Transcript

Colin Cowherd & Nick Wright DEBATE NFL Playoffs, Steelers, Bills, Eagles, Texans | THE HERD

From The Herd with Colin Cowherd · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 44 min · 7,596 words · 90 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Colin Cowherd & Nick Wright DEBATE NFL Playoffs, Steelers, Bills, Eagles, Texans | THE HERD", an episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd published January 13, 2026 (44 min, about 7,596 words). It mentions 23 people, works and ideas, including Curtis Wayne Wright, Colin Cowherd, NFL, Justin Herbert, Super Bowl.

What this episode is about

Colin Cowherd and Nick Wright engage in a lively debate about the NFL playoffs, focusing on the challenges facing teams like the Bears, Steelers, Bills, Eagles, and Texans. They analyze the impact of injuries on these teams' performances, highlight the unique resilience of the Bears in late-game situations, and express skepticism about the effectiveness of the Texans' offense and the Steelers' consistency.

Key takeaways

  • The Bears: down 10 with 5 minutes left? It's more like a coin flip for them, not a death sentence.
  • Aaron Rodgers: a supremely talented QB with a legacy marred by missed opportunities and questionable playoff performances.
  • Injuries are shaking up the Bears; losing key players could sink a ship that’s already afloat in troubled waters.
  • Caleb Williams might be the 'gifted child' of football—wildly talented yet still figuring out his execution.
  • The Texans are hot, but remember: even rusted-out cars can make unexpected pit stops—don't trust them too quickly.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Chicago Bears, Colin Cowherd, Green Bay Packers, Caleb Williams
  2. – 10:00: Caleb Williams, Curtis Wayne Wright, Super Bowl, MVP
  3. – 15:00: Justin Herbert, Super Bowl, Curtis Wayne Wright
  4. – 20:00: Super Bowl, Curtis Wayne Wright, Justin Herbert, Greg Roman
  5. – 25:00: NFL, Green Bay Packers, Matt LaFleur, Chicago Bears
  6. – 30:00: Dante Moore, NFL, Urban Meyer, FS1
  7. – 35:00: Super Bowl
  8. – 40:00: Miami Hurricanes, College Football Playoff, USC, Ohio State
  9. – 44:17: College Football Playoff, Ohio State, Big Ten, Tennessee

Notable quotes from "Colin Cowherd & Nick Wright DEBATE NFL Playoffs, Steelers, Bills, Eagles, Texans | THE HERD"

  • Starts on Sunday or Saturday and they're down two scores, they feel totally fine about it. The stat of the year for the Chicago Bears, Colin, is the NFL other than the Bears down 10 plus with five minutes remaining is three and 159.
    about NFL · at
  • Yeah. How will you remember holistically Aaron Rogers career?
    about Colin Cowherd · at
  • I could be I could be really mean here and be man, you sure are damaging your relationship with your dear friend Tom Brady cuz that's now two guys in the last two years that you've.
    about Curtis Wayne Wright · at
  • Not that prolific against Denver that level of execution that's what we want to see and I think he can do it I think the Super Bowl is going to be Rams Bills I said going into…
    about Super Bowl · at
  • He has the second lowest passer rating in the history of the NFL in the playoffs. The second lowest. You know who has the lowest? Andy Dalton. And I've heard people compare Justin.
    about Justin Herbert · at
  • Next story and that's the Green Bay Packers. Colin reports currently indicate Matt Laflur is in contract negotiations with the Packers. It sounds like nothing definitive. He's…
    about Green Bay Packers · at
  • By the way, classes resume for the Miami Hurricanes Monday. So, it'll be the first time now in the playoff. The kids are going to class and playing in the games. They are about an.
    about Miami Hurricanes · at
  • Said this morning, if you give me, if I had to project top 10, next 10, the next decade with the transfer portal, NIL, and the playoffs, who will consistently be in that playoff? the 10 programs that.
    about College Football Playoff · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Curtis Wayne Wright — Person · Main guest · 4 mentions · first at
    Appears live to debate Cowherd on Rodgers’ legacy, Allen/Mahomes comparisons, and delivers an extended critique of Herbert and coaching scapegoating.
  • Colin Cowherd — Person · Host · 3 mentions · first at
    Leads the episode’s NFL and college-football discussions, framing takes on Rodgers, Allen, Mahomes, Herbert, coaching value, and NIL-era CFB power dynamics.
  • Justin Herbert — Person · Core topic · 6 mentions · first at
    A major segment critiques Herbert’s playoff performance and the recurring narrative that failures are always due to supporting cast/coaching.
  • Matt LaFleur — Person · Referenced coach · 2 mentions · first at
    Discussed in context of Packers contract negotiations and whether firing him would be irrational given his win record and league demand.
    Missed that. All right, let's go to the next story and that's the Green Bay Packers. Colin reports currently indicate Matt Laflur is in contract negotiations with the Packers.…
  • Caleb Williams — Person · Referenced player · 3 mentions · first at
    Highlighted as a 'gifted' QB whose late-game playmaking resembles Josh Allen; tied to Bears’ unusual comeback ability.
    Pants on backwards but at 13 they're taking advanced college calculus and so the rules are different. Like with Caleb Williams, I'm I'm going to get over the completion…
  • Dante Moore — Person · Referenced prospect · 3 mentions · first at
    Discussed as a college QB whose development path (sitting vs starting) is debated; tied to Oregon/Indiana game and Jets draft hypotheticals.
    Championship coming up. Man, it will have been a long time between games. But let's focus on Dante Moore in Oregon. He was ticketed for my Jets and then he kind of had a rough…
  • Greg Roman — Person · Referenced coach (fired) · 2 mentions · first at
    Cited as the Chargers offensive coordinator who was fired, framed as scapegoating around Herbert’s playoff failures.
    Chargers fired their offensive coordinator Greg Roman. See shot man another listen another pig to the slaughter at the service of Justin Herbert's arm talent.
  • Urban Meyer — Person · Referenced expert · 1 mention · first at
    Quoted advocating rookie/young QBs should sit and learn; used to discuss Dante Moore’s development and the modern draft reality.
    I just hope if he goes somewhere, he can go sit and learn for a year.
  • DJ McCarthy — Person · Referenced player · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a QB Minnesota may not trust to stay healthy, motivating speculation about Rodgers as a Vikings option.
    Tell you right now, my take is I would go and look at Minnesota cuz I think they're going to bring somebody else in to compete with JJ McCarthy. He can't stay healthy. can't…
  • Micah Parsons — Person · Referenced player · 1 mention · first at
    Quoted supporting Matt LaFleur amid contract/retention talk, reinforcing the argument against firing LaFleur.
    Like nothing definitive. He's going to be staying in Green Bay. That's good news for edge rusher Micah Parsons who told the media he wants his coach to stay.

