Five Takeaways from Netflix and NFL’s “Quarterback”

Bombs. Barbies. Quarterbacks?

The NFL is sharing the spotlight this summer with Barbie and Oppenheimer. It partnered with Netflix to release the docuseries, Quarterback following the life on and off the field of Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, then-Atlanta Falcons’ Marcus Mariota and Minnesota Vikings’ Kirk Cousins.

Besides taking viewers inside the huddle, the eight-episode series from NFL Films and Omaha Productions shares intimate moments off the field with family and friends, trainers and teammates and uncovers the pressures of doing the hardest job in the NFL.

1. Authenticity

Football is only one part of someone’s life. What people don’t see is the off the field things that go on – good or bad. Quarterback shares some positive moments like Patrick Mahomes’ birthday (who is not a camera guy, by the way.) Viewers also catch a glimpse of some lesser fun moments like spouses asking their football husbands to make sacrifices that often conflict with their on the field and off the field life.

2. Energy

Right off the bat, viewers learn that Patrick Mahomes brings the energy on game day. He gets fired up and viewers see that when he steps on the field. In one episode that talks about his confrontation with Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby during a game, Mahomes’ definitely fires back. Though he brings a lot of electricity to the field, he also knows when to dial back.

3. Education About the Game

In between the energy on the field and real-life off of the field, viewers get a chance to learn more about the game than they thought. One episode early in the series dives in to Patrick Mahomes’ skillset and trainers interview with the docuseries to provide insight about some of the things you might see on the field about a player and how he moves. Kirk Cousins also has a moment with one of the mental health people on the staff about overcoming a loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. These kinds of facets of the game viewers might not otherwise know about.

4. Real Pain

One episode in the series really highlights players getting tackled and injured and again, viewers are exposed to the authenticity of it all. In one instance, Patrick Mahomes gets injured and his coaching staff tells him it’s better for him to sit out but he demands to get back out on the field. In other cases, we see how grueling football can be – especially for a quarterback.

5. They’re Human.

Oftentimes, it’s easy to get caught up in just focusing on “the athlete” so much so that we forget about “the person.” The quarterbacks, and even the other players in the game, get shown in a different light than what we see during football season. The docuseries does a great job of highlighting the importance of the off the field things just as much as what is seen on the field.

Check out Quarterback on Netflix.