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THE HERD - Hour 3 - Buffalo Bills coaching situation, Josh Allen's window, Albert Breer - The Herd with Colin Cowherd | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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THE HERD - Hour 3 - Buffalo Bills coaching situation, Josh Allen's window, Albert Breer

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Thu Nov 13 2025

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode Title: THE HERD - Hour 3 - Buffalo Bills coaching situation, Josh Allen's window, Albert Breer
Date: November 13, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest/Contributor: Albert Breer (Monday Morning Quarterback)

Episode Overview

This episode of The Herd dives deeply into the current state of the NFL, focusing on key franchises at coaching crossroads, quarterback windows, and evolving front office priorities. Colin Cowherd and Albert Breer analyze the Buffalo Bills' Sean McDermott "hot seat" scenario, Josh Allen's window for playoff success, the ongoing situation with the Green Bay Packers and Matt LaFleur, and the Giants' coaching audition for Mike Kafka. They discuss the NFL’s evolving quarterback carousel, trade possibilities, and provide lively debate around NBA player comparisons (specifically Austin Reaves' status). The episode is a fast-moving blend of insider information, opinion, and NFL speculation heading into a decisive football weekend.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Buffalo Bills: McDermott's Future & the Josh Allen Window

Coaching Reputation vs. Playoff Success
- Sean McDermott compared to coaches like Chuck Knox, Marty Schottenheimer, and Tony Dungy—excellent in regular seasons, but lacking post-season breakthroughs (08:00–11:07).
- Quote:
  - "Not all coaches that get fired are bad coaches. ...The two examples I have used to comp Sean McDermott are Chuck Knox and Marty Schottenheimer."
    —Colin Cowherd (08:01)
- Breer feels there is not an imminent "hot seat" in Buffalo, but the expectations are mounting due to Allen's exceptional talent and the Bills’ recent performance plateau.
Tony Dungy Analogy
- Breer points out, “It didn’t mean Tony Dungy couldn’t coach, but...they trade for Jon Gruden, they win a Super Bowl the next year. ...That’s the one that I think of when I’m thinking of this situation.” (10:09)

2. QB Market & Mac Jones as a “Reclamation Project”

With few top QBs expected in the coming draft, expect trade interest in "known quantities" like Mac Jones (06:34–08:00, 22:33).
“I think Mac Jones is our next reclamation project. What do you think the Niners do?” —Colin Cowherd (05:56)
A list of teams (Minnesota, Indianapolis, possibly others) may look for a Sam Darnold/Baker Mayfield/Daniel Jones-type mid-career quarterback reset.
Breer: “You look at these reclamation projects… I think the Niners would look at moving [Mac Jones] to get some draft capital because they have to get younger…” (06:42)

3. Giants’ Coaching Situation: Kafka's Audition

Interim Coach “Bump”
- Colin: “It’s my substitute teacher, the interim coach. Everybody always loves him. And then 75% chance, the Giants are like, you know what? He’s our guy.” (19:39)
Wide Hiring Net & Joe Shane’s Miami Experience
- Breer: “...I would pay attention to the general manager’s history. Okay? Joe Shane was in Miami in 2015. ...The interim coach there was Dan Campbell … and then they wind up saying, nah, you know what, we’re going to go with Adam Gase. So look, I think that they’re going to cast a very wide net here.” (20:39–21:57)

4. Packers, LaFleur, and New Front Office Energy

“Is it absurd to question Matt LaFleur?” (16:18)
Breer: “Number one is a changing of the guard at the top of the organization…they don’t extend LaFleur or the general manager, Brian Gutekunst, which naturally raises the question...does he want to bring in his own people?” (17:12)
On trading for Micah Parsons and betting big on Jordan Love: “This is your 'all in' year...If you’re not performing to the standard, then … those questions naturally are going to come up…” (17:55)
But Breer doubts LaFleur is on the verge of being let go, credits him with managing the “Aaron Rodgers mess” and developing Love.

