Netflix’s behind-the-scenes docu-series starring three NFL quarterbacks ranks among the best sports television shows you’ll ever see
If you thought you knew what the NFL is really like, well…you probably don’t; For fans and bettors alike, this is must-see sports television
Takeaway: Playing NFL quarterback is the most challenging job in sports
For any serious football fan, there’s an extraordinary moment of epiphany at the very start of Episode 3 of the popular new docu-series currently running on Netflix, titled Quarterback. Full stop. I had to freeze the remote and hit the rewind button, and then re-watch the opening minutes of that segment a second time.
Yes, it is that riveting.
The moment features three veteran NFL quarterbacks each captivated during what might very well be the most important few seconds of any game. From the time the players on offense break the huddle until the quarterback barks out signals for the ball to be hiked to start a new play, he has only 15 to 20 seconds to evaluate the defense, read the schematics in opposing personnel, and then yell out the cryptic commands of the next play to the rest of his teammates – that is, if he doesn’t make a last-second adjustment and changes the play in those final seconds before the ball gets snapped. This all takes place while a 25-second timeclock is ticking down and 80,000 fans are screaming and millions are watching on TV. After pondering these moments before every play and deciphering how top NFL quarterbacks explain what goes into an offensive play just before the action explodes, you may never see a pro game quite the same way.
WHAT IS “QUARTERBACK?”
I have a ton of healthy respect for pro quarterbacks. And this envy has nothing to do with any team allegiances, nor my betting interest. We are watching science evolve, strategy in motion, humans under intense pressure and it’s a fascinating opportunity to learn and appreciate what has become a gridiron chess game with players as the prized pieces for conquest and capture. It is a complex game of many moving parts and mandatory synchronicity, but it’s never been so artfully deconstructed for the average fan.
Showing my age, I’ve probably watched 5,000 NFL games over the course of the last half century (I first started watching football at age 8, in 1970). Arrogance goes along with football expertise, and I thought I knew the game. Wow, was I wrong! For me, Quarterback – which includes seven one-hour episodes in Season 2 – exposed the glaring reality of just how much I didn’t know, and likely still don’t know. Though I can’t make any promises, I’ll never look at quarterbacking and coaching quite the same way, again. I’ll certainly try to control my rage when quarterbacks inevitably make mistakes and cost me money. In short, there is so much more to the NFL than the few seconds of a play in the relatively small window of a television screen. In reality, it’s a much bigger game played over a far lengthier span, physically and certainly mentally, speaking – than we’re exposed to on a typical Autumn Sunday. This revelation is all thanks to Quarterback, and these three NFL stars we get to meet, follow over the course of a full season, and even come to root for, regardless of our team allegiances.
Inevitably, comparisons will be made to HBO’s popular sports reality-TV series, Hard Knocks, which follows a similar storyline. That show premiers Aug. 5th and focuses on the Buffalo Bills and training camp. However, with Hard Knocks we never quite feel that we’re watching purely unfiltered drama. Many situations and dialogue seem forced. Players and coaches appear to be more guarded in their interactions and they’re always aware that cameras and microphones are recording everything. By contrast, Quarterback looks and sounds more authentic. That said, I have to wonder what scenes were cut by both shows, because they were too incendiary or unflattering.
Quarterback gives viewers exclusive access to three quarterbacks throughout the 2024-25 season -- both on and off the field. Joe Burrow (Cincinnati), Jared Goff (Detroit), and Kirk Cousins (Atlanta) star on the show this season, which runs during the summer of 2025 on Netflix. This is an ideal mix of football personalities. Burrow is a flashy individualist, and displays overt confidence–deservedly so. Goff is far more reserved and seems more a team player. Cousins (who frankly, I didn't like going into this show, but changed my mind) is an aging vet on his third team and good family man, desperately trying to stay among the NFL elites at his position in what might be a last shot at glory. Of course, Cousins ends up getting benched during midseason, which only adds to the drama and makes this show an intriguing mix of many ups and downs, wins and losses, ecstasies and disappointments.
TEN THINGS I LEARNED – MY LIST
Here are ten things I learned while watching this year's series. Note that last year's series (Season 1 in 2023) included Patrick Mahomes, Marcus Mariota, and Kirk Cousins. It's interesting that Cousins was featured again in 2024 and we get to witness him with a new team (Falcons, rather than the Vikings), this time learning a new system in a new city, with new players.
