or bad for college football? And for me, I think we talked about it in the first hour. I think for, you know, Miami, you know, they're a 10 seed and they're, you know, it's an underdog situation. They beat Ohio State, and people look at that number and say, oh, you know, Miami, Miami beating Ohio State's bad because Ohio State's the brand and obviously had a chance to repeat. But for me, I think it's great. I mean, you sell to teams that are lower ranked that they can go in and win these things and beat the top teams, and so I'm okay with it. I know you got a little problem with it, though, Rob.

[Rob Parker]

I just. I think my problem is the way it's set up. And what are we doing with the regular season? Does it matter? In the old days, if you lost two football games in college football, your season was over. And now we're rewarding them by making the playoffs bigger. Right. And. And expanding it to let teams that didn't. And I'm. Two losses, you say, what's the difference between two and one? But in college football was big. Yeah, right. Yeah. Your season was over when you lost your game in college football. That's what I remember.

[Kerry Rhodes]

You were done.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah. Yeah. And now you're being rewarded because you've opened up the field and you're going to put in these situations. And the other part is when you start looking and keep going like, okay, the teams, the better teams who get the buys, since in this new format, the last two years are now 05. Something is there. It's not like somebody had a buy and they rolled and nothing happened or nothing changed. Why are these teams off to Texas Tech buy? It could be 06. It looks like it's going to be 06. They don't have any points. Here we are in the third quarter. Right. Like that. Like, we can't Ignore what happened Lucy to Texas Tech. All right, all right.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Desi.

[Rob Parker]

I can't find that anywhere.

[Kerry Rhodes]

You can't find that show?

[Rob Parker]

No, I can't find that clip. Oh, that clip of him saying Waharp and Lucy on the Internet. I cannot understand why there's not one clip of him saying that. He used to say it all the time.

[Kerry Rhodes]

All the time.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I don't know. I don't know, Rob. That's up for you to find out.

[Rob Parker]

Chris, you gotta find out. You arec. Chris, you gotta find. Find that for me. Okay. All right. I need you to find Desi from I Love Lucy saying yes. What? Hopper Lucy. Because I can't find it. But archival stuff is my forte. Yeah, you can probably find it somewhere. Thank you, buddy. But yeah, I, I just that you don't want the best teams to be knocked out like if you're a league or like, do you, Rob, you keep.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Saying that Miami isn't a slouch of a team, but yo. I mean Miami was considered at this point. They were number two in the country.

[Rob Parker]

Is the reigning champ.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Sure.

[Rob Parker]

They, they, they're the biggest payroll. They, they biggest payroll. They travel extremely well. I would say people everywhere.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Rob Parker]

Like those are the schools you want to be involved going forward. And I'm just saying. I'm not saying that they can't be an upset occasionally or whatever, but 05 going to be 06 is worrisome.

[Kerry Rhodes]

That's the problem.

[Rob Parker]

Nobody's winning.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah, that's the problem.

[Rob Parker]

I think.

[Kerry Rhodes]

And we talked about it earlier again, you guys, if you guys are just tuning in in the first hour, we talked about maybe the issue is the receding of it and how they seeded. Because Miami, obviously, if you look at them, they're not a 10 seed. Right. So I think receding can be the biggest issue here.

[Rob Parker]

But if you lose two games though, I mean like, like this is because expanding sometimes.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Well, what if you lost two games? What if you lost one throughout the season? Then you lose your conference championship.

[Rob Parker]

That's like games.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I know, but that those two games aren't created equal. Like you made your. Your league championship and then you. I'm not saying that's because that's not.

[Rob Parker]

The case for my. But even in Ohio, Ohio State, they won all their games and then they lost it championship. But that was only one. That was the only. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So they lost and then Ohio State. I don't want to. We could do revisionist history. And I'll say they really shouldn't have been the number. I mean, number two, right? Yeah, because they didn't play anybody. And Indiana beat them in the Big Ten championship or whatever.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Man, Oregon's trying to keep Texas Tech in this game.

[Rob Parker]

Well, they just got to pick, right?

