Playmakers (2003– )

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.

Stars:

Omar Gooding, Marcello Thedford, Christopher Wiehl

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Omar Gooding	...	Demetrius Harris (12 episodes, 2003-2006)
Marcello Thedford	...	Kelvin 'Buffalo' James (12 episodes, 2003-2006)
Christopher Wiehl	...	Derek McConnell (12 episodes, 2003-2006)
Jason Matthew Smith	...	Eric Olczyk (12 episodes, 2003-2006)
Russell Hornsby	...	Leon Taylor (12 episodes, 2003-2006)
Tony Denison	...	Coach George (12 episodes, 2003-2006)
Stephen Bogaert	...	Phil Chambers (11 episodes, 2003)
Bruce Gray	...	Gene Wilbanks (11 episodes, 2003)
Phillip Jarrett	...	Coach Rudman (9 episodes, 2003)
Karen LeBlanc	...	Robin Taylor (8 episodes, 2003)
Thea Andrews	...	Samantha Lovett (7 episodes, 2003)
Dan Petronijevic	...	Thad Guerwitcz (7 episodes, 2003)
Kevin Jubinville	...	Dr. Gatewood (6 episodes, 2003)
Sasha Roiz	...	Stephen Lyles (6 episodes, 2003)
Gabriel Hogan	...	Guard Dog Fredericks (5 episodes, 2003)
Tacquira LaTouche	...	Herself (5 episodes, 2003)

Storyline

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.

---

Plot Keywords:

gay athlete | quarterback | closeted homosexual | locker room | football practice | 

---

Taglines:

If all you see is the athlete, open your eyes.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Sport

---

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 August 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

A pálya királyai

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

ESPN Original Entertainment, Franchise Productions, Imagine Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

491 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

In some of the first eight episodes, Jason Matthew Smith wears jerseys (both home and away) with his character's name misspelled as "Olcyzk".

---

Connections

Referenced in Collateral (2004)

User Reviews

The NFL needs to let broadcasters be broadcasters

A true surprise from ESPN. Playmakers may not have portrayed the image ESPN's partner the National Football League (NFL) wants to market but, for the first time since North Dallas Forty, we have a glimpse of players life from something other than the carefully crafted image the League markets. The players, we as fans religiously follow, are more than just Gladiators, they are people. They are people who have real lives off the field and real issues to deal with. They aren't just lures to get us to watch commercials, they are human beings. Just like the rest of us, some are better than others. This show was and is definitely worth watching. That wasn't why it was cancelled. It was cancelled because the NFL found the series to be more realistic than it cares to admit. In an age of trash and copy cat redundancies, Playmakers offered it's viewers an original, smartly written, quality drama based on the trials and tribulations of an imaginary football team. In only eleven episodes before being cancelled the show won an award for the American Film Institute Top 10 TV Programs of the Year. In an age where the critics and the populous rarely agree on what is good TV. Here we had a show that had good ratings and was critically acclaimed yet, it was cancelled. Was this a case of art imitating life too closely for the comfort of the NFL big wigs? If not, you explain why this show is no longer on the air. Here's a theory, the NFL needs to stop practicing censorship and concentrate on producing a quality product where the term, 'Any given Sunday' continues to apply. And allow its broadcast partners to be broadcasters and create quality programming.