The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Bears Built For The COLD, NFL Playoffs Are WIDE OPEN, Lamar Jackson’s Future, Ranking Top NFL Coaches

Episode Date: January 8, 2026

Colin is joined by Danny Parkins, host of “First Things First” on FS1 They start with the bad weather forecast for the  upcoming Packers/Bears game and Colin argues that the weather will benefit the Bears due to their run game and Caleb Williams superior arm strength, and Danny explains why Bears fans are the most excited they’ve been in years (3:30). They also highlight which wild card weekend teams they feel most strongly about (11:00). Colin points to all the star, highly paid quarterbacks that missed the playoffs and argues that cheap, young quarterbacks with a stacked roster are a viable way to win in the NFL and that teams should pay big money very infrequently (15:00). They both agree that the NFL playoff field is WIDE OPEN and that almost any team could win (18:00). They debate what the Ravens should do next year and beyond with Lamar Jackson as his athletic powers diminish with age and what it will take to get the Ravens over the hump in the postseason (24:30). Colin argues John Harbaugh would be the perfect candidate to right the ship for the New York Giants  (33:30) and they look at all the great young genius coaches that teams let walk  in favor of long-tenured head coaches (37:30). Colin points to Ben Johnson as the next McVay and the job he’s done with the Bears in two years has been nothing short of spectacular. They credit both his scheme genius and culture building ability for the Bears turnaround (41:30).  They also rank the NFL head coaches that they’d take over Ben Johnson and go around the league identifying the coaches they hold in highest regard (49:30) and preview Texans @ Steelers 1:08:00). (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas.

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fun to see. His name is Danny Parkins. So Saturday, a friend of mine in California, he said, hey, I take my son to a game every year. And we know you live in Chicago. Do you want to go to the Bears game? I said, it's going to be 30 mile an hour wind gusts and snowing. He's like, it'll be so much fun. And I said, when you live in it, it's really not that fun. like I don't ski anymore. So, but it is interesting when I look at that Packer game, what I think is fascinating is usually when the Packers play in a playoff game, they are the story.

And it's a total Bear story. Ben Johnson, Caleb, the Bears are literally what everybody is watching for. And my theory is the lousy weather benefits the Bears because they have one of the best run games. The Packers' run game isn't as good. The Bears have a better run game. a better old line, and I would argue the ability for Caleb to just take off is actually, usually the more skilled offense is it a disadvantage when the weather stinks.

And I actually think it plays into the Bears favor. And I like Chicago this weekend. And I think they're the second best bet on the board after Jacksonville. So, yeah, a lot there. Caleb's best game of the season and arguably his career was against Cleveland. and their defense was very good this year, and it was the coldest game at Soldier Field in like 20 years. His arm is ridiculous.

Ridiculous. So, like, now, Jordan Love's got a very, he's got a plus arm. Yeah. But, like, bad conditions should impact Caleb less than other players because of his, like, physical gifts. And then everything else you said is absolutely true. Home field, offensive line, run game, all of those things. Green Bay's defense also, you know, they've lost four straight.

Micah got hurt four games ago. They have three sacks and no interceptions in their last four games down the stretch. That's the Jets. The Jets have four sacks and no interceptions. They're the only other team in that spot. They're giving up 28 a game. Like the Bears defense is not good, but they lead the league in takeaways. Like they do make plays.

The Packers defense since losing Mika is just bad. They don't sack the quarterback. They don't turn you over. They give up a lot of points. So they're just bad and not even opportunistic. But before we get into any more hardcore X's football, I'm going. Oh, my God. Colin, you didn't even text me back.

I texted you and said, hey, I'm flying in Saturday morning. Do you want to grab lunch? And now I'm going with my buddies and we're going to get lunch. So unless you want to come hang out with some of us as we start boozing, you're more than welcome. But, Colin, I hate going to NFL games. Hate it. It's expensive. People fight.

Yeah. The traffic is miserable. I think it's crazy that this game ended up on Saturday instead of on Sunday. And there's been great reporting as to like how the TV networks divvied up these games and why Prime got the excellent game that is Bears Packers. But when I saw that it was Saturday night in Chicago and I could fly in Saturday morning, fly back to New York Sunday morning, be back in time to watch all the Sunday games. and not miss anything by going to this Bears Packers game, this is going to be a special thing. Like, it's going to be uncomfortable.

It's going to be cold, but I have incredible seats. I am right behind the Bears bench. So I'm out in the elements, but like first row behind the Bears bench. I have not been this excited to go to an NFL game since I was like a child. I am very, very excited to be there. Because your friend is correct. Like it's going to be a, it's going to be a experience. It's going to be miserably cold and windy.

I'm actually rooting for it to be cold because I don't want it to be, if it's going to, I don't want it to be rain. Like I'd much rather it be snowing than raining just for like comfort in the stadium. So if it's like 33 in raining, that's going to be miserable. Give me 23 in snow for 30 rain. But I don't know. Bears, Packers, Soldier Field, Bears, Bears as the. two-seed, feeling like we are not out-coached and we are not out-quarterbacked.

I remember watching football for the first time in 1992 being six years old. My dad and my older brother raised in Wisconsin, diehard Packers fans. 92 is Brett Farv's first year in Green Bay. I've never seen the Bears have a better quarterback than the Packers, my whole life. So the idea that like this game could be like the beginning of the rise. rivalry being real and that's the floor or the ceiling is like passing of a torch to like an era of the bears being the hammer and the Packers being the nail. I'm just, I'm so excited for this game. I had to be there. Well, you know, one of the things about running a northern tier team, and I've said this for years, Danny, there's never been a dome dynasty in the NFL.

There's never been a warm weather dynasty. I mean, Dan, that's interesting. Yeah, Dan, Marine. know. What about the Cowboys? Go there in the winter. It's not that warm. It's, it's, you know, they've got, I went to a Super Bowl. There were ice, sheets of ice were falling off the stadium. That was, that, yes, sure. Yes. Okay. So I don't consider, I consider warm, you know, Miami, Arizona, an L.A. team, Jacksonville. There's never been a warm weather dynasty. And so the NFL success has gone through cold, crappy weather. And I was thinking about this the other day.

Ben Johnson's a real sharp guy. Ben Johnson, I think, knew. Listen, it's not named the Windy City because of the wind. That's because of politicians years ago. Nonetheless, and Baltimore's always done this. And New England did this. Don't worry too much about deep threats. They went and got a center, two guards, and a tight end, and a slot receiver.

