The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

The AFC North features the reigning conference champions with an ascendant offense...and they aren't even the betting-line favorites to win the division. So will it be the Bengals? Or will it be the Ravens? Or will things go off-script in this division. ESPN's Mina Kimes joins Robert Mays on this episode of The Athletic Football Show to preview the AFC North.

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The final weekend of fantasy football draft season is upon us. Michael Beller and Brandon Funston highlight the players they're most likely to end up with, and why they've made them priority targets. It's a special edition of fantasy football 'My Guys' on The Athletic Football Show, presented by KFC.

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It may have been a strange training camp for the Buccaneers, but they still head into the season as the overwhelming favorites to win the NFC South. It's a bit of an odd year for the division, though, with major questions about the Saints and Panthers, and the Falcons likely to be among the worst teams in the league. Robert Mays and Mike Sando break down the division in our NFC South preview on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

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So the AFC West is going to be fun, huh? The most competitive division in the league? Quite possibly. Robert Mays and Nate Tice dig into all four teams, at least two of which have Super Bowl aspirations, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys also discuss the Eagles' acquisition of C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

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TAFS's division preview series moves over to the NFC East, where it appears to be a two-team race between the Eagles and Cowboys. ESPN's Bill Barnwell joins Robert Mays, breaking down how they feel about all four teams heading into Week 1, what would be considered a successful season for each team, players they're excited to watch, and more. Plus, the guys dig into Jimmy Garoppolo's restructured contract in San Francisco.

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We've reached the division preview portion of the preseason on The Athletic Football Show, which means that the start of the season is right around the corner. Robert Mays and Nate Tice kick things off with the NFC North. How will the Packers adjust in a post-Davante world? Could the Vikings have a top-seven offense in the league? Is the excitement about the Lions justified? What qualifies as a successful season for the Bears? The guys answer those questions, and a whole lot more.

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First-year head coaches are an unknown commodity to many, but not all, of us. Their former players certainly have insight on what they can and will look like in a leading role. Robert Mays sat down with three such players over the last few weeks to dig into what we might see from a trio of coaches making their debuts in the big job. He spoke with Blake Bortles about Broncos head coach Nate Hackett, Pierre Garcon about Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, and Pat DiMarco about Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

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When a team has a new playcaller, it doesn't matter if you're a Super Bowl favorite like the Bills or a team just looking to get by like the Bears, the intrigue is going to be there. Some new playercallers this season, like Josh McDaniels and Doug Pederson, are known commodities. Others, like, say, Ken Dorsey and Luke Getsy, are just beginning their playcalling careers. Robert Mays and Nate Tice run through them in detail on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

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The Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill trades landed a few superstars in wholly new situations this season. Not just the receivers themselves, but their former quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, as well. How are all four of those players going to adapt this season? And how will other superstars in new circumstances change their games in 2022? Robert Mays and PFF's Seth Galina dig into those questions on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

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Diante Lee joins Robert Mays to tackle the 10 most important questions facing defenses this season. What will the Ravens look like without Wink Martindale? Are the Packers ready to make the jump to the elite tier? Can the Bills be as good as they were last year? Do the Chargers have the right personnel to go full Brandon Staley? The guys get into all of that, and a whole lot more.

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It's time for Robert Mays and Nate Tice to put on their prediction caps. On this episode of The Athletic Football Show, the guys predict which offenses will finish in the top 10 by Football Outsiders DVOA. Obviously you're going to hear about teams like the Bills, Chiefs and Chargers. But who rounds out the top 10? And who gets left out? Oh, and guess what? We have a difference of opinion right at the top.

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How is Russell Wilson going to change Denver's offense? How does Matt Ryan change the equation for Frank Reich and the Colts. Robert Mays and Nate Tice break down all the quarterback movement on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Then, Robert checks in from Colts camp with Zak Keefer.

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Deshaun Watson will be suspended for 11 games and fined $5 million, after accusations by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct in massage appointments. Watson must also undergo evaluation by behavioral experts, followed by a treatment program. Jenny Vrentas of the New York Times joins Robert Mays to discuss the implications of the decision on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

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The Dolphins, Eagles and Jets are all built to win right now, and the Jaguars spent plenty of cash for the 2022 season. All that's left for those four teams is for their quarterbacks to take the next step. Where do Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawrence need to improve this season? ESPN's Dan Orlovsky joins Robert Mays to break it all down on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Then, Robert checks in from Bengals camp with Paul Dehner Jr.

