“Couple of Aces Right There Baby”: Colin Cowherd Celebrates His Birthday With LeBron James and Sam Darnold Featured on His Cake

Colin Cowherd is critical of many players, but not LeBron James and Sam Darnold. The longtime talk show host has always backed LeBron, calling him the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball. He also never gave up on Sam Darnold, even somewhat predicting his breakout with the Vikings in the off-season. So, for his birthday, Cowherd received a cake featuring both athletes next to his face. It was only fitting.

“LeBron James and Sam Darnold!” Colin exclaimed as he got his first glimpse of his cake, shared via a video on Instagram. The image brought a smile to his face as he clapped. “A couple of aces right there, baby. That hat also hides my grey hair, and I’m very proud of that,” he added.

It was a funny reaction that got a laugh out of the video-taker. It also stirred up the comment section. Earlier in the week, Colin’s company, FOX Sports, was sued by an ex-hair stylist who claimed she was sexually harassed by people at the company. However, when Colin’s name came up, she said he was “a true professional and always respectful.” Fans had fun with the phrase:

Other fans took a different angle on the post in the spirit of comedy, mentioning the Joy Taylor controversy that was recently exposed, and a critique that Colin had for Baker Mayfield earlier in his career that fans just won’t let go of.

It was a hilarious comment section for a sports analyst who’s been hard at work for over 30 years. The grey hairs on his head are legitimate and show how much painstaking effort he’s put into his career. Colin has had some bad takes over the years, for sure. He was always out on Aaron Rodgers, Baker Mayfield, and other QBs who have found success today. But one player he never gave up on was Sam Darnold.

When Darnold was coming out of the draft, Colin said he would make a huge difference for the New York Jets. He was surprised when it didn’t work out. But even when Darnold moved to Minnesota, he continued offering his full support.

Colin had even more high praise for Darnold just two weeks into the 2024 NFL season. He stated that Darnold offered more upside than Kirk Cousins, an established NFL veteran who was paid $180 million in the offseason. Colin was right.

“Kirk Cousins is a baker, Sam Darnold is more the chef.”

Recently, Colin said that he still isn’t giving up on Sam Darnold even after he failed to score against the Detroit Lions in the season finale. Many fans have begun to bail on Darnold after that poor performance, but not Colin.

“Oh I know, lemme guess. You’re all bailing on Sammy!” Colin expressed on his show, The Herd. 

But he then went on to list a series of reasons defending Darnold’s performance. For one, it was a big game for Detroit, and they are a tough team to beat. Two, the opposing quarterback didn’t have a good game either. Lastly, he argued that the NFL is a “baby steps” league, where fans can’t get too upset over just one game.

It’s all true statements and a good defense that he provides for Darnold. But fans don’t want to hear excuses. It’s a results-driven league, and if Darnold and the Vikings don’t perform in the playoffs, the talks around the team’s future will change.

As of now, Darnold is the QB of the future and should receive a big contract from Minnesota. However, if they go one and done, JJ McCarthy will re-enter the conversation. It’s a tricky situation for Darnold, but one he has no choice but to confront.