And why? those guys can operate under 16 yards. Now, Caleb has a power arm, but even if you have a power arm Saturday, it may not matter. And I think what one of the quiet pieces of Ben Johnson, unstated pieces of Ben Johnson's brilliance, he built this team to play in crappy weather. This is an excellent crappy weather team for the record. So is Philadelphia. Saquan Barkley, good tight ends, excellent O line.

So Seattle, by the way, Darnold Big Arm. They went and drafted a tight end. Two running backs. Really, only one receiver. So I think what makes you, you know, we always think of Green Bay. I mean, Green Bay always far big arm, Aaron Big Arm, Love Big Arm, Flacco Big Arm. Lamar, not so much. Mahalma's Big Arm.

I think Chicago is, if the weather is lousy for the next three weeks, I think the bears are completely built for it. For the record, Detroit wasn't where Ben was at because Goff's not good in that weather, but they were, they were indoors. So I always feel like when Goff goes outside, the odds change. So I, I know a lot of people go back and forth, but in the last 12 hours, I'm like Big Jacksonville, big Chicago, and I do like Mike Tomlin Monday now that D.K. Metcalf comes back. So those are the three I feel strongest about. Do you have two to three that you really feel most strongly about. Well, so one that you didn't mention is my favorite, and it's Chargers plus three and a half. Wow. I think, yeah. So you and J. Mack,

love that. So I don't know if I love that. No, just kidding. No, like, obviously three in the hook is a big deal. Like, it's obviously a very important number in the gambling space. So that's, that is a piece of it. I think Jacksonville wanted New England. because they know, okay, two of our most expensive players and two of our best players, Alton Slater, are out for the year. You take two of the four highest paid players off any team, it's going to decimate them. Yes. Now you say they play the same position and their job is to protect your most expensive

and important player and it's a death blow. Like anyone who has been hit the number of times that Herbert has been hit who has made the playoffs in the last 30 years, they've all lost in the wild card round. It is supposed to be a fatal flaw of a team if you can't stop your quarterback from getting hit. Well, New England's defense is not good. They're not, they're statistically okay in some areas, but they haven't played anybody. And when you dig into it just a little bit, like, good quarterbacks have been efficient

against them and have at least moved the ball and their pass rush numbers are not good. Now, a lot of that is, you know, they don't even really need to. They're not playing from behind. They're not gearing up and going after it. There's some pre-vent stuff. There've been a lot of blowouts. Sure, I'll concede that. But I think Denver is a worse matchup for the Chargers. I think Houston is a worse matchup for the Chargers. Houston's a bad matchup. Yeah, no doubt. Denver's pass rush almost beat the 84 Bears record, right? I mean, they, they, they, the Chargers beat him in a 23-20 game where Herbert was incredible, but he got hit and abused and sacked. And, like, he was, they, they were lucky to win that game.

But I just think that they looked at it and they said, we'll rest our guys in week 18 and we'll play a team that really hasn't played much of anybody this year. And we'll run on them and we'll protect just. And Justin Herbert won't be staring at the ceiling the whole game because their pass rush isn't great. So I just, I think New England having the easiest schedule of any team since the 99 Rams is something. And I think their pass rush not being very good is something. And I think Herbert, like you do, is a superstar.

So I really like them to, I think they're going to win the game, but I'll certainly take them plus three and a half. Yeah, it's, it's really been an interesting college and pro football year. I mean, the fact that we have Ole Miss, Miami, Indiana, and Oregon is to me, just, just wonderful. The NIL's got its issues, the transfer portal is the Wild Wild West. It's great. I can't wait to watch the games. I was so over Georgia, Bama, Ohio State Clemson, and they're all great programs. The NFL's been interesting. I always say this. Whenever like media critics, nobody says it much now, but whenever I hear a talk show host who's older or somebody complain about hot takes, I'm always like, God, you sound 100 years old. Have you ever listened to political radio?

for all you young guys doing sports talk radio, have a million hot takes. It's fun. That's what fans have. They have a million conspiracy theories. And we're a conduit to the fans. We're a vessel to the fans that read ads, right? So my take is you got to be careful about hot takes because if I would have told you in September, Mahomes, Burrell, Lamar, don't make the playoffs.

Bo Nicks and Sam Darnold are number one seeds. You would have thought that was, I was just trying to get clicks. And I think what's becoming clear in this league is the way to make the playoffs is with a star quarterback if he can stay upright. Mahomes is O' line. Josh Allen, Justin Herbert. I tend to think C.J. Stroud's really good. Or a cheap quarterback, a really, really cheap quarterback. And I think, I mean, Drake May, Bo Nicks, Caleb Williams.

I mean, J.J. McCarthy at the end of the year actually played well. He can just never stay healthy. And I think what's becoming clear, and you saw it in Baltimore, the fact that Burrough and Lamar Jackson and Mahomes can't make the playoffs, watch their games. I mean, Cincinnati and Kansas City's rosters are just nothing. I mean, they don't look like Seattle's. They don't look like Denver. They don't look like. And so, I mean, I think my takeaway from this season is, and I've always felt this, Danny, I, I, I, I think I've told you this, I would be a GM in the NFL. That would be my dream if I didn't do this. Pay big money infrequently, even at quarterback. Just do everything in your...

I mean, Dallas, Dax Cap hit. Look at their defense. By the way, Josh Allen, huge cap hit. Look at their defense. Is that they're a sixth seed. It's on my takeaway this season. It's another reminder. Even if you pay your quarterback, Burrell, Mahomes, Allen,

they have to be Superman. And Bo Nix and Caleb can be bad quarterbacks for about half of the halfs they play. And they can be one, two, or three seats. That's my takeaway on the season. Yeah, it's just, it's very tough to when it's time to pay that guy flatly say, we're not going to pay him. It's, it's, now you're saying if you were in that position, you would do it. What I'm saying is I would constantly restructed. structure it, I would tell the player, listen.

I mean, I've always had a theory on this, Danny, is that at any one time in the NFL, there are six quarterbacks max that you don't even pick up the phone. There's another six that you don't initiate the call, but you'd pick up the phone and talk. Lamar, I think,'s moved into that space. And in the rest of the league, I get on the phone. I think you should draft a quarterback every other year. my theory on drafting centers are the most undrafted players in the league. Cornerbacks are on, everybody plays zone.

Corners are overrated, and you should draft a quarterback every other year. Every other, I don't care if you get Mahomes. Every other year, draft a quarterback. Yeah, I mean, Ron Wolf was every year, you know, and that was part of the Packers thing. I think about this season in particular, I think there's a lot. Listen, the NFL tries to be designed for parity, salary cap, salary floor, all. now the playoffs has been expanded where 14 teams makes it, which I don't really like because now every team that was over 500 this year

except for Minnesota makes the playoffs. It's 40% of the league. Yeah, so I don't love that. And so I think that it allows for a little bit of like wrong conclusions to be made because it's like, oh, well, you can be good this way, you could be good this way, you could be good this way, a lot of different ways to do it. I did a thing on the show today, these teams are all flawed. All of them.

