Which Football Films Capture the Appeal of the Sport?

Football is a way of life. Consider, for example, how the NFL basically owns a day of the week during their season. Every Sunday, millions of fans gather around television sets, computer screens, and all manner of devices in order to keep track of their favorite teams. Fantasy football and sports betting have only increased the appeal, leading to Monday nights and Thursday nights during the fall and winter having the same focus on football that Sunday has. 

While the love of the game fuels fans, so too is a desire to win big with online sportsbooks and betting sites. Going to a place like Draftkings for tips on how to make a winning play is as much second nature as pulling on your favorite jersey. While the wait for the next slate of games can feel like an eternity, football films can help keep an appetite at bay.

Football movies come in all shapes and sizes. Pro football? Check. Lots of films deal with the NFL. College? You bet, as the NCAA is as big as the pros, with collegiate athletes about to become the next generation of gridiron stars. Even the High School ranks are not ignored, as the stories told on and off the filed there are just as cinematic. Then, we have comedies and dramas, showing how a movie about the sport of football can come in just about any genre. A good film is a good film, with football providing more than its fair share of fodder. The pros is where it all goes down. The National Football League is home to the best and biggest players in the world. The NCAA has never been closer to the NFL than it is now. Despite the scale being much smaller, the stakes in High School are no lower, too. Just take a look at some of the High School titles we aren’t mentioning, like Friday Night Lights and Remember the Titans. Those are as good as any other, so all levels of the game bring cinematic delights to audience. Below are seven such examples of pro and college ball.

NFL Set Films

American Underdog tells the story of Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, who overcame incredible odds to become one of the great QBs of his time. Played by Zachary Levi, we see his struggles and successes, ultimately leading the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory. Ram fan or not, it’s impossible not to root for Warner.

Oliver Stone turned his stylized dramatic gaze to the NFL with Any Given Sunday, a fictionalized account of the sport. Star studded and graphic in a way few other sports films are, it stands out as an audacious bit of cinema when most movies like this would opt to play it very safe.

Draft Day looks at a pivotal moment in the offseason, where the Cleveland Browns have the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Will their General Manager, played by Kevin Costner, take a quarterback? If he doesn’t, who might be able to save the franchise? The action isn’t on the field, but the end result is as thrilling as any game winning play.

The Longest Yard (both the original and the remake) moves the game to a prison yard and has a decidedly comedic bent, but whether it’s Burt Reynolds or Adam Sandler, their disgraced pro is one win away from a redemption. The action is not in a regular stadium, though the satisfaction of the outcome is just as deep as watching your favorite team win the day.

College Set Football Films

Rudy goes the dramatic route for an all time inspirational tale. No one can watch Sean Astin‘s too small player slowly work his way to the field and not know that they’re watching an incredibly cinematic sports moment being depicted on screen.

The Senior is a release from just a few months ago, telling the unbelievable story of a 59 year old, played by Michael Chiklis, who goes back to college to finish what he started on the gridiron. This is another one where you won’t be able to help but stand up and cheer when all is said and done.

We Are Marshall showcases a tragedy that befell Marshall University, as well as the way that the college team rose from the ashes. A tearjerker starring Matthew McConaughey as their head coach, it finds incredible emotion in their tragic moment, alongside the unlikely path forward that the team was able to chart.

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This only scratches the surface of football on the big screen. So, no matter where you look for your football fix, you’re going to be in for a treat. Sunday only comes once a week, but with these films, you can always experience the thrill of the game!