Podcast Summary: THE HERD - Hour 3 - Super Bowl Champion Mark Schlereth Stops By

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (iHeartPodcasts & The Volume)
Date: October 29, 2025
Episode Theme:
An engaging discussion on NFL coaching philosophies, team identity, and talent management with Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth; critical looks at top teams, standout players, and the intricacies of building elite rosters, plus a lively debate on the best jobs in college football.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Mark Schlereth on Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos

Timestamps: [03:55]–[06:38]

Sean Payton’s “Secret Sauce”

• Accountability Is Key:

  • "He holds guys accountable, first and foremost." — Mark Schlereth [04:51]
  • Payton doesn’t buy into the myth of the rigid salary cap, arguing that it’s “fungible” and can always be worked around.
  • He’s a motivator who commands “awesome reverence and respect” but isn’t afraid to be tough: “I’ll cut your ass in a heartbeat if you don’t do what I ask you to do.” [05:39]

• On-Field Adjustments:

  • Example: WRs weren’t blocking, so coaches held a “come to Jesus meeting.”
  • “If you receivers aren’t going to block, then you’re not going to get to play. And last week was evidence of that..." [06:13]
  • Rookie WR Pat Bryant was rewarded for effort—first tasked with tough blocking and then scoring a touchdown.

2. Evaluating Drake Maye’s Potential

Timestamps: [07:01]–[08:32]

• Elite Processing and Arm Talent:
  • Schlereth praises Drake Maye’s deep-ball accuracy from “all kinds of different platforms.”
  • Highlights Maye’s capacity to read defenses, especially for a young QB: “He is so good on the front side of saying, hey, man, one to two. If it's not open, he'll take off…when he consistently gets to the third and fourth read, he's going to be exceptional.” [07:21]
  • Maye’s rare ability to process film and apply coaching in real time is compared to elite QBs.

3. A.J. Brown, Team Fit, and Receiver Psychology

Timestamps: [08:32]–[11:11]

• Story Context:

  • A.J. Brown describes himself as a loner ("I don't make friends easily. I'm a bit of a loner.” — from The Athletic), not always fitting with team-centric teams like the Eagles.

• Wide Receivers: “Like Children”

  • “11 guys or 10 other guys have to do their job really well for you to catch a football...They whine and cry if they don't get fed. Like, they're just like toddlers.” — Mark Schlereth [09:53]
  • The Eagles’ identity—dominating the line, running the football, and low passing volume—may not satisfy a star WR’s desire to be featured.
  • Team over talent: “Fit is really important in pro sports...That doesn’t necessarily lend itself to a guy that wants to be featured." [10:34]

4. Building Offensive Lines: Secrets behind the Success

Timestamps: [11:11]–[14:29]

• Continuity and Coaching Matter More than Talent Alone:
  • Great offensive lines are built on “five guys working together for each other.”
  • "All five of us can be doing the wrong thing. As long as we're doing the wrong thing together, we're going to get four yards." — Mark Schlereth [12:19]
  • Differentiates “play callers” from “offense callers.”
    • Great OCs structure their calls to make life easier for the O-line; they “take passive out of pass protection,” enabling blockers to be the aggressors.
  • The importance of play sequencing and putting the O-line in positions of strength.

5. Super Bowl Picks and Team Identities

Timestamps: [14:29]–[16:12]

• AFC Front Runner: Kansas City Chiefs

  • “The Chiefs right now jump out to me, which makes me want to puke...I hate them with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. But I think they’re the best team in the AFC right now, maybe in the National Football League.” — Mark Schlereth [14:52]

• NFC Surprise Pick: L.A. Rams

  • “The Rams are disguised as this finesse...spread-it-around football team. They're a power run, nasty physical group...disguised as a spread football team, and then they just punch you in the mouth.” [15:44]
  • Praises Sean McVay's team-building and physicality.

6. NFL Preview, MVP Debate & Betting Picks

Timestamps: [20:50]–[24:51]

• Bills vs. Chiefs Showdown

  • Weather not a factor—offense will be the story.
  • Colin takes Kansas City, panelist leans Buffalo, thinks Bills are undervalued.

• MVP Race Hot Takes

  • The panel mocks the MVP discourse’s usual QBs-only focus. “Running backs are not discussed. They're not MVP caliber. Those are the rules.” [23:17]
  • Joking speculation about Daniel Jones ever getting a vote: “If he gets a single MVP vote, it’s one of the stories of the last five years.” [22:45]
  • J Mac: “You're a quarterback elitist. I am one of the people.” [23:32]

• Washington vs. Seattle Sunday Night Football

  • Commanders as a favorite underdog—home-field, crowd, QB play matter more in prime time.

7. NBA Quick Takes: Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga, and Load Management

Timestamps: [25:34]–[30:28]

• Steve Kerr credits Jonathan Kuminga’s development as a defender and shooter (compared to Harrison Barnes’ role).

  • “He's really putting a lot of pressure on people...we're going to stay with that.” — Steve Kerr [25:56]

• Improved passing and three-point shooting seen in Kuminga.

• Colin emphasizes that experience and team continuity matter for early-season success; “Old team looks good early in the NBA season.” [27:40]

• Panel agrees veterans like Steph, Draymond, Jimmy Butler should load manage: “Steph should play 68 games...Draymond should load manage...I don't have problems with old guys who have been carrying the league with time.” [30:00]

8. Deep Dive: Best College Football Coaching Jobs

Timestamps: [34:46]–[43:28]

• Cowherd’s Top 10 Jobs (with rationale):
  • Texas, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, USC, Florida, Notre Dame, Oregon, Michigan, Alabama
  • Factors include “money, recruiting base, college town quality, NIL era realities.”
  • “Texas, they're in the SEC. They're not of the SEC. They're a little removed...music, food scene in Austin, little broader world...” — Colin Cowherd [35:46]
  • Disagreement over the modern value of jobs: Is LSU still top-tier in the NIL age?
    • “I just think right now this whole, like, LSU is the best job in the country. I don't know that I'm buying that.” — Guest [38:38]
  • Underdog love: Panelists praise Clark Lea’s overachievement at Vanderbilt vs. big-recruit coaches underperforming (“You like a guy that does more with less. I like a guy that does more with more. I like Nick Saban at Bama.” — [42:59])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Mark Schlereth on Being Accountable:

  • “He’s got the respect and the reverence of his players, but also fear like, ‘I'll cut your ass in a heartbeat if you don't do what I ask you to do.’” [05:39]

• On Star WRs:

  • “They whine and cry if they don't get fed. Like, they're just like toddlers.” — Schlereth on wide receivers [09:53]

• On Offensive Line Play:

  • “As long as we’re doing the wrong thing together, we’re going to get four yards.” [12:19]

• On Chiefs as Super Bowl Favorites:

  • “I want to hate them so much but I actually really respect them...I hate them with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. But I think they're the best team in the AFC right now.” [14:54]

• On Team-Building and Coaching in CFB:

  • “You can't be afraid of, ‘Oh my god, we got to play Georgia.’ Nick Saban played him a lot and won a bunch of natties.” — Cowherd [41:20]

Additional Notes

• The episode was rich with Mark Schlereth’s first-hand locker room and on-field insights, delivered in his signature candid, witty tone.
• The show closed with a spirited back-and-forth about lifestyle, culture, and practical aspects determining the best jobs in college football, moving beyond simple “on-field wins” to holistic job quality.
• Throughout, the tone is conversational, opinionated, and sports-savvy – hallmark Cowherd.

For listeners seeking a lively, insight-packed look at NFL coaching, team management, betting, and college football analysis, this episode is a must.