Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3 – Tom Brady Joins The Herd
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode Air Date: December 11, 2025
Guests: Tom Brady (NFL legend, Fox Sports broadcaster)
Overview
In this hour, Colin Cowherd welcomes Tom Brady for an extended, revealing conversation that balances football analysis, quarterback development, and behind-the-scenes insights from one of the NFL’s greatest. The episode covers in-depth breakdowns of current NFL teams and players, philosophical discussions about modern offenses, the mental and physical aspects of quarterback play, and Brady’s own transition from the field to the broadcast booth. The tone is engaging, insightful, and marked by a mixture of mutual respect, humor, and straight talk.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Rams vs. Lions — Schemes, Talent, and Quarterback Play
[03:46]
- Topic: What makes the Rams offense so effective?
- Brady’s Breakdown: Praises Stafford and McVay’s in-sync partnership, the versatility of receiver groups (Puka Nacua, Davante Adams), depth at tight end even without Tyler Higbee, and standout performances from running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
- Offensive Line: Brady highlights the Rams’ underrated O-line, noting minimal negative plays and run game dominance.
- Quarterback Duel: Brady loves this matchup—two classic pocket passers (Goff, Stafford) playing “from the neck up.”
“One of the most underrated aspects of this team is offensive line. These guys are playing ridiculous up front. Not allowing penetration ... [it’s] just, it’s pretty awesome to watch.”
— Tom Brady [04:37]
2. Aging Quarterbacks: Training and Adaptation
[05:52]
- Colin asks: Are there things you must do differently at age 39/43 versus 27?
- Brady: Emphasizes becoming hyper-efficient with training and preparation, minimizing wasted reps, and intentionality behind every aspect of off-season and in-season work.
“As you get older ... you don’t waste throws, you don’t waste workouts. Everything is with real intention to it.”
— Tom Brady [06:34]
- Commitment: Playing at a high level as an older QB is like “running a marathon ... it’s all the preparation for the running.”
3. Developing Quarterbacks: Talent, Accuracy, and Autonomy
[07:49]
- Topic: Ceiling for talents like Caleb Williams and Josh Allen—how important is accuracy?
- Brady’s View: Accuracy is non-negotiable in high-stakes games. The NFL remains a “passing league”—elite processing, leadership, and the ability to throw into tight windows are crucial.
“You better be an elite passer, an elite processor, you better have great intangibles and resilience ...”
— Tom Brady [09:55]
- QB Development: Critiques current trends: young QBs aren’t developed for autonomy, are given simpler reads, and often become “robots” instead of field generals.
“The problem in the NFL today is guys aren’t doing that ... essentially you become a robot for the coach.”
— Tom Brady [11:21]
4. The Height Question: Why Most Top QBs Are Tall
[12:22]
- Colin: Points out that almost all MVP-level or division-leading QBs are 6'3" or taller.
- Brady: It’s about field vision, especially over the middle; height allows better command of the entire field. Throws outside are harder for shorter QBs, and sustained elite play under 6'2" is rare (Drew Brees was an exception, and worked meticulously at it).
“If you’re not as tall ... it’s harder to throw the ball to the perimeter ... You don’t get as much run after catch.”
— Tom Brady [14:03]
5. Spotlight on Drake Maye and Patriots’ Resurgence
[15:47]
- Colin: Surprised by Drake’s rapid ascendancy; asks Brady what sets Maye apart.
- Brady: Highlights Maye's work ethic as praised by Josh McDaniels, his sponge-like quality for learning, the fit with the Patriots’ offensive system; says coaching emphasis and system are huge for young QB success.
“He has the physical ability, he has the size, but ... his downfield passing ability is awesome ... He’s in a great system.”
— Tom Brady [16:41]
6. Chiefs' "Retool" vs. Rebuild
[17:57]
- Colin: Suggests the Chiefs’ current situation is a deeper rebuild after paying Mahomes.
- Brady: Pushes back, asserting that with Andy Reid and Mahomes, it's always a retool, not a rebuild—those pillars are enough to maintain competitiveness.
“I’m never counting them out until they’re mathematically eliminated ... When you have Reed and Mahomes, everything is a little tinkering. I don’t think anything’s a true rebuild.”
— Tom Brady [19:07]
7. Quarterbacks Returning—Could Brady or Rivers Play on Short Notice?
[19:42]
- Colin: Asks if retired QBs like Philip Rivers (or Brady) could step back in and produce.
