First and Goal Film Trail

"Football is to Texas what religion is to a priest".

So spoke Tom Landry - one of the winningest coaches in NFL history who led the Dallas Cowboys to two Super Bowl wins and 6 additional appearances - summing up Texas' relationship to football as succinctly as any could ever hope.

If you've ever spent any significant time in Texas, the sentiment almost goes without saying. As Texans, our relationship to the sport is on display in every corner of the state: you can see it in the towering arenas that would make the Romans weep, erected in every metroplex to set the stage for young men with huge dreams; you can see it in nearly any small town on a Friday night, plastered on every storefront in big, bold letters that read "GONE TO THE GAME"; and you can certainly see it on the screen, where generations of filmmakers have immortalized the Texan fascination with the sport, wringing the whole spectrum of emotion from the experiences of those men and women who choose to make it a part of their lives.

So join us, as we catch up with some of Texas' most enduring players, teams, fields and more. 

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Movies Featured

Semi-Tough (1977), Johnny Be Good (1988), Necessary Roughness (1991), Varsity Blues (1999), Friday Night Lights (2004), Friday Night Lights (2006-2011), My All-American (2015), 12 Mighty Orphans (2021), American Underdog (2021), 80 For Brady (2023), The Senior (2024)

Locations Featured

Abilene, Austin, Comfort, Dallas, Del Valle, Denton, Fort Worth, Frisco, Haltom City, Houston, Odessa, Pflugerville, San Antonio, Weatherford

Cotton Bowl Stadium | 'Semi-Tough' (1977)

Dallas, Texas (Dallas County)

Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson might have been star athletes for the Miami Bucks in 1977’s Semi-Tough but that doesn’t change the fact that they filmed all their games right here in Texas, at the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium.

The Stasis Foundation Biotechnology Research Park | 'Johnny Be Good' (1988)

Comfort, Texas (Kendall County)

The Stasis Foundation Biotechnical Research Park – once known as the Bildarth Estate – stood in for the fictional Olde Tex University in 1988’s Johnny Be Good, playing host to the titular Johnny Walker as he attended a rather swanky recruitment party. 

Billy Bob's Texas | 'Necessary Roughness' (1991)

Fort Worth, Texas (Tarrant County)

“The World’ Largest Honkey Tonk” is the setting for a no-holds-barred barroom brawl between the UNT Armadillos and the University of Texas Colts in 1991’s Necessary Roughness.

The University of North Texas | 'Necessary Roughness' (1991)

Denton, Texas (Denton County)

From Kerr Hall to the Hurley Administration Building to Fouts Field and more, Denton’s own University of North Texas played a major role in the Scott Bakula-Kathy Ireland-starring Necessary Roughness. 

Top Notch | 'Varsity Blues' (1999)

Austin, Texas (Travis County)

Playing football for the West Canaan Coyotes in 1999’s Varsity Blues helps backup quarterback Mox (James Van Der Beek) work up a powerful appetite – where better to grab some grub than Austin’s iconic Top Notch Hamburgers?

NRG Astrodome | 'Friday Night Lights' (2004)

Houston, Texas (Harris County)

Everything’s been leading to this. The culmination of the Permian Panther’s Cinderella season and the chance to make their dreams come true with a state championship takes place in what was once the crown jewel of Texas football: the NRG Astrodome.

Shotwell Stadium | 'Friday Night Lights' (2004)

Abilene, Texas (Taylor County)

Shotwell Stadium played host to the visiting Permian Panthers in 2004's Friday Night Lights, just the same as it has countless times in real life, as the home of one of Odessa Permian's longtime rivals: the Abilene Cooper Cougars. 

Ratliff Stadium | 'Friday Night Lights' (2004)

Odessa, Texas (Ector County)

Ratliff Stadium was the location for Permian High School's practices in the 2004 feature film directed by Peter Berg. In one powerful scene shot at the location, fullback Don Billingsley (Garrett Hedlund) is confronted by his abusive father (Tim McGraw), himself a former star for the team, for fumbling the ball during practice.

Kuempel Stadium | 'Friday Night Lights (Pilot)' (2006)

Pflugerville, Texas (Travis County)

Pflugerville High School’s Kuempel Stadium stood in for Hermann Field, the “Home of the Panthers”, in the pilot episode of Friday Night Lights. It may have only shown up for that one episode, but it certainly made an impression!

Panther Fieldhouse | 'Friday Night Lights' (2006 - 2011)

Del Valle, Texas (Travis County)

You know how the saying goes: “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose”. Coach Taylor’s iconic catchphrase from Friday Night Lights reverberates in the hearts of so many Texans, the same as it reverberated within the walls of the Panther Fieldhouse. 

Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium | 'My All-American' (2015)

Austin, Texas (Travis County)

It should come as no surprise that the University of Texas Longhorns’ home field shows up more than once in My All-American, the inspiring true story of former Longhorn Freddie Steinmark.

Wright-Whitaker Sports Complex | 'My All-American' (2015)

Austin, Texas (Travis County)

The University of Texas’ intramural fields were where Freddie Steinmark – who would go on to be the starting Safety for the Longhorn’s 1969 National Championship season – first showed off his skills in 2015’s My All-American.

Ford Center at the Star | 'American Underdog' (2021)

Frisco, Texas (Frisco County)

The real-life game might have taken place in Missouri’s Trans World Dome, but American Underdog’s recreation of 1999’s Rams-Ravens matchup was filmed in Frisco’s Ford Center at the Star.

Gateway Park | '12 Mighty Orphans' (2022)

Fort Worth, Texas (Tarrant County)

A 635-acre park on the east side of Fort Worth, Gateway Park hosted the bulk of the football games that appear in 2021’s 12 Mighty Orphans.

Texas Pythian Home | '12 Mighty Orphans' (2022)

Weatherford, Texas (Parker County)

This one-time home for the orphans and widows of the Knights of Pythias played several roles in 12 Mighty Orphans, including a dormitory, an office, a mess hall, a shared apartment and even a printing press.

Yellow Jacket Stadium | '12 Mighty Orphans' (2022)

Cleburne, Texas (Johnson County)

Built from concrete and rough-cut Somervell County limestone all the way back in 1941, Cleburne’s Yellow Jacket Stadium is a one-of-a-kind location that served as the backdrop to a fiery halftime speech during the State Championship game in 12 Mighty Orphans.

NRG Stadium | '80 For Brady' (2023)

Houston, Texas (Harris County)

Jane Fonda, Sally Field, Lily Tomlin and Rita Moreno attempt to sneak into the historic NRG Stadium to catch a glimpse of their favorite player during Super Bowl LI in 2023’s 80 for Brady.

Scarborough-Handley Field | 'The Senior' (2024)

Fort Worth, Texas (Tarrant County)

This Fort Worth ISD facility played an important role as the "hero field" utilized by production while making the Michael Chiklis-starring The Senior.

Birdville Stadium | 'The Senior' (2024)

Haltom City, Texas (Tarrant County)

Haltom City's own Birdville Stadium serves as the backdrop for a flashback all the way to 1971, as Mike Flynt - the titular senior - relives a moment from his past.