The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 3 – Cowboys, Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Engagement, NFL Storylines, and Coach Brian Billick

Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Jason McIntyre (sitting in for Colin), with Rachel
Guests: John Machota (The Athletic – Cowboys), Brian Billick (Super Bowl-winning coach)

Episode Overview

Hour 3 of The Herd covers several hot-button NFL topics with a mix of reporting, analysis, and entertainment. The show dives into the Dallas Cowboys’ latest drama with Micah Parsons’ contract saga, Jerry Jones’ management style, and roster concerns. Entertainment and sports worlds collide with coverage of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s engagement, and the hour wraps with Former Ravens coach Brian Billick offering insight on QB controversies, the Browns, and the Ravens’ Super Bowl chances.
Tone: Opinionated, lively, banter-heavy, and occasionally irreverent.

Segment Breakdowns & Key Insights

1. Dallas Cowboys: Micah Parsons’ Saga, Jerry Jones, and the Running Game

[02:26 – 12:19]

Key Points:

• Micah Parsons Contract Drama:

  • John Machota underscores the tension: This negotiation is typical Dallas drama—ugly, frustrating, but usually leading to players getting paid in the end.

    “In the end, what happens is the players always end up getting their money.” – John Machota [02:50]

  • Holds out little hope for it being resolved quickly, emphasizing Jerry Jones’ penchant for handling decisions personally and dragging things out.

    “It will get done when Jerry wants it to get done.” – John Machota [06:42]

  • Parsons’ body language and absence impacts the team’s preparation, especially with a new coaching staff.

    “It’s an issue not to have your best player on the field throughout training camp with a new coaching staff.” – John Machota [09:08]

• Running Game Concerns:

  • The Cowboys have cycled through running backs—Rico, Javonte Williams, and rookie Jaden Blue each in contention but no clear bell-cow.

    "It’s going to be a variety of things that might even include the fullback, Hunter Lipke." – John Machota [05:00]

  • Jason jokes about fantasy football headaches from Dallas RBs.

• Offensive Uncertainty:

  • Schottenheimer, as head coach, is intentionally “vanilla” in preseason; much is unknown about how new WR George Pickens will mesh with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott.

    “I just have questions about the run game, and if you can’t run the ball … I don’t know how teams don’t just sit there and drop two safeties as deep as possible…” – John Machota [03:45]

• Jerry Jones’ Role & Draft History:

  • No change in management style expected; Jerry is the final word on all big decisions.

    “Jerry has an ability to hold a grudge like very few others. And where we’re at right now with that, I think, is a great example of it.” – John Machota [07:23]

Notable/Juicy Quotes:

• “You even know his drink? [Johnny Walker Blue]” – Jason McIntyre joking with John Machota about Jerry Jones’ contract mood [12:09]
• “It was kind of funny that Dak Prescott made mention of [Parsons’ bad body language] yesterday…” – John Machota [10:00]
• “Are they just going to run into each other and it’s going to be a disaster?” – John Machota, on Jerry and Micah’s standoff [10:58]

Summary:
The Cowboys’ annual summer contract saga centers on Micah Parsons, with Jerry Jones at the epicenter of all decisions. The coaching change, sketchy running game, and heavy pass focus signal an offense with potential but major caveats. The show compares Dallas’ ongoing drama to years past—this is the Cowboys’ way.

2. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Engagement—Cultural Phenomenon Meets Sports

[17:29 – 19:40, lightly referenced later]

Key Points:

• Engagement News Blows Up Social Media:
  • Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announce engagement via Instagram; “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
  • Post draws skyrocketing likes (from 7.5M to 12M in <1 hour) [19:21]
• Media & Marketing Impact:
  • Rachel notes: Swift’s podcast appearance on Kelce’s show recently broke the Guinness record for “most ever listened to live podcast interview.”

    “There’s an obsession.” – Jason McIntyre [18:53]

  • Both hosts marvel at the “headline gold” for sports media and the engagement ring shelling out ($550K, 8 carats).

Memorable Banter:

• “Is he bankrupt? That’s expensive as hell.” – Jason, about the ring [19:21]
• “Just put Taylor Swift in your podcast title, your podcast downloads go up…” – Jason [18:42]

Summary:
The Swift/Kelce engagement exemplifies the intersection of pop culture and pro football, with the podcast crew gleefully tracking social and economic ripple effects—and poking fun at the spectacle.

