The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

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 players in the 2026 NFL Draft. Dave Helman, Dane Brugler, and Derrik Klassen call their shot on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Dave Helman Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dane Brugler Execu...

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 words, it's a good year to need some help in the trenches. So who better than Brandon Thorn from Trench Warfare to dig into the offensive line class with Robert Mays and Dane Brugler? No one, we say. That'...

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 Brugler and Dave Helman dig deep into the position on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Dave Helman Co-Host: Dane Brugler Executive Producer: Michael Beller Senior Producer: Katy Duffy S...

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 Carolina Panthers, a team that won its division at 8-9. They're followed by the Dallas Cowboys, a team that didn't make the playoffs but holds what would have been the Packers pick thanks to the Micah...

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? That's just a smattering of the questions Robert Mays, Dave Helman and Derrik answer on this mailbag episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman Exe...

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 Football Show, we're correcting those wrong narratives and incorrect evaluations. Bruce Feldman joins Dave Helman and Robert Mays to set you on the right course. Host: Robert Mays Co-Host: Dave Helman Executi...

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 draft class on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dane Brugler Executive Producer: Michael Beller Senior Producer: Katy Duffy Social Producer: Sco...

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 discussing our favorite hidden gems in this year's draft, of course. That's exactly what Dane Brugler, Dave Helman and friend of the show Bryan Broaddus from 105.3 The Fan in Dallas do on this episode of Th...

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 Buccaneers, Lions and Vikings. Oh, and also the Jets. Lance Zierlein from NFL Media joins Robert Mays to make draft selections for those teams on this episode of The Athletic Football Show's On the Clock. H...

We've got ourselves another loaded mailbag episode of The Athletic Football Show. Among the questions answered by Robert Mays, Dave Helman and Derrik Klassen: Which potentially great teams from previous seasons have been forgotten due to nothing more than bad luck? How do coaches break through after spending six-plus years with one team? Can we really define team identity? And more! Host: Robert M...

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 Brugler's top-30 players, and 17 of his top 100, are wide receivers. As always. this position delivers the goods. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman do the same diving deep into the position on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host...

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 limited experience who will probably be the second player at the position off the board, and a whole lot of shoulder shrugging after that. So with that in mind, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen ask and answer three questions about the 2026 QB class: What i...

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 LOT of defensive backs. Dave Helman and Dane Brugler dive into a loaded group of corners and safeties on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Connect with The Athletic Football Show YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@TAFootballShow Podcasts: htt...

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 or Titans or Giants? Well then, this episode's guest, Jordan Reid from ESPN, is going to have quite the decision to make. He'll do that, and make five more, as well, with Robert Mays on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays Wit...

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 enjoyment level? Or, how can a team like the Cardinals stop being the Cardinals? Or, if you could Bill and Ted someone from the NFL's past and bring them to the present day, who would it be? Those are just three of the questions Robert Mays, Derrik Kla...

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 the top of the first round. We've got short-armed edge rushers and offensive tackles. We've got a potential QB2 who made 15 starts in college. How do we make sense of all these outlier cases? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman attempt to do...

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 draft, however, matters more to certain teams, GMs, coaches and players. So who has the most at stake in the 2026 NFL Draft? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dig deep into that question on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Host: Robert Mays...

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 imaginable about 1955 Bel Air Chevrolets and ignition timing? OK, so Dave Helman is Joe Pesci and Dane Brugler is Marisa Tomei on this episode, and all remaining episodes this draft season, of The Athletic Football Show's Building the Beast. The topi...

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 cover six or seven picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, considering a trio of potential decisions for each of the teams in question. By time we get to the end of it, we'll have built an entire first round mock and had some interesting discussions along the way...

The TAFS Mailbag rolls along this offseason. This post-free agency episode brings questions about the Tennessee Titans draft strategy, the best coaching staffs in the NFL and...spiders vs rats? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dive in on the latest episode of The Athletic Football Show. Connect with The Athletic Football Show YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@TAFootballShow Podcasts: https://podfol...

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 and Dave Helman help bring him up to speed on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Connect with The Athletic Football Show YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@TAFootballShow Podcasts: https://podfollow.com/the-athletic-football-show/view X:&nbsp...

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 majority of the player movement for the 2026 offseason has happened. So what questions still remain now that all 32 teams have spent most of their money? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen raise some big ones on this episode of The Athletic Football Show....

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 need help in the secondary, surely they're going to use at least one of their first-round picks on a corner. Ope, guess not (and so long, say so long to one of those first-round picks, too). Activity in free agency always changes what we think about the...

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 he bring to the offense? How much more dynamic is this group with Waddle in the fold? And what's next in Miami? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen break it down on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Connect with The Athletic Football Show YT:&nb...

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. So how much better—or worse, as the case may be—is each team now that free agency is mostly behind us? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman answer that question for the 16 NFC teams on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Connect with T...