Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 1

Date: January 14, 2026
Main Theme:
Colin Cowherd dives into the fallout from Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach, what’s next for the franchise, and broader NFL storylines including coaching candidates, playoff quarterback play, and NFL team building philosophy.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers After Tomlin: What Now?

Main Discussion Points:

• Tomlin’s Departure: Tomlin steps down after 19 years; unusual stability in Pittsburgh comes to an end.

• State of the Steelers: The team lacks a head coach and a clear future quarterback. The defense is “old and expensive,” and most of the roster spending is on the wrong side of the ball ([00:31]).

• Steelers vs. Ravens Comparison:

  • Both are known for stability and long-tenured coaches.
  • The Ravens have Lamar Jackson; the Steelers have “nothing.”

• Cowherd’s Recommendation:

  • It’s time for the Steelers to “do the opposite of Tomlin”—get a young, modern offensive coach, invest on offense, and be willing to endure a very bad season to get a top quarterback prospect ([02:04]).

  “Being awful got the Patriots Drake May. Being awful got the Bears Caleb Williams. ... Being mid got the Steelers Kenny Pickett.” – Colin Cowherd [01:26]

• Philosophy Shift:

  • Drawing an analogy to financial risk, Cowherd argues Pittsburgh needs to take on “debt” (i.e., endure a losing season) to acquire valuable assets.
  • Advocates for bottoming out to restock with young talent, especially at QB, instead of “mid” cycles.

  “To get wealthy in the NFL, you gotta be able to take a big swing and not worry about having the cleanest books for a year.” – Colin Cowherd [01:50]

• Outlook for the Roster:

  • Robert Mays from The Athletic joined to detail the Steelers’ draft assets: 7 picks in the top 4 rounds, one of the youngest offensive lines, and an expected youth movement on defense ([05:36]).

2. Aaron Rodgers Legacy and Retirement Speculation

Key Points:

• Rodgers’ Impact:

  • Even if Rodgers retires, Cowherd insists “you can’t tell the story of the NFL” without him ([06:03]).
  • While lauded for his talent, Rodgers is described as a “little prickly, unbelievable, first-ballot Hall of Fame.”

• Critique of Rodgers:

  • Cowherd notes Rodgers’ “bad body language” and tendency to play it safe in big games ([07:25]).
  • Contrasts Rodgers’ single ring to icons like Brady and Montana, who “left nothing on the cutting room floor” ([08:19]).

  “Almost all quarterbacks we can debate ... Aaron mattered. You can’t write the story of the league without him.” – Colin Cowherd [08:44]

• Rodgers’ Future:

  • Clips played of Rodgers being non-committal about his return or possible landing spots ([09:14]).
  • Cowherd’s view: If Pittsburgh job isn’t appealing, retire or look to Vikings.

3. NFL Coaching Candidates & Market Dynamics

Key Points:

• Nine Job Openings:

  • Cowherd notes the rarity and pressure of nine openings in one cycle ([09:36]).
  • Discusses the layers of actual vs. performative interviews—many agents push for PR-driven interviews to boost reputations, not all are true candidates ([10:48]).

  “A lot of the people interviewing for jobs are not truly head coaching candidates, but the agents are getting them interviews.” – Colin Cowherd [10:59]

• Top Coaching Jobs:

  • Baltimore (with Lamar Jackson) is considered the premier opening, followed by the Giants, Steelers, Atlanta, and the Raiders ([12:45]).
  • Mike Tomlin might do TV, but he’s “not of TV” – not his DNA ([13:08]).

• Advice for Tomlin:

  • Should take time off, “modernize,” seek out young offensive coaches, and reflect on building a better staff ([15:12]).
  • “His coaching tree is a cactus. He doesn’t have anybody since Bruce Arians. ... Go to a mixer, wear a name tag.” – Colin Cowherd [14:24]

4. Brock Purdy, QB Play, and Playoff Narratives

Key Insights:

• Purdy’s Performance:

  • Notable for his calm under playoff pressure; “Week 2 Brock Purdy, Week 11 Brock Purdy, playoffs—I get the same guy” ([18:23]).

  “He’s not affected by the scenario ... a huge part of Brock Purdy’s success is he’s not affected.” – Colin Cowherd [19:12]

• Comparisons with Other QBs:

  • Purdy vs. Jordan Love: Love’s size and arm give him the edge.
  • Purdy vs. Bo Nix: Favors Nix’s durability and team-friendliness of his contract.
  • Purdy vs. Jared Goff: Goff is a superior, reliable pocket passer.

5. Other NFL Playoff & Coaching Storylines

Matt Stafford & Cold Weather:

• Q&A with Stafford on playing in frigid Chicago weather; Stafford unfazed by elements ([22:17]).
• Cowherd notes: Arm strength is key for QBs in cold weather—a reason why Goff, Stafford, Allen, Mahomes thrive ([22:50], [23:34]).

Sean Payton & Offensive Aggressiveness:

• Payton discusses adjusting offensive risk-taking based on opponent’s weaknesses ([24:55]).
• Cowherd agrees and explains how gameplans adapt to roster or opponent, e.g., Bears missing a left tackle leads to a quick-release gameplan for Caleb Williams ([25:25]).

6. Deep Dive: NFL Head Coaching Candidate Tiers

Cowherd’s “Good Candidate” List: ([26:47])

• Proven Winners: John Harbaugh, Kevin Stefanski, Mike Tomlin, Mike McCarthy.
• Second-chance Worthy: Robert Saleh, Brian Flores, Brian Daboll.
• Up-and-Comers: Jesse Minter, Clint Kubiak, Jeff Hafley.

“There are four candidates that I would put in the good candidate if they want to coach list.” – Colin Cowherd [27:13]

• Cautions:

  • Cliff Kingsbury and Mike McDaniel labeled as strong coordinators but not head coach material due to personality and lack of comfort with conflict.

• Advice to Teams:

  • Act decisively—the fifth team to hire gets the fifth-best coach and “breadcrumbs” on staff options ([28:49]).
  • Steve Bisciotti (Ravens owner) is quoted about not ruling out coaches with losing records, emphasizing context and the cycle of job opportunities ([29:56]).

7. Steelers’ Draft Strategy and Franchise Philosophy

• Emphasis on Pittsburgh’s flexibility: ample early draft picks could be packaged to move up for a QB, or kept to enable a full roster rebuild with a focus on offense ([33:11]).
• Suggests embracing a temporary “bottom out” approach to become competitive again.
• Notes that picking in the 18th-20th range (perpetual mediocrity) is a dead end.

“Doing the mid stuff again, you gotta get terrible at least for a year to get Drake May and Caleb Williams. If you’re drafting 20th, you get Kenny Pickett.” – Colin Cowherd [34:29]

8. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tomlin’s legacy and next phase:

  “Leadership IQ, EQ, motivator, culture creator. He’s great … but it’s time to do the opposite of Mike Tomlin.” – Colin Cowherd [02:54, 14:09]

• On offensive modernization:

  “Tomlin’s got an iPhone like the rest of us and it keeps asking him to install now the new software. He’s for the last seven years pushed ‘Remind me later’ … it’s time to install now.” – Colin Cowherd [14:09]

• On Rodgers’ legacy:

  “You can’t write the story of the league without him. Who cares if he’s prickly, push back on the media, whatever.” – Colin Cowherd [08:44]

• On Pittsburgh’s philosophy:

  “You’ve been doing that for years. Seven straight years, bottom 10 in offensive spending … want a very current, very young offensive coach who spends all his money on offense.” – Colin Cowherd [03:28]

9. Quick Hits: Other NFL & Sports Storylines

• LeBron James & Lakers Future:
  • Side discussion about LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, and the difficulties created by LeBron’s mobility and lack of deep-rooted team loyalty ([37:44]).
  • Cowherd touches on how Laker fans might react to LeBron’s eventual departure or trade.

10. Timestamps for Key Segments

• Steelers situation and Tomlin’s departure: [00:31]-[06:03]
• Aaron Rodgers’ legacy and retirement speculation: [06:03]-[09:36]
• NFL head coaching market, candidate tiers: [10:39]-[12:45], [26:47]-[29:56]
• Tomlin’s next move and need to modernize: [13:08]-[15:49]
• Brock Purdy and playoff QB analysis: [17:46]-[21:19]
• Matt Stafford cold weather & Rams-Bears: [22:17]-[23:58]
• Sean Payton playoff strategy: [24:55]-[25:25]
• Steelers’ draft capital and rebuilding: [32:12]-[34:29]
• LeBron/Lakers aside: [37:10]-[41:37]

Conclusion

The episode offers a comprehensive look at the Steelers’ perilous but intriguing crossroads, using Tomlin’s departure as a lens to discuss team-building philosophy in today’s NFL. Cowherd urges Pittsburgh to pivot to an offensive, risk-taking approach, and he extends similar reevaluation advice to Tomlin himself. Other discussions highlight QB narratives, the nuances of the coaching carousel, and flashes of broader sports talk, all with Cowherd’s signature directness and analogy-driven style.