Want to know the best Football Movies? How about the worst Football Movies? Curious about Football Movies did at the box office or which Football Movies picked up the most Oscar® nominations and Oscar® wins? Need to know which Football Movies movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
This page represents part 2 in a series of pages that are trying to identify the Top 100 Sports Movies. This page will rank (currently 56 movies) football movies from Best to Worst by 4 different columns of sortable information.
To be considered for the page the movie had to be released at movie theaters. 1971’s Brian’s Song made the list because after its very successful television debut, the movie was released to theaters after being shown on public television. Brian’s Song did not do well at the theater but it did get released for a very short time. I am sure there are many more football movies out there, but these selected movies seem to the ones that got major releases in theaters.
Football Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Football Movies Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Football Movies by stars of the movies
- Sort Football Movies by adjusted box office grosses using current movie ticket cost
- Sort Football Movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort by how Football Movies were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Football Movie received.
- Sort Football Movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
| 1 | Jerry Maguire (1996) AA Best Picture Nom |
Tom Cruise & Cuba Gooding Jr. |
154.00 | 375.5 | 667.20 | 4 | 82 | 05 / 01 | 99.1 | |
| 2 | Heaven Can Wait (1978) AA Best Picture Nom |
Warren Beatty | 81.60 | 376.1 | 376.10 | 5 | 71 | 09 / 01 | 98.3 | |
| 3 | The Longest Yard (1974) | Burt Reynolds | 43.00 | 247.9 | 247.90 | 12 | 76 | 01 / 00 | 96.7 | |
| 4 | The Blind Side (2009) AA Best Picture Nom |
Sandra Bullock | 256.00 | 367.9 | 444.40 | 8 | 67 | 02 / 01 | 96.5 | |
| 5 | Semi-Tough (1977) | Burt Reynolds | 61.60 | 298.0 | 298.00 | 7 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 94.9 | |
| 6 | Remember the Titans (2000) | Denzel Washington & Ryan Gosling |
115.70 | 231.3 | 273.40 | 18 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 94.5 | |
| 7 | Knute Rockne All American (1940) | Ronald Reagan | 4.30 | 166.8 | 180.80 | 26 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 93.2 | |
| 9 | North Dallas Forty (1979) | Nick Nolte | 26.10 | 112.0 | 112.00 | 38 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 88.6 | |
| 8 | The Longest Yard (2005) | Adam Sandler & Burt Reynolds |
158.10 | 266.3 | 320.60 | 12 | 49 | 00 / 00 | 88.3 | |
| 11 | The Last Boy Scout (1991) | Bruce Willis & Halle Berry |
59.50 | 152.4 | 334.80 | 20 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 88.1 | |
| 10 | Friday Night Lights (2004) | Billy Bob Thornton | 61.30 | 106.3 | 107.50 | 48 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 88.1 | |
| 13 | Any Given Sunday (1999) | Al Pacino & Cameron Diaz |
75.50 | 160.9 | 213.50 | 27 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 87.5 | |
| 12 | The Waterboy (1998) | Adam Sandler & Dan Patrick |
161.50 | 371.2 | 427.50 | 4 | 45 | 00 / 00 | 87.3 | |
| 14 | Trouble Along the Way (1953) | John Wayne & Donna Reed |
7.40 | 133.4 | 166.10 | 32 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 87.3 | |
| 15 | Jim Thorpe -- All-American (1951) | Burt Lancaster | 6.40 | 138.4 | 177.90 | 35 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 86.2 | |
| 16 | Father Was a Fullback (1949) | Fred MacMurray | 5.00 | 125.3 | 125.30 | 58 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 85.3 | |
| 17 | Invincible (2006) | Mark Wahlberg & Elizabeth Banks |
57.80 | 94.7 | 95.80 | 55 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 84.5 | |
| 18 | Two-Minute Warning (1976) | Charlton Heston | 27.60 | 139.7 | 139.70 | 23 | 55 | 01 / 00 | 83.7 | |
| 19 | Touchdown! (1931) | Jack Oakie | 2.30 | 119.4 | 119.40 | 42 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 82.9 | |
| 19 | Rudy (1993) | Sean Astin & Vince Vaughn |
22.80 | 59.2 | 59.20 | 68 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 81.4 | |
| 20 | The Game Plan (2007) | Dwayne Johnson | 90.60 | 142.0 | 231.70 | 32 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 79.0 | |
| 21 | Varsity Blues (1999) | Jon Voight | 52.90 | 112.7 | 115.70 | 44 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 76.0 | |
| 22 | Gus (1976) | Tim Conway | 21.90 | 110.7 | 110.70 | 32 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 75.8 | |
| 23 | Brian's Song (1971) | James Caan | 1.00 | 6.4 | 6.40 | 158 | 84 | 00 / 00 | 74.3 | |
| 24 | All the Right Moves (1983) | Tom Cruise | 23.10 | 79.2 | 79.20 | 30 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 73.0 | |
| 25 | We Are Marshall (2006) | Matthew McConaughey | 43.50 | 71.3 | 71.30 | 68 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 69.1 | |
