List of sports films
American football

List of sports films

Section Title: American football
Table Section Text: None

Title	Year	Genre	Notes

Two Minutes to Go	1921	Comedy	A star of the college football team (Charles Ray) was forced to work as a milkman when his father's business begins to fail.

The Freshman	1925	Comedy	Silent film with Harold Lloyd as a water boy who gets to play in team's big game.

Brown of Harvard	1926	Drama	Silent film about Harvard football player, based on a Broadway play.

The Quarterback	1926	Comedy	A college athlete spends 27 years trying to defeat the school's arch-rival.

The Drop Kick	1927	Drama	A man's suicide damages a football player's reputation.

The College Widow	1927	Comedy	A coach's daughter helps Atwater College land a star player.

West Point	1927	Drama	Cadet fights coach, insults the academy, risks losing girl (Joan Crawford).

The College Hero	1927	Drama	A jealous teammate trips Carver College's football star and injures him.

Salute	1929	Drama	Brothers become opponents for Army-Navy game.

So This Is College	1929	Comedy	College teammates Biff and Eddie compete for the love of lovely Babs Baxter

The Forward Pass	1929	Comedy	A co-ed (Loretta Young) persuades a reluctant star to return to the gridiron.

College Hounds	1930	Comedy	Short film of "All Barkie Dogville Comedies" series in which trained dogs play football players.

Maybe It's Love	1930	Musical	College president's daughter (Joan Bennett) brings in ringers to win the big game.

Maker of Men	1931	Drama	A football player finds it hard to please his coach, who's his father.

The Galloping Ghost	1931	Serial	A 12-chapter serial with Red Grange confronting a scandal at "Clay College."

Touchdown	1931	Drama	Coach (Richard Arlen) weighs an injured player's health against his need to win.

Freddy the Freshman	1932	Animated short	Freddy the Freshman, "the freshest kid in town" and a canine "big man on campus", crashes a college pep rally and becomes star of the campus football game.

Horse Feathers	1932	Comedy	Marx Brothers farce about college football.

That's My Boy	1932	Drama	A college hero demands $50,000 to keep playing, which his stockbroker loses

The All American	1932	Drama	After a football player ruins his life, he keeps his brother from making the same mistake.

70,000 Witnesses	1932	Mystery	His teammate murdered during a game, Buck Buchanan suspects his own brother.

The Sport Parade	1932	Drama	Dartmouth football teammates get involved in pro wrestling.

Huddle	1932	Romance	A poor, young Yale player falls in love with an heiress.

Rackety Rax	1932	Comedy	Ex-cons become players and nightclub dancers cheerleaders to make college team popular.

College Coach	1933	Drama	Stars get money, academic favoritism under new coach (Pat O'Brien).

Saturday's Millions	1933	Drama	Western U's top player (Robert Young) sees football strictly as a business.

College Humor	1933	Musical	A professor (Bing Crosby) and a football star fall for the same co-ed.

College Rhythm	1934	Musical	Big man on campus Finnegan (Jack Oakie) gets a store to sponsor a winner-take-all game.

Three Little Pigskins	1934	Comedy	A comical college tale involving The Three Stooges and Lucille Ball.

Gridiron Flash	1934	Drama	Belford College is so desperate, it recruits a new player who's been in prison.

Hold 'Em Yale	1935	Comedy	Colorful crooks and a love-crazy girl distract Yale football player (Buster Crabbe).

Pigskin Parade	1936	Comedy	A "hillbilly" (Stuart Erwin) becomes a Texas college football hero.

The Big Game	1936	Comedy	A gambler kidnaps Atlantic's quarterback before the big game vs. Erie.

Fighting Youth	1936	Drama	Campus radicals try to persuade students to protest the football team.

Rose Bowl	1936	Romance	"Cheers" Reynolds must decide which Rose Bowl team's star she likes best.

Over the Goal	1937	Drama	Football star (William Hopper) risks permanent injury if he keeps playing.

Saturday's Heroes	1937	Drama	Val Webster (Van Heflin) opposes colleges getting rich while athletes like him stay poor.

That Navy Spirit	1937	Romance	A new quarterback (Lew Ayres) and his rival play football for the academy.

Navy Blue and Gold	1937	Drama	Midshipman (James Stewart) clears father's name in time to play in Army-Navy game.

Touchdown, Army	1938	Drama	A cocky cadet (Robert Cummings) shapes up in time to play in Army-Navy game.

