The Herd with Colin Cowherd: "3 & Out - Seattle WINS the 'Big Game', Patriots STRUGGLE, NFL Awards"

Date: February 9, 2026
Host: John Middlekauff (on Colin Cowherd's feed)
Summary Compiled by an Expert Podcast Summarizer

Episode Overview

This episode of "3 & Out," hosted by John Middlekauff, delivers a deep dive into Super Bowl Sunday, recapping the Seattle Seahawks’ dominant victory, the New England Patriots’ struggles, and broad reflections on NFL organizational excellence. Middlekauff also explores NFL awards, notable quarterback storylines, and Hall of Fame selections with his signature blend of analysis, wit, and real-talk honesty.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Super Bowl Recap: Seattle's Organizational Mastery (02:20–23:40)

• Seattle’s Victory: The Seahawks, with Sam Darnold at QB and new head coach Mike Macdonald, dominated the Patriots in a surprising and convincing Super Bowl win.
  • “It is not good if you’re a New England Patriot fan… at one point it was 9-0 and it felt like a blowout. The Patriots got overwhelmed.” (02:24)
• Sam Darnold’s Redemption:
  • Darnold, regarded as a “distressed asset,” found new life in Seattle, capping a winding career with a Super Bowl victory in his 101st game.
  • “It’s one of the more genuine stories I can remember. It’s like a human interest story… There is a lot of life lessons to be learned when it comes to the way Sam Darnold handled his career.” (04:43)
  • Darnold’s refusal to criticize the Jets, instead expressing gratitude, highlighted his character:

  “He said, ‘I thank them for the opportunities. I aspired to be an NFL quarterback and they made me an NFL quarterback and they gave me an opportunity to start.’” (07:18)

• Organizational Sustainability:
  • Seattle’s front office, led by GM John Schneider, is credited for their “Green Bay” model of long-term competitiveness.
    • “John Schneider has brought this Green Bay sustainability to Seattle, which is now kind of like a coastal Packers or Pittsburgh Steelers.” (13:51)
  • The ability to recycle talent and elevate “distressed assets” like Darnold is held up as a marker of elite organizations.

Notable Quote:

“To be really good in the NFL, can you find distressed assets and make them contributing players? What they did with Sam Darnold...it’s one of the more genuine stories I can remember.” (04:25)

2. Coaching Shift: From Carroll to Macdonald (13:50–16:40)

• Pete Carroll's Legacy: Outgoing coach leaves big shoes (“not easy to replace him. Ask Giants fans how hard it was to replace Tom Coughlin.”)
• Mike Macdonald’s Arrival and Impact:
  • Middlekauff raves about Macdonald’s rapid ascension, schematic brilliance, and defensive dominance.
  • At halftime, he claims: “I’d give the MVP to Mike Macdonald. He is destroying Drake May... taking them behind the woodshed, bending them over. Josh [McDaniels] is saying uncle and he’s not stopping.” (15:55)

3. Seattle’s Defensive Performance (16:40–23:00)

• Comparison to Past Great Seahawks Defenses:
  • The relentless, fast, and violent defense reminded Middlekauff of the 2013–2014 Seahawks (the “Legion of Boom” era).
• Scheme Parallels:
  • “Every single play kind of looked the same. Pressure. DBs flying around. It had some parallels to that team… Wasn’t quite the same, but had some similarities of just absolutely overwhelming the opponent.” (17:04)
• Personnel Acumen:
  • Middlekauff credits Schneider’s draft and trade moves, from landing Witherspoon to the controversial decision to move on from Russell Wilson, which eventually led to franchise-changing assets.

Notable Quote:

“They fly around the field and just destroy people. Their football character…from Sam Darnold to all the guys on defense is elite.” (12:13)

4. New England’s Struggles and O-Line Issues (32:48–41:43)

• Drake May's Rough Night:
  • May struggled against Seattle’s defense; sacked six times and visually rattled.
  • “I think we’ve jumped the shark a little bit. Like, he’s just the next Josh Allen or what?…this was a humbling moment for him because he got punked tonight.” (32:49)
• Will Campbell’s Nightmare:
  • Noted stat: “Will Campbell allowed more pressures in this game than any player did all season in an individual game.” (02:29)
  • Middlekauff doubts his longevity at left tackle due to “functional strength” concerns.
• Contrast with Belichick Era:
  • “For Bill and Tom and the Bill Belichick operation…when they got to the Super Bowl, they never got their ass kicked. They lost…but they didn’t get…beat down. That was an ass kicking.” (40:18)

5. Long-term View: Good vs. Bad NFL Organizations (23:00–28:00)

• Organizations like the Steelers, Ravens, Packers, and now Seahawks are lauded for maintaining standards through turnover.
  • “Can you sustain as an organization as you change in and out different personnel? Because the standard within the organization has been set.” (13:51)
• Teams like the Titans, Giants, Falcons, Cardinals are predicted to remain stuck due to management issues.

