

The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL
The Athletic
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 21, 2024 • 1h 24min
Week 7 recap: Lions win thriller over Vikings, Packers squeak past Texans, Saquon gets his revenge, and more
The Chiefs are the lone unbeaten team in the NFL as Week 7 comes to an end. They stayed that way by stifling the 49ers in a 28-18 win. The league's other undefeated team at the start of Week 7, the Vikings, suffered their first loss at the hands of the Lions, who also moved into first place in the NFC North. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen discuss those two games, plus Saquon's revenge, disappointment in the Bengals, and a whole lot more on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.RundownLions win thriller over VikingsChiefs take down 49ersPackers defense shuts down TexansSeahawks get back on track with win over FalconsAnother disaster for the PanthersBengals offense...WTF?!?Saquon's revengeAmari Cooper had some moments in his Bills debutGood Jaguars offense or bad Patriots defense?Drake Maye impresses againWhat We Learned TodayHost: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 18, 2024 • 1h 26min
Week 7 preview: Why doesn't Chiefs-49ers have the juice of a typical Super Bowl rematch?
On paper, Week 7 is the best week of the 2024 season to date. It's highlighted by the Super Bowl rematch, that doesn't quite feel like a Super Bowl rematch, between the Chiefs and 49ers, and it doesn't stop there. Vikings-Lions, Texans-Packers and Ravens-Buccaneers would all be worthy Game of the Week choices, as well. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dig into all those games on this episode of The Athletic Football Show, but it is, of course, Chiefs-49ers that gets the full Game of the Week treatment. The guys also discuss the Giants front, the Chargers friskiness, their approval of midseason trades like Amari Cooper to the Bills, and more.RundownBroncos-Saints recapGame of the Week: Chiefs-49ersLions-Vikings: Ben Johnson vs. Brian FloresTexans-Packers: Appreciating C.J. Stroud and Jordan LoveRavens-Buccaneers: Can the Bucs offense keep up?This Might Only Interest Me, But...Wins Pool updateWhat Do You Wanna Know in Week 7?Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 15, 2024 • 1h 34min
From Super Bowl or Bust to Mock Draft Enthusiasts, breaking all 32 teams into six tiers; Plus, Davante Adams to the Jets and Amari Cooper to the Bills
Never a dull moment for the New York Jets, huh? The Athletic's Jets beat reporter Zack Rosenblatt joins Robert Mays on this episode of The Athletic Football Show to break down the tumultuous week in Jets land. Then, David Helman from Fox Sports hops on with Robert to separate all 32 teams into six tiers, from Super Bowl or Bust (think Chiefs, Ravens, Lions) to Mock Draft Enthusiasts (think Panthers, Browns, Patriots).RundownDavante Adams traded to JetsBehind the Robert Saleh firingSuper Bowl or BustLocked-In Playoff TeamsDeserving Wild CardsClinging to Playoff DreamsBREAKING: Amari Cooper to the Bills!Outside Looking InMock Draft EnthusiastsHost: Robert MaysWith: Zack Rosenblatt and David HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Zack on X: @ZackBlattFollow David on X: @davidhelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 14, 2024 • 1h 18min
Week 6 recap: Ravens beat Commanders, the NFC North rises, the Cowboys hit rock bottom, and more
Ravens-Commanders was the best game on paper in Week 6, and it absolutely lived up to the billing. And hey, that 0-2 start to the season for the Ravens feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen kick off the Week 6 recap on The Athletic Football Show with an in-depth look at the Ravens' win over the Commanders. The guys also talk about the disaster in Dallas, the ascendant NFC North, the suddenly relevant Chargers, and a whole lot more.RundownRavens take down CommandersYou Have My Attention: Bucs-Saints sillinessYou Have My Attention: The suddenly relevant ChargersYou Have My Attention: The NFC NorthDallas Cowboys...WTF?!?Eagles and Browns...WTF?!?The Patriots offense shows some life with Drake MayeCalvin Ridley isn't happy about his 0-ferTyler Allgeier does cool stuff, and the Falcons run game gets goingWhat We Learned in Week 6Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 11, 2024 • 1h 37min
Week 6 preview: Commanders-Ravens is must-see TV, just like we all predicted
Some Games of the Week are easy to see coming. Other Games of the Week are Commanders-Ravens. And yet, that's not only the highlight of the Week 6 schedule, but one of the best games to date this season. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen go deep on the Battle of the B-W Parkway on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also dig into Lions-Cowboys, the Broncos and Packers offenses, the 49ers' win over the Seahawks on Thursday night, and a whole lot more.Rundown49ers-Seahawks recapCommanders-Ravens previewLions-Cowboys previewWhat's on the Fourth Screen?Under the Hood: Broncos offenseThis Might Only Interest Me, But...Packers offense relative strugglesSpencer Rattler timeTake Tribunal: The Drake Maye panic is overblownWhat We Wanna Learn in Week 6Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 8, 2024 • 1h 29min
Did the Jets find an answer, or merely a scapegoat, by firing Robert Saleh?
