The Herd with Colin Cowherd: "3 & Out – Black Monday REACTION, Which Coaches Are OUT and Who is SAFE"

Host: John Middlekauff
Podcast Feed: The Herd with Colin Cowherd / 3 & Out
Episode Date: January 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this special edition of "3 & Out," John Middlekauff reacts to "Black Monday," the NFL's notorious post-regular season day when several coaches and executives are let go. He breaks down which coaches were fired (and why), dives deep into quarterback-coach relationships, and examines the dynamics of shared accountability between GMs and head coaches. Middlekauff also discusses Matt Ryan's rumored new executive/TV hybrid role, answers a mailbag of listener questions on the NFL playoffs, coaches, ownership, and league structure, and riffs in his signature direct, conversational style.

Black Monday Firings: Who’s Out and Why

(Starts ~01:20)

Fired Head Coaches:

• Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns)
• Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals)
• Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks)

Key Insight:
"All these guys share a common characteristic: they got in bed with the wrong quarterback. It was pretty simple." — John Middlekauff (03:20)

1. Pete Carroll (Seahawks)

• Chose to stick with a 35-year-old Geno Smith ("a disaster," 03:50).
  • 19 TDs, 17 INTs, 2–13 in starts.
• "Their team is not good enough to overcome average quarterback play, let alone bottom five or six in the league." (04:13)

2. Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals)

• Accepted job tied to Kyler Murray, who "has gotten a lot of people fired" (05:11).
• Gannon outlived by the GM, who will now look to move on from Kyler.
• "If you went all in on him... you were not going to have a job long." (05:45)

3. Kevin Stefanski (Browns)

• Not solely blamed for the Deshaun Watson disaster, but Browns failed to find a serviceable QB option.
• “If he had drafted a guy in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th round and just kept them competitive... I think Stefanski would still be the coach in Cleveland." (07:15)
• Instead took Dylan Gabriel, who was "borderline unplayable." (08:01)

The Critical Importance of the Quarterback-Head Coach Marriage

(07:00–13:30)

• Quarterback selection/attachment transforms a coach's entire future—"no different than who you marry or get in business with" (09:40).
• Ambition, financial incentives, and ego drive coaches to take bad situations.
• "You better know what you’re doing when you sign up. The quarterback position, more than all the other positions, changes the course of your life professionally." (10:23)
• GM and coach often come as a “tandem,” but in crisis, loyalty vanishes.

Selective Accountability & GM Survival

(13:40–20:00)

• When things go bad, GMs "cozy up to the owner," coaches get isolated and blamed.
• “How does Stefanski lose his job and Andrew Berry keep his job?... Pretty easy. They force the coach on this island and get cozy up with the owner...” (16:13)
• GMs can often only get one opportunity—so they’ll do anything to survive; coaches recycle more easily.
• “This league, like any business, becomes backstabbing so fast, finger-pointing and trying to push the responsibility on others when you’re equally to blame." (18:09)

Notable Quote:
“People in management positions, they’re like, what’s this guy do? I don't know. But he'll do anything to keep that job that pays him six figures. He will do absolutely anything. And that's no different than GMs.” — John Middlekauff (15:27)

Matt Ryan Executive Role Controversy

(32:12–36:45)

• Matt Ryan reportedly taking a high-ranking exec role with Falcons while keeping his TV gig.
• Middlekauff skeptical this is wise or viable:
  • “It is not realistic to do the job a couple days a week. You have no chance on God’s green earth to be competitive doing it that way.” (34:30)
• Compares to all-in execs like John Lynch, Chris Spielman—cannot balance with TV.
• “Most human beings—even the richest people—are pretty dialed in on one or two things. It takes all your energy; it takes all your effort." (35:45)

Playoff Coaching: Stakes, Focus, and Becoming a Legend

(37:02–39:30)

• Playoffs = legacy building for coaches.
• Winning a playoff game "even just one" is a huge career signal; two or more buys credibility and contract extensions.
• “I love the playoffs, man... no one cares about your process if your results suck.” (39:27)

Listener Mailbag Highlights

(40:00–60:30)

Playoffs & Favorites

• Seattle is Middlekauff’s clear favorite in the NFC: “Home games, two games. Huge home field advantage. They just have a much easier path.” (41:49)
• Rams and Eagles have an outside shot, but Chicago/Bears “can’t be that bad” on defense and win.

On Management and Ownership

• Success comes from hiring the best coach, not a yes-man; GMs look better when their coach wins.
• Owner involvement is usually detrimental, but poor hires will kill a franchise regardless.

Divisions & Playoff Seeding

• Should teams with sub-.500 records host playoff games?
  • “You can stay the four seed, but if you go under .500, you play on the road to any team you have a worse record than … That’s such a bad record. Like the Falcons went 8-9, they just fired everybody.” (49:29)

General NFL & Coaching Topics

• On trading Mike Tomlin for Mike McDaniel: “No way. The Rooney family would never hire Mike McDaniel.” (57:00)
• Tackling in NFL: Lack of live tackling in practice leads to poor tackling in games.
• QB comparisons: Listener compares Fernando Mendoza to Joe Burrow, which Middlekauff finds apt (“I actually think there are a lot of similarities,” 58:59).
• On Josh Allen and playoff pressure—“There’s tangible pressure on them [the Bills]. He’d get a lot of credit if they make the Super Bowl.” (55:56)

Memorable Quotes

“The number one thing I would tell all these guys is: the quarterback position, more than all the other positions, changes the course of your life professionally. No different than who you marry, who you get into business with.”
—John Middlekauff (10:23)

“This league, like any business, becomes backstabbing so fast, finger-pointing and trying to push the responsibility on others when you’re equally to blame and you should get the axe as well.”
—John Middlekauff (18:09)

“You have no chance on God’s green earth to be competitive doing it that way [splitting time between TV and NFL executive].”
—John Middlekauff (34:30)

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• 01:20 – Black Monday reactions: who’s out, why.
• 03:50 – Geno Smith and the Seahawks collapse.
• 05:45–07:48 – Kyler Murray’s effect on Cardinals coaching careers.
• 13:40–16:13 – Selective accountability & how GMs survive.
• 32:12 – Matt Ryan’s dual-role proposal scrutinized.
• 37:02 – Playoff coaching stakes and legacy.
• 41:49 – Ranking NFC playoff teams.
• 49:29 – On playoff seeding and sub-.500 division winners.
• 55:56 – Josh Allen’s playoff pressure.
• 57:00 – Tomlin/McDaniel hypothetical.
• 58:59 – Mendoza compared to Burrow.

Tone & Style

Middlekauff is outspoken, direct, and uses relatable analogies ("marrying the wrong person," "backstabbing") to make his point. He keeps the analysis brisk, occasionally self-deprecating, and is unsparing in his critique of NFL dysfunction at the intersection of talent, ego, and organizational structure.

Summary Takeaways

• The coaching carousel is ultimately determined by quarterback decisions—wrong QB = short tenure.
• GMs often survive longer due to politics and owner relationships, not merit.
• The playoffs offer immense opportunity for coaches to build or rebuild their reputation.
• Matt Ryan’s proposed hybrid exec/TV role is unrealistic for NFL competitiveness.
• Listeners receive candid, practical responses on playoff formats, team cultures, and coaching moves.

**"You can't start pumping your chest because the next week you're getting your teeth kicked in. You gotta be very, very careful, because it's too difficult." (36:49) —John Middlekauff