Companies & orgs

  • Green Bay Packers — Company · Referenced team · 3 mentions · first at
    Appears in Rodgers legacy discussion and LaFleur contract talk; used to illustrate coaching value and organizational decision-making.
  • Miami Hurricanes — Company · Core topic (college football) · 3 mentions · first at
    Discussed as a national championship participant vs Indiana and as a future CFP power due to NIL money and recruiting under Mario Cristobal.
  • Chicago Bears — Company · Referenced team · 7 mentions · first at
    Used to discuss injuries, late-game comeback profile, and Caleb Williams’ clutch play; part of playoff/tournament hierarchy talk.
    Bears not even it's not even a 5% shot for everyone else. for the Bears it's a 50% shot and Caleb has shown how special he is late in these spots. But that's a long way of…
  • Big Ten — Company · Referenced conference · 1 mention · first at
    Cited to argue Big Ten schools have larger scale/alumni bases than SEC schools, affecting NIL-era competitiveness.
    Indiana's got a great business school, massive alumni, and I said this two years ago, these Big 10 schools are bigger than SEC schools. They got 40, 50,000 people and a lot of…
  • FS1 — Company · Referenced network · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned in the closing promo for a college hoops triple header; also the broader media ecosystem for the show/guest.
    Tonight, it's a College Hoops triple header on FS1. Starting at 6 Eastern with a classic Big East rivalry between Villanova and Providence. Then, West Virginia takes on seventh ranked.

Concepts & topics

  • NFL — Concept · Core topic · 2 mentions · first at
    The episode centers on NFL playoff hierarchy, quarterback legacies, coaching value, and team situations (Bears, Packers, Chargers, Bills).
  • MVP — Concept · Referenced award concept · 1 mention · first at
    Used to frame Rodgers’ four MVPs and the argument that Allen is the true 'most valuable' player in the current tournament.
    He literally is Superman. if the MVP was really just the MVP, not like whose team was the best and you had the best stats, like Josh Allen's the MVP.
  • Darkness retreat — Concept · Referenced concept · 1 mention · first at
    Invoked as part of Rodgers’ persona and decision-making style about retirement/return.
    Think there's a hard reboot in Pittsburgh, but do you think Rogers, go does another Darkness retreat and decides I'm coming back, man. What do you think?

Places & events

  • Super Bowl — Event · Referenced event · 7 mentions · first at
    Used to evaluate Rodgers’ underachievement, Mahomes’ blowouts, and Allen/Bills’ potential run; also referenced re: Eagles winning a year ago.
  • College Football Playoff — Event · Core topic (college football) · 3 mentions · first at
    Central to the NIL-era projection of which programs will consistently qualify; also used to argue SEC performance trends.
  • USC — Place · Referenced program · 1 mention · first at
    Projected as a future CFP regular due to LA economy, NIL/collective organization, facilities investment, and coaching spend.
    Notre Dame, Indiana because of Mark Cuban and their coach, Miami, big NIL money, and USC and Oregon. Phil Knight and the LA economy.
  • Ohio State — Place · Referenced program · 3 mentions · first at
    Listed among projected consistent CFP programs in the NIL/transfer-portal era.
    I have three Texas schools in it. Texas, Texas&M, and Texas Tech. They should all be in it. I have Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Indiana because of Mark Cuban and their…
  • Tennessee — Place · Referenced program/state proxy · 2 mentions · first at
    Used as a comparison point in the claim that Georgia’s dominance is narrowing; also referenced via Titans coaching discussion (team not in entity list).
    Know. I think there's a reckoning period for Georgia. When I watched Georgia this year, I didn't see a big distance between them and Tennessee and them in Auburn, them in Alabama, and Alabama struggling. Alabama doesn't have the players.

Full transcript with timestamps

Welcome to the Herds official YouTube channel. Make sure to like and subscribe. Don't forget to check out the Colin Coward podcast, all of our NFL instant reactions, and more football content. Joining us live, um, yeah, I mean, I I when I look at the Bears, I'm like, they could not afford to lose a left tackle or they're really one linebacker that's active and they lost both. They could have lost a wide receiver. They could have lost. I I It's It's not that they're a bad team. They did play clean, but man, that Rams team right now is really healthy. I I think it anything take your shot at it.

