First impressions of the 2025 rookie class

It's time for an annual bit on The Athletic Football Show. And what better way to stage a bit on an NFL podcast than against the backdrop of the Super Bowl. As much upheaval as there is in the NFL every year, we all know that there's an inner circle of Super Bowl contenders to start the season. They are the teams with A Seat at the Table. The composition of the table will change as the season goes on, and we'll be there for every twist and turn. But for now, as the beginning of the season draws near, these are the 10 teams with A Seat at the Table.Host: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show⁠Apple⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠YouTube⁠Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Dave on X: @davehelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Aug 1h 29min

Last year at this time, no one was expecting much from the Commanders offense or the Broncos defense. By the end of the season, they were among the units that defined 2024. Which units can pull off the same feat and come from out of nowhere to carry their teams this season. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen point to eight candidates—four offenses and four defenses—on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Rundown (timestamps are approximate)4:52 Cowboys offense13:33 Titans offense24:43 Raiders offense34:31 Panthers offense46:35 49ers defense52:52 Cardinals defense1:04:50 Colts defense1:11:20 Patriots defenseHost: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show⁠Apple⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠YouTube⁠Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Dave on X: @davehelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 Aug 1h 13min

The NFL expanded to 14 total playoff teams, seven per conference, in 2020. In each of the five seasons since expansion, at least one division sent three teams to the playoffs. It was two last season, with the AFC West and NFC North pulling off the trick. So we can say with relative certainty that at least one division will have three playoff teams this season. Which division is going to keep the streak alive? Dave Helman and Derrik Klassen rank them from least to most likely on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...⁠Apple⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠YouTube⁠Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Dave on X: @davehelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Aug 1h 2min

Look, you visit with eight teams in one week, you gotta have two Beat Writer Notebooks. In this edition, Robert talks with Joe Person, Zac Jackson and Nicki Jhabvala, The Athletic's Panthers, Browns and Commanders beat writers, respectively. How legitimate is the optimism for the Panthers offense? How do the Browns even measure success this season? What can the Commanders do to follow up on last season's unexpected breakthrough? Learn the answers to those questions, and a whole lot more, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Rundown (timestamps are approximate)4:01 Robert and Joe Person from Panthers camp27:21 Robert and Zac Jackson from Browns camp48:08 Robert and Nicki Jhabvala from Commanders campHost: Robert MaysWith: Joe Person, Zac Jackson, Nicki JhabvalaExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...⁠Apple⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠YouTube⁠Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Joe on Bluesky: @josephperson.bsky.socialFollow Nicki on Bluesky: @nickijhabvala.bksy.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Joe on X: @josephpersonFollow Zac on X: @AkronJacksonFollow Nicki on X: @NickiJhabvalaTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Aug 1h 9min

Robert Mays is coming off his busiest week of training camp yet, having spent the previous seven days with eight different teams (gotta love joint practices). In this edition of the Beat Writer Notebook, Robert talks with Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic's Bills beat writer, and Mike DeFabo, The Athletic's Steelers beat writer. How do the Bills finally get over the hump? Can Aaron Rodgers find enough of the fountain of youth to push the Steelers to another level? Learn the answers to those questions, and a whole lot more, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Plus, Robert and Derrik Klassen cover the injuries to Rashawn Slater and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.Rundown (timestamps are approximate)3:10 Rashawn Slater and C.J. Gardner-Johnson injuries17:25 Robert and Joe Buscaglia at Bills camp45:36 Robert and Mike DeFabo at Steelers campHost: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenWith: Joe Buscaglia, Mike DeFaboExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...⁠Apple⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠YouTube⁠Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Joe on Bluesky: @joebuscaglia.bsky.socialFollow Mike on Bluesky: @mikedefabo.bksy.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Joe on X: @JoeBuscagliaFollow Mike on X: @MikeDeFaboTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Aug 1h 5min

Teams have been at training camp for a couple weeks now, so you know what that means. We've got plenty of storylines floating around out there. Some of them matter. Many of them don't. Dave Helman and Derrik Klassen wade through them and separate what actually has meaning from what doesn't on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Rundown (timestamps are approximate)6:09 Matthew Stafford's back injury13:27 Ben Johnson's aggressive approach to training camp24:07 The Saints QB battle32:20 Depth chart silliness52:57 Rookie WRs turning heads1:01:45 Aireontae Ersery pushing for a starting job in HoustonHosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...⁠Apple⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠YouTube⁠Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Dave on X: @davehelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Aug 1h 2min

There is a subset of quarterbacks for whom the 2025 season is an inflection point. For some of them, it's about their future in the league. For others, it's due to the massive changes around them. For still others, it's about their legacy. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen discuss eight quarterbacks at a crossroads this season on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Rundown (timestamps are approximate)5:11 Kyler Murray21:22 Jared Goff34:26 Trevor Lawrence46:47 C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love55:56 Brock Purdy1:03:05 Patrick MahomesHost: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show⁠Apple⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠YouTube⁠Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Dave on X: @davehelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Aug 1h 7min

Some takes are meticulously crafted, with each ingredient perfectly balanced to create a rational, thought-out, deeply held belief. Others are slapped together, thrown in the oven for, you know, whatever length of time feels right, and dropped down on the table to consume at your own risk. These are the latter. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman offer up their half-baked takes for the 2025 season on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Rundown7:00 Micah Parsons isn't getting traded and Jerry Jones isn't serious about winning football games (this is a fully baked take)10:43 The Niners will win 12+ games17:02 The Vikings will finish last in the NFC North24:45 This is the year the Steelers crash out35:42 The NFC will have massive playoff turnover this season41:50 This is the season the Packers go nuclear48:14 Abolish the draft so players like Myles Garrett don't get stuck on teams like the Browns forever55:57 The NFL needs a leaguewide standardized bye week1:05:40 Bo Nix was just kinda getting away with it last year, and that's not gonna happen this year1:15:56 Zac Robinson is this year's Liam CoenHost: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerProducer: Michael BellerSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show⁠Apple⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠YouTube⁠Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @robertmaysFollow Derrik on X: @QBKlassFollow Dave on X: @davehelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Aug 1h 18min