The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

Our surprisingly intrusive NFL thoughts

19 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From genuine interest in the Steelers offense to enduring power of the league's evolutionary instincts, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen find themselves...

Are coaches more valuable than non-QB players in today's NFL?

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Buy or sell their offseasons: Playoff hopefuls

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 episod...

The sneaky offseason additions shaping the 2027 NFL season

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, Dexter Lawrence got traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. Yeah, Kenneth Walker III signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Okay, Mike Evans left the Tam...

Position groups that got a facelift in 2026

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Which NFL division has the best quarterbacks in 2026?

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 posit...

Revisiting our coldest takes From the 2025 NFL season

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

icture 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 wat...

Is the 5th-year option still a viable pption for team building?

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Buy or sell their offseasons: The Middle Class

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Pant...

How long can an NFL team sustain an elite defense?

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

t'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 deliv...

Buy or sell their offseason: The rebuilders

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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....

The 2026 NFL Draft dust has settled, but we still have questions

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Now that you've slept on it...NFL Draft takeaways

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The messages teams sent in the 2026 NFL Draft

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 May...

Full recap of the 2026 NFL Draft

26 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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. Robe...

2026 NFL Draft night two recap

25 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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. I...

2026 NFL Draft first round recap

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Our final questions before the 2026 NFL Draft

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Are we wrong about running back value?

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 runn...

Which Fringe Prospects Will SNEAK Into the First Round?

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Are "bad" drafts an advantage for the NFL's best or worst teams?

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Why we're planting our flags for these day 2 & 3 prospects

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 of...

Which offensive lineman has the highest ceiling in the 2026 NFL Draft class?

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 p...

Is Sonny Styles the only standout linebacker in the 2026 Draft class?

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 linebacke...

On the Clock, picks 19-25: How many offensive linemen will be taken in the first round?

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 l...

Mailbag Monday: How many true #1 pass rushers are there in the NFL?

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 pr...

The 2026 NFL Draft prospects you're wrong about...and why

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 wro...

Edge rusher draft class breakdown with Dane Brugler

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Derri...

The Beast is Built! Hidden gems in the 2026 NFL Draft class

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

On the Clock: Why picks 13-18 are a run on pass-catchers, and the guys who try to stop them

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 pla...

Monday Mailbag: The dustbin of history, coaches getting over the hump, and the idea of identity

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We've got ourselves another loaded mailbag episode of The Athletic Football Show. Among the questions answered by Robert Mays, Dave Helman and Derrik ...

The sneakily fun 2026 WR draft class

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There may not be a true ace in this year's wide receiver draft class, but that doesn't mean it's short on talent or intrigue. After all, six of Dane B...

Three questions about the 2026 QB draft class

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the stranger quarterback draft classes we've seen in some time. There's a legitimate top-of-the-draft prospect, a 23-year-old with limi...

Building the Beast: Why defensive backs are the crown jewel of the 2026 NFL Draft class

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Beast isn't out for another week or so, but we'll spoil one thing for you...you're going to see a lot of defensive backs in the top 50. Like, A LO...

On the Clock, 2026 NFL Draft picks 7-12: Jeremiyah Love's still here...but not for long

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Here we are for episode two of this season's On the Clock and th—whoa, wait. Jeremiyah Love is still out there? He didn't get taken by the Cardinals...

Monday Mailbag: The peak of fandom, breaking losing cycles, Bill and Ted for the NFL, and more

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We opened up the TAFS mailbag, and ohhhh buddy did we find some great stuff in there? Like, when during a person's life is their fandom at its peak en...

Which outliers in the 2026 class are worth drafting?

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This draft class is a bit unlike most draft classes. We've got off-ball linebackers, safeties and a running back expected to come off the board toward...

Who has the most at stake in the 2026 NFL Draft?

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The NFL Draft matters to all 32 teams, all 32 GMs, all 32 head coaches and, in some form or fashion, every single player in the league. Any individual...

Building the Beast: Tight end draft class breakdown

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You know the final courtroom scene in My Cousin Vinny when Joe Pesci says "Watch this," and then Marisa Tomei just rattles off the most obscure facts ...

