The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Hour 3 – Detailed Summary

Date: January 19, 2026
Key Guests: Bruce Feldman, Albert Breer

Overview

In this engaging Hour 3 episode, Colin Cowherd centers the conversation on the latest seismic shifts in the NFL and college football landscape. The highlights include an in-depth preview of the National Championship game with Bruce Feldman, commentary on Caleb Williams’ growth, and a comprehensive discussion with Albert Breer about the multitude of NFL coaching changes—especially in Buffalo. The hour blends sharp analysis, notable quotes, and forward-looking insights into the near future of both pro and college football.

NFL: Buffalo Bills’ Firing of Sean McDermott and Josh Allen’s Future

Segment Start: 00:00

• Topic: The Buffalo Bills moved on from head coach Sean McDermott after another crushing playoff loss — a decision Cowherd contends was necessary for a franchise with a superstar QB in Josh Allen.
• Colin’s Take: The Bills "kept finding ways to lose," unable to convert strong regular seasons into playoff success, notably with repeated fourth quarter collapses and high-profile blunders.
  • Quote: “McDermott's got eight playoff wins. You can do a lot worse... but for Buffalo, it’s different. Josh Allen changes the calculus here.” (05:32)
• Critique of Team Structure: Cowherd criticizes GM Brandon Beane as "more of a cap guy than a personnel guy" and points to an anemic receiving corps and defensive roster bereft of Pro Bowlers.
• Josh Allen’s Emotional State: After the loss, Allen, per Cowherd quoting Bruce Feldman, was clearly devastated:
  • Quote (Allen paraphrased): “I feel like I let my teammates down tonight... can't win with five turnovers. I fumbled twice, threw two picks...” (06:58–07:16)
• Coaching Outlook: Cowherd suggests Brian Daboll, with his close ties to Allen and offensive acumen, as the most logical next step for Buffalo.

NFL Playoffs: Rams vs. Bears, Caleb Williams’ Progress

Segment Start: 07:16

• The Game: The LA Rams outlasted a talented, youthful Chicago Bears squad in freezing, windy conditions.
• Colin’s Analysis: Commends the Rams for a near-flawless performance—no penalties, turnovers, or dropped passes— against a more spectacular but less efficient Chicago team.
  • Quote: “This LA team played more efficiently and played cleaner. The Rams did not drop a pass in this weather.” (08:39)
• Caleb Williams: Describes Chicago’s QB as having “the throw of the decade,” but critiques his overtime decision-making ("bit off a little too much") and emphasizes his massive improvement since Week 3.
  • Quote: “[Caleb Williams] is so much better than he was eight, nine weeks ago... the upside, the jet fuel, the horsepower. He is V8 plus, but he’s not quite ready.” (09:19)
• Chicago’s Trajectory: Cowherd is bullish on the Bears, calling them “almost there,” with a bright future thanks to their young offensive core.

National Championship Preview: Indiana vs. Miami (with Bruce Feldman)

Segment Start: 12:28

• Strengths & Weaknesses (Feldman): Indiana “really good on both sides of the ball,” notably improved in the trenches and at QB with Fernando Mendoza, a more dynamic player than last year’s Curtis Rourke.
  • Quote: “I don’t know if they have a weakness, really, Colin. It’s a really good team on both sides of the ball.” (12:28)
• Miami’s Edge: Under Mario Cristobal, Miami is “built like an old-school SEC team”—physical and dominant in the run game, especially with RB Mark Fletcher. Feldman notes their surge late in the season and a "more buttoned up" defense.
• Quarterback Comparison: Mendoza is described as unflappable, while Feldman doubts Miami’s Carson Beck in the biggest moments:
  • Quote: “You can affect Fernando Mendoza... you can’t rattle him.” (16:53)
  • Quote: “We haven’t seen Mendoza implode this year. We have seen that from Carson Beck.” (17:11)
• Program Power Shift: Colin asks if a win for Indiana cements the Big Ten as the new dominant power; Feldman says yes:
  • Quote: “Yeah, I think you’d have to say that. You’d be a fool not to say it.” (18:32)

NFL Coaching Carousel & Team Futures (with Albert Breer)