1. Joe Burrow is the rock star of this series -- Though it wasn't scripted that way, and nothing was apparently scripted, Burrow's star power is indisputable. He's also blessed with tremendous leadership skills and a team-first attitude. Burrow's raw talent and emotion is consistently on display, and his confidence is infectious – both on and off the field. The most interesting component of Burrow's 2024 regular season was watching him attempt to keep himself and his often-floundering Bengals' teammates focused after yet another dismal early-season start. From mid-season, every game became a "must win" because Cincinnati dug themselves into a deep hole -- after a 1-4 start they were later 5-7 after Week 12 and competing in the toughest division in football. Cincinnati did manage to finish 4-1 down the stretch, but that wasn't good enough to make the post-season. This is despite Burrow leading the NFL at #1 in passing yardage (4,918 yards) and #1 in touchdown passes (43 TD passes).
2. The personal lives of the quarterbacks is just as interesting as on-the-field stuff, but also sometimes a shackled existence -- Oftentimes in shows like this, the up-close-and-personal profiles on players and their families at home seems awkwardly forced, even concocted. Everyone wants to be on their best behavior in front of the cameras. That's understandable. Fortunately, Quarterback digs deeper than sports shows we've seen before, revealing what ordinary life is like in the middle of the week for these superstar athletes and those closest to them who depend on their success, but must also be there for the occasional defeats and disappointments. Living in the shadow of a starting quarterback in any NFL city appears to be a blessing, but also a looming curse. None of the family members -- including wives, children, or parents -- seems to have much of a life aside from the weekly performance of the quarterback. While the rewards of fame and fortune are self-evident, I also pondered questions about the relatives having any life of their own or real independence.
3. Kirk Cousins comes across as a good guy with his priorities set straight -- I admit to not being much of a Kirk Cousins' fan before watching this series. He always seemed aloof, and never impressed me as much of a team leader. I also took issue with his controversial COVID stance (vaccinations). However, after watching Cousins go through a very tough NFL season and suffer a losing year with the Falcons, a new team for him after leaving Minnesota, my respect for him grew significantly. By series' end, I was a fan, even though Cousins was on the bench and his days in Atlanta could now be numbered. Personality wise, Cousins is more reserved than most QBs, but while being miced-up during games, his competitive nature was every bit as fierce as anyone. Cousins also handled the sudden benching with class and professionalism and seemed to want his team to do well, even though he was no longer a part of the starting unit. At home with his family, Cousins really shined as a leader - especially as a dad and a husband. I really liked Cousins talking about his time with his kids, saying that he always makes time for them no matter what because he only has one chance in life to be a great dad. Tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat, after watching that touching scene in the Cousins home.
4. Jared Goff enjoyed the best season of any of the three quarterbacks, but surprisingly (to me) was the least interesting -- Lions' QB Goff had the best season of any QB last season, given that Detroit finished 15-2 and was the NFC's top seed. However, that didn't make for as much drama as we saw in Cincinnati and Atlanta, where the situation was far more desperate from week to week. Goff operated a well-oiled offensive machine in Detroit, and played the position to near-perfection. However, in the biggest game of his NFL career to date in last seasons’ playoffs, he turned the ball over four times – including three interceptions and a lost fumble. It was one of the worst games of his pro career in the Lions’ 45-31 stunning loss to Washington on Detroit’s home field. Goff is shown in the doc behind the scenes, before and after press interviews, and we see that these losses really do hurt. A few weeks after their season was over, Quarterback ends by showing Jared and his wife Christen in the hospital as they see the sonogram of their expected child, a girl. And then, the pain of that Washington loss didn't go away. But it was put into proper perspective. Life is a mix of highs and lows.
5. All players are playing with injuries, almost every single week -- We don't always see it, nor hear about it. Much of the time, they're not reported. Even coaches and teammates sometimes don't know what their fellow players are going through when it comes to pain. However, every NFL player -- especially starters and most certainly veterans -- is playing with some kind of an injury. In some cases, these are serious injuries. Quarterbacks frequently take ferocious, bone-crushing hits, and yet must shake off the pain and be ready for the next play within seconds. Staying healthy is a constant battle and in most cases, no pro athlete wants to come off the field. Ever. Kirk Cousins says it best when he noted that complaining honestly about injuries doesn't make the pain go away and doing so could lead to getting pulled and losing your job as a starter, which is an intense level of commitment and potential sacrifice that many fans may not realize. There's incomparable pressure to perform at a top level in the NFL at all times, but that's not always possible given how many players are struggling to manage various injuries and nagging ailments. This goes for all positions on both sides of the ball.
