Football season is here and what better way to spend those days between Thursday Night Football and Sunday kickoff than watching a movie about football? Other than watching college ball, of course. Or high school football. Or your kid’s little league game.
Okay, there’s a lot of football to watch. But it’s worth finding time to watch (or rather, re-watch) all of these best football movies ever made.
Our picks for the best football movies in history

#11: Wildcats (1986)
In pure 80s anything-a-man-can-do-a-woman-can-do-better style, Goldie Hawn stars as the daughter of an iconic football coach waiting for her chance to follow in his footsteps.
When she finally gets her wish to coach a team of her own, it’s naturally a group of inner city misfits ready to challenge her optimistic spirit.
Goldie’s high school student players include twentysomethings Wesely Snipes and Woody Harrelson — who would reunite 6 years later to play basketball in White Men Can’t Jump — and 17-year-old LL Cool J, who returned to the gridiron 13 years later for the #1 best football movie on our list.
There are no surprises about where things are heading, but are there ever in sports movies?
During a career about as inconsistent as the Arizona Cardinals, Michael Ritchie directed no less than 7 sports movies, 2 of them about football. This is the better of the two.
Where to stream it:
Wildcats is not currently available on any streaming services, but it’s available for digital rental at all the usual places.

#10: Draft Day (2014)
Kevin Costner portrays Sonny Weaver, General Manager of the Cleveland Browns. No, wait! Don’t run away. It’s not a horror movie. The Seahawks’ head coach phones Sonny bright and early on the morning of the NFL Draft and offers him the #1 draft spot.
It’s no spoiler to say that Sonny makes the deal. But will he listen to the team’s owner and spend that coveted pick on the Heisman-winning QB everyone — especially the Dawg Pound — is drooling over? Or will he do something crazy?
Sure, we wish Costner was a bit younger — or that his love life subplot was a bit different — but it’s more of a sub-sub-plot anyway. Draft Day is unlike any other film on the list, with a behind-the-scenes look at the second-biggest day on the NFL calendar.
It’s also fun seeing “non-fictional” teams in a movie about professional sports. (Instead of teams like the Washington Sentinels, Dallas Bulls, and Miami Sharks.) As such, there are plenty of cameos, including Roger Goodell, Jon Gruden, Bernie Kosar, Chris Berman, Rich Eisen, Ray Lewis and the aforementioned Jim Brown.
Barstool Trivia: It was the final film for both director Ivan Reitman and former Browns superstar running back Jim Brown.
Where to stream it:
AMC+ (via Prime Video), Max, DirecTV Stream, Philo
But if you’re looking a real horror movie, check out the The 11 Best Summer Horror Movies.

#9: The Replacements (2000)
When the players of a fictional professional football league go on strike, former head coach Jimmy McGinty (played by the iconic Gene Hackman) is hired by the owner who fired him to assemble and lead a team of scabs.
And if the Washington Sentinels can win 3 of their next 4 games, they’ll secure a spot in the playoffs.
Keanu Reeves is the former All-American college quarterback who never made it to the pros. Jon Favreau, Orlando Jones, Rhys Ifans, and others round out the team, each bringing their own quirks, baggage, and failures.
You can probably guess how many games the Sentinels win out of the 4 remaining regular season games, but you’re not watching The Replacements for the mystery. You’re watching it for the laughs, the feel-good moments, and the encouraging speeches. And maybe for the replacement cheerleaders — who are a squad of strippers.
Where to stream it:
Peacock
#8: The Longest Yard (1974)
As far as Hollywood leading men go, Burt Reynolds pretty much owned the 70s. He made 2 football movies during that time, but only one of them is on our list. (The other is Semi-Tough.)
Burt stars as Paul “Wrecking” Crewe, disgraced former star pro quarterback and current inmate at the fictional Citrus State Prison. By some great coincidence, the warden, a huge football fan, manages a semi-pro team of prison guards.
It doesn’t take long for Crewe to find himself back under center, leading a team of inmates against the team of guards. Of course, the warden — who’s clearly a graduate of the Shawshank School of Wardening — threatens to throw away the key if Crewe doesn’t throw the game.
The Longest Yard has been remade at least 3 times, twice overseas as a soccer movie, and the 2005 movie of the same name starring Adam Sandler. The Sandler remake is actually pretty good (and was a box office hit), but the original is the better draft pick.
Where to stream it:

#7: Varsity Blues (1999)
At a time when Dawson’s Creek was taking the world by storm as the hottest new teen drama, titular star James Van Der Beek teamed up with fellow heartthrobs Paul Walker and Scott Caan to play Texas high school football.
And in Texas, as anyone who watches sports movies knows, football is religion — and high school football players are treated like gods.
The players for the West Canaan Coyotes certainly act like they agree with that assessment. The “boys” party as hard as they play, hoping for a shot at the title game, or college scholarships, or both.
Varsity Blues is a well-rounded sports flick, full of comedy, sex, drama, and sports. And a whipped cream bikini that became the most talked about movie scene of the year — and spoofed for years to come.
Where to stream it:
AMC+ (via Prime Video), Paramount+

#6: North Dallas Forty (1979)
The second entry from the 1970s to make the list of best football movies is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by ex-Cowboy and wideout-cum-novelist Peter Gent.
Nick Nolte stars as the aging, codeine-popping wide receiver of the Dallas Bulls. (It doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to figure out which NFL team the Bulls are supposed to be.) Mac Davis portrays Nolte’s partner-in-crime, star quarterback Seth Maxell.
There’s not much field time in the film. In fact, except for some flashbacks, practically none. ND40 is more about what happens off the field — and in the locker room. So expect to see lidocaine shots, ice baths, and marijuana instead of touchdowns and quarterback sacks.
North Dallas Forty is a sports comedy — except when it isn’t. Don’t go into it expecting laughs like The Waterboy or eye-watering motivational speeches like, well, every other sports movie. But don’t let that stop you from watching this sports classic.
Where to stream it:
North Dallas Forty is not currently available on streaming services, but it’s available via digital download at all the usual suspects.

#5: Remember the Titans (2000)
Based on the true story of the 1971 season of the T. C. Williams Titans high school football team, Denzel Washington stars as real-life coach Herman Boone.
Following the abolition of segregated schools in Virginia, the Titans are the only racially integrated team in the league. They don’t get along, of course, and it’s up to Boone to bring them together.
And to win.
Because if the Titans lose a single game, Boone is out, and former head coach Yoast — who swallowed his pride to stay on as Defensive Coordinator — is right back in. (Yoast, also a real person, is played by the always welcome Will Patton.)
One of the film’s touching subplots is the Black vs. White relationship between real-life players Julius Campbell and Gerry Bertier, who became close friends. (It’s actually surprising that there’s never been a movie made about Bertier.)
It’s a Disney film, so the racism is most certainly toned down from what it was actually like, but that just means you don’t need to worry about watching it with kids. (If that’s a concern.)
Grueling practices, down-to-the-wire games, motivational speeches, and plenty of scenes to get the tear ducts flowing, Remember the Titans checks all the boxes of a great sports film.
Where to stream it:
Disney+
#4: Friday Night Lights (2004)
Friday Night Lights is the third entry on the list about the land where Football Is Life — Texas. Also based on a book and the true story of a high school football team, FNL spawned the TV series of the same name that ran for 5 seasons.
Directed Pete Berg, Bill bob Thornton stars as Gary Gaines, the real-life high school football coach of the Permian Panthers.
With racial tensions and poverty around every corner, the economically distressed city of Odessa, Texas has its fair share of problems. But football isn’t one of them. And come Friday nights, all the bad gets put on hold for 60 minutes of game time.
But you can’t stop bad things from happening on the turf. And when the star running back tears his ACL during garbage time, the road to the 1988 state championship is at risk. And fans call for the coach’s head.
Full of heartfelt (and heart-pounding) drama, bolstered by fantastic performances, Friday Night Lights is mandatory viewing at least once every season.
Where to stream it:
Starz (via Philo and Prime Video)