- Brady: Jokes about retirement/unretirement, affirms he could do it—if not for his Raiders ownership. Emphasizes the mental advantages that persist well after physical peak.
“The mental is to the physical as four is to one at the quarterback position. And that doesn’t really go away.”
— Tom Brady [21:07]
8. Fixing a “Broken” Offense—Lessons from Patriots and Lions
[21:53]
- Colin: Asks how to fix offensive rhythm when injuries or slumps hit.
- Brady: Preaches “complementary football.” Winning two of three phases (offense, defense, special teams) was a Patriots hallmark. Solutions include adjusting aggressiveness, draining clock, and meticulous weekly opponent-based game-planning.
“The urgency was there every week by our coaching staff ... we’re going to try to attack their weaknesses, and we’re going to try to mitigate their strengths in all three phases ... there’s probably three or four teams that really do that, but most ... don’t.”
— Tom Brady [23:39]
9. Embracing Bad Weather as a Competitive Edge
[25:31]
- Colin: Notes how cold/snowy games look miserable, but suspects Brady found an edge in it.
- Brady: Practically obsessed over weather, prepared physically and mentally year-round for “shitty” conditions, and leveraged it as a competitive advantage, especially against dome teams.
“The shittier the weather, the better we are going to go out there and play.”
— Tom Brady [27:18]
10. Broadcasting Transition—Teamwork, Teaching, and Enjoyment
[27:33]
- Colin: Asks Brady if he enjoys broadcasting as much as he appears to.
- Brady: Says the experience has exceeded expectations; the broadcast team is like a locker room, and he enjoys teaching the audience while still being around football.
“It is such a team environment. We give each other shit all day ... and we get to cover football ... I want the viewer to really understand why this game is so fun to watch ... our best is yet to come.”
— Tom Brady [28:07]
Notable & Memorable Quotes
-
On aging as a QB:
“Everything is with real intention to it ... [playing at a high level] is like running a marathon.”
— Tom Brady [06:34] -
On Autonomy at QB:
“You never develop real autonomy at quarterback to get your team in the best play. You essentially become a robot for the coach.”
— Tom Brady [11:18] -
On daily obsession for greatness:
“If you want to be successful in the NFL, you better have the drive and determination every day of your life ... This has to be your life.”
— Tom Brady [15:40], [54:26] -
On Drew Brees and outliers:
“Drew Brees played very tall ... but he also worked at it extremely hard for a long time in order to make those improvements as well.”
— Tom Brady [14:52] -
On bad weather:
“The shittier the weather, the better we are going to go out there and play.”
— Tom Brady [27:18] -
On his broadcast career:
“We have so much fun ... we get to cover football. I want the viewer to really understand why this game is so fun to watch.”
— Tom Brady [28:07]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Rams v. Lions breakdown: [03:46–05:52]
- QB aging and preparation: [05:52–07:49]
- Modern QB development, autonomy: [07:49–12:22]
- Importance of QB height: [12:22–15:47]
- Drake Maye, Patriots system: [15:47–17:57]
- Chiefs retool/rebuild debate: [17:57–19:42]
- Rivers/Brady as possible emergency QBs: [19:42–21:27]
- Fixing struggling offenses: [21:53–25:31]
- Embracing bad weather: [25:31–27:33]
- Broadcasting transition: [27:33–29:14]
- Drive and striving for greatness: [54:26–54:57]
Additional Memorable Moments
-
Brady’s self-deprecating joke about being "X’d out" from the show early in the season
“Why have you not invited me at all this season? … But I’m glad we could at least come on here before the end of the regular season.”
— Tom Brady [04:19] -
On autonomy for young QBs:
“If I didn’t know where the ball was going before the snap, I didn’t snap the ball. I would just get us into a better play.”
— Tom Brady [10:22] -
On why the Patriots consistently won with injuries:
“We tried to win all three phases of the game every week. … A lot of teams see them as three individual teams within the same team.”
— Tom Brady [22:33]
Conclusion
This episode is a masterclass in football expertise, quarterback development, and leadership—brimming with candor, humor, and strategic insight. Tom Brady’s reflections traverse the field and the broadcast booth, offering practical wisdom for players and fans alike, and hammering home perennial themes of intentionality, preparation, and adaptability. Both on and off the field, “the best is yet to come.”