The best football movies

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In honor of the 2024 Super Bowl on Feb. 11, we're taking a look back at the best films about football, starting with this classic…

Sean Astin starred in the biographical sports drama "Rudy" as the titular aspiring college football player — Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger — who dreamed of playing football at the University of Notre Dame in spite of significant obstacles. The football flick performed well at the box office and with critics and is now widely considered to be one of the all-time greatest films about sports.

Keep reading to see if your favorite football film made the list…

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Tom Cruise starred as the titular sports agent in the 1996 dramedy "Jerry Maguire," which chronicles his ups and downs as he searches for his purpose while falling for his assistant, a single mom played by Renee Zellweger, and her precocious son (a pint-sized Jonathan Lipnicki). But it was Cuba Gooding Jr.'s Oscar-winning portrayal of Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rodney "Rod" Tidwell that truly stole the show! "Jerry Maguire" — which also scored Academy Award nominations for best picture and best original screenplay — was a huge financial success, earning more than $273 million worldwide.

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"Remember the Titans" is widely regarded as the best football film ever made. The 2000 biopic is based on the true story of Black head coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) and his attempt to integrate the T.C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971. "Remember the Titans" was an instant critical and commercial success that earned more than $136 million on a $30 million budget.

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"The Waterboy" is not only a great football film but also one of Adam Sandler's funniest movies. The 1998 comedy centers around Bobby Boucher, an awkward 31-year-old waterboy for the University of Louisiana football program who becomes a star linebacker. "The Waterboy" may not have impressed critics, but it still raked in $186 million at the box office!

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The 2004 film "Friday Night Lights" centers around high school football coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) and his players in football-crazed Odessa, Texas. The sports drama grossed more than $62 million at the box office and won numerous awards including an ESPY Award for best sports movie. It was such a huge hit, in fact, that it spawned a critically acclaimed 2006 TV series of the same name.

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"We Are Marshall" is guaranteed to make you cry rivers. The 2006 drama shows the aftermath of a 1970 plane crash that killed 75 people: 37 Marshall University college football players along with five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters and a crew of five. Matthew McConaughey stars as head coach Jack Lengyel in this powerful biopic about rebuilding and healing that is must-see cinema.

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"The Longest Yard" follows an imprisoned former NFL star (Burt Reynolds) as he recruits a group of prisoners to face off against a team of guards in an exhibition game hosted by the warden at the prison where he's serving time behind bars. The original 1974 iteration of the film — which was shot at a real Georgia prison — featured many real-life football players including Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke. It was a big hit at the box office, grossing $43 million on a $2.9 million budget. It also won the Golden Globe for best comedy or musical film and inspired a handful of remakes including a 2005 version starring Adam Sandler.

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"The Blind Side" is a football film that will tug at your heartstrings. The 2007 biopic centers around offensive lineman Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) and his journey from the inner city to the NFL. The film also highlights his adoption by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy (Tim McGraw and Sandra Bullock, who won an Oscar for her efforts). "The Blind Side" dominated the box office with $300 million in ticket sales.

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Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday" features an all-star cast including Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx and Aaron Eckhart. The 1999 sports drama centers around the fictional Miami Sharks football team and its struggle to win games and tame egos. It was a smash hit at the box office, raking in more than $100 million worldwide.

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The 1994 family comedy "Little Giants" centers around brothers coaching rival Pee-Wee Football teams in small-town Ohio. Former Heisman Trophy winner Kevin O'Shea (Ed O'Neill) coaches the more established of the two teams while Danny (Rick Moranis) — who's always lived in his brother's shadow — coaches a band of adorable misfits including his own daughter, Becky "Icebox" O'Shea, and her crush, star quarterback Junior Floyd (a young Devon Sawa).

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Keanu Reeves playing football? Sign us up! The 2000 sports comedy "The Replacements" centers around the athletes of questionable talent who are hired to replace the professionals when the real players go on strike. "The Replacements" only grossed $50 million at the box office, but today the comedy is considered a cult classic.

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Ask any millennial and they'll tell you that "Varsity Blues" is one of the all-time greatest sports movies. Heartthrobs Paul Walker and James Van Der Beek headlined the equally hilarious and heartfelt 1999 dramedy, which follows a high school football team and its overbearing coach (Jon Voight) through a rocky season in a high-pressure Texas town. "Varsity Blues" didn't receive the best reviews, but audiences (including us) loved it. The football movie grossed $52 million against its $16 million budget.

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The 2006 biographical sports drama "Invincible" centers around real-life athlete Vince Papale, a bartender who successfully tried out for the Philadelphia Eagles and played football professionally from 1976 to 1978. Critics praised Mark Wahlberg's standout performance in the film, which was a success at the box office, earning more than $58 million.

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"Brian's Song" is another tearjerker that tells a powerful story of friendship and perseverance. The 1971 film follows the life of Brian Piccolo (James Caan), a Wake Forest University football player who's diagnosed with terminal cancer after going pro. His story is told through his real-life friend and Chicago Bears teammate Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams). "Brian's Song" was originally an ABC made-for-TV movie, but it was such a success that Columbia Pictures later showed it in theaters too.

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"North Dallas Forty" is the perfect mixture of comedy, drama and satire. The sports classic shows the over-the-top world of professional football in the late 1970s. Released in 1979, "North Dallas Forty" is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Peter Gent and starred future Academy Award nominee Nick Nolte.

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"Everybody's All-American" makes our list thanks to its unique plot and amazing acting. The 1988 film expanded on the traditional sports movie, exploring the life of a former college football hero whose glory days are long gone. The sports drama starred Dennis Quaid as the dejected former star athlete and Jessica Lange as his happy college girlfriend-turned-frustrated, lonely wife.

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Fun fact: One of the very best football movies was released more than 50 years ago! "Paper Lion" lands a spot on our list thanks to its unbelievable — and true — story. The 1968 film centers on George Plimpton, a Sports Illustrated journalist who played for the Detroit Lions during training camp as a backup quarterback. "Paper Lion" is laugh-out-loud funny and will inspire you to pursue whatever ambitions you have, no matter how far-fetched they might seem.

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"The Express: The Ernie Davis Story," like many other movies on this list, is a heartfelt, real-life tale that is sure to leave you weepy. The 2008 movie is based on the life of Syracuse University football player Ernie Davis, the first Black athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. The powerful film, starring Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown, received rave reviews but unfortunately didn't fair so well at the box office. Nevertheless, it is a must-watch football film!

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Unlike the rest of the films on our list, "Undefeated" is actually a documentary, but that doesn't make it any less powerful or entertaining. The 2011 doc follows a high school football team in Memphis as they attempt a winning season after years of losses. Their struggles, triumphs and interactions with head coach Bill Courtney will leave you overwhelmed with emotion. "Undefeated," which was co-produced by Diddy, won the Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2012.

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"Radio" has gotten a bad rap over the years for its overly sentimental plot, but we love an impactful, inspiring story. The 2003 semi-biographical sports drama is based on the real-life relationship between T.L. Hanna High School football coach Harold Jones and James Robert "Radio" Kennedy, a developmentally challenged young man who lived in the same community. Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris starred in the film, which might have been panned by critics but still found its footing at the box office. "Radio" earned more than $52 million in ticket sales and received an ESPY Award nomination for best sports movie.