Up the River	1938	Comedy	A couple of con men end up involved in a prison football game.

Hold That Co-ed	1938	Comedy	Football fortunes change for State thanks to a politician (John Barrymore) and a female kicker.

The Gladiator	1938	Comedy	Joe E. Brown joins college team after experimental serum gives him super strength.

$1,000 a Touchdown	1939	Comedy	Joe E. Brown inherits a college, offers money to any player who can score a touchdown.

The Cowboy Quarterback	1939	Comedy	A pro scout from the "Chicago Packers" discovers a new star in rural Montana.

Knute Rockne, All American	1940	Biographical	Story of Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne (Pat O'Brien), with Ronald Reagan as the Gipper.

Too Many Girls	1940	Comedy	Bodyguards hired to watch rich girl (Lucille Ball) in college end up on the football team.

The Quarterback	1941	Comedy	A brother pretends to be his twin and becomes the school's football star.

Harmon of MIchigan	1941	Drama	Tom Harmon as himself, a college hero who weds sweetheart, becomes a coach.

The Spirit of Stanford	1942	Drama	Frankie Albert as himself, a high school quarterback who then attends Stanford.

The Iron Major	1943	Biographical	Story of coach Frank Cavanaugh (Pat O'Brien), a war hero.

Never Been Licked	1943	Drama	World War II propaganda about Corps of Cadets and football at Texas A&M.

Good News	1947	Musical	Tait College can win the big game, but only if its star (Peter Lawford) passes an exam.

Triple Threat	1948	Drama	After a Rose Bowl game, two rivals end up playing for the Los Angeles Rams.

Father Was a Fullback	1949	Comedy	Daughter of coach (Fred MacMurray) has boyfriend who chooses her over Notre Dame.

Easy Living	1949	Drama	Pro quarterback Pete Wilson (Victor Mature) discovers he has a heart condition.

That's My Boy	1951	Comedy	Martin and Lewis college football comedy (unrelated to the 1932 film That's My Boy, which is also about college football).

Saturday's Hero	1951	Drama	A Virginia university's halfback (John Derek) deals with injuries, money issues.

Jim Thorpe – All-American	1951	Biographical	The life and football career of Jim Thorpe, portrayed by Burt Lancaster

The Guy Who Came Back	1951	Drama	Injured, aging athlete (Paul Douglas) refuses to accept that his playing days are over.

The Rose Bowl Story	1952	Romance	A college gridiron star and a Rose Bowl princess fall in love.

Hold That Line	1952	Comedy	The Bowery Boys discover a miracle "vitamin" and join the school's team.

Bonzo Goes to College	1952	Comedy	A coach (Edmund Gwenn) is so desperate, he lets a chimp be his new quarterback.

Trouble Along the Way	1953	Comedy	A Catholic college in New York hires a new football coach (John Wayne).

Crazylegs	1953	Biographical	Based on college career of Elroy Hirsch, playing himself.

All American	1953	Drama	A quarterback (Tony Curtis) deals with hazing and hardship at a Chicago college.

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home	1965	Comedy	The CIA tries to get Notre Dame's team to lose a game on purpose.

They Call It Pro Football	1967	Documentary	First full-length production from NFL Films.

Paper Lion	1968	Biographical	Adaptation of writer George Plimpton's tryout with Detroit Lions, starring Alan Alda.

Number One	1969	Drama	An aging New Orleans Saints pro quarterback (Charlton Heston) falls into drinking and adultery.

Brian's Song	1971	Biographical	TV film on bond between Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) of the Chicago Bears, and Piccolo's cancer battle.

The Longest Yard	1974	Comedy	Burt Reynolds as a convict who plays on his prison football team.

Two-Minute Warning	1976	Thriller	Fictional story of stadium sniper, starring Charlton Heston.

Gus	1976	Comedy	Disney tale of a mule that is able to take a slumping pro football team to the Super Bowl by winning with the ability to kick field-length field goals.

Black Sunday	1977	Thriller	Fictional story of a terrorist attack on the Super Bowl by use of the Goodyear Blimp.

Something for Joey	1977	Biographical	TV film on John Cappelletti, who won the Heisman Trophy, lost a brother to leukemia.

Semi-Tough	1977	Comedy	Based on Dan Jenkins pro football novel, starring Burt Reynolds.

Heaven Can Wait	1978	Comedy	A remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan, but with football as backdrop instead of boxing.