6. NFL Honors & Awards Recap (45:37–58:00)

• Matthew Stafford MVP:
  • Big narrative around quarterbacks rescued from bad teams; Stafford finally gets credit post-Lions.
  • “Matt Stafford was an under .500 quarterback who most people would have said—talented, but is he that good? Well, look at him now: Super Bowl champion, league MVP.” (45:53)
• Rams Future & Hall of Fame Chat:
  • Stafford’s return ensures LA continuity; Hall of Fame candidacy debated.
  • “To me the Stafford resurrection and kind of validation is just really, really cool.” (49:52)
• Hall of Fame Class:
  • Drew Brees, Luke Kuechly, Larry Fitzgerald all praised as “no-brainers.”
  • “When I think Larry Fitzgerald, I just think winner. I think a guy that everyone who’s ever coached or ran a franchise would go, ‘I want to be in the trenches with that guy.’” (53:44)

7. Quarterback Market & Trade Rumors (58:00–65:00)

• Tua Tagovailoa & Kyler Murray:
  • Both reportedly available; Dolphins and Cardinals seek suitors but contract/health/money make trades very unlikely.
  • “I don’t think you could give Tua away. If you ate the money so much the other team only has to pay $4 or $5 million? Maybe. But otherwise…not tradable.” (60:23)
  • Kyler Murray has “more physical gifts” but carries baggage and salary headaches — “more tradable,” but only just.
• Derek Carr Comeback:
  • Seen as a potential fit for Minnesota; respected for professionalism:

  “He’s optimistic, positive, got a good arm, he’s accurate. He’s definitely an upgrade over J.J. McCarthy.” (63:38)

8. The Risk with "Character Guys" in the Draft (65:00–73:00)

• Falcons and James Pierce:
  • Atlanta traded up for the highly talented but risky Pierce, who now faces five felony charges.
  • This is a cautionary tale about high-upside, high-risk picks, and the difficulties that follow — even with massive talent.

  “Anytime you have made a ton of money playing the sport of football…and then you go into TV and life is good, for you to have the burning itch to get back into the fight, I respect that.” (69:52)

  • The difficulty of being an NFL head coach/GM: coaching is “so much more about… that’s being a head coach. That’s why this job is so hard. Because your entire business is based on human capital.” (71:43)

9. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Darnold’s Turnaround:

  “It’s easy to not take accountability. But when you do that, I think it opens up the ability to improve. Darnold’s never complained—he took all of it and kept moving.” (07:31)

• On Seattle’s Identity:

  “If you’re not fully healthy and you don’t have like a Hall of Fame level quarterback… these guys will murder you. And that’s what it felt like happened tonight.” (26:06)

• On The NFL’s Ruthless Reality:

  “If you’re looking at the NFL to set the tone for society, I might need to do some reevaluation.” (72:22)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Super Bowl Recap & Seattle’s Rise: 02:20–23:40
• Coaching Shift - Carroll to Macdonald: 13:50–16:40
• Patriots’ Struggles & O-Line Issues: 32:48–41:43
• NFL Honors & Hall of Fame: 45:37–58:00
• Quarterback Market & Trades: 58:00–65:00
• Draft Character Risks & James Pierce: 65:00–73:00

Tone & Language

Middlekauff’s analysis is candid—often self-deprecating, occasionally brash, and filled with authentic NFL locker-room color. The tone is passionate and direct, with a focus on practical, on-the-ground football enlightenment rather than sugarcoating or hyperbole.

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode is a thorough post-Super Bowl breakdown, celebrating Seattle’s return to the NFL pinnacle with a focus on culture, strategy, and the importance of championship “football character.” It’s a sweep of both recent events (Seattle’s win, New England’s collapse, the MVP/Hall of Fame reveal) and the broader patterns that separate good organizations from perennial losers. Rife with trenchant one-liners, inside stories, and real-time reaction, this is essential listening—packed with lessons that transcend football.

Perfect for anyone wanting to understand why some NFL teams stay winning, why character matters, and what happens when riskier bets go bad.