Tag: Colin Cowherd

Colin Cowherd predicts Dennis Allen will be the first coach to be fired in 2024

Colin Cowherd predicts Dennis Allen will be the first coach to be fired in 2024, says Panthers are ‘undoubtedly better’ than Saints after 2-15 season:

Longtime NFL media personality Colin Cowherd shared his five bold predictions for the 2024 season, and he started out a little negatively — predicting the New Orleans Saints won’t wait long to fire head coach Dennis Allen.

“I think Dennis Allen, Saints, is the first coach to be let go,” Cowherd said. “They’ve missed the playoffs back-to-back years. The NFC South, Atlanta and Carolina are undoubtedly better teams. No question. The Falcons and the Panthers are much better teams. Four of the first six games for Denis Allen are against playoff teams from last year. I just don’t see the juice offensively. I think Dennis is the first coach to be let go.”

Saying the Panthers are “undoubtedly better” than the Saints is kind of wild. They won seven fewer games than the Saints did last year while cycling through a couple of head coaches before rebooting yet again this spring. You could argue that Dave Canales is a better coach than Allen because he’s an unknown quantity rather than known for getting poor results, but that case wouldn’t hold much water. Canales could be just as badly out of his depth as Allen has been.

Maybe Cowherd misspoke and meant the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who won the division last year, are up there with Atlanta. The Falcons finally addressed their terrible defense by trading for Matt Judon and signing Justin Simmons but they’re betting big on Kirk Cousins overhauling the league’s most disappointing offense in recent years. It’s fine to be down on the Saints given their lack of success, but the teams in this division are stacked much more closely than you might think. Look at their records over the last three years:

  1. Buccaneers: 30-21
  2. Saints: 25-26
  3. Falcons: 21-30
  4. Panthers: 14-37

We’ll see how it goes. The Saints have never fired a coach in-season since Tom Benson bought the team in 1985, and it hasn’t happened at all since Dick Nolan was let go in 1980. It would be awfully bold of Mickey Loomis, the longest-tenured general manager in the game, to decide it’s time to pull the plug on Allen even after something ugly like a 2-4 start. But if Allen’s defense folds and his handpicked quarterback and play caller don’t mesh quickly, Allen could be on the outs sooner or later.

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Huskers get strong endorsements from Colin Cowherd and Urban Meyer

Nebraska got high praise on a national level earlier this week.

Preseason buzz continues to build for the Nebraska football program, which looks to have its first winning season in eight years. The hype is palpable, with talent on both sides of the football field.

The program will look to clinch a bowl berth for the first time since the 2016 season. Multiple experts are particularly high on Nebraska, and that includes Collin Cowherd and Urban Meyer. Meyer gave a strong endorsement to Rhule in the Nebraska football program in an appearance on The Herd earlier this week. He cited several reasons why he would want to join the program.

“You stole my thunder. I’m a Nebraska fan. You know, if I was a player I love to go to Nebraska. It’s that history, the stadium, the fans are incredible. We coached out there, and they’ve been really down for several years. I was shocked on the sideline a couple of times when we played against them.”

It seems the pieces are in place for Nebraska to have a winning season. Multiple media personalities believe that Nebraska is finally in a place where they can succeed. Meyer continued with his praise of Rhule’s tenure as Cornhusker head coach.

“You know, you talk about a team that didn’t look like Nebraska of old. I just think he’s recruited well. You know, they got the transfer quarterback, Dylan, that is a really good player. I like their coach, their coach knows how to win. He’s won at every level. There’s a difference between winning, and winning at every level. That’s why I got a lot of respect for Matt Rhule.”

They have a favorable start to the schedule, with four of the first five games at Memorial Stadium. Now, it’s just a matter of execution, something the program has faltered in the past couple of seasons.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.

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Demario Davis was ready to retire before coming to the Saints

Demario Davis was ready to retire after a frustrating season with the Browns. But he’s made the most of an opportunity to rewrite his career with the Saints:

When will Demario Davis choose to retire? It’s a fair question. He’s one of the oldest defenders in the NFL and one of the most-experienced pros regardless of position. The New Orleans Saints linebacker’s 180 career starts  are tenth-most among active players. Some day, sooner or later, he’s going to step away from the game.

And when Colin Cowherd asked him when that might be, Davis reflected on his career to this point. He acknowledged that retirement was something he’s considered before, back when he was a member of a struggling Cleveland Browns team. He’d been worn down by four years of wear and tear with the New York Jets before signing with the Browns, who went 1-15. He’d asked himself if continuing on was worth it.