5. NBA Detour: Austin Reaves as a Star?

Colin starts a side debate on whether Austin Reaves qualifies as a “top-6 domestic player” — ultimately, both agree he doesn’t crack the NBA superstar tier (35:02–43:52).
Quote:
- “Are you a one on a championship team? ... I don’t think Austin Reaves is that.” —Albert Breer (38:21)
- “Austin’s a team guy. Austin’s one of those guys that could be the third or fourth scoring option and be content with it.” —Albert Breer (43:01)
J. Mac concedes, “Okay, I got excited. Top six, in hindsight...you can tell I’m a fan. I like underdogs.” (41:51)

6. Rapid Fire: Other Notable NFL Storylines

AJ Brown’s Future in Philadelphia
- Eagles chose not to trade him; might revisit in the offseason due to his value and knee concerns (04:42).
Jets-Patriots/Drake Maye Thoughts
- QB Drake Maye gets compared to Justin Herbert; possible MVP dark horse (23:34–24:31).
Bo Nix Struggles
- Podcast discusses his dip in completion percentage and the concern about his current ceiling (25:57–26:48).
Jameis Winston’s New Role
- “He is starting for the New York Giants. ...He’s a little wacky. He’s a little silly. ...He’ll be a smash hit on one of these shows.” —Colin Cowherd (28:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Mid-tier QB Market:
- “Some teams have looked at the idea, could Kyler Murray be available after the year? Could Tua Tungavaloa be available after the year?...You are going to have teams...looking to see if they can find their own version of Daniel Jones, Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold.”
  —Fox Sports Radio Host (possibly Albert Breer or co-host) (07:30)
On the Giants' last-decade carousel:
- “They replaced Tom Coughlin with the young, young offensive assistant. Ben McAdoo. That doesn’t work. They bring in the retread, Pat Shermer. That doesn’t work. They bring in the CEO type, Joe Judge. That doesn’t work. Then they go back to the offensive assistant now, Brian Daboll. That doesn’t work.”
  —Fox Sports Radio Host (possibly Albert Breer or co-host) (21:27)
On the star/role player debate:
- “I look at you, are you a one on a championship team? ... There's not many of those. ... We don't think Ant [Edwards] is. Jokic is. I think Wemby will be.”
  —Albert Breer (38:21)
- “Austin’s a team guy. Austin's one of those guys that could be the third or fourth scoring option and be content with it. ...He already said I don't need a lot of money. So there are things about his psychology I do like.”
  —Albert Breer (43:01)
Smashburger as a metaphor:
- “Speaking of surgical execution, I’ve just made an executive decision. I’m having a Smashburger today. ...Today I’m going Smashburger.”
  —Albert Breer (29:06)

Important Segment Timestamps

AJ Brown/Philly WR Dilemma: 04:42–05:56
Mac Jones as Trade Candidate/Reclamation Project: 05:56–08:00, 22:33–23:04
Bills' McDermott Hot Seat Analysis: 08:00–11:07
Giants: Mike Kafka Audition and Franchise Trends: 19:05–22:24
Packers/LaFleur and Front Office Changes: 16:18–19:05
NBA Austin Reaves Discussion: 35:02–43:52
Jets/Drake Maye Segment: 23:06–24:31
Bo Nix Discussion: 25:35–26:48
Jameis Winston as Giants Starter: 28:02–28:55

Episode Tone & Style

Colin Cowherd and Albert Breer maintain an opinionated, conversational, and sometimes playful tone, mixing sharp NFL analysis with inside references, analogies, and humorous asides (such as the Smashburger metaphor and zingers about veganism). The show moves quickly between big-picture strategy and granular player/team takes, frequently dropping in memorable one-liners and direct challenges to each other’s opinions.

Conclusion

This episode provides sharp insight into several of the NFL's most pressing storylines as the season turns into its decisive stretch: coaching hot seats (Buffalo, Green Bay, New York), the scarcity of elite quarterback prospects for 2026, and how these realities force teams to make tough and sometimes creative decisions. Peppered with strong NBA banter, this hour demonstrates why Cowherd and Breer remain among the sport’s most engaging and informed commentators.

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Transcript

Colin Cowherd (0:00)

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Albert Breer (0:04)

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Albert Breer (1:49)

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Fox Sports Radio Host (possibly Albert Breer or co-host) (9:07)

