Glen Powell got the full pro experience as he played the titular college football star in Hulu‘s Chad Powers.
Speaking to Deadline on the red carpet of Thursday’s premiere, the Golden Globe nominee recalled the “really special” experience of working with real former NFL players on the comedy series he co-created with Michael Waldron.
“When I was actually on the field, it felt very immersive,” he explained at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. “Because they also had former NFL players playing with us, putting on pads. Guys that are 350, 6’7, sprinting at me with everything they got.”
Powell continued, “But it felt very much like Chad Powers in the fact that Russ Holliday is getting a second chance to be on that field, these guys got to put on pads and be back on that field with me. And you could see their eyes light up, and their hearts were full. It was really special.”
The actor noted that executive producers Eli and Peyton Manning connected him to Patrick Mahomes’ coach Nic Shimonek and Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Pat O’Hara.
Glen Powell on the appreciation and respect he has for football players, what he learned through the process, plus playing with former NFL players for #ChadPowers pic.twitter.com/IGymrnm9wG
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 26, 2025
In Chad Powers, the first two episodes premiering Sept. 30 on Hulu, Powell plays hotshot quarterback Russ Holliday, who disguises himself as the titular football player to join a new team after tanking his own college career.
Featuring a pilot co-written by Powell and Waldron, Chad Powers is based on the sketch produced by NFL Films and Omaha Productions that aired on ESPN+ as part of the Eli’s Places series.
The post Glen Powell Recalls Filming ‘Chad Powers’ With Real NFL Alums “Sprinting At Me With Everything They Got” appeared first on Deadline.