Listen, I agree. Given the injuries, I understand where you have the Bears. I also think what they have working for them is they are the only team in this tournament that if the fourth quarter starts on Sunday or Saturday and they're down two scores, they feel totally fine about it. The the the stat of the year for the Chicago Bears, Colin, is the NFL other than the Bears down 10 plus with five minutes remaining is three and 159. The Bears down 10 plus 5 minutes remaining are three and three. What for everyone else is a 5% shot is for the Bears not even it's not even a 5% shot for everyone else. Uh for the Bears it's a 50% shot and Caleb has shown how special he is late in these spots. But that's a long way of saying I agree with you. The left tackle injury, the defense was already shaky. That was more to me.

I understand the Bears defense stepped up in the second half. It also was a culmination of a season worth of bad offense for the Eagles for finally coming to I'm sorry for the season where the bad of for the Packers of the injuries and everything then being able to stop them. But that I agree with you on the Bears. The Texans are a little rich for my blood, Colin, which is that as great as that defense is, I thought CJ was brutal yesterday. And I don't trust the offense that the the Steelers did nothing for 45 minutes and it's 7 to6 entering the fourth quarter. The Steelers were right there. So, the Texans are a touch high, but other than that, I like where you're at on the hierarchy. And I thought that the Patriots able to win with Drake May playing his worst half of the year was very very impressive. Um, okay. It could have been the last game for Aaron Rogers.

Yeah. How will you remember holistically Aaron Rogers career? What a great question. Listen, I think he is one of the most one of the five most talented quarterbacks ever. I also think that you can find specifically three huge spots in the playoffs where the defense left him drawing dead, where they allow 44 points to Matt Ryan's Falcons in a conference championship game, where they allow 45 points to Kaepernick uh when they score 30 plus. when the ners in a conference championship game score I think 37 maybe more but I know they only threw the ball eight times. There are instances where Aaron defenders could rightfully say that that's not on him.

Yeah. But there are also instances where in those biggest spots, be it the famous game against Seattle with the onside kicks, where everyone remembers the onside kick and the Russell Wilson throw, what they don't remember is Aaron was brutal throughout the almost entirety of that game and it was really remarkable the Packers were leading uh near the final moments for the comeback or the game against Brady where he had the brutal first half in the conference championship game and then couldn't get it didn't score from inside the red zone with a couple minutes remaining. The the the everyone remembers the two Hail Mary game to force overtime and then he never gets the ball. What maybe they don't remember is they were in that spot because that Packers team had 14 points 59 minutes into a game against that Cardinal team and he hadn't played well.

He wasn't at his best in the biggest spots consistently. Yeah. And I think part of that was Colin a little on display last night. Like I'm not going to hold last night against Aaron Rogers legacy-wise, but the things you saw last night, which was the almost hyperbolic body language, letting everyone know it's someone else's fault, and what felt like icing out his best player after the one drop in DK Metaf. We have seen those things throughout his career leading up to it. So, it's a complicated legacy. He's one of the four greatest regular season quarterbacks ever. He's one of the five most talented quarterbacks ever. He has four MVPs. And so, this is a compliment and also probably a bit of a dagger. I look at his career as underachieving given how great he was. the it is it's really remarkable that in his second third year as a starter they get to the Super Bowl and win it. In his fourth year as a

starter, they're 15 and one and he's damn near the unanimous MVP and he never got to another Super Bowl. I I can't it's I have a hard time believing it, but I think some of the things that made you forever skeptical about him early on, far earlier than me, maybe hurt him in some of the bigger spots.

Yeah. Three former Packers have told me to my face, you know, having a coffee or a or a cocktail that he's moody. You're never quite sure which Aaron shows up. Um, but I I also can say simultaneously he's smart. He's a little prickly. He can be a little condescending, but he can also be amazing. And there's as many teammates that love him that are turned off by him. And that's that's kind of the complexity of life. So he, you know, the way I look at Josh Allen and I think Caleb Williams is like this is I don't sometimes people yesterday I talked about the gifted child syndrome. I said, you know, you hear about occasionally like one out of a thousand kids they're gifted children and they're like at 12 years old they're still putting their pants on backwards but at 13 they're taking advanced college calculus and so the rules are different. Like with Caleb Williams, I'm like, I'm going to get

over the completion percentage. He does stuff that nobody except Josh Allen can do. And Josh Allen's probably better at it. And I said, I I I don't know what to make of Buffalo's first half offense. And I think Josh is the most talented football player, period, I've ever seen. I'm not saying best quarterback, most talented football player. How does that land for you?

Yeah. Well, I mean, you know how it lands for me because poorly. You know, I could be I could be really mean here and be like, man, you sure are damaging your relationship with your dear friend Tom Brady cuz that's now two guys in the last two years that you've elevated past Brady cuz you told me Mahomes was the most talented football player you've ever seen. Now it's Josh Allen. Brady's holding on for a bronze medal spot. I don't even know what happened to your guy, Tom Brady. Here's the deal. I And even in your commentary, you're like, Caleb makes throws that only other Josh Allen can make. I listen, I understand Patrick had a bad year, but his games were on TV in Los Angeles and Chicago, right? Like, we have seen him do these things. So, part of this feels like an attack on Patrick because he had the audacity to have a down season after making five out of six Super Bowls and winning three of them.