[Kerry Rhodes]

I mean, they keep going for it on fourth down. Punk the ball.

[Rob Parker]

Was that a fourth down? Yes. My goodness. What is going on?

[Kerry Rhodes]

I don't know.

[Rob Parker]

You, these coaches, everything is mad now. Play field position, trust your defense. You got zero points, right? What are you doing?

[Kerry Rhodes]

I mean, it's not even like they're at the. In like their friends. 35 yards.

[Rob Parker]

They were nowhere.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Nowhere.

[Rob Parker]

Nowhere. Bill, why? Why?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Rob G. What's going on with this?

[Rob G]

Why did it.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Why did.

[Rob G]

You're not gonna punt then arm punt. Tom Brady's been, I'm throwing 50 yards up and there's going to be a touchdown, interception. Be one or the other.

[Rob Parker]

Yes, right.

[Rob G]

And he's like, I'm going to throw a seven yard crossing route that gets picked off. They get the ball back in midfield.

[Rob Parker]

You know what? I got to admit, Brandon Staley did more damage to football than I ever thought.

[Rob G]

You think he has that much credit that it's him?

[Rob Parker]

I'm going to blame Brandon Staley because he was the one doing those crazy like I used to watch and go, are you kidding me?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Just out of touch.

[Rob Parker]

I remember one were they playing Kansas City. They could have beat Kansas City here in la. And he had like two or three calls that were just. And one was like fourth down, you know, on their nine.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah, like weird. Yeah, weird.

[Rob Parker]

And I'm like, you're gonna give Patrick Mahomes and him the ball at the nine.

[Kerry Rhodes]

See?

[Rob G]

But they don't view it like that, Rob. They're like, no, we're gonna go for it and we're gonna have first down at the 13 is what we're gonna do. We don't view it as we're going to give them the ball back. That's why they go for it.

[Kerry Rhodes]

The analytics say yes.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah.

[Kerry Rhodes]

No.

[Rob G]

And now you see that graphic on the screen. It says go. When has it ever said punt? I've never seen on that graphic. Fourth and three from this spot says punt. You know what it always says Go for it.

[Rob Parker]

It's just like baseball. They don't want to bun anymore to move the runner over and then guys hitting the double plays. Am I right? It drives you cr. It's like first and second, nobody out and they don't want to bunt the runners over and a guy will hit Into a double punt and you're hitting.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Into the shift usually. I mean, I know that's changed, but.

[Rob Parker]

But you know what I mean, right?

[Kerry Rhodes]

You're hitting it to the shift. Like they're playing you for that.

[Rob Parker]

I'm like, they didn't score. You know what I mean? Like, what are you doing here?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Like, man, at first and second, no outs and then.

[Rob Parker]

And they're swinging away. Ground ball to shortstop, gonna be a double play. I'm like, oh, my God. Okay. Crazy. All right, we are going to talk with our man, Spencer Tillman from Fox Sports, the college football analyst. We're going to do that again. We have them. Are we ready? Not yet. Okay, we're going to do that. Kerry talked to Spencer just about some of the stuff we're talking about with college football and what is cool, what maybe needs to be cleaned up and some of these ideas. But. But let's say this. Okay, so the big game is. Today is Saturday Niner Seahawks. Right? Yeah.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Huge game.

[Rob Parker]

Who do you like in that game and what.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Man, it's for the number one seed. And obviously, I mean, it can be for the number one seed in the NFC and, and winning the NFC west as well, which has been a gauntlet this year. But both of those teams have played out of their mind, I think for different reasons. Seattle, obviously, defensively.

[Rob Parker]

Here's another Sam Darnold game. I'm just. I'm just.

[Kerry Rhodes]

It is. It is.

[Rob Parker]

I'm not even kidding you. And people think I'm too hard on him. But the minis, what happened in Minnesota last year, the reason he's not there, people could say, oh, well, they had J.J. mcCarthy. Yeah. You got a quarterback who put. Did what he did last year. Kerry, how many times has he changed teams after you take a team and go 14 and two and put up the numbers and that team was rolling. Do you remember they carried that guy into the locker room after. I can't remember what game. It was late in the season. This video of the Sam Darnold celebration where they carry him into the locker.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Room and don't sign him back and.

