To get you in the gridiron mood, we’ve rounded up our picks for the 25 best football movies of all time—films that capture the determined, tough and sometimes surprisingly sentimental sides of this all-American sport. Many of our choices, you’ll notice, are based on true stories, because often the greatest moments in sports need no embellishments. In fact, even if you can’t tell a field goal from a fourth down, our 25 best football movies—about teams succeeding against all odds, friendships forged on the field and personal obstacles overcome by amazing players—will inspire you all season long.
Best Football Movies
1.Rudy
Even grownup sports fans can’t help but get a lump in their throats when watching the ending to this classic 1993 football flick about an underdog (Sean Astin) who finally achieves his dream of playing for Notre Dame. An uplifting film about the power of resilience, Rudy gets his due when he’s allowed to play, sacks the opposing team’s quarterback and is carried off the field. Even more powerful, it’s based on a true story.
2.Friday Night Lights
After Friday Night Lights the book but before Friday Night Lights the TV show, this 2004 movie tells the true story of a town’s obsession with their high-school football team as they vie for the state championship. After their star quarterback suffers a serious injury, it’s up to the coach (Billy Bob Thornton) to restore the team’s—and the town’s—confidence. But the movie also begs the question: Do we put too much pressure on teens to perform in high school sports?
3.Jerry Maguire
This 1996 romantic dramedy goes behind the scenes of the sports biz, as titular sports agent Jerry (Tom Cruise) strikes out on his own—with only one pro football client (Cuba Gooding Jr., who won an Oscar for his role), and a single mother (Renée Zellweger) willing to join him on his new venture. One of the most quotable movies ever, it features the unforgettable lines “Show me the money," “Help me help you,” “You complete me” and “You had me at hello.”
4. Heaven Can Wait
There’s something about football that’s almost magical, as this classic 1978 sports fantasy (based on the play of the same name and an earlier film version, 1941’s Here Comes Mr. Jordan) shows. Warren Beatty plays a pro football player whose life was mistakenly taken too soon, so the powers that be in heaven send him back—but in another body. Can he get back to the playing field? This body-switching comedy was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
5. Brian’s Song
An early onscreen look at racism in sports, this 1971 classic follows the real-life friendship between Chicago Bears players Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) during the Civil Rights era. Warning, though: This “guy cry” movie has a tearjerker of an ending.
6. Concussion
Football has a dark side: Playing the rough-and-tumble sport is now recognized to put players at great risk of concussion, which can cause long-term brain injury and even death. This 2015 true story follows Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith), who uncovered the harmful tendencies of concussions in football and campaigned to raise awareness, which eventually led the NFL to establish “better” concussion protocols, or any.
7. The Blind Side
This is the true story of professional football player Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), who, after the events of the movie, played in two Super Bowls and won as part of the Baltimore Ravens team in 2013. As a teen in foster care, Oher was adopted by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and her family, who helped him pursue his love of football. Bullock won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance; criticism of the 2009 film today, though, has highlighted the “white savior” trope it portrays.
8. Leatherheads
This nostalgic, humorous look at the beginnings of professional football from director and star George Clooney shows the sports’ muddy early days of the 1920s, when it was played with leather helmets (think about how little those would do against concussions!) and not much padding. John Krasinski costars in the 2008 flick as a World War I hero who’s recruited to help boost the new sport’s appeal; Renée Zellweger is a reporter with moxie determined to dig something up on him.
9. Varsity Blues
This 1999 flick (a cult classic among millennials) could be seen as a lighter Friday Night Lights, as it’s also all about the pressures of being on a Texas high school football team; the tone of the movie is much more “teen flick” and less serious drama, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. It’s also a who’s-who of ’90s teen stars, including James Van Der Beek of Dawson’s Creek fame, Amy Smart, Ali Larter and the late Paul Walker.
10. Remember the Titans
This 2000 film tells the true story of a Black football coach (Denzel Washington) who tries to integrate a high school in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971. The film explores racism within the team as well as within the community and the sport at large—themes that unfortunately remain relevant today. With a PG rating, the Disney film can be used to open a conversation with kids about race-based fear and prejudice.
11. The Replacements
In the tradition of sports movies about misfit teams, 2000’s The Replacements stars the great Gene Hackman as a coach trying to put together a replacement roster for the fictional Washington Sentinels, whose pro players have gone on strike, led by washed-up college QB Keanu Reeves. The film might be a bit predictable, but it’s a light and comforting flick for a weekend afternoon that’ll have you smiling throughout. (For more rag-tag football comedy, check out the 1991 movie Necessary Roughness.)
12. The Longest Yard
This 1974 dark comedy is a must for any football fan—or any fan of Burt Reynolds’ chest hair. He plays a prisoner and ex-pro player who leads an inmate football team against that of the prison guards. But the warden doesn’t want it to be a fair game, which gives this flick political subtext, particularly in light of the then-current Watergate scandal. The film was remade in 2005 with Adam Sandler.
13. The Waterboy
Real-life football fan Sandler has made no secret of his love for the New York Jets, which he references in many of his movies. For more of the A-lister’s brand of goofy humor, check out this silly 1998 flick about a water boy for a college football team who’s finally given a chance to play. This hit comedy includes a delightful turn from Oscar winner Kathy Bates as Sandler’s extremely pious and protective mom.
