The Senior Finds Redemption on the Gridiron

Football and Texas go together like Sonny and Cher, like Beyoncé and Levi’s, and like 45 South and traffic. There’s a unique bond between Texans and the gridiron. For many, football is more than a game—it’s a sanctuary, a gathering place that brings together the most diverse communities in the state. From the Houston Texans (who fans hope will be faring better by the time you read this) to America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys, football culture runs deep here. College football has long been a powerhouse, and high school stadiums still pack in thousands on Friday nights.

The sport’s influence on cinema is just as strong. Films like Friday Night Lights, Any Given Sunday (with Texas native Jamie Foxx), Remember the Titans, Rudy, and The Longest Yard, both the Burt Reynolds original and the Adam Sandler remake (the latter is a guilty pleasure of mine), have carried the spirit of football to the big screen. That tradition continues with The Senior, the new drama starring Michael Chiklis, now in theaters.

The Senior tells the true story of Mike Flynt, who, at the age of 59, became the oldest man to ever play college football—lining up as a linebacker for Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Flynt, a former powerlifter and longtime strength and conditioning coach at Texas A&M, suited up decades after his playing days should have ended, proving that passion for the game doesn’t come with an expiration date.

Chiklis is a natural fit for Flynt, embodying his grit and determination. The actor, best known for his Emmy-winning run on The Shield and his turn as The Thing in Fantastic Four, captures the tenacity and humility of a man chasing one last shot. Beyond the X’s and O’s, the film captures how seriously Texans take their football and the almost spiritual significance it holds in the Lone Star State.

For me, the movie works on three levels. If you like football, you’ll enjoy it. If you like a classic, formula-driven sports biopic, you’ll find plenty here to connect with. But what makes The Senior stand out is its message about do-overs. It’s a story that will resonate with anyone who has thought about the chances they didn’t take—or the dreams they still want to chase.

Chiklis himself emphasized that point when we spoke. “Well, yeah, that’s the whole thing,” he said. “Football is the backdrop of this picture, but it’s really at its heart a redemption tale. This is about a guy making good on past mistakes. You can’t change the past, but you can change the meaning of it and its value.”

He continued: “And he became essentially a playing coach to these kids, a mentor. My relationship with the guys on this team was beautiful. I had such a great time with these young men. They were a little intimidated by me at first. They didn’t know how terrified I was inside because I was hitting them and they were hitting me, and I was like, oh my God.”

He laughed, adding, “I think they had seen The Shield a little bit, so they were a little concerned. But the second day of shooting, we did that scene with the rubber and they got to tool on me and make fun of me, and that’s when we became a team. They realized I was all right and I wasn’t going to bite, and we just had a blast together.”

That sentiment is what makes The Senior resonate. Whether you’re nearing retirement, in mid-life, or still in your prime, Flynt’s story reminds us that there’s always time to right the wrongs of the past and chase unfinished dreams.

The Senior may not reinvent the genre, but it delivers inspiration with heart—and earns its place alongside the great football films of the past. It’s in theaters now and will arrive on streaming soon.

The post The Senior Finds Redemption on the Gridiron appeared first on Houston Press.