On the Clock, 2026 NFL Draft picks one through six: Certainty at the very top, and then...

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the 2026 debut of On the Clock, The Athletic Football Show's annual draft exercise. Every week, a draft analyst will join Robert Mays to co...

Mailbag: Are Rookie Contracts TOO IMPORTANT To Team Building?

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The TAFS Mailbag rolls along this offseason. This post-free agency episode brings questions about the Tennessee Titans draft strategy, the best coachi...

An Idiot's GUIDE to the 2026 NFL Draft

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We didn't say Robert Mays is an idiot. He said it himself! At least when it comes to the NFL Draft class at this stage of the calendar. Dane Brugler a...

Lingering questions with the free agency dust settled

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Free agency is, for all intents and purposes, over. Sure, meaningful players like Jauan Jennings and Taylor Decker are still out there, but the vast m...

Building the Beast: How free agency affected the 2026 NFL Draft

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Hey, the Chiefs and Saints both need running backs, they could both be potential landing spots for Jeremiyah Love! Ope, guess again. Hey, the Rams nee...

NEWS: Broncos trade for Jaylen Waddle

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Broncos mostly sat out the free agency frenzy last week, but they finally made their presence felt with a huge trade for Jaylen Waddle. What does ...

How much better—or worse—is each NFC team after the first wave of free agency?

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Most of this year's free agent class is now spoken for, and all 32 teams in the league have made the biggest move they'll make, outside of the draft. ...

How much better—or worse—is each AFC team after the first wave of free agency?

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Most of this year's free agent class is now spoken for, and all 32 teams in the league have made the biggest move they'll make, outside of the draft. ...

Vikings swing for the fences with Kyler Murray

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This isn't supposed to happen. Teams aren't supposed to be able to sign a 28-year-old quarterback who was a first overall pick and previously been a l...

Free agency wrap: Taking stock of a busy start to the new league year

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A few big names remain on the table, but most of the free agent puzzle pieces have fallen into place. So, what were our favorite signings? What signin...

Free agency day three: Maxximum Chaos

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Remember those couple days where Maxx Crosby was on the Ravens and the Raiders had two extra first-round picks to work with the in the next two drafts...

Free agency day two: Perhaps you can go home again

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Day two of free agency got off to a bit of a slow start, and then the spigot opened up with a firehose attached. Geno Smith is a Jet again. The Patrio...

Free agency day one, part two: The edge and DB markets fall into place

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

NFL teams know a thing or two about tampering, and they proved that to us once again with the league's legal tampering window opening up on Monday. On...

Free agency day one, part one: Jaelan Phillips to the Panthers, Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders, Alec Pierce stays in Indy, and more

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

NFL teams know a thing or two about tampering, and they proved that to us once again with the league's legal tampering window opening up on Monday. On...

Ravens Maxx Crosby trade highlights a busy weekend on the eve of free agency

08 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When we signed off for the weekend on Friday, we said we'd come back before Monday if the news dictated our sooner return. Welp, the news dictated jus...

2026 Free Agent Superlatives: Favorite Fits, Buyer Beware and more

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We are officially on the doorstep of the legal tampering window and thus, the beginning of the 2026 free agency signing period. So, what are our favor...

2026 free agency doppelgängers

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sayings become sayings for a reason. A particular favorite for us here (or at least for the person writing this description)? History does not repeat,...

Strengths and weaknesses of the 2026 free agent class

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Free agency might begin next week, but we already have plenty of player movement news to tackle. The Bears are surprisngly in th emarket for a tackle ...

Free agency mailbag: New staffs, Tyler Linderbaum's catbird seat, the cap space tipping point, and more

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're all free agency, all the time over the next two weeks on The Athletic Football Show. And what better way to kick that off than with your questio...

Takeaways from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Another combine is in the books, and with its closing comes another set of results that will affect the upcoming NFL Draft. Among them? Hello, Sonny S...

