Colin Cowherd Podcast - Belichick Hall of Fame Snub? Super Bowl Preview, Sam Darnold’s Redemption Arc, LeBron Still Dominates At 41

Alright, we never know where this is going, so here we go: I see a weird collective amnesia with the Patriots and Bill Belichick. We spent years blasting Spygate and Deflategate, now folks are outraged you’d even suggest a one-year wait for the Hall; people want neat endings and forget the turbulence.

The outrage is inconsistent, but I still think he should’ve been first ballot. Football’s Hall has no morality clause, the electorate is tiny, and yet there are obvious slam-dunks—Belichick should be one; the process looks shakier when a voter says he can’t recall his ballot and another admits a procedural choice.

I’d have voted yes after sleeping on it, and I get why the multiple asterisks give some pause. Also, I think we undervalue Robert Kraft—he’s been central to league TV deals and oversaw multiple eras of Super Bowls across different coaches and quarterbacks.

Kraft belongs in, no doubt. Compared to some erratic owners, he and a few others like Bisciotti show competence, which is rarer than it should be in a billionaire class that often struggles to run teams well.

Owning a team is a public trust, but egos and impatience are everywhere. Brady’s steadiness hid problems before they became disasters, and without him Belichick’s record drops to ordinary, which only makes Brady’s greatness stand out more.

The Brady–Belichick debate ended in Tampa. Elite quarterbacks lift everything, and that’s why Andy Reid’s work across so many different passers matters when we talk about best versus most decorated.

Brady’s athleticism gets shorted because it wasn’t flashy—he was a master mover in the pocket with a heavy ball that cut through bad weather. Different athletes win in different ways, and supporting casts can make college stars look untouchable.

Processing speed can beat arm talent and sprint speed in this league. That’s why structured quarterbacks thrive even if they don’t wow at a combine.

On Mike McCarthy to the Steelers, it felt safe and a bit flat, but not every hire has to be a moonshot. Sometimes a solid B plus is still smart.

I hate the fit; he underachieved with Rodgers and screams high floor, low ceiling. This roster should bottom out for a franchise quarterback instead of grinding to nine wins, and McCarthy keeps them stuck in the middle.

Pittsburgh’s identity and pride make them allergic to tearing it down. They’re overlooked regionally, so they cling to never being terrible.

That pride is real, and “no losing seasons” became the brand. But wild cards with shaky quarterback play rarely make runs, and the smart play would be a stealth reset they’ll never stomach.

Watching LeBron, you see why legends struggle to walk away; he still takes over stretches like Brady did late. The roar in the building makes retirement a tougher call than we think.

He loves the game and he’s still great, so there’s no reason to stop unless the lifestyle tradeoffs outweigh the joy. Same logic for Stafford right now.

Super Bowl lean: Seattle’s youth might tighten, while New England’s older core can live in the underdog role. I can see the upset brewing.

I grabbed Seattle early because they’re deeper and more tested. New England’s path was soft, the line worries me, and the only soft-factor concern is Darnold pressing after two weeks of praise.

The league misread Darnold like it once misread Brady. If he wins the whole thing after this two-year stretch, where do we slot him?

A ring and strong play puts him in that second tier with guys like Dak and Herbert, not the top shelf. His bust label came from chaos with the Jets and Panthers, and his rise says be patient with big, toolsy quarterbacks like Daniel Jones or Kyler.

Seattle drafts so well they can pay a quarterback without gutting the roster. Buffalo shows what happens when you miss too often.

There’s a huge gap between paying sixty five and thirty five million. Top ten production at a mid-tier price lets you build a deeper team.

First winter in Chicago? I bought a coat and I’m fine. Cold cities live indoors, get sharp and funny, and go crazy for sports.

That’s why sports talk thrives where it’s cold. Warm cities are outside living, not arguing about depth charts—alright, that was fun.