Colin Cowherd reveals how NFL rule changes created new era of quarterback dependency

The quarterback position has always been the most important in all of sports. But recent NFL rule changes have made the game even more dependent upon having a strong player under center, according to radio personality Colin Cowherd.

Recently joining ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy to talk college football, Cowherd trickled into the NFL conversation. He talked about how the rules that favor the offense have put too much dependence on the quarterback.

He also argues — in a way — that it’s watered down the number of contenders each year.

“The downside to making the NFL so quarterback dependent — and all this is based on the CTE check the NFL wrote for almost a billion dollars — it changed the rules. The middle of the field is offense. You can’t hit anybody except the running back,” Cowherd said.

“The downside to this — it’ll be good for fantasy players and ratings — but if you don’t have a star quarterback, we know. You’re done. And you look at the Super Bowl bubble: (Patrick) Mahomes, (Joe) Burrow, (Josh) Allen, Lamar (Jackson), Jalen Hurts, Trevor Lawrence. That bubble used to feel like 15 teams. It feels like seven. Kirk Cousins is good, but in this day and age, he’s simply not good enough. Dak Prescott’s good. He’s not good enough.”

Cowherd might have a point. Over the last five years, the quarterbacks who have won a Super Bowl ring? Tom Brady (twice), Patrick Mahomes (twice) and Matthew Stafford. Those are some pretty strong names.

The NFL has made a strong push to make the game safer, eliminating several hits defenders can make. Without question, the league is also protecting its top talents, which happens to be the guys at quarterback.

While the NFL is free to do whatever it wants, it certainly has changed the landscape of professional football.

Colin Cowherd chimes in on Nick Saban’s NIL comments

From the NFL to the NIL. When talking with McElroy, Cowherd also talked about the comments made by Alabama head coach Nick Saban over the latest changes in the college game.

During the latest edition of Always College Football, Cowherd pointed out how Saban will say what’s on his mind, which is understandable given his stature as the GOAT. But he also indicated there might be another reason for his remarks on NIL — and it traces back to former assistant Steve Sarkisian.

“I love Saban,” Cowherd said. “I think sometimes, he can be — if Nick wants to talk about something, he’s going go to the podium and he’s going to find something that can get him into what he really wants to talk about. He does this all the time. About three times a year, it’s like, ‘I’m going to talk about transfer portal. I don’t care what your question is. I’m gonna bring it up.’ And there have been two different occasions where he’s complained about the NIL. He said, it’s not even, it’s not fair. And my takeaway has always been, that’s a message.

“My gut feeling was he’s a little concerned about Texas. That the fact that Texas money is like USC, can’t compete with it. Phil Knight and Oregon can’t compete with it. The Longhorns have two to three billionaire donors. When Nick talks about the NIL, my takeaway is he’s doing some battles with Sark and some of these, they’re wrestling people away. I mean, they’re getting great recruits. That’s my take.”