| 26 | The Quarterback (1926) | Richard Dix | 1.20 | 43.5 | 43.50 | 32 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 68.5 | |
| 27 | American Underdog (2021) | Dennis Quaid | 23.10 | 24.5 | 24.50 | 45 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 67.8 | |
| 28 | Lucas (1986) | Charlie Sheen | 8.20 | 23.8 | 23.80 | 76 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 67.7 | |
| 29 | Woodlawn (2015) | Sean Astin | 14.40 | 18.4 | 18.40 | 107 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 65.6 | |
| 31 | Radio (2003) | Cuba Gooding Jr. & Ed Harris |
52.30 | 93.6 | 95.30 | 56 | 49 | 00 / 00 | 64.9 | |
| 33 | Concussion (2015) | Will Smith & Alec Baldwin |
34.50 | 44.2 | 62.20 | 72 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 64.3 | |
| 32 | Draft Day (2014) | Kevin Costner | 28.80 | 38.1 | 38.90 | 100 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 64.3 | |
| 34 | Big Fan (2009) | Patton Oswalt | 0.20 | 0.3 | 0.30 | 245 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 64.2 | |
| 34 | Gridiron Gang (2006) | Dwayne Johnson | 38.40 | 63.0 | 68.00 | 77 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 63.7 | |
| 35 | 80 For Brady (2023) | Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin |
39.30 | 39.3 | 39.70 | 57 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 62.5 | |
| 36 | Leatherheads (2008) | George Clooney & John Krasinski |
31.40 | 47.1 | 62.00 | 95 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 57.9 | |
| 38 | The Replacements (2000) | Gene Hackman & Keanu Reeves |
44.70 | 89.5 | 100.10 | 56 | 45 | 00 / 00 | 57.4 | |
| 37 | 12 Mighty Orphans (2021) | Luke Wilson & Robert Duvall |
2.30 | 2.4 | 2.40 | 92 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 56.4 | |
| 39 | The Express (2008) | Dennis Quaid | 9.80 | 14.7 | 14.70 | 145 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 51.9 | |
| 40 | Run the Race (2018) | Tim Tebow | 6.40 | 7.6 | 7.60 | 142 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 51.1 | |
| 41 | Brian Banks (2018) | Greg Kinnear | 4.40 | 5.2 | 5.20 | 161 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 46.7 | |
| 42 | The Program (1993) | James Caan & Halle Berry |
23.00 | 60.0 | 60.00 | 66 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 46.0 | |
| 43 | Paterno (2018) HBO Movie |
Al Pacino | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 415 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 44.3 | |
| 44 | Number One (1969) | Charlton Heston & Bruce Dern |
2.90 | 21.7 | 21.70 | 73 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 41.9 | |
| 45 | Little Giants (1994) | Rick Moranis | 19.30 | 51.0 | 51.00 | 75 | 49 | 00 / 00 | 40.5 | |
| 46 | National Champions (2021) | J.K. Simmons | 0.50 | 0.5 | 0.50 | 113 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 36.0 | |
| 47 | The Forward Pass (1929) | Loretta Young & Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. |
1.10 | 35.3 | 43.90 | 105 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 35.9 | |
| 48 | Gridiron Heroes (2016) | Taylor Kitsch | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 260 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 33.2 | |
| 50 | Necessary Roughness (1991) | Scott Bakula & Jason Bateman |
26.30 | 67.2 | 67.20 | 47 | 40 | 00 / 00 | 32.2 | |
| 49 | The Bear (1984) | Gary Busey | 2.70 | 8.6 | 8.60 | 128 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 31.5 | |
| 51 | Greater (2016) | Neal McDonough | 2.00 | 2.5 | 2.50 | 200 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 30.3 | |
| 52 | Paper Lion (1968) | Alan Alda | 4.90 | 40.0 | 40.00 | 65 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 30.1 | |
| 53 | Hometown Legend (2002) | Terry O'Quinn | 0.10 | 0.2 | 0.20 | 273 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 28.3 | |
| 54 | The Cowboy Quarterback (1939) | Bert Wheeler | 0.80 | 31.9 | 35.30 | 190 | 49 | 00 / 00 | 27.5 | |
| 56 | Wildcats (1986) | Goldie Hawn & Woody Harrelson |
26.30 | 76.4 | 76.40 | 36 | 34 | 00 / 00 | 27.0 | |
| 55 | Two for the Money (2005) | Al Pacino & Matthew McConaughey |
23.00 | 38.7 | 51.40 | 111 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 26.7 | |
| 57 | The 5th Quarter (2010) | Andie MacDowell | 0.40 | 0.6 | 0.60 | 211 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 25.8 | |
| 58 | Touchback (2011) | Kurt Russell | 0.20 | 0.3 | 0.30 | 220 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 25.6 | |
| 60 | When The Game Stands Tall (2014) | Jim Caviezel | 30.10 | 39.8 | 39.80 | 99 | 45 | 00 / 00 | 24.3 | |
| 60 | Everybody's All-American (1988) | Dennis Quaid & John Goodman |
12.60 | 33.1 | 33.10 | 77 | 45 | 00 / 00 | 22.1 | |
| 61 | Gridiron Flash (1934) | Margaret Dumont | 0.50 | 22.4 | 26.60 | 177 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 19.3 | |
| 62 | My All-American (2015) | Aaron Eckhart | 2.20 | 2.9 | 2.90 | 161 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 18.4 | |
