Claim OwnershipThis is Football with Kevin Clark
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"This Is Football" is a digital show and podcast that runs multiple times per week through the NFL season. It's where you'll find fun and insightful interviews with some of the top NFL players, pundits and coaches with stories and nuggets you won't find anywhere else.
321 Episodes
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Matt Ryan joins Kevin Clark to discuss his recent move to the front office of the team that he spent his playing days with. Matt explains why now was the time to make the jump to the front office with the Atlanta Falcons, and the role that Arthur Blank played in it. Matt pinpoints rosters that he'll aim to emulate in building the Falcons. Plus, his thoughts on quarterback development in the NFL.
WWE Superstar CM Punk joins Kevin Clark to discuss his love for the Bears and why he hates the idea of the team moving out of Chicago. Punk places the blame on ownership for not being able to secure a stadium in Chicago. Plus, the most bada** wrestler he's ever been around and his thoughts on his upcoming match at Wrestlemania with Roman Reigns.
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Kirk Herbstreit joins Kevin Clark to discuss how presumptive #1 pick in the NFL Draft Fernando Mendoza compares to previous QBs who have gone first overall in recent years. Kirk explains why sometimes it's prudent for players to stay in school and get more experience at the college level before entering the NFL Draft. Plus, why Patrick Mahomes' pro success was a bit of a surprise for Kirk after watching him in college at Texas Tech.
Then WWE Superstar Seth Rollins joins to discuss how he's made the move into football analysis. Hear what he thinks the Bears need to do next season to reach the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Plus, Seth also shares the match that got him into professional wrestling.
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In the final football reaction show until September, Kevin Clark breaks down the Seahawks’ shocking Super Bowl win, what it says about team-building in today’s NFL, and why this title felt like a throwback to the early 2000s.
From John Schneider’s masterclass roster reset and the Russell Wilson trade fallout, to Mike Macdonald’s defensive clinic and Sam Darnold’s improbable redemption arc, this episode dives deep into how Seattle pulled off one of the most unexpected Super Bowl runs in recent history.
Kevin also explains why the end of football season is uniquely depressing, why the Seahawks are not a dynasty (sorry), what went wrong for the Patriots and Drake Maye, and why this result should frustrate every AFC contender. Plus: thoughts on the Bad Bunny halftime show and what 25 NFL teams should be learning from this championship.
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Kevin Clark is joined by 3 Hall Of Famers on his final day at radio row.
Deion Sanders details his solution for selecting members of the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.
Tony Gonzalez details how being a two sport athlete helped him during his career.
Emmitt Smith delivers an impassioned rant on why Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow shouldn't be considered elite.
Nakobe Dean shares an amazing story about the level of dedication Kirby Smart expects from his players.
And finally, Bo Jackson opens up about why he won't let his grandson play football.
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A plethora of guests join Kevin Clark Thursday from Radio Row in San Francisco.
Ryan Fitzpatrick helps explain what goes into a QB being able to succeed.
Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo delivers an incredible rant on why the pro football hall of fame voting process is broken.
Sauce Gardner explains the difference between the Jets & Colts organizations.
Kirk Cousins & Kevin exchange notes on their favorite things to do in Orlando
Bijan Robinson delivers a message to new Falcons president Matt Ryan
Amon-Ra St. Brown picks the toughest DB he's had to go against
Tetairoa McMillan details what surprised him during his rookie season
Aidan Hutchinson explains why his diet is a huge part of what helps make him great
DJ Moore shares his favorite play from this season with the Bears, plus the one rep he wants back
Finally, Stephen A. Smith explains why he's not a fan of the Super Bowl being in San Francisco
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Kevin Clark hits radio row with a wide range of conversations with various football figures. Chris Long explains what it's actually like for players during Super Bowl week.
Joe Flacco shares why he thinks quarterbacks get too much protection.
Tony Dungy tells an incredible Peyton Manning Story.
Taylor Lewan & Will Compton give insight into what makes Mike Vrabel such a great head coach.
Cooper DeJean explains what the Eagles do to help young players grow.
And finally, Terrell Davis shares his favorite RB to watch and the one play he'd like back from his career.
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Danny McBride & Keegan-Michael Key join Kevin Clark in advance of the premiere of their Super Bowl commercial with State Farm. Danny details how his football fandom has evolved while Keegan lays out what the Lions need to do in the offseason to get back to where they've been the past few years.
