The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL - podcast cover

The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

The Athletictheathletic.com
The Athletic’s flagship NFL podcast covers the league like only The Athletic can. Host Robert Mays and co-host Derrik Klassen dive into the biggest stories, break down the Xs and Os, tackle the ins and outs of roster building, follow the details of why we all love this sport, and have plenty of fun along the way, bringing the expertise necessary to cover the NFL at the highest level. Whether it’s happening on the field or behind the scenes, you’ll get an in-depth look at all things NFL on The Athletic Football Show, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Episodes

NFC East Preview

A familiar story is expected to unfold in the NFC East...the Cowboys and Eagles battling for the division title, and the Giants and Commanders battling to stay relevant. What can we expect from each of the four teams this season? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dig into the NFC East on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Rundown Dallas Cowboys preview Philadelphia Eagles preview New York Giants preview Washington Commanders preview Host: Robert Mays Co-Host: Derrik Klassen Executive Produ...

Aug 22, 20242 hr 59 min

The TAFS 2024 Wins Pool Draft

Glory and humiliation...it's what friendly competition is all about. We bring both together in the annual TAFS Wins Pool. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen selected seven teams apiece with the goal of assembling the group that combines for the most wins this season. This year's twist...their final two picks had to be teams projected by the betting markets to win fewer than seven games. The winner will achieve personal glory. The loser will suffer the humiliation of paying off a bet on Radio Row dur...

Aug 20, 20241 hr 4 min

NFC South Preview

The Falcons gobbled up all the NFC South headlines this offseason—Kirk Cousins! Michael Penix! Matthew Judon!—but that doesn't guarantee them a division title. The Buccaneers mostly brought last year's division-winning band back. The Saints are boring, but generally competent. The Panthers, meanwhile, did everything they could to put a supportive infrastructure around Bryce Young. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen preview the NFC South on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Rundown Atlanta ...

Aug 16, 20242 hr 52 min

Early impressions of this season's rookie quarterbacks + J.J. McCarthy's season-ending injury, with J.T. O'Sullivan

From excitement over Caleb Williams' debut to disappointment over J.J. McCarthy's season-ending knee injury, we already have plenty to talk about regarding this season's rookie quarterbacks. Robert Mays and former NFL quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan dive into early impressions on the rookies, and discuss what McCarthy misses out on by losing his rookie year, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays With: J.T. O'Sullivan Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Bel...

Aug 15, 20241 hr 7 min

AFC North Preview

Our 2024 Division Preview Series is here, and we're starting with a bang. The AFC North sent three teams to the playoffs last year, and that didn't include the Bengals, a team that went to two straight AFC Championship Games, as well as a Super Bowl, with a healthy Joe Burrow. What are we excited about for each of these teams? What's keeping us up at night? What does success look like? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen answer those questions and more about the Ravens, Browns, Steelers and Bengals o...

Aug 13, 20242 hr 54 min

The training camp storylines that matter—and the ones that don't—with Gregg Rosenthal

Some training camp storylines matter. Some are just fodder to get us to the regular season. How do you figure out which is which? By listening to this episode of The Athletic Football Show with Robert Mays and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Media. Host: Robert Mays With: Gregg Rosenthal Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Follow Robert on X: @robertmays Follow Mitchell on X: @MitchSchwartz71 Theme song: Haunted Writ...

Aug 09, 20241 hr

Predicting the NFL's top-10 defenses in 2024

Predicting the league's best offenses is child's play. The top defenses, though? That's a completely different ballgame. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen attempt to do just that, laying out their predictions for the league's top-10 defenses on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also dive into the latest on Brandon Aiyuk. Host: Robert Mays Co-Host: Derrik Klassen Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify Yo...

Aug 08, 20242 hr 40 min

The team DNA changers in the 2024 NFL season

Description: A team's two or three best players aren't the only ones who determine how its season goes. Sometimes, a new guy comes in and changes what a unit can do and how it feels. Put another way, he changes the unit's DNA. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen highlight their 2024 DNA changers on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays Co-Host: Derrik Klassen Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify Yo...

