The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Playoff-Bound Chargers Still A Loose Goose

Episode Date: December 27, 2022

In this hour of The Herd, Colin watched the Los Angeles Chargers clinch a playoff birth Monday night in Indianapolis, but he still has questions about how "buttoned-up" the Chargers really are—especially when compared to other playoff-bound teams in the AFC. Also, Colin wasn't at all shocked at the firing of Denver head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Now Colin ponders who the Broncos' brass can lure to Denver to revive quarterback Russell Wilson's career. Finally, TheMMQB.com's senior NFL reporter, Albert Breer, joins The Herd to weigh in on Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's recurring concussion issues, New England quarterback Mac Jones' perceived dirty plays and New York quarterback Zach Wilson's future with the Jets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It's a Tuesday live in about to get very wet and rainy Los Angeles. It's the herd wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Iheart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. Jay Mack and I are in today, then off for a couple, then back Friday. We are making the most of today's show. Wherever you are, many of you have had trouble getting to your destination or getting home. Sympathy. I dealt with a little bit.

Mine not nearly as bad. I presume as many of your situation. So, J-Mack, it's good to be back. I think it's today, the day, hour two, I wear a hat backwards. Let's turn as my gun. Of course, not ready for action, I think. Yes, today is the hat backwards day due to the Miami Dolphins' defeat against the Packers. So sorry about that, Colin.

Wrote me into a bet. Here we go. Chargers won. They do remind me of the Dallas Cowboys. They will be a wild card team in their respective conference. and I do not believe the Dallas Cowboys or the Chargers are buttoned up enough to win three straight road games and get to the Super Bowl. They have the talent. Dallas, I have questions about the head coach and quarterback.

Maybe they need one more weapon. Chargers, they don't put teams away. Do they have the right coach? I don't want to hear about injuries. Hell, everybody's injured. Philadelphia is injured. San Francisco, Baltimore. Everybody's injured.

Stop whining about injuries. 11 of the 16 Charger games have been decided by a score. That's it. And last night leaves me unsatisfying. 20 to 3. 20 points against that Colts team with three turnovers. That team's awful. That team is awful.

And the Chargers aren't. They're really, really good. Well, the injuries. The last three weeks, they've had both of their star receivers. They've had Austin Echler, who's unbelievable. They have had Justin Herbert slinging it all over the field. And you know what they've averaged offensively last three weeks? 20 points.

They're one and four against playoff teams. But they won last night. Yeah, the dumb fan always thinks winning solves everything and losing is the end of the world. The opposite is true. You have to be a critical thinker at some point in an organization and say, why aren't we scoring more? Yes, Brandon Staley got the chargers into the playoffs. That's a bare minimum.

And the good news is his defense after two years finally playing better and Joey Bosa may return to practice this week. But they doubled the Colts in first downs. The Colts had three turnovers. They tripled them in yards per pass. They dominated time of possession. And at the end, it was Chargers 20 Colts 3. Bingles, Chiefs, Bills, Eagles, wouldn't that have been 30 to 3? I know, I'm nitpicking. That's what you have to do is a good organization. You have to be able to look at wins. Doesn't Sean Payton always say that on this show? best time to coach is a win that should have been far greater. I don't doubt the Chargers' ability to beat a Jacksonville or a Tennessee, a Miami in the playoffs. They can win a lot of

games, right? But here's my thing. Of all the other great young quarterbacks in their prime, Mahalms, I trust Andy reading the weapons and the GM. Burrow, he got great weapons. They keep adding to him. Josh Allen, he inherited a great defense. Justin Herbert, first coach, fired, second coach, defensive coach, and it's just now

at the end of year two, it does look like the defense is finally playing. It was awful last year and mostly awful this year. It's finally getting to the level a defensive coach that has great talent should do. So I just always

feel like with the Chargers, They leave points on the table. It's unsatisfying. This Colts team is an absolute mess. It's run by the owner now. They got rid of a really good coach. He'll be the first guy to get a job, I imagine. They just like the Cowboys don't quite feel buttoned up.

I know Dallas is talented. I know the Chargers are talented. And I know they've dealt with a lot of injuries. But the last three weeks, that offense, all the stars are back, right? except their left tackle. Guess what? Now the Eagles are without their Hall of Fame right tackle.

It's pro football. It's 300-pound guys tackling each other. You've got to fight through the injuries. Now, the good news is, Herbert's healthy, Echler's healthy, Keenan Allen's healthy, Bose is coming back, and they got into the playoffs.

