The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL The league's most cursed franchise, the determiners of floor and ceiling, the merits of Zac Taylor, and more in our final mailbag of the offseason
Jul 18, 2025
Listeners get a deep dive into the NFL's most cursed franchises, weighing the struggles of teams like the Vikings and Chargers. The discussion transitions to the Bengals, analyzing their championship prospects and coaching dynamics. Insights on the importance of non-QB factors surface, alongside interesting takes on Zac Taylor's leadership. Listener questions spark debates on fandom, loyalty, and coaching performance, adding a personal touch. As the offseason ends, excitement builds for training camp and the future of the league.
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Episode notes
Offensive Line Shapes Floor, Weapons Ceiling
- Offensive line quality often sets an offense's floor by enabling stable pass protection.
- Offensive weapons tend to set the ceiling by enabling higher explosiveness and scoring.
Vikings More Cursed Than Chargers
- Vikings fans endure a more painful curse of repeated playoff heartbreaks.
- Chargers players suffer injury curses, but their fan base feels less cursed by comparison.
2017 Draft: Mahomes' Impact
- The 2017 draft could have dramatically changed NFL history if Saints drafted Patrick Mahomes.
- Chiefs' trajectory and coaching legacies might differ drastically if that happened.