The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Host: Derrik Klassen

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

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 Derrik on X: @QBKlass

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.

Week 5 preview: Two surprisingly fun matchups take center stage Oct 03, 2025

Show notes

We've turned the calendar to October and reached the bye-week portion of the schedule, which means that while it's still relatively early in the season, the "it's early" caveats are starting to fall by the wayside. So when we get Games of the Week like Seahawks-Buccaneers and Chargers-Commanders, it isn't a function of the schedule. It's because these are legitimately great matchups we can't wait to watch on Sunday. That's where Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman kick off the Week 5 preview episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also touch on Patriots-Bills, Chiefs-Jaguars and Texans-Ravens, take a walk on Sicko Street with Giants-Saints and Vikings-Browns, and go Under the Hood on the struggling Panthers offense.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

3:52 Game of the Week: Buccaneers-Seahawks

25:00 Game of the Week: Commanders-Chargers

38:30 One Thing From...Bills-Patriots

47:17 One Thing From...Jaguars-Chiefs

1:00:10 One Thing From...Texans-Ravens

1:04:22 Sicko Street: The Saints are favored against the Giants

1:08:00 Sicko Street: The Browns and Vikings fronts against Carson Wentz and Dillon Gabriel

1:10:48 Under the Hood: Panthers offense

1:23:25 Wins Pool Update

1:26:22 What Do You Wanna Know? Dave: I wanna know what we’re saying about the Eagles on Monday

1:28:19 What Do You Wanna Know? Robert: I wanna know what we’re saying about the Broncos on Monday

1:31:05 What Do You Wanna Know? Derrik: Is Klayton Adams the most important coach in the NFL?

Connect with The Athletic Football Show

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Host: Derrik Klassen

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

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 Derrik on X: @QBKlass

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.

Early returns on five new offenses across the NFL Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

When a team goes out and brings in a new playcaller during the offseason, be it the head coach or offensive coordinator, they're telling us one thing: We need new ideas on offense. One-quarter of the league did that this offseason, and five of those teams have stood out for one reason or another over the first month of the season...the Patriots, Bears, Jaguars, Seahawks and Cowboys. What are the early returns on the new ideas for those five teams? Robert Mays and Ollie Connolly from The Read Optional dive deep into the quintet on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

4:48 Dillon Gabriel takes the reins in Cleveland

8:18 New England Patriots

22:05 Chicago Bears

40:58 Jacksonville Jaguars

53:21 Seattle Seahawks

1:10:40 Dallas Cowboys

Connect with The Athletic Football Show

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Robert Mays

With: Ollie Connolly

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Ollie on Bluesky: @ollieconnolly.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @robertmays

Follow Ollie on X: @OllieConnolly

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.

Dante Moore's NFL Draft stock up, Drew Allar's down after Oregon-Penn State tilt Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

College football's loaded weekend delivered with Oregon, Alabama and Mississippi picking up huge wins. Those games, not to mention the rest of the slate, reverberated across the NFL Draft world, as well. Dane Brugler and Dave Helman break it all down on this episode of The Athletic Football Show's Building the Beast. The guys also dive into Dane's All-Rookie Team through the first month of the NFL season.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

4:52 Game Ball: Dante Moore

12:25 Drew Allar takes a tumble

21:41 Game Ball: Ty Simpson

30:11 Game Ball: Notre Dame RBs

35:22 Top-50 Stock Watch: Fernando Mendoza

39:45 Top-50 Stock Watch: Garrett Nussmeier

44:10 Top-50 Stock Watch: Makai Lemon

47:51 While you were busy...

54:57 Dane's first month NFL All-Rookie Team

1:20:48 Week 6 CFB lookahead

Connect with The Athletic Football Show

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Dave Helman

Co-Host: Dane Brugler

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Dave on X: @davehelman_

Follow Dane on X: @dpbrugler

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.

Week 4 Hangover: The Texans get their first win, the Lions survive the Browns defense, and the Bills stay undefeated Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

If ever there were a game that felt like a hangover, it was the Texans 26-0 win over the Titans in Week 4. That's where Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen kick off this episode of The Athletic Football Show. After that, the guys dive into another impressive performance by the Browns defense, albeit in a 34-10 loss to the Lions, and the Bills 31-19 win over the Saints. Robert and Derrik wrap up the episode by discussing all the injuries affecting the Ravens, and taking a couple of your sad voicemails.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

4:45 Titans-Texans recap

18:25 Browns-Lions recap

33:53 Saints-Bills recap

45:51 Injuries piling up for the Ravens

50:40 Monday Mourning with the Colts and Vikings

Connect with The Athletic Football Show

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Host: Derrik Klassen

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

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 Derrik on X: @QBKlass

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.

Week 4 recap: Huge wins for Chiefs and Rams + Packers-Cowboys craziness highlight a loaded Sunday Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Allow us to take you behind the curtain. This was, by far, the hardest recap show for us to program thus far this season. That's how much happened in Week 4. From the Chiefs dismantling of the Ravens, to the Eagles taking down the Buccaneers, to huge wins for the Rams, Steelers and Jaguars, we had no shortage of topics to get into the show. Robert Mays, Dave Helman and Derrik Klassen do what they can to get their arms around a jam-packed Week 4 Sunday on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

2:50 Packers-Cowboys recap

13:12 Ravens-Chiefs recap

32:42 Colts-Rams recap

41:31 Eagles-Buccaneers recap

55:02 Pittsburgh Steelers...You Have My Attention

1:03:55 Jacksonville Jaguars...You Have My Attention

1:16:51 Chargers lose to the previously winless Giants...WTF?!?