Like if you, I think Seattle's the best team. I've had them at one or two on my top 10 literally, I think since like week 11, we went back and looked at it. Shaky O'Line. Yeah. Shakey O'Line. And do, are we, I think it's totally fair to just say, do we trust Sam Darnold? Yeah. I think it's totally, right?

He was not, he was efficient last week, but not productive. Right. We've seen him in the playoffs. We've seen him in week 18 last year. Like in big, he does not have a long big game resume. and that's putting it mildly. Pick your... The Rams. They're the second favorite in Vegas.

They gave up 28 points per game, the last six games of the season. And their special teams are brutal. Yeah. So we can go back and forth. And so it's like, okay, well, those are the top two favorites in Vegas. And then everyone's like, well, Josh Allen needs to win. It's like Josh Allen is going to get crushed by the media if he doesn't win because so much of the analysis is quarterback-driven. They have the 31st-ranked run defense.

in the NFL. They give up over five yards of carry. I think Jacksonville is going to control the line of scrimmage in that game. They might. And I, Duval Nation, not a huge fan of me because I have just, I have not believed in Jacksonville. I think they've beaten up on some bad teams. The Denver win was definitely impressive. I have scar tissue with Trevor Lawrence. He, he is on a hot streak right now. I think it's 15 touchdowns, one interception, his last six games. He's going to be all over people's MVP ballots. People will vote him third, fourth, fifth, and fine. I don't trust him. I don't. He is the most three turnover games of any player in the NFL going back to 2021. He got nine of them. He just, now he always won this year, but he's a couple other games where he throws a pick and has a couple of fumbles, but they happen to recover it.

I need to see that guy consistently play clean football in big games before I will believe in him. Maybe that's not fair. and I'm judging him, like, pre-Lean Cohen, and Liam Cohen has, the interceptions are down, the fumbles are down. But they've also recovered some of his fumbles. Like, I just, I don't fully trust the guy. And so these, it's just wide open. It's wide open.

And I think that makes it, that makes it fun. And to circle it back to the Bears point, like the Bears defense is not good. Nope. They have allowed more yards than any other team in the playoffs. They are not good. But they can win. Sure.

Why not? Why not? Great running team. Great coach. Two home games if the bracket holds, if Seattle loses. The NFC championship game could be in Chicago in sub-zero weather if Seattle eliminate, like it's eliminated. I'll take my chances with this Bears team. They're in the mix of teams that can win.

Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, huge news? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it.

First people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band.

Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast. we could call in and say, hey Jonas, and then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast.

But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends

on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back from Friday. Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the boozy style

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Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. So I want to talk about the Lamar Jackson thing. So listen, 18 years is a long time to be a CEO of a company. Like that's just a long time. And the hard bars are, they're intense. Like intense personalities. Jim and John, I could see six, eight years. in in San Francisco, you know, Jim was wearing people out. And Stanford did. Now, I think this

gym is much more chill. Maybe the Harbaas need to get to 60 and John Harbaugh has never been quite as intense. But I just, I think John will go win somewhere and Lamar will win. But it is interesting with Lamar because I was saying this today. They sat down with a meeting and I don't think the intent was to run John Harbaugh out. But if you're John Harbaugh, you're like, okay, listen, I was eight and four in the playoffs pre-Lamar. I'm three and six with him. He's missed a full season of games. I don't know what he actually is right now,

because it's not what it used to be. And Cam Newton's last Pro Bowl was at 26. But Lamar is so wildly worshipped and loved in Baltimore. He's unmovable. And by the way, Mahomes is, Alan is, Lamar is. You could move almost every quarterback. And I'm serious. There's about, I mean, now, Herbert in L.A. would be tough.

But the truth is, L.A. is so chill. You know. But I mean, like, Lamar's on a short list of you just can't move them. But my point is, what, what do you think next year? Because remember, hyper athletic quarterbacks age faster. That's not disputable. Old guys, Aaron, Stafford, Brady, don't. You can play into your 40.

I thought Aaron's second half last week, was that. the best he's played in three years. I thought he was outstanding. What do you think Lamar is going forward? Because I think deep down, he would never say it publicly, but Lamar didn't throw out an olive branch when he got fired. And that story got leaked to the writer in Baltimore. And it didn't come from Lamar's side. And my take is, the untold story is Harbaugh asked some questions about Lamar. Like, what are we going forward? He's got a $74 million cap. it. My ask to you is, next year and beyond, do you believe Lamar is what we saw this year, a slower, more tackleable, more defendable version of what he was three years ago?

Well, I mean, listen, he arguably should have won MVP last year. You know, like, it was a very close MVP race with him and Josh Allen last year. So we're not that far removed from Lamar. You know, he was, what, 41 touchdowns and four picks or something stupid. But again, athletic quarterback's age fast. No, no, absolutely. Big Ben just fell off a cliff. Yeah, like, listen, I would not want to be tied to Lamar for his 30s, but like, he turned 29 today.

Yeah. I think that it's totally reasonable to say his age 29, 30, 31, 32 seasons, that you'd be thrilled and could win a Super Bowl in two of those four years, you know, like, it. And so, because he has gotten better as a passer. Yeah. I think his, what the next coach's biggest challenge is going to be is figuring out how much of his improvement as a passer was because teams had to defend against him as a runner. And my, because like his, his mobility makes you have to put in spies and keep eyes on the quarterback and so that it makes it easier to pass the football.

He doesn't just drop back and pass it like Matt Stafford. and he never will. And so as that athleticism wanes, how much is his passing efficiency going to wane? And my guess is a significant amount. Yeah. Like, I don't think Lamar is going to be, you know, I don't think he's going to win another MVP award.

But I do think that he will be good enough in the short term to be competitive because of how talented that roster is. And the other, like, because I think also what you're asking is, like, how attractive is the Baltimore job? It's a great organization. Oh, I think it's, I think it's the best job opening in for, since, since Green Bay, but Green Bay doesn't have an owner and they've got their own obstacles and things that deal with. I mean, Green Bay, third

year in a row, youngest team, why? They don't sign free agents much. So Baltimore's as good a job that's been open in years. I agree with you. But like if you are skeptical of what Lamar's going to be and you're going to have to pay him $70 million. So I'm not skeptical. I think you get two more really, really high-end years. But my guess is the Lamar that was freakishly hard to corner, I don't think we'll see that. I think we'll see highly effective, 11 and 6 can win the division. But I do think, I think it's a reasonable take that 29 years old for his stylistically, I think he's got two really good years left. I wouldn't bet on four.