The Jets-Titans trade, the Malik Willis market, and the rest of the news from combine week

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We wrap up our week at the combine with a look at the biggest actual news that happened while the entire NFL world was in Indianapolis. Robert Mays, D...

The most interesting teams of the offseason, part 3: Bengals, Ravens and Eagles

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We wrap up our combine beat writer series with three teams that suffered through various levels of disappointing seasons in 2025. First, Paul Dehner J...

The most interesting teams of the offseason, part 2: Chiefs, Vikings and Colts

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Chiefs of recent vintage haven't been among the most interesting teams of the offseason because their offseasons have been, "Alright, Pat, let's r...

The Chargers, Commanders and Steelers kick off the annual TAFS Most Interesting Teams of the Offseason Series

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Combine week brings together the entirety of NFL media, including The Athletic Football Show crew and The Athletic NFL beat writers. That's all the ex...

What matters and what doesn't at the combine

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The annual NFL Scouting Combine is part NFL convention, part week-long networking event, part exercise in backchannel communication, and part job fair...

From the Vikings to the Jets, assessing the open QB situations

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Eight or so teams enter the 2026 NFL season with an open quarterback situation, depending on your definition of "open." Which one of those is the best...

The TAFS mailbag is back!

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're into the offseason, which means we're once again checking the mail. The TAFS mailbag returns with more than a few questions about what we can le...

Biggest questions of the 2026 NFL offseason

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The next season effectively begins the moment the previous season ends, and with that new season comes a whole new set of questions. Such as, what hap...

One last ride on this year's coaching carousel

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The wildest coaching carousel any of us can remember finally stopped spinning when the Raiders officially named former Seahawks offensive coordinator ...

Building the Beast: Dane Brugler's updated Top 100

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Yeah, yeah, yeah, the Seahawks are Super Bowl LX Champions, that's cool. It's also old news. It's 2026 NFL Draft time! And what better way to kick off...

Super Bowl LX Recap: Seahawks ride dominant defense to 29-13 win over Patriots, franchise's second title

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Any short list of the best stories in the NFL this season would have to include the Seattle Seahawks' dominant defense, Sam Darnold's full redemption,...

Super Bowl LX Preview

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It all started back on September 4, 2025, with the Eagles squeaking out a 24-20 win over the Cowboys. It ends on Sunday, five months and 284 games lat...

From XLIX to LX: How the league has changed since the last Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Eleven years ago, the Patriots and Seahawks met in one of the most iconic Super Bowls of all-time. Those two teams seemed to define the league back th...

The Super Bowl LX characters who changed their stories this season

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Super Bowl is a story in so many ways. The game is, of course, a story unto itself. It also acts as a capstone for the story of the current NFL se...

The Patriots' one-season about-face meets the Seahawks' ruthless climb to the top of the league in Super Bowl LX

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The last Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl matchup was anything but a surprise. The Seahawks were reigning Super Bowl Champions, and the Patriots were comi...

Building the Beast Senior Bowl Recap: Winners, takeaways, and effects on the draft

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

College football's all-star game season has come to an end, with the Senior Bowl now in the rear-view mirror. Who were the big winners from the week? ...

The coaching cycle that just won't quit

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There are coaching cycles and then there are COACHING CYCLES. Somehow, Black Monday wasn't even a month ago, but it feels like it was three years ago....

Lessons learned from this season's conference title game participants

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The NFL may be a copycat league, but it's not like the 28 teams that fell short of Conference Championship weekend can just look at the Seahawks, Rams...

Building the Beast: Who's turning heads at the Senior Bowl?

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're certainly in the heart of S. Bowl season. For most of us, that refers to the Super Bowl. For Dane Brugler, though? In that case, you're referrin...

What's next for the Rams and Broncos after falling just short of the Super Bowl?

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Description: Dan Campbell said it best after the Lions lost to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game after the 2023 season. "This may have been our o...

Conference Championship Games Recap: Patriots and Seahawks advance to Super Bowl LX

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

New England Patriots. Seattle Seahawks. Super Bowl LX. Meet us in San Francisco. But before that, join Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen, and Dave Helman as...