We're used to big news dropping on Tuesdays, but this one was entirely different. The Robert Saleh firing—especially the timing of it—surprised the NFL world, and that's where Robert Mays and Diante Lee of The Ringer begin this episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also recap the Chiefs' win over the Saints on Monday Night Football, dig into the Seahawks' run defense and the deteriorating situation in Cleveland, and bat around questions for three good offenses—the Texans, Bengals, 49ers and Bills.Then, John Shipley from Sports Illustrated joins to engage in some franchise counseling for the Jacksonville Jaguars.RundownJets fire Robert SalehSaints-Chiefs recapUpon Further Review: Seattle's run defenseUpon Further Review: The nightmare in ClevelandThe Ball KnowerHouston's early down problemsSan Francisco's passing gameBuffalo's recent strugglesFranchise Counseling: Jacksonville JaguarsHost: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Diante on X: @DianteLeeFBFollow John on X: @_John_ShipleyTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 7, 2024 • 1h 34min
Week 5 recap: Ravens-Bengals shootout, Texans outlast Bills, Caleb Williams' big day, and more
Ravens 41, Bengals 38 in overtime. Texans 23, Bills 20. The Jaguars and Colts combining for 41 points in the fourth quarter. And that was all in the early window on Sunday. Yeah, Week 5 was the craziest week to date of this NFL season. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen break it all down on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.RundownRavens beat Bengals in OT thrillerYou Have My Attention: Texans get huge win over BillsYou Have My Attention: Caleb Williams stars in Bears' win over PanthersNFC West...WTF?!?Raiders...WTF?!?Did You See That?!?...Jayden Daniels shines, but in a different wayDid You See That?!?...Jaguars-Colts fourth quarter fireworksDid You See That?!?...Andrew Van Ginkel making big playsDid You See That?!?...Xavier McKinney is ballingWhat Did We Learn Today?Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 4, 2024 • 1h 36min
Week 5 preview: Ravens-Bengals, Bills-Texans, digging into the Steelers' and 49ers' offenses, and more
Four weeks into the season, the 49ers' offense has been predictably great...but in unpredictable fashion. Four weeks into the season, the Steelers' offense has been unpredictably effective. Ravens-Bengals and Bills-Texans as the Week 5 Games of the Week? Well, yeah, not everything can be unpredictable. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen preview Week 5 across the NFL on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.RundownBuccaneers-Falcons recapRavens-Bengals previewBills-Texans previewWhat's on my Fourth Screen?Under the Hood: Steelers offenseFavorite realistic Davante Adams trade destinationsTake Tribunal: The Jets won't improve on last year's win totalThe bizarro version of an elite 49ers offenseJayden Daniels gets a much tougher testWhat I Wanna KnowHost: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 1, 2024 • 1h 20min
Lions and Seahawks put on a show, our first 2025 NFL Draft check-in of the season, and more with Dane Brugler
Dane Brugler makes his triumphant return to The Athletic Football Show to start laying groundwork for the 2025 NFL Draft. He and Robert Mays take a big-picture look at the class, and dig deeper into prospects who have caught Dane's eye, including Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty. The guys start the show by recapping Seahawks-Lions and Titans-Dolphins, and wrap it up by discussing Malik Nabers, the rookies in the Rams' defensive front and the top-two quarterbacks from the 2024 NFL Draft.RundownTitans-Dolphins recapSeahawks-Lions recapMovers on Dane Brugler's 2025 NFL Draft big boardUpon Further Review: Jalen MilroeUpon Further Review: Chargers defense and Chiefs offense check-insThe Ball Knower: Malik Nabers is already a top-10 WRThe Ball Knower: Jared Verse and Braden Fiske are doing workThe Ball Knower: Is Ryan Poles sweating yet?Host: Robert MaysWith: Dane BruglerExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Dane on X: @dpbruglerTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 30, 2024 • 1h 21min
Week 4 recap: Ravens upend Bills, Washington's surge continues, the Vikings keep rolling, and more
Ravens-Bills wasn't quite the close contest we were hoping for, but it still gave us plenty to discuss about two teams that are likely among the best in the league. That's where Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen begin the Week 4 recap episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also discuss the surging Washington football team, the 4-0 Vikings, troubles for the Jets and Eagles, a silly little game between the Falcons and Saints, and a whole lot more.RundownRavens trounce BillsWashington Football Team...You Have My Attention4-0 Vikings...You Still Have My AttentionEagles...WTF?!?Jets offense...WTF?!?Falcons, Saints and the NFC South...WTF?!?Chiefs and Texans...you guys are almost hereDid You See That? Jaylon JohnsonDid You See That? Darnell Washington hurdle + Steelers-Colts wrapDid You See That? Ja'Marr Chase's ridiculous catch-and-runWhat We Learned TodayHost: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.