So there are positive vibes here. But the standard for Burrow, Mahomes, Allen, is way greater than, hey, they got into the playoffs. I think the Chargers have let Justin Herbert down to this point. Blame who you want. I don't care.

Here was the coach after. We've got the makeup to withstand the type of season that we've had. And I think that we would not be here today if it weren't for the toughness of our football team, the makeup of our football team. And I think for far too long, people have talked about the talent of this football team and the organization. And that's ultimately not what gets you where you want to go. You have to prove your toughness. And that's what we've proven so far this year.

I know you're saying, Colin, it's the holidays, it's negative. But with all that talent and Justin Herbert setting NFL records for two years, do you realize last night finally he has a winning record in the league? Finally? I don't think I'm being harsh. I think the standard for Burrow and Allen and Mahomes, and I think Herbert's in that class, maybe I'm overvaluing his talent.

But everybody I trust in the league, I trust my eyes, I trust smart people, I trust executives, he's finally over 500. It just feels like it should have happened a lot earlier, and deep down, I have caution going into these playoffs with these chargers.

Okay. So it broke yesterday. I was in an airport that Nathaniel Hackett had been fired. And so here's the obvious stuff. You know, sometimes guys just aren't ready. He's probably an offensive coordinator or a play caller. He probably didn't have nearly as much experience in Green Bay as we thought. And so now he's out of work.

We wish him the best. There are a lot of people insinuating that Sean Payton, the best coach available would be interested. I know Sean a little. Here are the four things. I don't want to speak for Sean Payton, but here are the four things to consider for whatever coach is hired.

Number one, ownership. You can't overcome a lousy owner. What do we know about the Walmart group? They don't have any history in the NFL. When they held a press conference, three different people spoke. What does that mean? Which one's the boss?

What if one of those doesn't like the other one? What if you have infighting with the owners? You've got different people standing up and talking. Which one is your boss? That's uncertainty. There's no history here. That's not a turn on. I can tell you that.

Number two is, who's your quarterback? You know I like Russell Wilson. I defend Russell Wilson. Is he washed? Sometimes cringy? Does he get along with teammates? Nobody really knows. But the Broncos are stuck with his country.

contract. So I don't know what you do with Russell Wilson, but you're stuck with him. It's not ideal. His salary cap hit is egregious. Number three, the general manager. That would be Sean Peyton's boss. He doesn't know him. His best friend in the world is Mickey Loomis, his former Saints GM. Golf and buddies, vacation buddies. He told me they've never had a single argument during a draft or a game. He doesn't know George Payton. By the way, the Walmart group potentially very capable, certainly very rich. We don't know. So I don't know about the ownership group.

I don't know about my quarterback. And I don't know about my GM. If he has another bad year, the new owners may just get rid of them. And number four, cap space, draft capital. We can join those two. Not good. Not good. So remember, anybody in the world,

man or woman who is really talented, has a great resume, will have options as they sit and wait for things to open. What they will not like, man or woman, is uncertainty. The owners don't really know them. The GM, owners didn't hire him. Don't really know him. The quarterback, is he washed, or is it the coaching? I'm not really sure.

draft capital, draft picks, not great. I don't think this is the job people in that area believe it is. I mean, I'll be honest with you. The GM thing, you've got to work with them hand in hand. That's really the key in this whole thing. If you're a coach, you may have a little bit of a zany owner, but if you have a great GM and that owner has hired that GM, that feels pretty good. this group didn't hire this GM.

Also, not that it's a huge deal, but do you want to play Patrick Mahomes twice a year? Sean Payton, most coaches are competitive, players are competitive, but there's other quarterbacks I'd rather face two times a year. Mahomes is not one of them and an emerging Justin Herbert. So that's where we stand on a Tuesday. I do believe Frank Reich is the person I would hire. I do not think you can go with a young coach. Sometimes another organization's mistake is your benefit.

I think the Colts made a mistake firing Frank Reich. I would hire him, veteran coach, try to figure out Russell Wilson. If it doesn't work, you may have to eat a lot of dead cap money. But for those speculating that, it seems highly unlikely. Nobody in this era ultra-competitive wants to eat 100 plus million of dead cap money. That just makes no sense. I believe the Broncos have to take some of their defensive pieces. They're loaded.