#3: Rudy (1993)
Just looking at the DVD cover, you can hear the crowd chanting: Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!
Another based-on-a-true-story entry on the list, Rudy stars Sean Astin as the vertically challenged Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger.
The undersized Rudy dreams of playing football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The only thing standing in his way is his 5’6″ frame.
And his lack of tuition money.
And his poor grades.
There wouldn’t be a movie if he didn’t overcome these 3 seemingly insurmountable obstacles, so Rudy eventually nabs a walk-on spot with the team. And the rest, as they say, is history.
There’s no dark side, or underbelly, or satire here. Just a good ol’, honest-to-goodness tale of the human spirit.
Where to stream it:
Paramount+
#2: The Program (1993)
Number two?! Yep. Sorry, Rudy.
The ever-cool James Caan stars as the head coach of the fictional Division I Eastern State University Timberwolves. Naturally, he needs to win this season to keep his job.
Sophomore Craig Scheffer is the secretly troubled starting QB, while Omar Epps is the rookie running back looking to make a splash. And we get not 1 but 2 love interests in Kristy Swanson and Halle Berry.
The Program delves into the dark side of college sports and the pressures put on student athletes. It pulls the curtain back on what some do to cope and the lengths others will go to in order to win at all costs — and how the NCAA turns a blind eye to it all.
Where to stream it:
MGM+Library streamers: Hoopla

#1: Any Given Sunday (1999)
Possibly the only thing more contentious than our #2 choice for the best football movie is our #1 pick. But Any Given Sunday isn’t only one of the best football movies, it’s one of the best sports movies made.
Directed by Oliver Stone, it stars Al Pacino as an NFL head coach and Jamie Foxx as a 3rd-string quarterback who suddenly becomes a superstar.
What more could you ask for?
How about Cameron Diaz as the cutthroat team owner, Dennis Quaid as the aging and ailing franchise quarterback, and real-life NFL icons Jim Brown and Lawrence Taylor — the first and only L.T.
Even at 2 hours and 42 minutes, the kinetic, fast-paced sports epic flies by like Tyreek Hill heading for the end zone on Monday Night Football.
Where to stream it:
Somehow, incredibly, the best football movie ever made is not on any streaming services. It’s not even on FASTs or library streaming services.
Fortunately, it’s available for digital rental just about everywhere for around 4 bucks. But with its high rewatchability factor, you may as well just buy it.
Honorable Mentions
Flash Gordon (1980)
What could a 1980 superhero space opera possibly have to do with football? The titular character announces it right in the movie when he proudly declares, “Flash Gordon. Quarterback. New York Jets.” Flash even puts his football moves to use when fighting bad guys in order to the save universe.
Sure, it’s not realistic. After all, the 26-year-old star QB has a Super Bowl ring, which means the Jets would’ve won the title sometime in the 70s.
Stream it on: Nowhere. And it’s only available for digital rental through Prime Video. Or you can choose to buy it almost everywhere.
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
Okay, it’s a buddy cop movie far more than it is a football movie. Or even a sports movie. But it’s got one of the most memorable football game scenes in cinematic history. If you’ve never seen The Last Boy Scout, I’m not going to spoil the game for you, but it’ll blow you away.
Stream it on: Paramount+, Showtime, DirecTV Stream, Fubo
Jerry Maguire (1996)
This has even less football in it that The Last Boy Scout, but Cameron Crowe’s romantic comedy has us feeling like a soccer mom cheering from the sidelines.
Tom Cruise, Renée Zellweger, and Cuba Gooding Jr. star. The film is more about sports agency than sports, and “Show me the money!” became a ubiquitous catchphrase overnight — that seemed to outlast the career of the actor who delivered the line.
Stream it on: Peacock, DirecTV Stream
Photo in featured image by Muyuan Ma on Unsplash
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