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When you make training camp swing through about two-thirds of the league, eventually your notebook fills up. And when your notebook fills up, you have to empty it. That's exactly what Robert Mays does on this episode of The Athletic Football Show, sharing his conversations with The Athletic's beat writers for the Ravens (Jeff Zrebiec), Eagles (Bo Wulf), Commanders (Ben Standig) and Steelers (Mark Kaboly).

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We think about Deebo Samuel entirely different right now than we did a year ago at this time. He changed his narrative in a big way in 2021. Who can do that in 2022? Robert Mays and the NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe nominate a handful of candidates on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

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The Lions and Jets are among a handful of teams entering the second year of what feels like a total rebuild. How do those teams look entering the 2022 NFL season? Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network joins Robert Mays on this episode of The Athletic Football Show to assess. Then, Robert check in from Bills camp with Joe Buscaglia. Where can we expect some changes this year from the preseason betting-market favorite to be Super Bowl Champs?

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Everyone knows the Bills can win the Super Bowl. And the Rams. And the Buccaneers, too. But can the 49ers win the Super Bowl? Can the Broncos? What about the Saints? That's right, the Saints! Mike Sando joins Robert Mays to dig into which teams can win the Super Bowl on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Then, Mays checks in from Browns camp with Zac Jackson.

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It's one of the best storylines every NFL season. The breakout players who have monster years and set new expectations for themselves. From Trevor Lawrence and Elijah Moore to Patrick Surtain II and Ernest Jones, Robert Mays and Nate Tice find breakouts on both sides of the ball on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Plus, Robert checks in from Lions camp with our beat writer, Colton Pouncy.

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Every NFL season dawns with a number of questions, including the one at the heart of this episode of The Athletic Football Show...what the hell are you? The Ringer's Ben Solak joins Robert Mays to try to figure out the Patriots, Cardinals, Saints and a couple of other teams going through an identity crisis.

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Is Juju Smith-Schuster the perfect fit for the Chiefs' offense? Is current Terry McLaurin the 2017-18 version of Stefon Diggs? Is Amon-Ra St. Brown Bud Light Cooper Kupp? So says Matt Harmon of Yahoo Sports and Reception Perception. He joins Robert Mays to explain why, and a whole lot more at the receiver position on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Then Robert checks in from Broncos camp with The Athletic's Nick Kosmider.

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Lindsay Jones sits down with Robert Mays—at her house!—to highlight the players and coaches, plus one executive, they believe have the most to gain or lose this season. Jalen Hurts, Tyreek Hill, Kirk Cousins, Kyle Shanahan and plenty more make their lists.

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Charles Robinson joins Robert Mays to break down the punishment handed down to the Dolphins after the league found that the team had impermissible contact with the agent of Tom Brady and Sean Payton. Robert also checks in from 49ers camp with beat writer Matt Barrows.

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Deshaun Watson faces a six-game suspension to begin the 2022 NFL season for violating the league's personal conduct policy. The league has three days to appeal the recommendation made by judge Sue L. Robinson, the disciplinary officer appointed by the league and the players association. Jenny Vrentas from the New York Times joins Robert Mays to discuss her reporting on the story, what the recommendation means in the short and long term, and more on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

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Preseason storylines can get overblown this time of year. We're bringing in our own Super Bowl Champion Mitchell Schwartz to shed some light on the new training camp practice schedule, the Kyler Murray contract clause, young QBs missing throws, young WRs making plays and more "Does This Matter?" scenarios before Robert sits down with Cowboys beat writer for The Athletic, Jon Machota, at Cowboys camp in Oxnard, CA.

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From Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense, to Trey Lance in San Francisco, Bill Barnwell joins Robert Mays to bring their picks for the players & units around the NFL with the widest range of outcomes in 2022 before Robert visits with The Athletic's Chargers writer Daniel Popper from Chargers camp.

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What lingering questions from the 2021 NFL season still need to be discussed? Robert Mays, Nate Tice and Diante Lee talk about the Cowboys’ offense, the adoption of Brandon Staley’s defense across the league, the shift in the Eagles’ offense and much more. Then, The Athletic’s Rams’ reporter Jourdan Rodrigue joins Robert live from Irvine, CA for the first training camp check-in. They discuss the vibe surrounding the defending champs, the new faces on the field and the top questions heading into the season.