Move those for draft capital or players. the offensive line and try to become the Tennessee Titans. Find a smart coach, have a great defense, dominating O front and a run game so you don't have to be great at quarterback. And you can still want a bunch of games in this league. There's a lot of bad coaches and a lot of bad quarterbacks and a lot of bad organizations. You got a defense, a smart coach, good online, good run game. Tennessee was the number one seed in the NFL last year in the FC. You can do that. But the Sean Peyton stuff. I'm not speaking for Sean, but uncertainty for

talented people on the beach waiting for openings is the killer for a job and there's just way too much of it with the Broncos. We got a lot of stuff today. It's good to have Jay Mack in. I got Nick Wright and the herd hierarchy in 50 minutes.

It is, how about Green Bay? I thought I was going to bring you a Packers take, but it sounds like you're ready for it. You know Green Bay's path to the playoffs is very easy, Colin. Well, and if they get the seventh seed, and they go to San Francisco in the first round. Ooh, Aaron Rogers, Brock Purdy. That's a playoff game right there.

It's going to be good. All right, back in a second, live in L.A., it's the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

Yep, that's me. Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits. the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars. so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. By the way, sometimes we talk and things happen quickly. What did I say? ownership situation with the Denver Broncos is got candidates with a lot of options concerned. Jason McIntyre, what happened five minutes ago?

So according to NFL network, Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner says the next head coach will report to him, not the GM. You think that's attractive to Sean Payton? You think that's attractive to Sean Payton? Broncos fans are delusional. They're not getting Sean Payton. Okay. Do you all, you guys think Sean Payton's attracted by that?

That is exactly what I just talked about. Is that another Jim Ursay situation? I don't know. Jim Mersey's pulling the strings in Indy. Sean Payton and the Benson family tight. Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis, tight. Now you've got to report to the owner, the GM, you've got a coach. I swear to God, this is just what I talked about.

Look at this mess. No thanks. All right. So the NFL is three seasons. The regular season before Thanksgiving, the regular season, the regular season after Thanksgiving and the playoffs. Congratulations to the Eagles for winning September, October, and early November. They were 8-0.

But their injury report now is a mess. The quarterback is hurt. Their top slot corner is hurt. Lane Johnson, who will be a first ballot tackle, right tackle, he is hurt. Philadelphia was 8-0 to start the season, but Cincinnati and San Francisco are the best teams in the league post- Thanksgiving regular season. Cincinnati's got a seven-game winning streak. The Niners have an eight-game winning streak. And there's been 14 turnovers post- Thanksgiving for the Eagles in just seven games.

They rarely turned it over when the weather was good. The wheels are not coming off. I'm not saying that, but you can see rust on the undercarriage of this car. Philadelphia, in my opinion, needs to get home field advantage in these playoffs. Why? Jalen Hertz has never, won a playoff game. Nick Sariani's never coached a winning playoff game. This is all new territory. This is a reminder that being

great early, people freak out. There's a stat in this league that is unbelievable. That the final undefeated team in the National Football League, and that was the Eagles this year, right? They were the last team to lose a game. The final undefeated team in the NFL, it

means nothing. You have to go back to 2006, 16 years where that team won a Super Bowl. September and October don't mean nearly as much as you think. In fact, in many years, the team that was the last to lose a game loses their first playoff game. Expectations get high, reality sets in, they have to deal with a crisis, they're not used to it. That's I've always said this, undefeated going in to March. madness, I'd rather have an L. I don't want that pressure. Give me a

regular season L. I'd rather be 32 and 1 than 33 and 0. It's always that little more pressure. First couple of games than you need. Nick Sariani talked about his team now dealing, battling with some injuries and other things. One of the earliest talks

that we have in training camp is how are we going to, adversity is coming. I don't know when it is. I don't know in what direction it will come. It could be in your personal life. It can be in your football life. it could be anything, how are we going to handle that? And, you know, that's something that you just know about life, right? And football is no different. And so, again, when you have to go through those things in life and when you have to go through those things in football, when you have

the leaders that we have, it makes those roads a little bit easier to navigate. So we'll wait and see. I think Philadelphia is still in the Super Bowl bubble, a very good team. They will get reportedly Lane Johnson back for the playoffs. They have no chance to win a Super Bowl without Lane Johnson. The record for the Eagles in the last several years without Lane Johnson, he is the best right tackle in football. Tristan Worf's is probably second for Tampa, but they just don't win when he's not playing. Not much. Here's Jay Mack with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the Herd Line News. Good to have you back. Good to be back, buddy. Yeah, good to be back. Let's start

with the Indianapolis Colts. It's not good for Jim Ursay and company. They lost again last night. It's five straight losses. He was asked obviously about the chances that interim coach Jeff Saturday keeps the job. And Ursae confirmed Saturday will be in the mix. Oh, boy. Head coach is

unknown until the interview process goes forward. I will go into it seriously open minded and I'll be looking for the best direction for us to win. Jeff, I believe, is an outstanding candidate. So obviously, he's competitive for that. You know, Chris Ballard will be our general manager.

