Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd — 3 & Out - Steelers-Texans REACTION, Coaches on 4th Down, Tony Romo STINKS at broadcasting

Date: January 13, 2026
Host: John Middlekauff
Episode Theme: Sharp, opinion-driven dissection of a disastrous Steelers-Texans playoff game; deep dives into NFL team trajectories, coaching blunders, the current state of Tony Romo as a broadcaster, and the culture of sports journalism.

Episode Overview

This episode is a raw, unfiltered reaction to the Pittsburgh Steelers' brutal playoff loss to the Houston Texans. Host John Middlekauff leverages the blowout defeat to question the direction of the Steelers franchise under Mike Tomlin and explores broader themes: is loyalty holding franchises back, and what does the future look like for legendary coaches and players on the brink? The show also dives into the astonishing defensive prowess of the Texans, the questionable coaching trend of aggressive 4th-down calls, Tony Romo’s plummeting broadcasting reputation, and a viral journalist moment in Jacksonville.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Steelers-Texans: "They Were Murdered" [02:50–19:04]

• Total Collapse:
  • "Tonight the Pittsburgh Steelers were murdered. They were destroyed. That game wasn’t even close." [02:51]
  • Middlekauff frames the loss not as an anomaly but as the latest, most glaring symptom of a decaying franchise.
• Stagnant Results, No Hope:
  • "Mike Tomlin has made a career now of going 9 and 8 or 10 and 7… They’re never going to bottom out… But what does that get you? Feels like it puts a band aid on this situation…" [03:36]
• Roster & Mistakes:
  • The DK Metcalf trade is singled out as emblematic of poor roster decisions:
    • "They gave DK Metcalf…$150 million…He obviously had a horrendous drop on what should be for a high end wide receiver, a play you make with your eyes closed." [05:24]
  • On aging defense: "They were great with wide receivers…They always had dudes…This last decade has been an embarrassment." [04:35]
• Coaching Stagnation:
  • Middlekauff suggests Tomlin should consider leaving:
    • "If you’re Mike Tomlin…get out now, man. Like, ask for a trade." [14:02]
  • Quick comparisons to successful organization resets (Ravens, Heat, Dodgers).
• Notable Quote:
  • "All things, you know, in life literally come to an end, right? There are two guarantees in life, taxes and death. And in the NFL, most people tell you get fired..." [15:55]

2. The Texans: Defensive Renaissance & C.J. Stroud Woes [19:04–40:47]

• Texans' Defensive Identity:
  • "Their defense looks like what the Ravens and Steelers used to look like…That defense was shredded…if it wasn’t for one of the more bizarre quarterback performances out of C.J. Stroud." [09:24]
  • Praise for Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, and the team’s overall speed/physicality.
• Quarterback Uncertainty:
  • "C.J. just pure talent. He can make individual plays…Then he could make plays like, is that the worst play I saw all weekend? He had four fumbles in the first half." [35:28]
  • Analysis: They need Stroud to "just run the offense, be careful with the ball…This team does not need a playmaker" [36:15]
• Playoff Outlook:
  • "Their defense alone can win them a game…If C.J. and the offense can give them, I don’t know, 10 points…I think they can win the game." [39:01]
• Memorable Assessment:
  • "Will Anderson is just—he’s someone you build a franchise around, and he’s not even as good as Danielle Hunter." [34:10]

3. NFL Coach Carousel: Harbaugh, Tomlin, Giants Drama [44:43–55:16]

• Giants Intrigue:
  • Chris Mara met with John Harbaugh without the GM present—a power move.
    • "If I was the owner…you would think that he would bring him along…If you’re Joe Schoen and you saw that story…probably not sleeping great." [44:43]
• Tomlin & the End of an Era:
  • Echoing earlier, Middlekauff advocates for Tomlin to step away—holding on is diminishing returns.
• Packers/LaFleur:
  • Micah Parsons’ endorsement may save LaFleur’s job:
    • "Micah Parsons came out…went on and on and on…that’s just not a normal player saying that, like, that's just going to hold a lot of juice…" [50:19]