I think at 33 is not the same player. I agree with that. And I said like two of the next four because maybe he hurts his back next year or whatever. But I think I also think that athletes now, they're just better. Yeah. Right. And so I think we have to kind of like, it used to be like running backs after 27. Don't want those guys.

Now Derek Henry is still a top six back in the NFL. You know, now he's an Adrian Peterson cyborg, but like Christian McCaffrey, usage is higher than it's ever been. Like, we have to like adjust it a little bit. Like because Cam, Cam Newton took hits in a way that Lamar doesn't take hits. Right now, bigger athlete, but he was one-yard touchdowns, Ben Rothlisberger, lowering his shoulder. That's not what Lamar is. Like, you can still be just if you are a good escape artist, even if you're not running to scramp. just like running to evade the pressure, extend the plays, you could still be effective.

So yeah, two of the next four years, I think you have a top 10 quarterback in Lamar Jackson, and you can win a Super Bowl with that. And then when you add in all of the other talent there, how well they draft. What Coach Manjini keeps talking about, though, is he's like what people underrate is, when you're there for 18 years, it's not like a coach who was there for three and gets fired. He's like, you're either just doing more of what John Harbaugh was doing or you're changing everything. But the PR was how Harbaugh wanted it. The food was how Harbaugh wanted it.

The training staff, all of those things. So I'm fascinated into like the profile of who the next coach of the Ravens is. Like, can it be a first time head coach? No, I said this today. They don't need their culture change. They have one of the best cultures. They need somebody that works with Lamar as he has. stages.

Stephansky. Yeah. The New York Giants need a variable. They need a culture changer. Yeah, I think that makes perfect sense. Yeah, Harbaugh works with New York or Atlanta. Stefansky works in Baltimore. Their culture is incredible.

They just have to have somebody that Lamar's like, oh, you're my guy. You're an offensive guy. They need an offensive coach for Lamar because I do think you're going to get a little less from Lamar. So what can elevate him? Really elite coaching. Yeah, scheme. Scheme.

Yeah, helping him out in that way. I agree. It's a fun, by the way, Nick and I were talking about this today. You and John Harbaugh both look great for your age. Because I kind of was floating like to Nick. I was like, you know, like it would kind of make sense if Andy Reid wanted Harbaugh to replace him because Andy Reid gave him his shot in the NFL back in Philly. But then you look it up, John Harbaugh is 62 years old. Yeah. Like Andy Reid's not going to, at 67, going to hand it over to a 62-year-old guy. So everyone's like talking about how John Harbaugh is this unbelievable coaching candidate. And he is. And he'll 10, seven teams will offer him a job and maybe teams they're going to, you know, maybe they'll fire someone in Tampa to hire him or Green Bay or Buffalo or who the hell knows. But it's not hiring Ben Johnson.

It's not hiring William Cohen. Like you're hiring a guy to five years. Right? Like, is that, I, that, that would, that would, if I was a Giants fan and they hire John Harbaugh, it's obviously exciting. But I've also like immediately starting the clock on it because like how, like is he going to coach into a 70? Well, yeah. So no, I think it's a five year hire. And, and, and that's how I feel. Which in the NFL is an eternity. I understand that. But it's just, we're talking about like Lamar's shelf life. It's also interesting to consider like, everyone's like, well, John Harbaugh, is he going to sit out a year? I'm like, no. He's going to go get a $75 million

contract right now because it's probably his last big payday. Yeah, and he's not calling plays anymore. A lot of these older coaches. I feel that Harbaugh of the Giants is Kyle Winningham to Michigan. Right the ship. Excellent Blue Blood brand. Plenty of talent. I've hit on four or five years in a row. I've my double the win total team back 2022, it was the Vikings, then the Rams. Then it was last year, Washington. And this year it was New England and Seattle. I said if John Harbaugh got the Giants or Kevin Stavansky got the Giants, they're my double the win total team.

I actually think Harbaugh makes a little more sense because their culture so weak. Wouldn't it be ironic if Stefansky, Cleveland Fire Stifansky, he goes to Baltimore and kicks their ass for eight years? Oh, yeah, which is, well, I thought firing Stefansky was one of the more arrogant things we've seen in the NFL in the years. Amazing. I'm not saying that he's like some sort of like schematic genius. And I think the Coach of the Year award is terribly flawed in how we give it out. Like I remember when Matt Nagy won Coach of the Year for the Bears because Vic Fangio's defense got 36 takeaways. I was like, well, how does what the hell's going on here?

So like two-time coach of the year only goes so far with me, but he's clearly a good coach. Yes. And so, like, acting like he's the problem in Cleveland is pure insanity and it'd be hilarious if he did that and kicked their ass, like you said. I know you like guys with theories and half-baked ideas, whatever the case may be. How many of the following examples, if time travel existed, would go back and make the at the time, indefensible decision to fire the successful head coach to not let the judge. genius out of the building. I'm talking about like, how much does Tampa wish they had fired Todd Bowles to keep Liam Cohen?

How much does Baltimore wish they had moved on from John Harbaugh a little earlier? And then they'd have Mike McDonald. Dan Campbell in Detroit, Ben Johnson. Like, you can't let the young play-calling genius out the door because of like, status quo and culture. Like, if you would have suggested firing Dan Campbell for Ben Johnson, that would have been a hot take for clicks. If you could, if the trade was offered tomorrow, Ben Johnson for Dan Campbell,

you'd do it. The Bears would hang up the phone, like, and laugh at the proposition. And Detroit would, I would think, do it in a heartbeat. And Todd Bulls, Liam Cohn's not even a question. And obviously, Mike McDonald would be a home run hire for Baltimore if he was available. And he was an assistant there under Harbaugh. So maybe it's like, maybe this is Monday morning quarterbacking it because you didn't know how good all of those guys are. But your job, if they're in your building, is to know how good they are.

And I just think there's something there of like, if you think the genius is actually not the top person, fire your top person to promote your genius. Yeah, I think it's really hard. it's the classic easier said than done because I do think Dan Campbell is really built a good culture. I think it's much... Undeniably. Undeniably, yeah. And also, Mike McDonald and Sean McVeigh,

who really are kind of really the same guy, one offense and one defense, like the good-looking, confident, likable, very pro player, but don't push him. I mean, Mike McDonald's like, I don't want D.K. McCaff in the building. D.K. McCaff's gone. Right.

And by the way, Sean McVey has done this. I told a friend, I said, I would not be shocked if Pooka's gone in the offseason. I would not be shocked. It's a very good receiver draft again. They've got two ones, a two, a three. They need to tackle a corner. It's not a good quarterback draft. They took a second round, third round.