Segment Start: 32:57

• Reaction to McDermott’s Firing: Breer was surprised, citing the lack of internal pre-playoff discussion, but sensed mounting tension and pressure within the Bills organization.
  • Quote: “There was a different feel in that building the last couple of months. More tension, more pressure...” (32:57)
• Buffalo’s Next Coach: Both agree the hire will be “Josh Allen-centric,” maximizing the franchise QB’s strengths and longevity.
  • Quote: “This is going to be a Josh Allen-centric hire.” (34:32, Breer)
• Sean McDermott’s Fit Elsewhere: Both see McDermott as a stabilizing, credible hire for franchises like the Raiders and Cardinals.
  • Quote (on Raiders): “If I was the Raiders and I wanted to organizationally improve, you can do a lot worse than Sean McDermott.” (36:44)
• Pittsburgh & Baltimore Hires: Breer emphasizes both teams’ deliberate, full-process approach to hiring, noting the Steelers "really like Chris Shula" but aren't rushing.
  • Quote: “I can tell you right now, the Steelers really like Chris Shula… but it doesn’t mean those guys are getting hired because they're going through the full process.” (41:06)
• Playoff Teams Power Rankings: Colin likes Seattle and the Rams; Breer calls Seattle the most complete team left, credits the Rams’ newfound toughness and trump card in Matthew Stafford.
  • Quote (on the Rams’ evolution): “[McVay] hires Michael Fluor... and it was all in an effort to get tougher and more rugged. This is a very rugged Rams team, a really different Rams team than three or four years ago.” (42:27, Breer)

College Football: Big Ten Power Shift and NIL World

Segment Recurring: 17:50, 18:32

• Cowherd: Raises the question of whether Indiana could become the third straight Big Ten champion, underscoring the current shift in college football power toward northern programs.
• Feldman: Affirms that the SEC has lost its edge at the very top, even as the league remains deep. Credits Miami for building like an SEC team but says the era of SEC dominance is at least interrupted.

Major League Baseball: Dodgers, Cubs, and the Power Dynamic

Segment Start: 25:27

• Kyle Tucker to Dodgers: The Dodgers become overwhelming World Series favorites, with Cowherd brushing off small-market complaints and asserting even “little guys” can compete.
  • Quote: “This idea, the little guy can’t compete... Little guys aren’t winning the World Series, but they’re competing.” (26:51)
• Chicago’s Perspective: Local reaction to Tucker leaving is highlighted as hypocritical—fans complained about him but lament his departure.
  • Quote: “All they did in Chicago is complain about him…and the minute he goes to the Dodgers, Cub fans are like, this is not fair.” (27:14)

Caleb Williams’ Growth (with Matt Hasselbeck)

Segment Start: 28:27, 30:23

• Colin’s Analysis: Williams is much improved, more comfortable, and less frenetic than earlier in the season, with his pocket awareness highlighted.
  • Quote: “He is doing a great job pre snap reading the defense. He is a different quarterback today than two months ago.” (28:27)
• Hasselbeck’s Take: Emphasizes synergy among GM, coach, and QB as key to Chicago's “one heartbeat, one vision.”
  • Quote: “You get the GM right, the head coach right, and the quarterback right... one heartbeat, one vision... That’s what Chicago has right now.” (30:23)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Cowherd on Buffalo’s standards: “The standard changes. When you get an Elway, when you get a Peyton Manning, you gotta have a Belichick, a Walsh, an Andy Reid, a Jimmie Johnson.” (07:16)
• Feldman on Indiana: “The biggest thing they would tell you about Indiana is you have to be patient against them. Oregon wasn’t and you have to be comfortable trying to have 12, 13, 14 play drives.” (15:49)
• Breer on pressure in Buffalo: “There was a tremendous amount of pressure on a lot of people in that building over the last couple of months.” (32:57)
• Cowherd on Bears’ prospects: “I don’t care about the data... Chicago’s in a really good space.” (30:56)
• Breer on Rams’ toughness: “[McVay] hires Michael Fluor... all in an effort to get tougher and more rugged. This is a very rugged Rams team.” (42:27)

Final Thoughts

Hour 3 of The Herd expertly unpacks pivotal NFL coaching changes, particularly in Buffalo, and captures the weight and complexity of the National Championship showdown between Indiana and Miami. There’s rich commentary on player development (Caleb Williams), shifting power dynamics in both college and professional football, and a pop-in to Major League Baseball’s evolving landscape. Throughout, Cowherd and his guests pull no punches, providing both insight and entertainment in rapid succession.