The NFL today debuted “You Better Believe It,” a high-energy 2025 Kickoff campaign that fuses live action with artificial intelligence to create an all-32-team fan celebration, featuring a headline cameo from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Go Birds.
Set to a remixed version of Quad City DJ’s Come On, Ride the Train, performed by Normani, the 60-second film plays like a music video for football’s most optimistic moment: Week 1. Fans from every club ride a massive float and belt a catchy “Come On, Ride the Float” chorus alongside team-specific verses. Eagles fans are front and center alongside all 32 fanbases, capturing the city’s trademark intensity and belief that this could be their year. Watch below:
“Our fans are at the heart of this campaign—their joy, optimism, and belief in what’s possible—and we embraced AI to bring them even closer to the game they love,” said Tim Ellis, NFL Chief Marketing Officer. “By combining technological innovation and human creativity, we created one unified, fantastical celebration that pays tribute to each of our 32 fanbases.”
The NFL partnered with 72andSunny to blend live action, CGI, and generative AI (GenAI). The hybrid approach enabled reality-bending moments and club-specific nods—from Washington’s Major Tuddy imagined as a flying pig to a towering “Joe Cool” ice sculpture and a wink to Las Vegas’ “Black Hole”—within a craft-driven production amplified by innovation.
“Before each season kicks off, fans believe anything is possible,” said Matt Turnier, Creative Director at 72andSunny. “We asked, What happens when AI and CGI drive a larger-than-life float that encompasses all 32 teams? Suddenly the float becomes a stage for celebrations tailored to every fanbase.”
Directed by Kerry Furrh and Olivia Mitchell of Tusk, the film features cameos from Jalen Hurts, Normani, entertainer Druski, and TikTok star Rizzler. As the campaign’s sole player, Hurts anchors the film’s on-field perspective: “The start of the season marks a new opportunity and a new journey with a new team,” said Jalen Hurts. “We all have a great desire and hunger to win, and it’s something you build one game, one day, and one rep at a time.”
“I’ve always been an NFL fan, so getting the chance to be part of this season’s Kickoff campaign was a no-brainer,” said Druski.
“Being part of the NFL Kickoff commercial is such a monumental and personal moment for me,” said Normani.
“I cannot remember a time when football was not a huge part of my household growing up, so now that I’m part of an NFL campaign, it means the world to my family.”
“From day one, we saw this as more than a celebration of football; it’s about joy, unity, and a bunch of earnest humans journeying from hope to belief. It was a dream for us to conceptualize the look of this 32-team, fan-powered float spectacle, barreling cross country, reminding the world what it means to give a damn. There’s nothing more vulnerable than joy, and we deeply admire the NFL fans’ love for their teams. This piece honors that, ” said Kerry Furrh and Olivia Mitchell of Tusk.
“You Better Believe It” premieres today across NFL Network, NFL+, and national broadcast partners, with behind-the-scenes content rolling out on NFL and club channels. Additional campaign vignettes will debut throughout the season.
Go Birds.
CREDITS:
BRAND: National Football League (NFL)
- Chief Marketing Officer: Tim Ellis
- SVP Football Communications: Tracy Perlman
- SVP Global Brand & Consumer Marketing: Marissa Solis
- SVP Social, Influencer, and Content Marketing: Ian Trombetta
- VP Global Brand & Consumer Marketing: Rhett Nichols
- VP Social, Influencer, and Content Marketing: Tony Isetta
- Director, Global Brand & Consumer Marketing: Jackie Finn
- Director, Social, Influencer, and Content Marketing: Martin Bowier
- Senior Producer, Global Brand & Consumer Marketing: Lucy Hallowell
- Senior Manager, Global Brand & Consumer Marketing : Danielle Escalante
- Senior Manager, Social, Influencer, and Content Marketing: Al Eewshah
- Manager, Global Brand & Consumer Marketing: Caroline Davis
- Manager, Social, Influencer, and Content Marketing: Natalie Liest
- Associate, Global Brand & Consumer Marketing : Roisin Fitzgerald
- Coordinator, Global Brand & Consumer Marketing: Jessica Spiteri
- BTS: Pierre Eliezer
- Live Content Correspondent: Andrew Drachman
- Live Content Correspondent: Kyle Huang
- Manager, Player Marketing: Chris Taylor
- Director, Music Licensing: Christine Black-Reimel
AGENCY: 72andSunny, Los Angeles
- Creative Co-Chair and Founder: Glenn Cole
- Exec. Creative Director: Zach Hilder
- Creative Director: Jason LaFlore
- Creative Director Matt Turnier
- Head of Production: Lora Schulson
- Exec. Producer: Katie Gaul
