The Herd with Colin Cowherd

"3 & Out - Reaction to Aaron Rodgers & Steelers DOMINATING Tua & Dolphins on MNF"

Hosted by: John Middlekauff (on Cowherd’s feed)
Date: December 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on Monday Night Football’s clash between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins, focusing on Aaron Rodgers’ dominant performance in harsh conditions and the struggles of Tua Tagovailoa. Host John Middlekauff dives deep into quarterback play in cold weather, the future of both franchises, the state of young vs. old QBs in the NFL, and tackles listener questions on the Packers, Chiefs, Browns, and more in an extended, candid mailbag segment. As always, the show is brisk, blunt, and distinctly Middlekauff—direct, knowledgeable, with a mix of humor and tough love.

Main Themes and Discussion Points

1. Steelers’ Domination of the Dolphins & Aaron Rodgers’ Performance

• Cold-Weather Football:
  • Middlekauff opens by marveling at the frigid conditions in Pittsburgh (7–15°F), emphasizing the significant impact such weather has on NFL games, particularly on QB play.
  • “You have to play well outside in cold weather. No one likes doing it... if you’re gonna be a good, functional quarterback in the NFL, that’s just the price of admission,” (John Middlekauff, 06:12).
• Rodgers’ Excellence and Toughness:
  • Even at 42 and with a broken left hand, Rodgers looked in complete control, connecting with a limited supporting cast.
  • “Aaron Rodgers, at 42, the velocity with which he throws the ball—as long as he doesn’t have a major injury—once he retires, at 62 he’ll still sling it more than Tua,” (09:15).
  • “There is no one can argue... at 42, he does not need to be doing this, to rush back with the broken hands. That’s pretty badass,” (Middlekauff, 40:51).
• Pittsburgh’s Outlook:
  • The Steelers, riding key wins and tough defense, look set for a playoff spot, but Middlekauff doubts their long-term prospects against AFC contenders.

2. Tua Tagovailoa’s Struggles & Miami’s QB Conundrum

• Arm Strength Deficiency Exposed:
  • The cold spotlighted Tua’s limitations, particularly his “pea shooter” arm, which Middlekauff flatly states is not functional in winter climates:
    • “If your arm is weak, it is not... Tua simply is not [cut out for it]. Just like a lot of other quarterbacks that have average to below average arms, they can’t function in these moments,” (18:58).
• Organizational Regret:
  • Miami’s extension for Tua is regretted; Middlekauff suggests cutting or trading him, even for a low return:
    • “I would cut him this offseason... I think he’s a borderline untradable player... You can’t roll this guy back,” (28:27).
• Lesson for Teams:
  • A recurring refrain is that small, weak-armed QBs are a bad top-pick investment, especially for franchises in cold climates.

3. The State of Quarterback Development: Old vs. Young QBs

• Listener Mail: ‘Why So Many Old QBs?’
  • Middlekauff details systemic reasons why established older QBs get (and keep) jobs over promising raw talent.
  • College Prep Problem:
    • Simplistic college schemes (e.g., clap counts, no line-of-scrimmage control), frequent transfers, and lack of consistency hurt development.
    • “When you lose your confidence, it can be tough to get it back as a younger person. And you have to spend time just building that confidence back up, let alone learning your craft,” (47:39).
  • NFL Pacing/Investment:
    • CBA restrictions and trigger-happy franchises mean less development time and more impatience.
    • “Times have changed dramatically... these older quarterbacks bring to the table is they can speak the same language as the coach—and coaches value that above all,” (49:25).