Superdome	1978	Drama	Super Bowl quarterbacks (Tom Selleck, Ken Howard) are distracted by off-the-field worries. Made for TV

North Dallas Forty	1979	Drama	Based on former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Peter Gent's novel of the same title, starring Nick Nolte as the character based on Gent's career.

Coach of the Year	1980	Drama	A former pro player, paralyzed in Vietnam, agrees to coach at a correctional facility.

Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story	1980	Biographical	About Rocky Bleier and obstacles he overcame after return from Vietnam.

Grambling's White Tiger	1980	Biographical	Fact-based TV film on Grambling University's first white quarterback, played by Caitlyn Jenner (credited as Bruce Jenner).

All the Right Moves	1983	Drama	A high school football player (Tom Cruise)'s contentious relationship with his coach (Craig T. Nelson) may derail his plans to get a college football scholarship.

Quarterback Princess	1983	Biographical	Oregon schoolgirl seeks a chance to quarterback the boys' team.

The Bear	1984	Biographical	Made for TV biopic on life and coaching career of Alabama's Bear Bryant (played by Gary Busey).

Against All Odds	1984	Drama	Pro receiver (Jeff Bridges) develops fatal attraction to daughter of team's corrupt owner

Lucas	1986	Comedy	Not primarily about the sport; has football-related subplot.

The Best of Times	1986	Comedy	Childhood friends replay their biggest game, starring Robin Williams and Kurt Russell.

Wildcats	1986	Comedy	Goldie Hawn as a high school football coach.

Johnny Be Good	1988	Comedy	A star high school quarterback (Anthony Michael Hall) must choose among a number of colleges vying to recruit him.

Everybody's All-American	1988	Drama	Dennis Quaid in adaptation of Frank Deford football novel.

Necessary Roughness	1991	Comedy	Story of a Texas college team filled with misfits.

The Last Boy Scout	1991	Action	Crime action film; football marginal to plot.

A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story	1991	Drama	A film of the relationship of between Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ricky Bell and Ryan Blankenship.

School Ties	1992	Drama	High school bigotry story with Brendan Fraser and Matt Damon

The Program	1993	Drama	James Caan as a college team's coach.

Rudy	1993	Biographical	True story of quest by Rudy Ruettiger to enroll and play at Notre Dame.

Little Giants	1994	Comedy	Fiction about men who coach children's teams.

Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story	1994	Biographical	Television film on life and career-ending injury of New York Jets' Dennis Byrd.

Jerry Maguire	1996	Rom-Com	Tom Cruise as a pro athlete's agent. An Oscar for Cuba Gooding Jr.

Angels in the Endzone	1997	Comedy	Direct-to-video sequel to 1994 version of Angels in the Outfield.

The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon	1998	Comedy	Made for TV tale with Tony Danza.

The Waterboy	1998	Comedy	Adam Sandler as a backward boy who helps Louisiana school's team

Air Bud: Golden Receiver	1998	Comedy	In this sequel to Air Bud, the title dog learns to play football.

Varsity Blues	1999	Drama	A Texas high school star quarterback (James Van Der Beek) struggles with pressure from his coach and father.

Any Given Sunday	1999	Drama	A Miami coach (Al Pacino) tries to rein in a quarterback (Jamie Foxx) who is rising in both talent and popularity.

The Fanatics	1999	Comedy	A television film with Ed Asner.

Marshall University: Ashes to Glory	2000	Documentary	Made for TV. A history of Marshall University football in the late 20th century, starting with the 1970 plane crash and ending with the school's successes in the 1990s.

Remember the Titans	2000	Drama	Based on a true story about a Virginia high school coach, starring Denzel Washington.

The Replacements	2000	Comedy	Keanu Reeves in a fictional story about strike-breakers on a pro team

Brian's Song	2001	Drama	A remake of 1971 story of Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo.

Full Ride	2002	Comedy	Bad-attitude teen is picked to play in a state all-star game.

Monday Night Mayhem	2002	Biographical	The creation of Monday Night Football, with John Turturro as sportscaster Howard Cosell.

The Slaughter Rule	2002	Drama	Ryan Gosling as a Montana six-man football player.

Junction Boys	2002	Biographical	Made for TV; based on a true story about a grueling football training camp at Texas A&M under coach Bear Bryant.

Hometown Legend	2002	Drama	A drifting teenager meets a demanding high school coach.

Second String	2002	Comedy	television film on a guy who gets to quarterback Buffalo Bills.

