Opinion
By Greg Maresca, 9-12-25
Sports films, and particularly those about football, have a strong inspirational bend.
You can add the upcoming “The Senior” to that list.
Atypical but authentic, The Senior isn’t your usual underdog tale, it’s real, it’s raw, and it flips every cliché on its head with a playbook full of grit and plenty of aftermaths.
The film profiles the life of Mike Flynt, a 59-year-old proud Texan, who returns to college football decades after being kicked off the team not to coach or cheer from the stands but to finish what he started on the gridiron decades earlier by donning the pads.
Flynt, who grew up in Odessa, Texas, graduated from Permian High School and starred on the school’s first state championship team. Permian is the same school that later inspired the book, a film and then the television series, “Friday Night Lights.” Flynt attended Sul Ross State University on a football scholarship where he became team captain and earned All-Conference honors at linebacker.
After his tenth campus fight in three years, Flynt proved he wasn’t just a menacing linebacker on the field but also a walking personal foul off it. That final brawl is what benched him for good, costing him his spot on the team, his senior season, and his biggest regret that refused to retire.
“I never stopped thinking about the loss of that year,” Flynt conceded to me last week.
At a 2007 reunion, a friend challenged Flynt to return still having one semester of eligibility. So, 35 years after getting the boot, Flynt re-enrolls and walks on to prove to his family, former teammates and himself that it is never too late to tackle your regrets.
The film explores Flynt’s relationship with his wife and son, echoing genuine tensions and support that shaped his comeback. It’s a tale of redemption, faith, and the kind of stubbornness that only comes with age. Along the way, he battles self-doubt, skeptical teammates, and physical pain that results in becoming the oldest linebacker in NCAA history.
One major incidental left out compliments of poetic license, was how Flynt was in exceptional condition upon his return. Prior to his comeback, he was a pioneering figure in collegiate strength training. He served as the first strength and conditioning coach in the PAC-10 at the University of Oregon, and did stints at Nebraska and Texas A&M.
The football is more “slow-motion Rocky” than “Friday Night Lights,” but so is life after 50. The Senior proves you’re never too old to chase your dreams or to get tackled by someone half your age. The film may not win any awards, but it scores big on spirit.
In an age obsessed with youth, speed, and instant success, The Senior offers a quiet resolve of camaraderie and the power of second chances.
The story would seem unrealistic if it weren’t true.
Christian tenets are woven throughout without being heavy-handed. The story arc is framed as a grace-filled opportunity, suggesting that Divine Providence plays a role. Angel Studios will distribute the film for theatrical release as it aligns with their mission “to promote uplifting, purpose-driven stories about the unshakable power of faith.”
Michael Chiklis delivers a grounded and convincing performance as Flynt portraying a man haunted by regret but fueled by resolve, while battling the fault lines of aging and forgiveness without being melodramatic.
Such things do not expire with your AARP card; rather they mature and are harvested. The film is a unique snapshot of intergenerational respect in a society that prefers its wisdom in memes.
As teenage athletes sprint toward scholarships, sign outrageous NIL deals before mastering shaving, Flynt’s story resonates. Such a comeback custodian is refreshing who doesn’t need Instagram or a staged press conference proclaiming what school is going to pay for their services.
Flynt’s story is a reminder that athletic prowess is not always livestreamed. Flynt is no superhero, far from it. He’s flawed, reflective and intense. Flynt is not chasing glory, he is walking with grace, orthopedic inserts and all.
Sometimes the most meaningful plays happen long after the crowds have departed, and the scholarships have dried up.
That is why the film works.
The Senior kicks off in local theaters on Friday, September 19, 2025.
Mr. Maresca is a New York City native and a Marine Corps veteran residing in Flyover, America.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida
