Kenny Chesney Makes a ‘Believer’ Out of Steve Spurrier
Kenny Chesney is moonlighting for ESPN again. Teaming up with lauded Nashville filmmaker Shaun Silva, the country star and avid football fan has co-produced a documentary on one of the most legendary NCAA figures of all time, former Florida Gators and current South Carolina Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier.
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The Believer, set to air August 27th, will span Spurrier’s lengthy resume, which includes a Heisman trophy-winning stint as the University of Florida’s quarterback, a nine-season run with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and setting records for number of wins at Florida and South Carolina. The Florida native also briefly coached at Duke University and in the big leagues, for the Washington Redskins. Filmmakers interviewed those closest to the gridiron great both on and off the field.
“They spent a lot of time with my family, wife, kids, grandkids and so forth, and a lot of former players. So hopefully it will turn out ok,” Spurrier said at a recent SEC media day.
Chesney and Spurrier have been friends for several years, first publicly witnessed at a 2007 concert in Columbia, South Carolina, when the country star recruited the football coach onstage to serenade him with “Happy Birthday.” Chesney also has a history with ESPN Films, having co-produced 2011’s The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story, a one-hour documentary about the first African-American to start as quarterback in the SEC. Another football film, The Boys of Fall, had Chesney conducting interviews with the likes of Troy Aikman, Brett Favre, John Madden, Joe Namath and Steve Spurrier, among many other pigskin heroes.
We’re about one month away from the start of college football season, and two months from Chesney’s new album’s release. The Big Revival, his 16th studio LP, will hit stores on September 23rd.
The Believer is part of ESPN and the SEC Network’s “SEC Storied” series. Watch its trailer below.