So let me ask you, do you think he's serious about that, or is he saying it to be positive? You got to say it. He pulled the guy out of the booth to come and coach the team. They've gotten embarrassed in the fourth quarter, like three games, four games in a row. He's just being a nice guy. That being said, Colin, I was just looking at the draft picks

the Colts have this year coming up. They have a first. They have a second. They have two thirds from the Wendst deal. It could have been a second, but he hasn't played 70% of the snap. So that's four great picks. picks. Right. And they are now number five in the first round. It could go higher if they can lose the

next two. Colin? They're going to get a quarterback. They're going to get a quarterback. That's the question. So now if you're a head coach, I'm not saying Sean Payton would go to Indy, but I think this is maybe attractive. The problem is the owner is just so baddie. Do you want to work for that kind of guy? But there's a lot to work with here when you look at a top five pick. Maybe you're a franchise quarterback. Yeah, I mean, there's two quarterbacks that are really interesting. Will Levis is a big, strong NFL body from Kentucky. Now, again, I don't think he's gotten the greatest offensive coaching in Kentucky. That's not a knock on the staff.

But he is big, big arm. He looks the part. Now, his stats aren't great. SEC's a great conference. If you don't have the right offensive guys, it can get choppy. He's very oppressive. I've had two people in the NFL that I trust implicitly. on offense. Both tell me that's their guy. Don't rule him out going number one overall. I know that

sounds crazy, but just be patient, guys. And then there's Bryce Young, who's terrific, but smaller, been banged up in college. He was the number one high school quarterback. Very impressive. But we have now a series of Alabama quarterbacks who come to the NFL and look a little overwhelmed. We have not one, not two. We've got multiple that dominate in college. You get them in the NFL and they look either small or not as talented or overwhelmed. So you said there's two.

CJ Stroud? I am not a huge. He's got a chance this weekend. Against Georgia. Yeah. So if he plays very well, it will matter. CJ Stroud in a dome playing an indie? If you're asking me,

I would go probably, I'd probably go Bryce Will Stroud would be my third. We've still got to get to the interview process and all that fun stuff. But listen, all Stroud's done is do pretty damn good. Put up massive numbers at Ohio State. I know the Big Ten, you know, there's some bad teams there. He wasn't bad against Michigan. But bottom line, this is not a terrible job unless you're skittish about the owner. Can I say this? I do not believe we have a quarterback in this

class that can overcome nonsense. The last draft, last couple drafts, we've had one. Trevor Lawrence, in my opinion, was good enough to overcome BS, chaos, a mess. he's winning big time in Jacksonville now. I do not believe the three choices here are that guy. I thought Andrew Luck could do it. Elway could do it. Trevor Lawrence could do it. I believe Caleb Williams has a look.

He could do it at USC. Drake May at Greta for now. Quick work. Does Justin Fields, how he kind of improved, I know they've lost a million games in a row. He has looked better this season than he did as a rookie. Ohio State guy. So my takeaway before the season on Justin Fields was,

We have to give him a longer runway. Horrible low line, not enough weapons, defensive coach, not a well-run organization historically. I believe we just let Justin Fields play the year. You look at the numbers, but I don't think they should bail on him. I think there's too much quality there. First of all, he's such a big, strong athlete. I can give you a highlight film of Justin Fields, and you'd think he's a pro bowl. He's got a little bit of Josh Allen, where you may have.

your doubts about him, but what you went back to with Josh Allen was, oh my God, he just jumped over a linebacker. Justin Fields, to me, is Josh Allen. I know it's raw, but there's just too much wow for me not to support. Can we get him, Stefan Diggs, and see what happens? It would be nice for Justin Fields. All right, next story, the Jets have cleared Mike White. This happened yesterday, Colin. I was literally doing cartwheels here on the set. It was so exciting. Mike White cleared to return from the rib injury against the Seahawks. The line went up from one to two and a half. It's sitting there as we speak. He had been out the last two games. with the rib injury. Now, Mike White was very good in Minnesota in the second half.

