NFL Network to celebrate Black History Month with special programming including NFL 360 The Indelible Legacy of Jimmy Raye

January 26, 2023: NFL Network is celebrating Black History Month with special programming throughout February including The Indelible Legacy of Jimmy Raye, a unique episode of the Emmy Award-winning series ‘NFL 360’ that explores how one man’s story broke color barriers and changed football forever.

In the 1960s, with Black athletes facing rampant prejudice and the perception that they were incapable of playing quarterback, Jimmy Raye follows Coach Duffy Daugherty’s «Underground Railroad» to Michigan State. There, he becomes a star signal caller and goes on to inspire a generation of Black players and coaches.

NFL 360: The Indelible Legacy of Jimmy Raye airs on Tuesday, February 7th at 8:00 PM EST on NFL Network.

«Jimmy Raye was an exceptional athlete, but he was also a trailblazer,» said Angela Ellis, VP of Entertainment & Initiatives at NFL Media. «He became the first Black starting quarterback from the South to win a national championship, forging a path for Black players and coaches after him.»

NFL 360 is NFL Network’s news anthology show of record and airs throughout the season, providing NFL players the opportunity to shine a light on the people, places and moments that are important to them through in-depth documentary storytelling.

NFL 360 Co-Creator Dallas Hitchcock said, «The Indelible Legacy of Jimmy Raye explores Jimmy’s story—not just because it’s about sports—but because it’s about courage, determination, and leadership. This story is bigger than football.»

In the week leading up to Super Bowl LVII, NFL Media will bring its film and media expertise to Arizona State University’s Sidney Poitier New American Film School in Mesa, Arizona, hosting a private screening of The Indelible Legacy of Jimmy Raye and offering an «NFL 360 Masterclass» for film students. NFL 360 producers will give an up-close look into the series’ Emmy-winning storytelling and cinematographic techniques, and provide insight into the world of sports, media, and entertainment.

«We are honored to host the NFL and encourage dialogue around this important film,» said Cheryl Boone Isaacs, founding director of The Sidney Poitier New American Film School. «The Indelible Legacy of Jimmy Raye is a powerful example of the impact that one person’s story can have on those who follow in his footsteps. The Poitier Film School fosters spaces that help empower our students so they can feel confident enough to tell their stories.»

In addition to The Indelible Legacy of Jimmy Raye, other special programming on NFL Network to celebrate Black History Month will include A True American Hero: The Rise of the Black Cowboy, Arizona Cardinal’s Kelvin Beachum’s look at the history of Black cavalry soldiers and cowboys in the Super Bowl’s host state (Tuesday, February 7th on NFL Network 3p ET).

Then starting Monday February 20^th, NFL Network will continue to honor Black History Month with a weeklong celebration of the Black icons who have shaped the history of the NFL. Black History Month programming on NFL Network during the week of February 20 will include:

• A special premiere of NFL Inspire Change. Hosted by Patrick Claybon, this feature follows several NFL players who are making a major impact beyond the game and who embody the pillars of the Inspire Change initiative (Monday, February 20^th on NFL Network 8p ET).
• The debut of a new season compilation of NFL City Life, a show that features NFL stars spending time with local icons and helping to put their local community on the map (Tuesday, February 21^st on NFL Network 8p ET).
• The premiere of The Godfather and the Gunslinger, a look at the epic 1984 matchup of two powerhouse HBCU teams led by legendary coaches and two future NFL stars, Jerry Rice and Issiac Holt (Saturday, February 25^th on NFL Network 3:30 ET).
• The 2^nd annual HBCU Legacy Bowl will take place at Yulman Stadium at Tulane University. This postseason all-star game will showcase the best NFL draft-eligible players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Saturday, February 25^th at 4p ET exclusively on NFL Network).