

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

Mar 3, 2025 • 1h 34min
Combine recap with Dane Brugler
Dane Brugler, The Athletic's NFL Draft expert, spent a long month in Indianapolis last week, and we are all the beneficiaries of his dedication. Dane sits down with Robert Mays on this episode of The Athletic Football Show to share his big takeaways from the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenWith: Dane BruglerExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow 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.

Feb 28, 2025 • 1h 19min
Behind the scenes at the combine with ESPN's Dan Graziano; What do the Ravens need to do to get over the hump?
The combine may be a draft event, but behind the scenes it's as much about the players already in the league as it is anything else. So what discussions are going on in back rooms in Indianapolis about Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, Tee Higgins, Trey Smith, and the other big names who could be on the move in the next month or so? Dan Graziano of ESPN joins Robert Mays to dig into all that on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Then, The Athletic's Ravens beat writer Jeff Zrebiec joins Robert to discuss what the Ravens need to do to get over the hump in 2025.Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenWith: Dan Graziano and Jeff ZrebiecExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow 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.

Feb 27, 2025 • 1h 6min
The nine most interesting teams of the offseason, Volume 3: Bengals, Vikings and Patriots
The third and final entry in the annual TAFS Most Interesting Teams of the Offseason series is here, and it's a doozy. We've got Paul Dehner on the Bengals, Alec Lewis on the Vikings and Chad Graff on the Patriots. Will Tee Higgins and/or Trey Hendrickson still be Bengals in 2025? What's the Vikings plan with Sam Darnold and the quarterback position? How will the Patriots use their immense resources this offseason? Robert Mays gets into all that with the beat writers, and a whole lot more.Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenWith: Chad Graff, Paul Dehner, Alec LewisExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Chad on Bluesky: @chadgraff.bsky.socialFollow Paul on Bluesky: @pauldehnerjr.bsky.socialFollow Alec on Bluesky: @aleclewis.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Chad on X: @ChadGraffFollow Paul on X: @pauldehnerjrFollow Alec on X: @alec_lewisTheme 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.

Feb 26, 2025 • 1h 9min
The nine most interesting teams of the offseason, Volume 2: Commanders, 49ers and Browns
The second entry in the annual TAFS Most Interesting Teams of the Offseason series features Zac Jackson on the Browns, Matt Barrows on the 49ers, and Ben Standig on the Commanders. How do the Commanders make sure that 2024 wasn't a flash in the pan? Is the window on this version of the 49ers still open? Are the Browns willing to commit to a rebuild? Robert Mays gets into all that with the beat writers, and a whole lot more.Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenWith: Zac Jackson, Matt Barrows, Ben StandigExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Matt on Bluesky: @mattbarrows.bsky.socialFollow Ben on Bluesky: @benstandig.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Zac on X: @AkronJacksonFollow Matt on X: @mattbarrowsFollow Ben on X: @BenStandigTheme 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.

Feb 25, 2025 • 1h 23min
The nine most interesting teams of the offseason, Volume 1: Rams, Chargers and Raiders
Welcome back to The Athletic Football Show's favorite combine week tradition: mining our ridiculously knowledgable beat writers for all the insight they have on their teams. We handpicked nine teams we deemed the most interesting of this offseason after the Super Bowl, then scheduled time during combine week to talk with each of their beat writers. This is the first entry in that series, featuring Jourdan Rodrigue on the Rams; Daniel Popper on the Chargers; and Tashan Reed on the Raiders. When and how with the Matthew Stafford domino fall? What will the Chargers do with all their financial flexibility? What do the Raiders look like under the Pete Caroll/John Spytek (and Tom Brady) regime? Robert Mays gets into all that with the beat writers, and a whole lot more.Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenWith: Jourdan Rodrigue, Daniel Popper, Tashan ReedExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Jourdan on Bluesky: @jourdanrodrigue.bsky.socialFollow Tashan on Bluesky: @tashanreed.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Jourdan on X: @JourdanRodrigueFollow Daniel on X: @danielrpopperFollow Tashan on X: @tashanreedTheme 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.

Feb 24, 2025 • 1h 5min
Mailbag Monday: Successful GM/head coach dynamics, quarterback urgency in the draft, offensive line composition, and more
It may be combine week, but we're still opening up the TAFS mailbag. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dig into questions about successful GM/head coach dynamics, how urgent teams should be in the draft when they need a quarterback, the Jets, Saints, and Vikings, offensive line composition, and more.Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow 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.

Feb 21, 2025 • 1h 21min
What To Watch For During the 2025 NFL Combine
Who's going to own the 2025 Scouting Combine? Which players are going to crush the testing? Which lesser-known prospects are going to turn heads? Who has the most at stake during the interviews? Draft expert Dane Brugler joined Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen to run through everything that really matters next week in Indianapolis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 19, 2025 • 1h 12min
How Can Free Agency Help Teams Win the Super Bowl?
For years, free agency lessons are typically framed about how teams falter in the market. But the 2024 Eagles were a shining example of how the right injection of free-agent talent can propel a team to a championship. With this year's champs in mind, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen looked through the past decade of Super Bowl participants to see what lessons we can learn about the right ways to use FA. How many teams spent big? How important were the right bargain signings? And what advice, if any, can we give to teams looking for the right boost from the veteran pool in 2025? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 17, 2025 • 1h 9min
Mailbag Monday: Second-tier QBs vs. elite coaches, Trevor Lawrence as Gen-Z Matthew Stafford, Bills/Ravens future, and more
Would you rather have Matt LaFleur or Dak Prescott? Is Trevor Lawrence Gen-Z Matthew Stafford? Would you rather be the Bills or Ravens for the next three years? Those are just three questions that Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen answer in this edition of The Athletic Football Show mailbag.RundownQB vs. coach valueThe Chargers offseasonConverting contracts into signing bonusesIs power football all the way back?The Eagles as a blueprintThe most entertaining division in the leagueWhich QB has your real-life skill set?WR vs. OLWho should be trading for Myles Garrett?Trevor Lawrence as Gen-Z Matthew StaffordAre the Bills or Ravens in a better spot?A documentary on...?Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow 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.

Feb 14, 2025 • 1h 1min
Biggest questions of the 2025 offseason
Where will the on-the-move quarterbacks get off the carousel? How will the Bengals address their defense? Will the Rams turn the page to a new era? Where will the big-name free agents land. Those are just four of the offseason questions Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen addressed on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow 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.