Playmakers	2003	Drama	This ESPN-aired drama depicts the lives of the Cougars, a fictional professional football team in an unidentified city.

Radio	2003	Drama	True story, with Cuba Gooding Jr. as a mentally challenged young man who aids a football coach.

Friday Night Lights	2004	Drama	Based on a true story about Texas high school football.

The Longest Yard	2005	Comedy	Remake of the 1974 film of the same title, with Adam Sandler.

Two for the Money	2005	Drama	Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey, gambling big on football.

Code Breakers	2005	Drama	ESPN film on 1951 West Point cheating scandal, starring Scott Glenn.

Invincible	2006	Drama	Biopic of bartender Vince Papale (played by Mark Wahlberg), who gets to play for the Philadelphia Eagles.

We Are Marshall	2006	Drama	Matthew McConaughey in true story of college team's 1970 plane crash and aftermath.

Facing the Giants	2006	Drama	Christian-themed story of a high school coach.

Gridiron Gang	2006	Drama	Dwayne Johnson as a man who creates team at juvenile detention center.

The Comebacks	2007	Comedy	Spoof of sports movies, featuring football coach "Lambeau Fields."

The Game Plan	2007	Comedy	Pro quarterback (Dwayne Johnson) discovers that he has a daughter.

Leatherheads	2007	Comedy	George Clooney in fictional story of 1920s pro football.

Harvard Beats Yale 29-29	2008	Documentary	Alumni (including Tommy Lee Jones) recall a memorable 1968 Ivy League game.

The Express	2008	Biographical	Factual account on life of Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis.

The Longshots	2008	Comedy	Based on a true story of the first girl to play in Pop Warner league.

The Band that Wouldn't Die	2009	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Explores the history of the Baltimore Colts, the team's controversial move to Indianapolis, and the NFL's return to Baltimore, through the common thread of the Colts marching band.

The Blind Side	2009	Biographical	High school career and recruitment of Michael Oher. An Oscar for Sandra Bullock.

The Legend of Jimmy the Greek	2009	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. A look at Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder, from start as bookie through firing from The NFL Today.

Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL?	2009	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Follows rise and demise of 1980s United States Football League, including team owner Donald Trump.

The U	2009	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Chronicles dominance of University of Miami program in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Best That Never Was	2010	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Examines 1981 Mississippi high school star Marcus Dupree, his injury-prone career, and how he affected recruiting process.

Run Ricky Run	2010	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. On life of Ricky Williams, focusing on his 2004 departure from NFL.

Straight Outta L.A.	2010	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Relationship between Raiders and minority fan base during 1982–1994 stint in L.A.

4th & Goal	2010	Documentary	Six players followed over six years as they try to make it to NFL. Unique look at journey from high school to professional football.

The 5th Quarter	2011	Drama	Based on story of Jon Abbate and surprising 2006 season of Wake Forest University.

Herschel	2011	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series about Herschel Walker

The Marinovich Project	2011	Documentary	Made for TV as a follow-up to ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Rise and fall of USC and NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich, focusing on complex relationship with his father.

Pony Excess	2011	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. A history of football at Southern Methodist University, including 1987 scandal that shut down the program for two years.

Roll Tide/War Eagle	2011	Documentary	Made for TV as a follow-up to ESPN's 30 for 30 series. On intense rivalry between Alabama and Auburn, and how devastating tornado and act of vandalism placed rivalry in perspective.

Undefeated	2011	Documentary	Chronicles 2009 season of Manassas High School, a doormat of Memphis football seeking first playoff win. Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

Touchback	2012	Drama	Ohio farmer relives a high school football game that changed his life.

Ghosts of Ole Miss	2012	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. A 50-year retrospective on 1962 at University of Mississippi, marked by an undefeated football season against backdrop of violence over the school's integration.

Season of a Lifetime	2012	Documentary	Story of football coach, Jeremy Williams, who, terminally ill with ALS, refuses to retire, deciding instead to coach for one last season.

You Don't Know Bo	2012	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series about baseball and football star Bo Jackson.

23 Blast	2013	Drama	True story about Travis Freeman, a Kentucky teen who loses his sight.

Against the Tide	2013	Documentary	Made for TV. A look back at 1970 USC–Alabama game, in which an integrated USC team easily defeats all-white Alabama and help to hasten integration of sport in the South.