Plus, why he takes some credit along with Peyton Manning for the Lions turning things around. Danny & Keegan give the case for their favorite sports movies and Keegan unveils his controversial take on why Field Of Dreams shouldn't be considered a sports movie.
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Kevin Clark is joined by Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic for a wide-ranging Super Bowl week conversation. The two dive into the evolution of NFL coaching trees, from Shanahan and McVay to the rise of Mike McDonald, and why the league may be running out of coaches. They break down Seattle’s defensive transformation, the Kubiak offensive lineage, and why certain “outlier” coaches simply can’t be replicated.
Jourdan also explains why two-running-back systems are officially back, how defenses are catching up to modern offenses, and what this hiring cycle reveals about how owners are thinking. Plus: early contenders for the 2026 Super Bowl, Chargers optimism (with caveats), Broncos belief, Panthers intrigue, and why chasing trends keeps getting teams in trouble.
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Domonique Foxworth joins Kevin Clark to dig into whether defense is actually “back” in the NFL, what this postseason really tells us about roster construction, and why great defenses never actually went anywhere.
Foxworth breaks down what makes the Seahawks defense so hard to play against, explains how teams actually evaluate head coaching candidates, and weighs in on the Mike McCarthy-to-Steelers discourse that NFL Twitter can’t stop arguing about.
The conversation also hits:
The hidden challenges of hiring offensive-minded head coaches
How players experience losses differently than fans
Steelers stability, Ravens structure, and modern coaching myths
Live Show Tickets: FoxworthLivePod.com | Strand Theater, San Francisco | February 5th 6 PT | Featuring Domonique Foxworth, Kevin Clark, Mina Kimes, Marcus Spears & Charlie Kravitz | Proceeds benefit Special Olympics
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Super Bowl LX is set: Patriots vs. Seahawks, and Kevin Clark dives in on how we got here.
Kevin breaks down:
What it was really like inside the stadium for the Malcolm Butler pick
Why the Seahawks’ rapid turnaround is a warning to teams considering coaching changes
Mike Macdonald, John Schneider, and the anatomy of a modern NFL rebuild
Jaxson Smith-Njigba’s dominance and why defenses still can’t stop him
Drake Maye’s postseason run and why the Patriots are being underestimated
Why this NFL season is one of the strangest in recent memory
Early thoughts on the Super Bowl matchup and why recency bias matters
Plus: thoughts on the coaching carousel, the Mike McCarthy hire, and why patience still matters in the NFL.
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Albert Breer joins Kevin Clark to break down one of the most fascinating weeks in football. They start with the Bills’ awkward ownership press conference and what it signals for Buffalo’s future, Josh Allen, and the coaching search. From there, the conversation expands to the broken college football calendar, NFL owners speaking publicly, and why restraint is often the smartest move.
Breer also explains how Mike Vrabel reshaped the Patriots so quickly, why New England’s roster overhaul actually makes sense, and what separates clear organizational vision from dysfunction. Plus: Jared Stidham’s unlikely playoff moment, why the Seahawks may be the most talented team remaining, how the Rams have redefined their identity, and what’s being overlooked heading into this weekend’s games.
To close, Breer looks ahead to the offseason and explains why quarterback movement could be more unpredictable than usual, even without obvious trade candidates.
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Kevin Clark is joined by a pair of former All-Pros to help set the table for Sunday's championship games. First, former Broncos CB Chris Harris Jr. joins to discuss the similarities between the current Broncos team and the Super Bowl Champion Broncos from a decade ago. Chris shares his thoughts on how the game has changed and why dominant defenses are suddenly having a resurgence. Plus, his impressions of Seattle's defense and what he thinks Sam Darnold needs to do to get to the Super Bowl.
Then former MVP Shaun Alexander joins to discuss how the Seahawks have been able to return to greatness. Hear what Shaun thinks of the current Seattle secondary and how it compares to the legion of boom. Plus the running backs he enjoys watching the most & incredible stories from his playing days.
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Conference Championship Weekend is set, and Kevin Clark breaks down one of the wildest playoff slates we’ve seen in years.
From Caleb Williams’ video-game miracle throw to Sean McVay’s questionable game management, Kevin reacts to Bears-Rams, the state of modern playoff football, and why defense is officially back in the NFL. He dives deep into the decision not to go for two, what Chicago should feel coming out of the loss, and why this game may define how Caleb Williams is viewed going forward.
