The “Necessary Roughness Podcast” airs weekly on lastwordradio.podbean.com, and other LastWordRadio outlets.
|| Current Season (2025-26)|| 2024-25|| 2023-24|| 2022-23 ||
|| 2021-22 || 2020-21 || 2019-2020 || 2018-19 || 2017-18 ||
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 134): Super Bowl LVI Recap! Plus, Nik’s Take on Matthew Stafford’s Hall of Fame Candidacy
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic breaks down Super Bowl LVI and reflects on the season as a whole. He also rants about Richard Sherman’s take on Matt Stafford, touches on the Kyler Murray “drama” in Arizona, and can’t help but touch on Eli Apple’s role in the Bengals loss. Enjoy the show and join us on March 19th for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 133): Super Bowl LVI Preview! Plus, Nik Rants About the NFL’s 2022 Hall of Fame Class
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into Super Bowl LVI. He also dives into the potential trade market for Jimmy Garoppolo, gives his thoughts on the Kyler Murray “drama,” and wonders if Matt Stafford’s success in LA will lead to Matt Ryan’s departure from Atlanta. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 132): Nik’s Picks for the NFL’s Seasonal Awards! Plus, Why Jimmy G’s Time in SF Ended Just Like We All Thought it Would
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic recaps last week’s NFL Championship weekend and gives his picks for the NFL’s end-of-year awards. He also can’t help but call the Chiefs season a failure, weighs in on the NFL coaching carousel, and discusses why the Brian Flores lawsuit left him equal parts shocked and confused. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 131): NFL Championship Weekend Preview! Plus, Why Allen-Mahomes Could Easily Become the New Brady-Manning
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL Championship weekend matchups. He also discusses how the Titans offensive gameplan late let them down just as much as their QB, rants about how the outrage about the NFL’s OT format is long overdue, and weighs in on the NFL coaching carousel. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 130): NFL Divisional Weekend Preview! Plus, Why Devin Singletary is the Key to a Bills Super Bowl Run
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL Divisional weekend matchups. He also wonders why the Raiders always get jobbed by the NFL, discusses how Super Wild Card weekend exposed some teams for what they truly were, and sets the stage for a memorable duo of AFC and NFC Championship Games. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 129): NFL Super Wild Card Weekend Preview! Plus, Nik’s Take on Black Monday
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL Super Wild Card weekend matchups. He also explains why he understands the rationale behind the Dolphins firing of Brian Flores, discusses why Brandon Staley’s questionable decision-making was evident throughout the year, and tries to talk himself into picking an upset this weekend. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 128): NFL Week 18 Preview! Plus, Nik Rants About the Aaron Rodgers vs. MVP Nontroversy
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 18 matchups. He also gives his take on the role that “character” supposedly plays in sports awards and honors, dives into the bizarre end of Antonio Brown’s tenure in Tampa Bay, and makes the case for Trey Lance to start the 49ers final game over Jimmy Garoppolo. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 127): NFL Week 17 Preview! Plus, Nik Thanks John Madden For All He Meant to the NFL and to Him
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 17 matchups. He also praises the Bills for their road win over the Patriots, explains why the Chargers loss to Houston exemplified why he always said they were “too early,” and discusses the Matt Corral injury and how it shows that you always have to look out for #1. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 126): NFL Week 16 Preview! Plus, Why Tom Brady’s Take on Low-Hits is Understandable But Misguided
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 16 matchups. He also dives into what he’s dubbed the “QB Grab Bag,” rips Ravens HC John Harbaugh, and praises Bruce Arians for his honesty on the Bucs welcoming back Antonio Brown. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 125): NFL Week 15 Preview! Plus, Nik Rips Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley For Being Overaggressive and Inconsistent
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 15 matchups. He also can’t wrap his head around the Bills unwillingness to run the football, admits the Cardinals are no longer the best team in the NFC (*for now), and weighs in on the wild week that was for the Jaguars and Urban Meyer. Enjoy the show and join us next Friday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 124): NFL Week 14 Preview! Plus, Why Sean McDermott’s “Controversial” Take on the Pats-Bills Game Isn’t Completely Wrong
