The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL

The FTN Football Almanac is as close as we have to religious text in the NFL analytics world. The 2026 version is set to drop shortly, so Robert Mays welcomed the founder of the Almanac, FTN's director of analytics Aaron Schatz, to this episode of The Athletic Football Show to highlight the most surprising nuggets from this year's edition.

0:00 Welcome to the show
2:01 Texans Super Bowl threat
12:30 2026 Super Bowl was almost impossible
18:50 Gap between Bears offense and defense
25:38 Patriots ease of schedule
32:10 Bengals, Cowboys playoff chances
38:34 Rams 13 personnel
41:36 Best/worst overside coverage corners
46:20 Jets defensive improvement
49:35 Steelers offense oddity
54:03 Jordan Love with vs without pressure

Host: Robert Mays
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Senior Producer: Katy Duffy
Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

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.

Nine questions answered, six more to go. On this edition of our Lingering Questions series, Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman dig into the following: The Lions are the betting favorite to win the NFC North...should they be? Can the Colts' second-half woes be explained away by Daniel Jones' injuries? Do the Chiefs really still deserve the benefit of the doubt?

0:00 Welcome to the show
2:01 Lions release Terrion Arnold
3:55 Are the Lions deserving of the optimism they're getting?
26:46 Can the Colts' woes be blamed on Daniel Jones' injury?
44:05 Do the Chiefs deserve the benefit of the doubt?

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.

For the first time in three years, Canton Court is back in session. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman each picked two players and made Hall of Fame cases on their behalves. Who, if any, of them made it in? Find out on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

0:00 Welcome to the show
3:00 Reggie Wayne
12:07 Steve Smith Sr
24:26 Darren Woodson
34:29 Eric Berry
42:55 Marshal Yanda
51:33 Fred Taylor
1:01:19 Russell Wilson

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.

You read that right, TAFS listener, we’re talking special teams on today’s episode. Also, running back age vs wear and tear, what we would do as NFL Commissioner for a day, our favorite teams with losing records, the “Kyle Orton” tier of quarterbacks, and much more. Dave Helman and Derrik Klassen dive into the mailbag again on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

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

Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.social
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.

In the immortal words of John C. McGinley, “What would you say you do here?” We judge general managers and executives on free agency signings, contract negotiations, and draft classes…but what are they actually doing behind the scenes? Former Philadelphia Eagles executive Jake Rosenberg sits down with Robert Mays to discuss what a GM candidate should look like, the role of analytics in front offices, and what some NFL organizations are doing wrong with their executive structures.

0:00 Welcome to the show
1:46 Jake Rosenberg joins
4:30 What GM candidates should look like
8:48 Role of ownership
13:41 What does a GM do?
18:32 Ideal NFL team structure
24:19 GM/owner involvement in game plans
26:11 Where should you find new GMs/execs?
30:13 How to figure out a candidate’s experience
34:50 What do you ask candidates?
40:50 Most important hires for a GM
46:50 Process of hiring coaches
50:54 Analytics vs scouting background

Host: Robert Mays
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Senior Producer: Katy Duffy
Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

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.