[Rob Parker]

Then they don't sign him back. Week 16, that's that.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I think that.

[Rob Parker]

Do you Remember that week 16, he. Then he wets the bed against the Lions for the division on the line. Right. They're in the red zone four or five times in the first half.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I remember.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah. Can't get it in. Yep. Then they have the T. Has a terrible playoff game. Yep. And because of the fires, remember, the game was played In Arizona.

[Kerry Rhodes]

That's right.

[Rob Parker]

Remember that? That was the whole thing. But anyway, neutral site. He's terrible in that game against the Rams, and that's where people go, I can't trust him. Now here's another game, another year. It's a second year where he has.

[Kerry Rhodes]

A chance to win a division, to.

[Rob Parker]

Win the division and put your team.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I mean, and very similar situations in similar teams as well.

[Rob Parker]

Am I right?

[Kerry Rhodes]

I mean, the Vikings team last year, obviously the Vikings scored a lot of points, but that defense was number. Was one of the top defenses in the, in the, in the NFL. Right. And the same can be said about the Seattle Seahawks this year. I mean, one of the most feared defenses in the league this year. And so for Sam Darnold, man, it's just. And it's always been about him not being, not turning the ball over because he plays well in spots. Even in games when he has turnovers, he plays well, and then all of a sudden he just snaps back to throwing these weird turnovers and interceptions. So if he can take care of the ball, I think Seattle has the team to get it done and win it and win that division.

[Rob Parker]

But if, if, if he doesn't, if he does it, if he, if he just say those a couple pigs. You saw the first half because, because I go back to the first half of the Rams game, that narrative was buzzing because they were like, am I right? Like, oh, my God, here we go again. Sam Darnold, that was a big spot for him. And that's why I think this is another big spot for him. They have to respond. And if you're Seattle again, they didn't give him like some monster contract either.

[Kerry Rhodes]

And that's the difference. And I think what you're saying, Rob, with Minnesota, I'm sure they could have matched that number. And the fact that they didn't match the number that he got in Seattle. Thank you. It wasn't alarming.

[Rob Parker]

It wasn't like, oh, my God, they gave him $200 million. We're not doing that.

[Okta Representative]

Okay.

[Rob Parker]

Right. We're not doing that.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Right.

[Rob Parker]

But it was like. Rob G. Was it a one year plus one? It was like a one plus one. It wasn't even a full two.

[Kerry Rhodes]

And this one for Seattle, in Seattle, I'm not sure. Rob, you got that?

[Rob G]

I think I got it right here. Now, it was marketed as a 3 years 100.

[Rob Parker]

Right. But when you pull the onion back.

[Rob G]

You pull it back, you look at it and it's one year, of course, this season, big number. And then if they really wanted to get out of it. Because there's no other, like, guaranteed salary beyond 2025.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Oh, wow. Think about that.

[Rob Parker]

They could.

[Kerry Rhodes]

That's insane.

[Rob G]

Now you got to take some cap hit opt.

[Rob Parker]

No, no, but.

[Rob G]

But you don't gotta pay a lot of money.

[Kerry Rhodes]

They got a fail safe set in place.

[Podcast Host]

Yes.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Wow.

[Rob Parker]

With just a one year, like coming off a year. And his numbers were crazy last year.

[Kerry Rhodes]

It was. And obviously you just said it. You hit on why those two games that mattered were bad. And now he's got another chance. And we saw you referenced it. You talked about the Ram game on X. It was loud.

[Rob Parker]

Oh, they were already talking. Right. And then, you know, I hear people like after they came back, and then they go, well, I guess you could stop that narrative on. No, no, we're not stopping the narrative on Sam Darnold. Okay. And they did win the game. You give him credit. You give him credit. He won the game. I'm not taking away from him, but really like the whole idea that if he has a stinker in this one, that people are going to be like, well, he won the Rams game, so he's good. No, no, no, no, no. He's. He's got that with him. And I think he needs to win a couple. I'm not saying he has to win every game in the super bowl for people to start believing or trust.