If they took a wide receiver, it would not shock me. Is you've got to be brutal in this business. You know, it's funny. something about John Harbaugh, a former Raven player said, he said, he's an unbelievable culture builder. He could be a little bit more compassionate. And I thought, that's a, that's a player talking. And it's really hard to be compassionate if you're running a network, you're running a football team, you're running a company, because in the end, you have to make these awful, brutal decisions. And I think, I mean, I ripped the lions. This was my, you know, I think I've told you this.

the greater the loss, the wider the search. When Jim Harbaugh leaves Michigan, you can't give it to an assistant. When Ben Johnson leaves, you can't say, hey, guy that shared the room with him. And I think it's a classic flaw in hiring is that you think proximity to genius equals genius. And it does not. Proximity to a great mentor. Like Belichick's not a great mentor. McVeigh is, but even McVeigh's coaches, Rahim Morris just got fired.

Zach Taylor. So all this stuff is fascinating to talk about. I think the bigger mistake teams make is that when the genius leaves, because it is hard to fire Dan Campbell and replace him, the key is when the genius leaves, you have to have a global search. You never ever replace the genius, boy wonder, with guy down the hallway that makes everybody laugh in the film room.

You have to go. So I think that's the mistake. The genius leaves, and everybody's like, well, Bob knows our culture. It doesn't matter. Go higher. You've heard a prof G before Scott Galloway. He always says this. Interviewing's overrated.

When you have a company, the volume, we've done a lot of this. I didn't know it was smart. It was just this is how I've always operated in my life. The first thing I asked Nick Wright is, hey, who's the smartest young, talented guy you know in radio? He goes, there's a guy named Danny Parkins. I'm like, all right. So I go listen to Chicago Radio for an hour, and I'm like, oh, yeah, that guy's going

to be really good. Just go ask your smartest friends. Who's the smartest guy you know who's the best guy? Smart people hang out with smart people. A's hang out with A's, B's hang out with C's. And Prof G says, interviewing's ridiculous. He goes 99% of the time, just ask all the smart people in your building. Tell Ben, where to kick ass.

Who would you, who's the smartest guy you know? It's never the guy down the hallway. I know it's cruel sounding, but it never is. Yeah, that's, That is pretty accurate. Yeah. And, and like, listen, the examples I gave are the most current examples. And yes, firing John Harbaugh would have been kind of crazy a couple of years ago.

And Dan Campbell would have been indefensible. Todd Bowles for Liam Cohen? You probably could have done that one. You know what I mean? He was like, wait a minute. Oh, my God. This guy got, Baker Mayfield had the best season of his wife. Baker dropped off severely this year.

Yeah. And then he shows up with Trevor Lawrence, who had been the same guy for five years, and now is immediately awesome. And Travis E.T.N, who had been a disappointment, his whole career is immediately awesome. Like, that guy's probably awesome. Listen, you and I've talked about this in our careers off the air. Don't just chase money, chase good management. Because if you work hard and you love what you do, you'll find money in any business. You'll find it.

Maybe not if you're a elementary school teacher. But in most businesses, if you work hard, find something you're good. at. If you love it, you'll do well. What Ben Johnson has actually done in Chicago, I think, is a little, like we all know he's good. I don't even think we know how good Ben Johnson is. Because you know this. McCasky family, I'll just be Democratic. It's a little dysfunctional. Kevin Warren is not considered one of the strongest team presidents. I think Ryan Poles has some hits. I don't want to judge Ryan because he has absolutely, I mean, he's missed on a few people.

It's in exact. He's also hit on a lot of draft picks. We have to be fair. Yeah, Ryan Poles has some grand slams and a lot of strikeouts. That's okay, yes, but he's got some hits. He deserves good. He's got some hits. Definitely.

But it was so dysfunctional. last year. And if you go back to camp when he was really hard on Caleb, and he's like, we're not good. McVeigh succeeds. But, I mean, let's be honest. Like, Stan Cronkey is like the second richest owner. It's not that it was easy with Gough, but Gough was a classic dropback guy. I always felt like in Los Angeles, the Jeff Fisher's, maybe I'm, I guess my whole point is this, is that maybe it all blows up next year like Dan Quinn in Washington, and it just all unravels. But I think Ben Johnson, I think we have our next McVeigh. Oh, yeah. So, yeah. I don't even think it's, I think he is that good.

Yeah, I think, listen, do I have like some bias that you could have assigned to this? Sure. Do you have some like copium or hope trafficking that I'm doing for myself? Sure. Like I've fallen for coaches and I've fallen for quarterbacks before. This is very clearly different. It's it just, it is very clearly different. He. And that's why the Dan Campbell culture thing. It's like, I don't know, Ben Johnson changed the culture pretty damn quick. Winning and accountability helps. It's a good way to, it's a good place to start with culture. And I, I don't know, Ben Johnson changed the culture pretty damn quick. winning and accountability helps. It's a good way to, it's a good place to start with culture. And I loved what he apparently told the team, you know, after that loss in week 18, he basically came in and said, I don't want you to show up to the facility tomorrow if you are thinking about your vacation or if you are not physically or mentally prepared to be here every day and give us everything you have for the next five weeks, because that's, that's what it will take to win a Super Bowl. And it's just like, holy shit. Like high standards, expectations, willing to back it up. Like, I heard from someone that Ben Johnson does all of the

installs. Not like, like, not just like the first 15, like the third down, the red zone that doesn't delineate it to position coaches, doesn't like, you know, give the tight ends coach one, doesn't give it. He does all of it. He clearly sleeps at the facility some. Like, he's the type of guy that we're going to look at him in 10 years and be like, oh, my God, it was like a presidency. Like, he is, he is a maniacal worker and he's an awesome play caller and he has changed the culture. And I agree with you. Like, I think the Bears have a McVeigh-Shannahan guy, which is the most valuable thing you can have in coaching because even if his assistants get poached, you still have him. It's why genius defensive coach is great, genius offensive coach is better.

Yeah. Because it stays there and it gives stability to your quarterback. And then they have a top five physical talent at the quarterback position. Not saying he is a top five quarterback. Right. But he's a top five physical talent. No question. And so you now have, if you've got a top five offensive mind with a top five quarterback talent and, and a. And, and he has a top five, Again, this can change. People get divorced, relationships. You grow apart, sure. But it started Rocky. And now in week 18, Caleb Williams is wearing Ben Johnson's high school jersey to the game. They love each other, Colin. Yeah. It's what I've wanted my whole life. Honestly, like Andy, Andy Reid is going to coach for as long as health will allow him to because he found Patrick Mahomes late in life. And it's like the perfect one. Like, so I, I legitimately. we'll be shocked

if Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams are not the quarterback and coach of the Bears in 2035. I will be shocked by it. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, Nick? Huge news.

