Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: What's Wright – NBA Trade Deadline REACTION, Anthony Davis to Wizards + Super Bowl DEEP DIVE | Nick Wright NFL

Date: February 6, 2026
Host: Nick Wright with Damanze
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (iHeartPodcasts and The Volume)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode dives deep into two central threads: a detailed Super Bowl preview focusing on the Patriots vs. Seahawks matchup and a comprehensive reaction to the NBA trade deadline, headlined by Anthony Davis's move to the Wizards. Nick Wright, joined by Damanze, provides analysis, key storylines, trade valuations, and personal takes on what's at stake, shining a light on both football’s biggest stage and the NBA’s franchise-altering moves.

Super Bowl DEEP DIVE

Family Dynamics and Super Bowl Plans

• [00:34-04:18] Nick opens with family anecdotes about where he’s watching the Super Bowl, expressing a preference against chaotic environments:

  "Watching the super bowl in the midst of young children running around... does not seem like peak viewing experience."
  Nick Wright, 01:24

Paths to Victory for Patriots vs. Seahawks

• [04:43-15:32] Damanze prompts Nick for a breakdown of how each team can win.

For Seattle

• Rely on their elite defensive line ("D line be what it's been all year") to pressure rookie QB Drake May and force third-and-long situations.
• Trust their run defense and secondary, coached superbly by Mike McDonald.
• Leverage their exceptional record under McDonald, especially vs. young QBs (Seattle 15-2 away from home; 9-1 vs. first-time QB opponents—[10:00-13:30]).
• Avoid putting the game on Sam Darnold’s shoulders unnecessarily.

For New England (Patriots)

• Drake May should use his mobility; Seattle struggles against QB scrambles.
• Stay ahead of the chains to keep pressure off May.
• Leverage elite coaching ("The Patriots will not be out coached in this game") and hope rookie safety Nick Eamon-Worry is healthy enough to play.
• Patriots must avoid falling behind both on the scoreboard and in game flow; they're not built for comebacks.

"It's not unfair or nitpicking to say up to this point in the playoffs the Patriots have been winning in spite of quarterback play, which is in some ways a reason to be very optimistic about their chances."

Nick Wright, 12:36

Stakes: Most to Lose & Most to Gain

• [15:32-19:55]
• Who has the most to gain?
  • Coaches and QBs.
  • Vrabel (Patriots): Could cement himself as one of the league's best—winning with a four-win team his first year.
  • Mike McDonald (Seattle): Incredible head coaching start after top success in Baltimore.
  • QBs: If Drake May plays well and wins, he'd be instantly in "best QB in the league" conversations. For Darnold, it would be "the greatest quarterback reclamation story in league history".

"If in year two you're a top two MVP finisher and then you win the Super Bowl and you play well in the Super Bowl, folks are just going to argue you're the best quarterback in the league."
Nick Wright, 17:39

Key Matchup & Prediction

• [20:08-23:19]

• Matchup to watch: Patriots rookie LT Will Campbell vs. DeMarcus Lawrence (Seattle DE).

  • Campbell "has struggled mightily this postseason," and Lawrence could wreak havoc—an area where the game can be "lost".
  • Seattle’s D-line pressure and ability to force mistakes is seen as pivotal.

• Nick’s Prediction:

  "27:17 Seattle is how I see this shaking out... Both quarterbacks have at least one turnover. But [Seattle] find enough ways... and there is a major Seattle defensive play... that gets this game going in a bad direction for [New England]."
  Nick Wright, 21:54

The Chiefs Missing the Super Bowl

• [23:19-29:58]
  Nick reflects on what it feels like to watch the big game without the Chiefs for the rare time in recent years, sharing personal betting memories from the last Chiefs-less Super Bowl.

Revisiting Pre-Playoff NFL Storylines

• [29:58-38:00]
• Nick evaluates the accuracy of his pre-playoff narratives:
  • Josh Allen’s "breakthrough year": Missed opportunity; Allen still shows unique self-assuredness to keep Buffalo fans hopeful ([31:05]).
  • Aaron Rodgers potential run: Never realistic.
  • Eagles repeating: Didn't buy into it, was right to be skeptical.
  • Second-year QB playoff runs: Drake May is in the Super Bowl; Caleb Williams had flashes but fell short.
  • NFC West consistency: Seattle validated the hype more than he expected; he admits missing on Denver and Raiders predictions.