They nearly got the victory. They lost but covered. Then he showed toughness and grit against Buffalo. Again, another cover, but they lost. Zach Wilson is now inactive. I think it's safe to say he is... Can we also say this? I'm rooting for Robert Sala. He's an occasional viewer or listener to the show. Oh, look at that. Hey. I'm rooting for him. But what we told the audience is, remember, a lot of times, teams are spreading an optimistic message, but it's not the truth. So you can't go from, I can't believe the media is unrealistic to he's done. Jay Glazer's reported they're moving on.

So this was one of those where I understand where coaches and GMs say things, be supportive. But the reason shows like this exist in some part is because we cut through the nonsense. Zach Wilson is not an NFL quarterback and Robert Sala has proven he can build a defense. Joe Douglas has proven he can build a roster. This is not a rebuild. They got a good team. This is a quarterback and a left tackle. They're ready to go.

So, Zach, I feel bad for Zach. But you know what? He'll bounce around, back up, but he does not feel like a franchise quarterback. Just so we know, Sam Darnold, remember, with the Jets, struggled, they kicked him to the curb. And now he's got Carolina on the doorstep of the playoffs. I mean, it's not totally him, but it's not over for Zach Wilson. He can get another shot somewhere, but it's just not going to be with. the Jets is sad to see.

Final story, Baker Mayfield played well against the Broncos. Boy, this Denver defense. I was on them, Colin. I was embarrassed that I picked him. 17-0 nothing right out of the gate. Baker finishes 24 or 28 for 2.30 and two scores. Both touchdown passes went to Tyler Hibby. Hegby, sorry.

And he thinks that Baker has shown in his short time with the Rams that he belongs in the NFL. There's a lot about him who he is as a player, as a person, just his ability. The guy's a competitor. and again, a good quarterback. He belongs in his league, and I think he's proven that. Said it a thousand times, I'll say it a thousand one.

He is one of the most talented 32 quarterbacks on the planet. He's not who I would build around, but he is a franchise quarterback. I do believe now he has earned a bridge quarterback opportunity. And again, building around Baker for two is not building around Baker for five or the future. He never, to me, was a franchise guy too much cowboy, but I have defended him a thousand times on. He is absolutely one of the 32 best guys in the league,

probably about 20th, 20th, 20th, 20 seconds, somewhere. Throwing a football, planting, running a team, a lot of confidence, not as good as he thinks, but that's okay. Everybody has higher opinion of themselves than other people. That's okay. Very true. So, Colin, Baker's been on three teams this calendar year,

which is insane, and he was the number one overall pick. I'll ask you, you love playing this game. Brock Purdy or Baker Mayfield today? I don't like the question. Well, you're asking, I don't think I'd want to build around either. Okay. But if you were, like, if you're the Houston Texans, you're kicking the tires on Baker Mayfield?

I think Baker's a better fit in Houston. Purdy's a better fit with the Niners. They just want him to run it. No cowboy. Yeah, okay. Don't bring any ego in commercials. You are the least talented guy on the team. run the ship.

So Brock knows. I think it's harder to tell Baker that. That's the right end. Brock knows how to be a quarterback. Hey, don't do this. Well, for this team, yeah. I don't think Baker understands, don't do this. By the way, try to do too much.

And all the hutsba that Baker brings to the tables actually great in Houston. They could use some of it. So Baker's personality, a little over the top for me, is perfect in Houston. I would, I have no problem bringing Baker in in Houston. I still would draft a quarterback probably. I... Okay, I'll ask final question. What's going on with the Rams?

Are you hearing anything? Have you kicked the tires on any of your... Oh, yeah, I know what's going on. What are you asking? What's happening there? What's going on with the head coach? Matt Stafford. I'll say this.

How good of a coach is Sean McVeigh? I see a lot of these teams that could bail. Look how well they're playing. He is dealing with backups and scout team guys. Worst offensive line injuries in the league. McVeigh has proven how great a coach he is. He is working with nothing here. Nothing. He made Baker fit. Look how good Baker Mayfield is here and how bad he was in Carolina.

That is, Sean McVey, nobody would ever give him coach of the year. But if they won their last two games, that is a classic doing the most with what you have. McVey has had a stellar last two or three weeks. So the O.C. is going back to college? What percentage is McVeigh sticking around next year? 90%. Okay. Jay Mack with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping. The herd lie news. The media has often seen itself. I've often compared it to the IRS. We're not built to be liked. We audit. Sometimes we give you a check.