4. Coaching Trends: The 4th Down "Epidemic" [55:16–57:35]

• Reckless Aggression:
  • Coaches going for it on fourth down in the first half—"we’ve jumped the shark a little bit." [54:43]
  • Critique is especially aimed at offensive coordinators: "They don’t respect or think about the kicker…They think about touchdowns."
• Game Management:
  • "If what you need to do calls for something else and you don't do it, then I just think you're an idiot. I think you're stubborn." [56:49]

5. Tony Romo’s Broadcasting Decline [62:04–67:00]

• Falling Off a Cliff:
  • "Tony Romo a couple years ago was just considered the greatest thing in the history of broadcasting…A couple years later it feels like universally everyone thinks he stinks." [62:09]
• Contrast with Brady’s Rise:
  • "Tom is extremely relaxed and it does feel like we just kind of get to hang out with Tom Brady watching a football game now...I don't know if he's a $37 million broadcaster…but he's good and he's Tom Brady, so it works." [63:16]
• What Went Wrong?
  • "Tony Romo doesn’t feel like he knows it and he doesn’t feel that cool when he’s doing his stuff." [65:55]
  • "I do agree with a lot of people it’s not really working." [66:54]

6. Viral Jaguars Press Room Moment & Sports Journalism Culture [67:00–73:35]

• The Liam Cohen "Good Job" Viral Clip:
  • Reporter to Jags coach after playoff loss: "Hold your head high. You did a remarkable job."
  • Middlekauff's analysis: This signals that the Jaguars aren’t taken seriously as an NFL franchise.
    • "That moment could only happen to a team that none of us take that seriously…Can you imagine someone getting up in the press conference after Nick Sirianni just lost to Kyle Shanahan and saying that?" [68:30]
• NFL Coverage Culture:
  • Host shares appreciation for tough journalistic culture:
    • "I like when people are screaming at each other...That’s entertainment to me." [69:30]
  • Contrasts with NFL cities where tough questions are the norm ("That’s what I want…this is all entertainment").
  • "We don’t give ribbons out…they just lost because their quarterback played like, shit. This isn’t high school football…" [71:35]

Notable Quotes

• On the Steelers’ Stagnation:
  "In life literally come to an end, right? There are two guarantees in life, taxes and death. And in the NFL, most people tell you get fired. Most players tell you. Like most guys get cut." [15:55]

• On Houston’s Defense:
  "Their defense looks like what the Ravens and Steelers used to look like." [09:24]

• On Tony Romo’s Decline:
  "Tony Romo doesn’t feel like he knows it and he doesn’t feel that cool when he’s doing his stuff…It’s just not really working." [65:44]

• On 4th Down Aggressiveness:
  "If what you need to do calls for something else and you don't do it, then I just think you're an idiot. I think you're stubborn. And anytime that a coach is stubborn, it will come back to bite them in the ass." [56:49]

• On Sports Journalism:
  "That moment could only happen to a team that none of us take that seriously…They were just hosting the Buffalo Bills as a favorite…This isn’t high school football." [68:30, 71:35]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Steelers-Texans Reaction & Franchise Direction: 02:50–19:04
• Texans Defensive Identity & Stroud Concerns: 19:04–40:47
• Giants/Harbaugh/Tomlin Coaching Carousel: 44:43–55:16
• Coaches Going for it on 4th Down Critique: 55:16–57:35
• Tony Romo’s Broadcasting Woes: 62:04–67:00
• Viral Jaguars Press Room & NFL Journalism: 67:00–73:35

Tone & Language

Middlekauff brings a candid, analytical, sometimes sarcastic edge. He skewers poor decision-making, calls out "band-aid" management, and celebrates NFL authenticity both on the field and in the press room. The episode mixes exasperation with admiration, and is loaded with evocative, memorable turns of phrase making it especially engaging for dedicated NFL fans.

Summary prepared for listeners who want major takeaways, context, and sharp perspective on the drama-rich 2026 NFL playoff scene.