For most fans, we only see the part of pro football that takes place on the field. However, the stuff that goes on behind the scenes is sometimes shown to us in movies. Granted, movies aren’t necessarily accurate depictions of life in the pros, but it’s fun to think that they are. Plus, it’s always fun to look back at some great movies from yesteryear. With that in mind, we wanted to take a look at some of the best movies that dramatized professional football, regardless of how realistic they may be.
Concussion
As controversial as it might be, Concussion has to be mentioned among the best movies about pro football. It may not portray the NFL in a positive light, but clearly, the league dropped the ball when it came to concussions and the health of players.
While the science behind concussions can be a little confusing, this movie helped to explain the situation and give fans a much-needed glimpse into the fight by doctors to get the NFL to pay attention to concussions.
Invincible
While it seems far-fetched, Invincible is actually based on a true story. It tells the tale of Vince Papale, who got a tryout with the Eagles and did enough to convince coach Dick Vermeil to put him on the roster. In real life, Papale was a standout player on a semi-pro team rather than a part-time bartender, which somehow made sense with Mark Wahlberg in the lead role.
Yet, the story of a seemingly average Joe making the roster of an NFL team is an uplifting one, not to mention a movie that makes the average fan feel less foolish for thinking that they could step on an NFL field and hold their own.
Jerry Maguire
Even outside of being a movie about football, Jerry Maguire is a classic. Cuba Gooding Jr. won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor while Tom Cruise also got an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the titular sports agent.
The movie is the perfect blend of a sports movie and a romantic comedy that also has plenty of heart. It remains one of the best movie portrayals of the life of a sports agent, which is a side to pro sports that fans rarely get to see firsthand.
The Replacements
While The Replacements tells the story of a fictional football team in a fictional league, it was loosely based on what happened to the Washington Football Team during the 1987 strike.
It was never going to win any awards or be remembered as an all-time classic. But you can’t deny that it was funny and entertaining, even if it was a little predictable and over the top. Anybody who enjoys sports movies and comedies will surely remember it fondly.
Any Given Sunday
Between the cast and the various plot lines of Any Given Sunday, it’s hard to find any movie that offers a closer portrayal of life in the NFL. The movie shows viewers all of the moving parts, relationships, and dynamics that exist in a football locker room. While it’s a little hard to accept that all of this could be going on with one team at the same time, it makes for a great movie.
Any Given Sunday is filled with both acting stars and football stars and also has an intensity that mimics life in the NFL, which is why it’s our favorite movie that dramatizes pro football.