The Herd with Colin Cowherd (Guest Host: Jason McIntyre)

Hour 2 – NFL Midterm Grades, A.J. Brown, Joel Klatt
Date: November 5, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts & The Volume

Overview

With Colin Cowherd out sick, Jason McIntyre hosts alongside Rachel Nichols for an energetic, debate-filled hour focusing on NFL trade deadline analysis, midseason NFL awards, college football insights with Joel Klatt, and spirited banter on coaching moves and playoff implications.
Special guest: Joel Klatt, Fox Sports’ lead college football analyst, brings a deep-dive on college football coaching searches, playoff rankings, and top NFL draft quarterbacks.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Introductions, NBA Chatter, and Setting the Table

[04:01 - 05:11]

• Jason McIntyre opens the show, filling in for Colin, and confirms Cowherd will return soon.
• Rachel Nichols recounts attending an OKC Thunder game, praising their resilience and highlighting their undefeated record despite key injuries.
• Lays groundwork for a loaded show: NFL trade deadline, AJ Brown discourse, midseason NFL analysis, and a Joel Klatt interview.

2. Trade Deadline Recap & The A.J. Brown “Rumors”

[05:11 – 07:23]

• McIntyre discusses how the best NFL teams avoided big moves while struggling teams flailed for help.
  • Example: Eagles keeping A.J. Brown. Debunks off-base rumors and credits their front office for consistency.
  • Notable Quote:
    “The smart people—Howie Roseman, Buffalo Bills... Did the Lions do much? Chiefs? Nope. Listen closely to what Howie Roseman said...” (Jason McIntyre, 06:18)
  • Howie Roseman audio drop [06:51]:
    • "When you're trying to be a great team, it's hard to trade great players... AJ Brown's a great player. He wears the C for a reason. He's an important part of this team."
      (Howie Roseman, 06:54–07:18)
• McIntyre shares a staff stat: "You know who's made 10 trades in the last eight and a half months? The Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jets are making moves. Not a great sign. So smart teams do nothing right. Bad, desperate teams—the Colts, the Cowboys—they're grasping at straws.” (07:21)

3. College Football Feature: Joel Klatt Joins the Desk

[07:53 – 30:41]

Klatt on Indiana’s Rise and Coaching

[08:22 – 09:30]

• Klatt gushes over Indiana’s strong season, coaching, and Heisman-level QB.
  • “This is the best coached team we have played... Incredibly well coached. A Heisman caliber quarterback. They run the football as well as anybody in the country.” (Joel Klatt, 08:32)
  • Quick preview of Penn State as a program in transition since firing James Franklin.

Discussion: NFL QB Draft Prospects

[09:41 – 13:05]

• McIntyre, as a Jets fan, asks for character assessment of Fernando Mendoza.

  • Klatt: “First time I sat with Mendoza, I was like, is this Kirk Cousins?... He’s process-oriented, smart, very accurate, a top-10 pick. If you want an offense majoring in short-passing and efficiency, Mendoza’s a great option.” (10:07–10:52)
  • Compares Ty Simpson (Alabama) and Mendoza as likely top-10s, based on fit and style.

• Klatt’s coaching philosophy: “You have to have the right fit, or else it doesn’t work. Lamar Jackson’s the great example. You cater to their skills and let them develop the rest. That’s what NFL teams should do with guys like Mendoza.” (11:41–11:45)

• Analogy: Mendoza’s quick, accurate release and fast processing makes him NFL-ready for modern schemes (Kyle Shanahan/Sean Payton offenses).

Klatt on College Coaching Carousel

[13:17 – 15:25]

• Penn State, LSU, Florida job markets heating up post-Franklin. Cites compressed recruiting/transfer windows and major candidates being locked up early. Schools forced to act quickly or miss out.
  • “Candidates you'd like—Kurt Signetti, Matt Rhule, Dan Lanning—are locked up. The pool is shrinking before a full search even happens... The calendar in college football is broken.” (Klatt, 13:26–14:20)
  • Lane Kiffin is targeted by Florida and will get offers matched by LSU.

James Franklin’s Next Steps

[15:25 – 15:52]

• “Franklin’s pretty close to Virginia Tech. He’ll coach again, and he’ll have success. He just came up short in the toughest games. He’s a heck of a football coach.” (Klatt, 15:29–15:52)

College Football Playoff Rankings Breakdown

[16:18 – 19:41]

• Klatt approves of committee’s first playoff release; sees a Big Ten bump and notes “committee values the Big Ten more than AP poll.”
• Highlights Texas at #11: “Committee’s saying if Texas goes 9-3, we’ll probably put them in.”
• McIntyre presses: “Not winning at Georgia. Come on.”
• Klatt counters with a colorful analogy: “For Georgia, watching them is like watching a drunk chase a balloon next to a cliff.” (18:37–19:08)

On Arch Manning’s Development

[19:41 – 22:10]

• McIntyre: “He was pretty rotten early.”
• Klatt bluntly: “Dreadful. Even those guys would probably appreciate honesty... But he’s getting better. He’ll need 20 more starts to be even remotely ready for the NFL.” (19:54–20:21)
• Advocates patience: “The only thing that matters is number of games started.… experience is what lets QBs succeed at the next level.”

Draft Pick Differences: Simpson vs. Mendoza

[22:10–22:23]

• Klatt chooses Mendoza over Ty Simpson for his added game experience.