We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas, we invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special.

So how do we, how do we actually? actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys. I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. We were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this.

We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite.

Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody!

Please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives.

helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike! I'm a comedian! I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream. Cream a chicken suit.

This is help from a hypocrite. The worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite as part of the Mike Coulthura Podcast Network available on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew.

Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real Housewives franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the team everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television,

I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This will probably go viral. So years ago, I forget who was doing this, but somebody ranked the best 30 dunks of all time. And they eliminated the Vince Carter jumping over the Chinese National Team Center.

We're going to take that one out because it automatically wins. You jumped over a seven-foot man. and so somebody took that out and started it. So I'm going to take Andy Reid out of this question because he's almost Belichekian now. It's sort of understood. It's silly. His resume's better.

So let's take Andy Reid out of this. And let's go rank the coaches until we get to Ben Johnson. Okay, so I would go make... It's not going to take long. So, okay, I'm going to go McVeigh one. That's fine. Shanahan, too. Boy, Jim Harbaugh's good.

Jim Harbaugh's good. Jim Harbaugh is very good, and I know you love him. Okay, here's why Shanahan gets docked for me. Okay. Why doesn't he come? Why is he bad second half trailing? Because he has the best play sheet in the league, and he gets glued to his play sheet. He has the best, he is, that is the most sophisticated,

play sheet in the league and the best play caller. But he, there are certain things, you know, I always had my Aaron Rogers theory. Why does he have so few come from behind wins in the fourth? Fewer than Derek Carr? Why? Because Aaron's mood changes after a picker to. He literally his mood changes. You can see it. His body language changes. He has a bizarre few come from behind wins. I always said he's not a foxhole guy. He is a baller, but a little bit of a bailer. Okay. Yeah, but okay.

But I love this. So I want to just like stay on it. Like the guy went to a Super Bowl with Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy. I feel like it's like that's the only argument I need. Like Kyle Shanahan, if you can go to a Super Bowl with the last pick in the draft. Okay. So I'm putting him third. You're putting him second.

Yeah. Okay. But okay, fine. Okay. But my, but my thing, okay, so now Harbaugh, Harbaugh, Harbaugh wins everywhere he goes. Everywhere. He's a great culture guy. Yeah. I don't know, man. I don't know. Like, Ben Johnson calls the plays. Well, yeah, but can we, can we have him go through a full season before? I'm just saying, like, Jim Harbaugh runs a little bit too much for my liking. Like, he kicks field goals a little too often for my, for my liking. Okay.

I'm just saying like there's, it's just, it's a little, all I'm saying is we've reached the point of the list where I, we've reached the point of the list where you're going to at least get me to start making some arguments for my guy. Okay. That's, okay. So I'm like McVeigh, Harbaugh, Shanahan's lack of second half comebacks bothers me. Shanahan third, Mike Vrable for Sean Payton. I would probably, I think Peyton is so good. And by the way, it's all inches here to me.

Like, I, it's inches. It's not feet. And so like, I have a question about Mike Vrable. Okay. I have a question about Mike Rable. He wins in Tennessee. With political, bad ownership. With, with, with prime Derek Henry and A.J. Brown. Yeah. And Ryan Tannahill. I, okay. But it, they had one. a year and it ended poorly

and yes there was politicking and all of that. He is clearly a smart coach. He is clearly he plays on the edges like Belichick, like he knows the rules backwards and forwards which I really respect. Josh McDaniels is a top offensive coordinator. How lucky is that?

And maybe it's not luck. It's relationship and Patriots and all that stuff. But like he has the best offensive coordinator situation you can have because it seems like Josh McDaniels can't be a head coach. Right. But he's clearly, like if we were going to say, best play callers in the game, and again, we're removing Andy Reid. Like, Josh McDaniels was probably in the top five. Right? Like, Josh McDaniels is excellent. I think he's probably, he and Brian Flores are the best

coordinators in the game right now. Yeah. Well, so just like, you gave him an incredible quarterback and an incredible play caller and that incredible play caller won't leave because he can't be a head coach. I just, I'll just tell you this right now. I wouldn't trade Ben Johnson for my Vrable. That one wouldn't be hard for that. Okay. So the difference between you and I, I get to seven, and I'm willing to consider Ben Johnson. So I go McVe, Jim Harbaugh, Shanahan, Peyton Vrable, and Mike McDonald. Mike McDonald took over. I think he's, I think he's McVeigh on the defensive side. So I get to seven, and I could argue, I like Domeco Ryans, but I do prefer offense over defense. I would go Ben Johnson seven.

and then D'Amico Ryan's eight. And then I'd probably go, I mean, we have to put Mike Tomlin in there because a damn won his division again. So I would, I would the... Who am I missing? No, listen. You know, some people would say Matt LaFleuror, he's good. He's good.

I would take Ben Johnson over him. Listen, I think not, it's very early, but what Liam Cohen is doing in Jacksonville, was very, very impressive. I would like him to finish the season, but I agree. Yeah, I'm just saying if I'm going to have Ben Johnson up there, like, because I'm giving William Cohen a lot of credit for what Baker did. You know, so like that. Here's what's funny. Sean McDermott has a higher winning percentage that Andy Reed and Belichick. I'm at nine and I don't have Sean McDermott. That tells you the depth in coaching. Yeah. And listen, and Nick Siriani has like the highest win percentage ever and everyone's like, yeah, but it's a super team.

So like we can we can parse some stuff here. Sean Payton's great. I would take Ben Johnson because of age. I think you have him for longer. McDonald is incredible. And what the Seahawks did in that week 18 game against the Niners. Oh, it was one of the more, it's amazing it was only 13 to 3 because it felt 30 to 3. And that is the knock I have on Seattle is that they physically dominate teams. And in the last six weeks, you're like, I feel like you left 14 points.

on the floor. Yeah, that, I mean, that JSN is 40% of their offense and you fully trust their court. Like, I mean, they clearly sometimes call plays to hide Darnold making mistakes. They'll like snap throw, like one read throws. Like they'll like roll them out left and look back right and there's one. And it's like throw it to him or throw it away. So they think they, they clearly don't fully trust Darnold, even though they say everything publicly.

