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The Athletic

The Athletic’s flagship NFL podcast covers the league like only The Athletic can. Host Robert Mays and co-host Derrik Klassen dive into the biggest stories, break down the Xs and Os, tackle the ins and outs of roster building, follow the details of why we all love this sport, and have plenty of fun along the way, bringing the expertise necessary to cover the NFL at the highest level. Whether it’s happening on the field or behind the scenes, you’ll get an in-depth look at all things NFL on The Athletic Football Show, available wherever you get your podcasts.

The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

The quarterback position is the most important in all of sports, and it comes with the trappings that such a designation commands. Including, of course, money. All 32 teams in the NFL revolve around their quarterback in a way that is unique among professional sports. It's not just about how good of a quarterback he is. The amount and length of his contract is just as important. The way teams handle that can often help determine who is playing in the Super Bowl at the end of the season. And, like so many things in the league, that approach is ever-evolving. Brad Spielberger of Grand Central Sports Management joins Robert Mays to break down the evolution of quarterback contracts on this episode of The Money Down, a four-part miniseries on the business of the NFL presented by The Athletic Football Show.
Host: Robert Mays
With: Brad Spielberger
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Chris Flannery
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
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Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
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Follow Brad on X: @SpielbergerBrad
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
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The evolution of quarterback contracts

Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes and ran for three more scores on Sunday...and the Bills lost. On the other side of that game, the Rams vaulted themselves right back into the NFC West race. We're staring down a wild final month of the regular season, and it all got started in Week 14. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen recap the week on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.
Rundown

Rams win thriller over Bills

Seahawks remain atop NFC West

Patrick Mahomes late-game mastery...You Have My Attention!

Sam Darnold...You Have My Attention!

The Buccaneers...You Have My Attention (grudgingly)

Panthers take another brutal loss

How worried should we be about the Eagles passing game?

The Giants' comical red zone numbers

The race for the top pick in the 2025 draft is on

Aaron Rodgers' first 300-yard performance in 35 games results in another Jets loss

The Dolphins sneaky retooling on offense

Firing Matt Eberflus didn't fix the Bears

Another Russell Wilson TD pass over the middle of the field

The Jaguars and Titans bring TNF to Sunday

What Did We Learn in Week 14?

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Host: Derrik Klassen
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Michael Beller
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
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Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @robertmays
Follow Derrik on X: @QBKlass
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Week 14 recap: Bills-Rams Game of the Year sends us into the final month of the season

The 2025 coaching carousel has been spinning since the Jets surprisingly fired Robert Saleh in October. Since then, the Bears and Saints have officially hopped on board, and we know at least three or four more are going to join them. Who else might be looking for a coach after the season? What should we expect from Bill Belichick, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn? Who might be the surprise candidates that emerge in January? Conor Orr from Sports Illustrated joins Robert Mays to break down the upcoming coaching cycle on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.
Then, The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue and Alec Lewis discuss with Robert a recent success on the coaching carousel: Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell.
Rundown

Head coach openings

Potential surprise openings

Good job or bad job?

Bill Belichick

Ben Johnson

Aaron Glenn

Brian Flores

Mike Vrabel

Liam Coen

Todd Monken

Joe Brady

Off-the-beaten path candidates

First-time coordinator candidates

The rise of Kevin O'Connell

Host: Robert Mays
With: Conor Orr, Jourdan Rodrigue and Alec Lewis
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Michael Beller
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
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Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Conor on Bluesky: @conororr.bsky.social
Follow Jourdan on Bluesky: @jourdanrodrigue.bsky.social
Follow Alec on Bluesky: @aleclewis.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @robertmays
Follow Derrik on X: @QBKlass
Follow Conor on X: @ConorOrr
Follow Jourdan on X: @JourdanRodrigue
Follow Alec on X: @alec_lewis
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's take a ride on the 2025 coaching carousel with Conor Orr + the rise of Kevin O'Connell with Jourdan Rodrigue and Alec Lewis

In another world, the Week 14 Monday night game between the Bengals and Cowboys could've been a Super Bowl preview. In our world, it was just another game between a couple of teams that won't make the playoffs. Where did this season go so wrong for the Bengals, Cowboys and three other teams—the 49ers, Jets and Dolphins—most of the football world believed could be contenders? And can they turn things around in short order? First, Robert Mays is joined by The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. to discuss the Bengals, then Derrik Klassen hops on to tackle the other four teams on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.
Rundown

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

San Francisco 49ers

New York Jets

Miami Dolphins

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Host: Derrik Klassen
With: Paul Dehner Jr.
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Michael Beller
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
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YouTube
Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Paul on Bluesky: @pauldehnerjr.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @robertmays
Follow Derrik on X: @QBKlass
Follow Paul on X: @pauldehnerjr
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can this season's failed, would-be contenders bounce right back in 2025?