[Kerry Rhodes]

What do you think it is then? What do you think he needs for this playoff run in particular or the end of the season?

[Rob Parker]

I just think if they beat San Francisco and win a division. Win a division and then win a couple games, like get to the NFC Championship game, I think that would look. And people go, sam Darnold, I mean, he turned his career around, was a bust with the jets, and now he's in the NFC Championship. I think that's real. Yeah.

[Kerry Rhodes]

No, I think that. Because there is a progression when it comes to NFL quarterbacks and actually getting to that big game. I mean, we can talk about the 49ers other team, right? They had a quarterback that got a chance after a legend got hurt. He stepped in and was having remarkable, you know, regular seasons and would have flame outs in the playoffs. And you know who that quarterback is, right?

[Rob Parker]

Who's that?

[Kerry Rhodes]

That's Steve Young.

[Rob Parker]

Right.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I mean, the question. I mean, the narrative around him early was he couldn't win the big game. Right. And a lot of people forget about that. It took him years.

[Rob Parker]

And especially replacing such a guy, I mean, come on.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah. And so you have that situation happen and the progression of that, you have to take some lumps and losses and he's already taken his and now it's time for him to course correct.

[Rob Parker]

Take that next step.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Absolutely.

[Rob Parker]

Rob G. I just got a question.

[Rob G]

For you, Rob, because I want to make sense of this whole situation. You just went for what, 13 minutes talking about Sam Darnold and he's got to get it done. I've never been a believer in Sam Ronald McDonald and he's going to turn into a pumpkin. But day one listeners of the Odd Couple weeknights, 4 to 7, 7pm Eastern. Kerry, you were here on Monday.

[Rob Parker]

Yes.

[Rob G]

Did he not say, I don't care about Kyle Shanahan holding this team together in San Francisco. If he doesn't win in the playoffs, get to a Super Bowl, I don't care. Well, these two teams, in order for one of these things to happen, are going to play each other on Saturday and could conceivably play each other in the playoffs.

[Kerry Rhodes]

That's right.

[Rob G]

So you can't have both of them. It's got to be super bowl or buses like which one is it?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Rob D. Yes, you can.

[Rob G]

It's wrong.

[Okta Representative]

It's wrong.

[Rob Parker]

He can have it both in the world according to Parker. But no. So Jennahan's story is different from he keeps getting to these big games.

[Kerry Rhodes]

He's been in the big games and.

[Rob Parker]

Rob G. You had the stats. I know you don't have them handy, but the stats in the fourth quarter of those games and people try not to give them credit for the loss that the Falcons had to the Patriots. I'm sorry, you do. Rob, give me those numbers.

[Rob G]

This is how you know that we use it a lot because I only took one search in my email and I had it handy.

[Rob Parker]

Now these are real numbers.

[Rob G]

All right, so Kyle Shanahan has been in the super bowl three times. Once as an OC in Atlanta, twice as a head coach with the Niners. He has blown a 28.3lead as an OC, the largest in super bowl history. And he has blown two separate 10.4 quarter leads. Those would be tied for the second largest blown lead in super bowl history.

[Rob Parker]

That's what he has on his resume.

[Rob G]

And that's not even your favorite stat. This is Rob's favorite stat right here between the three Super Bowls.

[Rob Parker]

Listen to this.

[Rob G]

Once as the oc, twice as the head coach. Kyle Shanahan's teams have been outscored a combined 58 to 12 in the fourth quarter.

[Rob Parker]

8 to 12. Hello, is this on and here's my thing. When he was oc. Yeah. The reason he got that job was the job that he had done, right. Like when he got the head coaching job. I. I would have rescinded that after they lost that super. I would have pulled it back. Here was the problem. Julio Jones makes an unbelievable catch on third down, right, to set him up. First and 10 at the 22. 22.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Run the ball, Kerry.

[Rob Parker]

You run the ball three times. Just don't. Don't fumble it. Don't three. Just go forward. A. You have a shot for a chip shot as a field goal, right? And you might have picked up in three runs, you might have picked up five or six yards. You're at the 21 or, I mean, at the 16 or the 15 or whatever. Okay? Also, you eat the clock. Go back and watch. I'm telling you, if you're a football fan, go back and watch the end of that game on the play clock. They're starting plays with 25 seconds still left on the play clock.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Just no awareness.

[Rob Parker]

No awareness. Make it run all the way down before I start my play. That gives me. That gives less time for Tom Brady if they were to get the ball back. You always have to be thinking in those terms. You don't pass the ball in that spot. I don't care what you did all year. There's winning football and there's football.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yes.

[Rob Parker]

It's winning time. And we talked about it. Rob.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I told you, those guys like Shanahan and McVeigh, sometimes they're too smart for their own good.

[Rob Parker]

Yes. Instead of going, hey, all we need to do is we need to run the football. And instead, there's a holding, there's a sack. You're out of field goal range. How.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah. That's insane. I know, I know.

[Rob Parker]

Arthur Blank should have had a heart attack right on the sideline. Remember? He came down ready for celebrate.

[Kerry Rhodes]

It was his fault. I blame him.

[Rob Parker]

I don't blame Sammy. What was he doing down there? I know. I remember that, too.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Oh, that's funny.

[Rob G]

Jumped on the phone, called Robert Kraft in the other box. I heard we're going to Miami tonight. Tell me where the strip mall is exactly. No, he didn't say that. I hope he didn't say that.

[Kerry Rhodes]

He said tell. He said he said he told. He said, tell Wayne to be at live waiting for him. So that's what it was.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah, exactly.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Threw another interception. Texas Tech in the end zone.

[Rob Parker]

Oh, my goodness gracious.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Really? Yes.

[Rob G]

Kerry, who'd you pick to make the national championship?

[Kerry Rhodes]

Game to reach the national championship game. I had Miami and I still haven't looked at the other one. Remember, I had the Tex.

[Rob G]

It wasn't.

[Rob Parker]

Yes, it was.

[Kerry Rhodes]

It was a Texas test.

[Rob Parker]

Was it? Texas test?

[Kerry Rhodes]

No way. No way. It wasn't. It wasn't.

[Rob Parker]

Oh, no. Kerry's like, see, that's why he couldn't remember. No, I couldn't remember the other one.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I knew it was Miami, though, right? Miami and Texas. Ok. All right.

[Rob Parker]

Wow.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I was just gonna say the one that I had, that advanced, that made it through so far.

[Rob Parker]

All right, we're gonna put a bow on this bad boy. A bow on 2025 sports calendar. And we'll do that next. It is the Herd. Rob Parker, Kerry Rhodes filling in for Colin right here on Fox Sports Radio. And you want to stick and stay. You too. Could get an interception on Texas Tech in the usa. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, this is Jason Mc Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight.

[Podcast Host]

Fire with Jason McIntyre.

[Rob Parker]

This isn't your typical sports pod, pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on.

[Rob G]

All the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats.

[Rob Parker]

To help you win big at the Sportsbook and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to.

[Rob G]

Straight fire with Jason McEntire on the.

[Rob Parker]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Okta Representative]

These days, it seems like AI agents are just about everywhere you turn, every field and every function. But without identity, you can't trust they'll serve your business instead of jeopardizing it. Fortunately, Okta helps you get identity right by securing your AI agents identities, giving you a single layer of control, a single standard of trust. So whether an AI agent supports a single user or your entire enterprise, with Okta you'll turn risk into opportunity. Secure every agent. Secure any agent. Okta secures AI.

[Kerry Rhodes]

This is Lamar Arrington from Two Pros and a Cup of Joe. Pizza Hut threw down a challenge and it's genius. Quarterbacks say Hut constantly. It's like they're asking for Pizza Hut by name.

