10 Best Football Movies That Are Based on True Stories

Football movies already come with a certain nostalgia, as they remind audiences of the chilly fall evenings with bright lights illuminating perfectly manicured fields. Each year, millions of people attend games and events, rally with their friends at sports bars, or tune into the game from the comfort of their own homes. Football is more than just a sport for some; it’s a complete lifestyle. When it comes to movies featuring fictional football games, many fans are skeptical, as rules, regulations, and reality are often thrown out. However, there are plenty of football films that are based on true stories to get sports fans and cinephiles rooting for the same team.

Seeing a real-life coach, specific athlete, or whole team depicted in a movie is an honor. These individuals or groups have usually been recognized in a huge way within the industry, and those with the cameras and scripts feel as if their incredible stories should be told to the masses. Check out the 10 best football movies of all time that are actually based on true stories.

10

Remember the Titans (2000)

As one of the most popular and well-known football movies that is based on a true story, Remember the Titans does so much more than show audiences how a group of young men can come together as a team to win some games. Denzel Washington and Will Patton portray the very real coach, Herman Boone, and his assistant coach, Bill Yoast. Together, the men were able to make a difference in their players’ lives and help their small town learn to accept and embrace everyone, no matter the color of their skin.

The True Story Behind the Film

As a Black man born in America in 1935, Herman Boone knew what it meant to be judged by the color of his skin. Just over a decade into his teaching and coaching career, Boone was hired at T. C. Williams High School (the school featured in the movie), and in 1971, he was promoted to head coach as three already racially integrated schools were merged together. Boone was a force no one wanted to reckon with as his motivation seeped into his players, and they handled their business on the field with more wins than anything. Stream on Disney+

9

Rudy (1993)

Rudy is the ultimate underdog football story that tells about the time a young man named Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger from Illinois had big dreams for himself despite many challenges. Lord of the Rings and Stranger Things actor Sean Astin portrayed the aspiring young man in the film, and perfectly showed how Ruettiger was able to pursue his life-long dream of playing college football. Between the advice given and the rallying support students have in the movie, you may even find yourself chanting for Rudy to get on the field.

The True Story Behind the Film

Much like he is portrayed in the film, Ruettiger did not have the easiest time in school. His grades were not stellar, and with 13 other siblings, college seemed like a difficult dream to achieve. Nevertheless, he persisted. After attending Holy Cross College, Ruettiger was able to transfer to Notre Dame, where he earned a spot on the practice team. The real Dan Devine, Notre Dame’s head football coach at the time, was not a heartless monster like he was made out to be in the film. Instead, he encouraged Ruetigger to play during the final game of his senior year. Furthermore, Ruettiger really was carried off the field by fellow teammates. Stream on Hulu

8

North Dallas Forty (1979)

Nick Nolte portrays Phil Elliott, an older player on the North Dallas Bulls football team, in North Dallas Forty. Phil and Seth Maxwell, the Bulls’ quarterback and Phil’s best friend, enjoy the party life a bit too much off the field, and they have gotten away with a lot since they do so well in games. Unfortunately, Phil’s time comes to an end when the owners decide they’ve had enough of his attitude.

The True Story Behind the Film

North Dallas Forty is not the typical feel-good football film that most audiences are used to, but rather, it depicts what happened behind the scenes in the industry in the 1960s. Based on Peter Gent’s semi-autobiographical novel, many fans have been able to connect the characters in his book and the film to players and officials on the Dallas Cowboys team. Looking at the lifestyles people were naturally living in the late ’60s and the honest account from Gent, this film is an eye-opener to what goes on when business trumps humanity. Rent on YouTube

7

Brian’s Song (2001)

Nobody is ever really excited about being someone else’s understudy or being second-string. For Brian Piccolo in Brian’s Song, he is less than pleased to find that the starting running back, Gale Sayers, is always just a step ahead of him. However, after a serious injury allows Brian to step up as the starter, he realizes he wants to earn the spot rather than be the de facto player. Brian makes it his mission to help Gale get better and train, and naturally, the two bond and become the best of friends.

The True Story Behind the Film

Based on a single chapter in Gale Sayers’ autobiography, I Am Third, the former Chicago Bears halfback fondly remembers the standoff attitude he and Brian Piccolo had towards one another that later became a friendship. While the 1971 film (as well as the 2001 remake here) put a larger emphasis on the players’ friendship, both did face their own struggles in real life. Piccolo really did have to work his way up the ranks to be a starter, and Sayers did get injured, which resulted in Piccolo replacing him for a short time. Stream on Tubi

Related: The 11 Best Fictional Movie Football Players, Ranked

6

Gridiron Gang (2006)

It should come as no surprise to see Dwayne Johnson in a football coaching position, but to make him a probation officer that tries to help kids see more potential in themselves than living a life of violence is touching. Gridiron Gang follows a group of juvenile delinquents as they are given the chance to create a football team and learn what it means to work together for a common goal. Now, this is easier said than done, as some boys come from rival gangs, and plenty of them have reasons to be angry.

