EXCLUSIVE: The NFL has teamed up with United States Army Green Beret and NFL Legend Nate Boyer to promote Boyer’s feature directorial debut MVP, in addition to the non-profit on which the film is based.
The film dramatizes the formation of Merging Vets & Players (MVP), a non-profit created by Boyer and Fox Sports NFL Insider Jay Glazer. Boyer also stars in the film, alongside Tom Arnold, Jarrod Bunch, Rich Eisen, Jay Glazer, Talia Jackson, Vietnam Veteran Dan Lauria, Mo McRae, Christina Ochoa and Dina Shihabi. Hall of Fame athletes Randy Couture, Tony Gonzalez, Howie Long and Michael Strahan all cameo as themselves. Balboa Production partners Sylvester Stallone and Braden Aftergood Executive Produce alongside J. Craig, Jay Glazer, Mo McRae, Joe Newcomb and Shanna and Rob Schanen. WME Independent is currently handling worldwide sales for the film, which is active in the marketplace.
Merging Vets & Players was founded in 2015 as a non-profit that aims to bring together combat veterans and former professional athletes to help them find purpose, identity and the locker room again when the uniform comes off. MVP now has chapters in seven cities across the US (Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle) that meet in the gym on a weekly basis. After getting a workout in as a group, vets and athletes alike recover on the wrestling mats and engage in what they call The Huddle, which, at its core, is a peer-to-peer coaching session where vulnerability is encouraged.
Shot entirely on location in Los Angeles, MVP featured both military veterans and former professional athletes in front of and behind the camera. Almost half of the crew consisted of veterans and every veteran character represented on screen was played by an actual veteran.
The NFL has been an advocate of the program since its inception and is excited about further publicizing the work being done to assist both veterans and athletes as they transition into the next phase of their lives. The NFL is planning screenings and events centered around the Super Bowl, NFL Combine and NFL Draft in an effort to raise awareness for the film and the MVP organization.