
Production
Steve Sabol
Born 1942-10-02 · Moorestown, New Jersey, USA
Steve Sabol (1942–2012) was one of the most influential visual storytellers in sports history, a filmmaker, artist, and creative force whose imagination transformed the NFL into a cinematic experience. As the longtime president of NFL Films and the son of founder Ed Sabol, Steve helped turn a small family venture into one of the most celebrated production companies in American media, winning more than 40 Emmy Awards across writing, cinematography, editing, and directing—an unmatched achievement in sports filmmaking. Born in Moorestown, New Jersey, Sabol grew up surrounded by both art and athletics. His mother, Audrey, was an art collector, and his father was a budding filmmaker. At Colorado College, he majored in art history while starring as a running back, a combination that would later define his signature style: the athlete with an artist’s eye. When his father secured the rights to film the 1962 NFL Championship Game, Steve joined as a cameraman, quickly proving himself a gifted visual storyteller with a flair for drama, composition, and emotion. As NFL Films expanded, Sabol became its creative heartbeat. He pioneered techniques now standard in sports media—slow motion, tight‑spiral close‑ups, on‑field microphones, orchestral scoring, and poetic narration. His philosophy was simple: football should be filmed like Hollywood mythmaking. He wrote scripts, narrated films, edited highlight reels, and even penned The Autumn Wind, the iconic poem embraced by the Oakland Raiders. By the 1980s, Sabol was also a recognizable on‑air personality, bringing humor and insight to ESPN segments and NFL Films specials. He later played a key role in launching NFL Network, extending the company’s storytelling legacy into the digital era. His work earned him the Dan Reeves Pioneer Award, the Pete Rozelle Award, induction into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, and ultimately the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020. Sabol continued creating until his death in 2012, leaving behind not only a vast archive of films but a philosophy: that sports are not just games, but stories—epic, emotional, and deeply human. His desk at NFL Films remains untouched, a quiet tribute to the man who taught America how to feel football.
Acting credits
Artists, Philosophers, Musicians, Politicians and more offer their thoughts on Pro Football, in this 1986 film produced by NFL Films.
Autumn Ritual
1986
9.0HBO (in association with the American Film Institute) presents this 1997 anthology, narrated by Liev Schreiber, which looks at sports in cinema from the earliest silent films until the nineties. Watch not for dramatic scenes but for the glimpse of historical figures shown both cinematic and athletic- in this tribute to the merging of sports and Hollywood.
Sports on the Silver Screen
1997
Hosted by Steve Sobol, this collection of football missteps is one of the last voice acting performances of Mel Blanc, and features a variety of mishaps from the NFL.
NFL Super Duper Football Follies
1989
Since 1925, the New York Giants have been the standard bearers for the National Football League. Their record speaks for itself: 22 division titles and six world championships including four Super Bowl victories. Now, this big blue legacy is yours to own in this thrilling two-disc set. The Complete History of the New York Giants captures all of the great moments in Giants history including their upset victories over New England Patriots in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI. With exciting bonus features including an in-depth "Greatest Games" feature on the team's victory in the 2007 NFL Championship game, this DVD set is a must-have for any Giants fan.
NFL Films - The New York Giants - The Complete History
2004
NRThe Ultimate Super Bowl Anthology Legends. Heroes. Warriors. All stand on the brink of greatness. All Share a dream of glory. Only one can be victorious. Relive the memories and touch the dream in the first DVD release from NFL Films, Greatest Moments In Super Bowl History. Award-winning cinematography comes together with cutting-edge technology to tell the story of football's greatest game. Relive all the unforgettable moments, from Super Bowl I, over three decades ago, the game's modern day status as America's #1 sporting event, all at the touch of a button or the click of a mouse. Featuring exclusive footage and interviews never seen before plus interactive DVD-ROM enhancements with trivia questions, screen savers and more, Greatest Moments In Super Bowl History on DVD is unique part of any sports video collection.
Greatest Moments in Super Bowl History
2000
NRA Sports Illustrated compilation video of the NFL's Hardest Hits.
The Best of Thunder and Destruction: NFL's Hardest Hits
1992
Behind the camera
Artists, Philosophers, Musicians, Politicians and more offer their thoughts on Pro Football, in this 1986 film produced by NFL Films.
Autumn Ritual
1986
NRThe world of pro football is a game that is often seen but seldom heard. Indeed, the sights are sensational, but the sounds of the game are what truly reveal the intensity of the conflict. When the audio is combined with the visual of the NFL, the results reveal a world that fans have witnessed but few have ever heard or understood. A pioneer in wireless microphones and location sound for over 25 years, NFL Films has been specializing in uncovering what is being said on NFL gridirons, sidelines and in the stands of pro football. The results have been fascinating, informative, funny and highly entertaining.
The Hidden NFL: The NFL You’ve Never Seen Before
1991
NR1973 Miami Dolphins. It takes a village to win a Super Bowl, and America's Game covers all of those men and women who make it happen
America's Game: 1973 Miami Dolphins
2007
NR1973 Miami Dolphins. It takes a village to win a Super Bowl, and America's Game covers all of those men and women who make it happen
America's Game: 1973 Miami Dolphins
2007
10.0Forty-two, hard-hitting minutes of the NFL's outstanding defenders, past and present, who have elevated the art of punishing ball carriers into a science
Crunch Course
1986
10.0Larry Csonka, Don Shula and Manny Fernandez remember the Miami Dolphins Super Bowl victory and their undefeated season.
