Top 10 Inspiring Football Movies

Photo courtesy of Dave Adamson via Unsplash

Top 10 Inspiring Football Movies

By Movieguide® Contributor

Super Bowl LIX is just around the corner, and whether your team made it or not, we’ve got you covered! We’ve corralled some of our favorite football movies that are sure to inspire you. There are so many sweet options to choose from for your family movie night. There are classics like REMEMBER THE GIANTS, newer releases like WOODLAWN, or faith-based ones like FACING THE GIANTS. Enjoy this round-up of inspirational football movies.

WE ARE MARSHALL

Quality:
****
Content:
-1 Caution advised for older children, including teenagers, and sensitive adults.
WE ARE MARSHALL is an inspiring movie about dealing with the grief of an actual plane crash that killed most of the Marshall University football team and coaching staff in 1970. MOVIEGUIDE® heartily recommends WE ARE MARSHALL, with the caution that there is too much brief foul language and an instance of players drinking beer.

THE BLIND SIDE

Quality:
****
Content:
-1 Caution advised for older children, including teenagers, and sensitive adults.
THE BLIND SIDE is a compelling, feel great drama that tells the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless young black teenager who is welcomed into a caring Christian family. Though there are unneccessary elements requiring caution, this wonderful drama is a faith filled, truly inspiring movie with overt Christian values.

FACING THE GIANTS

Quality:
****
Content:
+4 Biblical, usually Christian, worldview, with no questionable elements whatsoever.
FACING THE GIANTS is a thoroughly entertaining high school football movie with a strong evangelistic thrust. When Coach Grant realizes that the importance of the football team is not winning the game but serving God, he completely rebuilds the team, revival breaks out in the school, and miracles start to happen. MOVIEGUIDE® commends the filmmakers for producing such an inspiring, entertaining movie.

WOODLAWN

Quality:
***
Content:
-1 Caution advised for older children, including teenagers, and sensitive adults.
WOODLAWN is about a High School football team in Alabama in the 1970’s that was transformed by the Gospel and saw forgiveness, racial reconciliation and transformation as a result. WOODLAWN has some flaws in its writing, but it also has wonderful moments of faith, drama and inspiring transformation that will bring audiences to tears.

REMEMBER THE TITANS

Quality:
****
Content:
+3 Some minor questionable elements. (Media-wisdom is suggested to discuss.)
Based on a true story, REMEMBER THE TITANS depicts the forced integration of an all black high school with an all white school and its impact on football in 1971 Alexandria, Virginia. Faced with the need to unify their team, two coaches, one of them played by Denzel Washington, must help the team to learn that the real victory lies in changed hearts. Humorous as well as dramatic, TITANS is a moral, uplifting, well-acted tale.

AMERICAN UNDERDOG

Quality:
****
Content:
+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)
AMERICAN UNDERDOG is an uplifting, entertaining sports drama about the beloved and highly honored quarterback, Kurt Warner, and his wife and stepchildren. Extremely well-plotted, AMERICAN UNDERDOG is heartrending in spots, shows some of the challenges Kurt and his family went through and is intentionally very clean and uplifting, with strong Christian faith and values.

THE GAME PLAN

Quality:
****
Content:
+4 Biblical, usually Christian, worldview, with no questionable elements whatsoever.
In THE GAME PLAN, Quarterback Joe Kingman of the Boston Rebels has the perfect plan to win the Super Bowl, but, first, he has to tackle one little problem – the arrival of the 8-year-old daughter he didn’t know he had, who turns his life upside down. THE GAME PLAN is a very entertaining movie with strong moral values that families should love.

THE LONGSHOTS

Quality:
****
Content:
-1 Caution advised for older children, including teenagers, and sensitive adults.
THE LONGSHOTS is an inspiring sports drama with plenty of comedy and a strong, uplifting Christian worldview. It stars Ice Cube and Keke Palmer, who give excellent performances as an uncle and his niece who find happiness and togetherness by using the gifts God has given them.

GREATER

Quality:
****
Content:
+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)
GREATER is based on the true story of Brandon Burlsworth, who began his football career as a walk-on, but through hard work and trust in God, became one of the best football players Arkansas ever saw. GREATER is an entertaining, inspiring movie with a strong Christian, moral worldview, but there is some brief but light foul language and intense moments, so discernment is required for younger children.

WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALL

Quality:
***
Content:
+4 Biblical, usually Christian, worldview, with no questionable elements whatsoever.
WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALL is a moving story about a winning high school football team that must find strength in each other after the loss of a teammate results in them losing a 151 game winning streak. WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALL starts off a little slow and choppy, but ends on an inspiring, uplifting, powerful note that affirms family, faith and humility.

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Quality: - Content: +2
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