“I mean I go back to 2017, I was in Cleveland, like I was ready to retire,”  Davis recounted. “And I said to God, I said ‘My body is broken down, my mind is broken down. I can’t do it anymore. But if you want me to go forward I’ll keep going.'”

Davis credits his Christian faith for giving him the resilience to keep going — the Browns traded him back to the Jets that summer and he signed with the Saints as a free agent the next year. The rest is history. He made the Associated Press All-Pro first team in 2019 and has been recognized on the second team every season since. He’s the oldest linebacker in the NFL and still playing at a high level as he invests in a six-figure support staff to help him prepare to fight Father Time.

And his perspective on retirement is the same. Davis says it won’t the team’s performance or gut instinct that determines when he should hang up his cleats: “I think it’s all about identity and knowing who you are. I’ve been so blessed by this game, I’ve played a lot longer than I ever thought I would. I’ve had a chance to experience so much. And to be able to be where I am, and to have set my family up for far longer after I leave this place. You know, why am I still playing? It’s because God is not done with what he’s doing with me in the game yet. I’ll play as long as he tells me to keep going.”

The Saints have already laid the groundwork for continuing on without Davis when he chooses to call it a career. Pete Werner signed a three-year extension this summer that ties to the team through 2027, ensuring some consistency at linebacker once Davis is ready to rest. But for now he’s working hard to lead the team himself. Davis has acknowledged before that the Saints have not met their standards or fans’ expectations in recent years. He can’t control everything, but he’s endeavoring to perfect as much as he can, so he can help as many people as he can and make a positive impact on his teammates. Leaving a legacy he can be proud of doesn’t stop at the football field.

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Eric Mangini questions Aaron Rodgers approach with the Jets – ‘I’m so frustrated’

Eric Mangini sees Aaron Rodgers as hurting the New York Jets by being a distraction.

Eric Mangini believes that Aaron Rodgers can be a net positive for the New York Jets, but he believes that the four-time MVP is also proving to be an unnecessary distraction.

A former head coach with the Jets, Mangini’s final season with the franchise in 2008 saw the Jets bring in Brett Favre to help elevate the team.

On a Wednesday appearance on FS1, Mangini told Colin Cowherd that he sees Rodgers as a distraction to the team. The comments from Mangini came after Rodgers fielded a question this week during an interview with WFAN.

The question came from executive producer Al Dukes of the ‘Boomer & Gio’ show. It had nothing to do with football but rather was about the Malaysian flight disappearance from 2014.

“I was really high on Aaron Rodgers going to the Jets, and obviously I went through that experience with Brett Favre going to the Jets when I was there, and I think he can be really good,” Mangini told Cowherd on FS1.

“It’s just – I’m so frustrated with all the other stuff that he’s bringing.”

In a different appearance on FS1 on Wednesday (on First Things First), Mangini questioned the impact of Rodgers not playing in preseason and the message it sent to his teammates.

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His experience with Favre, he told Cowherd, was the opposite of what he is seeing with Rodgers and the Jets.

“And Brett was great when we had him, he was, you know, he was part of the team. He was willing to do whatever we asked him to do…he wanted to be, wanted to be treated like everybody else,” Mangini said on ‘The Herd.’

“And with Aaron, it’s always something – it’s mandatory mini cap – you know, that’s just an OTA…the preseason games – that’s not real football. It’s whatever he thinks at the moment is absolutely right and is absolutely the way it should be.

“And then things can’t be as they appear. They have to be some sort of diabolical plot for the deep state to overthrow the government or create world domination like I don’t, I don’t get it. I think he’s bright. I just don’t get why he has to go there. And, you know, everybody’s entitled to their opinion and their thoughts. I just don’t know if this is the most productive thing for them to win football games this year.”

Colin Cowherd ranks Sean Payton as 4th-best coach in the NFL

Colin Cowherd ranked Broncos skipper Sean Payton as the fourth-best head coach in the NFL.

Colin Cowherd (whom I listen to daily) is known for his strong and sometimes outrageous takes. However, he also backs up his claims on why he goes with those takes.