6. Cursing is commonplace, swearing can be golden, for some profanity becomes art -- Star QB's Burrow, Cousins, and Goff each seem to have angelic faces. These are the glowing profiles of choirboys and golden boys. But looks can be very deceiving. When we hear any of these three dropping F-bombs constantly during the game, it might be shocking to some unaccustomed ears. Of course, pro sports has always been replete with high emotions, passion, and occasional vulgarities. Yet, some athletes have taken curse words and phrases and turned them into poetry. I won't list them here, but listening to miked-up players during a touchdown celebration is pretty funny. We never hear this on the CBS or FOX broadcast, naturally. Next time you see Goff hit one of his wide receivers with a scoring pass, be sure the language on the field is, shall we say, colorful. Let’s also remember, these are all good QBs playing on competitive teams. I can only imagine the extreme workout of curse words on the Cleveland Browns’ sideline.
7. In the middle of the season, always expect the unexpected -- Last November, after the Bengals played a night game at Dallas, Joe Burrow returned home to Cincinnati to find his home had been savagely burglarized. They stole everything of value. The property crime was part of a serious ongoing problem plaguing pro sports where the homes of high-paid athletes have been targeted by highly-sophisticated theft rings. The series shows Burrow the next day coming into team practice and talking about the burglary with teammates and coaches. It was fascinating to watch something that for most people would be terribly upsetting, and certainly emotionally jarring, and observe the athlete have to block that all out, shake it off, and think about practice. Burrow had insurance to cover losses and he was never in any personal danger. Still, dealing with threats and crazies and even having one's own home violated added to the complexity and heightened the turmoil. Note that Burrow would not speak to the media about this during the season (rightfully, fearing it might be a distraction). He did speak extensively about the burglary that led to multiple arrests and a federal grand jury indictment in the offseason (not part of the show).
8. Playing such a high-profile position comes with many distractions, on and off the field, which must all be tuned out -- The external and internal pressure on starting NFL quarterbacks is like nothing else in pro sports, especially today given the media scrutiny and gargantuan salaries. Success or failure may not depend so much on one's own athletic prowess so much as the ability to motivate and uplift others, especially offensive teammates. Any QB is only as good as the blocking successes along an offensive line or the proper routes of receivers. Unlike baseball, basketball, and hockey -- comparatively speaking, sports where one stellar athlete can take over a game with a great individual performance -- football is the ultimate team game that demands synchronicity and precision. Quarterback reveals the necessary micromanagement of other players. How exactly should a QB behave after a guard blows an assignment and allows a sack? What should a QB do after he throws a perfect pass that's dropped by a wide receiver? These are tough questions, and are a constant battle in every huddle and on every wideline.
9. Lesson Learned: There’s no substitute for hard work and homework -- Earlier in this review, I cited the start of Episode 3. This highlights that short span of 25 seconds between plays when the QB is walking up to the line of scrimmage. Between checking the defensive alignment (which might be simultaneously shifting); spotting if they're in a Cover 2, or a Cover 3, or quarters look; seeing if there is an extra linebacker on the line of scrimmage barking out they are about to blitz (possibly a decoy); occasionally changing the play if he doesn't like what he sees; sending offensive players in motion behind him; trying to get the defense to jump offsides with vocalizations or head movements; and shaking off the pain of being knocked to the turf on the previous play — there is so much more that goes into playing NFL quarterback than simply snapping the ball and throwing a pass. All the off-field preparation and homework that Burrow, Cousins, Goff and others each do during the week so they can quickly identify the type of coverages they will see at the line of scrimmage on game day is immeasurable – and essential.
10. NFL bettors and fantasy league players may not profit from any specific detail, but the series is still a must-watch if you wager on football -- Is there anything we can learn from a betting perspective in any parts of this series? Probably not. We know already that these are incredibly-gifted athletes and effective team leaders who are under intense pressure to perform, and just as much pressure to conform to certain expectations when off the field. What the Quarterback documentary will do is give the viewer a much deeper appreciation and greater understanding for the game and its players. Even though pro athletes are often scrutinized for bad behavior and occasional misdeeds, our appreciation for their gifts and efforts seems warranted.
CONCLUSION:
I dare you to watch and then not root for Burrow, Goff, and Cousins, at times in the future, after getting to know these players, these men, these fathers, these sons, and these good citizens.
Many of us have been watching football for most of our lives. We’re convinced we know that game and how it’s played. We presume to be insiders because we closely follow the NFL. Yeah, that’s what I used to think, too.
The docu-series Quarterback is very likely to shake those old, often wrong stereotypes and woefully incomplete illusions. Watching could very well change how you will watch football in the months and years to come. It certainly gave me a much greater appreciation and deeper respect for the players who are under intense pressure to be the very best at their position and succeed in a league where the only metric that matters is winning.
Quarterback (Season 2) on Netflix receives my highest personal recommendation. Let’s hope there’s a Season 3, next summer.
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