America's Game: 1972 Miami Dolphins
2007
10.0Larry Csonka, Don Shula and Manny Fernandez remember the Miami Dolphins Super Bowl victory and their undefeated season.
America's Game: 1972 Miami Dolphins
2007
NRBurt Lancaster hosts a review of the first 50 years in NFL history.
Big Game America
1969
NRBurt Lancaster hosts a review of the first 50 years in NFL history.
Big Game America
1969
Hosted by Steve Sobol, this collection of football missteps is one of the last voice acting performances of Mel Blanc, and features a variety of mishaps from the NFL.
NFL Super Duper Football Follies
1989
10.0Forty-five years ago, the Miami Dolphins splashed into the NFL when Joe Auer returned the franchise’s opening kick-off 95 yards for a touchdown. It was the beginning of a historic journey encompassing some of the game’s legendary players, and the greatest single season in NFL history. From their start as an AFL doormat, witness their meteoric rise as Hall of Fame head coach Don Shula led Bob Griese, Larry Csonka and the “no-name defense” of the ‘70s to two world championships and the only undefeated season in pro football history. Later teams included “Killer B’s” defense of the ‘80s, record-setting quarterback Dan Marino and defensive powerhouses Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas. This film will grant you access to over four hours of extraordinary game highlights, behind-the-scenes footage, player and coach interviews, sound wires and more. Join NFL Films as they unfold a unique perspective on the living South Florida history that is the Miami Dolphins.
History of the Miami Dolphins
2010
NRA documentary from NFL Films celebrating the legendary quarterbacks and running backs who defined pro football in the mid-20th century. Featuring archival footage and dramatic narration, “Legends of the Fall” pays tribute to the athletes whose skill and toughness helped build the NFL’s legacy. Players like Johnny Unitas, Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, and Bart Starr are profiled in this classic retrospective.
Legends of the Fall
1980
NRA documentary from NFL Films celebrating the legendary quarterbacks and running backs who defined pro football in the mid-20th century. Featuring archival footage and dramatic narration, “Legends of the Fall” pays tribute to the athletes whose skill and toughness helped build the NFL’s legacy. Players like Johnny Unitas, Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, and Bart Starr are profiled in this classic retrospective.
Legends of the Fall
1980
NRThe world of pro football is a game that is often seen but the sounds of the game are what truly reveal the intensity of the conflict. When the audio is combined with the visual of the NFL, the results reveal a world that fans have witnessed but few have ever heard or understood. A pioneer in wireless microphones and location sound for over 25 years, NFL Films has been specializing in uncovering what is being said on NFL gridirons, sidelines and in the stands of pro football. The results have been fascinating, informative, funny and highly entertaining. In this video, you'll discover the hidden world of "The Pit," and find out why coaches call it the most violent area on a football field. We'll also help you unravel the quarterback cadence and learn why defenders jump offsides so often. Ever wonder what is being said in the locker room and bench area? Do you know what "jolly", "zip", "snake eyes", "buck naked" and "boss" really mean? Find out here.
The Hidden NFL
1991
NFL Films recaps the 1974 NFL season in Championship Chase.
Championship Chase
1974
8.0In early December 2011, the New York Giants were in deep trouble, staggered by a four-game losing streak that wiped out a 6-2 start and threatened to keep them out of postseason play. But a decisive win over the Cowboys earned the Giants a division crown on the final day of the season. Once in the playoffs, Big Blue took down the Falcons, Packers and 49ers to reach the Super Bowl for the second time under head coach Tom Coughlin. And in that rematch of Super Bowl XLII, the results were the same: Another Giant upset over the favored New England Patriots.
Super Bowl XLVI Champions: New York Giants
2012
6.3The first NFL Films feature, it established the trend of dramatizing the game itself and not the outcome.
They Call it Pro Football
1966
6.3The first NFL Films feature, it established the trend of dramatizing the game itself and not the outcome.
They Call it Pro Football
1966
NRNFL Films production on Super Bowl XIII, between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys.
Battle of Champions: Super Bowl XIII
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NRNFL Films production on Super Bowl XIII, between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys.
Battle of Champions: Super Bowl XIII
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NRThis edition of NFL Films Classics looks beyond the hard-hitting physical aspects of football to another side of the game that plays a key role in a team's success (or failure) -- emotions and the players' psyches. Also included are two documentaries: "The Young, the Old and the Bold," which features of some of the greatest gridiron generals in history, and "Lombardi," which profiles the feared and revered head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
NFL Films Classics: More Than a Game
—
NRThis edition of NFL Films Classics looks beyond the hard-hitting physical aspects of football to another side of the game that plays a key role in a team's success (or failure) -- emotions and the players' psyches. Also included are two documentaries: "The Young, the Old and the Bold," which features of some of the greatest gridiron generals in history, and "Lombardi," which profiles the feared and revered head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
NFL Films Classics: More Than a Game
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NRThis collection of football follies comes from Sports Illustrated and was a subscription bonus for signing up to the magazine.
The All New NFL Football Follies
1986
NRA Sports Illustrated compilation video of the NFL's Hardest Hits.
The Best of Thunder and Destruction: NFL's Hardest Hits
1992