The Herd with Colin Cowherd: What's Wright – Best Of

Episode Focus:
Should Shedeur Sanders Start for Browns? | Nick CANNOT BELIEVE Colin Cowherd & Bill Simmons’ Chiefs Takes
Date: August 16, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guests/Contributors: Devin, Nick Wright (featured via What's Wright segments)

Episode Overview

This "Best Of" episode compiles the standout discussions and most provocative takes from Nick Wright on the sports world’s hottest topics. Chief among them:

• The escalating QB controversy in Cleveland—should Shedeur Sanders get a real shot to start for the Browns?
• Nick’s passionate rebuttal to both Colin Cowherd’s and Bill Simmons’ declarations that the Kansas City Chiefs dynasty is over, and a break-down of faulty QB pyramid rankings.

Throughout, the episode features both rigorous football analysis and classic sports talk energy, offering honest, unfiltered opinions sure to spark debate.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shedeur Sanders and the Browns’ QB Situation

• Background: Shedeur Sanders showed promise in preseason, but his place remains fourth on the Browns’ depth chart, behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dylan Gabriel.
• Nick’s Assessment: Shedeur has outplayed expectations and, in Nick’s view, leapfrogged Gabriel among rookies:
  • “I think that Shador is now ... in pole position [among the rookies].” (06:05)
  • Nick cites Sanders’ preseason poise, noting four high-level throws and only a couple of mistakes in game action.
• On Flacco and Pickett: Joe Flacco is entrenched as QB1; Pickett is QB2, albeit injured. Nick doubts Pickett is a real factor (“I think that would be asinine” (05:07)).
• Dynamics of Roster Moves: If the Browns won’t commit to Shedeur, Nick speculates a trade might eventually be in play, even mentioning the Rams as a possible suitor. “If the Browns won't elevate him … he also wants another team to trade for him." (08:19)

Notable Moment:

• On Shedeur’s boombox/cane walk-in and postgame comments to a reporter:
  • “The smile and the laugh at the end made it okay ... charisma and charm and a great smile can really carry ... but turn down the volume on … the boombox, I guess. And also figuratively.” (07:15)

2. Listener Q&A Lightning Round (09:47–14:07)

• Where do Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen rank in all-time QB talent?

  • Nick puts both “firmly in the top 15 … in that bottom part of the top 10” by pure talent (11:03–11:55).
  • Looks up to Mahomes, Rodgers, Favre, Manning, Marino, Steve Young, and John Elway as the upper echelon.

• Poker strategy versus sports betting:

  • Nick approaches poker analytically, optimizing every decision (“I'm trying to make the best decision at every point”), whereas in sports betting his Chiefs fandom introduces bias. “I'll never … bet against the Chiefs” (12:07–12:29).

• Is Lamar better than 'peak' Michael Vick?

  • “Yes. Love Mike, but yes. Lamar is ... a far better passer than Mike ever was.” (13:30)

• Do fantasy numbers skew QB perception?

  • Yes, “the crazy fantasy numbers impact this a hundred percent.” (13:53)

3. The Chiefs Dynasty: Is It Actually Over? (20:12–31:19)

• Colin, Bill Simmons’ Hot Takes:

  • Both have recently suggested the Chiefs’ era of dominance is ending.
  • Nick’s disbelief: “They have been to three straight Super Bowls … the greatest three-year stretch in the history of the league … they've gone 16 months [without a Super Bowl win]!” (21:22)
  • “It’s just fundamentally ridiculous to say I’m declaring it dead.” (21:58)

• Comparative History:

  • Draws parallels to classic dynasties (Steelers, Patriots), noting how even the greatest teams had multi-year Super Bowl droughts and were still considered ongoing dynasties.

• Double Standards & Mahomes Criticism:

  • Nick lambasts the shifting standards by which Mahomes is judged:
    • “Mahomes is not judged against his peers ... If Patrick had the season they just had, and they just had the season Patrick just had, how would we view it?” (29:36)
  • If any contender’s season mirrored KC’s 2024 campaign, “it will be considered evidence that team is getting closer ... The Chiefs’ same year is considered evidence of implosion.” (24:36)
  • On Mahomes’ regular season drop in numbers: “He’s won, but he hasn’t had the crazy numbers until the playoffs.” (31:19)

Notable Quotes:

• “If you consider the Patriots one long dynasty, the Patriots went a decade without winning a Super Bowl. The chiefs have gone 16 months.” (21:35)
• “Everybody hates greatness, man.” (30:07 – Devin)

4. Evaluating Modern QB Rankings: Bill Simmons' and Dan Orlovsky's Lists (38:55–57:43)

• Bill Simmons’ Quarterback Pyramid:

  • Simmons controversially puts Josh Allen atop his new “quarterback pyramid” over Mahomes.
  • Nick’s astonishment: “Bill Simmons ... for 15 years fought tooth and nail against Peyton over Brady ... Peyton had a far stronger case to be considered better than Brady than Josh would have right now to be considered better than Patrick [Mahomes].” (41:23)
  • “Every single football take we have heard for 20 years from Bill Simmons has valued playoff performance … If you’ve got the belt, someone’s got to come take it from you.” (44:50)

• Regular Season vs. Playoff Performance:

  • “Has Patrick played in the regular season his best ball the last couple years? No. But who are ... if you want to argue ... Jalen Hurts is the best ... at least there is a case. But for the other three guys ... the argument becomes instantly self-defeating.” (51:35)
  • Comparing Mahomes’ playoff record to Allen, Burrow, Jackson: “Once in Allen's building, once in Patrick’s ... Josh has gotten the ball late fourth quarter, down three points ... They come away with zero points.” (51:16)
  • “We have never made an argument that ... one guy beats and outplays another guy in the postseason, that the other guy’s better.” (54:44)

• Dan Orlovsky's Rankings:

  • Nick is critical of Orlovsky’s category breakdowns, especially Mahomes’ rankings in ball placement, mechanics, and pocket presence.
  • Sarcastically: “I watch Lamar play quarterback and I’m like, man, if only Patrick had as clean of mechanics as Lamar does ... I, I feel that way. I think it’s a good take.” (41:14)

• Pyramid Aesthetics:

  • Nick jokes about Simmons’ ranking structure: “If you’re going to really do it, each level has to be one player bigger than the previous … That’s not how a pyramid looks … that’s a crayon!” (57:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Patrick Mahomes’ Unique Scrutiny:

  • “Mahomes is not judged against his peers, I think is crystallized. Let’s pretend Patrick this year had any of their [Burrow/Lamar/Allen] seasons last year ... Does that help or does anyone be like, okay, that helped—Patrick’s back?" (27:59)

• On Andrews to Simmons:

  • “Bill, I think justifiably is still ... Tom’s better ... But every football take we have heard from Bill Simmons ... has valued playoff performance ... So when I saw the clip yesterday ... rationale for Josh Allen [over Mahomes] ... the obvious follow up being—why wasn’t Josh in the Super Bowl, Bill? Because he couldn’t beat Patrick again.” (44:50)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Shedeur Sanders, Browns QB controversy: 02:20 – 09:42
• Listener Q&A (QB all-time rankings, betting, Lamar vs Vick): 09:47 – 14:07
• Chiefs Dynasty & Mahomes scrutiny: 20:12 – 31:19
• Bill Simmons’ QB Pyramid, Orlovsky’s rankings: 38:55 – 57:43

Episode Tone

True to Wright and Cowherd style: confident, sharp, occasionally confrontational, always opinion-driven, and laced with pointed humor and sports talk banter.