Netflix Enlists Berg, Chandler For Friday Night Lights-Like NFL Opener

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Posted in: Netflix, NFL, Sports, TV | Tagged: friday night lights

Netflix Enlists Berg, Chandler For Friday Night Lights-Like NFL Opener

Netflix enlisted Peter Berg and Kyle Chandler for a Friday Night Lights-like opening to the Los Angeles Rams - San Francisco 49ers game.

Published Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:21:09 -0500
by Ray Flook
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Article Summary

  • Netflix tapped Friday Night Lights creators Peter Berg and Kyle Chandler to open Rams vs. 49ers in dramatic style.
  • The For the Love of Football segment channels Friday Night Lights energy to spotlight football’s emotional pull.
  • Kyle Chandler revives clear eyes, full hearts spirit as the opener ties youth football roots to the NFL stage.
  • Netflix says Berg will direct four NFL opening segments as it expands streaming to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Week 18.

Whatever you may think about streaming services getting involved in streaming NFL games, you have to admit that Netflix doesn't mess around when it comes to promoting its games in some very big – and dramatic – ways. For example, we had tonight's game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. Who does Netflix tap to drive home the point of the unifying importance of football? Friday Night Lights film director and series creator Peter Berg and Emmy winner Kyle Chandler, who won an Emmy for his turn as fictional Dillon Panthers' Coach Taylor. The clip "For the Love of Football" is set to be the first of four opening segments directed by Berg for the streaming service. Netflix continues expanding its NFL streaming footprint, with games also streaming on Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Day, and Week 18 of the 2026 NFL season.

Image: Netflix Screencaps; NBCUniversal

"And so it begins, right here, right now, today. You are going to win," Chandler offers, as some very Friday Night Lights-like music plays (you can check out the opener above). "You'll use your eyes to win. Your eyes will show you the truth. You'll recognize it whether you like it or not, without wishing you were seeing something else." As the video continues to show the roots of football in the U.S., Chandler continues, "The truth on the field is never something else. You will not look away. You will feel the truth together in your hearts. Your eyes will see clearly. Your hearts will feel fully." The montage of professional NFL players and youth league football players continues as Chandler shifts into full-on Coach Taylor mode. "You will play with your eyes clear and your heart full. If you can do that, and then do it again and again, I assure you, you cannot lose," he noted. "Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose."

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