Joe Fortenbaugh returns for the annual NFL Season betting preview. He & Kevin break down their favorite NFL futures, MVP bets, and Super Bowl long shots. Joe explains why he's fading Jacksonville and New England, buying Washington, and sticking with the Chargers.

Kevin gives his take on Matthew Stafford's MVP case, the Vikings as a sleeper contender, and why Jeremiah Smith might be the best non-quarterback bet to go No. 1 overall in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Plus: ESPN stories, sports betting narratives, and Michigan's difficult road ahead in 2026.

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Mina Kimes joins the podcast for an annual NFL exercise: identifying which teams can realistically win the Super Bowl. Kevin & Mina go division by division, separating contenders from pretenders and debating everything from the Bengals’ ceiling, the Ravens’ offseason changes, and the Jaguars’ upside to whether the Steelers have any realistic path to a championship. Plus, are the Broncos the team to beat in the AFC West? Can the Chargers take the next step? Is the NFC North the toughest division in football to evaluate? And how many teams truly belong in the Super Bowl conversation?

Then NFL Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher joins the show to discuss the Bears’ outlook under Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson, the future of Soldier Field, and what it takes to build an elite NFL defense.

He tells stories from his playing days, memories of Devin Hester, facing Aaron Rodgers, the one play from Super Bowl XLI he wishes he could have back, and his pick for the toughest teammate he ever played with.

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Sean McDermott joins Kevin Clark for a wide-ranging conversation about football, leadership, quarterback development, and what's next after his successful run with the Buffalo Bills.

McDermott discusses how he's spending his first true offseason in years, lessons learned from coaching Josh Allen, the evolution of NFL offenses and defenses, and the coaching minds he's studying during his time away from the sidelines. He also reflects on his years with Andy Reid, shares stories about Cam Newton, Brian Dawkins, Luke Kuechly, and Drew Brees.

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Kevin Clark reacts to two blockbuster NFL trades, breaking down Myles Garrett's move to the Rams and AJ Brown's trade to the Patriots. Kevin asks if Myles Garrett could be the greatest player ever traded in NFL history? Kevin evaluates both deals, grades each side, and explains what they mean for the league moving forward.

Then, Packers safety Xavier McKinney joins the show to discuss his offseason living in Green Bay, the Packers-Bears rivalry, lessons learned from Nick Saban, the toughest receivers he's faced in the NFL, and much more.

0:00 Welcome To This Is Football!

0:40 Myles Garrett Traded to the Rams
5:50 AJ Brown Traded to the Patriots

9:00 Xavier McKinney joins the show
9:25 Why Does Xavier live in Green Bay during the offseason?
11:25 Reaction to Myles Garrett being traded to the Rams
12:45 Biggest need for the Packers in 2026
14:25 What are the Dolphins getting in Jeff Hafley?
15:45 Favorite Interception of Xavier's career
17:05 Playing with Micah Parsons
18:10 Getting to know Xavier McKinney
19:50 Rivalry with the Bears
21:30 Playing for Nick Saban
24:40 Xavier McKinney joins the show

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Kevin Clark and Patrick Daugherty rank the NFL’s best and worst GMs, including Howie Roseman, John Schneider, Chris Ballard, and the Jets’ “AI-first” approach, and explain why modern NFL front offices are smarter (and harder to evaluate) than ever before.

Plus: Super Bowl Radio Row horror stories, the Belichick/49ers roster-building paradox, why the Eagles keep proving everyone wrong, and which executives are under the most pressure heading into 2026.

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Mario Cristobal joins This Is Football for a deep dive into building NFL talent at Miami, navigating the NIL & transfer portal era, and why physical football is taking over college football again.

In this episode:

• How Miami rebuilt its NFL pipeline
• Developing first-round draft picks
• Coaching players in the NIL/portal era
• Why “hoarding talent” is over
• The changing balance of power in college football
• Thoughts on playoff expansion
• Mario’s philosophy on toughness, development, and competition

Cristobal also breaks down Miami’s recent NFL Draft stars, discusses the evolution of line-of-scrimmage football, and shares stories about Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh, and assesses the future of the sport.

Featuring:

• Miami Hurricanes football
• NFL Draft discussion
• College football playoff talk
• NIL & transfer portal insight

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Kevin Clark is joined by Jordan Reid to break down the insanity of “way-too-early” draft discourse, debate the next wave of quarterbacks, and review some of the biggest instant-impact rookies from the 2026 class.

From Caleb Downs landing in Dallas to Sonny Styles in Washington, plus deep dives on underrated prospect, this one covers everything draft junkies love.

Topics covered:

• 2027 NFL Mock Draft reactions
• Arch Manning, CJ Carr, Dante Moore & QB projections
• Why “generational draft” talk gets exhausting
• Caleb Downs fit with the Cowboys
• Sonny Styles’ upside in Washington
• Texans building around their defense
• KC Concepcion to Cleveland
• Dolphins culture rebuild with Jacob Rodriguez

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Kevin Clark goes (alphabetically) through the teams that he believes won the 2026 NFL Draft. Hear why the Bengals have built a roster capable of contending in the AFC. Similarly, why the Cowboys have vaulted themselves into contention in the NFC with the additions they've made defensively. Plus: Why both New York teams should be thrilled with their hauls and how the Buccaneers followed the Eagles' playbook in adding to their roster.

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Kevin Clark recaps a wild first round of the NFL Draft. Hear why he's high on what the Giants were able to do on Thursday coming away with Arvell Reese & Francis Mauigoa. Also why Dallas' draft puts them in a position to compete for a Super Bowl in 2026. 

Plus, why Sonny Styles fell into a great situation with the Commanders and why he could become the best player in the draft. Kevin explains why he loves Jeremiyah Love as a prospect but doesn't love the fit in Arizona. That and more winners & losers from round 1 of the NFL Draft.

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Kevin is joined by Mina Kimes & Domonique Foxworth for a live mock draft, picks 22-32.

For picks 1-10, head over to The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny. For picks 11-21, check out the Domonique Foxworth Show!

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On the eve of the NFL Draft Kevin Clark interviews 4 prospects who figure to have bright futures in the NFL. Indiana WR Elijah Sarratt gives us his scouting report, detailing his journey from St. Francis to James Madison to winning a national championship at Indiana. Plus, his thoughts on what makes Curt Cignetti great and what he expects from Fernando Mendoza at the NFL level.

 Texas A&M OL Trey Zuhn takes us through his preparation as he heads to the NFL. Hear why Rueben Bain & Akeem Mesidor were his toughest assignments at the college level. Plus, what he's doing to improve and his scouting report on Cashius Howell.

 Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers joins the show fresh off his record setting performance at the NFL combine. Eli explains his transition from QB to TE and offers insight into playing with Diego Pavia. Plus, the Tight Ends he looks to for inspiration.

 Missouri LB Josiah Trotter tells us what he gleaned about being a professional from his father Jeremiah. Josiah explains what he'll bring to the NFL team that drafts him. Plus, why Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion was the best player he faced in college.

A reminder to check out Kevin's live show April 22nd in Pittsburgh with Mina Kimes & Domonique Foxworth at Enclave in South Side. Tickets are just $35 and come with free food, show merch and a post show meet and greet for everyone. Get your tickets at Thisisfootballlive.com now, and we hope to see you there! 

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