The Lead

The Buffalo Bills are sitting pretty atop the AFC East, and that's in large part thanks to the strong play of quarterback Josh Allen. But Allen faces a difficult test, and the ultimate measuring stick, when he and his teammates square off against Pat Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn joins us to discuss Allen's impressive start to the 2020 season,...

Sergino Dest made history two weekends ago when he became the first American soccer player to suit up for Barcelona. This came after the 19-year-old right back was signed for 25 million euros from Ajax, where he starred last season. The Athletic's Paul Tenorio interviewed some of Dest's former coaches and teammates, and he joins us to explain how the teenager has made such a rapid ascent, what exp...

Eric Bieniemy has been one of the masterminds behind the Kansas City Chiefs' potent attack for several seasons. The Athletic's Dan Pompei recently interviewed Bieniemy, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, and star QB Pat Mahomes (among others) to try and understand what makes the veteran offensive coach tick and why he's been so successful. Dan joins us to break down what those around Bieniemy say about...

The Indianapolis Colts have had some convincing wins and disappointing losses this season, but when they’ve been at their best, they have gotten some big contributions from tight end Mo Alie-Cox. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Zak Keefer to look at Alie-Cox’s astonishing rise from college basketball star to NFL tight end, and how his former coach, Shaka Smart, got him to believe in himself....

After the longest season in NBA history -- and perhaps the most difficult -- LeBron James and the Lakers hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy on Sunday night. The Athletic’s Bill Oram joins us to reflect on what this title means to 35-year-old LeBron and to a Lakers organization that did everything in its power to get him and his right hand man, Anthony Davis, after years of controversy and dysfunctio...

On Sunday, the Houston Texans finally picked up their first win of the season at the end of a chaotic week for the team, after they fired their head coach and general manager, Bill O’Brien. Today, we’re rebroadcasting an episode that originally aired back in May, with The Athletic’s Aaron Reiss joining us to look at how O’Brien ended up in such a rare position of power, and some of the controversi...

The Dodgers' long-time closer, Kenley Jansen, has been struggling lately, including a particularly rough outing against the Padres on Wednesday night. It's the latest in a long series of challenges the 33 year-old veteran has faced, including heart issues, an aging arm, and his entire family getting infected with the coronavirus. The Athletic's Pedro Moura joins us to break down what the beloved r...

Jimmy Butler has put together some phenomenal performances during this year’s NBA Playoffs, including a 40-point triple-double to give the Heat a win over LeBron James and the Lakers in Game 3. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s CJ Moore, who recently learned about how Butler honed his competitive edge during his college days at Marquette, and became a legend of sorts on campus, wearing everyth...

The Seattle Storm won their fourth WNBA championship on Tuesday night. And leading the way, once again, was 11-time all-star Sue Bird. The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings interviewed Bird earlier this season, and she joins us to discuss the timeless point guard’s remarkable resiliency, how she has guided the Storm to yet another championship, and why the superstar seems to keep getting better with age...

Quinton Byfield is expected to be selected with the second or third pick in Tuesday night's NHL draft. Scouts have been raving about the 18-year-old's incredible size and speed for years now, and he is expected to give a major boost to whichever team selects him. But, in addition to all the pressure of being considered a franchise player, the teen also faces the pressure of becoming the highest dr...

The season started off in promising fashion for the Las Vegas Raiders, who were 2-0 after a win over the Saints at their new stadium. Now, Jon Gruden’s team has lost two straight, and has been under scrutiny for some of their behavior off the field, including a fundraiser where a number of players were seen not wearing masks. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Tashan Reed to discuss the misstep...

Brenden and Colin Schooler were supposed to be playing college football together at the University of Arizona this fall. But then COVID-19 arrived and turned the world upside down. The Athletic's Max Olson has the story of how the Schooler brothers ended up as opponents rather than teammates, and as mercenaries rather than Wildcats -- and why they say it's all worth it. Read Max Olson's story abou...

