Football is America's favorite sport. 37 percent of Americans put it at the top of their list, with basketball coming in second at 11 percent and baseball rounding out third at 9 percent. Given our passion for the game, it should come as no surprise that football is also the subject of some of America's favorite films. The gridiron serves as the perfect stage for stories that uplift and inspire. Stories about putting aside differences and coming together for a common goal. Stories about redemption, tradition, and finding oneself amid the grime and shredded turf and crackle of colliding helmets.
We cover the gamut of football films on this list, from comedy to drama and everything in between. From films that will make you laugh if you turn off your brain, to those that offer an in-depth look at the machinations of high-stakes NFL trading, to the sort of elevating underdog tale you'll come back to again and again whenever you crave the sort of warm and fuzzies that make just about anything seem possible.
We've ranked these iconic gridiron classics for your enjoyment, so take a knee and listen up as we count down to the very best football movie ever made.
10. Draft Day (2014)
Summit Entertainment
Cleveland Browns' general manager Sonny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner) faces the upcoming NFL draft day. However, his personal life is far from simple, with his girlfriend's pregnancy and pressure from the team's owner to fire him. After striking a deal with Seattle to secure their first-round pick, Sonny questions whether he made the best decision for both himself and the Browns.
This one is more for the hardcore football fans, as it really gets into the nitty-gritty details about the high-stakes game of trading and drafting players in the NFL - but Kevin Costner fans will enjoy it as well.
9. We Are Marshall (2006)
Warner Bros.
Set in 1970, Marshall University and the tight-knit town of Huntington, W.Va., are devastated by a tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of 75 football players, staff members, and supporters. Stepping into this somber setting in 1971, Coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) takes charge with a resolute mission: to rebuild Marshall's Thundering Herd and help mend a heartbroken community.
We Are Marshall is a moving tribute to the real-life tragedy. A memorial in film. And there's a reason McConaughey now gives speeches to the University of Texas football team — he'll hype you up right along with the players on-screen.
8. The Longest Yard (1974)
Paramount Pictures
Former football star Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) finds himself behind bars and is coerced by the warden to assemble a team of inmates to face off against the guards' lineup. The warden attempts to manipulate him into throwing the game, but the convicts have different plans. They view the match as a chance to pay back the brutality they've suffered.
With a mix of grit and humor, and guided by the brilliantly cast Reynolds, the film carries intriguing political undertones and builds up to a thrilling climax.
7. Invincible (2006)
Disney Enterprises
When the Philadelphia Eagles hold an open tryout to drum up excitement from their fanbase, they aren't expecting any actual talent to show up. But lifelong Birds fan Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg) astounds coaches and manages to make the team - despite being 30 years old and never having played a down of college ball.
Set in the raw and genuine atmosphere of South Philly, this true story brims with enthusiasm that's not to be overlooked. It's simple. It's authentic. It's a must-watch for fans of football or powerful, feel-good stories.
6. The Waterboy (1998)
Getty Images
Bobby Boucher Jr. (Adam Sandler) grows up under the watchful eye of his overprotective mother, Helen (Kathy Bates). He's the water boy for a highly-successful college football team and is constantly picked on by players. But when Bobby stands up for himself and lays out his harasser, he catches the eye of a rival team's Coach Klein (Henry Winkler), who puts Bobby on the field as a linebacker. Will he have what it takes to save the failing program?
This is pure stupid fun from the Golden Age of stupid, fun Sandler movies. It's highly quotable. And at rare moments, almost inspiring. If you're feeling down, throw this on and say to yourself in Rob Schneider's goofy voice: "You can do it!"
5. Any Given Sunday (1999)
Getty Images
Four years ago, DAmato's (Al Pacino) Miami Sharks were at the top. Now, his team is struggling with three consecutive losses, sliding attendance, and aging heroes, particularly 39-year-old quarterback Jack "Cap" Rooney (Dennis Quaid). Off the field, DAmato is struggling with a failed marriage and estranged children, and is on a collision course with Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz), the young president/co-owner of the Sharks organization.
Any Given Sunday is praised for focusing on the actual game rather than the lives of players off the field. And Pacino delivers one of the most inspiring locker room speeches ever made in a film.
4. Jerry Maguire (1996)
TriStar Pictures
Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise), a smooth-talking sports agent, sets out to start his own management firm with the support of single mother Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger) by his side. Putting all their hopes on their one and only client, football player Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), Jerry and Dorothy find themselves falling in love amidst the struggles of their new venture.
I'll show you the money: a perfect blend of romance and football, plus Cruise, Gooding Jr., and Zellweger at their very best.
3. The Blind Side (2009)
Warner Bros
This is the true story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), an unhoused teenager who leads a turbulent and troubled life until he's taken in by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and her husband, Sean (Tim McGraw). The Tuohys open their hearts and home to Oher, which sparks a profound transformation in the young man and leads him toward becoming an unstoppable force on the football field.
An Oscar-winning performance from Bullock makes The Blind Side a deeply moving tragedy turned triumph.
(Update: Michael Oher said on August 4 that the Tuohys tricked him into signing adoption papers and that he hasn't seen a cent of the money the family made from the film)
2. Remember The Titans (2000)
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
When the school board mandates the integration of an all-white and all-black high school in Virginia in 1971, the football team begins training for their upcoming season amidst heated racial tensions. Head Coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) is tasked with leading the young men and bringing them together in a world determined to split them apart.
In this true story, terrific performances abound, enshrining Remember The Titans as an all-time crowd-pleaser.
1. Rudy (1993)
TriStar
This biographical film tells the story of Rudy Ruettiger (Sean Astin), who's spent his whole life dreaming of playing football for Notre Dame. Problem is, he lacks the talent and physical stature for college ball and the grades for Notre Dame. But when his best friend Pete is killed in an explosion at the steel mill where they work, Rudy becomes determined to follow his dream against all odds.
Rudy is bursting with heart. It's one of the best sports films ever made, hands down. A breathtaking underdog story of passion and determination and how the presence of these traits can lead to incredible things.
