THE UNITED STATES OF FOOTBALL is a controversial and critical exposé sports documentary. Father, sports fan, and filmmaker, Sean Pamphilon has made a provocative, condemning documentary that’s highly critical of the NFL and other groups.
It’s a story assembled over three years by the Emmy and Peabody-winning filmmaker who rocked the sports world and made public the infamous Bounty gate tapes. Sean Pamphilon’s recordings turned up the volume on an industry, and revealed that some players were offered bounties to injure and specifically target opponents with a history of concussions, possibly fatally.
But that was only a piece of a bigger scandal. The concerned father and filmmakers investigates the dirty secret, too-long-kept from players, an increasing incidence of brain damage, dementia, and slow death from repetitive head trauma.
THE UNITED STATES OF FOOTBALL depicts the lives of fallen heroes, vigorous men with everything to live for, who lose their minds, their functions and their lives. MRIs, autopsies and research leave little doubt that what was once called dementia pugilistica in the 1920s is happening to today’s players, and now known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
Some of the film’s heroes wither away leaving angry and grieving families. In despair, one shoots himself, protecting his brain so that others can research and understand. Others bravely continue fighting to reform football.
THE UNITED STATES OF FOOTBALL is an in-depth examination of the football coaching ranks that asks “Who is coaching your kids?”
The film features interviews with Bob Costas, Mike Ditka, Kyle Turley, Jim Brown, John Mackey, Chris Henry, Kurt Warner, Ralph Wenzel, Frank Deford, Justin Strzelczyk, Malcolm Gladwell and James Harrison.
Running time: 101 minutes
MPAA: Unrated
