There have been some top guests joining the Kelce brothers on New Heights over the months and the latest is no exception. Star of many blockbuster movies, including taking on some iconic roles, Keanu Reeves was able to swap his own footballing stories after his performance in The Replacements over two decades ago.
Before getting into the recent chat, though, let’s relive a little of that comedy fun:
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How Keanu Reeves prepared for NFL role
So, how did Reeves prepare for the role? He explains that after early fundamentals with Rick Neuheisel and ex-NFL QB TJ Rubley, he went through a three-week camp alongside former pros and college players.
By week three he was calling plays, working under center, and learning the quiet politics of the huddle: miss once and you get encouragement, miss the same throw again and you get silence. Now he was being treated like a player.
Reeves admits there was contact, even a stinger that briefly spooked him given a prior neck fusion. That hint of danger, Travis and Jason argue, is why the movie’s cartoonish edges still land. The kicker is odd, the linebacker unhinged, the linemen brotherly, but underneath the exaggeration is something familiar. Reeves even learned to hold for field goals, discovering that even something considered a “minor” job can be maddeningly technical.
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How was Gene Hackman as a coach?
Asked about working with the legend that was Gene Hackman, Reeves paints a classic head-coach profile: prepared, punctual, allergic to excuses. The Tom Landry-style hat wasn’t an accident, either. Filming on the Ravens’ field and crossing paths with Pat Summerall and John Madden added an extra layer of NFL realism.
One question was always likely to be debated, but it was a clear agreement between the guys. The Shane Falco in today’s NFL is Gardner Minshew: laid-back confidence, good-vibes leadership, and a touch of nomad mythmaking. Falco lived on a boat; Minshew famously kitted out a bus for an offseason. The parallels.
Reeves recalls the phrase used back then: “Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever.” It sounds sexy, but he also admitted that the pain sometimes hangs around in the form of a bad back. Who said movie making is easy?
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