The Book of Manning	2013	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series examining football's famous Manning family, father Archie and his sons Peyton and Eli

Elway to Marino	2013	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. On six quarterbacks selected in first round of 1983 NFL Draft, focusing on John Elway, the first of six picked, and Dan Marino, the last.

Youngstown Boys	2013	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Examines relationship at Ohio State between coach Jim Tressel and player Maurice Clarett.

League of Denial	2013	Documentary	An investigation of concussions and the health crisis threatening NFL players and the long-term fortunes of football.

Brian and The Boz	2014	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Explores the rise, fall, and post-football life of Brian Bosworth.

Draft Day	2014	Drama	A sports/drama film starring Kevin Costner as the General Manager of the Cleveland Browns.

Keepers of the Streak	2014	Documentary	Focuses on four photographers who worked at every Super Bowl from the first game in 1967 through the 2014 game.

Rand University	2014	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Examines former NFL star Randy Moss and his origins in Rand, West Virginia.

The U Part 2	2014	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Sequel to The U, following Miami football's rise from scandal to renewed dominance, only to face new controversy with the Nevin Shapiro scandal.

We Could Be King	2014	Documentary	A high school team faced with a merger with its rival.

When the Game Stands Tall	2014	Drama	True story of a California school's record-setting winning streak.

Happy Valley	2014	Documentary	About the sex abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky and its impact on Pennsylvania State University and its football program.

Balls Out	2014	Comedy	A sports-movie spoof about students who form an intramural team.

'51 Dons	2014	Documentary	In 1951, the undefeated San Francisco Dons decline invitation to play in Orange Bowl after being told they must play without two African-American stars.

Concussion	2015	Drama	Forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) links brain trauma to football players' suicides.

Carter High	2015	Drama	Robberies and a grades scandal cost a Dallas school its 1988 state championship.

Four Falls of Buffalo	2015	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. The story of the Buffalo Bills of the early 1990s, the only team ever to reach four consecutive Super Bowls—but loser of all four.

The Gospel According to Mac	2015	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Explores the tenure of Bill McCartney as Colorado Buffaloes coach, which combined great success (including a national title) and controversy in some quarters over his overt evangelicalism.

My All American	2015	Biographical	Dramatization of Texas Longhorns player Freddie Steinmark's fight with cancer.

Trojan War	2015	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Examines the return to prominence of the USC Trojans under Pete Carroll and the pay-for-play scandal that tarnished Carroll's success.

Woodlawn	2015	Drama	Racial tensions and Christian revival affect Alabama athletes and coach (Jon Voight) in 1973.

The '85 Bears	2016	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. A 30-year retrospective on the 1985 Chicago Bears, one of the most dominant and colorful teams in NFL history.

Catholics vs. Convicts	2016	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Examines the cultural impact of the notorious 1988 Notre Dame–Miami game.

Greater	2016	Biographical	The story of Brandon Burlsworth, possibly the greatest walk-on in the history of college football.

Gleason	2016	Documentary	NFL defensive back Steve Gleason bravely copes with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

O.J.: Made in America	2016	Documentary	Multi-part documentary series (three in theaters, five on TV) for ESPN Films and the 30 for 30 series focusing on the life, football career, acting career, and criminal cases of O.

This Was the XFL	2017	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. The story of the short-lived XFL and the friendship between its co-founders Vince McMahon and Dick Ebersol.

What Carter Lost	2017	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Looks at the team that ended the 1988 Permian High playoff run immortalized in Friday Night Lights, Carter High from Dallas—with more than 20 players receiving major-college scholarship offers, but soon afterward seeing six players involved in an armed robbery.

Year of the Scab	2017	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. A 30-year retrospective on the replacement players who led the 1987 Washington Redskins to a 3–0 start during that year's players' strike, paving the way for the team's Super Bowl victory that season—but still stigmatized as "scabs" by fans and especially by the Redskins' front office.

The Two Bills	2018	Documentary	Made for TV as a part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Explores the relationship between NFL coaching legends Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick.

Paterno	2018	Biographical	HBO film focusing on Joe Paterno and the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal.

Seau	2018	Documentary	Made as part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series and initially released on the company's ESPN+ streaming service. Examines the life of NFL legend Junior Seau, from his Samoan immigrant origins to NFL superstardom, mental decline, and eventual suicide linked to CTE.

Sentence(s)

The Comebacks film is a parody of the sports film genre.

final_sentence: The Comebacks film is a parody of the sports film genre.