Conference Championship Sunday Preview: Rams-Seahawks III meets the rise of the Broncos and Patriots

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Championship Weekend is upon us. On one side, we get a matchup that feels historically familiar, but no one predicted this year when the Patriots and ...

The duality of this cycle's coaching hires, and the moves still to come, with Jourdan Rodrigue

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly every coaching hire looks fine on paper. Many of them look good. Great, even! But we know not all of them turn out great or good or even fine. ...

Building the Beast: Shrine Bowl preview and CFP National Championship Game takeaways

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The end of the college football season is something of a starting bell for NFL Draft season, and the annual all-star games get everything going. It be...

Divisional Round losers postmortem: What's next for Bills, 49ers, Texans and Bears?

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When you're one of the last eight teams playing football in a season, that final loss is hard to swallow. No matter how bright the future appears, the...

NEWS: Bills fire Sean McDermott

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Buffalo Bills were great during Sean McDermott's nine-year run as coach, but not quite great enough. As such, the team relieved him of his duties ...

Divisional Round Sunday Recap: Patriots handle Texans, Rams outlast Bears in OT

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

And then there were four. The Conference Championship games are set. Joining the Denver Broncos in the AFC are the New England Patriots after taking c...

Divisional Saturday Recap: Broncos win but lose Bo Nix, Seahawks rout 49ers

18 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Divisional Round weekend never disappoints. The Seattle Seahawks turned in the most dominant performance of the day - maybe of the entire postseason -...

Divisional Round Preview: The best weekend of the NFL season

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Four games, eight teams, all with legitimate designs on winning the Super Bowl. Friends, the best weekend of the NFL season is here. Robert Mays, Derr...

The jam-packed 2026 coaching carousel: It goes up and down, and around

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When we last checked in on the coaching carousel on Black Monday, it seemed like it could actually be a relatively quiet year for coaching moves. Sinc...

Building the Beast: Did they stay or did they go now?

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're on the doorstep of the NFL Draft declaration deadline, and most of the big dominos have fallen. One big one, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, rem...

NEWS: Mike Tomlin steps down as Steelers head coach after 19 seasons

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

After 19 years as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers—a run that included one Super Bowl Championship, two AFC titles, and eight AFC North crowns—...

Postmortems for Wild Card Round losers

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Five teams saw their seasons come to an end on Saturday and Sunday of Wild Card weekend. Where do they all stand as they start to turn the page to 202...

Texans defense rolls over Steelers, leads team to Divisional Round

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We've been talking about the Super Bowl potential of the Houston Texans defense for months, especially in a wide open AFC. That was on full display in...

Wild Card Sunday Recap: Bills outlast Jaguars, 49ers take down Eagles, Patriots stifle Chargers

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Wild Card Saturday was one of the most exciting days of the season to date, and Wild Card Sunday proved to be a worthy encore. Here's a stat...Hunter ...

Saturday Recap: Rams and Bears Leave With Clutch Wins

11 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman recap the first games of the 2026 playoffs. Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears take down the Green Bay P...

Wild Card Sunday and Monday Preview

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The AFC has long been the quarterback conference, and that hasn't necessarily changed just because Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow aren'...

Wild Card Saturday Preview: Rams-Panthers and Packers-Bears

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Wild Card Weekend kicks off on Saturday with the two games that occupy opposite poles in the round. First up is Rams-Panthers, where the Rams are 10-p...

Drake Maye or Matthew Stafford? It's the TAFS 2025 Awards Show!

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The regular season is over and the playoffs have yet to start. It's time to hand out some hardware. Are the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year...

Building the Beast: 2026 NFL Draft order takeaways and Dane Brugler's All-Rookie team

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, the NFL playoff field is set. Cool. You know what's really cool, though? The top 18 of the 2026 NFL Draft order being locked in place. At least ...

NEWS: Ravens Fire John Harbaugh

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Baltimore Ravens have fired head coach John Harbaugh. Robert Mays and Dave Helman break down the news and react to what's next for Lamar Jackson, ...