Super Bowl LIX is eight weeks from Sunday. Would any of us be surprised if we're talking about the Bills and Lions in New Orleans? Of course not! And that's just one thing that makes their Week 15 matchup so much fun. Bills-Lions highlights a loaded week in which we also get Steelers-Eagles, Packers-Seahawks, Broncos-Colts (the biggest game on the slate in terms of the makeup of the playoff field), Buccaneers-Chargers and Dolphins-Texans. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen preview the week ahead on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.
Rundown

Bills-Lions preview

Colts-Broncos is a huge game

Steelers-Eagles is a litmus test for both offenses

What to watch in Packers-Seahawks

Buccaneers offense vs. Chargers defense

What do the Texans look like coming out of their bye?

Chiefs-Browns...is this the game the Chiefs drop?

Sam Darnold's future in Minnesota

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Host: Derrik Klassen
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Michael Beller
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
Apple
Spotify
YouTube
Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @robertmays
Follow Derrik on X: @QBKlass
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Week 15 preview: Bills-Lions, a potential Super Bowl preview, highlights a loaded week

Hungry for more inside scoop on the NFL? We've got a great show in our network to share with you: Scoop City.
Twice a week, The Athletic's senior NFL insider Dianna Russini and longtime quarterback NFL Chase Daniel share what they're hearing and seeing from their own unique perspectives.
And their latest episode is just a taste of all you get from them in your feed. You'll hear them dishing with The Athletic's Bruce Feldman about what people inside the NFL and college football are saying about Bill Belichick taking the head coaching job at UNC.
Check it out and let us know what you think!
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What are NFL and college insiders saying about Belichick's new job? (Check out The Athletic's Scoop City!)

If the Week 15 game between the Bills and Lions proves to be a Super Bowl LIX preview, then we're all one for one helluva rematch in New Orleans in a couple months. In the meantime, the Bills scored one of the biggest wins of the season in taking down the Lions on the road. That's where Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen begin the Week 15 recap episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also discuss the Texans defense, Jalen Hurts acing the litmus test, the Buccaneers offense, the Chiefs woeful pass protection, the Bengals-Titans slopfest, and a whole lot more.
Rundown

Bills-Lions recap

Texans defense...You Have My Attention!

Jalen Hurts...You Have My Attention!

Buccaneers offense...You Have My Attention!

Bengals-Titans...WTF?!?

Chiefs pass protection...WTF?!?

Washington Commanders...WTF?!?

Indianapolis Colts...WTF?!?

Lamar Jackson making sure that Josh Allen doesn't run away with the MVP

The Seahawks offense cannot function without Geno Smith

Who's going to win the NFC West, Week 15 edition

Brian Thomas is really good

Davante Adams isn't done yet

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Host: Derrik Klassen
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Michael Beller
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
Apple
Spotify
YouTube
Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @robertmays
Follow Derrik on X: @QBKlass
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Week 15 recap: Bills win a possible Super Bowl preview, and the Lions lose more than just the game

From the heroics of Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Amon-Ra St. Brown, to the breakouts from Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, and the letdowns from Bears and Texans passing games, the 2024 season gave us plenty to talk about at the wide receiver position. That's exactly what Robert Mays and Matt Harmon of Yahoo do on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.
Host: Robert Mays
With: Matt Harmon
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Michael Beller
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
Apple
Spotify
YouTube
Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Matt on Bluesky: @mattharmon.bksy.social
Follow Robert on X: @robertmays
Follow Derrik on X: @QBKlass
Follow Matt on X: @MattHarmon_BYB
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wide receivers wrapped, 2024, with Matt Harmon

Bill Belichick, head coach at the University of North Carolina. It's going to take some getting used to. Robert Mays starts that process from two different angles on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. First, he's joined by Seth Wickersham of ESPN to discuss why a move to the college game would be attractive to Belichick at this stage of his career. Then, David Ubben, host of The Athletic's Until Saturday podcast, jumps on with Robert to dig into the Belichick/UNC pairing from the college football perspective.
Host: Robert Mays
With: Seth Wickersham and David Ubben
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Michael Beller
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
Apple
Spotify
YouTube
Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Seth on Bluesky: @sethwickersham.bsky.social
Follow David on Bluesky: @davidubben.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @robertmays
Follow Derrik on X: @QBKlass
Follow Seth on X: @SethWickersham
Follow David on X: @davidubben
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Belichick goes back to school

Broncos-Chargers on Thursday. Steelers-Ravens and Texans-Chiefs on Saturday. Eagles-Commanders on Sunday. The playoff push is on, seeming every single day of the week. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen preview the jam-packed Week 16 slate on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.
Rundown

Chargers-Broncos recap

Steelers-Ravens preview

Texans-Chiefs preview

Eagles run defense vs. Jayden Daniels and the Washington offense

Can Minnesota's offense keep it rolling in Seattle?

What do we make of the staffs in Indianapolis and Tennessee?

Big offseason ahead for Tua Tagovailoa and Brock Purdy

Micah Parsons vs. the Buccaneers offensive line

It's Michael Penix Time

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Host: Derrik Klassen
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Producer: Michael Beller
Subscribe to The Athletic Football Show...
Apple
Spotify
YouTube
Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @robertmays
Follow Derrik on X: @QBKlass
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Week 14 recap: Bills-Rams Game of the Year sends us into the final month of the season

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