With that said, Josh is an all-time great player and I I got annoyed at this is like meta media conversation, but going into this game, it felt like some of Josh Allen's biggest fans were trying to lower the stakes for this game and set it up to where like it would that expecting Josh to find a way to get a wildcard round victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars was asking too much and being unfair. And I didn't feel that way at all. And the reason that commentary bothered me as much as it did is because if you lower the stakes that if you lower the risk, you lower the reward. That was a big spot for Josh Allen. These are a massive postseason for Josh Allen because of who's not there. This is a clear path as far as the other legendary quarterbacks for Josh Allen. It is all in front of him, which makes that throw to Brandon Cooks all the more impressive. Which makes the fact that he basically played a perfect

game on Sunday against a really good Jags team all the more impressive. It makes the fact that two years ago in the playoffs he had the ball in his hand down three to win the game and couldn't come through. Last year ball in his hand down three to go win or tie the game couldn't come through. This year ball in his hand down four and he does that. That makes it greater. That makes it better. The way someone with legendary talent becomes a legendary player are these moments. I he has been the second best player in the league for a half decade. The best player in the league is not there. I understand it's not basketball, but the the Bills are not the Washington Generals. They have the rushing champ. They have the best offensive line in the playoffs, arguably, or at least top three. And they have a top five pass defense. They have bad receivers and a bad run defense and a superhuman at quarterback. that

team can go win a Super Bowl and it is not asking too much of Josh Allen to say we want to what you win or lose what you did against Jacksonville even if it's not that prolific against uh Denver that level of execution that's what we want to see and I think he can do it I I I think the Super Bowl is going to be Rams Bills I said going into that Jags game I thought the winner of that game was going to go to the Super Bowl I Josh is a special player who's on a could be on a special run and I believe in him. Now, the greatest quarterback I've ever seen or most whatever, however you phrased it, that's a bridge too far for me, but

he's the best player in the tournament. We'll see what he can do. Okay. So, um I said this yesterday on the show. I said Patrick Mahomes, if you're really honest with yourself, has had back-to-back years he struggled. Is it because Andy Reid or Travis Kelce or I mean they he's been doing it with ham and egged wide receiver units? I said no. His O line stinks and it like like bottom seven in the league and I'm like he's been blown out twice in Super Bowls. The reason Brady wasn't one of the reasons Dante Scaria Brady never had a bad old line ever. Yeah, he didn't have the greatest but he never had a bad old line. Patrick's had a couple

Justin Herbert defense bridge for Justin. Oh my god. So Justin Herbert's got the 32nd ranked offensive line. PFF came out last week and said, "No quarterback's ever won a playoff game since we've been a company with an offensive line like that."

Okay. And yet they scored more than three points. What about that? What does PFF say about What does PFF say about the fact that Justin Herbert I understand. Yeah. I mean, it's ne it's never his fault. It can't be his fault. Did you see him at the combine? I mean, the guy's arm talent. I mean, how we're six years in, Colin?

Yeah. He has the second lowest passer rating in the history of the NFL in the playoffs. The second lowest. You know who has the lowest? Andy Dalton. And I've heard people compare Justin Herbert's on this trajectory, Pton Manning or Matt Stafford or Matt Ryan. through six years, he has a hell of a lot more in common with the career of Andy Dalton than the career of those legendary players. And I understand the offensive line stinks. Stinks.

But the offensive line stunk all year. Yet for the second straight year, he had far and away his worst game of the season in the playoffs. For the third straight time in the playoffs, his defense put him in great position. Whenever we hear about Herbert not having any help, nobody brings this up. In his three career playoff games, his defense has forced 10 turnovers. 10. That is the most turnovers forced by a quarterback's defense in a three-game losing streak in the history of the NFL playoffs. Only one quarterback in the last 25 years has had their defense force more than three turnovers in a three-game playoff losing streak stretch. That was Chad Pennington 10 whose defense forced five. It is not unfair to say we now have a growing trove of evidence that this guy for all his talent and ability and measurables has simply played his worst and his biggest spots and has played 10 consecutive

Fminus quarters of playoff football. And everyone who knew the Chargers offensive line situation, if I had told you the New England Patriots were going to have six points at halftime, Drake May was going to have had his worst half of the season, the Patriots were going to have nine points through three quarters. Do do you think Justin might be able to come through? EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE SAID YES. EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN on board with it. And now after the fact when and and now that we've seen the all 22, he has guys running open, we're like, ah man, once again he needs more help. Once again, we need to fire this coach or fire this coordinator. It's if if Patrick's Brady and Josh is Payton and Lamar is Big Ben and Burrow's Philip Rivers, somebody's got to be Andy Dalton. It might be your guy, Justin Herbert. I'm just telling you.

Okay, finally. Um, you know, I don't like my quarterbacks at the podium hat on backwards. I like them to be like Jaylen Herz and buttoned up and I like them to be Dak Prescott. Um, I I will say Nick Serani jawing at AJ Brown. I'm like it's too juvenile. That's just not like when I

of course it's just insane. Like every the fact that we have to have a security guard sometimes between the coach and players. Would you move off Sirion?

Listen, I He won the Super Bowl a year ago. I know they're not going to. I also know that this is this is always a good test. If the Packers fly fired Matt Laflur, Colin,

yeah, how many of the open jobs would say we we don't even need an interview. We we if you'll take our job, you're hired for Matt Laflur. Maybe all of them. that every job would call Matt Laflur and say at least interview not come here.

Yeah. If the Eagles fired Nick Serriani, is he a head coach next year? I don't know. I don't know. I've never quite known what he does cuz Howie Roseman picks the players and the coordinators previously. This year he got to pick Patulo. That didn't go well. You can't say like he's a ego manager guy because of the video we're watching here. He's obviously not designing sick offensive plays. We He doesn't call the plays. So other than jawing at opposing teams fans, I'm not sure what he does. I also though think that for the Eagles as a whole and he owns wears this more than anyone. This was a failure of a Super Bowl defense and it was preventable failure because we have been talking on this show about the Eagles offense going into halflong comas as often as the damn Titans offense did all year long and they never got it right. And so that all of a sudden the ner the mash unit the of the ners defense

getting stops and finding a way to slow them down actually wasn't shocking. I was so excited to talk about this. I was acting like the Bears played them earlier, but they the Eagles the Eagles this year since that game against the Rams did not score more than 20 points against a playoff team once after week three. They had a they had a hit and miss passing game all year. They had issues with AJ Brown all year. They couldn't get the Saquon from last year never showed up all year long. So it wasn't shocking that in the playoff game that who they were all year is who they were.