Many people were shocked when Frank Vogel eventually became the Lakers' new head coach last year. They said he wasn't a splashy enough signing for the bright lights of Los Angeles, and he wasn't able to coach in the modern game. The Athletic's Anthony Slater joins us to explain how Vogel has proven many of his doubters wrong, why he is such a good fit for the star-studded team, and how he has quie...

The Atlanta Braves begin the playoffs on Wednesday as the number two seed in the National League, and their longtime first baseman Freddie Freeman has had a huge role in their success. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s David O’Brien to look at Freeman’s remarkable 2020 season, and how he put together an MVP-caliber campaign after a scary bout with Covid-19.  Follow David O’Brien’s coverag...

Brayden Point fired home the winning goal in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Monday night, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning hoist the trophy for the first time since 2004. It's the latest in a remarkable set of accomplishments for the talented center, who is now widely regarded as one of the very best players in the league. The Athletic's Joe Smith recently dove into the reticent Point's past,...

Many Seattle Seahawks fans have been frustrated for years over Russell Wilson not being allowed to throw the football as much as they would like. But now, thanks in part to a tweet that became a meme, which in turn became a movement, Russ is airing it out and he and the Seahawks are cooking. The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar joins us to tell the story of a frustrated fan who used social media to...

The Dallas Stars have made a somewhat unlikely run to the Stanley Cup Finals under interim head coach Rick Bowness, who took the helm in December after Jim Montgomery was fired for unprofessional conduct. It's the latest stop in a long and winding hockey career, which has turned Bowness into something of a legend in hockey circles. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro joins us to discuss Bowness's 37-year...

Heading into Thursday night’s Game 4, the Lakers have a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals, and Anthony Davis has played a huge role in L.A.’s postseason success. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Bill Oram to look at how Davis has risen to the challenge in his first postseason playing alongside LeBron James, and evoked Kobe Bryant with his dramatic game-winner on Sunday. Read Bill Oram...

Last month, Cincinnati Reds announcer Thom Brennaman used a gay slur on a live broadcast and followed it up with an apology that some regarded as awkward and insincere. Billy Bean, MLB's Ambassador for Inclusion (and a former Major Leaguer), joins us to discuss the Brennaman incident and its aftermath, his own coming out story, and why he believes baseball is becoming more tolerant. More on MLB's...

There’s been a lot of speculation about whether the NFL’s embrace of the Black Lives Matter movement would impact television viewership. After the first week of play, some media outlets jumped on preliminary reports to argue that fan support was waning because of the league's support for social justice causes. But it turns out, the truth is more complicated. The Athletic's Dan Kaplan joins us to b...

After a wild couple of games, the Chicago Bears are 2-0 with Mitch Trubisky at the helm. Many questioned whether or not the often erratic QB should still be the starter after the Bears acquired former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles in the offseason, but so far the team has managed to pull two vital wins with Trubisky as their play caller. The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain joins us to break down Trubisky's...

The LA Clippers' historic playoff curse continues, as the team lost to the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Tuesday night. The Athletic's Sam Amick was in the arena, sitting about twenty feet from the Clippers' bench, and he joins us to share his observations on what went wrong for the former title favorites. Sam also tells us about his post-game conversation with N...

The WNBA Playoffs are underway, and the two top-seeded teams — the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm — are both powered by superstar players, with A’ja Wilson dominating the paint for Las Vegas, and Breanna Stewart’s all-around game at the center of everything for Seattle. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings to look at the battle for league MVP, and some first-round pla...

James Rodriguez was once the toast of the soccer world. The Colombian won the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup, signed a massive deal with Real Madrid, and thrived for a year under manager Carlo Ancelotti. But, after the Italian coach was fired, James failed to see the field for much of the next five seasons. Now, he has been reunited with his old mentor at Everton, a club which is trying to buil...

The Lakers are headed to the Western Conference Finals — awaiting the winner of the Nuggets against the Clippers on Tuesday night — and recently, they’ve gotten a big lift from Rajon Rondo. The veteran point guard helped fuel the Lakers to a five-game victory over James Harden, Russell Westbrook and the Houston Rockets, and has arguably been L.A.’s third-best player lately behind LeBron...