Happy Game Day!! Some of you have been looking forward to the Super Bowl all year and are excited to root for whichever team playing today. Some, like me, don’t really care about American football and don’t even watch the game, especially since it’s the same team playing again this year [ho-hum]. Of course, I’d be more excited if the Minnesota Vikings made it to the big game, ahah, but hey, Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell is voted the 2024 NFL Coach of the Year on Thursday night, woo hoo!
Even as a non-sports fan though, I have enjoyed a few football-themed movies over the years. You don’t need to know all the game rules to enjoy a rousing story about someone or a team working hard to be the best, or rooting for the underdog player. Again, with any list, it’s not meant to be a comprehensive list as I have not watched as many sports-related movies as some of you might have. But out of the ones I have seen, these are five memorable scenes from various genres I’m highlighting today.
So here they are in order of film release:
RUDY (1993)
Rudy has always been told that he was too small to play college football. But he is determined to overcome the odds and fulfill his dream of playing for Notre Dame.
I remember seeing this movie on the big screen, can’t remember exactly when but it’s the first American football-related movie I’ve ever seen. Before Sean Astin became the memorable loyal bestie Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings, he was the quintessential underdog in this rousing sports biopic based on Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
When a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague.
Ok so this movie is likely more notable for the sports agent than the game of football itself, so of course the most memorable scene involves Tom Cruise‘s character trying to convince Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Rod Tidwell to retain him as his agent. Cuba won an Oscar for this performance, though sadly his career seems to have gone down the drain since.
Remember the Titans (2000)
In 1971, Virginia high-school football was everything to the people of Alexandria, but when the school board was forced to integrate an all-Black school with an all-white one, the foundation of football’s tradition was put to the test.
This is a perfect football movie to watch during Black History Month (or any month really). Denzel Washington has the right temperament and gravitas to portray a football coach dealing with racism and pushback from the community. The film highlights how the team rises above discrimination and comes together through their passion for the sport.
The Replacements (2000)
A funny take on the 1987 football players’ strike. Gene Hackman stars as the team’s coach, while Jack Warden plays the owner. Brett Cullen is the star quarterback who decides to strike, and Keanu Reeves steps in as the “scab” filling his shoes.
Now, the most memorable scene of this one for me doesn’t even happen on the football field. Who could forget this scene in a jail cell where the guys are held up after a bar brawl. Gotta love fresh-faced Keanu Reeves and it makes me miss seeing Gene Hackman in movies.
American Underdog (2021)
The story of NFL MVP and Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, who went from stocking shelves at a supermarket to becoming an American Football star.
I was actually quite familiar with Kurt Warner’s incredible story and I thought years ago they’d probably make a movie about it. Sure enough, 21 years after the St. Louis Rams won the Super Bowl with Warner as the star QB, Zachary Levi played him in the movie. The title spells it out right there that it’s an underdog story, but what I like about this scene is how Warner paid tribute to his wife Brenda (Anna Paquin) who’s been his champion throughout his journey. Their relationship through thick and thin is the beating heart of this inspiring movie.
What do you think of these football scenes? Which movie(s) are your favorite?
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FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
Rudy is my dad’s all-time favorite film. It’s a film that I saw on HBO for many years. My dad loved that story. The Replacements is a fun film as is Jerry Maguire and Remember the Titans. I have no interest in American Underdog as Zachary Levi is a fucking scumbag. Where’s The Waterboy? Varsity Blues? Necessary Roughness?
Rudy is such a great underdog sports flick, I still remember that even 20+ years later.
Hey no need for name calling even if you don’t like someone. No politics here please, it’s a movie blog and we’re talking about MOVIES about football. The reason I like American Underdog is the incredible story of Kurt Warner which is inspiring even for non-sports fan.
I love the Waterboy, that would make my top 10 if I were to expand my list. Haven’t seen Varsity Blues or Necessary Roughness. That’s why I just did a top 5 list as I haven’t seen a whole bunch of football movies.
For the first time in over 30 years that I’ve been following the NFL, I have no interest in watching today’s game since these two teams played each other just 2 years ago in the Super Bowl. Looks like I made the right decision to not watch the game since it’s a blowout.
I think my favorite from your list is Remember the Titans, probably one of the best films about American football. I really wanted to like The Replacements but when I saw it in theater, I hated it and wanted my money back. Lol! I like Kurt Warner the player, I enjoyed watching him played throughout his career. The film about his life though, if had it starred a different actor, I probably would watch it.
The funniest film about football is probably Necessary Roughness. The best films about the sport are The Program and Any Given Sunday. Those two films showed the true ugly and realistic side of football. In fact, the NFL was so offended by Oliver Stone’s script for Any Given Sunday, they refused to let him use their football team’s name and logos in the film.
I have not seen Necessary Roughness but a few of you have mentioned it here so now I’m curious! I did not know that about Any Given Sunday, interesting!
Necessary Roughness was silly idea but it worked. The film didn’t do that well at the box office but did very well when it came out on home video and became a cult football film. Similar to Happy Gilmore, it didn’t do that well in theaters but became a cult hit when it came out on home video. And Netflix is finally releasing part 2 this year. Ha ha!
I just looked it up! Fun cast, Scott Bakula and a couple of guys I recognize from Pretty Woman, I’ll see if it’s streaming somewhere so I can watch it.
So many great movies! And there wasn’t even space for Friday Night Lights and Brian’s Song
Yeah, those who have watched a ton of sports movies could easily do a top 20 as there are indeed a ton of football movies out there.
Favorite football movie ever: Heaven Can Wait (1978) Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. Talk about fantasy football 🏈!
Hi Becky! I gotta check it out, didn’t even know it was a football movie!
Hello Ruth!
This is a fun take on a movies “Football” post.
I’m not a fan of sports, watching or participating. I mean they’re okay, but I have other things to spend my precious time doing.
I’ve only seen Jerry Maguire.
LOVE the scene/clip from “The Replacements” . Yes, Keanu is one young puppy!
Thank you!
I’m not a sports fan either, though there are some fun sports movies. Jerry Maguire is as much a romantic drama as it is a sports movie, I mean I always remember Cruise’s line ‘You complete me.’
Keanu is a doll no matter what age!
Yes on Keanu! 💘
He’s a beautiful man inside and out!
Agree!
Good piece Ruth! In Remember the Titans I have to say one of my favorite moments is when Sunshine has to take over after Rev gets injured and has success there. Also cool to see American Underdog on the list but I was disappointed that movie didn’t show more of Super Bow 34! That was one of my favorite Super Bowls, a great game between Warner and Steve McNair on the other side with Tennessee, with the “one yard short play” at the end of the game.
Others I’d include would be We Are Marshall, about the Marshall University football team getting rebuilt after the plane crash, Matthew McConaughey is quite good in that one, as well as Invincible with Mark Wahlberg. Also, while it’s not a great film in my opinion, the speech Al Pacino’s character gives in Any Given Sunday is legendary.
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