Yeah. By the way, yeah, I I want to give you a little heads up on uh Chefy Shfter just released this.

Chargers Chargers fired their offensive coordinator Greg Roman. See shot man another listen another pig to the slaughter at the service of Justin Herbert's arm talent.

Something had to be done. Something had to be done. What? one day he he will have the perfect situation. He you called it you are you love his head coach. The defense's been excellent two straight years every but listen I understand they didn't have the they they were missing both tackles. One of which we knew was out all year when people were picking this team to go to the Super Bowl without Rashawn Slater. It's fine. I'm sure year seven will be the time Justin Herbert just plays a mediocre playoff game. 64 a career passer rating. The only player in league history with a lower career playoff passer rating. Andy Dalton. I'm just saying there's a lot of similarities there.

I ran I ran into Andy Dalton once at the JW Marriott in Los Angeles. I like Andy Dalton. People think that this Andy Dalton comp is is a slight to Herbert. Maybe I just think more highly of Andy Dalton than everybody else. Andy Dalton beat out your guy Sam Darnold and my guy Baker Mayfield in Carolina. Maybe Andy Dalton should put some respect on his name and maybe if he were 66 with a rocket arm, people would have even though 0 and4 in the playoffs or 0 and three in the playoffs. I don't know. Good to see you, Colin.

Good to see you, Nick. Wright. Yeah, Greg Roman got uh Yeah, listen. It's um Herbert, you know, you gota got somebody's got to pay for that. Um man, we got good stuff. You know, I hope we don't forget about Miami and Indiana National Championship. Let's let's not forget about that either. In Chicago, it's the herbert

Mays last hour. Nick Wright hurt hierarchy so far. Some thoughts on the Hurricanes and Indiana. I think that's going to be a good one. Slight edge Indiana, but I think the Hurricanes up front can push back and make it very competitive. J-Ass

turn on the news. This is the Herdline news. Yeah, Colin, I was a little giddy last night on that Aaron Rodgers ending. You see everybody going up to him to congratulate him after the game. Hey man, great career, Colin. It ended with a pick six. His last throw in the NFL was a pick six. I mean, we all think he's going to retire. Uh the Texans were treating it that way. The camera literally followed him around everywhere. They didn't get the coach's handshake, nothing. Uh Cam Hayward says he still wants Rogers around.

Okay. Uh yeah, he's the only one. Um I think there's a hard reboot in Pittsburgh, but do you think Rogers, you know, go does another Darkness retreat and decides I'm coming back, man. What do you think?

Well, I just don't think I never thought it was a great fit. I thought I kept saying all year I think Aaron Rogers is the comeback player of the year. I thought the fit was Minnesota. I I'll tell you right now, my take is I would go and look at Minnesota cuz I think they're going to bring somebody else in to compete with JJ McCarthy. He can't stay healthy. can't make starts. They're not They're not You can't go into the year saying, "We think JJ is going to play 17 games." You You'd be lucky if you'd sign up today that he could play 10. Well, I scoff at that because he would be exactly copying Brett Favre, who went Packers, Jets, and Vikings to end his career. I mean, I just find that comical. Sorry. Um I don't know that that's possible, but hey, real quick on Rogers, Colin. I had to look this up.

2020 was his last playoff win. 2020. We're in 2026. It's 5 years. He doesn't want a playoff game. The only reason they're in the playoffs was because Tyler Luke misses a 44 yard field goal.

Fair. And because Burrow missed a half the season and Lamar missed a bunch of games. Otherwise, they're not even in the playoffs.

I I don't know. I just I kind of think Aaron's going to disappear and we're not going to have an answer for a long time. And I think for the record, I think Minnesota loves that. I think Minnesota going into the draft isn't sure what they're going to do. So I think I think after I think Minnesota watch the Vikings in the draft. What do they do at quarterback? I would say better than 50 shot. I'll I'll make my guess here. It's only three things going to happen. Retire Vikings. Okay. Two things. Retire or Vikings is my guess.

Right. Do you think if Rogers says, "Hey, Mike, you want to run it back?" that that is more likely for Tomlin to want to stay versus go to a cushy TV job or take one of the other openings.

Yeah, probably he'd stay for Aaron. Yeah, a lot of Kumbaya. They like each other. Yeah.

Did you say Iawaska or Kumbaya? I I missed that. All right, let's go to the next story and that's the Green Bay Packers. Colin reports currently indicate Matt Laflur is in contract negotiations with the Packers. It sounds like nothing definitive. He's going to be staying in Green Bay. That's good news for edge rusher Micah Parsons who told the media he wants his coach to stay.

I've had my fair share of coaches and people around this league that I've been around and Matt's one of the best guys and people like as a person I've been around since I've been in this league. Uh I reached out to him when I started seeing this and I said man I you know when I agreed to come here like you were part of the reason why I came here. uh I want you a part of this and you know I love you and uh you know I think you're a great coach and you know he appreciated those words and we had a brief conversation.

Yeah, you shouldn't fire Matt Laflur. It was a bad game. You could admit it it was a terrible

Well, he had a very good first half. That's the coach's half. He out coached Ben Johnson in the coach's half.

Well, okay. So, he had a better game plan than than Ben Johnson, but he had that in all three games against Ben Johnson this season.

Maybe that's his strength. Okay. But adjustments are part of coaching. Well, Kyle Shanahan's not very good at adjustments cuz he's never won a game where he trailed entering the fourth by a touchdown.

