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- The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL
387 episodes
The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, page 5
by The Athletic · English
The Athletic’s flagship NFL podcast covers the league like only The Athletic can. Host Robert Mays and co-hosts Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman dive into the biggest stories, break down the Xs and Os, and tackle the ins and outs of roster building. They meticulously 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. You want year-round draft coverage? You'll get that here, too, with draft expert Dane Brugler. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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We're going camping! Panthers, Rams, Chargers and Cowboys
The Athletic Football Show’s training-camp “Beat Writer notebooks” discuss four teams’ outlooks—Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, plus references to other NFC West teams (and the show title…
1 Aug 2026 · 1h 39m · 36 chapters2026 versions of 2025 things
The Athletic Football Show previews “2026 versions of 2025 things,” guessing which 2025 storylines repeat in 2026 and which teams/players become “dark horses.” Guests: Dave Helman and Derrik Klassen…
30 Jul 2026 · 59m · 24 chaptersThe second-year players that are X-factors in 2026
The episode asks which second-year NFL players could be “X factors” in 2026, focusing on how year-two development could swing team performance.
29 Jul 2026 · 1h 6m · 20 chaptersWho has the most at stake in 2026?
The hosts debate “who has the most at stake” heading into the 2026 NFL season, focusing on coaching/jobs, quarterback money, and organizational urgency.
28 Jul 2026 · 1h 7m · 21 chaptersOur biggest questions heading into training camp
The Athletic Football Show (Robert Mays and Dave) previews NFL training camp by listing “biggest questions” across teams—especially how new schemes, returning injuries, and positional battles will…
27 Jul 2026 · 55m · 16 chaptersHow Klayton Adams helped build one of the NFL's most exciting offenses
Clayton Adams discusses how he designs modern NFL run games—especially building variety from the gun—plus his transition from offensive line coach to Cowboys offensive coordinator, and how he…
24 Jul 2026 · 59m · 21 chaptersThe ideal way to build a WR room in 2026
How to build an “ideal” NFL wide receiver room for 2026, arguing the old “basketball team” model (different body types/skills) is outdated because modern offenses blur receiver roles pre- and…
23 Jul 2026 · 1h 22m · 24 chaptersThe 2026 Scheme Change All-Stars
NFL “scheme change all-stars” for 2026—players whose roles/usage should shift due to new teams and/or new play callers/coaching, with a focus on how that can unlock production.
22 Jul 2026 · 58m · 17 chaptersWhich team has the healthiest roster construction in 2026?
The Athletic Football Show ranks the NFL’s healthiest young roster cores for the 2026 season, using strict rules: only players on rookie contracts (typically years 2–4; some first-round option years…
21 Jul 2026 · 1h 11m · 19 chaptersAaron Donald's return could happen, but SHOULD it?
Final “mailbag” episode debating (1) whether the 2017 Eagles/Super Bowl “Philly Special” era helped drive league-wide aggression on 4th down, (2) whether the Titans should be an 11-personnel-heavy…
20 Jul 2026 · 59m · 22 chaptersThe storylines we didn't talk enough about this offseason
The Athletic Football Show discusses why eight NFL teams got less offseason coverage than expected, and what storylines they should have covered instead.
17 Jul 2026 · 1h 5m · 17 chaptersThe breakout players we're counting on for the 2026 season
The Athletic Football Show hosts (Robert Mays, Dave, Derek) run an eight-round “breakout players” draft for the 2026 season, aiming to assemble a team of players likely to take a major step forward.
16 Jul 2026 · 1h 32m · 38 chaptersNine lessons we learned from the NFL's best defenses
Nine lessons from rewatching the NFL’s best defenses (2025), focusing on stopping the run early, building dynamic fronts, using big nickel personnel, and playing zone/quarters-heavy coverages without…
15 Jul 2026 · 1h 10m · 23 chaptersWhich outlier stats are most likely to remain outliers?
Mailbag Monday focused on (1) ranking off-ball linebackers into six tiers and (2) whether certain NFL QB “outlier” stats should persist vs regress, plus additional odd records and “teams that…
13 Jul 2026 · 1h 6m · 20 chaptersWhat really was Caleb Williams' 2025 season? & More lingering questions
The Athletic Football Show’s “lingering questions” episode (final in the series) revisits Caleb Williams’ 2025 season—what to celebrate vs.
10 Jul 2026 · 1h 3m · 13 chaptersIs the era of quarterback-driven success in the NFL over?
Whether the NFL’s quarterback-driven, offense-dominant Super Bowl model is over, and what replaces it.
9 Jul 2026 · 56m · 22 chaptersEleven lessons we learned from last seasons best offenses
The Athletic Football Show episode “Eleven lessons we learned from last seasons best offenses” breaks down what made top NFL offenses explosive in 2025, focusing on formation creativity,…
8 Jul 2026 · 1h 9m · 20 chaptersThe best short-term heaters in NFL history
Mailbag Monday on The Athletic Football Show covering NFL roster evaluation and media/draft ecosystem questions, plus “Linsanity” fantasy hot streaks and hypothetical rule changes.
6 Jul 2026 · 57m · 17 chaptersWhy the Houston Texans are a legitimate Super Bowl threat
FTN Almanac 2026 offseason projections, focusing on why the Houston Texans are the top AFC Super Bowl threat, plus nuggets on defense/offense predictability, schedule strength, team regressions, and…
2 Jul 2026 · 1h 1m · 24 chaptersAre the Chiefs and Lions still who we think they are?
The Athletic Football Show’s “Lingering Questions” episode debates whether the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs are still the teams people think they are, and whether the Indianapolis Colts’…
1 Jul 2026 · 1h 10m · 16 chaptersCanton Court: Are any of these six players Hall worthy?
“Canton Court” debates whether six specific non-Hall-of-Fame players are Hall-worthy, using the group’s voting.
30 Jun 2026 · 1h 14m · 20 chaptersWhat makes a good special teams coordinator?
The Athletic Football Show mailbag episode discusses favorite “bad but fun” teams, backup quarterbacks who are too good to start, positional value (stars vs fixing weaknesses), commissioner-style…
29 Jun 2026 · 1h 2m · 22 chaptersWhat does an NFL GM actually do?
The Athletic Football Show episode “What does an NFL GM actually do?” argues that the GM is primarily a chief executive who builds an organizational decision-making model, not a “super scout.” Guest…
25 Jun 2026 · 55m · 13 chaptersWhat happened to C.J. Stroud last season? 2026 Lingering Questions, episode 3
The Athletic Football Show’s “lingering questions” episode 3 (offseason) revisits what went wrong with Texans QB C.J.
24 Jun 2026 · 1h 14m · 23 chapters