Like their actions and their play calling when he gets a little shaky. suggested. But yeah, McDonald doing that, I mean, we looked it up on the show. Fewest yards ever for a Kyle Shanahan offense since he'd been the head coach in San Francisco. Fewest rushing

yards for McCaffrey since he got with Shanahan. Wow. And tied for the fewest points for Shanahan since he had been in San Francisco since his first game. Shanahan's first game in San Francisco in 2017, they scored three points. And then they held him to three points. When

they had been the number one offense in football since week 11 when purdy came back. They were averaging 35 a game. They play a must-win game against the division opponent they know and they get held to 174 yards and three points. So yeah, McDonald is excellent. Like, to me, the coach of the year this year is fascinating. Vrable, Ben Johnson, Liam Cohen, McDonald's, Shanahan with all the injuries. There's, you know, Peyton, obviously getting the one-seat. There's big names.

There's history guys. McDonald's probably, I think he deserves it this year. And that's over by guy Ben Johnson. Yeah. Because I don't like giving it to just the guy who improves the most with the wins. Yeah. Vrable's the favorite and everyone thinks Vrable's going to win it. But now they have that assistant coach of the year award, which I would give to McDaniels.

What makes Seattle scary is they have, it's the trifecta. They have a highly productive quarterback check on a very team-friendly deal. second check, and they don't miss on draft picks, third check. So that was their secret sauce with Russell. So they had this third round pick, Russell, that was highly productive. And Pete's first three years out of college, they were finding, you know, Cam Chancellor and Richard Sherman. And they were hitting on fifth and sixth round picks. So it reminds me a little bit, and that was a strong run game, an athletic quarterback who never really, you know, a lot of the analysts and the Greg CoSell like was never a Russell guy.

And he tended, tends to be right on that stuff. So, yeah, I mean, it's Seattle's got, that's a dangerous, that's a dangerous space. Highly productive quarterback, not paying him a ton, and they do not miss on draft picks. Their last nine in the first or second round, it's nine for nine. Yeah, I saw you put that graphic up on the show the other day. I was mad at you that I didn't do it first. It's crazy. Yeah.

Yeah, it was very good. So, yeah, listen, it's the coaching, a lot of them get fired. We got with seven openings right now. So you can still hire one and have a huge mess, you know, and it can go. Like, I remember you and I disagreed. liked the Pete Carroll hire, I didn't, but I fully admitted to you that a little bit of that was ageism. I was super skeptical. I thought it was a stabilizing. I still picked them for fourth. Like, I didn't think they'd be any good. I just didn't think they'd be the worst team offensively

in, you know, bordering on in 10 years. Yeah. And listen, and again, like, I fully, I don't want to be agist, but like if you're trying to coach 22 to 32 year old men and you're trying to compete with like MIT Sloan analytics type people and like the game is changing in sports and sports medicine and sports science and go for it on fourth and go for two down eight when you cut the lead from 14 to eight because of this. Like, you know, I tend to be biased towards like the younger people who buy into it. And so I just, I think Ben Johnson is, he's just, he's that guy. Like I'm just, I'm positive of it.

Yeah. And I'll be, I'll be floored. I don't even know, like, what would the example be of someone that you would say that, like, you thought was the boy one, like, Mike McDaniel, maybe? I never, I was, I never bought into him. Yeah, and by the way, he's still there. Like, I think Mike McDaniel is a pretty good coach because he's because of if you can, if you have a quarterback who can't throw the ball downfield. and he can't see over the offensive line. And you still are a effective offense when he's out there.

I'm like, yeah, you're probably a pretty good play caller. You probably run a pretty good office. Yeah, as I've said before, keeping two and Mike McDaniel for a year, it's not crazy. You've got to pay two anyway. I mean, just just, I mean, listen, I always thought Greer, the general manager, I never could understand this. So let's, I mean, you draft Tua, then you draft Jalen, Jalen, you've got your deep threat. too is not a deep

ball arm. He's very, his comp was Drew Brieze. So we're going to get, we're going to give up all sorts of draft capital. And we're going to get the fastest guy. We've already got Waddle. And oh, by the way,

we're going to mostly ignore the offensive line with a quarterback with injury history and have the worst backup situation in the line. None of that's Mike McDaniel. None of that's Mike McDaniel's fault. None of it. No, I agree completely. And not to, like, talk to much dolphins. But my point was more like,

when the young guy comes on the scene and you just like normally you can be like oh yeah that's mcvay that's shanahan and i think that's ben johnson like i did not crown jad and daniels the way everyone else crowned them i did not crown c j stroud the way everyone else crowned him um after their yeah after their breakout years i thought it was i thought they're obviously impressive i thought i said daniels was the best i'd ever seen but like i wasn't ready to say he was going to be a top five quarterback for 10 years. Drake May, I think is different. Yeah.

Like I think Drake May, I will be shocked if he isn't a top 10 quarterback for the next decade. Like I think, I think he passes it by my scouts eye, if you will. Like he passes it for me. So I think sometimes I just trust that you can see it with the young guys like coach and quarterback. And I think I think that Ben Johnson is a yes and Drake May is a yes. And by the way, I think Caleb is a yes, too, by the way.

Yeah. Yeah, you know, the Mike McDaniel thing, I think Nick Wright said this too, is the media loved him because he looks like the media. Yeah, I was totally guilty of that. I will fully admit that. I thought he had funny quirks. He was snarky. Yeah, yeah, yes. And smart. Yeah. Clearly smart, sarcastic. Yeah. I fully admit that that was a thing for me. Yeah. It's, I, Tom Telesco told me this years ago. He said, you're really hiring a CEO. He goes, if you get schemes, what a bonus. He goes, but there's not that many Andy reads and Kyle Shanahan. He goes, you're really hiring a CEO like Vrable, Jim and John Harbaugh. Again, Sean Payton's rare. He can do schemes and personnel. But, I mean, really what you want is a walk-around guy that builds a culture. That's really the key

to all this stuff. And that's where I thought McDaniels would miss. I mean, he's he's a small guy. He's not, he's funny, but he's kind of odd at the podium. He stutters. He doesn't make eye contact. and I'm like, boy, that's a hard sell in a room on a Monday after a tough loss. Like, I'm not sure that works. But to your point, he's not the problem there. I don't think he's the primary issue. No, and I, like, if he got fired, I'd want, you know, like if Brian Flores got a head coaching job and he got to hire Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator, be like, oh, that's, that could work. Here's what's funny.

Flores was kind of thought of as a jerk. I would hire Brian Flores in one second. McDaniels is beloved as one of the nicest guys. I would never give him a second head coaching job. Like in the end, football's harsh. Like there is that argument that like Kurt Signetti has never smiled. Like the guys that smile, Pete Carroll smiles a lot on the sideline. Kurt Signetti does not smile.

