CinemaOSMovie · 2022 · 1h 34m

Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL

An eye-opening look at the history of politics and propaganda in the NFL.

IMDbDocumentary

Celebrated author and Nation magazine sports editor Dave Zirin tackles the myth that the NFL was somehow free of politics before Colin Kaepernick and other Black NFL players took a knee.

Directed byJeremy Earp

Play

Status: Released
Runtime: 1h 34m
Language: EN
Released: September 23, 2022

Studios

Featuring

Cast & crew

10 credited

Starring

Dave Zirin

Self

Marco Rubio

Self (archive footage)

Rush Limbaugh

Self (archive footage)

Colin Kaepernick

Self - San Francisco 49ers Quarterback (archive footage)

Donald Trump

Self (archive footage)

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

Self (archive footage)

Bill Russell

Self (archive footage)

Muhammad Ali

Self (archive footage)

Tommie Smith

Self (archive footage)

John Carlos

Self (archive footage)

Creative team

Directed by: Jeremy Earp
Written by: Dave Zirin
Jeremy Earp
Produced by: Jeremy Earp
Loretta Alper

Keep watching

Recommended movies

8.4

O.J.: Made in America

2016·8.4

O.J.: Made in America

2016 · Film

6.4

Gascoigne

2015·6.4

Gascoigne

2015 · Film

6.7

You Cannot Kill David Arquette

2020·6.7

You Cannot Kill David Arquette

2020 · Film

6.5

Counterpunch

2017·6.5

Counterpunch

2017 · Film

7.2

Come See Me in the Good Light

2025·7.2

Come See Me in the Good Light

2025 · Film

7.0

Directed by John Ford

1971·7.0

Directed by John Ford

1971 · Film

7.4

For the Love of Spock

2016·7.4

For the Love of Spock

2016 · Film

8.0

My Mom Jayne

2025·8.0

My Mom Jayne

2025 · Film

7.1

The Tillman Story

2010·7.1

The Tillman Story

2010 · Film

7.4

Gaga: Five Foot Two

2017·7.4

Gaga: Five Foot Two

2017 · Film

6.4

A Toxic Love Story

2026·6.4

A Toxic Love Story

2026 · Film

7.8

The Art of Flight

2011·7.8

The Art of Flight

2011 · Film

6.4

Fuck

2006·6.4

Fuck

2006 · Film

6.9

Sidney

2022·6.9

Sidney

2022 · Film

7.0

Marvel's Behind the Mask

2021·7.0

Marvel's Behind the Mask

2021 · Film

7.4

I Am Heath Ledger

2017·7.4

I Am Heath Ledger

2017 · Film

7.1

Boys State

2020·7.1

Boys State

2020 · Film

6.8

Looking for Richard

1996·6.8

Looking for Richard

1996 · Film

7.6

To Kill a Tiger

2023·7.6

To Kill a Tiger

2023 · Film

6.7

Tongues Untied

1990·6.7

Tongues Untied

1990 · Film

Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL

Cast & crew

More like this

A Better Man

I'm Not Racist... Am I?

Hafu

Land Without Bread

Railway Station

This Is Me…Now

A Brief History of Time

The Magic of Chaos

Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story

How to Build a House out of Wreckage and Rags

The Basque Ball: Skin Against Stone

Les Belges Sont-Ils Les Plus Racistes D'Europe ?

Blueprint

In retrospect

Olympia Part Two: Festival of Beauty

LA 92

Recommended movies

O.J.: Made in America

Gascoigne

You Cannot Kill David Arquette

Counterpunch

Come See Me in the Good Light

Directed by John Ford

For the Love of Spock

My Mom Jayne

The Tillman Story

Gaga: Five Foot Two

A Toxic Love Story

The Art of Flight

Fuck

Sidney

Marvel's Behind the Mask

I Am Heath Ledger

Boys State

Looking for Richard

To Kill a Tiger

Tongues Untied