Best of The Herd

We’re live in Los Angeles, it’s The Herd, and the Dolphins just moved on from Mike McDaniel. With Steven Ross’ Harbaugh ties and Miami’s money and no state tax, the carousel just flipped, so if I’m the Giants I sprint to Kevin Stefanski before Buffalo or Miami reorder the market and you wake up holding the fourth‑best chair; Tom Brady joins later.

What does Harbaugh want, a full build or control? He could hand‑pick a GM in Miami, and New York’s rookie‑deal quarterback is a cleaner cap path than paying Tua.

Winners don’t chase easy streets; Sean Payton chose Denver with Reid and Mahomes in the way. If Buffalo opens that’s the no‑brainer, otherwise Miami with control beats New York, which is why Joe Schoen should feel the heat despite a roster I like and a couple of obvious misses.

On MVP, I’m Stafford over Drake May because schedule matters; the Rams fought the toughest slate among playoff teams while New England had the softest in decades, and the data loves Matt. That’s not a knock on Drake, it’s acknowledging context.

College football’s chaos is absolutely sustainable because the money is exploding, from conference deals to billionaire boosters writing checks, which beats the old stale model. Ole Miss is reality‑TV wild and still rolling, and that love‑hate attention is ratings gold.

The timing actually helped because the plan was already set, and players care more about accountability and preparation than who leads them out of the tunnel.

The biggest mess in the SEC might be the last team standing, and young players handle drama better than we think. When the revenue is strong, programs can absorb the turbulence.

Quick reset before Tom: first‑round quarterbacks dominate the playoff field, outliers like Purdy are rare, and Brady wouldn’t be a late pick today with modern scouting.

Tom, take us back to that first playoff start in the snow; what did it feel like in the moment?

It was a perfect football day with snow everywhere, and I can still picture warmups and that dive near the goal line. It became a core memory, even if Raider fans and my guy Charles still bring up the fumble debate.

You’ve called Eagles games; they’re loud, uneven, and still win—how do you explain that?

Big markets amplify every wobble, and success raises expectations, so it feels like drama even when it’s normal variance. They’re still a dangerous group that any coach would happily manage at this level.

There’s a stat about Shanahan’s teams struggling from behind; did you ever toss out the plan mid‑game and pivot hard?

Styles matter—San Francisco is built on run, defense, and play‑action, which makes big comebacks tougher than in a pure drop‑back system. Against the Eagles they need to play from ahead and push Philly out of its comfort zones.

Buffalo’s playoff road losses linger; does that creep in late in tight games?

Playoffs are intensely emotional, but advancement is about how you play—protect the ball, win the line, and execute situational football. With this season’s parity, those details will separate who moves on.

Bears and Packers meet for a third time; do you prefer familiarity or the element of surprise?

Once you’re in, it shouldn’t matter who you draw, and these two know each other cold, so it’s a fundamentals game. I’ve seen them up close and it’s a razor‑thin matchup decided by details and ball security.

Do you like the bye, or would you rather keep playing?

It’s not rest, it’s a preparation week to self‑scout and build edges for the toughest game ahead. And going into Seattle with that defensive line and crowd noise is a brutal assignment for anyone.

Back to MVP—given the schedules, do you lean Stafford?

Both seasons were outstanding, but I lean Matt for a Hall‑of‑Fame‑level year leading his group in every condition. There’s no bad choice, yet he’s exceeded expectations.

What’s your advice to first‑time playoff starters like Drake or Caleb, thinking of that settle‑down moment with your coach?

Great programs apply pressure every day so you’re ready when the margin for error shrinks. You earn calm in January by demanding your best since April.

Jacksonville finally unlocked Trevor; what’s Liam Cohen doing to bring out the clean version of him?

He’s scheming layups so the quarterback isn’t threading needles on every throw, like hitting wedges instead of long irons. When QB and play‑caller align on what they love, execution and confidence take off.

Niners‑Eagles on Fox will be electric—Tom, appreciate you. Create layups for your quarterback, and the highlights take care of themselves, just like Jordan’s mid‑range and Mahomes’ timely scrambles; this is The Herd.