Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – 3 & Out: Massive Mailbag, Are the Patriots Trending Up, Burrow to the Rams (August 22, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this Fugazi Friday edition of "3 & Out," John Middlekauff hosts a listener-driven mailbag episode, answering a wide array of NFL questions just before the start of college football season. The show dives deep into the state of several NFL teams—including the Patriots, Bengals, Chargers, and Rams—while also fielding rapid-fire queries on current roster moves, front office culture, quarterback trades, coaching reputations, and more. Middlekauff blends personal anecdotes with sharp NFL analysis, maintaining his characteristic candid and conversational tone.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Are the Patriots Trending Up? (12:29)

• Listener Question: Are the Patriots turning things around with new additions and staff?
• Middlekauff’s Take:
  • Optimistic outlook for the Patriots due to coaching changes and new talent.
  • “If you tell me that, you get Mike Vrabel, who's proven that like he can turn the Tennessee Titans into a playoff team … you get Josh McDaniels, awful head coach, fantastic offensive coordinator … drafting the running back who's probably the fastest, most explosive player they've had in a long, long time … I'm betting on that, I expect them to win nine games. I think 10 is probably their ceiling. But the 9–10 range … I like the Pats a lot this year.” [03:00]

2. NFL Fandom & Diminished Excitement (04:30)

• Listener Concern: With the Jets’ rough patch and media oversaturation, some fans feel disconnected.
• Middlekauff’s Reply:
  • Personal excitement remains high.
  • Links individual fan energy to their team’s competitiveness.
  • Advises “Just don't pay attention for a while … it usually helps.”

3. Family-Run NFL Teams: Bengals & Eagles (06:20)

• Listener Observation: Criticism of Bengals owner Mike Brown’s family-heavy front office.
• Middlekauff’s Analysis:
  • Acknowledges many teams, like the Jones family (Cowboys), operate similarly.
  • Ideally, “my best chance to win games is for me to find the next Howie Roseman and the next Sean McVeigh … but this notion of, like, I'm sending my kid out to scout, I just … it's a complicated situation … not the most optimal way to maximize your potential to win.” [07:25]

4. Chargers’ Offensive Line Crisis (08:40)

• Listener Question: Impact of Rashawn Slater's injury on the Chargers.
• Middlekauff’s Response:
  • Calls it "a disastrous situation" for Jim Harbaugh’s line-driven philosophy.
  • Cautions against quick fixes at tackle; pass rushers can exploit any weakness.

5. Rams & Burrow Trade Speculation (10:46)

• Listener Scenario: Could Joe Burrow end up on the Rams if the Bengals implode?
• Middlekauff’s View: Highly unlikely.
  • “Mike Brown is never going to do this. I feel very, very strongly on this. Joe Burrow would have to pull a Carson and literally retire and just be like, I quit before Mike Brown trades him next offseason. Absolutely no chance.” [11:39]

6. Anthony Richardson’s Trade Future (12:39, 16:50, 33:32)

• Richardson benched in preseason finale; trade rumors swirl.
• Middlekauff’s Prediction:
  • Expects a trade soon for late-round picks. “My guess is Anthony Richardson's traded in the next week … I'd say 75, 80% chance he's traded.” [13:56]
  • Suggests backup/long-term projects could rehabilitate Richardson: “I think a lot of coaches and a lot of teams... would be interested ... he'll be a little project for me on the side.”
• Also addresses Richardson’s potential fit with the Raiders or other teams needing developmental QBs.
• Cites pattern: when successful offensive coaches "punt" on a QB project, others should be wary.

7. Media Perception: LaFleur vs. McDaniel & O’Connell (16:10)

• Listener Complaint: Why does Matt LaFleur fly under the radar compared to coaches like Kevin O’Connell & Mike McDaniel?
• Middlekauff’s Perspective:
  • Thinks LaFleur deserves more credit (“Lafleur is good. You know where I stand on the Packers. I'm going to bet money on them to win the division.”)
  • Notes that McDaniel’s reputation has diminished (“is a laughingstock in the NFL right now … 50–50 chance he doesn't make it to Halloween").
  • Suggests market size and less drama contribute to LaFleur’s quieter national profile.