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was a frequent guest of Cowherd’s in 2022, and Cowherd often sings his praises as a bright coach with an impressive understanding of offensive football. So it makes sense that despite the Broncos not making the playoffs with an 8-9 record last fall, Cowherd still puts Payton as a top coach in the league. How high? Top 5. Number four, to be exact:

Payton’s pedigree as a Super Bowl-winning coach has preceded him in Denver. But is this ranking too high, or just right? On one hand, Payton has turned the Broncos from a five-win to an eight-win team. On the other hand, it isn’t the playoff or Super Bowl-contending results expected from his big contract. Be that as it may, Payton will have to produce wins to validate his top-five rating bestowed upon him by Cowherd.

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Mark Sanchez predicts an MVP caliber season for Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers

Mark Sanchez makes a big projection for Aaron Rodgers.

Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez believes that Aaron Rodgers is going to put up some impressive numbers this year for the New York Jets. These numbers would be very reminiscent of Rodgers’ recent MVP seasons.

Once hailed as ‘The Sanchise,’ Sanchez is a former first-round pick of the Jets. He led New York to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances in his first two seasons in the league.

He sees Rodgers, who missed nearly the entirety of last season with an Achilles injury, as on the verge of bouncing back to the form he showed in 2020 and 2021 when he was the league’s MVP.

On Tuesday, Sanchez told Colin Cowherd on FS1 that he sees a big season for Rodgers. He didn’t predict an MVP season for Rodgers, but the numbers he talked about would put the Jets quarterback in the discussion for the league’s top individual honors.

“I think he’s easily 4000 yards – around there. I think he’s easily right around 30 touchdowns, less than 10 picks,” Sanchez told Cowherd on FS1.

Cowherd then said “31 TDs, nine picks” which got Sanchez rolling.

“Like, that would be more than enough, and I think he can easily surpass that in a year where they catch fire,” Sanchez said.

“Like, that’s a team that can win the division, you know what I mean? And we have two really good teams never won our division. The vivision went through Foxboro, (Tom) Brady and (Bill) Belichick. And we were 9-2 at one point playing them on Monday night, and just got absolutely blown out of the water.

“This team is going to be good.”

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In 2021, Rodgers threw for 4,115 yards with 37 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Colin Cowherd reacts to Aaron Rodgers’ explaining missing ‘minicamp’

Colin Cowherd responds to Aaron Rodgers’ response to missing ‘minicamp.’

Colin Cowherd is fine that Aaron Rodgers missed mandatory minicamp in June. But Cowherd isn’t fine with New York Jets quarterback choosing to do so or his explanation for missing what is termed ‘mandatory minicamp.’

On Monday, the ‘Pardon My Take’ podcast (which is available on the Barstool Sports platform) aired a recent interview with Rodgers where he defended a recent trip to Egypt that caused him to miss minicamp in June. The Jets said that the absence was unexcused.

Rodgers said that minicamp is essentially OTAs and that he made 10 prior OTA practice sessions.

Cowherd nuanced his response in addressing the Rodgers situation during his Monday show (on FS1 and FoxSports Radio).

Twice in his monologue on the situation, Cowherd was critical of Jets’ ownership:

“But be that as it may, this just feels like, you know, kind of Aaron trying to win one of these little battles, and your teammates were there and you weren’t. I’m fine with it I don’t think it is the end of the world but I’d rather have my guy own it,” Cowherd said on FS1 on Monday.

“I will say this, old quarterbacks- [Tom] Brady was literally doing illegal practice as a Jesuit High School. You know, older quarterbacks. They don’t want to get hi. They don’t necessarily want to practice as much, and I get all that I do think the Jets, is a very unique situation because of the constant impulse of nature of the ownership, because they’re the Jets, because it’s New York – I think you should be there, but I don’t think it’ll have an adverse effect once the real season starts.”

Here is the full discussion from Cowherd on Rodgers:

 

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Rodgers was firm in his conviction during his ‘Pardon My Take’ appearance that this won’t be an issue once the season starts.

Seahawks Mt. Rushmore of players, according to FS1’s Colin Cowherd

Seahawks Mt. Rushmore of players, according to FS1’s Colin Cowherd

One of the more prominent Pacific Northwest sports figures in the national media is Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd. Born and raised in coastal Washington State, Cowherd grew up in the shadow of the blossoming Seattle sports scene of the late 1970’s.

Cowherd may have shifted to being more of a national commentator, opining on all teams in each of the professional leagues, but it is clear he still holds some reverance towards Seattle’s teams… such as the Seahawks.

Recently, Cowherd sat down with former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman on his podcast. Edelman asked Cowherd to give his personal “Mt. Rushmore” of Seahawks players. Of course, wide receiver Steve Largent was the first pick. No shocker there. But the other three names might surprise you a bit.