I think for right now, it's just media talk, right? Like. But I would say that having a quarterback of the magnitude of Josh Allen, who, I mean, has probably been the best player in the league over the last two years, does amp up the pressure on everybody to get it done. And, you know, there's a feeling like if you keep knocking on the door and you can't quite get there, then do you have to look at something else to give yourself a spark? I don't think anybody, like you said, would argue with the job that Sean McDermott and Brandon Bean have done, that they've gone to the playoffs in seven of eight years. Considering where they. Where Buffalo was when they got there, it's pretty remarkable. Six playoff years in a row, five AFC east titles in a row. So, like, I think you. You take into account everything they've accomplished, I'm going to give you another comp here that I think is probably apt in this case. Tony Dungy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And if you go back and you look in the mid-90s, right, that Buccaneers team that Dungy took over was a sorry outfit, right? Like one of the doormats in all the sports almost. You had to be there to know how bad that was, to remember what that was. They were the laughing stock of the NFL. Tony Duny gets there, he gets them up to level ground. I think they made the playoffs four times in five years, went to an NFC title game, and they kept knocking on the door and knocking on the door, and as they went, Warren Sapp and Derek Brooks and Ronde Barber and John lynch were getting older. And eventually it got to the point where we need somebody to put us over the top. It didn't mean Tony Dungy couldn't coach, but you remember what happened at the end of 01. They started to flirt with Bill Parcells. That didn't work out. They trade for Jon Gruden, they win a Super bowl the next year. Can argue whether or not that was the right move for the long term, but it did get him a championship in the short term. So that's the one that I think of when I'm thinking of this situation again. Like, I. I don't think there's any hot seat there now. We don't know how the rest of the year is going to play out. So if Buffalo were to somehow miss the playoffs, which I don't think is going to happen, to be clear, then I think you start to hear a little bit more of that based on where they are and based on the urgency that's created by having a player. The Magnitude Allen Be sure to catch.

Fox Sports Radio Host (possibly Albert Breer or co-host) (17:12)

Yeah, I think there are a couple reasons why people are, why people are bringing this up now. Number one is a changing of the guard at the top of the organization, right. Mark Murphy was the president there for almost 20 years. He hired Matt LaFleur. He retired over the summer. Ed Policy, who had been there before, comes in as the team president. They don't extend the floor. Or the general manager, Brian Gude Kunst, which naturally raises the question, like, does the new team president, who ostensibly in Green Bay is the owner, does he want to bring in his own people? So that's number one. Then number two, you've got this group of young players that you've built around. It's Jordan Love, but it's also a lot of the other guys around him that are right there in year three, year four, year five. And this is when the rocket ship should be taking off. And then you trade for Micah Parsons, which only pushes the chips further into the middle of the table. And so like, there's that feeling that this is your all in year with Micah Parsons coming over with Jordan Love now on a $55 million per year contract. And if you're not performing to the standard, then you know, those questions naturally are going to come up. New team president, big expenditure on the quarterback, big expenditure on a defensive star. So, like, of course that question is going to come up, like, is this Ed Policies guy going forward? That said, I think he is, you know, and I think if you look at like the value that Matt LaFleur brought to the franchise over, you know, his early years when he was managing the Aaron Rodgers mess, he was developing Jordan Love in the background. He got Jordan Love ready to play There's a ton of value in what Matt LaFleur has accomplished. So I think if this somehow goes the wrong way, my guess would be there may be a staff shakeup, there may be some new offensive coaches there, because I think Jeff Halfley's done a great job on the defensive side of the ball, but I'd be surprised if LaFleur wound up gone.

Fox Sports Radio Host (possibly Albert Breer or co-host) (20:39)

They haven't won consecutive games in almost two years, which is pretty remarkable. And they had the blown leads, like, right. Like. So they had the big wins, then they. They regressed. They had the big win over the Chargers. Regressed, regressed against the Saints. They had the big win over the Eagles. They have the blown lead the next week against Denver. Then they have another blown lead against Chicago. So clearly they're looking for a spark. But the Other thing they're looking for here is a real evaluation of Mike Kafka. And I would say this, I would pay attention to the general manager's history. Okay? Joe Shane was in Miami in 2015. In 2015, the Dolphins fired Joe Philbin four games into the year. The interim coach there was Dan Campbell. By the end of the year, Dan Campbell's hand picked coordinators were Lou Annarumo and Zach Taylor. And there was a feeling in that building they had pretty good thing going. And then they wind up saying, nah, you know what, we're going to go with Adam Gase. So look like I think that there's, they're going to cast a very wide net here. That's their intention. They've done a lot of different things over the last 10 years, right? They replaced Tom Coughlin with the young, young offensive assistant, Ben McAdoo. That doesn't work. They bring in the retread, Pat Shermer. That doesn't work. They bring in the CEO type, Joe Judge. That doesn't work. And then they go back to the offensive assistant now, Brian Dabon. That doesn't work. So they are going to cast a wide net and look at a lot of different types of coaches. But look at Joe Shane's history. And I just wonder with, with Joe, is there a little bit of like a, you know, back in Miami 10 years ago, maybe we should have paid more attention to the interim coach because we had a really good one in house. And Dan Campbell, I think that tells you what you know at least about Mike Kafka getting a shot. Not saying he's going to get the job, but I think he does get a legitimate look.