14. The Game Plan
If you’re looking for a sweet, family-friendly football film, try this 2007 Disney movie. Dwayne Johnson stars as a pro player blindsided with a daughter he never knew he had. He now must learn to balance his game with his new responsibilities as a dad—it’s a little cheesy, but totally heartfelt, too. Make it a “Rock” double feature with 2006’s Gridiron Gang, about a football team at a juvenile detention facility.
15. We Are Marshall
This 2006 drama follows the real-life aftermath of a plane crash that killed 75 people, including players and coaches for Marshall University’s Thundering Herd football team in 1971. Despite the devastating loss, the school and community rally to rebuild the team, with new coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) leading the inexperienced players as they strive for victory and healing.
16. Any Given Sunday
If Oliver Stone directed a football movie, well, this 1999 film (which he really did helm) would be the result. Al Pacino stars as a fictional pro team’s head coach who’s got problems on and off the field: a failing team with an aging quarterback (DennisQuaid), family troubles and a clash with the team owner (Cameron Diaz). With an ensemble cast that includes James Woods, LL Cool J, Matthew Modine,Jamie Foxx, plus a few real-life gridiron giants (like JimBrown), the movie doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of the sport.
17. North Dallas Forty
For more of the grittier side of football, check out 1979’s North Dallas Forty, a takedown of authoritarian coaches, dangerous playing conditions and the depraved lifestyle of professional players. Starring Nick Nolte, this searing satire of the NFL may have hit too close to home for the league, which reportedly refused to participate in the making of the movie at the time. Speaking of cultural shirts, beware: The film’s offensive language and misogynistic themes (which, it could be argued, simply represent the culture of the NFL at the time) don’t play so well today.
18. All the Right Moves
Before he was Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise was a high school football star looking for a college sports scholarship in this classic 1983 teen movie. When he butts heads with his coach (Craig T. Nelson), he jeopardizes his future and his chances of getting out of his Pennsylvanian steel mill town.
19. Draft Day
Football fans could argue that NFL Draft Day is the second most important day in the sport (following Super Bowl Sunday, natch). This 2014 movie stars Kevin Costner as the fictional general manager of the Cleveland Browns, balancing personal problems with behind-the-scenes decisions over whether to accept a deal to get the team the No. 1 draft pick—and what player he should choose. The late Chadwick Boseman costars.
20. The Express
This inspirational 2008 film once again uses football as the battleground for racism, as real-life Syracuse University player Ernie Davis (Rob Brown) becomes the first Black player to win the Heisman Trophy (awarded to the best college player) in 1961. The top pick in the following year’s NFL draft, Davis would have gone pro had he not tragically died from leukemia at age 23.
21. Lucas
If a football movie could break your heart, it would be this 1986 teen classic starring the late Corey Haim as an awkward, bullied kid trying to win the heart of his high school crush (Kerri Green). Joining the football team seems like the way to do it—but his skinny build is no match for the beefed-up jocks he’s up against, with disastrous consequences. Just try to stop the tears from welling up as you watch the redemptive last scene. The movie also features Winona Ryder’s film debut.
22. Harvard Beats Yale 29-29
The storied history of college football doesn’t get any better than this 2008 documentary about the famous 1968 Harvard-Yale matchup. The longstanding Ivy League rivalry, simply known as “The Game,” was one for the ages that year, with underdog Harvard making a huge comeback in the final minutes of the fourth quarter—a feat so amazing that even though the game ended in a tie, the Harvard student newspaper published the headline, “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29.” Feature actual game footage and interviews with the players, including actor Tommy Lee Jones (yep, he was a Harvard football player!), this doc does an amazing job of reliving the excitement of that game-“winning” moment.
23. The Program
This realistic look at a fictional college football program was inspired by real players and even filmed during halftime of real games at the University of South Carolina. Starring James Caan, Omar Epps and Halle Berry, the 1993 film doesn’t shy away from issues such as alcoholism, steroid use, injury and the pressures the players and coaches face. But the movie faced controversy when it was briefly pulled from theaters to remove a scene in which players lay down in the middle of the street, which led to a fatal real-life copycat incident.
24. Everybody’s All-American
Not all football dreams work out—even for those who get to the NFL. When a college football player (Dennis Quaid) goes pro, it seems like he has it made. But he finds the NFL isn’t all its cracked up to be, and he’s not exactly the star player he was in college. When financial and marital problems follow, could it be that his glory days are behind him? Jessica Lange, John Goodman and Carl Lumbly costar in this 1988 drama.
25. Invincible
Football flicks love a long shot, and the real-life Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg) was certainly that when he became the oldest rookie in the NFL (non-kicker) without college playing experience. The down-on-his-luck substitute teacher attends an open tryout for the Philadelphia Eagles, and makes the team—but can he succeed as a pro player? This inspiring 2006 tale is as heartwarming as football movies get. Next, are you a sports fanatic? If so, you’ll also want to check out the 12 most memorable moments in sports history.
