The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 1

Episode Date: December 8, 2025
Main Topics: Chiefs need a reboot, the Bears are for real, and the College Football Playoff’s flaws

Episode Overview

In this episode, Colin Cowherd explores the state of the Kansas City Chiefs and their declining dynasty, makes a strong case that the Chicago Bears are finally legit, and delivers his characteristically sharp, opinionated take on the ongoing problems with the College Football Playoff. Alongside co-host J. Mac, the discussion covers the NFL weekend's biggest games, critical coaching decisions, and the debates that continue to swirl around college football’s postseason structure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chiefs’ Dynasty: The End and What Comes Next

Segment Start: [03:18]

• Observations on Chiefs vs Texans:

  • Chiefs look slower, lack youth and explosiveness visible in teams like the Rams, Seahawks, Packers, and especially the Texans.
  • Travis Kelce had another crucial drop; O-Line got bullied, no consistent run game, and the defense can't generate a pass rush.
  • Mahomes had to be the leading rusher again, something the Chiefs do not want—when he is, Chiefs are 0-4 this year.

• On the Nature of NFL Dynasties:

  • "This is how dynasties end. They don't fall off a cliff. They dominate for years and then start to win close games… then start losing all those close games. Oh, wait, that’s Kansas City this year.” — Colin [04:16]
  • Salary cap and consistently late draft picks make it hard to sustain dominance.

• Coaching Decisions Reflect Changed Circumstances:

  • Andy Reid’s rare decision to go for it in his own territory ("He had never called that that deep in his territory, fourth quarter, tie game") is seen as a signal Reid senses the margins are now gone for KC. [06:19]

• Mahomes on Team’s Fight:

  • "You can never question the fight of this team. Obviously, we're not executing at the right moments, but you'll never question that. And I think you'll see that for these last four weeks." — Patrick Mahomes [06:52]

• Colin’s Conclusion:

  • “Trust your eyes... They need a reboot. I think it's closer to a rebuild.” [07:18]

2. Chicago Bears: From Afterthought to Contender

Segment Start: [08:34]

• Bears’ Narrow Loss at Green Bay:

  • This game was about Chicago, not Green Bay, despite the Packers being perennial contenders.
  • The Bears dominated the second half—winning the turnover battle, running the ball, and showing dynamic quarterback play.
  • Strong, sustained drives against a top defense (17-play, 8.5-minute drive then a quick 60-yard TD drive).

• On Caleb Williams and Young QBs:

  • Acknowledges Williams' uneven moments are expected for a rookie—"So is Bo Nix. So are all the young quarterbacks not named Drake May. They're all uneven." [09:13]
  • Comparison to Jordan Love: Williams won’t look as polished because Love is a sixth-year player with years of practice.

• Coach Ben Johnson’s Post-Game:

  • "A lot of credit to our guys in the second half... down 14 to 3 at halftime and it coming down to the last 30 seconds and potential to tie that game up or... go for two." [11:43]

• Cowherd’s Assessment:

  • “That's about as good as a loss as you can have... If you can play against Green Bay in Lambeau, you can play with anybody." [13:17]
  • Suggests Chicago is no longer the league’s punchline but a genuine threat in the playoffs.

• J. Mac on the Bears:

  • "I didn't think they could hang with Green Bay. I think the Bears are legit. They can mess around, win a game or two in the playoffs." [14:30]

• Colin’s Final Word:

  • “It’s the first time in three decades that you look at the Bears, offense, defense, top to bottom, and you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s what great teams do.’” [14:46]

3. College Football Playoff Critique

Segment Start: [19:55]

• The Problem with ‘Little Guys’ in the Playoff:

  • Pushback against Tulane, James Madison, and group-of-five “Cinderella” stories in the playoff.
  • "This is not March Madness… Let's stop all this nonsense. Oh, the little guy. Nobody cares." [20:32]

• Notre Dame’s Snub:

  • Cowherd is unsympathetic: "Notre Dame, stop whining… You didn't have a strength of schedule; you had a stink of schedule."
  • Only full conference membership brings meaningful schedules—Notre Dame’s independence hurts them.

• Structural Issues in College Football:

  • Lack of uniformity is a major problem—every conference and school does their own thing.

• Reaction to Notre Dame AD’s Complaints:

  • Plays AD’s interview: “We didn't appreciate the fact that we were singled out repeatedly and compared to Miami…."
  • Colin: "Of course you were compared to Miami. You played them! The committee had to make a decision…" [25:10]

• Summary Take:

  • “We’re in a transition period now… It’s bumpy, it’s turbulence… But if you’d kept Miami out, that would have been outrageous.” [24:50]

4. Quick Hits: NFL and College Football Weekend Reactions

- Indiana Upset in College Football

[27:03]

• Indiana beats Ohio State; Fernando Mendoza praised as a poised, cerebral leader.
• “He can look right into the camera. Listen. A lot of people are banging on the kid. That is exactly what I want from a franchise…” — Colin [27:34]

- Steelers Beat Ravens (Controversial Calls and Defensive Lapses)

[30:11]

• Baltimore showed signs of quitting; officiating disputes loom large.
• "My whole life is ball security. Two feet down is a touchdown... I don't believe that should be the case in the end zone because there is nowhere to go forward." — Colin on controversial end zone catch [33:17]

- Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen’s Superman Role

[40:53]

• Allen continues to save the Bills, dealing with poor defense and lack of help.
• “Josh Allen in Buffalo has become LeBron James in Cleveland. He's got to do all the big lifting.” — Colin [41:18]
• Allen responsible for 34 of 44 Buffalo TDs.
• Calls for coaching changes: "It’s time. Because this is the year. Kansas City won’t be in the playoffs. Chargers are banged up. This is the year." [43:06]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Chiefs’ demise:
  "Trust your eyes... This is how dynasties end." — Colin Cowherd [04:16]

• On the Bears post-Lambeau loss:
  “That's about as good as a loss as you can have.” — Colin Cowherd [13:17]

• On the College Football Playoff and Notre Dame:
  “Notre Dame, stop whining... you had a stink of schedule.” — Colin Cowherd [20:48]

• On Josh Allen:
  “Josh Allen in Buffalo has become LeBron James in Cleveland. He's got to do all the big lifting.” — Colin Cowherd [41:18]

Important Timestamps

• Chiefs Dynasty/Decline: [03:18] – [08:00]
• Bears’ legitimacy vs Packers: [08:34] – [15:32]
• College Football Playoff/Notre Dame: [19:55] – [26:51]
• Indiana’s Win & Mendoza's Leadership: [27:03] – [29:54]
• Steelers’ Controversial Win vs Ravens: [30:11] – [34:54]
• Josh Allen / Bills Segment: [40:53] – [47:00]
• Chiefs & Travis Kelce decline revisited: [46:24]

Recap & Takeaways

• Kansas City Chiefs need more than a “reboot”—they’re facing a full-on rebuild as the dynasty era closes.
• The Chicago Bears have proven they can hang with the league’s elite and are no longer an NFL punchline.
• College Football Playoff format continues to generate debate, with Colin sharply criticizing participation of low-prospect programs and Notre Dame’s complaints about exclusion.
• Josh Allen continues to cover for Buffalo’s shortcomings—a dynamic that Cowherd argues can’t last if the franchise wants a title.
• Officiating controversies, inconsistent team performances, and changing power structures remain the major through currents of the current football season.

This summary covers all major discussion threads and insights from the episode, including direct speaker attribution and useful timestamps for further listening.