The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL
Episodes
Sneaky big second-year player X-factors
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's easy to overlook second-year players who A) didn't have huge rookie seasons, or B) aren't quarterbacks. But you don't have to be Jayden Daniels o...
What can the surprise teams of 2024 do for an encore?
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a temptation to believe that surprise teams from the previous season are on a clear upward trajectory. But we know that isn't always true. Jus...
2025 versions of 2024 stories
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Take a moment to think about the unexpected developments that helped define the 2024 NFL season. The Washington Commanders going to the NFC Championsh...
Our biggest questions heading into training camp
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you're listening to this episode the day it comes out, the Lions and Chargers are at training camp. If you're listening to it a few days later, eve...
SPECIAL No Free Lunch feed drop: The Hidden Costs of NFL Rookie Contracts w/ Vita Vea
19 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
No Free Lunch is a new podcast in The Athletic podcast network. Hosted by former NFL star Ndamukong Suh, No Free Lunch talks to athletes and experts a...
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
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're deep into July. Training camp is right around the corner. NFL people have all taken their vacations. It's official...the offseason is over. And ...
The quarterback honorability index
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our own Derrik Klassen loves talking about honorable and dishonorable play across the NFL. Perhaps you've found yourself sitting there saying to your ...
Who's the 6th-best QB in the NFL?
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone—literally everyone—people would place Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow among the top-five quarterbacks in the NF...
Inside the fallout surrounding the NFLPA's collusion grievance, with Pablo Torre
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pablo Torre kicked the NFL news cycle into hyperdrive last month in what's supposed to be a relatively quiet part of the calendar when he dropped on h...
The teams we can't quite figure out approaching the 2025 season
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We spend all offseason watching, considering and analyzing every move every team makes. Despite all that time and critical thought, there are always a...
The hopeful stories teams are telling themselves this season
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, a handful of teams have to convince themselves that a certain story they've been telling themselves all offseason will turn out to be true...
Mailbag Monday: Separating player from situation, balancing all-in and patience, remembering our favorite single-season teams, and more
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
July is here, which means training camps are just a few short weeks away. The football is getting closer, and that's reflected in this week's TAFS Mai...
A 2018 Redraft: Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson at the top, and lessons we can learn from this loaded class
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Revisiting recent drafts can help inform what we think about the league in the present moment and the ways that teams make decisions. Especially when ...
The next frontiers of tech in football with Prime Vision's Sam Schwartzstein
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you listen to a show like this, you already have an idea of how much modern technology is shaping the NFL. There's a decent chance, though, that it...
Jalen Ramsey/Minkah Fitzpatrick trade reaction with Bill Barnwell
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every now and again in this business, breaking news works in your favor. That was the case for us at The Athletic Football Show on Monday, when news o...
Mailbag Monday: Contract-year players, best QB + coach upgrades ever, the importance of aging on rosters, and more
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mailbag Monday rolls on as we get deeper into summer and closer to the start of training camp. Among the questions answered by Robert Mays and Derrik ...
Looking backward and forward for this season's second-year quarterbacks
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 2024 rookie quarterback class was a big story from the moment that it put six players in the first round of the draft. The group had about as dive...
The duality of NFL expectations
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every NFL season includes multiple instances of teams surprising us on the positive side of the ledger (hello 2024 Broncos and 2023 Texans) and the ne...
Our guilty pleasure storylines
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We at The Athletic Football Show like to think that we've established our thoughtful, incisive bona fides. But we aren't above a Taco Bell meal and a ...
Mailbag Monday: Worst QB rooms of the past decade, Protector of the Year Award, which low-expectations teams can make the playoffs, and more
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our fine listeners once again did not disappoint when we opened the mail over the weekend. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen tackle questions on evaluati...
Lingering questions, episode 4: The Steelers' non-QB shortcomings, the Bears' defensive personnel, and the Falcons' pass rush drought
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If this is indeed the end of the Lingering Questions line this offseason, then we definitely got to indulge our intellectual curiosities. On this four...
The salary cap, uncapped
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even the most plugged-in, tunnel-visioned, 99th percentile football fan can turn into an ineffectual puddle of nothingness when trying to explain the ...
NFC QB supporting cast rankings
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If the AFC is defined by the league's superstar quarterbacks, then the NFC is where the meticulously constructed offenses and elite playcallers can be...
Mailbag Monday: A shifting of the QB age cliff, a longer leash for GMs, and a new occupant of the Derek Carr line
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Michael Beller went back out to the TAFS mailbox and found another stack of great letters. On this edition of the Mail...
AFC QB supporting cast rankings
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The NFL is a quarterback driven league, there's no doubt about it. But do the Eagles win the Super Bowl last year without their offensive line? Do the...