Aug 06, 20241 hr

NFL Mythbusters: Challenging preconceived notions about the 2024 season, with Mitchell Schwartz

Wait a minute. Are the Chargers and Patriots really going to be that bad? Should the Falcons really be runaway favorites in the NFC South? Are the Jets really Super Bowl contenders? Robert Mays and Mitchell Schwartz bust some myths on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays With: Mitchell Schwartz Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Follow Robert on X: @robertmays Follow Mitchell on X: ...

Aug 02, 20242 hr 36 min

Predicting the NFL's top-10 offenses in 2024

OK, we'll give you one right off the top. The 49ers are our top offense heading into the 2024 season. But which nine teams will join them in the top 10? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen offer up their predictions for this year's top-10 offenses on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays Co-Host: Derrik Klassen Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Follow Robert on X: @robertmays Follow Derr...

Aug 01, 20241 hr 26 min

New deals for Tua and Jordan Love, a new season for second-year quarterbacks, and a new co-host for TAFS

We at The Athletic Football Show are turning the page in more ways than one on this episode. Not only are we now firmly pointed toward the start of the 2024 NFL season, we are welcoming our new co-host. Derrik Klassen joins The Athletic Football Show as a permanent member of the cast, so it's only fitting that we focus on quarterbacks on this episode. The guys discuss the Tua Tagovailoa extension, welcome The Athletic Packers beat reporter Matt Schneidman to break down Jordan Love's, and break d...

Jul 30, 20241 hr 28 min

Eleven players who can make a leap in the 2024 NFL season, with Trevor Sikkema

Whether it's good-to-great, average-to-good, great-to-superstar, or some other combination thereof, plenty of players make leaps every NFL season. PFF's Trevor Sikkema joins Robert Mays to highlight the players they think can make the leap on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also round up some of the big news coming from the first few days of training camp. Host: Robert Mays With: Trevor Sikkema Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athl...

Jul 26, 20241 hr 23 min

Half-baked takes for the 2024 NFL season, with David Helman

Come the end of the season, you can't hold Robert Mays and Fox Sports' David Helman to the takes they offer up on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Don't you dare even try. After all, they're just half-baked takes. Host: Robert Mays With: David Helman Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Follow Robert on X: @robertmays Follow David on X: @davidhelman_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

Jul 25, 20241 hr 27 min

Rams head coach Sean McVay on the pursuit of greatness, coaching Aaron Donald, personal growth, and more

Days before the Rams opened training camp for the 2024 season, head coach Sean McVay opened the doors of his home to Robert Mays and The Athletic Football Show. The two discussed what it was like to coach Aaron Donald, what Matthew Stafford allows the Rams to do, and how Puka Nacua emerged last year. They also dove into McVay's personal growth the last few years, the process for improving as a play caller, and what it means to be a great coach. Get ready for training camp with Mays and McVay on ...

Jul 23, 20241 hr 12 min

The biggest questions heading into training camp, with Mike Golic Jr.

Training camp is upon us. What are the biggest questions we have as we usher in the 2024 NFL season? Robert Mays and Mike Golic Jr. from the DraftKings Network ask theirs on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays With: Mike Golic Jr. Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Follow Robert on X: @robertmays Follow Mike on X: @mikegolicjr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

Jul 19, 20241 hr 1 min

Three up, three down: The teams that will be better or worse than you think, with Aaron Schatz; The scoop on Scoop City with Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel

We know the coming NFL season will deliver plenty of surprises of both the good and bad varieties. Which teams might be better than we expect? Which could fall on the other side of that coin? FTN Fantasy's Aaron Schatz, the Godfather of DVOA, joins Robert Mays to dig into those questions on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Plus, Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel stop by to discuss their new podcast at The Athletic, Scoop City. Host: Robert Mays With: Aaron Schatz, Dianna Russini and Cha...

Jul 18, 20241 hr 12 min

The players who can swing the 2024 NFL season

Players like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have the league in the palm of their hand. We know that. Identifying the wild card players who can swing their team's outcome, and thus that of the league as a whole, is a bit trickier. Bill Barnwell of ESPN joins Robert Mays to try and find those players on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays With: Bill Barnwell Executive Producer: Michael Beller Producer: Michael Beller Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotif...