Yeah. I mean, I I I've seen that stat. I How much were they trailing the Eagles by entering the fourth? Was it 16-10 or something like that? I I don't know. I mean, that's I I I just I like the adjustments from Dennis Allen and the Bears. They they decided, hey, we're gonna dial up the blitz. We're not going to just let Love sit back and kill us. And I saw zero adjustments from Lafleur, man. I was extremely disappointed. That being said, you know, here we got some stats on him. Most wins by a head coach in their first seven seasons. He's tied for second most in the history of football, Colin. Now, some would argue that's because he had Aaron Rogers for a few of those.

Okay. I mean, he's a I mean, who you don't win without a good quarterback in this league. We know that, right? I the guys won with Malik Willis playing.

Yeah. So I mean just it's the idea that you'd fly fire fire Matt Laflure that you're just too close to the forest can't see the trees. That's like Packer Cheese Head Guy. Don't It's just dumb. It shouldn't even be a topic. It's ridiculous.

I'm with you. Uh final story. Let's go to college football. You're right. We We shouldn't forget about the uh national championship coming up. Man, it will have been a long time between games. But let's focus on Dante Moore in Oregon. He was ticketed for my Jets and then he kind of um had a rough one, shall we say, against Indiana, fumbling, interception on the first play. But Urban Meyer was on a podcast and said if Dante Moore does come out, he hopes he gets a chance to develop. Here we go.

I just hope if he goes somewhere, he can go sit and learn for a year. Yeah. I I hate that when they throw the

I did it. You throw that rookie quarterback in there and it's just man, you just wish you had some veteran guy in front of him. Rogers learning from

Brent Favre. Number four, Brent Favre. So that was the perfect way. Well, remember

for quarterbacks to have great success. Yeah, I'm I love Urban when he comes on the show. That's just not realistic right now with these teams at the top. It worked for Patrick Mahomes, right, with Kansas City. They had a playoff team with Alex Smith.

You know, I I'm and I'm dead serious. If the Jets had a coach I liked, like if if if Dante Mo if the agents did a deal and Dante Moore literally through his agent contacted the Jets because you can do that and the Jets hired Kevin Stfansky, I'd come out. I'm not coming out for the Jets mess and Aaron Glenn. I'd come out if the Jets hired Kevin Stfansky. I would if I was Dante Moore and really wanted to leave, I would call my agent. I mean, I've done this a million times. I call an agent and say, "Can you give me a phone number of somebody? I want to pay him a compliment or I want to ask him a question." Just go to your agent, get a hold of the Jets, find out if Aaron Glenn is absolutely coming back.

If he is, there's no way I'm going. I'm not because you'll have to play. It'll it'll be awful. I'm not doing it. This idea of sitting sounds great if you're drafting at like Lamar Jackson 32, you know, Patrick Mahomes 10 in the teens. You just can't do that at the top of the draft. The team is there because they stink and they need a savior. The Jets need a savior. And

how about this? I don't know that Dante Moore is that guy. I'll tell you right now at least.

You want to know an under the radar story developing? Please. Brian Dable of the Titans.

You You were on this last week. We haven't heard Dable's name anywhere. I just saw a website, one of the prominent ones,

projected the head coaches for every opening. Brian Dable's not listed as a head coach anymore.

That's interesting. What's that about? Is there some back channel stuff happening somewhere?

He's interviewing Friday. I mean, they had Jeff Hafley ticketed for the New York Giants. I mean, if that happens, just start the mutiny in New York. I mean, come on. Jeff Halfley.

Cam Cam Ward. Brian Dable. That sounds good to me. I I don't know what my Jets do.

Keep your eye on Brian Dable to the Titans. Sounds like you have some inside information.

Listen, I'm America's honesty broker. also a 24/7 journalist. Oh, really? Big J or lowercase J?

Lower case. Okay. Tonight, it's a College Hoops triple header on FS1. Starting at 6 Eastern with a classic Big East rivalry between Villanova and Providence. Then, West Virginia takes on seventh ranked Houston, followed by Maryland versus USC. It all tips off tonight only on FS1. So, as we put on the screen the matchups for this weekend's NFL playoffs, here's what I see. I see Shawn Payeyton against Mike McDonald, Vrabel against Demo Ryan, McVey against Ben Johnson, Shanny Mike McDonald, and then Shawn Payeyton against Josh Allen. Let's be honest, in seven of eight, I see the coach.

That's what I see. Seven of eight. And and I'm not saying Shawn McDermott is not a good coach. I think the other seven are like really, really uniquely special coaches. All eight of those coaches, by the way, if you combine their winning percentage, it's 61% higher than Bill Walsh. What they have in common this weekend is not great quarterback. We're not quite sure what Bo Knicks is yet. It's not It's not quarterback. Is Brock pretty great or does he have a great coach? Seven. And again, McDermott's a good coach. McDermott is a good coach. Nobody disputes that. I I I think Mike McDonald is the defensive version of Shawn McVey.

