Football movies are a core part of sports culture. They give us motivation, goosebumps, and sometimes secondhand embarrassment. From emotional underdog stories to flat-out ridiculous comedies, we’ve seen it all on the fictional (and not-so-fictional) gridiron.
So we’re ranking 30 of the most iconic football movies of all time, from the absolute fumbles to the all-time classics. No film is safe.
Let’s start with the ones that made us shake our heads and work our way to the GOATs of the football movie world.
Which football movies are the best and which ones are the worst?
30. 80 for Brady (2023)
We get it. Tom Brady is the GOAT. But this football movie feels like fanfiction made by someone’s grandma. Four senior citizens breaking into the Super Bowl is a fun idea in theory, but the execution is pure fluff. There are some charming moments, and the cast is iconic, but let’s be real. This one was made for the memes, not football fans.
29. Draft Day (2014)
Kevin Costner tries to rebuild the Cleveland Browns in one day with trades that would get laughed at by Madden. It’s dramatic, fast-paced, and oddly watchable, but if you’re expecting realism, don’t bother. This movie feels like a football-themed fantasy written by someone who just Googled “how the NFL Draft works.”
28. Radio (2003)
Cuba Gooding Jr. gave this everything he had, but the movie leans so hard into the inspirational tropes that it starts to feel hollow. It wants to make you cry every five minutes. The sentiment is there. The story deserved to be told. But the football takes a backseat to emotional manipulation.
27. Concussion (2015)
This one was more for headlines than highlight reels. Will Smith’s performance was solid, but this is a football movie where you barely see football. It’s important, sure, but you don’t finish this film feeling hyped. You finish it wondering if anyone should be playing football at all.
26. Safety (2020)
A Disney+ special that plays it extremely safe. It’s heartwarming and based on a real story, but everything feels wrapped in that classic Disney gloss. The message is great, the football is fine, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression in the movie.
25. American Underdog (2021)
Kurt Warner’s story is incredible. This football movie is just okay. It’s one of those overly sanitized sports movies that checks every inspirational box but doesn’t bring much edge. Great for Sunday afternoon background noise, but it won’t blow you away.
24. Necessary Roughness (1991)
A ridiculous comedy that knows exactly what it is. Not good football. Not good acting. But kind of fun. Scott Bakula slinging passes as a 34-year-old QB and Kathy Ireland kicking field goals? Wild. You’ll laugh, but not because it’s funny. Because it’s so absurd.
23. Wildcats (1986)
Goldie Hawn as a football coach in inner-city Chicago is as ‘80s as it gets. It’s not a great movie, but it has personality. And it gave us young Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. Worth a nostalgic rewatch, even if the football scenes are a mess.
22. Gridiron Gang (2006)
The Rock tries to save troubled teens through football. It’s your classic “misfits find purpose on the field” plot. Solid, not spectacular. Heart is there, but this football movie doesn’t quite hit hard enough to be a true classic.
21. The Express (2008)
A beautiful tribute to Ernie Davis, the first Black Heisman winner. Great message. Strong lead. But something about this one just doesn’t fully connect. It should hit harder than it does. More respect than rewatch value.
20. All the Right Moves (1983)
Tom Cruise before he became Tom Cruise. A gritty take on small-town football dreams, but it leans more into teen drama than football action. It’s solid, just not top-tier.
19. Undefeated (2011)
If you like your football raw and real, this documentary delivers. A high school team on the brink of collapse finds life again through tough love and discipline. There are no actors, no scripts, just a pure football struggle. It’s emotional and unforgettable.
18. Knute Rockne, All American (1940)
Old school as it gets. This is where “Win one for the Gipper” came from. If you love Notre Dame or football history, you’ll enjoy it. If not? This football movie might be a little too black-and-white for your taste.
17. Heaven Can Wait (1978)
A QB dies, comes back in someone else’s body, and still makes a Super Bowl run. Yeah, it’s weird. But oddly fun. Warren Beatty somehow pulls it off. It’s not very football-heavy, but it’s got heart.
16. The Program (1993)
Juiced-up college players laying in traffic to prove they’re tough? Yeah, this movie was wild. It’s messy, dramatic, and over-the-top, but that’s why fans love it. A dark, chaotic snapshot of college football gone off the rails.
15. Little Giants (1994)
Pee-wee football meets every ‘90s sports comedy movie trope. Rick Moranis as a nerdy coach vs. Ed O’Neill as a football meathead. It’s silly, it’s quotable, and it gave us “The Annexation of Puerto Rico.” What more do you need?
14. We Are Marshall (2006)
Heartbreaking and hopeful. Tells the true story of a program rebuilding after tragedy. Matthew McConaughey gives an emotional performance that carries the film. Not flashy, but powerful.
13. Invincible (2006)
Mark Wahlberg plays a Philly bartender who makes the Eagles roster in his 30s. It’s a real-life fairy tale, and this football movie embraces every underdog cliché. You’ll roll your eyes and still cheer by the end.
12. The Replacements (2000)
Keanu Reeves as a scab QB during a player strike? Yes please. This is one of the most rewatchable football comedies ever. You won’t learn anything about the game. But you will laugh your way through the final drive.
11. Varsity Blues (1999)
This one is pure chaos and 90s teen drama. Over-the-top coach. Partying players. A whipped cream bikini. It’s dumb, loud, and still kind of legendary.
10. The Blind Side (2009)
You either love this movie or think it’s too sanitized. Sandra Bullock carries the film, and the story of Michael Oher is inspiring, even if it plays loose with the truth. Overrated? Maybe. But undeniably beloved.
9. The Waterboy (1998)
It’s stupid. It’s loud. It’s hilarious. Adam Sandler made a football classic without really trying. You quote it. You watch it every year. And you’ll never hear “high quality H₂O” the same way again.
8. North Dallas Forty (1979)
A gritty, boozy, brutally honest movie about what football does to players. Think Any Given Sunday before Any Given Sunday. It’s not fun. But it is real.
7. The Longest Yard (1974)
Burt Reynolds and a team of inmates taking on the guards? It’s iconic. Raw, hilarious, and anti-establishment in all the right ways. Sandler’s remake is fun, but this is the original with the bite.
6. Brian’s Song (1971)
The ultimate tearjerker. Sayers and Piccolo’s friendship hits you right in the soul. If this football movie doesn’t make you cry, you might not be human. A beautiful story about love, loss, and brotherhood.
5. Jerry Maguire (1996)
Is it a football movie? Kind of. Is it one of the best sports-adjacent films ever? Absolutely. “Show me the money.” “You had me at hello.” Iconic from start to finish. Cruise and Cuba cooked with this one.
4. Any Given Sunday (1999)
This movie is a sensory overload. Al Pacino screaming. Jamie Foxx rapping. Eyeballs on the field. It’s ridiculous, raw, and unforgettable. Stone’s vision of the NFL is a mess, but it’s the most entertaining mess you’ve ever seen.
3. Friday Night Lights (2004)
Few sports movies feel as real and immersive as this one. Gritty, intense, and emotionally gutting. Small-town football obsession is at its absolute peak. It doesn’t flinch. And that’s what makes it great.
2. Rudy (1993)
The definition of heart. The slow clap. The “Rudy” chant. The guy was 5’6”, slow, and somehow made it onto the Notre Dame field. It’s not about talent. It’s about never quitting. An all-timer of a football movie.
1. Remember the Titans (2000)
The undisputed GOAT of football movies. Denzel Washington. “Left side, strong side.” That locker room speech. That soundtrack. That ending. It’s everything we want in a sports movie and then some. No debate here.