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Mike Sando's QB Tiers have officially arrived for 2022. Hear where execs and coaches around the league have ranked all of the NFL's signal callers. This year is filled with new faces making the top of the list, and familiar faces falling down. Is this a new era in the league when it comes to QB expectations? Mike Sando joins Robert Mays to discuss the biggest takeaways.

Read all of QB Tiers at theathletic.com/footballshow

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ESPN NFL reporter Dianna Russini joins Robert Mays on the heels of a historic long-awaited day for Kyler Murray. Hear Robert & Dianna's reactions to the deal & what it could mean for Lamar Jackson and other QBs + Trevor Lawrence, Brian Daboll & more big questions before officially heading into training camp 2022.

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Underdog Fantasy’s Josh Norris and Establish the Run’s Evan Silva are back with Robert Mays to get you ready for the 2022 fantasy football season. Which players should be at the top of your board? What are some tough decisions you may have to make in your draft? Who are some late-round running backs that could add value to your roster? They discuss all of that and much more.

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Robert Mays and Nate Tice return to the airwaves following the week of Luck by answering your Mailbag questions about how Luck would rank in today's NFL, whether Philip Rivers has a real HOF case, the football memories that sparked the love of the game, the NFL valuing the QB position, Chicago food recommendations and much more.

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Wait ... what?!? That was a common reaction to the stunning news that came down the night of August 24, 2019. Andrew Luck — just 29 years old, coming off his most efficient season ever — was walking way from football, broken down and battered, his love of the game gone. How? Why?

In Episode 6 of LUCK, host Zak Keefer examines in detail one of the most shocking retirements in NFL history: the lead-up, the clues, the scene, the reaction then and now. Voices include Jim Irsay, Chris Ballard, Jacoby Brissett, Robert Griffin III, David Shaw and more.

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“Am I ever gonna be great again?” That’s the question Andrew Luck asked his throwing coach, Tom House, at one point during his rehab. In episode 5 of LUCK, host Zak Keefer examines the most rewarding season — both personally and professionally — of Andrew Luck’s career. It’s an intimate look inside Luck’s return from shoulder hell and how he did it. Voices include House, Chris Ballard, Jacoby Brissett, Robert Griffin III and more.

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When did it start to go wrong? In Episode 4 of LUCK, host Zak Keefer dives into the darkest years of Andrew Luck’s NFL career. Somewhere, in between the broken ribs, the lacerated kidney, the torn abdomen muscle and the wrecked throwing shoulder, he lost his football innocence. A game that had once been so much fun was now a living hell. Was there a way out? And how bad did it get? As we hear, much worse than we all thought. Voices include Chuck Pagano, Bruce Arians, Bill Polian, Tony Dungy, Robert Mays, Peter King and more.

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In Episode 3 of LUCK, host Zak Keefer explores the early years of Andrew Luck’s NFL career — and what made him such a singular personality in NFL history. A quarterback who led seven fourth-quarter comebacks as a rookie? Who read books on Nelson Mandela in his free time? Who complimented defensive linemen after they’d driven him into the turf? Who tore up the Colts’ defense in practice so badly that Bruce Arians wore all black the next day to bust their chops because Luck had, as Arians put it, “killed them”? Voices include Arians, Chuck Pagano, D’Qwell Jackson, Robert Mays, Mike Sando and more.

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In Episode 2 of LUCK, host Zak Keefer explores the historic decision the Indianapolis Colts faced in the winter of 2012: whether to move on from the franchise’s greatest player, Peyton Manning, for the chance to draft another generational talent at quarterback — Stanford’s Andrew Luck.

Keefer details the Colts’ internal struggles — including Manning’s covert plan to force his way back onto the field, and Jim Irsay’s guilt over having to release an all-time great. Voices in the episode include Irsay, Bill Polian, Chuck Pagano, Bruce Arians, Daniel Jeremiah, Peter King, Bob Kravitz and more.

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Welcome to LUCK, the new podcast series on Andrew Luck, one of the great what-ifs in NFL history. The series explores a fundamental question: How did one of the greatest quarterback prospects of all-time end up walking away from the game before he turned 30 years old?