Shanahan, McVey, Ben Johnson, Shawn Payeyton. So, what this weekend is, it's not about the quarterback. It's an instruction to all the crappy teams in this league called the Jets and the Giants and the Titans and Cleveland. Don't go cheap on the head coach. Go spend money on a head coach. By the way, when the Titans let go of Mike Vrabel, do you know what the record is since? Six and 28. Uh, when the Niners fired Jim Harbaugh, 17 and 47 the next four years. So, Baltimore, I know you think you can just fire John Harbaugh and is all going to be good.

be very careful firing a guy who's the leading candidate in the coaching pool. Oh, which by the way, Kevin Stfansky was. I said when Stfansky there was rumors he would get fired. I said he will be the number one candidate, not for a team, for six teams. And he was immediately. And then John Harbaugh got fired. And now Stfansky at worst is number two. So you I didn't say he'd interview for a job. I said, "No, no, Stfansky is going to interview every single job. He'll be the number one candidate." And I would argue there are those that think because he's an offensive coach that maybe he still is the number one candidate. He's already had a couple interviews reportedly ace both of them. So, be careful about firing the best candidate in the coaching pool. So, that that's what I see this weekend. That that that's what I see this weekend. That is not a knock on McDermott. I know it sounds like it, but even Matt Hasselbeck

said this yesterday. When you think of the Bills, you think of one guy, Josh Allen.

He literally is Superman. Like, if the MVP was really just the MVP, not like whose team was the best and you had the best stats, like Josh Allen's the MVP. Like, he is that guy. He can put a cape on and carry his team. He's done it year after year. But this is a huge opportunity for Buffalo with, you know, no Lamar, uh, no Burrow, no Mahomes in the playoffs. Like, this is your opportunity to throw the cape on. It doesn't matter if your defense can't stop the run. They do other things well. They're creating interceptions. Uh they're playing well enough. This this this is your opportunity.

Yeah. It's it's one of those things. There's a lot of jobs that uh people make great money, they're compensated. I think we all think that teacher should be paid a little more, but whenever I hear people go, "Oh, a college football coach, how can he be worth this?" Or, "How can he be or an NFL or an NBA coach?" Football coaches go look. You don't have eight great defenses this weekend. You don't have eight great offenses this weekend. You don't have eight great quarterbacks this weekend. You have seven great coaches.

And McDermott's really good. And maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he is great. Maybe he went to the Super Bowl and I'm wrong. I mean, if he he's if he goes to Denver and wins, maybe he's great coach and I'm just wrong. Maybe it was always about Mahomes and Andy Reid. But look at all those teams. Uh the Rams don't even have good special teams. The Texans don't have a good offense. Is Brock Pury a great quarterback or Bo Nick? It's all excellent coaching. Um, so the Lakers last night just got housed 124 112 and I I laughed at this number. I did not I did not watch the game. I saw highlights. I watched 10 minutes this morning on YouTube. Sacramento shot 65% from three.

That's that's like that's like an off night at the free throw line. So, um, and this is 100% on roster construction. It has been a 3 and D league for a decade. They got no great three shooters and they have absolutely bottom three team in the league on the D part outside of Jared Vanderbilt. They don't have any versal defenders with with length. They just don't. So, you can blame JJ Reic. Every time I go to the Interweb, I go to X, it's always JJ Reic. The Lakers are 13-1 in clutch games, best in the league. So if you give JJ Reic a close game late, he is unbelievable.

But he can't keep the games close. 13 of their 14 losses, they get their doors blown off. And it's probably a bad sign when your best three-point shooter is the coach. And unless JJ Reick's going to pull a late Bill Russell and go player coach, they don't have enough shooters. So, and again, it has been a three and D league for a long time. It's not a center league. I talked about this a couple weeks ago between Joic, Giannis, and Embiid. Probably the three best centers in the last decade. You got two rings in 34 total years. It's not a center league. Titles don't go through bigs. It's not the 70s or 80s or 90s.

They go through wing defenders and wing scorers. So my pred here's my prediction. Uh Rob Pelanka, uh Kobe's former agent, has become GM. And now the new Dodger owners have made him GM and head of basketball operations, right? President Rob's smart. He's a good communicator. He's a dealmaker. He's a little thin skin for my taste, but whatever. Nobody likes to be criticized and he gets criticized, but I do think he's a smart guy, a very good communicator, and he's a good dealmaker. The Luca thing is one of the top five or six deals. Had a very Jerry West feel to it. So, I I'll defend Rob Pelink. I think he's more than capable. But I will say this, if you look at the Dodgers front office, now this is unbelievable.

I apologize to the radio audience. Look at the Dodgers front office. I mean, they've got 11 vice presidents, the Lakers, Rob Pelink is the president, basketball ops GM, and then uh Kurt Rambus does basketball affairs. The new Dodgers owners who now own the Lakers have to massively expand the front office. Move move Rob Pelinka to just basketball ops president. Get him out of dudeldorf. Get him out of grinding tape. Get him out of that space. If you want to win, look at the Philadelphia Eagles front office and look at the Bengals. the the the they were the Lakers have been they're undermanaged and I I can it's everybody wants to blame JJ Reic. He's 13-1 in close games and people can bang on Rob Pelanka and I don't love the roster construction either but the Bus family was one of the poorest ownership groups.

They don't have enough eyes. They don't they don't have enough ears. They don't have enough people. JJ Reic on last night's embarrassing loss to awful Sacramento. Literally, we can't make a shot. I mean, you look at it. We first of all, they're they're right there with us as being one of the worst shooting teams in the league. Had 50 potential assists tonight. We converted on 21 of those. Um expected score, we won by 24. Like, this is the this has been the theme. You know, it it's been the theme. So, just got to keep keep shooting, I guess.

Again, you you you you can blame the coach. There's nothing you can do when you're getting blown blown out. Um, he's very good in clutch games because he's a really smart guy. And I I I I mean, Pelinka I think's too thin skinned. If you're the front guy for the Lakers, I mean, I see Rambus two or three times a year. I bang on the Lakers all the time. He's always in good spirits. He gets it. He's a former player. That's just the world. If you if you run the Lakers in LA or the Dodgers, now the Dodgers have a brilliant GM and a brilliant ops people. Uh, they're research and development and they've got a lot of money. When I moved to LA, when I moved to LA, it was a Laker town. It is a Dodger town. And part of it is they spend money and they make money. That front office, layers of competent people with the Dodgers.

