Ranking the Best Football TV Shows

By Albert Harris III

The essence of football is the one of the major components that makes the sport insanely popular throughout America. The highs and lows of football is something that can get people of all demographics to be intrigued for football and many entertainment companies have largely noticed that aspect as well. These companies have created TV shows that encapsulated this part of football for years which have generated national popularity and captured the eye of all levels of football fans. Without further ado, here are (in my opinion) the top 10 football shows ever.

Honorable Mention: 30 For 30

ESPN’s notable documentary series has had multiple different documentaries that have took the world by storm with docs like “The U” and “The Pony Excess” being some of its most prominent football documentaries in its catalog. Due to the broadness of 30 for 30, given most are documented by different directors along with the different sports in their branch, I will not have this listed in the top 10. However, I wanted to give this show its recognition for how great and important some of these documentaries have been for the football world.

10. Friday Night Tykes

Coming in to kick off this list, this is a very underrated show but has a hardcore following and new when it comes to football reality. Friday Night Tykes is a show documenting the culture of youth football within the Texas Football Youth Association through the eyes of the coaches and the parents. From the meltdowns to the hard coaching, this show pulled no punches in showing both the great and downright toxic parts of Texas youth football. The show lasted for 4 seasons and did end up having a spin off show, “Friday Night Tykes: Steel City”, which had a few seasons as well. With the trendsetting of documenting youth football, it’s influence alone is why it deserved a spot on my list.

9.All American

The 6 season series is a drama inspired by the life of NFL player Spencer Paysinger, depicting the challenges of a high school football player from a tough neighborhood who transfers to a rich suburban neighborhood. The show excels in exploring themes of race, class, and identity, adding layers of social commentary to the story. While it doesn’t dive as much into the football aspect compared to the others listed, it’s a show that provides a lot of modern “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” vibes while also showing the different emotions and experiences of an inner city kid rising to the top. If I had to go off the first few seasons, it would be much higher but the show began to fizzle out as it transitioned into their spin-off focusing more on Tennis.

8. QB1: Beyond The Lights

QB1: Beyond The Lights offers an intimate look at the lives of high school quarterbacks poised for major college careers. It captures the pressure, talent, and personal stories of these young athletes, making it a fascinating watch for those interested in the next generation of football stars. While the QB centric model of the series takes away from the team aspect of their careers, the show provides an in-depth look into how these rockstar-treated QBs treat the teammates around them. College football stars such as Justin Fields, Jake Fromm, Bryce Young, and Anthony Richardson were stars at one point in this series and it’s pretty interesting to see the earliest glimpses of their careers before the bright lights of college football. 

7. Coach

Coach is a 9-season sitcom centered around Hayden Fox, head coach of the fictional college team, Minnesota State Screaming Eagles. This was one of the first instances of the football tv shows gaining great popularity in an episodic format. It’s humor and journey of Coach Fox brings a great tale and show that belongs on the top ten given it’s groundbreaking impact on football shows in general. 

6. A Football Life

A Football Life is a documentary series that explores the lives and careers of football legends, providing in-depth and personal stories. Each episode offers valuable insights into the history and impact of the featured individuals, enriching viewers' understanding of the game’s heritage. The in-depth, firsthand tales of some of NFL’s greatest players is what made this show iconic. The show's inclusion of NFL’s fallen stars gives another perspective that we rarely see on television when it comes to football shows. From Lawrence Taylor to Pat Tillman, the show covers the lives that captivated fans worldwide and what makes it fairly high on the list. 

5. Ballers

Ballers presents a glamorous view of professional football through the lens of a financial manager and former player. It gives football its own “Entourage”-lik show as it delves into the lifestyle, business dealings, and personal dramas of NFL players with a combination of humor and high-stakes scenarios. While entertaining and offering a different perspective on the sports, it provides a glamorous side of football with a perspective of an agent, played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. 

4. Hard Knocks

This being in the top 3 should be a no brainer. Hard Knocks details a specific NFL team each year they go through one of the most pivotal times before the season even starts in training camp and preseason. The show was significant as it gave NFL fans insight into the players beyond the 53-man roster who are trying to fight to keep a spot on the team. Hard Knocks has massive popularity early on with its first season covering the Baltimore Ravens who had a team of characters in Shannon Sharpe and the late great Tony Siragusa. The authenticity of the show and real life impact set the standard for the football docuseries and is a show that has transcended generations.

3. Blue Mountain State

In this hilarious depiction of a college football team, Blue Mountain State portrays the overzealous and often outrageous lives of fictional college athletes. The show centers around Alex Moran, the backup QB at Blue Mountain State University as he goes through the life of a college athlete in an outrageous university with its own hilarious cast of teammates. Its humor and irreverent take on college sports make it a standout when it comes to football television which made it such an iconic show. It’s legendary character in the team’s captain and superstar linebacker Thad Castle (played by “Reacher” star Alan Richtson) brought massive popularity to the show and solidified it being a top 5 football show ever. 

2. Friday Night Lights

“Clears eyes, full hearts, CAN’T LOSE”

 Friday Night Lights is an uber-realistic and emotional portrayal of high school football in Texas, one of the best states in high school football, through the eyes of Eric Taylor, the head coach of the Dillon Panthers and his wife Tami. The way it manages to weave together football with personal and community drama is astounding as it explores the profound impact of football on a fictional small town of Dillon, Texas. The show’s character development and authentic depiction of the highs and lows of high school sports make it a standout series. While the way it tackled issues may seem outdated, the tackling of said issues were rarely seen in a high school football show along with the inclusion of major issues surrounding high school recruiting makes this show one of its kind and in the conversation as the greatest football show of all time.

1. Last Chance U

Last Chance U excels as a documentary series by providing an unseen look at culture surrounding junior college football, focusing on players seeking redemption and a “last” chance at achieving their dreams. The series highlights the intense personal and athletic struggles faced by the players and coaches, offering a raw, emotional, and gripping portrayal of the challenges in pursuing a football career. Its insight into the lives of the players who weren’t playing the highest level of college football was astounding and managed to gain high popularity among football fans. The drama and realism point of view of the sidelines of a JUCO shows the intense moments that they bring which in my opinion. The raw emotion seen in each season throughout tell a massive untold story that can both be sad and inspiring. This may seem controversial however, Last Chance U brings all aspects of what a football TV show is supposed to be and encapsulates the drama of football.