The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

All the offseason narrative goes out the window the moment the actual games start, as the Rams learned the hard way on Thursday. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman break down the 49ers' 27-7 drubbing of the Rams on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Sponsored by @usbank.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Senior Producer: Katy Duffy
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 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.

The 2026 NFL season is just getting underway. We've got plenty of time for in-depth breakdowns and thoughtful analysis on the most intriguing matchups a Sunday has to offer. For Week 1, it's all vibes. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman officially kick off the season by discussing what they're most excited to watch in Week 1 on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Senior Producer: Katy Duffy
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 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.

Well, that's not exactly how the Seattle Seahawks drew up the start of their Super Bowl title defense. It's not exactly a portent of good things to come when your starting quarterback gets injured five plays into the season. But a great defense can do a whole lot for any team, and it did so for the Seahawks once again in the first game of the 2026 season, a 13-10 win over the New England Patriots. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman recap the game on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Senior Producer: Katy Duffy
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 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.

Labor Day is behind us. The summer is effectively over. Over these last few months, we parsed every move made in free agency, broke down the NFL Draft, and pushed through the May and June doldrums. As the weather heated up, Robert Mays went out on the road for a month, visiting 21 training camps. More recently, we previewed all 32 teams in the league. There's only one thing left to do: make some predictions. Robert, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman make award selections, predict the division winners and wild card teams, and make their Super Bowl picks on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Senior Producer: Katy Duffy
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 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 1 of the college football season is in the books, and we've already got 2027 NFL Draft prospects putting important moments on tape. Dave Helman and Dane Brugler jump into the earliest of early returns on this episode of The Athletic Football Show's Building the Beast.

Co-Hosts: Dane Brugler and Dave Helman
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Senior Producer: Katy Duffy
Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Join The Athletic Football Show Discord Server: http://discord.gg/theathleticfootballshow

Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social
Follow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_
Follow Dane on X: @DPBrulger

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.