If you’re someone who loves the Super Bowl for the game itself, then you might be looking for creative ways to prep ahead of time. Some people rewatch old games or reminisce about the season, but for others, a good sports documentary is the perfect way to get in the headspace of preparing for one of the biggest sports days of the year.
We’ve compiled three great, football-focused sports documentaries that you can check out ahead of this year’s Super Bowl. While they don’t all directly tie into the teams playing in this year’s game, they’re important reminders of the way that sports and athletes can shape our lives, even if most of us never get the chance to meet them.
Need some Super Bowl 2024 recommendations? Check out who is performing in the Super Bowl halftime show, how to watch the Super Bowl for free, and 3 great sports documentaries to watch.
Still want more Super Bowl alternatives? Try the 5 best Netflix TV shows to watch instead of the 2024 Super Bowl, 10 great TV shows to stream instead of the 2024 Super Bowl, 10 great movies to watch instead of the 2024 Super Bowl, and 3 great Hulu shows to watch instead of the 2024 Super Bowl.
Last Chance U (2016-2020)
A brilliant series that documents several different, small college football programs, Last Chance U is as rewarding as it is heartbreaking. Because the show follows programs that don’t get much national attention, the students there are all painfully aware that their careers at this school might be the end of the road for them.
Because the series also documents the lives of the players and coaches, we get insight into the struggles that these people face when they’re off the court. Nothing could ever match the drama and emotion of Friday Night Lights, but Last Chance U manages to get remarkably close.
Last Chance U is streaming on Netflix.
Quarterback (2023-)
A series documenting some of the most prominent quarterbacks in the league, Quarterback is a fascinating look at how some of the most elite athletes in the world live their lives. Each season of Quarterback documents three pros playing in the NFL, and the show had the enormous benefit of nabbing Patrick Mahomes (alongside Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota) for its first season.
While the show doesn’t necessarily probe all that deeply, it does provide an interesting look into how these athletes view their own abilities and careers. And given that Mahomes is in the Super Bowl this year, it feels like a logical time to check it out.
Quarterback is streaming on Netflix.
Kelce
This documentary is (unfortunately for all you Taylor Swift fans) not about Travis Kelce. Instead, this documentary follows his brother, Jason Kelce, through his 2022 season as the Philadelphia Eagles center. While the 2023 season didn’t work out quite as well for the Eagles, this documentary nonetheless is one of the main reasons why Jason Kelce quickly rose to become one of the more beloved players in the entire league.
He may not be dating an international pop star, but Jason still has plenty of people in his corner. And, of course, because Travis is his brother, the Kansas City tight end does make a couple of appearances as well.
Kelce is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