Um, by the way, classes resume for the Miami Hurricanes Monday. So, it'll be the first time now in the playoff. The kids are going to class and uh playing in the games. They are about an eightpoint underdog to the Indiana Hooers. A lot was made like two weeks before the college football playoff teams were announced. Miami Notre Dame, Notre Dame Miami. Who do we pick? The truth is both are going to be in this college football playoff most of the next decade. Marcus Freeman and Mario Crystal have a lot in common. big confidence, great recruiters, build physically tough, relentless defenses, and both schools have big NIL money. I said this morning, if you give me, if I had to project top 10, next 10, the next decade with the transfer portal, NIL, and the playoffs, who will consistently be in that playoff? the 10 programs that will consistently be in that playoff.

Just to show you, uh, I I think a lot of it is your top booster and your economy. I have three Texas schools in it. Texas, Texas&M, and Texas Tech. They should all be in it. I have Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Indiana because of Mark Cuban and their coach, Miami, big NIL money, and USC and Oregon. Phil Knight and the LA economy. I do not have Georgia over the next 10 years. They just a year ago their top booster passed away. They've lost five players. Georgia has five DBs in the transfer portal. The best quarterback just selected Vanderbilt, the academic school, over Georgia.

So, I mean to me when you Oh, what about Lane Ke and LSU? I don't think they'll have the money. I think Levit's going to be great, but they won't be able to build top five, six defenses. I think going forward, it's going to be about what is your economy? Georgia has 17 Fortune 500 companies. California's got 58. Texas has 54. And I think Texas is going to catch up to them. So, I I have three Texas schools over the next decade. Texas Tech, Texas&M, and Texas. I I think they'll all be consistently college football playoff teams. We know Alabama can't keep up with that. We know. I think there's a reckoning period for Georgia. When I watched Georgia this year, I didn't see a big distance between them and Tennessee and them in Auburn, them in Alabama, and Alabama struggling. Alabama doesn't have the players.

And now I don't think Miss going forward. I thought I think it was a great story. They won't be able to buy both sides of the ball. Here's Mario Crystal on on facing Indiana as a dog in in the in the natty.

We have to prepare for an awesome opportunity. Um we preach it, we teach it, and then we we go and we um we get away from everybody just like we did a couple weeks ago um the last couple of weeks when we went on the road. Uh and that's where I know the process was asked about earlier. It's it's no different. just got to shut out the outside world and go to work.

Yeah. So, I It's just a new world. We've seen it not only three years in a row with no SEC team in the national championship. We We've seen that. Go look at who the SEC is beating in the college football playoff, only SEC schools and two lane. They're they're they're they're not winning the other games. So, I think the drop off is precipitous. Uh, I was talking to an agent, an NIL agent this weekend, and a one of those 10 schools, Northern schools I talked about, who already has two really good receivers that'll play on Sundays, is bidding on another receiver, seven figures out of Syracuse.

Like that's the kind of money that's being like it's it is it is Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, three Texas schools, Phil Knight money, USC money. It's just 600 $700,000 for offball linebackers. That that's the kind of money we're talking about until the NCAA can get this whole thing fixed. So, and Indiana, I mean, again, Indiana's got a great business school, massive alumni, and I I said this two years ago, these Big 10 schools are bigger than SEC schools. They got 40, 50,000 people and a lot of good business schools, and those kids pour out to the West Coast, East Coast, and then they come back to write a check for football and basketball, especially football. So, that's where we are right now. Um, I think Miami keeps it close for a while against Indiana.

Uh, and again, say what you want about Carson Beck, but this will be his third national championship game he's in. So, he's been around the block. My top 10, next 10. There it is. Miami, SC, Texas, Texas&M, Texas Tech, Notre Dame, Oregon, Ohio State Michigan Indiana.

All right. Let me let me ask uh Sorry people. What's wrong? Why is USC in there? What's that about?

LA's economy. Okay. They just had the best recruiting class. Why? They got their collective in order and they're building a $300 million facility and they're paying Lincoln Riley 80 million over the next eight years. Money is not an issue.

Got it. Just Just making sure because I'm sure different boosters. Yeah. Indiana is I love this story column.

Great. It's awesome. Great business school. So I that that I didn't say the previous 10. I've got two SEC teams in there. Texas and Texas A&M. oil money remains undefeated. I'm sorry. I mean, that that's Texas Tech a nightmare for the SEC, too.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Colin Cowherd & Nick Wright DEBATE NFL Playoffs, Steelers, Bills, Eagles, Texans | THE HERD"?

Colin Cowherd (Host), Nick Wright (Guest).

What is "Colin Cowherd & Nick Wright DEBATE NFL Playoffs, Steelers, Bills, Eagles, Texans | THE HERD" about?

Colin Cowherd and Nick Wright engage in a lively debate about the NFL playoffs, focusing on the challenges facing teams like the Bears, Steelers, Bills, Eagles, and Texans. They analyze the impact of injuries on these teams' performances, highlight the unique resilience of the Bears in late-game situations, and express skepticism about the effectiveness of the Texans' offense and the Steelers'…

What is mentioned in this The Herd with Colin Cowherd episode?

23 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Curtis Wayne Wright, Colin Cowherd, NFL, Justin Herbert, Super Bowl, Green Bay Packers. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Colin Cowherd & Nick Wright DEBATE NFL Playoffs, Steelers, Bills, Eagles, Texans | THE HERD"?

The episode runs 44 min; the transcript is about 7,596 words in 90 timestamped sections.

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About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.