4. Other Key Topics & Listener Mailbag

• Packers’ Consistency and Coaching Staff Futures:
  • While injuries (esp. Micah Parsons) have hurt them, Middlekauff warns against writing off Green Bay—recalling past playoff runs amid adversity.
  • “Part of being the leader... is to shake that frown, turn it upside down, and figure shit out fast,” (36:16).
• Future of the Chiefs and Travis Kelce:
  • Kelce’s production has dipped, but he’s still categorized among the top pass-catching TEs; Middlekauff divides the ‘GOAT tight end’ debate by skill set, lauding Gronk/Kittle for all-around play and putting Kelce/Gonzalez atop the receiving ranks.
• NFL Draft and Roster Questions:
  • Listeners ask about complex potential trades (e.g., Chris Jones for Mac Jones), Browns’ QB future, the possibility of Deion Sanders to Cleveland, and how injuries alter expectations.
• Coaching Props:
  • Jim Harbaugh’s success with the Chargers, Herbert’s toughness, and why good coaching shines most when adversity hits.
• Patriot QB Drake Maye’s Big-Game Struggles:
  • Young QBs need to weather tough losses (e.g., Maye vs. Bills); importance of coaching “reset” after setbacks.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cold-Weather Quarterbacks:
  • “No one likes doing it... but if you want to be good at something, you kinda need to work hard. If you want to be a good NFL quarterback, you have to play well outside in cold weather,” (John Middlekauff, 06:12).
• On Tua’s Limitations:
  • “Doesn’t mean shit if your quarterback’s got a pea shooter arm. And that’s exactly what we watched tonight,” (Middlekauff, 17:50).
  • “They basically avoided him for the last couple weeks... They gotta cut him. It’s just time to cut bait and move on,” (28:27).
• On Organizational Decisions & Regret:
  • “When it came to Tua and Kyler Murray, those were two contracts… [the Dolphins] clearly regret,” (27:33).
• On QB Development:
  • “The gap of the training for which you have to be retrained once you get to the pros, and then time isn’t really on your side,” (45:10).
• On Packers and Injuries:
  • “I think you gotta be careful about just saying our season’s over now. Are you gonna win the Super Bowl without Micah Parsons? Probably not... Can you still win the division? Yes. Can you still make the playoffs and beat a team in the first round? 100%,” (74:18).
• On Jim Harbaugh:
  • “He’s nuts, but he’s freaking elite… I would take Jim seven days a week over John Harbaugh,” (84:34).
• On Coaching Adversity:
  • “High-level coaching is when things don’t go your way,” (38:23).

Key Timestamps

• 02:41 – John Middlekauff begins: Setting the scene, Pittsburgh’s cold (“7 degrees when they woke up this morning”).
• 10:00–18:00 – Why cold weather matters; importance of arm strength in QB evaluation; Brady, Rodgers, Roethlisberger as models.
• 19:00–25:00 – Tua’s weakness in cold; why Miami should move on; limitations of practicing cold-weather “toughness.”
• 40:00–52:00 – State of QB development in NFL; listener mail on old vs. young QBs, why older QBs still win jobs.
• 53:50 – Mailbag begins: trade rumors, coaching rumors, Packer/Cowboy/Browns/Chiefs listener questions.
• 66:00 – Chiefs and Travis Kelce retirement speculation.
• 74:18 – Packers: dealing with injuries, how expectations change.
• 83:00 – Jim Harbaugh and the impact of great coaching.
• 90:53 – On young quarterbacks (Drake Maye), learning from loss and the importance of coaching.

Summary Takeaways

• Aaron Rodgers’ cold-weather mastery remains rare, even late in his career, highlighting the value of arm talent and experience—especially when contrasted with Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, whose limitations doom the Dolphins in wintry scenarios.
• Middlekauff strongly argues against building around undersized, weak-armed QBs, particularly in northern NFL cities. The Dolphins’ regret over Tua’s contract is made explicit, and a break-up seems inevitable.
• Broader systemic issues, chiefly in college QB development and NFL coaching impatience, explain why many franchises keep turning to aging veterans.
• Coaching and organizational adaptability in times of adversity (Green Bay’s staff, Kyle Shanahan, Jim Harbaugh) are critically examined and applauded.
• Listener mailbag continues the show’s smart, punchy banter on trades, coaching moves, and the evolving NFL landscape.

In Middlekauff’s Words

“You can’t function in this league with a guy like Tua at quarterback—not in the cold, not in the playoffs. You just can’t. And tonight was a perfect display.” (20:15)

“Aaron Rodgers at 42 is still slingin’ it. That’s why the old guys get jobs—because you can trust them, and they can run an NFL offense. Young guys… they just aren’t ready, and there’s no time to get them ready anymore.” (44:25)

“Great coaching happens when things don’t go your way. Anybody can win with a loaded roster, but let’s see you get punched in the mouth and keep going.” (38:28)

This episode is a must-listen for die-hard NFL fans wanting an unvarnished, big-picture take on quarterback play, team-building blunders, and why the old ways—arm strength, hard-nosed coaching, veteran savvy—still matter most when December football arrives.