[Rob Parker]

Pizza Hut is challenging any quarterback. Put pizza before they say Hut during.

[Kerry Rhodes]

The televised game, Pizza Hut will throw.

[Rob Parker]

An actual pizza party in the city for the first QB that does it.

[Kerry Rhodes]

During a televised game, fans get the win, literally.

[Rob Parker]

Listen closely.

[Kerry Rhodes]

On game day, when you hear Pizza Hut, you know something big is about to happen. Visit pizzahut.com for details if you're paying.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Podcast Host]

Learn [e-mail] as we head into 2026, it's safe to say that 2025 was a year like no other. So much news, so much disruption, and yes, so much division. That's why we're wrapping up this season of Next Question with a look back at everything that's happened. Things are coming at us with such a velocity, we thought it was important to take a moment, connect the dots and explore what it all means. We're summing up the first year of Trump's second term with David Graham on Project 2025 and how many of the goals have been implemented. Richard Haass on foreign policy and the changing world order. Jessica Valenti on reproductive rights and the terrifying consequences of abortion bans. Tina Brown on the year scandals here and across the pond. The President has upended everything from pardons to the press, so we're covering it all. Listen to Next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Radhi Devlukia and I am the host of a really good Cry podcast. This week I am joined by Anna Runkle, also known as the Crappy Childhood Fairy, a creator, teacher and guide helping people heal from the lasting emotional wounds of un unsafe or chaotic childhoods. We talk about how the things we went through when we were younger can still show up in our adult lives. In our relationships, our reactions, even in the way we feel in our own bodies. And Anna opens up about her own story. What helped her notice the patterns she was stuck in and how she slowly started teaching her body that it is safe now. So when I got attacked, it was very random. Four guys jumped out of a car and just started beating me and my friend and they broke my jaw and my teeth. I was unconscious. Then I woke up and I screamed. And I screamed because even though I didn't know who I was or where I was, something in me was just like, hold on, wait, they could kill me. And I'm not going to let that happen. I'm not going to let that happen. I'm going to get through this. And I did listen to a really good cry on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Rob Parker]

It is the Herd on your New Year's Day. Hope you had a great New Year's Eve and you're just chilling, watching College Football 13 nothing, Oregon over Texas Tech. They're in the fourth quarter, about nine minutes to go. Rob Parker, former All Pro safety Carrie Rhodes sitting in for Colin. And if you missed any of today's show, you'll want to catch the podcast. Rob G's putting it together as we speak. Not just on the Herd feed, but the Odd Couple feed as well. Just search the herd or the Odd Couple wherever you get your podcast. Right after the show, today's podcast will be posted. Be sure to follow the podcast rated at least five stars and even provide a review. Yeah, because we're worth it. That's right. Again, just search the herd on or the Odd Couple wherever you get your podcast and you'll find today's full show and best diversion posted right at the end of the show. And don't forget, Rob G Might be going home to get in bed. But I'll be working tonight on the Couple. I will be on with Martin Weiss filling in for Kelvin Washington. And we will do. I'm double dipping on a New Year's Day. It's all good. I got a lot of stuff coming out. We got the super bowl we're going to in San Francisco. Got a speaking engagement at Syracuse in February.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Nice.

[Rob Parker]

So I got these other things coming up so these extra days will be good for me. And I don't mind working on the holidays. I told you.

[Kerry Rhodes]

I'm saying me neither.

[Rob Parker]

Yeah, both of us. It's all good. It's not like we're digging ditches or something. Let's be honest but we're going to wrap on this. What was your biggest Sports highlight in 2025 and USC? Chris or Rob G. If you guys wanted to join in, too, it's cool. Rob G. Do we have what we need? Okay, here's mine. Without. I'm just gonna go to mine first.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah, do that.

[Rob Parker]

Without question. I don't care what anybody says.

[Kerry Rhodes]

You said there's nothing else that competes.

[Rob Parker]

There's nothing else that competes with this. Here we go. Playoff drilled to left field and deep and good.

[Okta Representative]

No way.