USC Segment:

[22:36 – 24:49]

• Cowherd texts in: What about USC’s schedule complaints?

• Klatt dismisses coach complaints: “Do you like the money or not?... That revenue needs to come from somewhere. Guess where? Television. Deal with it.” (22:52–23:28)

• Positives for USC: “They’re turning the corner—winning small after losing small last year. They're set up as a one-loss Big Ten team with a chance to go 10-2.” (23:42–24:49)

USC Path to Playoffs

[24:49–25:57]

• Next games: “Iowa is their kryptonite. Iowa will run it 52 times and play great D. Oregon's the biggest threat, but Iowa is the sneaky tough game.” (25:02–25:34)

Lincoln Riley’s Job Security

[26:03–26:34]

• “He’s safe. I do think they finish at least nine and three, which also retains their class—number one recruiting class. The trajectory for USC is very positive.” (26:03-26:34)

Lane Kiffin Coaching Futures

[26:34 – 30:41]

• Heated debate: Is LSU or Ole Miss a better job for Lane?
  • Klatt: “LSU’s a top-three job in the sport. You can open the back door and get a top four recruiting class, more resources than anyone.” (28:09, 28:27)
  • McIntyre: “Landscape’s changed. With NIL, Ole Miss isn’t that far behind.”
• Kiffin in NFL? Klatt: “I see no shot... There’s a different allure in college football. You can become immortal; you are the quarterback of that program. That’s not attainable in the NFL.” (29:33–30:35)

4. NFL Trade Deadline Fallout & News Desk

[37:37 – 43:39]

• Rachel Nichols shares key trade moves:
  • Seahawks acquire WR Rashid Shahid from the Saints: “Seattle’s a contender, more-so than Indy or Pittsburgh. Good move. Weapons on the outside, Darnold playing great.”
  • Broncos stand pat: “Bo Nix says they have all the pieces. They reached out to Miami for Jaylen Waddle, but the price was too high—a first-rounder.”
  • Titans refuse to deal with the Patriots due to bad blood between ownership and Mike Vrabel. “Isn’t it a disservice to your team to let grudges block deals?”
  • McIntyre: “You bash Belichick for not letting scouts in, you’ve got to bash the Titans for this pettiness.”

5. NFL "Midterm Grades" – Rapid Fire Awards

[50:19 – 55:57]

Rachel fires ballot questions at McIntyre.
Key responses:

• Coach of the Year: Mike Vrabel, Patriots. “If you can do more with less, you’re the man for the job..." (50:27)
• MVP: Sam Darnold, Seahawks. “Best downfield passer in the NFL, totally rebooted Seattle’s offense...” (51:17)
• Comeback Player: Christian McCaffrey
• Offensive Rookie: Jackson Dart, Giants. “He’s been outstanding...the man. Favorite for rookie of the year.” (52:51)
• Defensive Rookie: Jihad Campbell, Eagles. “Fourth-best linebacker per Pro Football Focus, just outstanding.” (53:18)
• Best Offensive Player: JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba)
• Best Defensive Player: Micah Parsons, Packers
• Team with Most Wins: Buffalo Bills. “Body-bagged the Chiefs, schedule lines up well.”
• Best California Team: Rams. “Crushing teams, least penalized, Stafford is lights out.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On A.J. Brown Rumors:
  “The smart teams don't panic and don't react to outside noise. That's the lesson from Howie Roseman.” (McIntyre, 06:38)

• On QBs & NFL Fit:
  "You’ve got to have the right fit or it doesn't work. That's why Lamar Jackson is the example. They catered to his skillset and let him develop. That's what teams should do with Mendoza." (Klatt, 11:41)

• On College Coach Griping Over TV Schedules:
  “Do you like the money or not? … that revenue needs to come from somewhere. Deal with it.” (Klatt, 22:52–23:28)

• On Lane Kiffin & College Immortality vs NFL:
  "In college football, you win a couple national championships, and that program is always yours. That's not attainable in the NFL." (Klatt, 29:33–30:35)

• On Georgia Football:
  “Watching Georgia this year is like watching a drunk chase a balloon next to a cliff.” (Klatt, 18:37)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:01] – McIntyre & Nichols Open Show, NBA talk
• [05:11] – NFL Trade Deadline Analysis
• [06:51] – Howie Roseman on A.J. Brown Decision
• [07:53] – Joel Klatt Joins, College Coaching/Indiana
• [09:41] – Klatt on NFL QB Prospects: Mendoza, Simpson
• [13:17] – College Coaching Carousel & Hiring Calendar
• [15:25] – James Franklin & Virginia Tech
• [16:18] – College Football Playoff Rankings Breakdown
• [19:41] – Arch Manning’s Progress
• [22:36] – USC’s Playoff Path & Schedule Complaints
• [26:34] – Lane Kiffin: LSU, Ole Miss, NFL Debate
• [37:42] – HerdLine News (Trade Deadline Fallout)
• [50:19] – NFL Midterm Awards
• [52:51] – Rookie of the Year Discussion

Recap & Tone

Jason McIntyre runs the show with his usual blend of energy, debate, and sharp hot takes—collaborating well with Rachel Nichols and engaging in informative, at times fiery, exchanges with Joel Klatt. The hour covers a robust mix of NFL analysis (trade deadline, award races), deep college football insight, and a dash of NBA flavor.

The tone is lively, opinionated, and fun—perfectly in line with The Herd’s usual vibe even with Cowherd out.