NBA TRADE DEADLINE REACTIONS

Anthony Davis to Wizards & Re-examining the Luka Trade

• [39:08-43:52]

Trade Fallout

• Dallas receives: Max Christie, 2026 Thunder 1st, 2029 Lakers 1st, 2030 Warriors 1st (top-20 protected), 3 second-rounders ("a tragedy of a trade").
• Return for Anthony Davis: Underwhelming package, especially relative to market expectations ("I can't believe that's what Anthony Davis’s value is"—[42:20]).
• Warriors not getting involved with a better offer for Davis surprises Nick. He finds the Wizards' gamble reasonable—they’re not signing major FAs and want to build around young talent and picks.

"Trading AD for Chris Middleton salary filler and two awful first round picks... is a disaster."
Nick Wright, 42:05

Other Major NBA Deadlines Deals

• [43:52-53:22]

• James Harden to Cavaliers:

  • Nick dislikes it for the Cavs, citing Harden’s poor playoff record:

    "The record of quitting and falling apart in the playoffs is unmatched by any athlete in American sports history."
    Nick Wright, 44:07

  • Likes the trade for the Clippers, who get a younger scorer in Darius Garland.

• Lakers move Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard:

  • Kennard is an elite shooter ("shooting almost 50% from three"—[47:20]).
  • Not a needle-mover, but adds useful shooting next to LeBron.

• Jaren Jackson Jr. to Jazz:

  • Jazz pay a significant price (multiple firsts), meaning JJJ is valued higher than AD in the market right now ([48:30-50:50]).

• Celtics, Vucevic, and Simons Swap: Minor but positive for Celtics.

• Chris Paul to Raptors (buyout likely): Potential for Lakers or a contender to sign him post-buyout.

• Thunder trade for Jared McCain: Roll the dice on a talented, injured rookie; future-focused.

• Kevin Huerter to Pistons: Pistons add shooting to a competitive roster.

Listener Questions

• Anthony Davis's Legacy ([54:59-55:53])

  • Hall of Fame player, but a career “shorter than it should have been because of injuries," never quite reached his MVP-caliber ceiling after early flashes.

• Sabonis to Raptors: Would it get them to the East Finals?

  • "Sabonis has been such a bad playoff player... you don't really think that that gets you over the top."
    Nick Wright, 56:00

• OKC’s Pick Collection: Genius or Luck?

  • "A little bit of both... It was a good strategy that they also then nailed the picks on."
    Nick Wright, 56:38

• LeBron’s Next Team After Harden to Cavs:

  • Doesn't see LeBron-Harden-Mitchell as a good fit; shares stylistic concerns ([57:21]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

On Drake May's Playoff Struggles

"The second biggest drop off from regular season passer rating to postseason passer rating in the last 30 years is Drake May these playoffs... A guy who led the league in completion percentage falling to a completion percentage that is lower than Shador Sanders this season is stunning."
Nick Wright, 09:50

On NBA Trade Values

"Jaren Jackson Jr. had way more trade value than Anthony Davis. That’s surprising to me."
Nick Wright, 50:50

On Harden’s Cavs Fit

"What's the list of superstars that are like, 'man, I loved playing with James Harden. Sign me up for more'... I don't understand it."
Nick Wright, 44:07

On Anthony Davis's Career

"He’ll be remembered as a Hall of Fame player whose prime was shorter than it should have been because of injuries... didn’t reach his full potential."
Nick Wright, 55:08

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Super Bowl Path to Victory Analysis: 04:56–15:32
• Most to Gain/Most to Lose (SB): 15:32–19:55
• Matchup & Prediction (SB): 20:12–23:19
• NBA Trade Deadline – Davis/Wizards: 39:08–43:52
• Harden Trade Reaction: 43:52–47:30
• Jaren Jackson Jr. Trade Value: 48:30–52:51
• Listener Questions: 54:59–58:50

Conclusion

This episode delivers a robust preview of the Super Bowl, blending tactical breakdowns with big-picture narrative arcs. Nick’s confident predictions, supported by stats and historical context, present Seattle as both a defensive juggernaut and the more likely victor. In the NBA, the show dissects the winners and losers of the trade deadline, with Nick critical of Dallas’s trade strategy, surprised by Anthony Davis's low market value, and skeptical about Harden's fit in Cleveland. Listener questions round out the episode with legacy talk, playoff impact analysis, and speculation on NBA team-building strategies.

If you missed this one, you missed:

• A clear-eyed blueprint for Super Bowl success on both sides.
• Behind-the-scenes trade analysis in the NBA.
• Rapid-fire yet thoughtful listener Q&A.