Lingering questions, episode 3: The Chiefs' lack of explosiveness, Baker Mayfield's late-20s breakout, and the 49ers' relative slide on offense
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're into June, and we've still got Lingering Questions about the 2024 season that will inform how the coming season goes. On this edition, Robert Ma...
League-altering moves, GMing an expansion team, the end of bad quarterbacks, and more from the TAFS mailbag
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The mailbag shifts to Wednesday this week, but it's still chock full of great questions from all of you out there. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen cons...
Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers, Jaire Alexander released, and more from OTAs
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The league's most faux-uncertain quarterback question finally got its long-expected answer last week when Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers officially ag...
Defensive players set to make a leap in 2025
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Whenever a player makes a leap—whether that's bad to average, average to good, good to great, or great to elite—it can change his team. Just think...
Fantasy winners and losers from the 2025 NFL offseason
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
June is here, and with June comes all things summer. Sunshine, trips to the pool, cookouts...and fantasy football. That's right, fantasy football seas...
Monday Mailbag: Frankenstein's NFL team owner, the Colts' path at quarterback, Jonathan Gannon's Cardinals, and more
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does one determine what is or isn't a successful move in free agency? Which teams could surprise us this year by ending up with top-10 play caller...
Anthony Richardson vs. Daniel Jones highlights the NFL's QB battles
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We've got some honest-to-goodness quarterback battles to look forward to this summer, a few of which have real stakes for their teams and the league a...
Offseason Buy or Sell: The Contenders
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We've arrived at our fourth and final episode in the Offseason Buy or Sell series, and this is the big one. Seven of the eight teams that played in th...
Monday Mailbag: Player/team personality fits, Justin Jefferson's unique traits, the outlook for an all-rookie team, and more
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're digging into the mailbag on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. This time around, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen tackle questions on how...
Lingering questions, episode 2: Bryce Young's turnaround, the Chargers' talent, the Seahawks' defense's breakout
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bryce Young put himself on the right track in the second half of last season. The Chargers shortcomings in 2024 owed to a lack of talent. The Seahawks...
Offseason Buy or Sell: The Playoff Hopefuls
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Seven of the eight teams in this edition of Offseason Buy or Sell made the playoffs last year, and the one that didn't, the Bengals, had one of the be...
Monday Mailbag: Best second sports for NFL players, the meaning of 'scheme,' BYO team brain trust, and more
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder what would be the most beneficial second sport for a future NFL player to play on their way to the league? Ever think about how you'd buil...
Lingering questions, part 1: The Titans offensive infrastructure, Jordan Love's missing leap, and Marvin Harrison Jr.'s rookie season
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's only so much time to indulge our curiosities during the NFL season. What that means is that a number of questions we have in the moment go une...
Trey Hendrickson seizes the narrative
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The impasse between Trey Hedrickson and the Bengals took its most bizarre turn yet on Tuesday when the star pass rusher staged an impromptu press conf...
Offseason Buy or Sell: The NFL's Middle Class
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The next step up the Offseason Buy or Sell ladder takes us to the NFL's middle class. These are teams that oddsmakers project to be right around .500....
Monday Mailbag: The best QB who could get traded, changes in Detroit, Travis Hunter's usage, and more
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The mail carrier came knocking and yet again brought us more than our fair share of great questions. Which successful team of the last five years is m...
The George Pickens trade and the pass-catcher landscape
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The George Pickens trade (mostly) brought to an end a busy offseason movement period for wide receivers. Davante Adams, D.K. Metcalf, Cooper Kupp, Ste...
Cold Takes Revisited
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Almost every take comes scorching hot, right out of the oven. Some of them get cold awfully fast. But the good news about those cold takes is that we ...
Offseason Buy or Sell: Teams in Transition
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With the 2025 NFL Draft firmly in the rear-view mirror, we are now in full-on offseason mode on The Athletic Football Show. With that comes one of our...
Draft fallout and James Cook's future lead the return of the TAFS mailbag
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The draft is over, which means Mailbag Mondays are back! Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen tackle questions about quarterbacks improving their accuracy, ...
Biggest questions remaining after the draft
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The coaching carousel has stopped spinning. The free agency frenzy is in the rear-view mirror. The 2025 NFL Draft is done. All 32 teams as currently c...
The messages teams sent in the 2025 NFL Draft, with Field Yates
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Teams can lie to us before the draft. They can obfuscate. They can mislead. Once the draft arrives, though, they have to tell the truth. So what messa...
2025 NFL Draft day three recap and overall takeaways
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
And that's a wrap on the 2025 NFL Draft. Who did good work on day three? Who did good work the entire weekend? Why did the Browns go back to the quart...
