The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode Date: January 8, 2026
Hour 1: Dolphins Fire Mike McDaniel, NFL Head Coach Openings, Stafford vs. Maye

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores the surprise firing of Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and its domino effect on the landscape of NFL head coaching jobs. Colin and co-host Jason McIntyre assess which vacancies are now most attractive, discuss big names like John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski, and break down NFL and college football playoff matchups. The show also debates the MVP argument between Matt Stafford and Drake Maye, factors in strength of schedule, and analyzes coaching mindsets.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Miami Dolphins Fire Mike McDaniel: League-Wide Implications

[00:31–04:29]

• The firing of Mike McDaniel by the Dolphins surprised many, with Colin describing McDaniel as a "brilliant coordinator" but “not a culture guy” and "not really an NFL head coach."
• Colin highlights owner Stephen Ross’s connection to the Harbaugh family—a potential sign that John Harbaugh (recently let go from Baltimore) could be the next target for Miami.
• The shakeup has realigned the rankings of available NFL coaching jobs, as discussed in detail.

Quotes:

“I don’t blame him for all the Miami losses… I think he’s a scheme guy, not a culture guy. He’s a brilliant coordinator. I don’t think he’s an NFL head coach.”
— Colin Cowherd, 00:45

2. NFL Coaching Vacancies: The New Power Rankings

[01:45–10:32]

• Yesterday's ranking: Baltimore (best), Giants (second).

• Post-Miami firing: Baltimore remains #1, but Miami jumps ahead; Giants drop to 3rd or 4th best.

• "If Buffalo loses this weekend, their opening could leap to #1 because of the chance to coach Josh Allen." Colin notes that an opening in Buffalo could reshape the whole market.

• Colin advises the Giants to act quickly and hire Kevin Stefanski before they fall further in the pecking order, referencing Sean McVay’s fabled "don’t let him leave the building" interview.

Quotes:

“If I ran the New York Giants today, I would offer Stefanski the job. I’m not waiting… You don’t want to hire the fourth coach who’s getting the fourth best receiver coach, the fourth best offensive line coach.”
— Colin Cowherd, 06:08

• Discussion on Harbaugh’s priorities: control, choosing his staff, and fit with certain organizations.

“All Harbaughs want one thing: control.”
— Jason McIntyre, 12:35

3. NFL MVP: Matt Stafford vs. Drake Maye

[10:40–12:29]

• Colin argues Stafford’s MVP case is clear due to strength of schedule; Rams played the most difficult schedule among playoff teams, Patriots (with Maye) had the weakest in 26 years.

• Stafford’s stats against playoff teams: 2,000+ yards, 22 TD, 3 INT, 107 rating.

• Colin refers to PFF data, which backs Stafford as number one in metrics like play action, performance against playoff teams, etc.

Quotes:

"Stafford was taking AP courses to get his 4.0."
— Colin Cowherd, 11:29

"PFF. By the way, on all their metrics has Stafford number one."
— Colin Cowherd, 11:55

4. John Harbaugh’s Options: Miami, Giants, Buffalo?

[12:29–15:30]

• Jason and Colin dissect the idea of Harbaugh’s “need for control” and which organizations can offer that (Miami, perhaps by letting him choose the GM).
• If Buffalo opens, all agree it’s the best job by far due to Josh Allen and roster.

“Winners don’t care. They think about their job, not their opponents.”
— Colin Cowherd, 13:19

5. College Football Drama & Sustainability

[17:57–24:13]

• Colin likens the chaos and revenue-fueled drama of modern college football (coaching poaching, huge NIL deals, constant movement) to true crime TV: “It’s fascinating, dangerous, and wild.”

• He argues that, despite criticisms, this environment is totally sustainable as long as revenue and TV ratings continue to skyrocket.

“This is incredibly sustainable because the revenue is growing like crazy… The economy of college football is exploding.”
— Colin Cowherd, 19:45

• Example of Mark Cuban writing a $12 million check to Indiana, and other billionaire donors fueling the sport’s growth.

• Notable segment: Pete Golding, Ole Miss coach, discusses keeping the team together after Lane Kiffin drama.