Jul 16, 20241 hr 26 min

How to Spot the Next Breakout Wide Receiver

Reception Perception’s Matt Harmon joins Robert Mays to break down which of the league’s receivers are primed for breakouts and where we should be looking for the league’s next elite group of pass catchers. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 12, 20242 hr 36 min

How many teams can win the Super Bowl this season?

Robert Mays sits down with ESPN’s Courtney Cronin to discuss how many teams can really win the Super Bowl this season. They talk about the no brainers, the teams with the best paths, who could make a jump and those that might get stuck on the outside looking in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 11, 20241 hr 12 min

Ten tips for crushing your fantasy league in 2024

Fantasy football season is almost here! Robert Mays sits down with Ben Gretch from Stealing Signals to get you ready to crush your league with ten rules to remember heading into the 2024 season. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 09, 20242 hr 35 min

Which NFL offensive lines are better than you think?

Brandon Thorn of the Trench Warfare newsletter joins Robert Mays to take stock of the league's offensive lines and debate which units might be better than people give them credit for. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 02, 20241 hr 25 min

Ranking the QB Supporting Casts in the NFC

ESPN’s Mike Clay joins Robert Mays to sort out which quarterbacks in the NFC have the best supporting casts around them and who benefits the most from personnel, coaching and play-calling. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 28, 20241 hr 11 min

Lingering Questions about the NFC South

For the final episode of this series, Seth Galina of Pro Football Focus joins Robert Mays to take a long, hard look at the NFC South and what the 2023 season did and didn’t tell us about the division. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 27, 20242 hr 32 min

Ranking the QB Supporting Casts in the AFC

Which AFC quarterbacks have the best supporting casts around them? Damien Harris joins Robert Mays to rank them 1 to 16 and explore who’s got the best play-callers, line play, pass catchers and runners to back them up. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 25, 20242 hr 37 min

Football GM: Players turned coaches, Will Mays tribute and WR Brandon Aiyuk

What's the difference between J.J. Redick and Jeff Saturday? Mike and Randy compare the former players turned coaches and consider how coaching differs in the NBA compared to the NFL. Randy pays tribute to the late Willie Mays, his childhood idol, and compares meeting the Say Hey Kid to meeting Muhammad Ali. The guys also discuss the Brandon Aiyuk situation with the 49ers and more on this final episode of the Football GM Podcast until training camps begin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Jun 22, 202453 min

Lingering Questions about the NFC West

What lingering questions about the NFC West remain from the 2023 season? Shawn Syed of SumerSports joins Robert Mays to talk about the Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks and 49ers. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 21, 20241 hr 15 min

Assessing the state of the QB market

The QB market continues to make headlines with Trevor Lawrence’s new deal. Robert Mays is joined by Brad Spielberger, Director of Football Administration at Grand Central Sports Management, to break down these massive contracts. They dive into the deals and what we can really learn from them. They also talk about no trade clauses, upcoming contracts for Tua Tagovailoa and Jordan Love and much more. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify You...

Jun 20, 202452 min

Raheem Morris + Dan Orlovsky on Dak Prescott and Trevor Lawrence

Robert Mays sits down with Falcons head coach Raheem Morris to talk about what he’s building in Atlanta and about taking the league by surprise at the 2024 draft. Then Dan Orlovsky joins the show to talk about what contract talks with Dak Prescott and Trevor Lawrence could mean across the league. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 18, 20241 hr 22 min

Football GM: Trevor Lawrence extension, Atlanta Falcons tampering and the CapFriendly website

We made it to another week of the Football GM - Mike and Randy kick off their discussion with Trevor Lawrence's extension and why did the Jacksonville Jaguars decide to extend him now? Then the guys shift their conversation to the Atlanta Falcons and how they forfeited their fifth-round pick. After that, we discuss another non-NFL topic from an NFL perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 15, 202457 min

Lingering Questions about the AFC West

Derrik Klassen comes back to the show to ponder the questions we all still have about the AFC West after the 2023 season. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmays Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show... Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 14, 20241 hr 10 min