Ben Johnson does not smile. Kyle Shanahan, I mean, it is, if there's just something to be said about football's hard, football coaching's hard. And it can be a very miserable experience. And if I, you know, Jerry Glanville, Sam Weish, they were too damn good at the podium. They were just too good at the podium for me. Well, but then Tomlin is incredible at the podium. He's the best in the history of football. He's the best.

There's not a second place. Yeah. He's incredible at it. And if he loses to Houston, the seven straight playoff losses, going back to 2016 for him. Tomlin, to me, is a weird one to evaluate. Obviously, from what you're talking about, the CEO. Well, there's something, I think what he is.

I think he does some things extraordinarily well. Like, he's really good. I mean, he's always done this. If you give him a Monday night game, it's a big stage. He has an extra day. He really can sell to a team. Like, I think they're going to give you, I think they can beat Houston.

I honestly do. I think Mike is one of the great motivators. I mean, if you told me, one coach gets out of coaching, two coaches get out of coaching and become huge motivational speakers. I would say McVe, Tomlin. They're just unbelievable. Like, they just, as a guy, I would run through a wall for McVeigh and Tomlin, whereas Shanahan is like a mad scientist. I don't know if I'd run through a wall, but I'd be like, God, that guy's brilliant. I think Ben Johnson has got a little bit.

bit of that McVeigh Tomlin thing where it's like, boy, he's a, you'd run through a wall. I watched those postgame speeches. I'm like, man, that is effective. That works. Yeah, they've, I mean, I've talked to players on the team. Like, they've, like, one guy told me, he's like, I kind of thought it was corny the first time I heard it. And then by the third time I heard it, I thought it was like, you know, it was like

the scene in Braveheart. Like, you know what I mean? Like, it's like there's something to what that is, what that ability. is in him. And yeah, Ben Johnson is, again, he's, it's the best of both worlds. He's, I mean, he ripped his shirt off in the locker room. And it played. It wasn't corny. Oh, they all loved it. And the city loved it and the whole thing. And so, yeah, like, he, I think, I think Ben Johnson's both. And yeah, Mike Tomlin is, he's an incredible 11 out of 10 leader and speaker who teams give up 38 a game in these playoff losses and he can't find an

offensive coordinator and he can't find a quarterback under 40. I know. Like, you know what I mean? Like, so like there's high floor, low ceiling. Right? High floor low ceiling. Maybe that's it. Yeah. Yeah. And but no, but by the way, if you told me, um, like if they, if they did the mutual parting of ways thing and Mike Tomlin got to go coach

Cincinnati, I'd be like, oh, well, that, I mean, they're going to win super. Oh, I would. I said this on the air. I would hire him in Miami in 30 seconds. I'm just saying if you gave him a quarterback. Yeah. Like if you told me Mike Tomlin has a top 10 quarterback. Okay, let's say McDermott loses fired.

Mike goes to Allen. Of course. That's a Super Bowl. Immediately. Immediately. Yeah. Yeah. Like, when I criticize Tomlin, it's not, I don't think he's a great football.

Exactly. He's obviously a great football coach. Right. It's just I would, I, the things that he has not been able to do, he can't fix the run game. It's like, it's eight years. Fix the run game. Find a quarterback. Find an offensive coordinator.

Like, he doesn't have a coaching tree. It's just, you know, like he is a great football coach that like would win state championships in high school. Like, you know, because he's just a great motivator. But, like, that can clearly take you far-ish because it's football. I think that's what you said, incredibly high floor. But I think as the game has shifted to do offense, it does feel like his ceiling over the last 10 years, because it's like 18 years ago they won the Super Bowl for Arizona. It does feel like over the last 18 years, he was a high ceiling, high floor guy. Now he's a high floor guy.

And it feels like the ceiling has come down a little bit. Yeah, absolutely. And like, not that it ever was a shot of it working, but like, if Kenny Pickett would have been awesome, then the Steelers would be awesome. Yeah. But they're too good to draft high to get a real quarterback prospect. And quarterbacks don't generally leave in free agency unless they're super flawed or 40, you know? And so it's like, okay, what are you going to do? How are you going to get Mike Tomlin a great quarterback in Pittsburgh? How are you going to do it? Because he's not able to do it. Well, you do it next year because that draft with Arch Manning, potentially Dante Moore, the kid at Texas Tech that just transferred. Next year's draft could have seven first round quarterbacks.

Well, there you go. There you go. That's when you go get them. Yeah, there you go. But so congratulations on another year of 10 and 7. I really feel I'm watching that and I'm like Gainwell, D.K. Metcalfe, Friermouth, Jalen Warren, Aaron doesn't make mistakes or throw

picks. I'm like... Yeah, the only thing is, the only Houston doesn't score in the red zone. They're a bad red zone team. I don't trust Stroud as much as you do. I like him a lot, but he, they're just a bad red zone offense.

Yeah, I just, but Aaron doesn't want to be hit. True. And there's Daniel Hunter and Will Anderson. I know. You know, and like, so I just like, now their offensive line isn't as bad as the Chargers, but like the Texans are, I think the Texans are the team that no one wants to play. Oh, because that's just a problem for, not that they're, again, their offense is bad, but like, it's just that's a mismatch for every team. The other thing about Houston, it's such an indictment on Belichick. So Nick Casario is in New England for years and they cannot draft like receivers and tight ends.

he goes to Houston. He is the, you know, he finds Woody Marks and Tank Dell. And it's like, oh, yeah. Like Houston's actually been one of the better drafting teams in the league for like three years. Yeah. The guy in New England, New England was the last six years of Belichick. They were an absolutely atrocious drafting team on offense, atrocious. The guy who was in the building goes to Houston.

And now he's just finding guys. guys in the sixth round in your life. So that's another reason, like Belichick, old defensive guy. You're like, just go look at Houston's drafting. Why couldn't they draft for like the last six years of Belichick? Because Belichick, I was told this for years. You'd get to January and Bill would call off the scouting department. I'll take it from here. It's like, boom. All right, Danny Parkins. Good talking, buddy. Yeah. The hour flies by. As always, I went 0 and 6 down the stretch picking games on TV to lose the picks contest to Nick Wright. So I've got to go, I've got to get hot for the playoffs.

So I went three and two to close 60% on the year. That's great. I felt good. A lot of people said that the lines, I was, I was, you know, that's what happens. The wind blows harder at the top of the mountain. Yeah, listen, I, do I maybe notice that you do a bit of wine shopping? You know. But again, you're, you're Colin Coward.

Oh, come on. You get to, that's how the pros do it. You think you're only, you're only better at one place. You get to shop around for the best half point value. That's what we do. That's how it works. That's how it works. Good for you, man.

Happy for you. All right, buddy. All right, man. I'll see you. The volume. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe.

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