NFL puts fans together in You Better Believe It campaign
Short film includes cameos from Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, recording artist Normani, entertainer Druski and TikTok star Rizzler.
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The National Football League debuted You Better Believe It, its high-energy 2025 Kickoff campaign that combines artificial intelligence and live action to create a larger-than-life, all-32 team fan celebration.
Set to a remixed version of Quad City DJ’s classic Come On, Ride the Train performed by recording artist Normani, the 60-second spot plays out like a music video, which captures the shared hope that this could be any team’s year. Fans of all 32 teams are depicted on a massive float, as they sing the catchy “Come On, Ride the Float” chorus, along with team-specific verses. Through live-action and AI tools, the NFL featured distinct homages and cultural references for fans of each team, whether it’s picturing Washington Commanders’ Major Tuddy as a flying pig, showing ginormous ice sculpture of “Joe Cool” or referencing the “Black Hole” section of Allegiant Stadium.
“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 had the opportunity to pay tribute to each of our 32 fanbases in one unified fantastical celebration and build a world as limitless and imaginative as they are.”
Credits
View on- Agency 72andSunny/Los Angeles
- Production Company m ss ng p eces
- Director Tusk
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Credits
View on- Agency 72andSunny/Los Angeles
- Production Company m ss ng p eces
- Director Tusk
- VFX Mathematic
- Talent Jalen Hurts
Explore full credits, grab hi-res stills and more on shots Vault
Credits
powered by- Agency 72andSunny/Los Angeles
- Production Company m ss ng p eces
- Director Tusk
- VFX Mathematic
- Talent Jalen Hurts
To bring the fantastical vision of You Better Believe It to life, the NFL partnered with agency 72andSunny to blend live-action, computer-generated imagery (CGI) and generative AI (GenAI) tools. GenAI and CGI allowed the team to infuse the reality-bending float with callbacks to various team fanbases and to shape visual references to clubs, like the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. This mix of emerging technology and traditional craft gave the team the freedom to experiment, layer in nods to all 32 fanbases and create a world that feels larger than life, resulting in a craft-driven production enhanced by innovation.
Matt Turnier, creative director at 72andSunny, said, “Before each NFL season kicks off, football fans believe anything is possible. More than capturing that spirit in the work, we wanted to approach the production with the same belief in limitless possibilities. So we asked, ‘What happens when AI and CGI drive the spectacle of a larger-than-life Super Bowl float encompassing all 32 teams?’ Each scene needed to be something we could only create with the help of technology. Suddenly, the float wasn’t just a float. It was a stage for mutant snowmen, three-headed goats, silver-and-blue lions, and celebrations tailored to every fanbase in the league.”
While AI was used to scale the campaign concept, the NFL ensured the cast and crew both in front of and behind the camera were representative of its wide fanbase. You Better Believe It, directed by Kerry Furrh and Olivia Mitchell of Tusk, features star-studded cameos from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, recording artist Normani, entertainer Druski, and TikTok star Rizzler, who each bring their own connection to the game.
“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 conceptualise 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 honours that,” said Kerry Furrh and Olivia Mitchell of Tusk.
As the 2025 Kickoff anthem, You Better Believe It is a true celebration of the excitement and anticipation of what’s to come for fans, but also for players. As the sole player in the campaign, Jalen Hurts said, “The start of the season marks a new opportunity and a new journey with a new team. 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.”
You Better Believe It premiered today across NFL Network, NFL+, and national broadcast partners, with more behind-the-scenes content to follow on NFL channels and club platforms. Additional You Better Believe It vignettes will premiere throughout the season.
