The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

The New England Patriots stopped the Buffalo Bills' streak of AFC East titles at six last year, then ran right through the AFC side of the playoff bracket to reach Super Bowl LX where they fell to the Seattle Seahawks. It's once again expected to be the Bills and Patriots at the top of the division, and if that sounds familiar it's only because they've won every AFC East crown dating back to 2009. What must the Bills do to finally break through to the Super Bowl in the Josh Allen era? Was the A.J. Brown addition enough for the Patriots to follow up on last year's surprise campaign? Can the offensive line and Geno Smith live up to their end of the billing, allowing the Jets to be a surprisingly fun offense? And just how should the Dolphins measure success this season? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman answer those questions, and a whole lot more, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The NFC South remains the little brother of the league, coming into the season as the only division without an obvious Super Bowl contender. The Buccaneers have held sway over this division for most of the 2020s, but it was the Panthers last year who broke through and won the division, albeit with an 8-9 record. How do the Buccaneers get back to the top of the division this season? What must the Saints do to rollover the optimism they built up over the second half of last season into this year? How do the Panthers prove that last year wasn't a fluke? And is this the season that the Falcons can finally put it all together on offense, given their wealth of skill position talent? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman answer those questions, and a whole lot more, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And with that, Robert Mays' 2026 training camp tour has reached its end. The final two stops on the tour were Green Bay and Chicago, where he spoke with Packers writer Matt Schneidman and Bears writer Kevin Fishbain. And just to wrap things up nicely, he checked in with Broncos writer Nick Kosmider and Chiefs writer Jesse Newell.

Host: Robert Mays

With: Matt Schneidman, Kevin Fishbain, Nick Kosmider, Jesse Newell

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your tickets for the Sept 1st live show in Chicago! https://lh-st.com/shows/09-01-2026-the-athletic-football-show-with-robert-mays/

We flip over to the NFC for the first time in this season's division preview series, with the NFC East taking center stage. The division runs through Philadelphia until further notice, but the Eagles are far from an overwhelming favorite to win their third straight NFC East crown. How will the Eagles weather the losses of A.J. Brown and Jeff Stoutland? Is the unbounded optimism surrounding the Cowboys justified? Can the Commanders put a forgettable 2025 behind them and get back to being a team that has the promise inherent to one with a superstar quarterback on a rookie deal? Will this finally be the season the Giants break free from the doldrums and get back on a winning trajectory? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman answer those questions, and a whole lot more, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your tickets to the Sept 1 live show in Chicago! https://lh-st.com/shows/09-01-2026-the-athletic-football-show-with-robert-mays/

The AFC North is up next in our division preview series. Last year, this division featured two of the most disappointing teams in the league in the Ravens and Bengals, yet those two teams are expected to be right back at the top of the division, and potentially the entire conference, if they can once again find their respective fastballs. What will Jesse Minter and Declan Doyle bring to the Ravens in year one? Is this the year the Bengals defense finally lives up to its end of the bargain? Can the Steelers find a way out of Wild Card weekend purgatory? Will the Browns young core give their fans enough to be excited about in a season that appears likely to be defined by dreadful quarterback play? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman answer those questions, and a whole lot more, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your tickets for the Sept 1st live show in Chicago! https://lh-st.com/shows/09-01-2026-the-athletic-football-show-with-robert-mays/

We kick off our annual round of division previews with the AFC West. This division sent two teams to the playoffs last year, yet neither of those teams is favored to win the division. That's what happens when Patrick Mahomes calls the division home. How do the Chiefs bounce back this year? Can Mike McDaniel be the offensive coordinator to get the absolute most out of Justin Herbert? Are the Broncos truly the Super Bowl contender they appeared to be last season? And how should the Raiders define success in 2026? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman answer those questions, and a whole lot more, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your tickets to the live show! https://lh-st.com/shows/09-01-2026-the-athletic-football-show-with-robert-mays/

C.J. Stroud went down to the crossroads, fell down on his knees. Bryce Young went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride. Justin Herbert will see you at the crossroads, so you won't be lonely. Yup, that's right, it's time for QBs at a crossroads. In addition to Stroud, Young and Herbert, Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman discuss the pivotal seasons facing Jalen Hurts, Michael Penix and Malik Willis on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your tickets for our September 1st live show: https://lh-st.com/shows/09-01-2026-the-athletic-football-show-with-robert-mays/

Let's face it: you can only learn so much about the season ahead from preseason football. So, we've turned to an alternate method of learning...Ryan Paganetti. Ryan chats with Robert Mays about the most interesting trends, rule changes, and what they tell us about what we could see in the 2026 NFL season.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A full week in the Midwest? Robert Mays must be coming to the end of his training camp tour. This week saw Robert visit Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit and Minneapolis, which means conversations with Bengals writer Paul Dehner Jr., Colts writer James Boyd, Lions writer Colton Pouncy and Vikings writer Alec Lewis on this episode of The Athletic Football Show

Host: Robert Mays

With: Paul Dehner Jr., James Boyd, Colton Pouncy, Alec Lewis

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your tickets for our LIVE show at Lincoln Hall: https://lh-st.com/shows/09-01-2026-the-athletic-football-show-with-robert-mays/

King Arthur's Table. Table Mountain. Mesa Verde. Teufelstisch. These are just four famous tables known the world over. Could the TAFS Contender's Table join their ranks? Likely not, but that won't stop us from asking the question. And it certainly won't stop us from bringing back our favorite bit from 2025 with improvements for the 2026 season. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman introduce the initial batch of legitimate Super Bowl contenders on this episode of The Athletic Football show by giving 10 teams a Seat at the Table.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Senior Producer: Katy Duffy

Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_

Theme song: Haunted

Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs

Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.