Sometimes we ask for more. So the media is not built to be liked. We shouldn't be. That's not our job. Sometimes we have to ask tough questions. I like that part of the media. The part I don't is the constant hall monitoring of the media. They have all the answers.

Listen to us. No, we don't. No, we don't. We have very little expertise. We're good talkers. Some people in TV, they look the part. They're verbal. They're clever.

They're glib. The bottom line is too often the media tries to be a hall monitor and comes off as naive. The Tua situation in Miami is very, very interesting. The media is really bothered by the dolphins playing him the rest of the way. You do realize the next three games, people will make a decision on his career, and nobody wants to play more than Tua. Now, caution, air on the side of caution with concussions. I would sit Tua.

I would have a problem sitting in for the rest of the year. But I'm in media. My career's not on the line. Tua's a really smart kid. He now doesn't appear to be very good in big spots, and he knows it. His momentum is done. And now, if you sit him for the year, he's now not available regularly. Those two boxes means they're moving on.

The dolphins have already tried to move on twice. They got a tampering charge trying to get Tom Brady. Tom Brady, I will tell you, and I've been told this, is not retiring. Miami and the Niners are both very interesting to Tom Brady. So just know, as the media mocks and criticizes the Miami Dolphins' decision, that nobody is fighting harder to play than Tua. I've said this about Tua. He's a great kid.

I've also said, I don't think he'll be in the NFL in four years. Sometimes guys are just not built for this league. But he's smart enough to know if you look at his last month, if it becomes unavailable to, that could be it. He wants to play. I get it. And he's going to fight to play. He's a fighter.

So that's the situation. By the way, the playoff picture today, Miami is in. I like Miami still. I could not believe the outcome when I watched it against Green Bay. I felt bad for Tua. That's as bad as you can play the position. Summer speculation. Speculating, there was a concussion.

He didn't wobble, but the passes were bad. You know, I do hope the dolphins hang on. I do hope the story turns out for the best. And I do think air on the side of caution with Tua. I wouldn't play him this week. Again, I'm the media, easy for me to say. And I do think there'll be a chorus of people saying, shut him down for the year.

But I'm here to tell you, two is going to fight. It's his career. Dolphins already tried to make a move on Tom Brady and to Sean Watson. They're going to make a move on Derek Carr if there's an unavailability at quarterback to play. So just know that. This young man's career, he's sitting there looking,

he is going to fight like cats and dogs to get on the field. I would sit him, but I understand. Mike McDaniel talks about it, his head coach. I just want guys to really be done right by by, you know, the information we have, the science, all the medical, really all the medical expertise that we rely on. I care very deeply about each and every player. I take that serious.

So, you know, I just want him to get healthy and have peace of mind in that regard. And it's about the human being and making sure he's squared away. Yeah, Mike McDaniel, I think, absolutely deeply cares about his players and Tua. And I think Tua worries about his health. But this situation is not as easy as people are framing it. Tua is sitting there thinking, man, I'm not playing well. I just had a stinker. I worry about my body.

We should err on the side of caution. I would. But I think it's a tougher situation that sometimes we simplify stuff sometimes, and it's not easy. Colin, did you see that Tua has won four straight against the Patriots and Bill Belich? Oh, he's been great. Of course he wants on the field. But you see on that screen what that number is after the Patriots. So the dolphins have done well against the Patriots with Tua. What do you think the market is telling you there?

The Tua is not playing. Yeah. Well, I get it, though. If he's in concussion protocol with his history, I would sit him. If it hits three, you can assume that somebody knows something. And the two is definitely not playing. I wouldn't. With his background, I wouldn't play him. I definitely would not, but I'm not in the room. I don't know if he's passing concussion tests. Right, right. Teddy Bridgewater, I don't think he's going to New England and beating Bill Belichick this weekend. So, all right, we have good stuff. Top of the hour. The Heard hierarchy. Albert Breer, Nick Wright. I have to wear a hat on backwards that I got roped into it.

I still can't believe what I watched. They were up. What was it? 20 to 7? 20 to 10 in the first half. And they had the ball. And they never scored again. What?

I mean, good Lord. Hat backwards guy. More live in L.A. Happy for the holidays, folks. Hope everything's going as well as possible for you back in a second. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre.