| 63 | The Best of Times (1986) | Robin Williams & Kurt Russell |
7.80 | 22.6 | 22.60 | 79 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 17.7 | |
| 64 | The Longshots (2008) | Ice Cube | 11.50 | 17.3 | 17.70 | 141 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 16.1 | |
| 66 | All Things Fall Apart (2011) | Ray Liotta | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 271 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 14.4 | |
| 65 | Home Team (2022) Netflix |
Kevin James | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 323 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 14.4 | |
| 67 | Johnny Be Good (1988) | Robert Downey Jr. | 17.60 | 46.0 | 46.00 | 58 | 33 | 00 / 00 | 10.8 | |
| 68 | Facing the Giants (2006) | Alex Kendrick | 10.20 | 16.7 | 16.70 | 157 | 38 | 00 / 00 | 6.4 | |
| 69 | The Comebacks (2007) | Bradley Cooper | 13.30 | 20.9 | 21.20 | 127 | 25 | 00 / 00 | 1.0 | |
| 70 | Air Bud: Golden Receiver (1998) | Kevin Zegers & Tim Conway |
10.20 | 23.5 | 23.50 | 118 | 23 | 00 / 00 | 0.8 |
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Football Movies Adjusted World Wide Box Office Grosses
My other Sports Movie Links
- Top 100 Biggest Box Office Grossing Sports Movies
- Top 100 Best Reviewed Sports Movies
- Top 400 Sports Movies
- Ranking Baseball Movies
- Ranking Basketball Movies
- Ranking Boxing Movies
- Ranking Football Movies
- Ranking Golf Movies
- Ranking Hockey Movies
- Ranking Olympics Movies
- Ranking Racing Movies
- Ranking Soccer Movies
- Ranking Other Sports Movies poker, surfing, rodeo, curling and others
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(Visited 6 times)
Cogerson, thanks for your advice responding to my Q on your other movie pagess. After reading this pages (and after checking my husband’s DVDs to make sure he doesn’t already have it) I am definitely going to get him “Remember the Titans” for Christmas. Thanks so much!
Your sports movie rankings definitely are a huge help to women buying for their man. And the fact that your pages are written from a guy’s point of view are really helpful. Otherwise I can only think from a woman’s point of view about what a man might like… and that’s when I usually get it wrong.
Hey Giselle Maine…I am glad my sports movie hubs have been able to help you out. As I said on the other page. I do not think I have ever heard about anybody that does not like Remember the Titans.
I would put The Blind Side over Jerry Maguire. I really enjoyed Any Given Sunday also.
Great page, makes me want to see them all again, plus some that I hadn’t heard of.
I agree Phil Plasma, The Blind Side is a great movie….it finished number #7 on my greatest sports movies of all-time hub as well….I think it will continue to age very well….especially if Michael O. becomes a Hall of Fame football player…..thanks for the comments .
Give me The Blindside and Jerry Maguire as the best football movies, I have never even heard of number 1, Heaven Can Wait.
Hey KellyE…..well your two movies make my final three….I would highly recommend Heaven Can Wait…..even if the movie stars Warren Beatty. Thanks for stopping by.
Yay my favorite made the cut! Blindside made a touchdown at #3! On the other team we Friday Night Lights coming in at #8 of the Top Ten! Both were tearjerker movies for me and starred Mr. Tim McGraw!!! I haven’t seen Brians Song in years but that classic rounds off my Top Three Favorite football movies :)) Jerry Macquire added “SHOW ME THE MONEY” to my vocabulary and if I don’t hear “You had me from hello” ever again I will be a happy camper! That phrase is so over-rated! Just saying. Exciting page…can you tell? Haha! Thank you for another masterpiece!
Hey Sunshine625…I was so relieved when I saw that Tim McGraw’s two football movies ranked so high….lol. Actually I thought Tim was excellent in The Blind Side. I think you have an excellent Top Three….I remember when Brian’s Song was in the annual Movie of the Week rotation….I used to really look forward to the movie….DVDs and cable have ruined that aspect of movie watching….no waiting required.
Wow, I had no idea so many football movies existed. Thanks Cogerson for writing this. I’m sorry I didn’t notice these movie pages sooner, but I’ll definitely be sure to check out your other two on sports movies.
to be honest, I’m glad to see “Heaven Can Wait” and “Jerry Maguire” made the top two, as I think out of all the ones that I’ve seen on this list, those were probably my favorites. Anyways, I look forward to reading your other two movie pages on sport films.
Hey Stevennix2001….glad the top movies are on your short list as well…..I think if Brian’s Song would have had a longer run in the theaters it could have been up there as well….I was always fascinated that Brian’s Song made it to the theaters after its regular tv debut….the only other movie I think that did that was Battlestar Galattica…..thanks for reading and commenting