The 10 Best Football Coaches in Movies

When it comes to giving great pep talks, getting the team's energy pumped or just giving a stubborn player a kick in the pants, these movie coaches have all the right moves. Click through and see if you like our picks.

In this movie based on true events of 1971, a newly integrated Virginia high school gets a new head coach in Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), who delivers a fine performance navigating conflict on the field and off. 

Another true story set in the South, 'Marshall' deals with the tragedy that befell Marshall High School in 1970, when 75 members of the athletic squad and staff were killed in a car crash. Not only does Matthew McConaughey's Coach Lengyel have to recruit a new team, he has to deal with a town in crisis and grief.

While we're on the subject of Texas high school football coaches, let’s not forget Coach Gary Gaines from the film, 'Friday Night Lights.' Are you Team Coach Gaines or Team Coach Taylor from NBCs 'FNL' TV show? Clear eyes, full hearts...

As head coach of the fictional Miami Sharks, Tony D'Amato or "Tony D" rallies the team with a pregame speech full of inspiration and scenery chewing. We wouldn't have it any other way. 

Though the hero of this 1993 tearjerker is Rudy (Sean Astin), his legendary Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian (Jason Miller) definitely gets major points for believing in the small football player hopeful and giving him a big role on the team.

Another true story, this one has Dwayne Johnson as a probation officer who, rather than give up on the violent inmates at Camp Kilpatrick, instead gives them goals -- as in goalposts. By showing them that pride and determination can make their lives better, Coach Porter defeats the sideline skeptics.  

Kinnear plays real-life Coach Dick Vermeil, who took over the embattled Philadelphia Eagles in 1976 after a few rough seasons. He's impressed enough by down-on-his-luck walk-on Vincent Papale (Mark Wahlberg) to give him a shot -- Papale beats all odds to become part of the team's roster. 

It's one thing to march a team of professional players to victory, but taking a mismatched band of replacement players to football fame and fortune requires a special kind of leader. That's where Coach Jimmy McGinty comes in.

Coach Klein convinced a very overprotective mother that a water boy from the bayou (Adam Sandler) could become a prince with the pigskin. And he also let us see what the Fonz would look like in high heels. Both are huge touchdowns in our book!

Nerdy Danny O’Shea is our kind of football coach. When his brother, a big-time football star, won’t let Danny's daughter play on the team, Danny takes the whistle and forms a team of his own.