The True Story Behind the Film

In the Santa Monica Mountains of California, there is a juvenile detention center called Camp Kilpatrick. The camp started to gain some recognition in the late-80s with its introduction of a sports program to help build character for the kids there. In 1990, their football team, the Kilpatrcik Mustangs, went a full season against other teams and schools in the area. A documentary came out in 1993 depicting their inaugural season. Sean Porter had a part in the creation of the football program, but not to the degree shown in the movie. Stream on Netflix

5

Friday Night Lights (2004)

It is no secret that small towns in Texas and high school football go hand in hand, but one particular town in west Texas is known for its love of the game. In Odessa, at Permian High School, young men can be found on the field all year round as they get ready for football season.

Billy Bob Thornton portrays the legendary Coach Gary Gaines in Friday Night Lights, as he prepares his boys to set their sights on the state championship. Lucas Black and Derek Luke, respectively, play Mike Winchell and Boobie Miles. The film shows the struggles many players go through and how they are able to manage significant wins as well as devastating losses.

The True Story Behind the Film

In the late-80s, a journalist by the name of H. G. Bissingger believed there was a story to tell about how high school football played a much larger role in our society. He found the Permian High football team in Odessa, Texas and decided to involve himself with the players and coaches (per Screen Rant). He went to their games, practices, and even homes to get a better sense of who everyone was both on the field and off of it. He discovered that Gary Gaines was a championship-driven coach who cared deeply about his players, and he got to know what motivated several of the young men on the team. Rent on Prime Video

4

Invincible (2006)

Mark Wahlberg plays Vince Papale in Invincible, a former teacher who managed to earn himself a spot on the Philadelphia Eagles for three seasons. In the film, Papale struggles with getting laid off and losing his wife all at once, but a glimmer of hope presents itself when the new coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear), decides to hold open public tryouts to find new talent for the team. Papale tries out and makes the team. Unfortunately, not all the players are as excited about his involvement.

The True Story Behind the Film

While several things are true throughout Invincible, the storyline for a lot of it is skewed. Rather than Vince Papale being a teacher-bartender combo, who only played pick-up games at the park, he actually had real experience playing football. The real Papale played in the semi-pro Seaboard Football League, and then he attended the open tryouts for the Philadelphia Bell. Two seasons later, he was invited to a private training session with the Philadelphia Eagles where he made the roster. Stream on Disney+

Related: The Best Football Movies of All Time, Ranked

3

We Are Marshall (2006)

Matthew McConaughey gave an outstanding performance in We Are Mashall as the real-life Jack Lengyel, a man who took on the head coaching job at Marshall University after the previous head coach, dozens of players, and many others lost their lives in a plane crash. With very few football players, Lengyel had to recruit athletes from other sports and allow walk-ons to try out for the team. The film shows what it is like for the university as well as the town to come together to honor the memory of those they lost.

The True Story Behind the Film

In 1970, a chartered plane carrying most of Marshall University’s football team and coaches crashed just before reaching the runway, killing everyone onboard. Lengyel became the new head coach of the Thundering Herd football team, and with the help of Marshall University’s assistant coach, Red Dawson, he was able to put together a team. Lengyel asked the NCAA to allow first-year students to play college ball, and given the circumstance, they allowed the new rule. Rent on Apple TV

2

Undefeated (2011)

Some high school students go out for sports to stay fit, some grow up playing with their friends and family members, and then there are those who feel like they have control of nothing else in their lives except for themselves while in a game. These students are the ones who put their heart and soul into the sport, and they’re also the ones featured in the award-winning football documentary, Undefeated.

The True Story Behind the Film

Rather than seeing actors portray players and coaches, Undefeated gets right into the thick of it as a camera crew followed a head football coach, Bill Courtney, and his players in Memphis, Tennessee. From outbreaks and fights to honest speeches and advice, Courtney was able to turn around the team in a single season. He not only made his players work for their wins, but he made sure they knew they were supported in the classroom and at home. The documentary won an Academy Award and an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. Stream on Hoopla

1

The Express: The Ernie Davis Story (2008)

Actor Rob Brown was no stranger to sports films being based on true stories, since he had already been in Coach Carter, but with The Express: The Ernie Davis Story, there was a much deeper message to portray than overcoming personal hardships. Brown plays the title character as he is recruited by the Syracuse University football head coach as well as all-star player Jim Brown. When in Texas, Ernie is met with threats, discrimination, and biased referees. Despite everyone rooting for his failure, Ernie manages to excel.

The True Story Behind the Film

Ernie Davis was the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy, the highest honor any college football player can receive. Like in the film, he really was persuaded to join Syracuse’s team because of Jim Brown, and a couple of years later, Davis was able to convince Floyd Little to do the same. Davis and his team did face backlash and hostility while playing in the Cotton Bowl, but he still managed to keep his composure and give the game his all. Rent on AppleTV