The Herd with Colin Cowherd Best of The Herd
Jan 29, 2026
Ian O'Connor, veteran sports columnist and author at The Athletic, offers sharp perspective on NFL controversies and coaching legacies. He and Colin unpack why Bill Belichick was left off the Hall of Fame ballot, dig into Spygate and its fallout, debate voter behavior and rule changes, and explore Sam Darnold’s surprising rise in Seattle.
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Spygate Dented Belichick’s First-Year Case
- Spygate was the decisive factor for many voters who kept Bill Belichick out this year.
- Colin Cowherd argues the penalties and repeated violations created a perception voters could not ignore.
Repeated Violations Raised The Stakes
- The Patriots faced multi-year illegal taping and repeated league warnings that amplified the sanction's severity.
- Cowherd says major fines and lost draft picks made a one-year voter pause reasonable in context.
Avoid ‘Everybody Does It’ As A Defense
- Don’t excuse rule-breaking with 'everybody does it' when facing governing bodies.
- Colin Cowherd compares that defense to being pulled over or audited to show it won't absolve you.