[Rob Parker]

Miguel Rojas.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah. That was a big one, that Jerry.

[Rob Parker]

What if he doesn't bail out the Dodgers? Remember, that's a $2 billion bust.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yes.

[Rob Parker]

That was one out, nobody on in the ninth inning in Toronto. Right? Toronto winning by one run. Miguel Rojas, of all people, to hit a home run in that spot with Ohtani on deck, like, seriously. And the pitcher got in trouble because you don't want to pitch from behind. You got to know. You got to go after Rojas. You have to three and two. He knows you got a. Don't carry. You know baseball, dude. You walking me with Ohtani on deck.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Nope.

[Rob Parker]

No. You got to throw the ball over the plate. I'm going to be ready. He's a major league baseball player.

[Kerry Rhodes]

He's old, but he's a major league player.

[Rob Parker]

Exactly. You throw a ball over the plate and I know it's coming.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Yeah, dude. Yeah.

[Rob Parker]

Save the bacon of Ohtani, who didn't play well.

[Kerry Rhodes]

He didn't play well. No.

[Rob Parker]

Mookie Betts didn't. Didn't hit well. Freddie Free, like. Like that was going to be a big bust. Oh, my God. How did the Dodgers lose that World Series with all this firepower? All these great, you know, rotation of pitching, all these guys they got. They got. Was a $2 billion. And Miguel Rojas hit that big home. That's.

[Kerry Rhodes]

That's a good one for me. I mean, for me, the biggest Sports highlight from 2025. I don't know if it's a highlight or low light, but they fit in the same space. Okay. That Luka Doncic Trade to the LA Lakers was one of the biggest stories, obviously, of 2025.

[Rob Parker]

And it was a low light now because he won't play defense.

[Kerry Rhodes]

See, but look, I've. I've watched him play as my team for years. And I told. I told people, I said, yeah, he's going to score. He's going to. It's going to be flash. He's going to have fun. But can he play enough defense? And help that team win. It's. It's better. It's still up to see. Yeah, but he said, no, it ain't up to see it.

[Rob Parker]

It's bad. I don't think it's going to happen. Rob G, usc Chris, y' all got any. What you got?

[Rob G]

I was torn between two, and Kerry took the one I was thinking of, but the other one that immediately came to mind. This is another negative, but it, okay, shocked the sports world. Shador Sanders falling in the NFL draft.

[Rob Parker]

Okay, like, that is that entire.

[Kerry Rhodes]

It was a big story.

[Rob G]

It defined sports media coverage and NFL coverage forever.

[Rob Parker]

Those draft nights, Mel Kuiper losing his cool, losing everything that was like, Mel Kuiper. For a guy who's gotten so many.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Wrong, he got me wrong. I don't like Mel Kuiper. You hear the beef?

[Rob G]

Mel Kuiper.

[Kerry Rhodes]

No, I'm joking.

[Rob Parker]

It ain't that, but you know what I'm saying, Like, he was like, they don't know what. They're like. Everybody in football, he knows, but nobody else knows.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Exactly.

[Commercial Announcer]

Like, you didn't get.

[Rob Parker]

You haven't gotten every pick, right? So let's not act like it's an exact science and it's not. No.

[Rob G]

And there were people who don't even watch football who knew about that story. They're like, oh, man, there's this kid from Colorado and he's supposed to be drafted. He's on day three and he hasn't been drafted yet. And they're breaking through on ABC local television.

[Rob Parker]

Right.

[Rob G]

Which doer watch on the NFL draft. He has not been taken yet. And we're at pick 127.

[Rob Parker]

All right, that's true.

[Kerry Rhodes]

What you got, Chris?

[Rob Parker]

All right. I mean, it's just so hard to beat that World Series. It's probably the best World Series had a long time. It was incredible. This might be another low life for me, but just everything around that day of what happened in the NBA against the arrest of Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, the FBI indictments, like, because I feel like once that moment hit, our entire relationship between what we do and what we watch on TV and sports gambling, which had slowly but surely been encroaching more and more into the space that, that we had to question everything about that. That relationship after that moment. Yeah, Chris, that's a great point.

