Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: 3 & Out – Is Caleb Williams a BUST, QB and Coach Relationship, 49ers CUT Moody
Date: September 10, 2025
Host: John Middlekauff (on The Herd by Colin Cowherd / The Volume)

Overview

This episode centers on three current NFL storylines:

• The uncertainty around Caleb Williams' future with the Bears and the fit with head coach Ben Johnson.
• How the relationship between quarterbacks and coaches shapes the trajectory of teams and careers.
• The decision by the 49ers to cut kicker Jake Moody (a former third-round pick) and the broader lessons on drafting special teams players.

Additional insights are offered through John Middlekauff's signature mailbag, addressing burning football questions from listeners, including college football changes and the value of drafting kickers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Caleb Williams & Ben Johnson: Can This Work in Chicago?

[03:36 – 24:00]

• Uncertainty after Week 1: Despite preseason optimism, Caleb Williams underwhelmed in the opener. Middlekauff questions Williams’ fit with Ben Johnson’s offense and predicts the partnership’s future is in doubt.
• Freelance vs. Structure:
  • Williams’ style is “not on time, inaccurate, hard to just run your offense because there’s no rhythm to his game. He’s a freelance player” (Ty, 07:10).
  • Ben Johnson’s offense is timing-based and demands quarterbacks operate within a strict structure.
• Shortened Timelines for QBs: With modern NFL timelines, teams don’t wait for young quarterbacks to develop over several years. “Based on recent history, you get about two [years]...This is year two for Caleb” (Ty, 11:21).
• The Benefit of the Right Coach: The Bears hired Johnson “because he can fix [the QB] problem.” His resume includes reviving Jared Goff’s career (Ty, 13:21).
• If Williams Fails, Johnson Still Gives Hope: If Williams is a bust, Chicago is at least positioned to try again with a coach skilled at maximizing QBs.

Notable Quotes:

• “If I was a betting man right now, I would say this is not going to work. I don’t think Caleb is good.”
  — Ty (07:01)
• “But don’t be scared, Bears fans, because you have a guy…he can fix that problem.”
  — Ty (12:07)

2. Quarterback-Coach Dynamics: Loyalty and Success

[24:00 – 40:00]

• Drafted vs. Inherited QBs:
  • Coaches show more loyalty to the QBs they draft versus ones they inherit, affecting both development and patience.
  • “Ben Johnson did not pick Caleb Williams. When you juxtapose that with Kevin O’Connell and J.J. McCarthy, that’s his guy. So there’s a loyalty and a relationship there that can’t really be faked.” (Ty, 24:50)
  • Andy Reid’s relationship with Patrick Mahomes is highlighted as the gold standard of QB-coach synergy.
• Enduring Examples:
  • Coaches like John Harbaugh (with Lamar Jackson) and Sean McDermott (with Josh Allen) were “saved” by drafting the right QB, fundamentally changing their careers.
• Impatience with Struggling QBs:
  • In today’s NFL, even high-profile rookies can be quickly replaced if the coach didn't hand-pick them.
  • “If Ben Johnson doesn’t believe that Caleb Williams is good in a couple of months…he’s not going to blame himself because he goes, I know what I do works, I’m going to blame you.” (Ty, 36:10)

Notable Quotes:

• “You watch how fast that, like, if Ben Johnson doesn’t believe that Caleb Williams is good in a couple months...they will jump ship."
  — Ty (36:15)
• “The relationship when you get married, when you have children, that with your parents, you don’t have that relationship with any other human being. It’s impossible to have.”
  — Ty (25:30) (using personal analogy for QB-coach bonds)

3. 49ers Cut Moody: Drafting Special Teams is Bad Business

[40:48 – 56:00]

• San Francisco’s Gamble Backfires: Despite using a late third-round pick on Jake Moody—a kicker deemed “automatic” in college—he was just cut in year three after continued struggles.
• Mental Game of Kicking: Kicker confidence is fragile and hard to project; success in college doesn’t translate to the pros.
• Draft Value Lessons:
  • “Under no circumstances, probably until like the seventh round, should you take a special teams player.” (Ty, 52:10)
  • Most top NFL kickers go undrafted or are late-round picks (Justin Tucker, David Akers).
• Coaching Attitude: Offensive-minded coaches, e.g., Shanahan, tend to undervalue kickers, while defensive coaches (like John Harbaugh) often place a premium on them.

Notable Quotes:

• “That was dumb. And that’s a complete waste of a pick.”
  — Ty (53:35)
• “The confidence is a powerful thing…When you got it, you never think you’re going to lose it. And when it’s gone, you never think it’s going back.”
  — Ty (53:53, quoting Paul Azinger)

4. Mailbag: Football Miscellany & Fan Questions

[64:49 – 83:30]

Mahomes vs. Allen Debate

• A listener challenges the consensus that Patrick Mahomes is always the best QB, making a strong case for Josh Allen—particularly given what Allen has done with “less” around him.
  • “Mahomes went to a team with multiple Hall of Famers…Josh Allen has been handed a football and told, ‘good luck out there, kid.’”
    — Listener question (46:49)
  • Ty concurs, suggesting Allen is “as good of a guy [Andy Reid] has ever coached against.”