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 14 matchups. He also takes a victory lap about the Chiefs return to form, weighs in on Russell Wilson’s (rumored) preferred trade destinations, and wishes he listened to his gut and picked the Lions last week. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 123): NFL Week 13 Preview! Plus, Nik Weighs in on the “Trade Baker (Mayfield)” Conundrum
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 13 matchups. He also discusses how the end of this season will determine the trajectory of Jimmy Garoppolo’s career, wonders if the Rams are going to be able to bounce back from their skid, and handicaps each conference’s Wild Card Race. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 122): NFL Week 12 Preview! Plus, Nik is Concerned About the Titans
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 12. He also discusses why that Steelers-Chargers game shouldn’t be that encouraging to Pittsburgh fans, can’t help but rant about the New York Giants, and makes sure to show some love to the Eagles. Enjoy the show and join us next weekend for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 121): NFL Week 11 Preview! Plus, Nik was Right…the Chiefs are Right Back in It
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 11 matchups. He also wonders if we’re witnessing the beginning of the end for this year’s Rams, weighs in on Cameron Jordan’s claim that Tom Brady is “most accomplished” but not the GOAT, and fights the urge to pick the Lions to finally win a game. Enjoy the show and join us next Friday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 120): NFL Week 10 Preview and Midseason Awards Special! Plus, What We Learned From the Ravens Upset Loss to Miami
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 10 matchups and gives out his midseason awards. He also wonders if “Brady-fatigue” will impact the MVP race, discusses why he thinks the Chiefs are still legitimate contenders, and breaks down how the addition of OBJ could put the Rams over the top. Enjoy the show and join us next Friday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 119): NFL Week 9 Preview! Plus, Nik Wishes the NFL Trade Deadline Had More Activity
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 9 matchups. He also wonders if the Seahawks might be poised for a surprise playoff push, breaks down how the OBJ trade was a resounding failure for the Browns, and debates whether the Lions and Jaguars may be looking for new head coaches sooner rather than later. Enjoy the show and join us next Friday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 118): NFL Week 8 Preview! Plus, the Final Play of Cardinals-Packers Left Nik Speechless
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 8 matchups. He also wonders why everyone else was so high on the 49ers to start the season, dives into the QB conundrums in Carolina and Miami, and has a split opinion on Mark Davis’ stance on the NFL’s WFT investigation. Enjoy the show and join us next Friday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 117): NFL Week 7 Preview! Plus, Nik Wonders if the Dallas Cowboys Have Finally Pieced it Together
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 7 matchups. He also breaks down some questionable late-game coaching decisions from last week, wonders why the Deshaun Watson trade market heated up (only to promptly cool down) in the span of a week, and debates if the interception is actually a good stat for evaluating a defensive player’s performance. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 116): NFL Week 6 Preview! Plus, Why the Chiefs Offense Deserves More Blame for Their Rough Start
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 6 matchups. He also weighs in on what we learned from the Chargers-Browns slugfest, touches on the weird week that was for NFL kickers, and also talks about some potential changes that would affect the future of the show. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 115): NFL Week 5 Preview! Plus, Why the Grandstanding Surrounding the Urban Meyer “Controversy” is Bizarre
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 5 matchups. He also weighs in on the Ravens decision to pad stats, touches on Tom Brady’s overhyped return to New England, and takes stock of the league’s best and worst teams as we pass this season’s quarter-point. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 114): NFL Week 4 Preview! Plus, Why Not All 3-0 Starts are Created Equal…and That’s Perfectly Fine
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 4 matchups. He also gives his take on the Ravens buzzer-beating “win” over the Lions, touches on the Rams sending a message against the Bucs, and rants about the fact that the 49ers (allegedly) chose Jimmy Garoppolo over Tom Brady. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 113): NFL Week 3 Preview! Plus, Why the Jets Handling of Zach Wilson’s Injury is Befuddling
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 3 matchups. He also discusses why the Ravens win over the Chiefs could stand to give them a mental edge, touches on Aaron Rodgers’ bashing of his “critics,” and weighs in on if the Panthers are bound to be contenders or pretenders. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 112): NFL Week 2 Preview! Plus, Nik Rips into Aaron Rodgers for the Packers Embarrassing Loss