8. College Football Mailbag (22:43)

• Listener brings up Stephen A. Smith’s take on Alabama and Coach DeBoer.
• Middlekauff’s Response:
  • Defends DeBoer’s pedigree and dismisses the idea he should be replaced by Deion Sanders.
  • “Kaylin DeBoer was in the national championship game two years ago … beat Steve Sarkisian … played Brian Kelly last year, beat his ass … DeBoer’s big time. He’ll be fine.” [28:02]

9. NFL Injury Trends & Team Building (35:38)

• Listener wonders if 49ers’ injury issues stem from medical or S&C staff.
• Middlekauff’s View:
  • Acknowledges both medical randomness and chronic risk due to past drafting of “guys with injury histories.”
  • “There gets to a point where it's like, how about this, guys: if a guy has an injury history, we're not messing with them.”

10. On Quarterback Development: College Starts Matter (37:00)

• Listener Asks: Does Arch Manning’s minimal starting experience signal risk?
• Middlekauff’s Take:
  • “The more and more you play, you either get exposed or you excel … you have to be very careful … the easiest way to get it right is to find the ways that, where you're not going to get it wrong. And where you get it wrong is when there are a lot of holes in the argument for a player and there were a lot of holes clearly in the arguments for those players.” [38:50]

11. Lighter Moments & Listener Interactivity

• Fun hypotheticals: Can a decent athlete score a touchdown returning a kickoff 1-on-1 against an NFL kicker? (26:51)
  • “If you're a decent athlete, yes. I think you could score a touchdown on some kickers, 1000%. Some kickers would blast you, though. I think a couple kickers would shock you and some kickers would be marginal athletes.”
• Personal update: John notes he’s prepping for fatherhood, relying more on lived experience than parenting books, but mentions Marcus Aurelius’ "Meditations" as a recommended resource. (29:42)
• Gripes about modern hotel rooms: Rant about hotels not providing desks in rooms in 2025 as he travels for work. (39:00)

Memorable Quotes

• On Patriots’ potential in 2025:
  "If you tell me that you get Mike Vrabel ... and Josh McDaniels ... drafting the running back who's probably the fastest, most explosive player they've had in a long, long time... I expect them to win nine games. I think 10 is probably their ceiling." [03:00]

• On Bengals' front office culture:
  "It's complicated ... but this notion of, like, I'm sending my kid out to scout … not the most optimal way to maximize your potential to win." [07:25]

• On Joe Burrow being traded:
  "Joe Burrow would have to pull a Carson and literally retire and just be like, I quit before Mike Brown trades him next offseason. Absolutely no chance." [11:39]

• On Anthony Richardson’s market:
  "My guess is Anthony Richardson's traded in the next week... I'd say 75, 80% chance he's traded, 20% chance he's on the team." [13:56]

• On Matt LaFleur’s lack of media buzz:
  "He's good. ... Sometimes the packers coach, you know, it's weird. They're a huge brand, they win all the time, but they also fly under the radar nationally sometimes. ... We spend so much time talking about the f**ing Cowboys."* [16:10]

• On evaluating QBs with few college starts:
  "The more you play, you either get exposed or you excel ... you have to be very careful ... the easiest way to get it right is to find the ways that, where you're not going to get it wrong." [38:50]

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• [03:00] – Patriots mailbag: Are they trending up?
• [06:20] – Bengals' family-run front office question.
• [10:46] – Could Joe Burrow be traded to the Rams?
• [12:39] & [16:50] – Anthony Richardson's likely trade destination.
• [16:10] – Media perceptions: LaFleur, McDaniel, O'Connell.
• [22:43] – College football coach mailbag (DeBoer, Alabama and Coach Prime).
• [26:51] – Fun kickoff return hypothetical.
• [35:38] – 49ers injury cycle: Is something systemically wrong?
• [37:00] – QB development and college starting experience.
• [39:00] – Rant: Business travel and hotel desks in 2025.

Overall Tone & Style

Middlekauff mixes confident, freewheeling football analysis with storytelling, relatable analogies, and personal asides. He doesn’t sugarcoat: when he thinks a franchise won’t make a move (see: Joe Burrow), he says so flat out, often with humor and the occasional expletive. The episode’s rapid mailbag format keeps things energetic and engaging for dedicated listeners and casuals alike.