Today, I’ll be breaking down the 10 best football movies of all time. This will include movies based on professional-level, college, and high school stories. We’ve seen a lot of great football films over the years. With classics such as Rudy and Remember the Titans, there are plenty of great movies, even if you’re not a football fan. Here is my breakdown of the top 10 best football movies ever.
10. The Blind Side (2009)
The Blind Side is a 2009 American biographical sports movie. It was directed by John Lee Hancock and starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, and Lily Collins. Based on the 2006 book of the same name by Michael Lewis, it tells the story of Michael Oher. He is an African-American homeless teenager who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL Draft pick with the help of Leigh Anne Tuohy and her family.
9. We Are Marshall (2006)
We Are Marshall came out in 2006 and was directed by McG. It depicts the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 75 people. 37 players of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters, and the airplane crew of five.
Matthew McConaughey stars as head coach Jack Lengyel, with Matthew Fox as assistant coach William “Red” Dawson. David Strathairn plays the university president Donald Dedmon and Robert Patrick as the head coach Rick Tolley.
8. Jerry Maguire (1996)
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renee Zellweger, and Bonnie Hunt. It follows Jerry Maguire (Cruise), a sports agent who has a crisis of conscience and writes a mission statement about what he believes is wrong with the sports industry. Eventually, he is fired from his job and starts his own agency with only one client, Rod Tidwell (Gooding Jr.), a wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals.
There are many quotable moments in Jerry Maguire, including Jerry’s “Show me the money!” speech, Rod’s touchdown catch, and Jerry and Dorothy’s wedding.
7. Any Given Sunday (1999)
Any Given Sunday is a great movie with a bunch of popular actors. This includes actors such as Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, and LL Cool J. It also features NFL legends, Jim Brown and Lawrence Taylor.
This movie follows the Miami Sharks, a professional American football team, as they struggle to make the playoffs. The team is led by coach Tony D’Amato (Pacino), who is under pressure to win. The Sharks’ quarterback is Jack “Cap” Rooney (Quaid), a veteran who is nearing the end of his career. Additionally, the team’s star wide receiver is Willie Beamen (Foxx), a young player who is trying to make a name for himself.
Furthermore, it explores the themes of competition, teamwork, and the pressure of professional sports. It also features graphic violence and profanity, which made it controversial upon its release.
Any Given Sunday was a commercial success, grossing over $100 million worldwide. It was also a critical success, with praise for Pacino’s performance and Stone’s direction. Ultimately, it was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Best Cinematography and Best Sound.
6. Brian’s Song (1971)
Brian’s Song is about the friendship between two Chicago Bears running backs, Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams). This one was directed by Buzz Kulik and written by William Blinn, based on Sayers’s 1970 autobiography, I Am Third.
Overall, the movie shows the evolution of Piccolo and Sayers’s friendship, ending with Piccolo’s death in 1970 from embryonal cell carcinoma. Piccolo’s and Sayers’s sharply differing temperaments and racial backgrounds made them unlikely to become friends. However, they did, becoming the first interracial roommates in the history of the NFL.
Brian’s Song was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its emotional impact, its performances, and its realistic portrayal of cancer. It won two Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Single Program – Drama.
5. The Waterboy (1998)
An absolute classic, The Waterboy follows Bobby Boucher Jr., who is raised by his overprotective mother, Helen (Bates). Bobby is played by Adam Sandler, and this is one of his classic comedies. He starts as the waterboy for the South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs. The Mud Dogs are an awful team, and their coach, Coach Klein (Winkler), fits the role perfectly.
One day, Bobby witnesses a player from the Mud Dogs being bullied by a player from the opposing team. He intervenes and tackles the player, knocking him to the ground. Bobby’s tackling ability is noticed by Coach Klein, who decides to make him a linebacker.
Bobby quickly becomes a star linebacker for the Mud Dogs. He uses his tackling ability or “tackling fuel” to help the team win games. The Mud Dogs eventually make it to the championship game, where they face off against the defending champions, the State University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. Eventually, Bobby leads the Mud Dogs to victory, and he is named the MVP.
All in all, The Waterboy was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its humor, its heart, and Sandler’s performance. In the end, it was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, including Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Sandler.
4. The Longest Yard (1974)
The Longest Yard is a 1974 American sports comedy film directed by Robert Aldrich and written by Tracy Keenan Wynn, based on a story by producer Albert S. Ruddy. This one stars Burt Reynolds, Eddie Albert, Ed Lauter, and Mike Connors. It follows a former professional football player who is sent to prison and becomes the star of the prison football team.
