Remembering the late Gene Hackman's connection to the Washington NFL franchise
Gene Hackman and Dan Aykroyd in Bob Clark's LOOSE CANNONS released on this day in 1990. pic.twitter.com/SUxZOICD2q — Peter Avellino (@PeterAPeel) February 9, 2014
Thursday was a sad day for the entertainment world. Legendary actor Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home. They were reportedly dead for "some time," and their deaths were ruled "suspicious enough," but foul play was not suspected, at least initially.
The 95-year-old Hackman had been retired from the Hollywood spotlight for years but will be fondly remembered as one of the best actors ever, with several notable films across different genres.
Hackman starred in one of the greatest sports films ever. In "Hoosiers," a 1986 film, Hackman played a high school basketball coach with a questionable past in rural Indiana.
However, Hackman also has a connection to the current Washington Commanders, formerly known as the Washington Redskins.
In 1990, Hackman starred with Dan Aykroyd as a tough cop in the film "Loose Cannons." In the movie, Hackman plays the role of a Redskins' fans, donning a burgundy and gold jacket.
That wasn't Hackman's only connection to Washington football. In 2000, Hackman starred as Jimmy McGinty in the "Replacements," a movie loosely based on the 1987 Redskins. When a player strike hits the league, McGinty is named head coach of the Washington Sentinels, as long as he can pick the players. McGinty then assembles a roster full of either washed-up former stars or players who never made it big for one reason or another.
The movie didn't have NFL licensing, which is why the team was called the Sentinels and not the Redskins. However, some of the drama in the film mirrored the 1987 Redskins.
Finally, in 2007, Hackman was again connected to the Redskins, narrating "America's Game" for NFL Films, focusing on the team's triumphant 1987 season.
The legendary Gene Hackman lent his distinctive voice to #NFL Films, narrating four episodes of their tremendous "America's Game" series.
RIP🕯️ pic.twitter.com/MuXqSRfrUq — Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) February 28, 2025
It's unknown if Hackman was a Washington fan, but he certainly had multiple connections to the franchise.
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