3. NFL News Roundup: Running Backs, Texans, and Hot Seat Odds

[19:57 – 25:18]

Texans & Running Back Woes:

• Joe Mixon remains sidelined (non-football injury). Uncertainty looms for CJ Stroud, who faces the Rams in Week 1.
• Rachel: “You’re throwing around Nick Chubb like it’s the Nick Chubb of two years ago. He’s coming back from such a gruesome injury…” [21:30]

Dolphin’s Coach Mike McDaniel's Hot Seat:

• Vegas pegs McDaniel as the top candidate to be fired first (+200), with Brian Dable, Shane Steichen close behind.
• A scathing Washington Post report (“dead man walking thing”) is cited, with GMs doubting McDaniel’s approach and leadership.

  “Miami feels like a ticking time bomb. The head coach was all fun and games for a while, but there’s not enough tough love.” – Rachel quoting NFL GM [23:52]

• Panelists debate the risk/reward of “outside the box” coaching hires and groupthink in front offices.

Summary:
Major early-season questions face the Texans (injuries, offensive cohesion) and Dolphins (leadership, expectations, AFC East competition), with coaching job security looming as an early-season theme.

4. Brian Billick Interview—Quarterback Battles, Browns, Ravens Outlook

[28:56 – 37:10]

Key Points:

• Browns QB Situation:

  • Departure of Kenny Pickett leaves two rookies and 40-year-old Joe Flacco in the QB room.
  • “If you draft a guy, you need to play him, particularly in the first round… They could do with it however they want to if they choose to go with Flacco and let that go..." – Brian Billick [30:07]
  • Stefanski’s job security is tenuous, regardless of “Coach of the Year” status.

    “The word coach and safe don’t belong in the same sentence, let alone the same paragraph.” – Brian Billick [31:32]

• Saints’ Surprising QB Decision:

  • Spencer Rattler named starter over newly drafted Tyler Shuck.
  • Billick urges finding out what you have with your high draft picks.

• Baltimore Ravens' Outlook:

  • Praises the roster (“as good as anybody in the National Football League”), credits Lamar Jackson, notes that their Super Bowl fate often hinges on a single play (referencing Mark Andrews’ drop).

    “They have been there and it’s been a play here, a play there… no reason to think they’re not going to be in that position again.” – Brian Billick [33:51]

  • Contextualizes the Lamar/Mahomes/Allen era with a Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson golf analogy.

    “They happen to be at a time when you also have Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.” [34:49]

• Player Safety and XTech Pads Promotion:

  • Billick advocates for XTech Pads, touting their high-tech, AI-driven, custom-fitted football pads for colleges, pros, and youth.

    “It’s absolutely the best pad. It’s the pad our young people need to be in.” – Brian Billick [36:15]

Summary:
Billick is pragmatic about the pressures on NFL QBs and coaches, notes the importance of playing drafted QBs, and sets realistic expectations for the Ravens amid AFC elite competition.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “There’s just no chance of [Cowboys front office change] happening as long as Jerry’s around.” – John Machota [06:42]
• “It will get done when Jerry wants it to get done.” – John Machota [06:42]
• “Dead man walking thing, isn’t it? What he’s selling doesn’t look like it’s playing in the locker room anymore…” – Rachel on McDaniel’s job security [23:52]
• “The word coach and safe don’t belong in the same sentence, let alone the same paragraph.” – Brian Billick [31:32]
• “Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are officially engaged. The IG post now has 12 million likes.” – Rachel [19:21]
• “If you just put [Caitlin Clark] in your podcast title, your podcast downloads go up…” – Jason [18:42]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Cowboys/Micah Parsons/Jerry Jones: [02:26 – 12:19]
• Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce engagement: [17:29 – 19:40]
• Texans RB & Coaching Hot Seat Odds: [19:57 – 25:18]
• Brian Billick Interview (Browns, Saints, Ravens, XTech pads): [28:56 – 37:10]

Conclusion

Hour 3 mixes classic Cowboys drama and NFL insider perspective with a dash of celebrity intrigue. The host and panel juggle incisive football talk and playful banter, addressing the quirks and chaos that define the league each preseason. Whether you care about the contract minutiae in Dallas or just want a laugh about Swifties hijacking the NFL news cycle, this hour has you covered.