The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3 (Sept 2, 2025)

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This episode dives deep into the start of the NFL season with a focus on quarterback situations, significant trades—most notably the Packers acquiring Micah Parsons—a critical assessment of team cultures (with special attention to Dallas and Miami), and a wrap-up of a wild college football weekend. Colin is joined by Albert Breer (Monday Morning Quarterback), and the two engage in candid, analytical banter about NFL and NCAA trends, team-building philosophies, and the shifting power dynamics in football.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Arch Manning's Rough Night & Quarterback Development

• Colin and Albert discuss the recent Ohio State vs. Texas game, focusing on Arch Manning’s struggles as a young quarterback.
• Colin’s Take: It’s premature to crown Arch Manning as a No. 1 draft pick after very limited experience. He notes:

  "Most teams will tell you the threshold is 25 starts." (04:06)

• Albert: Praises Ohio State's defensive scheme for giving no pre-snap indicators and making it near impossible for Arch to adjust.

  "That's one of the best things Ohio State did—was not giving Arch or Sark or anyone else in that Texas sideline any clue what was going to happen after the snap." (05:33)

• Both agree Manning showed fourth-quarter resilience despite a harsh environment and low support.

2. Belichick’s Changing Approach – Personnel and the College Level

• Colin questions Bill Belichick's personnel decisions in both NFL and now at the college level.

  "The more control he had with his dog, his laptop in Nantucket in the draft, the less talent they had." (06:17)

• Albert: Points to Belichick’s old-school tendency to hire within his circle and lean into comfort instead of fresh innovation.

  "He's gotten into a point that Bill likes comfortable... that's not really what McVay does or Andy Reid does." (07:06)

• The two express genuine shock at how bad Belichick's new team looked, especially in the disastrous third quarter against TCU.

  "That looked like Bad News Bears–ish... I turned it off mid third quarter. It was so bad." (08:27)

3. The Micah Parsons Trade: Dallas to Green Bay

• Albert: Applauds Dallas for flexibility, highlighting that Green Bay adds “icing on the cake,” while Dallas’s “cake’s in disarray." (09:43)
• Colin: Agrees, noting the logic—if you’re spending $47 million, you want a leader, not just a star athlete.
• Insight on Trade Details:
  • The key for Dallas was not just picks but specifically getting Kenny Clark, aiming to shift culture to a more mature, pro-oriented locker room (run defense focus, adult in room).

  "The player that they wanted...is Kenny Clark...because of the person, the leader, the pro he is." (11:40)

• Criticism: Both believe Dallas botched the timing; had they traded earlier (pre-draft), there would have been more suitors and instant roster help.
• Colin:

  "The biggest criticism I can have of them here is the timing of it." (13:01)

4. Dire Forecast in Miami

• Discussion on Miami devolves into concerns about an aging, thin roster and whether Tyreek Hill not being named captain is a bad omen.
• Albert: "If I suggested to you a team started 0-2 or 0-3 and it could get ugly fast. Is Miami on that list?" (18:25)
• Colin: Explains how few Dolphins players are likely to be with the team in two years.

  "How many guys on Miami's roster could you name right now that you know are going to be there in 2027?" (18:49)

• Expectation: Miami’s core from the Tua rookie window is aging out, and a reset is imminent, especially if the season starts poorly.

5. Bears, Vikings, and the NFC North

• Albert finds the Minnesota-Chicago matchup intriguing with fresh looks at J.J. McCarthy, Caleb Williams, and Ben Johnson’s offense. He predicts a modest outcome for the Bears, projecting 9 wins is optimistic given a brutal schedule and division.
• Colin: “If I’m a Chicago fan, what I’m looking for is an ascending team at the end of the year with a quarterback who’s playing well. I think if you get there, you feel really good about where you are under Ben Johnson.” (22:00)

6. College Football – Weekend Recap & Big Picture

• Albert and Colin: Agree that conference realignment and NIL money are reshaping power. Texas schools surge while Alabama and the SEC face funding headwinds:

  "Nick Saban knew when he played Sark the first time, he's like, they're bigger than us and we don't have Texas money...Alabama has acknowledged they're struggling to keep up at 12 million a year on NIL.” (28:34)

• They note the impact on Alabama's and Clemson's struggles.
• USC, Michigan, Oklahoma: Banter on which blue bloods are really “back,” with Colin voicing concern for Michigan and touting USC’s run game. (29:58)
• AP Top 25 is discussed, with Ohio State, Penn State, LSU at the top, and Alabama at its lowest ranking since 2008.

  "The Buckeyes are number one, 55 votes, Penn State two. It’s a Big Ten world, we just live in it." (34:59)

7. NFL Early Season: The Receiver Market & Quarterback Contracts

• Bills vs. Ravens: Both agree Buffalo should win the opener; discuss Bills’ lack of “clear #1 receiver.”

  "I think the league is slowly shifting away from wide receivers.” (31:46)

• Teams like KC, Chargers, Ravens, and Bills serve as case studies in shifting payroll structures away from WRs.
• 49ers cap future: Skepticism over how they'll build around Brock Purdy’s big contract; concern over depth and the impact of high-profile misses like Trey Lance.

  “You just have to draft better. You can’t whiff on...Trey Lance.” (33:39)

• Praise for “the duo” of Shanahan and new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, perhaps the best coaching tandem in the league.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Manning Discourse:

  "There's so much that you got to build up as far as the library in your head if you're a young quarterback to be ready for the pros...there just wasn't enough that anyone knew about Arch Manning to anoint him again a first round pick." – Colin Cowherd (04:06)

• On Belichick in the College Ranks:

  “I don’t remember seeing a Bill Belichick team look that way…for whatever reason it happened. I’ve been really curious to see how Belichick’s program would look when it’s applied to younger kids…last night didn’t look great.” – Albert Breer (09:05)

• On Dallas’ Locker Room Shift:

  “If you’re going to spend 47 million, I need a leader in the clubhouse…I need the best guy in the training facility. That’s not what Micah is.” – Albert Breer (09:48)
  “The key to me was the player that they wanted. The player they asked for is Kenny Clark…because of the person, the leader, the pro that he is.” – Albert Breer (11:40)

• On Miami Reset:

  “If things go poorly at the start of the year, then yeah, I think you could definitely see where maybe some of the questions that’ll be asked after the year get accelerated.” – Colin Cowherd (20:36)

• On the Changing CFB Landscape:

  “The SEC is fine, but the two NIL powerhouses are both the Texas schools—A&M and the Longhorns. Why? Because the Texas economy. This is why.” – Colin Cowherd (28:24)

• On the NFL’s WR Market:

  “I think the league is slowly shifting away from wide receivers.” – Colin Cowherd (31:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Arch Manning/Ohio State Game Recap: 03:11 – 06:17
• Belichick’s Personnel Decisions: 06:17 – 09:32
• Dallas-Green Bay Trade – Micah Parsons: 09:32 – 13:16
• Miami Dolphins Outlook: 17:52 – 20:45
• Bears/Vikings/NFC North Analysis: 20:45 – 23:12
• College Football – Weekend & NIL: 28:20 – 31:00
• AP Poll & Michigan/Oklahoma: 34:56 – 36:10
• NFL WR Market & Roster Building: 31:18 – 34:56
• 49ers/Brock Purdy Payroll Impact: 32:42 – 34:37

Closing Notes

This episode, rich with beat writer insight, is a must-listen for fans following the shifting patterns in college and pro football. The Herd continues its signature: balancing hot takes with grounded, long-term franchise analysis, all delivered in Colin and Albert’s respectful, energetic banter.