- Sr. Producer: Brooke Horne
- Production Coordinator: Mia Simmons
- Group Brand Director: Shane ChastangBrand Director: Katie Martin
- Brand Manager: Izzy Berouty
- Chief Operating Officer: Patricia Rothenberg
- Senior Council: Sabina Gorini
- Group PAL Director: Christine Clausson
- PAL Manager: Devin Harrison
- Group Strategy Director: Clare Hines
- Strategy Director: Samantha Springer
- Strategist: Jared Briere
PRODUCTION COMPANY: m ss ng p eces
- Director: Tusk (Kerry Furrh + Olivia Mitchell)
- Director of Photography: Shane Bagwell
- Managing Partner, Founder: Ari Kuschnir
- Managing Partner: Brian Latt
- Managing Partner: Kate Oppenheim
- Executive Producer: Edward Grann
- Head of Production: Rebecca Davis
- Head of Post Production: Josh Sussman
- Line Producer (Live Action, AI): Monica Monique
- Line Producer (Live Action): Fern Martin
- 1st Assistant Director: Yvonne Wang
- 2nd Assistant Director: David Liehn
- Production Supervisor: Sameet Patadia
- Assistant Production Supervisor: Deryck Highbridge
- Assistant Production Supervisor: Caitlin Wachs
- Production Designer: Arae Webner
EDIT: Rock Paper Scissors (RPS)
- Editor: Damion Clayton
- Assistant Editor: Sam Slavkin
- Producer: Julia Ribas
- Executive Producer: Dre Krichevsky
- Executive Producer: Shada Shariatzadeh
- Head of Production: Dani Spagnoli
- Managing Director: Eve Kornblum
Finishing: Mathematic
- CEO & Executive Producer: Guillaume Marien
- Executive Producer & Partner: Hadi Dahrouge
- Sr Producer: Anh Phan
- VFX Producer: Mikaella Zarka
- VFX Producer: Gouna Logan
- Creative VFX & CG Supervisor: Daniel Karp
- VFX Supervisor: Yann Aldabe
- VFX Supervisor: Francois-Xavier Pourre
- VFX Supervisor: Emeric Samier
- Post Production Coordinator: Carine Jacquemont
- Post Production Coordinator: Noa Valadoux
- Post Production Coordinator: Guillaume Maire
- Post Production Coordinator: Shelby Campbell
- Studio Coordinator: Jay Rubin
- AI Artist: Bruno Detante
- AI Artist: Stephane Benini
- AI Artist : Bruno Samper
- AI Artist + CG Generalist: Jean Delaunay
- AI Artist + Compositor: Sean Struble
- AI Artist : Pierre Emperador
- AI Prompt Artist: Nick McGregor
- CG Modeler: Lilian Robert
- CG Modeler: Oscar Barrero
- CG Modeler: Piotr Glabinski
- CG Texture / Lookdev: Remy Maatouk
- CG Texture / Lookdev: Jesse Flores
- CG Generalist: Fred Colin
- CG Generalist: Pierre Dussaule
- CG Generalist: Andrea Oguey
- CG Generalist: Thomas Bertrand
- CG Generalist: Colin Toupe
- CG Generalist: Nathanael Serise
- CG Generalist: Alexis Dubor
- Rigger: Jules-Baptiste Giraud
- Rigger: Guillaume Boudeville
- Lighting: Arnaud Richir
- 3D Animator: Valere Amirault
- 3D Animator: Morgane Scionico
- Matte Painter: Romain Bayle
- Matte Painter: Brandon Kachel
- Matte Painter: Guillaume Béguin
- Tracking: Adrien Delecroix
- Tracking: Eva Clerc
- FX artist: Djelloul Bekri
- FX artist: Olivier Colchen
- Flame Artist: Vincent Blin
- Flame Artist: Samuel Roux
- Compositor: Fabien Husselin
- Compositor: John Brennick
- Compositor: Lucia Scansetti
- Compositor: Alexandra Batina
- Compositor: Clément Germain
- Compositor: Jeremy Blasco
- Compositor: Magali Pham
- Online Editor: Alex Hemingway
- Online Editor: Ean Carlson
- IO Assistant: Alexandra Brugalé
- IO Assistant: Paul Calabrese
- IO Assistant: Selim Meddeb
- IO Assistant: Orphée-Timothée Marle-Ouvrard
- IO Assistant: René Samoël
- IO Assistant: Bilal Foot
Sound Design/Mix: Lime
Production – Jalen Hurts Pick Up Shoot: Pushnik Photography LLC
- Director: Jonathan Pushnik
- Director of Photography: Vince Guglielmo
- Studio Manager: Sammy Collinge
- AD: Philip Kwarta
- 1st AC: James Powers
- Key Gaffer: Jon Barden
- BBE: Hai Nguyen
- Key Grip: Miles O’Bryan
- BBG: Mo McConnel
- Hair and Makeup: Bryona Smith
- PA: Peter Rivelli
- PA: Raul Fernando
MUSIC: The Crystal Creative
Samples:
- Publishing License of: C’mon Ride It (The Train) By: Quad City DJ’s (1996)
- “Theme from Together Brothers” by Barry White ft. Love Unlimited Orchestra
- “We Want some Pussy” by 2 Live Crew
- “The Little Engine That Could” by Laura Olsher
- Executive Producer: Chad North
- Executive Creative Director: Tommy Phelan
- Composer: Jordan Chini
- Producer: Morgan Whirledge
EDIT: LIME Studio
AUDIO: LIME Studios
- Sound Mixer: Jeff Malen
- Assistant Engineer: Victoria Cortez
- Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan
- Associate Producer: Cassie Underwood
COLOR: Company 3
- Colorist: Matt Osborne
- Producer, Color: Shannen Troup
- Executive Producer: Kristin Engdahl
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360 News and a ridiculous Eagles’ fan. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on Twitter at @colinthewriter1
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