General Sports
How long can an NFL team sustain an elite defense?
The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL›
May 4, 202648:46
Listen now
Listen in the appEpisode Notes
It's May, dear TAFS listener, and you know what that means: The real NFL offseason is here. We kick it off by opening up the mailbag, and you all delivered once again. Robert Mays and Dave Helman answer questions on the durability of elite defenses, hypothetical teams built entirely of one draft class, possible trades involving non-star players that could move the needle for 2026, and a whole lot more.
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 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.
Next listen
Our surprisingly intrusive NFL thoughts
Today1:00:42
Listen guide
How do I listen to this episode of The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL?
"How long can an NFL team sustain an elite defense?" is an episode of The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL. Runtime 48 min. Published May 4, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
Step by step
- Open Spot Sports. Get the free Spot Sports app for background play, lock-screen controls, and offline downloads.
- Or stream right here. Tap play on the episode card above. No app needed.
- Browse the full podcast. Jump to the The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL page for the rest of the catalog.
- Or subscribe in any podcast app. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL ships on a standard RSS feed, so Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, and Pocket Casts all work too.
Quick FAQ
- When was this episode published?
- May 4, 2026.
- How long is this episode?
- 48 min.
- What podcast is this from?
- The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL. Browse the full back catalog on the show page.
- What does this episode cover?
- The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL covers general sports. This episode runs on the show's regular cadence.