To start, the movie begins with Paul “Wrecking” Crewe (Reynolds), a former professional football quarterback, being sentenced to 18 months in prison for point shaving. Crewe is initially treated with contempt by the other inmates, but he eventually gains their respect by playing football with them. He is then asked by the warden, Rudolph Hazen (Albert), to organize a team of inmates to play against the guards in an exhibition game. Crewe agrees, and he assembles a team of talented players, including former college football star Nate Scarboro (Lauter) and former professional wrestler Earl Megget (Connors).
The game between the inmates and the guards is a hard-fought contest, and it ultimately comes down to the final play. With the score tied, Crewe leads the inmates on a long drive, and he eventually scores the winning touchdown. Overall, the inmates’ victory is a symbolic victory for all of the prisoners, and it shows that they can overcome any obstacle.
The Longest Yard was a critical and commercial success, and it is considered to be one of the greatest sports comedies ever made. It was praised for its humor, its action sequences, and its performances. Reynolds was particularly praised for his performance as Crewe, and he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
3. Friday Night Lights (2004)
Friday Night Lights is a 2004 American sports drama film directed by Peter Berg and written by Berg and David Aaron Cohen. It is based on the 1990 nonfiction book of the same name by H. G. Bissinger, which chronicled the 1988 season of the Permian High School Panthers football team in Odessa, Texas. The film stars Billy Bob Thornton as head coach Gary Gaines, Derek Luke as running back James “Boobie” Miles, and Connie Britton as assistant coach Sharon Gaines.
The film follows the Panthers as they attempt to win a state championship. Additionally, this team is led by Gaines, a tough but fair-minded coach who is determined to lead his team to victory. Miles is the team’s star running back, but he is also a troubled young man who is dealing with the death of his father. It also follows the lives of several other players on the team, as they deal with the pressures of playing high school football in a town where football is king.
Friday Night Lights is a well-made and emotionally powerful film that captures the intensity and excitement of high school football. The film is also a moving portrait of a small town and the people who live there. It was a critical and commercial success, and it was nominated for two Academy Awards.
2. Remember the Titans (2000)
Remember the Titans is a 2000 American biographical sports drama film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. It was written by Gregory Allen Howard, is based on the true story of coach Herman Boone, portrayed by Denzel Washington, and his attempt to integrate the T. C. Williams High School (now Alexandria City High School) football team in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971. Will Patton portrays Bill Yoast, Boone’s assistant coach. Real-life athletes Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell are portrayed by Ryan Hurst and Wood Harris, respectively.
This movie begins in 1981, with a group of former football coaches and players attending a funeral for an unnamed person. Nearly 10 years earlier in the summer of 1971, head coach Bill Yoast of the newly integrated T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia, is leading his white players in summer workouts. Later, he is informed that Herman Boone, a black head coach originally hired to coach the city’s black high school football team, has been assigned to his coaching staff instead.
Boone and Yoast have very different coaching styles, and they initially clash. However, they eventually learn to work together, and they help the Titans to become a successful team. The Titans also learn to overcome the racial tensions in their community, and they become a symbol of hope for the city.
Remember the Titans is an inspiring and heartwarming film that tells a powerful story of overcoming adversity. This one is well-acted, well-directed, and well-written. Overall, it is a must-see for fans of football movies and sports movies in general.
1. Rudy (1993)
Rudy is about Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, a young man from Joliet, Illinois who dreams of playing football for the University of Notre Dame. Despite being undersized and lacking the skills necessary to play major college football, Rudy refuses to give up on his dream. He works hard to improve his skills and eventually earns a spot on the Notre Dame football team.
The movie follows Rudy’s journey from his early days as a high school football player to his final season at Notre Dame. Along the way, he faces many challenges, including the disapproval of his father, the skepticism of his coaches, and the physical demands of playing college football. However, Rudy never gives up on his dream and eventually achieves his goal of playing in a game for Notre Dame.
Rudy is a feel-good movie that is inspiring and heartwarming. It is a story about perseverance, determination, and the power of dreams. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and it is considered to be one of the greatest sports movies ever made.
If you are looking for a feel-good movie that is inspiring and heartwarming, you need to see Rudy. Overall, it is a great movie that will keep you engaged even if you’re not the biggest football fan.
Football movies are a great way to experience the excitement and passion of the sport. They can also be inspiring and thought-provoking. If you’re a fan of football, or if you’re just looking for a good movie to watch, be sure to check out some of the great football movies that are out there.
Honorable Mentions:
Draft Day (2014)
This one is a very fun movie to watch, especially if you love the NFL Draft process or playing in dynasty fantasy football leagues. While still a fun movie, it didn’t quite make the top 10.
The Longest Yard (2005)
If we were looking for just comedies and fun-to-watch movies, The Longest Yard from 2005 with Adam Sandler would’ve been higher. However, there are just too many other good movies for the purposes of this list.
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