Drafting Kickers & Special Teams

• The Moody pick prompted a question: Will anyone draft a kicker that high again?
  • “Give me the study: last 20 years of where all the Pro Bowl kickers…majority are sixth, seventh [round] undrafted…in what world would you waste a third-round pick?”
    — Ty (64:49)

Changing College Football (NIL & Realignment Issues)

• Listeners mourn the loss of “pure” college football:
  • Non-power schools are pillaged for talent via the transfer portal and NIL, ending the Cinderella stories.
  • “The little guy has always been at a disadvantage…but Boise had a couple years where you thought they could have [won]. That team would have been pillaged [today].”
    — Ty (51:30)

Watching and Covering NFL Games as a Broadcaster

• Ty describes his multi-screen setup and methodology: “We talk about big stories and the things that matter…I’m not breaking down Bryce Young’s footwork. The moment I see that game doesn’t matter, I stop paying attention.” (68:59)

Quarterback Comparisons and Career Paths

• Listeners ask if Caleb Williams could follow Baker Mayfield and revive his career later.
  • Ty: “Baker was so much better in college in the pocket…Caleb Williams is not.”
• Discussion on whether Ben Johnson regrets not taking the Commanders job with Jaden Daniels.

Goff’s Place in the League

• Ty points out Jared Goff’s weaknesses under pressure, the rarity of slow-footed, pure pocket passers in the modern NFL, and the thin margins for these types.

Memorable Quotes & Key Moments (with Timestamps)

• “If I was a betting man right now, I would say this is not going to work. I don’t think Caleb is good.” — Ty, on Williams’ future in Chicago. [07:01]
• “He’s a freelance player…which is great when shit hits the fan, but just freelancing on a basic play can screw everything up.” — Ty on Caleb Williams. [07:18]
• “Part of hiring [Ben Johnson] is, you know, worst case scenario, Caleb Williams is a bust…But that’s why you hired Ben Johnson to figure it out.” [20:28]
• "There’s a loyalty and a relationship there that can’t really be faked." — Ty, on coaches drafting their own QBs, referencing O'Connell & McCarthy. [24:50]
• “If Ben Johnson doesn’t believe that Caleb Williams is good in a couple of months…he’s not going to blame himself because he goes, I know what I do works, I’m going to blame you.” [36:10]
• “Under no circumstances…should you take a special teams player [in the third round].” — Ty, after the 49ers cut Moody. [52:10]
• “The confidence is a powerful thing…When you got it, you never think you’re going to lose it. And when it’s gone, you never think it’s going back.” — Ty quoting golfer Paul Azinger, re: kickers’ confidence [53:53].
• “We talk about big stories and the things that matter…I’m not breaking down Bryce Young’s footwork. The moment I see that game doesn’t matter, I stop paying attention.” — Ty, on sports media coverage. [68:59]

Structured Breakdown with Timestamps

| Segment | Start | End | Topic | |-------------------------------|---------|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Bears/Caleb Williams/Johnson | 03:36 | 24:00 | Is Caleb a “bust?” Coach-QB fit, downside scenarios | | QB-Coach Relationship | 24:00 | 40:00 | Loyalty, career arcs, drafting vs inheriting, analogies | | 49ers Cut Moody | 40:48 | 56:00 | Drafting special teams players, kicker psychology, history | | Mailbag (various) | 64:49 | 83:30 | Fan Qs: Mahomes/Allen, kickers, Goff, college football, etc. |

Final Takeaways

• Bears fans should be wary: Even a flashy No. 1 QB like Williams can quickly fall out of favor if results aren’t there.
• Coaching matters more than ever: The right “quarterback guru” can elevate any situation—or quickly look for a new quarterback if the fit isn’t right.
• Drafting specialists is risky: The Moody saga puts another nail in the coffin for selecting kickers early in the draft.
• NFL and college football change fast: Loyalty to QBs, roster patience, and the college “haves” vs. “have nots”—all are more intense and fluid than ever.

For Bears fans:

• Season could get rocky, and Williams’ time may run short if the offense continues to struggle—but hope remains if Ben Johnson proves worth his price tag.

For front offices:

• Don’t overthink special team picks; find your kicker off the street, not on Day 2.

For fans and listeners:

• The NFL, college football, and even sports talk are evolving rapidly. Big stories and big personalities (QBs, coaches) still drive the conversation—and sometimes, the nostalgia for a “simpler” past is justified, but adaptation is essential.

Summary by an expert podcast summarizer. All quotes are verbatim and attributed to the host (“Ty”/John Middlekauff) unless otherwise noted. Timestamps reflect the podcast episode for quick navigation.