Playmakers (2003) — Where to Watch, Ratings & Cast | Movie Browser

gritty soaplocker-room noirprestige cable before prestige cable

Latest Episode

45 min

Season 1 • Episode 11

Latest

Week 17

Nov 11, 2003

Leon auditions for a sportscaster job at Samantha's station; Olczyk must handle a surprise pregnancy announcement; Buffalo's weight gain affects his chances of playing.

Overview

The series is a gritty ensemble drama about the off-field lives of a group of players on a pro football team and how they deal with the pressure of being on the professional level.

Content warning

sports american football

commodification of athletesmasculinity in crisisinstitutional corruptionaddiction and pain management

Standout Aspects

Writing

ESPN's only scripted drama had no business being this raw.

Acting

Russell Hornsby carries the weight of broken dreams perfectly.

Direction

Shot like a crime thriller, not a sports highlight reel.

Best for:Binge·Solo

Heads up:Violence·Drug Use

Creator

John Eisendrath

First AiredAug 26, 2003

StatusEnded

Vibe

Pacesteady

Intensityhigh

Tonedark

Feelheavy

Seasons1·Episodes11

Top Cast

Tony Denison

Coach George

Omar Gooding

Demetrius Harris

Russell Hornsby

Leon Taylor

Jason Matthew Smith

Eric Olczyk

Marcello Thedford

Kelvin ‘Buffalo’ James

Christopher Wiehl

Derek McConnell

Bruce Gray

Gene Wilbanks

Stephen Bogaert

Phil Chambers

Ask about Playmakers

Opens AI chat

Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

The NFL reportedly pressured ESPN to cancel it after one season, making it the only show ever murdered by a sports league's PR department.

Trivia

Creator John Eisendrath later said the league called it 'the most accurate show about football ever made'—right before they buried it.

Gallery