Dallas Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott received a six-game suspension during the 2017 season chronicled by Amazon. (Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)
Amidst the commotion of the three-day NFL Draft that takes place later this week at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, on Friday Amazon will release its behind-the-scenes “All or Nothing” program which follows the Cowboys throughout their eventful 2017 season. Dallas entered the year with realistic Super Bowl aspirations but fell a game short of the playoffs while enduring a controversial six-game suspension to star running back Ezekiel Elliott.
This is the third pro football season for the NFL Films-produced docuseries that opened with the Arizona Cardinals for 2015 and the Los Angeles Rams for 2016. Amazon is extending the franchise into other levels and other sports, having released a Michigan football series earlier this month and planning forays into international soccer (Manchester City FC) and rugby (New Zealand All Blacks).
All eight episodes of the Emmy-winning Prime Video series become available on April 27, but the trailer gives an indication of the stakes of playing for the world’s most valuable sports franchise. Owner Jerry Jones says, “You’ve got the eyes of the world on you,” and veteran cornerback Orlando Scandrick speaks up in a team meeting, noting, “If we don’t make the playoffs, some people might not have jobs.” (Worried about losing future playing time, Scandrick requested his release in the offseason and signed with Washington.)
There also appear to be the lighthearted moments one can only capture with great access, with wide receiver Dez Bryant giving a friendly, bare-headed headbutt to a helmet-wearing teammate and then exclaiming, “Ow, I forgot I had no helmet on,” as the locker room erupted in laughter.
“We are excited to announce that the third season of All or Nothing will feature the Dallas Cowboys. One of the best known and most captivating teams in the NFL, the Cowboys have a rabid fan base,” Amazon Originals’ head of unscripted, Heather Schuster, said in a press release. “This season will once again provide Prime members with incredible access, compelling drama and plenty of football action to entertain fans until next season.”
“We are thrilled to have the Dallas Cowboys as the featured team in the third season of Amazon Prime Video’s All or Nothing,” NFL Media president Maryann Turcke added. “An enormous amount of thanks goes out to the Cowboys organization for their cooperation in filming throughout the season. The team at NFL Films continuously delivers high-quality, engaging content for viewers, and through our collaboration with Amazon, the third season of All or Nothing series will give football fans incredible access into one of the league’s most iconic and celebrated clubs.”
SportTechie Takeaway
Amazon’s expansion into other sports is sensible, given the program’s success (such as the 2017 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Serialized Sports Documentary), but the tech giant acknowledged in a recent release that NFL programming will continue to be “the cornerstone of the brand.” There’s no better way to make that statement than to feature the so-called America’s Team on the tails of a turbulent season — and release the show while the Cowboys are hosting the league’s crown jewel offseason event, the draft.
