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The NFL is not just a league of games; it is a league of stories. Such stories are captured in various NFL documentaries. While some slide into oblivion, other NFL documentaries leave their imprints in time and in our minds. They capture a story that leaves us spellbound and helps us gain a deeper understanding and appreciation. If the NFL is a house, the games are the fun in the backyard, while NFL documentaries are the window into what goes on in that house. Here's a look at some of the best NFL documentaries of all time, including the recently released Man in the Arena: Tom Brady.
Note: This article does NOT include any spoilers
NFL Documentaries to feast on
#1 - Man in the Arena: Tom Brady
Man in the Arena: Tom Brady is currently airing on ESPN+, and it is already one of our favorite NFL documentaries, despite being just a day old. There is just something about profiling Tom Brady, the most successful NFL player of all time. But where this documentary scores highly is that it doesn't just take victories and defeats and put them away in the form of numbers. Instead, it recounts the journey and the feeling of each of Tom Brady's Super Bowl appearances. It breaks down the significance of the smallest event leading up to the grand event, making it a fascinating watch.
#2 - The Timeline: Rebirth in New Orleans
The Timeline series on the NFL Network has already produced some of the best NFL documentaries. But among the lot, "Rebirth in New Orleans" easily takes the top spot. A game is just a game, till it no longer is. After the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the city, the New Orleans Saints' first game back in the Superdome takes on a significance of epic proportions. It is not just a match; rather it is the rise of the city itself from the depths of despair.
#3 - Elway to Marino
The 1984 NFL draft produced two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. John Elway and Dan Marino both entered the league in the same year. Six quarterbacks were taken in the first round: Elway was the first, and Dan Marino was the last as the 27th pick. His slide down the rankings and all the inner machinations of the draft are captured in this documentary, thanks to the notes of Marvin Demoff.
#4 - League of Denial
One of the biggest stories affecting the NFL over the years is the risk of concussion the sport poses at an elite level. While many other documentaries make an attempt to tell it, this PBS offering is one of the best NFL documentaries on the subject. It not only covers the topic of concussions, but how the league avoided addressing it, literally and figuratively, head on.
#5 - Killer Inside: The Mind Of Aaron Hernandez
As we celebrate Tom Brady, John Elway and Dan Marino in the above NFL documentaries, the subject of this Netflix documentary veers into tragedy. It chronicles Hernandez's life inside and outside of the NFL and how personal problems abounded before it finally led to him being convicted of murder. It is one of the sadder documentaries, but it is necessary because it reminds us that all players are ultimately human.