2025 NFL Draft second and third round recap
26 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The second and third rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft are in the books, and the first half of our draft story is all but complete. Who were our favorite p...
2025 NFL Draft first round recap + best day two picks
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. What were our favorite picks? What were the biggest surprises. Who do we feel different about b...
Biggest remaining questions heading into the 2025 NFL Draft
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Friends, the 2025 NFL Draft has arrived. All our questions will finally be answered. But, for the time being, we still have questions! How many quarte...
The very good, but maybe not great, 2025 NFL Draft offensive line class
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A great comedy movie isn't going to win any Oscars, but it's a fun two hours at the movies. That's the offensive line class in the 2025 NFL Draft. It ...
On the Clock, picks 26-32: The top-tier Super Bowl contenders make their moves
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're back On the Clock on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Mike Renner from CBS Sports joins Robert Mays to wrap up the first round and ma...
Monday Mailbag: The NFC North's head coach stardom, the best drafting teams, remembering some running backs, and more
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dig into the mailbag one more time before the 2025 NFL Draft on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Can one div...
The 2025 NFL Draft pass-catcher class blowout!
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Three receivers went in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft. That isn't likely to be the case this year, but we could see 10 come off the board by the en...
The 2025 NFL Draft's mid-round gems, with Dane Brugler and Daniel Jeremiah
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bucky Irving...125th overall in 2024. Nick Herbig...132nd overall in 2023. Kerby Joseph...97th overall in 2022. Teams can, and do, find themselves dif...
On the Clock, picks 19-25: The playoff teams have entered the chat
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're back On the Clock on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus joins Robert Mays to make picks 19 throu...
Monday Mailbag: Coordinator hires, the Steelers' QB situation, draft day shockers, and more
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of the many things we love about the TAFS mailbag is that it reflects the conversations real football fans are having in the moment. As such, it s...
Abdul Carter, Mason Graham, and a loaded defensive line draft class
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dane Brugler has been telling us for months that this is a good draft to need defensive players. That's exemplified by a defensive line class that fea...
The most polarizing players in the 2025 NFL Draft
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone likes Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. There's a widespread consensus that Cam Ward deserves to be the top quarterback on the board. After tha...
On the Clock, picks 13-18: Teams chasing needs, teams chasing dreams
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're back On the Clock on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Ben Solak from ESPN joins Robert Mays to make picks 13 through 18 in the 2025 N...
Monday Mailbag: Head coach trades, the case against Travis Hunter, the most fun trade-up scenarios in the first round, and more
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The TAFS mailbag is once again chock full of great questions from all of you out there. This time around, the mail carrier brought us questions on hea...
Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, and the deepest running back draft class in years
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You know Ashton Jeanty. You know Omarion Hampton. You know Kaleb Johnson and TreVeyon Henderson. And if you know all of them, chances are you know tha...
The teams with the most at stake in the 2025 NFL Draft
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The draft matters for all 32 teams in the NFL...but it matters for some teams more than others. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen identify the teams with...
On the Clock, picks 7-12: The Panthers and 49ers swing our first trade!
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're back On the Clock on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Danny Kelly from The Ringer joins Robert Mays to make picks seven through 12 in...
Monday Mailbag: Draft day trade charts, aesthetically pleasing players, rebuilding vs. retooling, and more
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Once again, the TAFS mailbag was jam-packed with great questions from all of you out there. On this edition of the mailbag, Robert Mays and Derrik Kla...
The best-case scenarios and biggest flaws for the 2025 quarterback draft class
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We've enjoyed two straight drafts with star-studded quarterback classes. This year's class...is not that. Still, it provides its fair share of intrigu...
How much does college production matter for edge prospects?
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're likely to see six or seven edge players selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Some of them, like Abdul Carter, were wildly producti...
On the Clock, picks one through six: A quarterback goes first...and second
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the debut of On the Clock, a new draft exercise on The Athletic Football Show. Every week, a draft analyst will join Robert Mays to cover s...
Monday Mailbag: Rule change proposals, 'can't-miss prospects' that miss, the shifting dynamics of fandom, and more
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With free agency fully in the rear-view mirror, we're back to our normal schedule on TAFS. And that means we're back to opening up the mailbag on Mond...
Biggest remaining team needs after the first wave of free agency
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Plenty of team needs were addressed when the free agency period opened, but not every team can fill every hole by signing players off the market. So w...
How the moves made in free agency this year affected the draft, with Dane Brugler
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The effects of free agency are felt long before teams take the field in September. Hopes are up in certain fanbases. Not so much in others. Teams are ...
How much better are these NFC teams really?
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Teams like the Vikings, Giants and Seahawks have been active in free agency. There's no doubt about that. But how much better are they really? That's ...
How much better are these AFC teams really?