This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straightfire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book, and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clivert Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you're

wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tontons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of too. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Monday morning quarterback Albert Breer, we bring him on every week. We love having them on

our show and we got three or four things. We've got to talk to him about Albert Breer joining us live now. Happy holidays for you and Christmas to all your family. Albert, let's start with the Denver. There's a lot of things here. The owners just said from now on that the, what do we have there, J Mack that the coach will answer to the owners, not the GM, not if I'm Sean Payton, that's a red flag. Is there a candidate, though, that you think is a strong favorite? Well, I mean, Sean Payton's everybody's white whale, right? I don't know that Sean's going to want to go and work with the quarterback there, but I think the big thing here is you're going to need to come, bring in a coach who's going to be

willing to stand up to Russell Wilson. And all the stories we've heard over the last year about the staff he has there, about the office that he has there, all of those different things, the offense he wants to run. Like Greg Penner, George Payton, need to bring in a coach who is going to coach Russell Wilson, who's going to be able to stand up to him and have the leverage to stand up to him. So I think it comes from one of three buckets, really. It's either I think somebody who's aligned with George Peyton, and to me that would be Dan Quinn, the Cowboys defensive coordinator, who has experienced with Russell Wilson, having been with him in Seattle in 2013 and 14.

Quinn could bring somebody like Brian Schottonheimer with him. Schottenheimer's also in Dallas and has worked with Russ too. You could go with the big swing. To me, that would be Jim Harbaugh. And I think Jim Harbaugh would absolutely stand up. Yeah. Russell Wilson. Yeah.

And if you're talking about the sort of guy who you can bring in, and he can be your Bill Parcells. Like he may not be here 10 years from now, but he's going to turn it around quick with a veteran group. I think Jim Harbaugh sort of fits that category. And then to me, the third category is ex-player. And, you know, I think those are the sorts of guys that, again, can stand up to Russell Wilson.

And we look at the job that Mike Brable's done in Tennessee. Kevin O'Connell's done in Minnesota. There's a track record now of guys who've played recently having success as head coaches. So the two guys I would look at there, New England assistant Gerard Mayo and San Francisco assistant D'Meco Ryan's. Both those guys wouldn't take crap from the quarterback. I can tell you that. And I think both those guys have bright futures as head coaches.

And I would think Denver would look at both of those guys. Listen, I would sit Tua this week. I think I'd sit in for the year. But I'm not Tua. And his career right now, he's struggling. and availability now is an issue. I've said before, I don't think he's in the league in four years. Some guys are not built to play this sport.

It's just the way it is. It's sad. A lot of positions that guys just don't, can't do it. But I know this, Albert, Tua's going to fight like mad to get on that field. Yep. He's a smart kid. He knows what's on the line. Your guess on, I mean, if you look at his history, I can't believe they'd play him this week, right?

I don't think they can. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised at it. league like you won't hear about this but i wouldn't be surprised that the league gets involved at some level you know like in the optics of having a guy who potentially had three concussions and we don't know how many concussions he's had because it's not like there's a yes or no test they can put players through but there's suspicion of at least three concussions this year and that's a big number for a single season so the optics of the NFL letting a team put a player out there in that situation i think would be really really bad yes especially if it was happening you know seven days after the initial

injury happens. So my guess would be they sit him down. And like you said, Colin, like this is a critical point in his career. How many times have we talked about that over the last few months? Like, in the way the first round quarterback contracts work now, year three is decision time. Like year your information gathering becomes complete. And then after year three, you got to make a decision on the fifth year option. You got to make a decision on an extension. And if you go into year four without an extension or without the fifth year option picked up, things. get awfully awkward. You know, so this is a big point in Tua's career.

And because of the concussion now, the information gathering might be completely over for the dolphins. They may have to go forward now and make a decision on Tua's future without any further information than what they have right now, which I know is a difficult prospect for everybody involved. Mack Jones is becoming Grayson Allen. You know, a little bit of a cheap shot artist. if you want to do that,

Bill Romanowski, Draymond Green, you've got to provide like wins. You have to provide Hall of Fame level play. Those guys manipulate games. They get under people's skin.

