3 and Out with John Middlekauff NFL Draft LOTTERY Proposal, Kyler Murray vs. JJ McCarthy, Cowboys-Giants SNF Week 1 + NFL Offseason Mailbag
May 12, 2026
A spirited debate over an NFL draft lottery and whether a televised lottery could spice up the offseason. A look at Cowboys-Giants grabbing the primetime Week 1 spotlight and what that says about scheduling. Discussion of potential new Seahawks ownership and how that could reshape the franchise. A breakdown of the Kyler Murray vs J.J. McCarthy QB battle in Minnesota and a rapid-fire mailbag answering wide-ranging NFL questions.
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Episode notes
Weight Lottery Odds Toward The Worst Teams
- He advises strongly weighting lottery odds toward worse teams to preserve competitive fairness.
- Middlekauff emphasizes giving truly bad teams major opportunity while preventing teams like the Chiefs or Saints from randomly jumping too high.
Big Market Matchups Drive Week One TV Choices
- The NFL prioritizes marquee market matchups early in the season to maximize viewers, exemplified by Cowboys-Giants on Sunday Night Football.
- Middlekauff notes networks lean on big-market, recognizable teams week one even when recent records are uneven.
How International Games Shape Seattle's Opener
- Seattle's opener will be home Wednesday and scheduling must balance international games and opponent availability.
- Middlekauff walks through likely home opponents (Chargers, Chiefs, Bears) and rules out some due to travel and timing.