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Teams like the Patriots, Colts and Jaguars have been active in free agency. There's no doubt about that. But how much better are they really? That's e...
Free agency day three recap: So...you're freakin' out
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Free agency hasn't been fun for everyone. Just ask Cowboys fans, who have watched their team mostly sit out free agency again. Or Bengals fans, who ha...
Free agency day two recap: Vikings spend big, Colts sign Daniel Jones, Giants ink Jevon Holland, and more
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Vikings capped off day one of free agency with a couple of big moves, bringing back Byron Murphy Jr. and bringing in Jonathan Allen. They picked r...
Free agency day one recap: Seattle makes over its team, Rams sign Davante Adams, Washington trades for Laremy Tunsil, and more
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Geno Smith? Traded! DK Metcalf? Traded! Sam Darnold? Signed! The Seahawks entirely made over their team by the end of day one of free agency, and they...
Khalil Mack staying put? Trey Hendrickson to the Packers? It's the defense edition of the TAFS free agency preview
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Khalil Mack, Jevon Holland and Josh Sweat headline the available free agent defensive players. Add in a likely Trey Hendrickson trade and a potential ...
Chris Godwin to the Jaguars? Sam Darnold to the Titans? It's the offense edition of the TAFS free agency preview
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you ready to tamper? The NFL sure is, with the legal tampering window on the horizon and the new league year beginning next week. Robert Mays and ...
Free agency mailbag: Bang for your buck in FA, the next great reclamation QB project, position changes with a new team, and more
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The first checkpoint of the offseason—the combine—is now in the rear view mirror. Next up is free agency. We kick off our free agency coverage in ...
Combine recap with Dane Brugler
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Behind the scenes at the combine with ESPN's Dan Graziano; What do the Ravens need to do to get over the hump?
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 discussio...
The nine most interesting teams of the offseason, Volume 3: Bengals, Vikings and Patriots
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Be...
The nine most interesting teams of the offseason, Volume 2: Commanders, 49ers and Browns
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
The nine most interesting teams of the offseason, Volume 1: Rams, Chargers and Raiders
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to The Athletic Football Show's favorite combine week tradition: mining our ridiculously knowledgable beat writers for all the insight th...
Mailbag Monday: Successful GM/head coach dynamics, quarterback urgency in the draft, offensive line composition, and more
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
What To Watch For During the 2025 NFL Combine
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
How Can Free Agency Help Teams Win the Super Bowl?
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Mailbag Monday: Second-tier QBs vs. elite coaches, Trevor Lawrence as Gen-Z Matthew Stafford, Bills/Ravens future, and more
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 th...
Biggest questions of the 2025 offseason
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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? Wh...
Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter lead Dane Brugler's first Top 100 of 2025
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
OK, enough with the 2024 season, it's time for 2025! Dane Brugler's post-Super Bowl Top 100 is out, and he joins Robert Mays on this episode of The At...
Super Bowl LIX recap: Eagles cap off dramatic turnaround from last season with dominant win over Chiefs
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The return to bully ball was one of the stories of the 2024 season. So perhaps it's fitting that the story of the Super Bowl was that of the Eagles ut...
Super Bowl LIX Preview
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The NFL season is a 285-game march to the Super Bowl. Friends, we have reached that 285th game. Super Bowl LIX between the Chiefs and Eagles is here, ...
The Super Bowl characters who have changed the way we think about them this season
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Consider what you thought about Saquon Barkley before this season. How about Trent McDuffie? How about Nick Sirianni? Might feel a bit different about...
The Chiefs hunt for a three-peat meets the Eagles march for redemption
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Way back in September, it didn't necessarily feel like we were going to end up here. The Chiefs may have enjoyed their status as the NFL's latest—an...
Senior Bowl takeaways, coaching carousel roundup, and veteran quarterback intrigue with Dianna Russini
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robert Mays and Dianna Russini kick off Super Bowl week with a crossover episode of The Athletic Football Show and Scoop City. The duo discusses Diann...
The TAFS mailbag is back!
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's been far too long since we heard from you, our dear listeners. And so we're happy to say that the TAFS inbox is open! Not just for this episode, ...
Lessons learned from this season's final four teams (and the Lions)
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
No team advances to its Conference Championship Game by accident. They get there through a combination of players, coaches, scheme and the way they we...
The wildest 48 hours on the 2025 NFL coaching carousel
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of the signature NFL franchises announced its head coach on a Friday night at 10 pm, and that was the second craziest development of the weekend i...
Conference Championship Sunday Recap: It's the Chiefs and Eagles for the Super Bowl...again
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A season that presented us with so many possible new Super Bowl teams—the Lions! the Bills! the Ravens! the 14-win Vikings!—ended in an awfully fa...