“The only thing that was different — who’s running out of the tunnel? And to be honest, I don’t think the players give a damn who runs out the tunnel.”
— Pete Golding, quoted by Jason McIntyre, 22:34

6. NFL Playoff Matchups & Analysis

[24:13–32:10]

Bears vs. Packers

• Weather as a factor (30-mph winds); Caleb Williams compared favorably to Jordan Love in current form.
• Bears have not led the Packers for a single play all season. Jason likes the Bears slightly due to the running game advantage; Colin leans Packers due to rest and historical performance.

Bills vs. Jaguars

• Josh Allen is trying to avoid an 0–5 road playoff record.
• Jason points to Jacksonville’s stingy defense and the challenge of defending Allen’s improvisational ability.
• Colin is a “Trevor Lawrence guy," likes the QB matchup.

Herbert & the Chargers' Playoff Prospects

• Herbert playing through injury; discussed as likely the second-best QB the Patriots have faced all season.
• Both discuss the Patriots’ historically weak schedule and the impact of kickers in close playoff games.
• Colin and Jason joke about “fun” playoff picks and the unpredictability of new faces in the postseason.

7. Kyle Shanahan’s Coaching Quirk

[34:32–44:45]

• Colin highlights an “astounding” stat: Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers are 1–29 when trailing by 7+ at halftime, 0–38 when down by 7+ in the fourth quarter (since joining SF).
• He attributes this to Shanahan’s inflexibility and “too tied to his play sheet,” even though his play design is elite.
• Speculates if Shanahan should change strategic approach (take the ball, play with the lead).

Quotes:

“There are certain numbers that don’t make any sense. And when you see that about a person, you’re like… It probably speaks to inflexibility, intensity.”
— Colin Cowherd, 34:55

8. Quarterback Types in the Playoffs

[41:00–44:45]

• Colin splits playoff QBs into: “Game-changers”—those who can ad-lib and create (Josh Allen, Herbert, Caleb, Darnold, Love, Maye, Lawrence); “Game-planners”—pocket QBs reliant on script (Stafford, CJ Stroud).
• Discusses strengths/limitations: Stafford and Stroud won’t create much off-script but can execute elite game plans; advantage now lies more with ad-libbers.
• CJ Stroud compared to Jared Goff; Fernando Mendoza compared to Stroud.

“It’s not a criticism, but I do think Stafford, when Stafford gets in trouble, the pass protection dips, and he has to hurry throws and he can get a bit reckless, and he’s not going to move out of the pocket.”
— Colin Cowherd, 42:21

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On head coaching market shakeup:
  “So suddenly the coveted New York Giants job yesterday is at best third to a guy like John Harbaugh.”
  — Colin Cowherd, 03:37

• On the new era of college football:
  “College football popularity and criticism are both at an all-time high, folks. That’s good television.”
  — Colin Cowherd, 21:50

• On playoff unpredictability:
  “We don’t have a Patriots dynasty or a Kansas City dynasty. Meaning you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
  — Colin Cowherd, 32:10

• On Shanahan’s inflexibility:
  “If they trail by 10 points at half to Philadelphia and the Eagles have a great opening drive to take a lead, you can rest assured they’re in big trouble.”
  — Colin Cowherd, 35:55

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dolphins Fire Mike McDaniel: 00:31–04:29
• Impact on Head Coaching Market: 04:29–10:32
• Stafford vs. Maye MVP Debate: 10:40–12:29
• Harbaugh/Stefanski, Control & Openings: 12:29–15:30
• College Football: Revenue & Chaos: 17:57–24:13
• NFL Playoff Matchups: 24:13–32:10
• Shanahan Coaching Stat & QB Types: 34:32–44:45

Episode Flow & Takeaways

Colin opens with breaking news and rapidly transitions into broader implications for the NFL coaching carousel, using sharp analysis and trademark analogies. He and Jason trade takes on who should move quickly in hiring (Giants/Stefanski), dissect John Harbaugh’s mindset, and surveil the playoff picture in both pro and college football. The show maintains a brisk, opinionated pace, filled with data-driven insights (strength of schedule, coaching stats), locker room wisdom (on culture vs. scheme minds), and plenty of coach/QB matchup drama.

This episode is essential listening for NFL fans tracking coaching rumors, playoff odds, and the evolving landscape of both pro and college football.