Kevin Costner’s Overlooked Football Film with Jennifer Garner Becomes Netflix’s Latest Hit After 11 Years
Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner’s 2014 Football Drama Fumbled in Theaters but Just Scored Big as Netflix’s Newest Streaming MVP
A Kevin Costner sports movie from over a decade ago has made an unexpected comeback, racing to the top of Netflix’s trending charts. Co-starring Jennifer Garner, this once-forgotten football drama barely made a splash in theaters, but now it’s become Netflix’s latest fan favorite.
Filled with front-office drama, game-day tension, and an emotional depth that surprises, the film’s recent surge proves that some stories age better when streamed. Draft Day is now scoring big: Kevin Costner’s overlooked football flick climbs Netflix’s rankings, and after 11 years, it’s suddenly one of the most-watched titles.
Originally released in 2014, Draft Day stars Costner as Sonny Weaver Jr., the general manager of the Cleveland Browns, juggling high-stakes trades, tough bosses, and a secret romance with Jennifer Garner’s character, Ali—who’s also pregnant. Directed by the legendary Ivan Reitman (known for Ghostbusters and Kindergarten Cop), this was his final film before his passing in 2022. Despite a modest box office performance—earning $29.8 million against a $25 million budget—the movie now enjoys a renaissance on streaming.
Since arriving on Netflix on April 1, Draft Day has rocketed into the U.S. top 10, currently sitting at No. 9. That’s a remarkable turnaround for a movie many overlooked in theaters. Critics gave it a middling 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, though some praised its “air punch-inducing drama.” And let’s face it, watching Costner dive deep into a sports drama is always a draw. /Film even ranked it sixth among Reitman’s films, applauding its sharp script and slick direction.
While it’s no cinematic masterpiece—plot holes sometimes take a backseat to the feel-good vibes—that hasn’t stopped NFL fans and Netflix viewers from rediscovering its charm. Especially during a slow season for new hits (with The Life List holding No. 1 at just 47% on Rotten Tomatoes). Could Draft Day go all the way to number one? With the current momentum and some fourth-quarter magic, it’s not out of the question.
Kevin Costner Reflects on Career Letdowns: ‘Dragonfly’ and ‘Message in a Bottle’
While Costner has had a career full of highs, not every film has been a hit. He recently named Dragonfly and Message in a Bottle as some of his biggest disappointments. “You take a movie like Dragonfly or Message in a Bottle… on paper they were great stories, but they ended up flattened into soft love stories,” Costner explained. “There was a reason I did those movies, but it didn’t come through, and I don’t quite understand why.”
Back in the ’90s, Costner was a box office powerhouse with hits like Dances with Wolves, The Bodyguard, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. However, the disappointing receptions of Waterworld and The Postman knocked him off the A-list. Even collaborations with legends like Paul Newman (Message in a Bottle) and top directors like Tom Shadyac (Dragonfly) couldn’t halt the decline. Despite his heart in these projects, Costner admits they didn’t land the way he hoped.