I'm not saying Bill Romanowski and Draymond Green are cheap shot artists. I'm saying a lot of people feel they were, but they provided a lot with that. Grayson Allen and Mack Jones don't provide much. And to me, I saw that play,

and I've seen you on Twitter, that's bad news for Mac. I mean, is he losing people in that Patriot locker room? I mean, I don't think he's losing people in locker room because I think the people in locker room understand him, right? Like, because this is sort of who he is. And I've said this, you know, for years. Like, the one thing I've always noticed about NFL players,

they've got incredible BS meters. If you're full of it, they can tell, right? And if this was all an act, they'd be able to tell. This is sort of who Mac is. Like, he's overly competitive. He can be a little high-strung. I mentioned a few weeks ago that the nickname he had at Alabama, McEnroe, because he is temperamental.

And so this is all part of sort of the package with Mack Jones. And it's going back to Alabama, he was always this way. And so I think in the locker room, they are frustrated with the offensive coaches the same way Mac is. And they know who Mac is. So I think Mac can get away with it within the context of that locker room. But, I mean, there's no question. All he had to do is look on social media. And look at the number of big name defensive players that were coming out and saying,

this is cheap, this is dirty, this is premeditated. There's no great explanation for it. Right. And you put that on top of what happened with Mack and Brian Burns, and you put that on top of, you know, what happened with Mac against the Bears where he went spikes up, into a slide, into a Chicago player. You know, and I think certainly at the very least,

Max opened himself up to defensive players taking shots at him now in games. And so I think this is going to be an interesting situation to monitor. I don't think he's lost anybody in that locker room. I don't think he's lost the front office. in New England or the coaching staff. I think everybody realizes to some degree he's played with a hand tied behind his back this year, but certainly his reputation around the league precedes him now. One minute left, Zach Wilson.

It's over, right? I have to think so. I mean, here's the thing, Colin. Like, Robert Sala and Joe Douglas have to be fair to the rest of that team. And they're going to have Breece Hall coming back off of injury. And they're going to have Oli Vera Tucker coming back off of injury. And they're going to have Bukai Bechtin coming back off of injury. And they're going to have Garrett Wilson going into year two.

and Soss Gardner going into year two. I don't know. Like that looks like a team that's ready to win. Yeah. Right? Yeah. Like Quinn and Williams, one of the best young defensive players in football.

And to me, like for Sala and Douglas, this comes down to whether or not you can still sell Zach Wilson to that locker room. And this is a little different than the Mac Jones situation because I don't think that there's any doubt on Mac Jones, you know, in the New England locker room.

They all believe he's with them and he's a fighter and all of that. Like, I think there are bigger questions in the Jets locker room with Zach Wilson. So, you know, again, like it's one of those situations I mentioned with Tua earlier. It feels like the information gathering is complete now on Zach after year two. And they've got a team that is ready to win, ready to contend right now. Can they sell Zach Wilson to that locker room? And can they sell Zach Wilson to that locker room in particular when a quarterback who the staff has a ton of background with and Jimmy Garoppolo is going to be available in March? Yeah, my guess is,

at the very least, there will be competition for Wilson if he's not just flat out replaced. in the offseason. Albert Breyer, Monday morning quarterback. Good seeing you, my man. All right, thanks, Colin. Yeah. I think the Jets have to be aggressive. Garapolo, Derek Carr.

I think the Giants, in my opinion, I would want to go after those two, but there is a sense if the Giants get in. Daniel Jones, it's not his fault. You know, so it's almost better, it's like one of those weird things, you're almost better knowing exactly having total clarity. Zach Wilson's done.

Daniel Jones gets into the playoffs, still has supporters, even though he has a ceiling. I'd rather be the Jets. I'd rather have the roster that the Jets have and just have to find a quarterback rather than have a still in massive rebuild Giants roster with a quarterback who's better, but half the people in the room won't be honest and say he's not the guy. That situation creates argony, arguing, and fissures and all sorts of mayhem. Can I go back to a guy you mentioned, I know you like him a lot, Derek Carr.

Yeah. We've talked about him on the show. and he got Devante Adams, a top three receiver in the league. I know the tight end was hurt and Renfro was hurt. What happened in Derek Carr this year? He's, I mean, the interceptions against the Steelers were terrible. Yeah.

Colin, what do you do with Derek Carr? Does he have a market? Yes. Garopolo's got a small market. Carapolo's not melting down and having the worst season of his career with an offensive-minded coach, no less, in McDaniels. I don't know what happened to Carr.

I don't know. Saturday, Sunday, what happened to Tula? Well, I think it probably was concussion. I mean, now the information's come out. That's probably the answer. Sounds like somebody who has to wear their hat backwards now. Yeah, that's what I'll be doing next. It's the herd. 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement

to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.