FULL FILM IS HERE: https://go.mediaed.org/behind-the-shield

"Provocative and unflinching, Behind the Shield is not just about the NFL, but about who we are as Americans."

— Julie DiCaro, Sports Journalist | Author, Sidelined: Sports, Culture & Being a Woman in America

“Behind the Shield is about so much more than football – it is about us, and where we are as a nation, and what lies ahead. If you love football, watch this film. If you care about justice, watch this film!”

— Eddie S. Glaude Jr. | Head of African American Studies at Princeton University

“Excellent! Zirin challenges viewers to consider whose interests are best served when the football establishment ‘politicizes’ certain athletes and storylines while continuing to both benefit from and advance institutional agendas in the name of serving fans.”

— Kavitha Davidson | Correspondent for HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” Co-Author, Loving Sports When They Don’t Love You Back

"Terrifying and brilliant. After watching it, I now believe that you cannot understand this country without understanding NFL football. I will be showing this film in my classes FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."

— Robin D.G. Kelley | Professor and Chair of History, UCLA

“If you’re feeling ready for some football – watch this film. If you think you know the story of Colin Kaepernick – watch this film. If you think politics don’t belong in sports – watch this film. Watch this film!”

— Melissa Harris-Perry | Host of WNYC’s "The Takeaway"

"An exceptional expose of why American football fans' and the NFL's demand that we shouldn't insert ‘politics in sports’ is itself so political. A must-watch."

— Soraya Chemaly | Author, Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger

"Behind the Shield offers a stark portrait of the NFL that compels viewers to consider the power, pitfalls, and possibilities of its continued cultural impact. This film is sure to be an invaluable resource for those who teach critical sports studies, history and sociology of sport, sports journalism, and more."

— Amira Rose Davis | Professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas-Austin, Co-Host of the "Burn it All Down" podcast

“You may not care about football—but [this] riveting documentary reminds us that we have a stake in understanding how powerful the NFL is in shaping our country, culture, and politics. A must-watch.”

— Katrina vanden Heuvel | Editorial Director & Publisher, The Nation

“A provocative, eye-opening documentary that upends conventional wisdom. You may not agree with everything in [this film]. But it will compel you to ponder, deeply.”

— Ken Auletta | Media Critic for The New Yorker

“Dave Zirin is one of the foremost thought leaders on the intersection between sports, race, and politics. In Behind the Shield, his thoughtful critiques of the most powerful brand in sports are both necessary and patriotic.”

— Jemele Hill | Sports Journalist, Contributing Writer, The Atlantic

“It is a tribute to Behind the Shield that this otherwise detached viewer was absorbed by this beautifully constructed and critically penetrating documentary. A vivid work of social, cultural, and political history, it is both a record of infamy and a resource of hope.”

— David Rowe | Author of Sport, Culture, and the Media: The Unruly Trinity

“Extraordinary! Behind the Shield is a must-watch for sports fans, especially those who worship at the altar of the NFL.”

— Dr. Nicole Kraft | Professor of Sports Journalism, Director of the Sports and Society Initiative, The Ohio State University

“A must-watch! Dave Zirin brutally exposes the racism, sexism, and greed of the NFL war machine while leaving hope that the players will shake loose of their fake masculinity to save the game and the country.”
— Robert Lipsyte | Longtime New York Times Sports Reporter and Columnist

“Told through a rich trove of archive, Behind the Shield will leave viewers with a clear understanding of what it means to take on the NFL’s power establishment and what professional football has come to embody. A must-watch whether you’re a football fan or not."

— Laila Al-Arian | Executive Producer of "Fault Lines" on Al Jazeera English

“With sharp analysis, stunning media, and Zirin’s fearless rhetoric, Behind the Shield provides essential and powerful context for understanding the NFL’s profound political and cultural investments and influence.”

— Dr. Diane Williams, Assistant Professor, McDaniel College