Our surprisingly intrusive NFL thoughts
May 19, 2026
From genuine interest in the Steelers offense to enduring power of the league's evolutionary instincts, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen find themselves thinking certain things in mid-May that they…
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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Episodes
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Are coaches more valuable than non-QB players in today's NFL?
May 18, 2026
Opening up the mailbag this week felt like opening up Pandora's Box. But, you know, the NFL version of Pandora's Box. In this case, it was filled with questions about Baker Mayfield, fullbacks vs…
Buy or Sell Their Offseasons: Playoff Hopefuls
May 14, 2026
OK, this is where the Buy or Sell Their Offseasons series gets really good. We've reached the portion of the proceedings where every team in an episode enters the 2026 season harboring real playoff…
The sneaky offseason additions shaping the 2026 NFL season
May 13, 2026
Sure, Dexter Lawrence got traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. Yeah, Kenneth Walker III signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Okay, Mike Evans left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the San Francisco 49ers…
Position groups that got a facelift in 2026
May 12, 2026
In a league with as much turnover as the NFL, teams are always going to look different from season to season. What's striking, though, is when a team completely remakes a single position group in one…
Which NFL division has the best quarterbacks in 2026?
May 11, 2026
It's Mailbag Monday, we're in May, and the questions are only getting goofier. This week, the guys discuss which divisions have the best of each position group, ask themselves how we should think…
Revisiting our coldest takes from the 2025 NFL season
May 07, 2026
Picture this: you're in the warm air of the offseason, you're listening to players talk about how they're in the "best shape of their life," you're watching training camp highlights set to…
Is the fifth-year option still a viable option for team building?
May 06, 2026
The 2023 Draft class is proving to be a conundrum at the fifth-year option milestone. Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Bijan Robinson highlight some of the players with exercised options. But why did the…
Buy or sell their offseasons: The Middle Class
May 05, 2026
Our Buy or Sell Their Offseasons series moves on to The Middle Class, which features a couple of playoff teams from last season. Those teams, the Panthers and Steelers, are outside of the top two…
How long can an NFL team sustain an elite defense?
May 04, 2026
It's May, dear TAFS listener, and you know what that means: The real NFL offseason is here. We kick it off by opening up the mailbag, and you all delivered once again. Robert Mays and Dave Helman…
Buy or sell their offseason: The Rebuilders
May 01, 2026
Every team in the NFL is going to have its own approach to the offseason, in part defined by where it sees itself fitting into the league's hierarchy. We in the media must treat their respective…
The 2026 NFL Draft dust has settled, but we still have questions
Apr 30, 2026
OK, the 2026 NFL Draft is comfortably in the rear-view mirror. We've done in-the-moment reactions, and now-that-we've-slept-on-it reactions. It's done, it's over. So now it's time to ask ourselves…
Now that you've slept on it...NFL Draft takeaways
Apr 29, 2026
One hundred picks were made across the first two nights of the draft, with each one coming right on the heels of the one that happened before it. When you're reacting to those pick-by-pick, you don't…
The messages teams sent in the 2026 NFL Draft
Apr 28, 2026
Sometimes, a draft class is more than a draft class. Sometimes, a draft class can tell the entire NFL world what you think about your team. Robert Mays and Dave Helman zero in on the messages some…
Full recap of the 2026 NFL Draft
Apr 26, 2026
The NFL Draft has come and gone - or rather, it was on it's way out the door as we sat down to record this episode - and we have much to discuss. Robert Mays, Dane Brugler, Derrik Klassen, and Dave…
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2026 NFL Draft night two recap
Apr 25, 2026
Night two of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books and, once again, we implore you to go check out our full, pick-by-pick recap on our YouTube channel. If you don't have time for that, though, allow…
2026 NFL Draft first round recap
Apr 24, 2026
Did you miss our first-round livestream on Thursday night? Welp, go ahead and watch it on YouTube. But if you want the Reader's Digest version, we've got it here for you. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen…
Our final questions before the 2026 NFL Draft
Apr 23, 2026
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft may be mere moments away, but we still have time to squeeze in a last few questions before Roger Goodell takes the stage in Pittsburgh. So come join Robert Mays…
Are we wrong about running back value?
Apr 22, 2026
The NFL Draft is right on our doorstep, and it's looking likely that some team is going to make Jeremiyah Love a top-five pick. That's right, the running back value discussion is back. But never…
Which Fringe Prospects Will SNEAK Into the First Round?
Apr 21, 2026
There's something soothing about finishing a mock draft...even a mock draft done by six different people. With just picks 26 through 32 remaining, EJ Snyder and Brett Kollmann join Robert Mays to…
Are "bad" drafts an advantage for the NFL's best or worst teams?
Apr 20, 2026
Another Monday, another time opening up the mailbag. This week, Dave Helman and Derrik Klassen answer your questions about whether NFL GM's are judged on their best or worst picks, whether we should…
Why we're planting our flags for these day 2 & 3 prospects
Apr 17, 2026
Jalon Kilgore, Riley Nowakowski, Reggie Virgil, Peter Woods...what do these guys have in common? They're OUR guys. A week ahead of the draft, we're officially planting the flags for our favorite…
Which offensive lineman has the highest ceiling in the 2026 NFL Draft class?
Apr 16, 2026
Dane Brugler put out his full, seven-round mock for the 2026 NFL Draft, and it included eight offensive linemen going in the first round. That would push the record of nine set in 2024. In other…
Is Sonny Styles the only standout linebacker in the 2026 Draft class?
Apr 15, 2026
Sonny Styles quickly became one of the darlings of this draft class way back in September after Ohio State's first few games. After him, the linebacker class is a mixed bag, as it so often is. Dane…
On the Clock, picks 19-25: How many offensive linemen will be taken in the first round?
Apr 14, 2026
We've reached the "Last Season's Playoff Teams" portion of the 2026 NFL Draft on The Athletic Football Show's On The Clock, though it might not feel like it. The first team up on this episode is the…
Mailbag Monday: How many true #1 pass rushers are there in the NFL?
Apr 13, 2026
How big is too big, even for a dyed-in-the-wool sizeist like Derrik Klassen? How good are the Ravens at drafting, really? Which NFL jerseys must be protected at all costs, and which need to go now?…
The 2026 NFL Draft prospects you're wrong about...and why
Apr 10, 2026
Look, we get it. We're wrong sometimes too. But there are at least seven NFL Draft prospects that you, draft analysts, or NFL teams are just plain wrong about. On this episode of The Athletic…
Edge rusher draft class breakdown with Dane Brugler
Apr 09, 2026
The Beast is loose, and that means we get more Dane Brugler on The Athletic Football Show. It's the ultimate win-win. Dane joins Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen to break down the 2026 defensive line…
The Beast is Built! Hidden gems in the 2026 NFL Draft class
Apr 08, 2026
April 8 gets the distinction of being Beast Day in 2026, and that's a day worthy of celebration. So how best do we celebrate on The Athletic Football Show? Why by thumbing through The Beast and…
On the Clock: Why picks 13-18 are a run on pass-catchers, and the guys who try to stop them
Apr 07, 2026
Picks 13 through 18 will be an interesting stretch in the draft. You've got consistent contenders, such as the Rams and Ravens, as well as obvious playoff contenders, to varying degrees, in the…