First off, you know Cowherd was truly an original Seahawks fan if he’s even making the argument for potentially adding Jim Zorn to the list. As someone who was raised by parents who watched the Seahawks from their inception, I can attest this is only something a diehard 12th Man from that era would say.

Secondly, I firmly believe one of the most underrated Seahawks of all time is absolutely Shaun Alexander. To this date, he is the only Seahawk to win league MVP, and I have been beating the drum that he is well overdue for an enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

What say you, dear reader? Does Cowherd get it right with his Mt. Rushmore? Who should he have added? Who would you add if you were asked the same question?

More Seahawks Wire stories

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4 rookies to keep an eye on during training camp

Geno Smith one-on-one interview with King 5 

Colin Cowherd gives his pre-training camp NFL standings predictions

Cowherd says the Commanders will be a playoff team.

Colin Cowherd announced Friday, “This is my pre-camp, before any injuries, pre-camp predictions.”

Here is the video for all of his comments, and below, we provide a short quote from Cowherd on each team as he predicted the standings.

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills: “The Bills have won the division four straight years.”

Miami Dolphins: “Tua passed for 4600 yards last year.”

New York Jets: “Aaron Rodgers has taken four snaps in 559 days with the Jets.”

New England Patriots: “One of the worst rosters in the league.”

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens: “Top-five offense, top-five defense.”

Cincinnati Bengals: “Last year, with Jake Browning, they had a winning record.”

Pittsburgh Steelers: “They can’t get their O-Line or OC figured out.”

Cleveland Browns: “Total question mark on Deshaun Watson.”

AFC WEST

Kansas City Chiefs: “Until further notice, won the division 8 straight times.”

Los Angeles Chargers: “Have limitations on the perimeter.”

Denver Broncos: “PFF says they have the worst roster in the league.”

Las Vegas Raiders: “Rookie coach and quarterback issues.”

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans: “Strong draft, added Stefon Diggs, Joe Mixon.”

Jacksonville Jaguars: “Trevor Lawrence’s best roster yet.”

Indianapolis Colts: “Question Anthony Richardson’s playing style and health.”

Tennessee Titans: “Questions at QB and their O-line is worse than Will Levis.”

* Wild Card Teams: Bengals, Chargers, Jaguars

NFC EAST

Philadelphia Eagles: “Easily the best roster in the division.”

Washington Commanders: “The surprise team in the NFL.”

Dallas Cowboys: “Overly dependent on Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.”

New York Giants: “Just not good enough at quarterback.”

NFC NORTH

Detroit Lions: “Best offensive line in football.”

Green Bay Packers: “Best young offensive talent in the sport.”

Chicago Bears: “Can’t wait to watch them play, HC on the hot seat.”

Minnesota Vikings: “Best fourth-place team, love their offense.”

NFC WEST

Los Angeles Rams: “Back-to-back sensational drafts.”

San Francisco 49ers: “Good, but an old, expensive football team.”

Seattle Seahawks: “Gino Smith good enough to win games.”

Arizona Cardinals: “Just don’t think they compete with the rosters above them.”

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons: “Second-best O-Line in football.”

Tampa Bay Bucs: “Baker is more than capable.”

Carolina Panthers: “Not very good.”

New Orleans Saints: “Don’t like their coaching situation at all.”

* Wild Card Teams: 49ers, Commanders, Packers

 

Wild spin zone: Bill Belichick to the Bills? An idea has been floated

Now this is some concept…

There have been wild ideas thrown out there, but this one is up there.

Sure, current Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott’s seat could be getting warm in the eyes of some. But then to turn the job over to… Bill Belichick?

Now that’s something… and FS1’s Colin Cowherd is the one thinking it.

Per the host of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Belichick has three teams he’d be interested in coaching in 2025: The Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and yes, the Bills.

Belichick stepped down from his longtime post coaching the New England Patriots after last season and is now doing studio work.

The idea that Belichick wants to coach again is backed by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero as well.

So… could it really be in Buffalo? As of now, the idea is far fetched and would require a lot of moving parts to happen. Namely, McDermott has to be fired and he still has a job.

But that is some thought… Belichick in the red, white and blue of Buffalo…

“He’s still very engaged in the game and wants to coach again next year,” Cowherd said. “He can also come back and rub it in the Patriots’ face.”

Cowherd’s full breakdown can be found below:

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