In Episode 1, host Zak Keefer — a longtime Colts beat writer who covered Luck’s pro career — traces Luck’s path from his unique upbringing in Europe to Heisman contender at Stanford. Voices in the episode include Stanford coach David Shaw, former Stanford QB Tavita Pritchard, Heisman winner Robert Griffin III, Tony Dungy and more.

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What have we learned from the boom in the wide receiver market this offseason? The Ringer’s Steven Ruiz joins Robert Mays and Nate Tice to discuss the record-setting contracts this offseason, how it compares to cap percentages in the past and what it all says about the positional value. 

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Robert Mays and Nate Tice react to the Panthers trade for Baker Mayfield. They discuss the terms of the deal with the Browns, Carolina’s QB room and the big picture questions the team still faces. They also talk about the 2018 draft, the QB trade market and what all of this means for Jimmy Garoppolo.

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Ollie Connolly returns to The Athletic Football Show as Robert Mays opens the weekly Mailbag with questions regarding the best football books, what it would take to trade for Tom Brady, "get a bucket" guys around the league, Vic Fangio defenses and more.

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Diante Lee is back with Robert Mays and Nate Tice to talk about the lessons we learned from the NFL’s best offenses in 2021. They dive into dig routes, QB’s who punish the blitz, schemes to get the ball out quickly and much more. Plus, stay tuned for the trailer of the new narrative podcast series, ‘Luck.’

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Mike Sando and former GM Randy Mueller fill in for Robert Mays by discussing all of the top NFL headlines. They begin by talking about Terry McLaurin’s contract extension and what the deal means for a guy like DK Metcalf. Then, they examine the Seahawks quarterback situation and if they should make a trade for Baker Mayfield. Finally, they discuss the latest with Deshaun Watson’s disciplinary hearing.

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Lindsay Jones joins Robert Mays to answer this week’s mailbag questions. They begin by discussing Deshaun Watson’s disciplinary hearing and how the process is conducted with the NFL and NFLPA. They also talk about the positional coaches they believe hold the most value, where the Broncos’ receiving corps ranks and the 2007 draft class. Then, The Athletic’s Zak Keefer stops by to preview his upcoming narrative podcast series ‘Luck’ chronicling the career of Andrew Luck.

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Robert Mays and Nate Tice share the top 10 moves they want to see before the start of the NFL season. Should the Eagles trade for a running back? Could the Chargers bolster the line with Riley Reiff? Will the Chiefs sign an edge rusher? They discuss all of that plus other veteran signings, trades and much more. 

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It's time for the annual Hall of Very Good induction ceremony as Robert Mays, Lindsay Jones and Nate Tice bring their top picks for players not quite good enough for Canton + Lindsay and Robert update you on the latest with Dan Snyder's situation in Washington and the congressional hearing that took place on Wednesday, as well as the latest info on Deshaun Watson's situation and possible suspension.

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Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap joins The Athletic Football Show for this week's Mailbag as he and Robert Mays dig into the current state of the NFL's salary cap, how teams like the Rams and Saints have navigated it with success, why more QBs don't take team-friendly deals like Tom Brady, how practice squad players count toward the overall cap and more from your emails and voicemails.

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The Athletic’s Diante Lee joins Robert Mays and Nate Tice to discuss the lessons and trends we learned from the NFL’s best defenses in 2021. They talk about everything from stopping the run, to rushing four, the ideal nickel body type and much more.

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What comes next for Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson? As the two remain at a crossroads with their franchises, Robert Mays and Nate Tice discuss the quarterbacks' offensive outlook for 2022. They examine the highs and lows, what can improve this season, the contract talks and much more. 

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The Athletic's football film guru Ted Nguyen is this week's special guest, answering your emails and voicemails with Robert Mays. What groups around the NFL deserve Legion of Boom-esque nicknames? How important is scheme to WR success? How has the Browns defensive scheme been changing? What's on the horizon for Josh McDaniels in Oakland? All that and more with Ted on a new Athletic Football Show

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What team has improved their roster the most this spring? Which offseason plan is still difficult to figure out? What units on contending teams need the most work heading into camp? Robert Mays and Nate Tice answer these questions and more in this offseason roster reset episode. 

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