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 2 matchups. He also gives the Browns a “moral victory” for their loss to the Chiefs, wonders how the Titans were so heavily outclassed by the Cardinals, and discusses Russell Wilson’s suggestion for an overtime rule-change. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 111): NFL Week 1 Preview! Plus, Why the Eagles GM’s Comments on Carson Wentz Were Laughable
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL regular season’s Week 1 matchups. He also discusses why TJ Watt circumventing his agent sent a refreshing message to fans and other players, touches on some NFL veterans who he believes need to have a good season to keep their careers on track, and breaks down the unexpectedly close Bucs-Cowboys season opener. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 110): 2021 NFL Kickoff Special and Season Preview! Plus, Why the 17-Game Schedule Makes Derrick Henry an MVP Favorite
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic breaks down the upcoming NFL kickoff matchup between the Bucs and Cowboys, as well as gives his preseason pick to win the Super Bowl. He also discusses his preseason frontrunners for the yearly awards, can’t help but buy into the hype surrounding the Arizona Cardinals, and wonders where Cam Newton might wind up. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 109): 2021 NFC Preview! Plus, QB Battle Breakdowns and Whether it’s Better to Play to Win Today or Tomorrow
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into his NFC predictions for the upcoming season. He also breaks down the league’s several QB battles, touches on if the league can truly “adjust” to Lamar Jackson, and can’t help but take a parting shot at Jerry Jones for his comments on Tony Romo and the Hall of Fame. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 108): 2021 AFC Preview! Plus, Why Kelvin Benjamin was the Wrong Player to Challenge Joe Judge
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into his AFC predictions for the upcoming season. He also touches on the weird Kelvin Benjamin-Joe Judge feud, wonders if Carson Wentz’s setback will signal another injury-riddled season, and catches viewers up on more NFL news and notes. Enjoy the show and join us next Saturday for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 107): Jalen Ramsey vs. Tom Coughlin! Plus, Why the Jimmy Garoppolo Contract Was An Avoidable Catastrophe
In this abbreviated episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives back into the seemingly one-sided Jalen Ramsey-Tom Coughlin beef. He also touches on the issues facing Green Bay’s front office, comments on the failed “Stafford to San Francisco” deal, and tap dances around delving too deep into the recent Richard Sherman arrest. Enjoy the show and join us on August 21st for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 106): NFL Starting QB Tier List! Plus, Nik Wonders Why Some Teams Think Anyone Can Play Tight End
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic touches on the NFL’s news and notes from the month of June. He also (finally) debuts his oft-mentioned ranking of the NFL’s QBs, handicaps the Titans title chances after the Julio Jones deal, and dives back into the never-ending Aaron Rodgers debacle in Green Bay. Enjoy the show and join us on July 24th for the following episode!\
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 105): Post-NFL Draft Discussion! Plus, Nik’s Thoughts on the Aaron Rodgers Predicament in Green Bay
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic breaks down the most noteworthy picks from the NFL Draft. He also gives his take on whether or not the Packers will be able to salvage their relationship with Aaron Rodgers, dives into what exactly makes draft pick a “bust,” and touches on the potentially controversial Ja’Wuan James situation in Denver. Enjoy the show and join us on June 19th for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 104): NFL Draft Preview! Plus, Nik’s Winners and Losers From Free Agency (So Far)
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the upcoming NFL Draft and recaps the biggest deals from free agency thus far. He also wonders why the Ravens would ever make a trade with the Chiefs, can’t figure out why New England opted to stick with Cam Newton, and bashes the idea that Justin Fields can’t succeed just because he went to Ohio State. Enjoy the show and join us on May 8th for the following episode!
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Necessary Roughness Podcast (EP 103): Free Agency Discussion! Plus, An Analysis of One of the NFL’s Most Intriguing Offseasons for QBs
In this episode of the Necessary Roughness Podcast, host Nikolas Donadic dives into the NFL’s impending free agent frenzy. He also touches on why the Wentz trade made perfect sense for the Colts, breaks down why a Russell Wilson trade would be so hard to pull off, and can’t help but look ahead to the draft due to the market’s dwindling amount of A-list talent. Enjoy the show and join us on April 24th for the following episode!
Nik Donadic 