*Originally posted in Fathersofmultiples.com
Football season is upon us, so it's time to get in the mood to watch the ol' pigskin being thrown around. Cheer on your favorite team, or cheer on your favorite fantasy league players. Whether you enjoy the pros, college, high school, or all the above, the Fall season is synonymous with football. Friday nights at the local high school. Saturday college games. Sunday and Monday watching the professionals. Either way, it's gridiron time. It's tailgating time. It's football weather and football time! These movies will help you get in the mood (as if you needed help) or can simply be watched while you're waiting for the next game to start.
Remember the Titans
It's 1971, and this is the true story of an early attempt at racially integrating a football team. Starring Denzel Washington, this movie has a message of forgetting color and seeing the person on the inside and working together as a team. It also happens to be one of the coolest football movies of all time too.
*Older Kids and Teens
Rudy
Like Remember the Titans, Rudy has a great message. This time, the message is about trying hard. Rudy, played by Sean Astin, isn't as big as the rest of the college football players and doesn't stand a chance of making the team. Does that stop him? No. Rudy's level of heart, determination, and perseverance makes people take notice!
*Older Kids and Teens
Friday Night Lights
This is the movie that spawned the TV show of the same name and is generally considered one of the best, most realistic movies of all time. Odessa is a small town in Texas where football is life. It's the one thing in town that makes everyone forget their issues, forget money, and forget color.
*Teens
Invincible
Disney has a series of great, feel-good sports movies that show stories, often true, of an unexpected sports phenom and how they faced challenges to make it. The Rookie. Remember the Titans. Secretariat. Glory Road. Miracle. Invincible. Mark Wahlberg plays Vincent Papale in the true story of a 30 year old bartender that walks on to open tryouts for the Eagles in 1976 and beats the odds to join the team.
*Older Kids and Teens
We Are Marshall
Another true story of football, this time it's a sad one but shows hope through good attitudes and perseverance. Marshall College football players were killed in a plane crash. A year later, new coach, played by Matthew McConaughey, pushes the remaining players to succeed to keep the football program going and help the community heal its wounds.
*Older Kids and Teens
Longshots
There are a couple of movies in this list that are like Mighty Ducks for football. This one, starring Ice Cube, is one of those. However, it is also a true story! This time, the true story follows the life of the first girl ever to play Pop Warner football. Ice Cube plays her uncle and coach, though the two do not entirely like each other to start with, but that changes over time. It's a fun, warm, family-friendly movie!
*All Ages
Facing the Giants
If you're familiar with Alex Kendrick's faith-based movies like Fireproof, War Room, or Courageous, then you'll know that this early installment of his is very family-oriented. As a Christian high school football coach that has never had a winning season, Alex's character pushes his team to use faith to beat the odds when playing other teams.
*All Ages
Little Giants
Little Giants is part Mighty Ducks, part Sandlot. Goofy kid characters, filled with rejects, oddballs, and misfits, come together to become a team of underdogs, trying their best to beat the odds AND the toughest team in town! Adding to that dynamic, the coaches are brother vs brother, with Rick Moranis vs Ed O'Neil.
*All Ages
Necessary Roughness
The Texas State University Fightin' Armadillos has a problem. They can't use scholarships to get football players, they have to use just the students they have! While every other team is operating as they always have, the Armadillos must play with what they have to try to beat the odds. If Longshots and Little Giants are similar to Mighty Ducks and Sandlot, then this movie came about from the success of Major League.
*Older Kids and Teens
The Blind Side
The Blind Side is a feel-good movie, and true story, where a family takes in a homeless teenager and helps him to succeed in school. Along the way, the mom sees he's talented at football and pushes him to use his talents to become a great football player.
*Older Kids and Teens
Did your favorite football movie make the list? Replacements or Gridiron Gang are honorable mentions, but both skew a bit older. Then, there's Varsity Blues...which, though funny, plays out more like American Pie. You tell us, though, did we miss a fun, family-friendly football movie? Let us know in the comments. Meanwhile, be sure to check our other sports movie recommendations.