1:25:41 Panthers punt coverage...WTF?!? (But also, Drake Maye and the Patriots looked good)

1:29:53 The Raiders really lost that game to the Bears...WTF?!?

1:37:03 How Can You Not Be Romantic About Football...featuring Tyler Allgeier, Drake Maye and DK Metcalf

1:42:03 What Did We Learn in Week 4?

Connect with The Athletic Football Show

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Host: Derrik Klassen

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

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 Derrik on X: @QBKlass

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.

Week 4 preview: Eagles-Buccaneers, Colts-Rams, and a Game of the Week that wasn't Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

If you looked at Week 4 before the season, you likely would've assumed that Ravens-Chiefs would be the Game of the Week, with Eagles-Buccaneeers at the top of the undercard. Instead, Eagles-Bucs has jumped up to top billing, the Colts and Rams find themselves in the Game of the Week, and the Ravens and Chiefs are both starting down 1-3 records. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman dive into all three of those games to kick off the Week 4 preview episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also get into the heavyweight matchup between the Browns defense and Lions offense, Jaxson Dart's debut start against a tough Chargers defense, the surprising Jaguars defense getting its biggest test against the 49ers, and a whole lot more.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

1:56 Colts-Rams preview

20:55 Eagles-Buccaneers preview

36:42 Ravens-Chiefs Bizarro Game of the Week

48:16 One Thing From...Browns-Lions

57:05 One Thing From...Jaguars-49ers

1:04:02 One Thing From...Chargers-Giants

1:10:19 Sicko Street: Waking up early for Vikings-Steelers

1:14:45 Sicko Street: You should watch Panthers-Patriots!

1:17:06 Micah Parsons and the shattering of the Wick Scale

1:20:39 What Do You Wanna Know? Dave: Who’s gonna be the first team eliminated from playoff contention, the Titans or Texans?

1:22:49 What Do You Wanna Know? Robert: Who’s gonna be the 10th team at the Table?

1:24:50 What Do You Wanna Know? Derrik: Can the Falcons offense function against a gettable defense?

Connect with The Athletic Football Show

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Robert Mays

Co-Host: Derrik Klassen

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

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 Derrik on X: @QBKlass

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.

Why are these four offenses stuck in the mud? Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

The Texans are 32nd in offensive success rate. The Broncos are 31st. The Raiders are 30th. The Falcons are 20th, but they just got shut out by the Panthers, fired their WRs coach, and moved their OC down to the field from the booth. Why can't these four offenses, all of which have good-to-great personnel on paper, get anything going? Robert Mays and Ted Nguyen dive deep on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

7:32 Texans

25:51 Broncos

38:51 Raiders

55:24 Falcons

Connect with The Athletic Football Show

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Robert Mays

With: Ted Nguyen

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social

Follow Ted on Bluesky: @tednguyen.bsky.social

Follow Robert on X: @robertmays

Follow Ted on X: @FB_FilmAnalysis

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.

Building the Beast: Loaded Week 5 slate—hello, Oregon-Penn State and Alabama-Georgia—will move draft boards Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

This is the sort of week that makes college football fanatics and NFL Draft nuts the Predator meme. Saturday is absolutely loaded with games that are monumental on the college football landscape filled with players who will be playing on Sundays next year. From Oregon at Penn State and Alabama at Georgia, to LSU at Mississippi and Notre Dame at Arkansas, to Ohio State at Washington and USC at Illinois, we're going to see a lot of future NFL players determining the outcomes of hugely impactful college football games. Dane Brugler and Dave Helman break it all down on this episode of The Athletic Football Show's Building the Beast.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

6:01 Game Ball: Miami EDGE Ruben Bain

12:38 Game Ball: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

26:45 Game Ball: Utah OTs Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu

34:15 Game Ball: Oklahoma EDGE R Mason Thomas (yes, R without a period is part of his name)

43:23 Oregon-Penn State

57:26 Alabama-Georgia

1:08:22 The rest of the Week 5 Lookahead

Connect with The Athletic Football Show

Call us: 847-448-0701

Host: Dave Helman

Co-Host: Dane Brugler

Executive Producer: Michael Beller

Producer: Michael Beller

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social

Follow Dave on X: @davehelman_

Follow Dane on X: @dpbrugler

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.

Week 3 Hangover: Chiefs win ugly, Vikings and Commanders cruise, Nick Bosa out for the season Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

The Chiefs are on the board, while the Vikings and Commanders both got easy wins with their backup quarterbacks at the helm. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen recap Chiefs-Giants, Bengals-Vikings and Raiders-Commanders on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also consider what Nick Bosa's season-ending ACL injury means for the 49ers and take sad voicemails from you, our dear listeners and viewers.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

4:20 Nick Bosa out for the season with torn ACL

7:12 Chiefs-Giants recap

28:47 Bengals-Vikings recap

44:14 Raiders-Commanders recap

56:49 Monday Mourning with the Cowboys, Broncos and Bengals

Connect with The Athletic Football Show