The NFL has a comparatively short season by the standards of elite sport, yet the conversation around the league never wanes.
From the draft to an electric free agency and frequent high-profile trades, there is never a shortage of NFL debate even between the Super Bowl and the beginning of preseason.
Fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to the best NFL podcasts. There are plenty that will focus on NFL betting tips. Some will dive into the play-calls and deeper strategy. Others will take a light-hearted look at the game.
Of course, there is a subsection of NFL fandom which sees the game through an analytical prism, which provides a different angle from the more traditionalist talking heads.
Here are our five must-listen NFL podcasts for the current season.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
This isn’t strictly an NFL podcast – Bill Simmons covers everything from pop culture to the World Series.
But it’s no secret that Simmons primarily focuses on the NFL and NBA, and with hours of podcasts released each week, there’s more than enough NFL discussion.
Simmons has a range of guests on throughout the season, including ‘Cousin Sal’ and Ben Solak.
Sal and Simmons have a regular feature trying to guess the upcoming NFL odds, and there’s a hefty betting slant to the podcast in general with Simmons often offering up his favourite bets of the week.
Fans can also find wider discussion of the league throughout the year, and occasional emergency podcasts reacting to major events.
The Mina Kimes Show Featuring Lenny
Mina Kimes is one of the stars of NFL media, appearing on everything from live broadcasts to hot-take panel shows.
The Mina Kimes Show Featuring Lenny is led by Kimes with various high-profile guests and occasional offerings from her dog, Lenny.
Kimes combines insight with humour, and posts multiple episodes per week throughout the season.
The Athletic Football Show
The Athletic has been a controversial venture, but there’s no question it has changed the nature of sports media.
Many of the best NFL writers work for the company, and The Athletic Football Show is a chance to hear their views alongside host Robert Mays.
During the season, The Athletic Football Show can meet all your podcasting desires with more than one episode released per day.
The Ringer NFL Show
Nora Princiotti and Steven Ruiz are joined by Ben Solak for a quick discussion of Sunday’s games to get the ball rolling, but that is just the start for The Ringer NFL Show during the season.
Tuesday brings Power Rankings, and Wednesday has a guest with a ‘spicy take’. The week rounds out with preview shows on Thursday and Friday.
In total, there are six Ringer NFL Show episodes each week.
PFF NFL Podcast
As bettors try to make their NFL predictions, the PFF NFL Podcast is a vital tool. Their opinions and analysis will allow you to see the game from a new approach.
Steve Palazzolo and Sam Monson dive into PFF’s unmatched data to uncover unheralded stars and raise questions about the consensus opinion on certain players and teams.
PFF, of course, also has incredible insight come draft time – just a couple of podcasts can catch up NFL fans who have neglected college football through autumn and winter.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*