Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: What's Wright - Best Of - Bill Belichick SNUBBED, Giannis TRADE DESTINATIONS, Seahawks to Super Bowl | Nick Wright
Date: January 31, 2026

Overview

This episode of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” features Nick Wright as he dives deep into three major sports stories: Sam Darnold leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl, Bill Belichick’s surprise Hall of Fame snub, and the dramatic NBA trade market surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo. Throughout the episode, Wright offers candid analysis, strong opinions, and lively banter with co-host Damonte, unpacking the impact and backstory to each headline.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Seahawks' Stunning Super Bowl Run (02:58–19:09)

Sam Darnold's Redemption

• Nick Wright breaks down the narrative surrounding Sam Darnold, who leads the Seahawks to the Super Bowl after years of being doubted.

  • “He continues to play the best football of his life. Who could have saw this coming outside of maybe like Colin Cowherd?” (Damonte, 02:58)

• Wright self-reflects on his own skepticism of Darnold and recognizes a turning point after Darnold's rocky middle-season games.

  • “In the biggest game of his life, the guy had the best game of his life. And if you can't give someone credit for that, then I don't know what the point of playing the games is.” (Nick Wright, 11:17)
  • He credits the coaching staff, particularly Clint Kubiak, for trusting Darnold to throw in critical moments instead of running out the clock (09:34–11:07).
  • Notes how Darnold wasn't just a passenger: “They did not feel like they have to coach around Darnold in this spot and they shouldn't have.” (10:58)

• Darnold’s journey is compared to other quarterbacks; debate arises over which teams should feel worse for giving up on him—the Jets, who drafted him, or the Vikings, who dropped him after a single successful season.

  • “I think it's going to be the Vikings… with the, with the Vikings, you literally just saw it last year and you dropped him.” (Damonte, 12:16)

Seahawks’ Roster Strength

• The panel agrees the Seahawks are arguably the best-rounded team, aside from quarterback, lauding their defense, receivers, and overall depth (13:19–14:56).

  • “They have maybe the best receiver in the NFL. They have a good running game. They've built their offensive line. That is a great, great team.” (Nick Wright, 13:21)

• Extended praise for receivers: Jackson Smith-Njigba (JSN) and Puka Nacua are hailed as the league’s top two (15:06–16:46).

  • “I think JSN and Puka have supplanted Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase. I think it’s JSM, Puka 1, 2, Jefferson Chase 3, 4.” (Nick Wright, 15:41)

Darnold’s Place Among Top QBs

• Discussion shifts to where Darnold ranks among quarterbacks (16:46–21:14).
  • “Do I have him in the top five? No, I don’t. And the top five is going to be awful tricky because top six is easy…” (Nick Wright, 17:30)
  • Burrow is named as the likely odd man out of the current “big six” due to injuries and playoff drought (19:26–20:39).
  • Wright distinguishes between “best” and “most valuable to start a franchise,” saying he'd pick Mahomes, Allen, then Drake May, factoring age and longevity (20:40).

2. Bill Belichick Snubbed from Hall of Fame (28:27–47:33)

Explaining the Snub

• Damonte introduces the controversy: “Bill Belichick isn’t getting in. It’s a little weird. All of his accomplishments. What do you make of the situation?” (Damonte, 28:27)

• Wright provides context for the Hall of Fame process and lists reasons voters may have excluded Belichick:

  • The most likely: Spygate and other cheating scandals as a “punishment” or “penance” to deny him first-ballot status.
  • Some voters argued for supporting overlooked players like Roger Craig or Ken Anderson, fearing they may never get in otherwise (29:25–33:00).
  • “In order for Bill Belichick not to be elected, he would have had to lose at least 11 votes. You need 40 of the 50.” (Nick Wright, 33:06)

• Wright clarifies his personal stance:

  • “If I were a voter, I would have voted for Belichick. Spygate was not to me such a mortal sin that… it overshadows what is an unimpeachable resume of coaching excellence.” (Nick Wright, 34:51)

• He also notes potential consequences:

  • The snub impacts other coaches (e.g., Tom Coughlin, Mike Shanahan) since Belichick will likely continue to occupy the lone “coaching finalist” slot until he gets in (36:55).
  • The newer NFL generation may now learn more—or form impressions—about Spygate due to the snub (39:00–41:05).

On Voter Rationales and Fixes

• Wright is skeptical about arguments that deprioritize Belichick in favor of others just because “this guy might not get another opportunity.” (41:26)

  • “If we are simply saying those two guys plus Kraft and Belichick, you can only vote for three of them and the cheating is not factoring in… then Belichick must get one of your three votes. He must.” (41:26)

• Offers creative fixes:

  • Supports a “Patriots class” in the Hall of Fame (Gronk, Brady, Belichick all going in together), with a rules tweak for immediate eligibility.
  • More broadly: “I think these one-off rule changes can be… as a testament to their greatness.” (Georgia Hardstark/Nick Wright, 43:53)

• Highlights unintended consequences:

  • Positive: Bill Polian’s credibility is questioned due to contradictory statements about his own vote (44:35).
  • Negative: This year’s Hall of Fame inductees won’t get their due, with attention focused on Belichick’s absence (47:33).

3. NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo's Trade Market (53:02–71:15)

Giannis Requests Trade – Who’s a Player?

• Damonte lays out the scenario: Giannis is requesting out of Milwaukee after 12+ years, and aggressive offers have come from the Warriors, Knicks, Heat, and Timberwolves (53:05).

• Wright breaks down each suitor:

  • Knicks: Unlikely, as “they have no picks to trade. They can give them swaps… but I don't know why Milwaukee would be interested.” (53:21)
  • Warriors: Can offer picks, plus Jimmy Butler (for salary match) and Kaminga, but Wright isn’t impressed: “If I’m Milwaukee, I hate that trade package.”
  • Heat: Matching salary would force them to gut the roster, so Giannis would join a weak squad (“...it's just Giannis and Hero…” 57:01).
  • Timberwolves: Similarly limited by lack of asset-rich offers (“They just don't have the draft picks… I don't know how you make it work.” 64:41).

• Most Intriguing Destinations According to Wright:

  • Atlanta Hawks: Have valuable picks (incl. Pelicans and future Milwaukee picks) and expiring/flexible contracts.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Can build a package of 5 firsts (none their own), attractive for Milwaukee’s rebuild, and can pair Giannis with Wembanyama without losing young guards (58:30–59:49).
    • “Barnes and Vassell get the money to where it needs to be. So you still have Fox, you still have Castle, you still have Harper…” (Nick Wright, 59:54)
  • Houston Rockets: Can center package around Alperen Sengün and Brooklyn’s/Phoenix’s valuable future picks (60:07–61:57).
  • OKC Thunder (potentially in the summer): Could offer a huge array of first-round picks and Jalen Williams, conditional on their playoff outcome (61:59–64:41).

How Should the Bucks Handle Giannis’ Request?

• Wright advocates for a balanced approach: Ask for Giannis’s top five destinations and try to accommodate, but maximize return.

  • “I think the Bucks should ask Giannis what his five favorite destinations are and say we will do our very best to send you to one of those five, but we can't let you just pick.” (66:01)

• Insight: Milwaukee's asset situation means tanking isn’t helpful (66:34–67:35). The Bucks have traded out multiple picks and swaps—so maximizing trade value is critical to avoid remaining stuck.

Would a Warriors-Giannis Trade Make GSW Favorites?

• Wright questions if swapping Butler for Giannis would make the Warriors title favorites:
  • “The Warriors with a healthy Jimmy Butler were miles away from contention this year. Is the gap between Giannis and Jimmy Butler so massive that it takes them from miles away to championship caliber? I don’t think so.” (69:43)
  • He suggests Draymond-Giannis lineups would stretch even Steph Curry’s “gravity” and that the GSW package just isn’t strong enough (“If I’m Milwaukee, I hate that trade package.” 71:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Darnold's Breakthrough:

  • “If you can't give someone credit for that, then I don't know what the point of playing the games is.”
    (Nick Wright, 11:17)

• On Hall of Fame Voting for Belichick:

  • “If I were a voter, I would have voted for Belichick. Spygate was not to me such a mortal sin that… it overshadows what is an unimpeachable resume of coaching excellence.”
    (Nick Wright, 34:51)

  • “I think these one-off rule changes can be… as a testament to their greatness.”
    (Nick Wright, 43:53)

• On Giannis and the Trade Packages:

  • “The Spurs can include a bunch of potentially awesome picks… and still have Wemby and Giannis on the court at the same time. That to me is a legitimate possibility.”
    (Nick Wright, 59:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Seahawks’ Super Bowl run & Darnold analysis: 02:58–21:14
• Receivers: JSN & Puka rise; ranking NFL WRs: 14:56–16:46
• Darnold’s Top 10 QB status debate: 16:46–21:14
• Belichick Hall of Fame snub explained: 28:27–47:33
• Belichick’s legacy & unintended consequences: 44:35–47:33
• NBA: Giannis trade packages & scenarios: 53:02–71:15

Tone & Style

Nick Wright remains sharp, opinionated, and self-aware throughout, combining strong statistical analysis with moments of humility (“hand up in that regard where I was as loud as anybody, saying I thought they got worse at quarterback…”). The camaraderie with Damonte brings a lively, conversational tone. Wright’s stance on controversial topics like Belichick or trade strategies is nuanced, blending fan passion with inside knowledge, always circling back to what he believes is fair and logical.

For listeners or sports fans who missed the episode, this summary captures the essential analysis, takes, and storytelling at the center of “The Herd” and Nick Wright’s distinctive approach.