[Rob G]

Rob, aren't you tight with Chauncey and that what you said?

[Rob Parker]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rob G]

No, you and Chauncey, like.

[Rob Parker]

No, he knew.

[Kerry Rhodes]

He knew about the game.

[Rob Parker]

No. Rob G. He. I worked In Detroit, when Chauncey won the championship in 2004. We ain't that tight like that.

[Kerry Rhodes]

You weren't at the house?

[Rob Parker]

No, never at the house. You know what I mean? Like, it's like we suddenly, after that, everything started to get questioned. No, I mean, and, and, and that's the scale of it. And then the other thing with, you know, this is not like just on basketball, you're talking about fake tables and, and mirrors. Like, really, really sinister stuff. You know what I mean? That's a sitting NBA coach in the pocket of the mafia. What else are you they asking him to do? And then, and then we know every week in the NFL, all we see trending every Sunday is rigged. Yes. And the NFL script, you see it every time there's some play or something, and people lose money. People go crazy over it. I don't know if you saw last night. Who was it? The Knicks.

[Kerry Rhodes]

The Knicks and Spurs. Spurs.

[Rob Parker]

Jalen hit a meaningless three and. And it messed up the spread. All right. It is the herd right here on Fox Sports Radio. Check out the odd couple later on tonight. Running a business is hard enough. Don't make it harder. With a dozen apps that don't talk to each other. One for sales, another for inventory, a separate one for accounting. That's software overload. Odoo is the all in one platform that replaces them all. CRM, accounting, inventory, E commerce, hr. Fully integrated, easy to use, and built to grow. With your business, thousands have already made the switch. Why not you try Odoo for [e-mail]. that's odoo.com.

[Okta Representative]

These days, it seems like AI agents are just about everywhere you turn, every field and every function. But without identity, you can't trust they'll serve your business instead of jeopardizing it. Fortunately, Okta helps you get identity right by securing your AI agents identities, giving you a single layer of control, a single standard of trust. So whether an AI agent supports a single user or your entire enterprise, with Okta you'll turn risk into opportunity. Secure every agent, secure any agent. Okta secures.

[Kerry Rhodes]

AI Ready or Not is on sale.

[Okta Representative]

Now for the holidays, a breakout hit with over 13 million global players.

[Kerry Rhodes]

Ready or not is the tactical first person shooter, where you take command of the SWAT team and feel the weight of the badge.

[Okta Representative]

I reunited with the Legion of Boom. For real SWAT training, you can watch it now at the Richard Sherman Podcast YouTube channel. This isn't mindless run and gun like.

[Kerry Rhodes]

The Legion of Boom's elite defense. Ready or not demands strategic thinking and coordination command 18 intense missions now on.

[Okta Representative]

Sale across PlayStation, Xbox and PC. Don't miss this limited time holiday sale.

[Rob Parker]

This is Julian Edelman from Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jewels. Sunday mornings I've got my game day ritual, coffee, lucky socks and now new Morning Uncrustable Sandwiches. It's all about that 12 gram protein.

[Commercial Announcer]

Boost with the new Uncrustables Bright Eyed.

[Rob Parker]

Berry or Up and apple flavors. Bright Eye Berries got a feisty receiver energy up an apple. Your classic Do it all tight end, soft, pillowy, packed with protein and easy enough for Gronk to grab from the freezer. Whether you're on the couch, driving to.

[Commercial Announcer]

The tailgate or heading to the locker room, new Morning Uncrustable Sandwiches are the MVP of snacks.

[Rob Parker]

Your new Sunday kickoff ritual starts here with new Morning Uncrustable sandwiches packed with 12 grams of protein. Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular storage.

[Commercial Announcer]

Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the.

[Rob G]

Cost of optional benefits.

[Commercial Announcer]

Plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third.

[Rob Parker]

Line free via monthly bill credits.

[Rob G]

Credit stop if you cancel any lines.

[Commercial Announcer]

Qualifying credit required.

[Rob Parker]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.