Plus:• Why Super Bowl odds for the Broncos don’t make sense• Sean McVay coaching “not to lose”• The Texans’ collapse, and why CJ Stroud’s performance may have permanently changed Houston’s franchise outlook• Why the era of paying every quarterback immediately might be over
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Division Round Night One is in the books, and Kevin Clark is reacting to everything that went wrong, especially for Buffalo.
Kevin breaks down the Bills’ devastating playoff loss to the Broncos, the controversial late call that ended the game, and why this might be the most painful loss of the Josh Allen era. Kevin explains why this loss feels different, and why a full organizational audit may finally be unavoidable.
Plus:
What Buffalo must fix this offseason (and why standing pat isn’t an option)
Seahawks-49ers wasn’t complicated and why Seattle looks terrifying
Initial reactions to the latest NFL coaching hires, John Harbaugh to the Giants and Kevin Stefanski to Atlanta
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Courtney Cronin joins Kevin Clark to break down the Bears’ stunning playoff win over the Packers. They dive into Ben Johnson’s immediate impact, Caleb Williams’ development, and whether the Bears are truly changing as a franchise.
From there, Kevin and Courtney zoom out to the rest of the NFL playoffs, which teams are actually built to make a Super Bowl run, coaching edges that matter, and why some contenders are more fragile than they look.
They wrap with a preview of the national title game between Miami and Indiana. Hear how the alums of both schools are feeling about their team headed into Monday night.
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Kevin Clark gives his immediate reaction to the news that Mike Tomlin is out in Pittsburgh after 19 years. What might be next for Tomlin and why even some teams that have head coaches should be in the market for him.
Then Kevin is joined by Titans First Team All-Pro Jeffery Simmons to discuss what the Titans have to look forward to following a rough season. Jeff shares what he saw from Cam Ward in year one, and why he believes there's reason for optimism for him in year 2.
Jeff gives insight into what makes the remaining playoff teams uniquely tough. Jeff shares what he saw from the Rams early in the season, reluctantly gives praise to the division rival Texans defense, and why 49ers LT Trent Williams is so tough to go against.
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Wild Card Weekend Day 2 delivered fantastic drama and Kevin Clark breaks it all down. Through just four games, this postseason has already featured more fourth-quarter lead changes than any playoff run in NFL history, and it’s exposing something bigger: real parity is back. The era of one or two juggernauts cruising through January is over.
In this episode:
Why the NFL’s elite quarterbacks no longer guarantee dominance
The uncomfortable conversation around Justin Herbert and why he gets treated differently
How the NFC West turned into the old SEC West, and why fading the 49ers might be a mistake
Kyle Shanahan’s best coaching job yet amid a brutal injury season
The Eagles’ troubling vibes, A.J. Brown disappearing acts, and why Big Dom might be the most important man on the sideline
Josh Allen reminding everyone he’s the best player on the planet
What the Jaguars got wrong, and why “young team, they’ll be back” is a dangerous lie
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Wild Card Weekend Day 1 is in the books, and Kevin Clark breaks down a stunning slate of playoff football. The Bears flip decades of trauma on the Packers in one of the most shocking collapses in recent rivalry history. From clock management failures to emotional play-calling, what does this loss mean for Matt LaFleur’s future in Green Bay, and where could he land next?
Plus:
Why Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson just changed the Bears–Packers dynamic for good
How a few missed kicks may have altered the next decade of NFL franchises
The Rams survive the Panthers — but did we just see their ceiling?
What Matthew Stafford’s finger injury means for the rest of the NFC
Bryce Young’s future, Carolina’s brutal loss, and why “moral victories” don’t exist
Kevin’s NFC contender tiers heading into the rest of the playoffs
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Kevin Clark is joined by Ron Rivera to discuss his role as Cal's general manager and the chaos that the transfer portal brings this time of year. Ron highlights the coaches in the NFL that he loves to watch and relives some of the battles with Sean Payton. Plus, why Ron thinks Cam Newton deserves more respect for what he accomplished during his career.
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5-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning joins This Is Football to give his assessment of the Quarterbacks in this year's playoffs. Peyton details what he's seen from the Texans & Browns while scouting for Monday's Manningcast on ESPN2, the lessons he can learn from Sam Darnold's journey, what he's seen from Bo Nix that's impressed him, what the key is to a good marriage between a coach and QB, who he thinks should be MVP of the 2026 season, and how close Jim Harbaugh came to getting him to join the 49ers when he hit free agency.
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Late to the party. Superb takes. in my top 3 Pods. A new mist.